The Autobot Transformers characters like Optimus Prime and Bumblebee to Decepticons like Megatron and Starscream.
The live-action series now has seven installments as of Transformers: Rise of the Beasts, and is set for more best and worst of the Transformers movies do this, with some adding their own spin to the lore. One constant being who is often mentioned is Primus, the creator of the Transformers and an incredibly powerful character within the series.
Primus Is A God Who Created The Transformers
Primus Is A God-Like Entity Who Dates Back To The Creation Of The Cosmos
In the Transformers universe, Primus is a god who dates back to the beginning of the universe itself. An ethereal being, Primus is a multiversal force for good with many incarnations across many realities and dimensions. In every one of these universes, Primus stands as the last line of defense against any evil threatening the galaxy. As a means of ensuring his goal to protect the galaxy was upheld, Primus became the creator of the Transformers themselves.
Primus exists in a somewhat meta plane of existence, being the creator of the entire Transformers franchise and what it is known for today.
Primus' creation of the Transformers, and Cybertron, was done so to oppose Unicron. After this, Primus entered an eons-long slumber, as he entrusted his children to fight for light in the way he did previously. Primus has often been the beacon of light that the main Transformers movie characters strive to be like, from Optimus Prime in Michael Bay's movies to the Elder Prime's of Transformers One's universe.
Primus Became The Planet Cybertron
Primus Created The Planet To Ensure His Fight Lived On
After acting as a force for good in the universe for a time, Primus used his godlike powers to eventually transform himself into the planet Cybertron. This came about after his continued battles with the main force of evil in the galaxy, his brother Unicron. Realizing that his battle with his brother was causing untold destruction, Primus tricked Unicron into following him into the astral plane. Primus, the most powerful of Transformers, then returned to the physical realm and Unicron followed, a transformation that allowed them both to hold a physical form.
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The Transformers have fought many battles over the entire franchise, and some Cybertronians have proved themselves the strongest.
The physical forms both began manifesting into simple formations of rock. Primus took his chance and separated him and Unicron from their energy forms, trapping them in their stone prisons forever. However, both brothers could reshape the formation of their stone prisons; Unicron chose to create a body, while Primus looked at the bigger picture. Primus reshaped his body into the planet Cybertron, which could create beings to mimic Unicron's powers. Primus infused his energy into the planet, creating the Matrix of Leadership that gave the planet's creations, the Transformers, life.
After this, the Transformers began sprouting from the planet's surface, essentially extensions of Primus himself. Since then, the Transformers - usually the benevolent tribe, the Autobots - have scoured the galaxy fighting for the good of all planets just as Primus did before them. The spark that powers all Transformers is a piece of Primus' life force, together forming the Allspark.
Primus Is Unicron's Twin Brother
Where There Is Light, There Is Also Darkness
Just as Primus was an ethereal being fighting for good in the galaxy before becoming Cybertron, an evil being named Unicron sought to dominate the universe. Unicron - also named the Chaos-Bringer - is the eternal enemy of Primus and his twin brother. Unlike his brother, Unicron seeks to destroy the universe, devouring planets and the fabric of existence until he is the sole survivor of a universe in chaos. As such, Primus has vowed to stop Unicron, with the children of the former often fighting against Unicron and his minions.
As shown in Transformers: Rise of the Beasts and likely its sequel, Unicron often strikes deals with lesser beings to carry out his plans. This results in conflicts between Primus' creations, the Transformers, and more evil versions of the robotic race. While Unicron has directly appeared in live-action films like Transformers: The Last Knight and Transformers: Rise of the Beasts, Primus has not been physically included outside the appearances of Cybertron.
Is Optimus Prime Related To Primus?
Prime Has A Close Connection To His Creator
Due to the similarities in their names, the question could be raised whether Optimus Prime is related to Primus. As Primus' is a god to the Transformers, and responsible for their creation, every being born on Cybertron is essentially a child of Primus. This includes Optimus Prime, though the two have a stronger connection than the other Autobots do with their creator. This comes from Optimus' leadership of the Autobots, which is linked to an aspect of Primus' life force: the Matrix of Leadership.
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Transformers One features the Matrix of Leadership, with its disappearance, powers, and future being integral to the animated sequel's story.
The Matrix of Leadership is one of the more powerful artifacts in the Transformers universe, held by the leader of the Autobots. Throughout many incarnations of the Transformers franchise, Optimus Prime has possessed this Matrix. This solidifies Prime as the leader of the Autobots but also means he houses the life force of Primus. While all Transformers are children of Primus, Optimus Prime essentially acts as an extension of the god's will, fighting against the Decepticons, Terrorcons, and any other evil being carrying out the will of Primus' twin nemesis Unicron.
Primus In Rise Of The Beasts & Transformers Movies
Primus Has Appeared In Several Transformers Properties
Due to this connection between Optimus Prime and Primus, the god has been referenced multiple times throughout the Transformers live-action franchise, including Transformers: Rise of the Beasts. However, it is worth pointing out that Rise of the Beasts is the first live-action Transformers project to mention Primus by name. That being said, the franchise has still referenced the god at length due to what is known about Primus in wider Transformers lore. Firstly, the planet of Cybertron has been essential in almost all Transformers films.
In 2007's Transformers, the first chronological Transformers movie in the live-action series, the Autobots intended to use the Allspark to rebuild Cybertron. As the Allspark is Primus' life force, they intended to essentially revive Primus after Cybertron was destroyed by civil war. Cybertron also appears in the third Transformers film, Dark of the Moon. The opening sequence of the third film is set on Cybertron, meaning Primus technically appears in his planetary form. The same can be said for Bumblebee, which also opens on Cybertron, thus including Primus.
The second live-action film, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, features multiple references to Primus. The Matrix of Leadership is a crucial MacGuffin to the plot of the movie, with another Prime named The Fallen attempting to use it to destroy Earth. The Fallen himself is one of Primus' oldest creations, referencing the god. Similarly, the Primes of the past appear to Optimus, who is revived using the Matrix, meaning Primus' life force became part of him.
During a conversation with Optimus Primal, the leader of the Rise of the Beasts' Maximals mentions that Optimus Prime is a chosen one of Primus...
Transformers: Rise of the Beasts is the most recent live-action Transformers film, and the first to features an official mention of Primus. During a conversation with Optimus Primal, the leader of the Maximals mentions that Optimus Prime is a chosen one of Primus. This references Prime's leadership of the Autobots, carrying out Primus' mission against Unicron. Similarly, Unicron is the main villain of the film, with his intention being to annihilate Earth before doing so to the rest of the universe.
Primus' Role In Transformers One
Transformers One Becomes The Second Movie To Feature Primus
The most recent Hollywood Transformers movie is the animated Transformers One. The film tells a new origin story for Optimus Prime, one that includes Primus in a similar vein to past Transformers movies. At the beginning of Transformers One's story, Primus' history as the creator of Cybertron is mentioned. Optimus Prime, then known as Orion Pax, discovers this history, also learning of the Matrix of Leadership which allows Energon to flow through Primus and thus, Cybertron, ensuring the life of the Transformers.
As such, much of the film centers around the search for the Matrix of Leadership. This task falls to Orion, solidifying his character arc into becoming Optimus Prime. In Transformers One's climactic ending, Orion falls into the heart of Cybertron and is revived by Primus himself, who personally chooses the Transformer to hold the Matrix of Leadership. With this story, Transformers One becomes one of the first movies in the Transformers franchise to delve deeply into Primus’ history. This could continue in a sequel to the film, further solidifying the legacy of the god of the Transformers.
Transformers One
- Release Date
- September 20, 2024
- Runtime
- 104 Minutes
- Director
- Josh Cooley
Cast
Orion Pax / Optimus Prime
Brian Tyree HenryD-16 / Megatron
WHERE TO WATCH
Transformers One is an animated action-adventure movie that marks the first animated feature-length film for the series in decades. The film will be a prequel to the franchise, and will tell the story of Optimus Prime and Megatron in their early years, how they met, and a closer look at the war on their home planet, Cybertron.
- Writers
- Andrew Barrer, Steve Desmond, Gabriel Ferrari
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