Transformers Oneshows the humble origins of two of the most iconic characters in theTransformersfranchise, Optimus Prime and Megatron, for the first time on the big screen.Transformers Onehas received rave reviewssince its release, with much of the praise pointed at the excellent characters and writing that the film displays. Optimus Prime, being one of the main characters, is one of the best examples of how emotional and deep the film is, but the film also shows that Optimus is no slouch when it comes to his powers and abilities.
Despite itsnew cast,Transformers Oneis able to keep its characters feeling close to their other incarnations. Optimus Prime has, historically, been a weapons powerhouse, with a ton of abilities that help him when it comes to the combat side of things. From the original cartoon, to the comics, to the live-action films, he has always had an arsenal at his disposal, andOptimus inTransformers Oneis no different. Each version is obviously going to have slight variances, and sothe latest film has a mix of classic, iconic weapons and newer or lesser-known abilities that it showcases.
8Enhanced Strength
A True Leader Has To Punch Really Hard
Extra strength is something of a given for the main character of a movie like this, but it is worth noting for Optimus Prime here, because it is one of the ways that helps to show the character’s growth over the course of the movie. At the start, a character like Darkwing is completely unbeatable to him, sohe is left completely at the mercy of the stronger characters in the film.
By the end, however, Optimus is fending off four Decepticons with nothing but raw strength and power, beating backMegatron, who is using Megatronus Prime’s cog, and then Starscream, Shockwave, and Soundwave, all of whom are some of the best fighters on Cybertron. Outside his general fighting prowess,his strength can be seen in some of the individual feats he accomplishes. From grabbing a missile out of the air and throwing it at someone else, to ripping Megatron’s cannon clean off his back, Optimus' strength is one of his key powers.
7Propulsion Jets
He Still Can’t Fly
Optimus is shown to use his propulsion jets a few times during the movie, and surprisingly, he is able to use them in multiple unique ways. The most obvious use of these jets is when he is in his vehicle form, and uses them to get a boost of speed, both in and out of combat. However,he also uses them to glide down when he is infiltrating Iacon cityafter Megatron and Bee are captured, as well as using them to enhance his fists when punching, giving himself an extra bit of strength behind his fists.
Transformers One Easily Improved On The Live-Action Transformers Movies With 2 Key Characters
Transformers One is one of the best films in the Transformers franchise, and one aspect in particular helps the film to rise above the rest.
However,one limitation of this ability seems to be that Optimus can’t fly with the jets, only glide and make bigger jumps. During the fight at the High Guard’s base, he jumps on top of a different flying Transformer to get a better vantage point in the air, and when he and the miners fight off Sentinel’s soldiers attacking the train, he is wearing a jetpack, not using his own jets. The propulsion jets are clearly useful, but it seems he can’t use them to fully fly, at least not yet.
6Built-In Guns
They Are Rarely Used
While Megatron is certainly more of the gun enthusiast of the duo, Optimus Prime is shown to have built-in weapons that he can use to defend himself and others. When Sentinel’s forces attack the High Guard base, there is one moment, after Bee jumps on his back with a gun, where Optimus brings out two small blasters on his front to blast through a handful of soldiers in his way. Optimus is in his vehicle mode when he uses these weapons, andhe only uses them briefly before transforming back.
It’s unclear whether or not Optimus can use these weapons in his normal form, but it is likely, given that every other ability he has can be used in either. However, he only uses these guns one time in a single fight, usually preferring hand-to-hand combat most of the time. This is likely becausehe often wants to avoid killing everyone in his way, giving his opponents a chance to back down and surrender as opposed to just mowing down all of his enemies.
5Transformation
It’s Obvious, But It Has To Be Mentioned
Transformation is in the name of the entire series, so, of course, it is one of the main abilities that Optimus Prime can use. However, while a lot ofpreviousTransformersmediauses transformations as simply a tool, where a vehicle mode is for hiding or moving, and the regular form is for fighting,Transformers Oneshows Optimus Prime using his transforming powers all the time in combat, whether to retreat for better positioning or to gain an edge in the middle of a fight.
Optimus' transformations aren’t just to change between combat and travel, but they’re integral to everything he does.
This is shown off the most in his battle with Megatron, where both of them are constantly shifting back and forth between modes, sometimes even only transforming halfway. Optimus brings his wheels up while Megatron is on top of him to get away, he retracts his head in a fun callback to avoid a gunshot, and even just uses his vehicle form to trip and push Megatron away. Optimus' transformations aren’t just to change between combat and travel, but they’re integral to everything he does.
4Ion Blaster
But He Doesn’t Use His Iconic Model
Throughout theTransformersfranchise, Optimus Prime tends to use an ion blaster as his signature weapon, which is seen in most other media, even the live-action films. However,Transformers Onedoesn’t showcase this weapon at all, again, as Optimus prefers to fight at close quarters the majority of the time. However,there are still plenty of times Optimus uses a gun in the film, even if it doesn’t look the same as it has in previous iterations.
He doesn’t have one of his own, instead grabbing them off of other soldiers, like when he is defending the High Guard base, or when the group starts to fight off Sentinel Prime duringTransformers One’sending.He is never shown to have formal training with any sort of firearm like that, which is likely another reason why he doesn’t like to use them as his primary weaponry, on top of any moral objections he has to killing first.
3Flamethrowers
They’re Simple But Effective
Optimus Prime’s flamethrowers are another tool in his arsenal that are used sparingly, but are themselves quite powerful. They are another power that Optimus uses throughout theTransformersseries, and inTransformers Onehe uses them in his final fight agaisnt Megatron.They don’t seem to cause much lasting damage, as Megatron is both very powerful himself and completely made of metal, but they do clearly stun him for a moment.
Why Sentinel Prime Betrayed The Primes In Transformers One
The primary villain of Transformers One is Sentinel Prime, a formerly benevolent Cybertronian who betrayed the other Primes for a sinister reason.
Interestingly enough, the flamethrowers themselves aren’t unique weapons, but instead, Optimus produces the flame through his propulsion jets, and then shoots it out in front of him.It’s a clever way of showing how Optimus uses every tool at his disposal, taking the powers he has been granted by his cog and matrix and remixing them to use for whatever purpose he happens to need at any given time. However, Optimus only uses this ability once, likely because while it is an effective deterrent, it won’t do any real damage to someone as powerful as Megatron.
2Matrix Of Leadership
The Matrix Makes Him The Prime
Transformers One’s Matrix of Leadershipis very similar to how it is displayed in otherTransformersprojects, where it doesn’t have any ability on its own, it is only when it is given to someone that they can make use of its immense powers. The Matrix powers up Optimus to an incredible degree, making him easily the strongest Transformer on Cybertron, asafter he gets it, he is able to beat back Megatron and the newly-formed Decepticonswithout too much stress on his part.
The Matrix also has powers outside just making Optimus stronger, as shown after the battle at the very end of the film, where the Matrix releases the energon once again, allowing it to flow throughout the entire planet, and giving everyone on Cybertron a Transformation Cog. The Matrix of Leadership is an extension of Primus, the god of theTransformersuniverse, and so, naturally, it is one of the strongest artifacts that can be found throughout the entireTransformersworld.
1Energon Axe
Optimus Prime’s Most Powerful Tool
The energon axe is arguably Optimus Prime’s most iconic weapon, so it is no surprise that it was included inTransformers Oneand given the fanfare it deserves. It appears during Optimus' final battle with Megatron, coming in when Optimus is facing a lot of resistance, andallows him to finally and completely defeat the Decepticons. He is shown to not only be able to use it as a melee weapon, but he is also able to throw out copies of the axe to hit targets further away.
The energon axe is a direct representation of the Matrix of Leadership’s power, and so, naturally, it is one of the strongest tools in Optimus Prime’s arsenal. In the best action scene in the film, Optimus uses it to slice one of Megatron’s guns completely in half, forcing him to surrender.Transformers Oneshows Optimus with a lot of weapons and powers, but thankfully, it still gives his most iconic weapon time to shine in the spotlight.
Transformers One
Cast
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.
