After reading the interview with Ron Friedman today I'm left wonder just how bigger blow to the brand was the first death of Optimus Prime? I was born in '84 so I don't remember what the brand was like in the earliest years. My first exposure to the brand came from rented VHS tapes, and the first time I saw Prime die was traumatic.

I've heard different things over years from his death not making any change to sales and viewership, to it nearly killed the brand. Just how bad was Hasbro's mistake?