How critical was the first death of Optimus Prime?

[GoktimusPrime]

Optimus Prime's deaths in the G1 comics were also pretty traumatic. The first time was when Prime allowed himself to be killed because - wait for it - Megatron had beaten him in a LAN game. Even though Megatron was exposed for having code-hacked the game and won by cheating. It's similar premise to "Heavy Metal War," only that in the G1 cartoon the penalty was exile, not death - and Optimus Prime agreed that Megatron's cheating voided the agreement. Whereas G1 comic Optimus Prime adamantly insisted on keeping his word and maintaining his honour, and that Megatron's hacking changes nothing. Snap. As much as I generally prefer the G1 comics over the cartoon, this wasn't one of the comics' more shining moments. Although Optimus Prime's second death in the comics, going Kamikaze into Unicron's maw while opening the Matrix, was pretty damn epic (arguably the most epic demise of Optimus Prime evah) . . . but of course, being bathed in Matrix energy during the explosion actually kept Optimus Prime alive (although shredded), allowing him to crash back on Cybertron and die a slow and painful death! It would've been more humane him to have just properly blown up and died from the explosion. Then of course Prime used his dying breath to whisper something to Prowl that he did not want to hear! Oh... if only he had a table to flip! Then Prime's death in G2 was just downright gruesome, with Optimus allowing the Swarm to consume him.

Prime's death in TFTM at least looked like a 'peaceful passing,' whereas his comic deaths were just painfully agonising!

[Paulbot]

Do you think they'd have let Marvel do a big death scene for Prime if he wasn't dying in the movie? I dont think so. It wasn't like they used his absence to sell Rodimus Prime or Ultra Magnus. Until #24 only Sunstreaker had been "killed off" and that was just an "unrepairable" state. (and I'm just talking toy characters in US Marvel of course, Marvel UK had a bit more loose Hasbro control). The big death in the movie was surely a driving point to do something similar in the books.

[GoktimusPrime]

I never said otherwise.

[Paulbot]

Sorry, I meant that just as a general "do you think?" question to you and anybody, then gave my answer as part of my answer to the thread's overarching question. (what happens when you write on the train)

[liegeprime]

Well if they'll just keep bringing him back, the stunt (dying) is getting lame now. Although in the latest comics version (IDW) Prime has yet to kick the bucket. Although, there's been a whole other cast of characters that have been welcomed back to the Matrix.... other than O. Prime. Do you think the writers of IDW noticed that the Prime death is getting overused and somewhat, somehow am avoiding it coz of how it has diminished the nobility of the act? I mean every single time Prime will die... it's just getting so predictable now.. even TF Prime - he had to sacrifice. Thank goodness that wasn't the case in TF Animated.

But yeah, each time he dies it just gets lamer and lamer... now for the death of Prime in the comics - gruesome as it is (except the floppy disc one) NOW THAT is WHAT DEATH should be! Grand, viscious, truly epic and the more gruesome it is the more noble I guess since if you (Prime) knew that it will that painful, horrific and downright ugly and yet he still goes thru it, because it MUST be the only recourse.... then that is a noble sacrifice.

I still can't get my head around that a cut in the side even if it is a focal point just doesn't emphasized it at all. Coz you've seen him get blown, hacked into pieces and even more in all the other cartoon episodes and yet a small cut and he goes - pass the Matrix?!?! meh, lame.... mebbe a few more sparks and explosions and some short circuit scenes would've helped.

[Megatron]

I still can't get my head around that a cut in the side even if it is a focal point just doesn't emphasized it at all. Coz you've seen him get blown, hacked into pieces and even more in all the other cartoon episodes and yet a small cut and he goes - pass the Matrix?!?! meh, lame.... mebbe a few more sparks and explosions and some short circuit scenes would've helped.

They should've gotten Bay to direct the movie.

[liegeprime]

They should've gotten Bay to direct the movie.

haha, only for the scenes with Explosions!!! if he did the whole thing there wouldn't be any memorable dialogues or plot (as simple as it may be) just Explosions!!!!

[Sinnertwin]

These days I rarely watch the movie past Starscream's Coronation.

[GoktimusPrime]

haha, only for the scenes with Explosions!!! if he did the whole thing there wouldn't be any memorable dialogues or plot (as simple as it may be) just Explosions!!!!

And the Transformers would get much less screen time and dialogue. Most of it would be focused on humans^'Muricans! Autobot City would be a big NEST base, and it'd mostly be US soldiers (with a small handful of UK soldiers as a token "international" minority ) fighting the Decepticons, most of whom we wouldn't recognise in a pink fit, and the Autobots would be the Americans' sidekicks. Hoo-rah! Oh, and when Optimus Prime lifts off as he transforms to robot mode and spins in the air shooting Decepticons -- before he lands he'll get tangled up and spend the next twenty minutes being upside down before getting to Megatron. Devastator would come in like a pair of wrecking balls, and we would see at least one of the following actions from the Transformers:
+ lewd acts
+ urinating
+ farting
...and this would happen during really crucial moments too. "Springer <farts>, you and Arcee transform Autobot city. Perceptor, stop lubricating on that man and tell Blaster to radio Prime for reinforcements. Blurr..." <lewd.act> "...never mind."

Oh, and instead of becoming Galvatron, Megatron would be restored as... Megatron! Oh, and Daniel would be a good 8-10 years older, and naturally his mundane life would become a focal point of the story. And in the ending credits, Cyclonus would be called "Pointy," and in the actual film, Blaster would be called "Billy."