Armada Optimus Prime encounters the shades of other Optimuses in a place near death.
Vital Statistics
Writer: Sean P. Fodera
Pagecount: 21pp
Major characters:
Originally published: In the Transformers Legends anthology, November 2004
Synopsis
Following his destruction at the hands of the Hydra Cannon, Optimus Prime finds himself in Maccadam's Old Oil House, encountering a similarly ghostly Optimus Primal. Both of their sparks 'split,' resulting in the arrivals of the original Optimus Prime, and a future Optimus Primal. (See Trivia/Notes for 'when' each version came from.)
All four attempt to discern why they're here, eventually concluding that Armada Optimus Prime is the key, as he was here first. Optimus Primal theorizes that each of their sparks, though separate, have affinity across time, space and dimensions, drawn into similar events and conflicts with similarly affinitive sparks. (Their deaths at the hands of 3 respective Megatrons.)
Armada Optimus Prime's sacrifice differs from that of the others. While a leader is always prepared to make the ultimate sacrifice if there is no other choice, he must be cautious against the urge to sacrifice himself, especially when his leadership is still needed, especially as redemption for perceived mistakes. While a leader is responsible for his mistakes, he is also responsible for his troops, and cannot recklessly throw his life away, as Armada Optimus Prime attempted to do.
Armada Optimus' crisis of confidence resolved, all four briefly join, feeling the Prime Spark, the part of all of their sparks that resonates as one (the affinity Primal theorized about,) then separate to share a drink together before fading back to their respective dimensions and eras.
On the way out, all four encounter their respective Megatrons, fresh from a similar meeting. They run at one another for a hilarious comedy moment before fading out.
With renewed vigor, Optimus Prime returns to life, ready to kick Decepticon skidplate!
Continuity
Prime Spark takes place in late in Armada's cartoon continuity, spanning the 3 episode gap between Crisis and Miracle from Armada Optimus Prime's point of view. It also touches on the events of The Transformers: The Movie and the Beast Wars and Beast Machines television series.
Trivia/Notes
- Armada Optimus Prime comes from the moment of his destruction in "Crisis", the 39th episode of the Armada Cartoon series.
- Generation One Optimus Prime comes from the moment of his death defending Autobot City in The Transformers: The Movie.
- Optimus Primal comes from his destruction in a Transwarp explosion in "Other Voices, Part 2", the 26th episode of Beast Wars. His later incarnation arrives from either his disintegration in the Plasma Energy Chamber in "End of the Line", the 13th episode of Beast Machines or his final moment in the series finale, just which one is never actually stated.
- The Beast Machines Primal really shouldn't be here. (Instead, he should be tripping around in the Matrix), but hey, he died, so what the heck.
- The physics text by Robert Nagisa that Generation One Optimus Prime mentions reading appears to be fictional.
- The meeting takes place in Armada's version of Maccadam's Old Oil house, in the relative present of the animated series.[which series?]
- Beast Machines Optimus Primal is described as huge and hulking, larger than Armada's Tidal Wave; the author was going by the toy, not realizing the character was supposed to be much smaller than Optimus Prime.
- Two of the four Megatrons lack equivalent deaths for their meeting, and one of the other two is never actually revived in any canonical source, making it a little strange that he's depicted as leaving the establishment. This is glossed over.
- The Transformer generally regarded to be Maccadam is identified merely as the bartender in this story.
- Robots in Disguise Optimus Prime is conspicuously absent. Okay, he had no death/rebirth to speak of, but still.