Dark of the Moon Optimus Prime's characterization (Spoilers)

[terry78]

And here we are again as we were back in 2009 with some discussing how Prime was a little out of character this time around. In ROTF some said he was a little too brutal and out for blood(Energon, whatever). I was having a discussion with some people on another board that was talking about it, and some had an issue with Optimus and the Autobots ploy in letting everyone think they had been destroyed, because it more or less caused the devastation in Chicago. They also took issue with him killing Megatron and Sentinel when neither was a threat. Basically this version of Optimus is a much more pragmatic leader, but compared to other iterations, is it that varied?

 

[Dr Lee]

Someone put it to me that he'd reached his limit... He'd seen his planet ripped apart through war... his friends all dying around him.

And then his long lost mentor turns around and brutally kills one of his few remaining friends and reveals himself to be in league with the Cons....

Prime had just had enough....

The plot to show Earth what would happen if they were gone was a bit...left field... but i wonder if they expected the hell to happen that did happen when they came up with the plot

 

[dark_b]

it would take them 2 minutes and lets say 5.000 dollars extra to explain why OP killed Sentinel and Megatron at the END. IRONHIDE
he died and OP had enough so he destroyed everything in hes way to end it. but they didnt do that.

some are saying that he shouldtn kill Megatron since he saved him. he didnt save him. he would kill OP.

 

[PROLIFIK1]

^ Pretty much well said. After seeing all the chaos that had gone down, I think any good man or autobot for that matter would totally lose it after seeing his fellow friends get hurt and even lose their life.

I actually enjoy seeing Optimus get all heroic into the killing machine he was in ROTF and the Chicago seen in DOTM. Yeah unlike his usual character we're familiar with but makes you want to cheer him when he does that in the live action movies.

 

[webhead731]

When he came back and just said "we will kill them all" I about peed myself. He was just a badass in this.

 

[MOS]

Haven't seen DOTM yet, but Prime(and the other Autobots) were too brutal in the first two movies. I don't remember them having killed even one con in G1(except for Unicron, and when Optimus Prime tries to kill Megatron, but since he failed, it doesn't count). I always saw the Autobots as robotic versions of the Justice League, and Optimus Prime as Superman. Since Superman never kills, I expected Prime not to either.

 

[Optimus_Prime_]

Haven't seen DOTM yet, but Prime(and the other Autobots) were too brutal in the first two movies. I don't remember them having killed even one con in G1(except for Unicron, and when Optimus Prime tries to kill Megatron, but since he failed, it doesn't count). I always saw the Autobots as robotic versions of the Justice League, and Optimus Prime as Superman. Since Superman never kills, I expected Prime not to either.

You don't? My God, between the comics, the TFTM86 and the UK stuff they killed a whole lot of those f***ers. The only reason you never saw them do it in the Cartoon was because it was G-rated. The Decepticons never killed anyone in the 'toon save for the movie. Optimus killed a ton of red shirt Decepticons in War Dawn in season 2 though.

 

[TheWiseGuy487]

For those questioning Optimus being too brutal in these movies, just watch this video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bBUAG6Gy-to
[YT]bBUAG6Gy-to[/YT]

 

[Optimus_Prime_]

edit

 

[Colossal Spoons]

The only time I felt OP was being brutal(not too brutal, I think OP's actions have been appropriate in all 3 movies. It's his dialogue that sounded like the Terminator lol) was when he fought Megatron, Blackout, and Starscream in RotF right before he died.

 

[Nathan]

Optimus does what needs to be done, but I agree that his dialogue made him seem more brutal than he was. He isn't the kind of guy that says "Kill them all." Or rips someone's face off unnecessarily.

When he says "Megatron has to be stopped, no matter the cost.", to me it implies that Prime is ready to sacrifice himself, in order to protect everyone. But "Kill them all.", that's just too bloodthirsty.

I would have loved if they portrayed him as someone who doesn't like conflict, but can open a can of whoopass on you if he has to.

[YT]6ezHnli1_y8[/YT]

 

[HerbLazer]

For those questioning Optimus being too brutal in these movies, just watch this video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bBUAG6Gy-to
[YT]bBUAG6Gy-to[/YT]

You've got the touch, you've got the power

 

[TAK The Voyager]

Even though Megatron saved his butt against Sentinel, he did kill him in the previous movie, he had it coming for awhile now. I do wish he wasn't killed off and they had some kind of momentary truce, though.

As for Sentinel, eff that guy, I would've done the same, too.

 

[Spade]

They also took issue with him killing Megatron and Sentinel when neither was a threat.

Megatron had it coming; he destroyed their world, nearly enslaved another, killed Optimus, and murdered many of his friends. His last words were just another bid for power. Sentinel...? If this was the cartoon, then yes, it'd be out of character. Cartoon Prime wouldn't stoop to his enemy's level. But it's not.

Basically this version of Optimus is a much more pragmatic leader, but compared to other iterations, is it that varied?

Movie Optimus is bizarre. One moment, he's Cartoon Optimus, talking about "great compassion." The next, he's a slasher flick killer that takes faces. So yes, he's very different. Only Bay knows why that is.

 

[bell110]

Haven't seen DOTM yet, but Prime(and the other Autobots) were too brutal in the first two movies. I don't remember them having killed even one con in G1(except for Unicron, and when Optimus Prime tries to kill Megatron, but since he failed, it doesn't count). I always saw the Autobots as robotic versions of the Justice League, and Optimus Prime as Superman. Since Superman never kills, I expected Prime not to either.

No one ever dies in the cartoons. But remember, these guys are in a war. Optimus' appeal for diplomacy can only last so long.

Optimus does what needs to be done, but I agree that his dialogue made him seem more brutal than he was. He isn't the kind of guy that says "Kill them all." Or rips someone's face off unnecessarily.

When he says "Megatron has to be stopped, no matter the cost.", to me it implies that Prime is ready to sacrifice himself, in order to protect everyone. But "Kill them all.", that's just too bloodthirsty.

I would have loved if they portrayed him as someone who doesn't like conflict, but can open a can of whoopass on you if he has to.

[YT]6ezHnli1_y8[/YT]

God damn, I hate anime.

 

[Nathan]

I bet you've watched more anime than you actually realized.

 

[dark_b]

i think the reason he says kill them all is because in the last 3 movies we saw that if you dont kill a decepticon that he can still repair himself and come back. so the only way to stop them is to kill them all.

 

[bell110]

Only Voltron.

 

[Nathan]

i think the reason he says kill them all is because in the last 3 movies we saw that if you dont kill a decepticon that he can still repair himself and come back. so the only way to stop them is to kill them all.

I think every time they actually went into combat in the past movies, their opponent's head was turned to scrap. They know they have only one choice during war. We know it too. We don't need Prime telling them "Kill them all."

 

[Drizzle]

Someone put it to me that he'd reached his limit... He'd seen his planet ripped apart through war... his friends all dying around him.

And then his long lost mentor turns around and brutally kills one of his few remaining friends and reveals himself to be in league with the Cons....

Prime had just had enough....

This. It's like what John Rambo said..."When you're pushed, killing's as easy as breathing." Optimus wanted to end this war once and for all, and why shouldn't he? Optimus killing Megatron was justified because it really was Megatron's plan all along. Thousands of innocent lives were lost because of Megatron throughout the three films. There was no reason for him to live. Sentinel just joined his cause to preserve Cybertron, even though he had no plans of becoming Megatron's inferior. Still, Optimus needed to destroy him as well, if only to avenge Ironhide.

 

[Timstuff]

People often jokingly refer to Optimus Prime as "robot Jesus," but they often forget that in the Bible, it says in Revelation that Jesus will unleash his wrath on those who align themselves with the Antichrist.

For years, Optimus Prime had tried to be peaceful in his resolution of conflict. He knew that Sentinel Prime was beyond saving, because he had already made his choice, and Optimus knew he had to bring down the hammer of righteous indignation on him.

 

[Spade]

And the bootheel of righteous indignation. And the shotgun shells of righteous indignation.

I have no problem with the allusions. It's still weird, though, that Prime goes from pleading for peace to stone cold killer mode in less than 2 minutes.

 

[Optimus_Prime_]

God damn, I hate anime.

I bet you've watched more anime than you actually realized.

Anime? Transformers The Movie 1986 is not anime? Didn't even premiere in Japan until a year after it came out in the states. In fact the Japanese were so unaware of the plot of TFTM that their anime (the actual anime Transformers) contained characters that died in the movie, and therefore would've precluded their inclusion in Headmasters. Yeah, that scene was American.

 

[Optimus_Prime_]

Optimus Prime carries a giant shotgun, of course he kills Decepticons, he's not Batman, don't be effing ridiculous.

 

[DoomsdayApex]

People often jokingly refer to Optimus Prime as "robot Jesus," but they often forget that in the Bible, it says in Revelation that Jesus will unleash his wrath on those who align themselves with the Antichrist.

For years, Optimus Prime had tried to be peaceful in his resolution of conflict. He knew that Sentinel Prime was beyond saving, because he had already made his choice, and Optimus knew he had to bring down the hammer of righteous indignation on him.

I disagree. Not with him killing a Decepticon in a combat scenario, that is understandable -- and not much can be done to prevent killing a man or bot in a situation where the opposing side is convinced to strip life.

BUT what I really found disgusting was how Optimus took out Sentinel.