Transformers: The Difference Between Optimus Prime and Optimus Primal, Explained

With Rise of the Beasts releasing June 9, many wonder if Optimus Prime and Optimus Primal are the same. The answer is more than meets the eye.

The Transformers franchise is finally returning June 9 with the release of the highly anticipated Rise of the Beasts. Starring an incredible ensemble cast — including Anthony Ramos, Dominique Fishback, Ron Perlman, Michelle Yeoh, and Peter Dinklage, among others — Rise of the Beasts is largely inspired by the Beast Wars storyline and serves as a prequel to the 2007 movie starring Shia LaBeouf that started it all.

Rise of the Beasts is set in 1994, and follows Noah (Ramos) and Elena (Fishback) as they find themselves in the middle of a major war between the Maximals, Predacons, and Terrorcons, and, of course, the Autobots that sees the fate of Earth at stake. For those unfamiliar with the franchise, as they've seen in the trailer, both Optimus Prime and Optimus Primal will be featured in the film. Here's a rundown of the differences and similarities between the two characters.

Rarely is the answer to a question an article proposes found off the cusp, but the intent here is not to string anyone along. The answer is a resounding no. The two characters are very different. As a matter of fact, the trailers we have seen up to this point indicate a possible, and likely short-lived, conflict between the two.

This is actually based in recent history for the franchise. In the Netlfix War for Cybertron Trilogy, Optimus Primal does not trust Optimus Prime, and for good reason. The two sides, the heroic Maximals and the honorable Autobots, do butt heads because the Maximals are from the future, and they know Optimus Prime's secret, one that he does not yet know himself — in short, he becomes Nemesis Prime.

In the Netlfix series, as well as several other continuities, Optimus, in the future, does end up becoming the merciless, ruthless machine, literally devoid of any type of emotion. The movies have actually touched on this when Prime became a version of this villainous character in The Last Knight.

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Optimus Primal is from the future. While the original events of Generation One start 4 million years in the past and go through present day and beyond, Optimus Primal becomes a leader of a faction of Maximals later in Beast Wars. After the Great War (the term used to describe the conflict of Generation One through the Decepticons' eventual defeat), Autobots and Decepticons were reprogrammed in an event called the Great Upgrade. The result was much smaller, more human-sized transformers. The original look of transformers were several feet high, some reaching upwards of 300 feet tall. The Great Upgrade also resulted in the species becoming more energy efficient and as a result, more powerful. The Autobots became the Maximals and the Decepticons became the Predacons.

The Predacons are not to be confused with a team of Decepticons that held that moniker during the Great War and turned into a giant robot called Abominus. The Predacons from Beast Wars were the entire faction of who used to be Decepticons. Optimus Primal, leading his Maximal crew on a vessel called the Axalon were being pursued by a rogue Predacon with a familiar name: Megatron. He is also not the same original character, but even refers to the original Decepticon commander as his namesake.

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During the pursuit, both vessels encounter a trans warp wave created by new trans warp technology, which is being developed by Cybertron. This technology is also expected to have some impact on the upcoming Rise of the Beasts. The result is that both crews are sent to prehistoric Earth and begin a skirmish. Optimus Primal and his crew beat back several attacks from Megtron and his Predacons before ultimately actually losing the Beast Wars.

It appears that the Maximals will win, as they do protect the future of humanity and ensure the Autobots still maintain victorious in the Great War, but during transport back to their present time, Megatron gets loose and infects Cybertron with his conscious, ultimately causing the Maximals to lose the war in an odd, roundabout way.

In good faith, this section could not be titled "Who is Optimus Prime?" Even if you have never seen an episode of the several Transformers series, or a single movie, you know who Optimus Prime is. In short, he is the selfless leader of the Autobots. While Unicron may be the ultimate villain of the new film Transformers: Rise of the Beasts, Prime, as mentioned above, is destined to become the villain in his story.

Harvey Dent is quite right in this instance: you either die a hero or live long enough or live long enough to see yourself become the villain. Prime is always driven to protect freedom, even at the cost of his own race and their home world. There are several instances in the lore of the franchise where Cybertron, as well as all Cybertronians could have been restored, but it would have cost too much collateral damage to the human race, and as such, Prime fought against those measures to protect humankind.

He is steadfast as well as powerful, wise as well as learning. Additionally, another huge difference that sets him apart from Optimus Primal is their type of command overall. Primal was a ship captain, nothing more. Optimus Prime was the commander of all Autobot forces, so even in scale, Prime is indeed the ultimate hero. No wonder he was based on John Wayne, right?

Gary has an extensive informational background in sports radio from WXVW 1450AM in Jeffersonville, Indiana and 790AM Iheart Radio, Louisville,Kentucky. He has also been a freelance sports writer before transitioning to writing entertainment with MovieWeb.