#tfp character analysis

[novafire-is-thinking]

This short exchange says so much about each of them.

Ratchet: I love Optimus, but my hatred for Megatron is bigger. Both blind me to any consideration for Arcee’s and Bumblebee’s safety.

Arcee: My love for Optimus is more important than Ratchet’s hatred for Megatron, but doubts about my safety make me hesitate.

Bumblebee: My love for Optimus is more important than Ratchet’s hatred for Megatron, and my safety.

In no way do I fault Ratchet for falling back on his hatred, or Arcee for falling back on self-preservation.

However, I wonder if either of them had any regrets after the fact…or if Optimus was conscious during the exchange, did it affect how he saw them?

[novafire-is-thinking]

“I will NEVER side with a Prime!”

I find it interesting that Skyquake specifically says “I will never side with a Prime.”

He could have said, “I will never side with you,” or, “I will never side with the Autobots.”

But he didn’t.

When Skyquake looks at Optimus, he doesn’t see him as an individual. He doesn’t see the ideals Optimus represents, separate from the title.

All Skyquake sees is a Prime—a symbol of the old ways he swore to destroy.

When Optimus extends his offer to work together towards a better future, Skyquake can’t accept this because he’s locked in his view of the past.

Optimus is running towards a future he wants to see.

Skyquake is running from a past he never wants to see again.

An alliance never would have worked.

[novafire-is-thinking]

Idealistic and Stubborn

In TFP, one of the defining aspects of Optimus’ characterization is his stubborn belief that Megatron is not lost—that he can overcome his lust for power.

By the end of Predacons Rising, he was proven correct, but there was very little beforehand that gave any indication that Megatron would change.

In spite of this, Optimus refused to believe Megatron had fallen beyond redemption.

Potential, Potential, Potential

“Everything always fools you,” Makeshift said. “Megatron was right about a lot of things, but he especially knew you. Naive, he said. Vulnerable because you keep on insisting that the best in bots might show through even when all the evidence is to the contrary. (Exiles)

Optimus views the world and other people in terms of their greatest potential for good. He can’t help but look beyond the present reality and see a perfect ideal. He then finds it nearly impossible to let go of this perfect ideal, no matter what reality looks like.

But I Can Change Him!

Peace with the ones with whom war had been waged for eons. . .The Autobots might have believed it to be impossible, but Optimus was willing to give it a try because whatever anyone else might say, he knew that Megatron wasn’t entirely evil. (Retribution)

There was absolutely nothing anyone could have said that would have convinced Optimus that Megatron was evil to his core. This strength of conviction made Optimus a force to be reckoned with. I can only assume that after a while, those under his leadership gave up trying to change his mind. They recognized his incredible strength of will as an asset to the Autobot cause, even if they didn’t agree with him when it came to Megatron.

“Idiotic” Instincts

What happened next was pure instinct. Optimus reached out and grabbed Megatron with one arm, then used his legs and other arm to climb, pulling them both out of the rising white water. A dazed Megatron looked around.

“What are you doing?” he yelled.

“Saving your life,” Optimus told him.

“You’re an idiot, librarian.”

“Thanks for your opinion,” Optimus said. (Retribution)

This was only one of several times Optimus could have ended Megatron’s life.

However, the belief that Megatron could and would change was so deeply embedded in Optimus’ psyche that even though he may have reasoned Megatron’s death was best, his instincts overrode everything.

At that point, Optimus was operating on the old assumption that there was still a part of Megatron left untainted by the lust for power. I believe some part of Optimus hoped that the act of saving Megatron’s life would make the warlord reevaluate things. Optimus was blind to the reality that Megatron’s purely opportunistic mindset would just see it as an opportunity to continue working toward his twisted personal vision.

More than once in TFP, we saw Optimus hesitate to kill Megatron when he could have done so and ended Megatron’s reign of chaos and destruction.

Optimus did eventually snap and confront Megatron as Unicron was awakening, but by then, it was too late. Megatron had grown too powerful from giving himself fully to the influence of Dark Energon and Unicron himself.

Responsibility vs. Hope

Megatron’s obsession with Unicron disturbs me. I see that he is convinced that awakening the monster would grant him the power he’s always desired. Only I know the absolute naivete of that assumption. Still, nothing I can say alters his course. You can tow a bot to knowledge, but you cannot make it think. He has had a taste for Dark Energon for a while now, and constant exposure to it only accelerates his departure into delusions. Must I wait for one of his aides to start an insurrection, as his madness increases? What is the likelihood? Starscream is too fearful, Shockwave is served well by Megatron no matter how insane, Airachnid has failed and must be considered out of play. Soundwave—well, who knows what goes through his mind since the war? The rest are too small-minded to organize a rebellion in a tack factory. No, it will not be any of them who topple him from his throne. Rightfully the deed is mine, though I did not make him into what he is; he was my friend, and once my brother. I would not see him fall farther, but at the same time, I find no way to hold him back other than by recruiting the humans to the Autobot cause, if not for our survival, then certainly for theirs. (CoP)

Megatron refused to allow anyone but himself be the one to kill Optimus. Similarly, Optimus believed the responsibility to stop Megatron fell on him alone.

For Optimus, there was a constant inner war between his sense of responsibility telling him he was the “right” one to stop Megatron, and his instincts rooted in idealism telling him that Megatron still had the potential for change.

When Strength Becomes Weakness

Optimus’ refusal to believe Megatron had fallen beyond redemption was closely tied to his difficulty unseeing potential and seeing things as they were. This stubborn idealism was one of Optimus’ greatest strengths and one of his worst weaknesses. It enabled him to survive the most brutal of circumstances, but it also enabled him to allow Megatron’s reign of terror to last much longer than it would have otherwise.

“Megatron has fallen, Optimus.”

“I cannot bring myself to believe that.”

✧ ✧ ✧

series master post

[novafire-is-thinking]

Gentle Visionary, Scholar, Peacemaker, Reluctant Revolutionary, Protector…

It is unfortunate that TFP only gave us a small glimpse of Optimus: who he was, what motivated him, who he became, and who he wanted to be. I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve seen him referred to as “the most boring Optimus,” and while I understand that opinion, I disagree. For a while now, I’ve been wanting to write an in-depth analysis of his character to hopefully give others a better idea of who Optimus is and why I love this version of him.

While this post series is focused primarily on canon, there is a bit of personal speculation thrown in as well. <- I shouldn’t have to say this at all, but I’m doing so because I was once mocked for expressing a “far-fetched” theory based on canon.

It’s been almost 2 years since I read all of the Aligned novels in full, so if I glossed over an important detail, my apologies. Feel free to correct me if you know better.

The post titles in this series:

The Last Prime?

Orion the Dreamer

Luminary or Revolutionary?

The Thrill Pain of the Kill

A Dealer in Hope

Megatron Has Fallen

Little Inconveniences

Desire vs. Destiny

Per aspera ad astra

[novafire-is-thinking]

What does it mean to be the last?

There’s no doubt that Optimus was the last of the primes. However, that could mean two things: Either he was The Thirteenth Prime or he was merely the last Cybertronian who would bear the Matrix and carry the title of “Prime.” Personally, I prefer the latter interpretation.

The exact relationship between Optimus and The Thirteenth Prime varies in the Aligned Continuity. Supposedly, the original plan was for Optimus to be a regular bot with “polarities” (explained below), but somewhere along the way, it was decided that he would be a reincarnation of Thirteen. This seems to be the view preferred by most fans. The Covenant of Primus upholds this idea while the Aligned shows don’t really say either way. Meanwhile, the other three novels strictly adhere to the original idea of him being a regular guy who became “The Chosen One” through bearing the Matrix.

Polarities

Furthermore, it is revealed Transformers have "polarities", equivalent to a human star sign and based on the Thirteen original Transformers. Optimus claims Prima and Alpha Trion as his primary and secondary polarity (but this was probably from before it was decided to make Optimus himself one of the Thirteen). (TFwiki)

The concept of polarities in Cybertronians presents some interesting possibilities. Back when I discovered the page, I distinctly recall it saying that Optimus claimed Prima and Thirteen as his primary and secondary polarity—which would make sense—but now it says Alpha Trion. Whoever wrote/edited the section didn’t provide a reference, so all I can do is speculate about which one is correct:

PRIMA

Prima was the archetypal hero, a warrior made closest to Primus's own type and intents, focused on the greater good. Such people can be dull, but Prima was clever and unselfish with a strong sense of self-awareness, so that even as he remained true to his principles, he was always able to stay one step away from pomposity. He cared for us all like the eldest brother of a large and unruly family, taking too much upon his shoulders perhaps. As Primus did, he was convinced he was both right and in the right all the time, which made him a frustrating person to deal with on occasion, but stood him in good stead when it came to a fight. His weapon was the Star Saber, a sword of an item type like the Quill, whose form was symbolic of its power rather than the actual full limit of it. Its edge could cut between atoms with the accuracy of the finest tool, or sunder mountains.

ALPHA TRION

I, Alpha Trion, was made to be the historian of the Primes and the memory of Primus, in case Primus was ever recalled to life. It was my nature to be detached, although I don't believe I was uncaring. I took a philosophical attitude, an analytic appreciation of others and their deeds. I was gifted with two artefacts: the Covenant, which truly came from and belonged to Primus himself, and in which much was written by Primus's will, and the Quill, with which I wrote my own observations. Unlike all other Primes and subsequent beings of the same lineage, I was given total recall and a direct link to the Spark of Primus, through which I was sustained and inspired during times when the accumulated knowledge and awareness of events would have been otherwise intolerable.

THE THIRTEENTH PRIME

Thirteen was unlike the other Primes. His type was warrior, a physical adept, with the leadership and intellectual fortitude of kings. Where Megatronus was riddled with contradiction. Thirteen had no such troubles and was perhaps as a result far lesser in ego than any of the other late Primes. At this time of our making he was quiet and dutiful, obedient to Prima’s commands and dedicated to assisting those who required it. He was like Prima’s second, but unlike the rest he had no special object or weapon associated with him, taking up only those lesser tools crafted by Solus, and his armor, as he was instructed. This would seem odd if we did not all know that his true purpose was as mediator and visionary. Thirteen was an inspirational speaker and a deep thinker with a calm soul. His steady, perceptive nature meant he was well liked, and he pulled his weight. He used to comfort others in times of stress with a friendly hand on their shoulder and the words, “All are one." There was a contented light in him that made us believe it. Even Megatronus could be calmed this way when he came in from one of his great battle rages, foaming with his own puissance and resentment. Thirteen united us. Without his influence we would have fallen into disarray far sooner.

These three descriptions are in The Covenant of Primus, along with the other 10.

Later, The Covenant states that Starscream is “A bot after Liege Maximo’s pattern,” hinting at the idea of Cybertronians still having polarities in that novel, to add to the confusion.

Demigod or Regular Guy(TM)?

It all depends on how each fan interprets things.

If Optimus is indeed a reincarnation of Thirteen, as The Covenant says, the bio for Thirteen gives a beautiful glimpse into TFP Optimus’ character.

If Optimus is just a regular guy elevated to the status of Prime by the Matrix, as is implied in the later novels, I think it’s more likely that he has Thirteen as his primary polarity with either Alpha Trion or Prima as his secondary one.

For fun, I could even go out on a limb, throw out the idea of polarities, and say that Optimus could have been patterned after Thirteen, Prima, and Alpha Trion. I mean—combine all three descriptions, and one gets the Optimus we see in TFP.

What about Robots in Disguise?

“Isn’t Optimus a reincarnation of Thirteen in there?”

It’s possible, but I’m inclined to think not. Excluding those who died or departed in The Covenant, several of the Primes, including Thirteen, never showed up in the show. For all we know, Thirteen could have been somewhere offscreen, gazing proudly at the one who was patterned so closely after him. Optimus being a regular Cybertronian elevated to the “spiritual” status of Prime at some point would also explain why Micronus and the others seemed to treat him with less respect than one might expect if they were seeing him as an equal.

When Optimus shows up in RiD15, he seems surprised that Micronus is taking him to The Realm of the Primes. Would not Thirteen himself remember the place and expect to dwell there after his recent death? Or, also:

“The crisis is upon us. And we sense our chosen champion is not prepared…”

“For you to face this challenge, we must share with you a portion of each of our sparks—an awesome amount of power. If you are not prepared, you will not survive.”

These are just two of many things said (and done) by the Primes that make me think they’re addressing a subordinate of sorts rather than a fellow being of equal power as they would if he were Thirteen, even a reincarnation of him.

Of course, one could always attribute these things to some sort of memory wipe inflicted upon Thirteen after each reincarnation… But I digress.

Conclusion

Optimus was definitely the last of the Primes because of the whole Matrix-merging-with-the-Allspark thing. However, his origins are debatable. Either interpretation is valid, although I personally prefer the one where he is an ordinary guy with an extraordinary destiny.

✧ ✧ ✧

series master post

[novafire-is-thinking]

Per aspera ad astra: “through adversity, to the stars”

The Vision

“You see a future in the stars?" Alpha Trion asked him quietly.

. . .

“The stars look endless to me,” he [Orion] said eventually. “Out there, you could just go and go, and there’d be enough space for everyone, and things to do and see that go on forever.” (CoP)

In an earlier post (Orion the Dreamer), I shared the full scene where Orion reveals his hopes and dreams to Alpha Trion.

And I mentioned in the previous post (Desire vs. Destiny) that it was Optimus’ deepest desire to peer behind the veil of life and study its secrets by collecting stories and seeking knowledge wherever he could find it.

Putting together both of these, one can see that Orion/Optimus’ personal vision for his life was to be a lifelong learner—one who learned through exploration, discovery of new life, the seeking of stories, and deep reflection.

Change of Plans

I will recover the AllSpark, thought Optimus Prime. Then I will retrace my steps across the galaxy and sow peace on my return wherever our initial exodus has inadvertently fomented division and war. (Exiles)

Life rarely goes as planned, as Optimus found out as the war dragged on.

Where a young Orion dreamt of setting out on his journey with curiosity and hope, a war-torn Optimus came to expect nothing more than a future quest of reparation and what he determined to be a moral duty.

A Fresh Glimpse of Hope

After so long, it was strange indeed to reach this planet again. Although I had heard it was full of life, I did not expect what we found—civilizations, technologies. For the last months, as we have been on final approach, we have learned to know them by their broadcasts, and though the others say nothing about it, what amazes me is how alike we are. Our bodies are different, our lifespans and our needs unalike, but what drives us and moves us is very much the same: humans talk about the heart, and Cybertronians the Spark; they love and fear, think and fight one another, as we do.

I looked for signs as we came within the light of their sun, and I find them everywhere—the many readings of Cybertronian technology on their world, the intensity of their struggles, the strange richness of their stories—against all odds, Unicron the Destroyer of Worlds has borne eons of life. I feel everything hangs in the balance. The Nemesis still pursues. We still track the AllSpark. So long this journey has been, and in spite of all its battles, so unchanging. (CoP)

Upon meeting and observing humans for himself, Optimus saw a glimpse of future potential—a future in which two very different, yet oddly similar species could learn and grow together, just as he’d wanted before the war. After all, Earth was also home to Unicron—the antithesis of Primus. There had to be a connection somewhere, and if not, Optimus intended to create one.

Of course, the war prevented him from getting his hopes too high, but judging from the fact that he trusted a human with the Key to Vector Sigma, it seems he allowed himself to hold onto a sliver of hope that humanity would not only survive the Cybertronian war, but would be part of Cybertron’s future in some way.

Endings and Epiphanies

I saw my death in the descent of the Dark Saber in Megatron's hand. I was surprised a little, disappointed. And then suddenly Megatron was no more. The reprieve was beyond belief. It shook me to my Spark and I felt suddenly with incredible force the fool I had been. I was not alone. I had never been alone, Prime or not. We, the Autobots, were one. (CoP)

After eons of hardship and carrying what he thought was primarily his burden to carry, Optimus was reminded that he was part of a greater whole.

The bigger goal was to see Autobots and Decepticons become one again, but this monumental shift in awareness was a necessary first step on Optimus’ journey to heal and open himself up to possibilities involving Cybertronians of either faction and humans.

A Shared Destiny

Thus ends the story of the Age of the Primes and of the origins of the Cybertronians, though not the whole story of course, for that is still being written in time and space on Earth, and all over the galaxy where the seeds and the sparks of life are growing.

I, Alpha Trion, one of the last Primes, now give this book into your hands, human friend, so that you shall know who your allies are, and your enemies also, how they are made, and where they have come from. Be sure that wherever and whenever you need our aid, the Autobots will respond to your call.

This is the Covenant of Primus, as given to all Cybertronians by right, and to humans by the last wish of Optimus, the Thirteenth Prime, so let it be.

TILL ALL ARE ONE.

Alpha Trion’s wording tells me humanity is probably the only other species that was given the Covenant of Primus.

This is incredible, to say the least. Of all the races Optimus encountered, he asked that humans be given one of the most sacred texts of the Cybertronian race.

But why humanity?

Well, Optimus firmly believed humans and Cybertronians shared a common destiny.

Alpha Trion, the relics, Unicron, the end of the war.

To Optimus, all of it pointed to Earth and humanity being an excellent starting point to launch into his original dream. He saw in humanity the future he’d endured so much hardship for: a future of learning and growing—not just alongside fellow Cybertronians, but alongside other races as well.

And depending on what each fan chooses to believe is the end of Optimus’ story, he either never got to see the fulfillment of his dream, or he did in some imagined way outside of canon.

Dreamers suffer more, but they also live more.

✧ ✧ ✧

Today, this post and the entire series are dedicated to Peter Cullen on his 82nd birthday, and to one of several beloved Optimi he’s poured so much of his heart and soul into. ❤️

[novafire-is-thinking]

Slave of Destiny

He considered the question, thinking back to the great wealth of Iacon’s Hall of Records. The shipping manifests and customs logs of Cybertron’s Space Bridges were all dated millions of cycles before the coming of the civil war. He could not remember the exact date, but the scholar within him suddenly wanted to dig into those records and see if that date could be recovered.

But it would be a long time before Optimus Prime could be a scholar again. Sometime in the distant future lay the moment when he could bequeath the mantle of Prime to a worthy successor. Until then, he would wear it with pride and resolve. And until then, his wish to bury himself in records and research would take a backseat to the overriding imperative to bring the AllSpark home and restore Cybertron to its long-lost state of peace and prosperity. (Exiles)

Destiny called Orion the scholar to be Optimus the world changer. Orion abandoned his safe haven of knowledge to lead an army into a war that would determine the fate of more than one world.

Megatron insisted on choosing how he would serve destiny. Optimus did not.

Orion the Dreamer Dutiful

Optimus Prime looked around the tomb one more time. It was beautiful in its way, austere and silent. Beauty was for another time, though, and although it pained the curious nature that had led Orion Pax on the path to becoming Optimus Prime, he knew this was the moment for direction, not reflection. (Exiles)

Optimus is the sort of individual who, if given the chance, would be happy doing nothing but learning and thinking. Countless times during the war, he had to cut himself off from his contemplative nature in order to keep moving forward. If TFP is any indication, things got to a point where ignoring and suppressing the desire for reflection had become a cruel, unwanted second nature.

Scholar of Stories and Secrets

The scholar in Optimus Prime, the remnant memory of Orion Pax who lived for nothing but knowledge, burned to know what was within Vector Prime’s mind at that moment. So much history, he thought. So much lost because those who could tell it preferred to remain silent. Could he provoke Vector Prime to tell the story? He did not know, nor did he know if he should. Perhaps long-held secrets should remain secret. Releasing them back into a world that had turned its back on them could have unforeseen consequences, and Cybertron had seen enough unforeseen consequences in recent times.

Still, he could not entirely let go of the desire to know. (Exiles)

Optimus experienced the most joy and fulfillment when he was collecting and studying stories—stories of history and people and their experiences. More than anything, he longed to peer behind the veil of life and study its secrets.

When he set aside that core desire to answer the call of a destiny so much bigger than himself, he got far more stories and secrets than he bargained for with no time or space to reflect on them.

It’s an understatement to say this took a heavy toll on him. By the time we see Optimus in TFP, he’s a mere shell of who he once was and is far from who he wanted to be.

War is a brutal thing that makes warriors out of scholars and tyrants out of poets.

✧ ✧ ✧

series master post

[novafire-is-thinking]

^ little inconveniences—like this title not fitting :/

Before I begin: This post is not written for the purpose of passing moral judgement. It’s meant to be an analysis of Optimus’ ethical reasoning.

Beyond Six Lasers

Individuals know what is best for them! Who but I know what I need? Who but you may decide what is best for you?

I would like to go to Six Lasers, thought Orion Pax.

But if anyone walked up to Six Lasers and demanded to get in whenever the desire struck, the park would be overwhelmed. Structure was necessary. And individuals would never impose Structure on themselves. Would they?

Surely not. Sentient beings banded together and made decisions for the collective good. Not all of those decisions would benefit every individual. (CoP)

The paragraph before this part of Exodus is, I believe, the most controversial moment in any of the Aligned novels. Orion gets upset about being unable to go to an amusement park, and fans have had a field day with it.

However, there are two things I’ve never seen discussed:

How Orion’s questioning is just a small glimpse of the age-old, bigger picture conflict between “Ethical Egoism” and “Utilitarianism” in ethical philosophy

How Orion responds to this conflict

Ethical Philosophy 101 - Ethical Egoism vs. Utilitarianism:

Ethical Egoism operates on the premise that because only individuals know what’s best for themselves, they have a moral responsibility to act on their own interests first and foremost, in order to achieve the greatest amount of good outcomes for the greatest number of individuals.

Utilitarianism operates on the premise that even though individuals may know what’s best for themselves, they have a moral responsibility to act on the interests of the greater good first and foremost, in order to achieve the greatest amount of good outcomes for the greatest number of individuals.

In both cases, the rightness or wrongness of an action falls on the consequences or results, and both have the same goal: to maximize pleasure.

In reality, this is far from being black-and-white, with people sitting on any and all points across the spectrum between these two philosophies.

Even so, there’s no question that Optimus sits closer to the Utilitarian side of the spectrum, as I will cover later.

He was tangled up, uncertain what he should be thinking or feeling.

What I need, thought Orion Pax, is a conversation that doesn’t happen inside my own head. (CoP)

It’s implied that Optimus analyzed both sides on his own, and that after he considered the dilemma long enough, he gave up trying to figure out for himself which view was correct. He doubted his ability to come to a conclusion on his own and sought out the counsel of another in order to help him find clarity.

At that point, Optimus did not operate on any sort of personal, “gut instinct” way of determining what was morally or ethically correct. Instead, he relied heavily on a mix of internal intellectual analysis and the input of others.

How Inconvenient…

Wreck-Gar no doubt would have Makeshift rendered to his basic elements, thought Optimus Prime, so of course they could not do that. At times it was mightily inconvenient to believe in a code of ethics and individual rights. (Exiles)

Optimus, Jazz, and Prowl managed to catch Makeshift after finding out he’d been masquerading as Hound and acting as a double agent for the Decepticons.

They were unable to agree on what to do with the shapeshifter. Prowl and Jazz wanted to wash their hands of Makeshift. They thought that, tactically and legally, it would be best to turn him over to Wreck-Gar and Junkion jurisdiction. After all, Makeshift murdered one of the Junkions earlier in the story.

However, knowing Wreck-Gar was eager to execute the shapeshifter using methods bordering on torture, Optimus refused to even consider handing Makeshift over because of his adherence to his code of ethics.

Whether this code of ethics was the Autobot Code, his own, or both is never specified, but it’s highly likely that the Autobot Code was heavily inspired by Optimus’ own morals.

And even though it would have been far more convenient for him and the entire Autobot cause if he’d handed Makeshift over, Optimus refused to compromise.

Fairness > Effectiveness

Optimus Prime left the room, bringing Jazz and Prowl out with him to wait for Wreck-Gar, who was standing by to remove Makeshift and the entire stasis field apparatus to the closest thing Junkion had to a jail. It was, in an irony all the Autobots could appreciate, the abandoned fuel reservoir of an ancient spacegoing vessel, five times as large as the Ark’s reservoir and with only one opening. Junkions bundled Makeshift into it and welded it shut.

“Where should we put this junk?” Wreck-Gar asked. “Space is the place, you ask me! Break him down!”

“No, we’re not going to do that,” Optimus Prime said. “Keep it here and turn off the stasis field as soon as you’ve got it sealed up.”

“Prime, you can’t be serious,” Prowl said.

“It’s the fair thing to do,” Optimus Prime said. (Exiles)

Optimus has always cared about fairness over effectiveness, even in war when things are often the exact opposite of fair.

In an earlier scene, Makeshift revealed that, as a shapeshifter, he’d die if he stayed in one form too long. The stasis field the Autobots had locked him in would eventually kill him if they didn’t turn it off.

Junkion didn’t have a “jail” that could hold Makeshift indefinitely, so Optimus opted to have him and the stasis field apparatus placed in something that would hold him temporarily. Optimus knew Makeshift would eventually find a way out of his “jail,” yet he still ordered that the stasis field be turned off.

Knowing the danger Makeshift posed to the Junkions and the Autobots, Optimus still chose to let him go.

Where Prowl saw letting Makeshift die at the hands of the Junkions as the safest, most effective option for the majority of those involved (Autobots and Junkions), Optimus saw how that would go against all he believed in.

Ethical Philosophy 101 - Act vs. Rule Utilitarianism:

Act Utilitarianism evaluates things on a case-by-case basis, with an emphasis on the specific consequences and utility of individual actions.

Rule Utilitarianism evaluates things in terms of general moral rules, with an emphasis on the broader consequences and utility of a general rule.

As with Ethical Egoism and Utilitarianism, Act and Rule Utilitarianism exist on a spectrum, with both having advantages and disadvantages.

Generally, Optimus leans toward Rule Utilitarianism, as evidenced by his adherence to the general rule of the Autobot Code and his unwillingness to go with what Prowl sees as the safer, more effective option in this particular case with Makeshift.

Inconvenient, but Imperative

How much easier it would be, Optimus Prime thought again, if his ethics were a little more like Megatron’s. . .or even Wreck-Gar’s. Then he could just dispose of transgressing bots without a second thought. The simplicity!

But that was not the Autobot way, and that would never be the way of the one the Matrix of Leadership chose to be Prime.

Not as long as he was Prime. (Exiles)

Optimus believed that the Autobot way (Rule) would lead to the greatest amount of benefit for the greatest number of individuals. (Utilitarianism)

Over the course of the war, he remained fully aware that his rule-based Utilitarian code of ethics was inconvenient, and there were even times when he compromised.

But overall, it was extremely important to Optimus that he do his best to stick to his code of ethics, even when facing immense pressure.

✧ ✧ ✧

series master post