Smokescreen didn't work with Trion as long as Orion did, I think. Besides the war was already underway during Smokey's time with Trion and he was always eager to get into battle on Cybertron until the Hall Of Iacon was attacked.

 

I like the fact that he's so morally pure, and how he has a really good vocabulary (seriously, it's like insane), but they really do need to stop with all the epic speeches. Let him kick back a little and be Optimus, not Prime.

Awesome design and Cullen is a GREAT actor no matter what anyone says though.

 

I won't badmouth Cullen, just his voice director and the people writing his lines.

 

Optimus really needs to let loose once in a while and it boggles me how no one in the Autobot has tried to. I mean if I was an Autobot with a leader like that I will be trying to do whatever it takes to get him to have fun and live life.

If a leader is so far removed from his people socially and personally, how can he really lead them effectively? Heck, they really shown this to us in Season one where they were protecting the children so badly, that it was ruining the human kids' social life. It wasn't until Arcee asked Optimus to allow the children space for their own lives that he relented.

 

This Optimus does the job. He's not as charismatic or engaging as Primal, and he isn't as relatable as TFA Optimus; but his role in the series doesn't really require it.

I see this version of the character as an older G1 Optimus, a little more world weary and tired than he once was - which fits with the series being set 3 years after the end of what could well have been the 'Great War' on Earth.

But the dynamic between him and the other 'bots...boy, that needs a real overhaul. Part of what made other Optimi so good was their informal interactions with other characters. If he could make a quip about Megatron's ego; or roll his eyes at [insert character] comically telling him to stuff an order once in a while, it'd help liven things up straight away.

 

Agreed. That would be my ideal Optimus Prime. Half Sunbow Optimus Prime/ half Optimus Primal.

 

I'm not a big fan of this Optimus Prime, he is very dull.

 

I agree with 80% of what you've written. Your comment about the "committee" designing him is so right it's painful.

I don't quite agree that the characterization of Optimus is as hollow as you describe, but saying the character has been squandered is certainly true in the majority of season 2. He's aloof and completely distant, and it's so intentional you have to wonder why. But we're never given the reason why, never even a hint. Sure, Arcee's line that "Primes don't party" was a clever comment about fraternization, but it's never been explored since, to the show's detriment.

The biggest shame is, why recruit Cullen, who is marvelous, and then use him to such poor effect. I'm hoping for something better in season 3. Really hoping, but I'm also preparing to be let down in a big way.

 

It's kind of funny about how many people are saying TFP Optimus is the worst version version of the character ever and yet he has more votes that love him then ones that hate him.  

 

I think its because most of the yes votes are just due to Peter Cullen voicing him.

 

Where's the "Oh God he bores me to tears" option? This is one of the worst Optimus' ever. He's a boring, uncharrismatic idiot who's about as proactive as a bucket of paint and about as fun to watch as one. They push the whole stern and stalwart aspect of his character too far. I'm sure the writers love making the most boring, stereotypical-Optimus character because they want to be serious and mature, but that doesn't make for good entertainment.

Undoubtably.

 

And Optimus is awesome  

 

I really find myself missing how he spoke in the original: badass, willing to unwind and show frustration, and actually being curious about the world around him. it's why he was really the best in G1: he was a character.

In Prime...he feels more like an icon of what that character was, without the substance behind it.

 

I also view it as he has seen a TON of war. And this has been going on for hundreds possibly thousands of years, So maybe he was a bit less "boring" when he first started out as a Prime, but as time went on, the war was loosing, and he had this huge responsibility to carry. When the war was lost, he had to deal with the fact that he failed and the Decepticons won. And not only that, their war is still not over. So be stuck on another planet with no way off, still fighting the same war, I wouldn't blame him. Animated Optimus didn't have to deal with this so that's why he was so different.

He is not boring, he is just someone who has seen a lot of war and that has shaped him. His qualities are exactly what I look for in a good leader and that's why I love him.

He's not supposed to entertain, he is supposed to LEAD.  
And how exactly is he an "Idiot"?

 

Agreed. He is supposed to be a true leader, a war-torn veteran, "a true patriot". Not a fraggin' comedian like Bumblebee and Bulkhead.

 

A true leader isn't without faults, but yet can inspires others. I consider Animated Prime a true leader, he wasn't perfect and yet he could inspire others to fight for him. Jazz ditched SP because he noticed Optimus was a better leader then a stuck up like SP was.

But this version does not inspire me, he makes me tired. Making fancy speeches and having a nearly perfect crew does not show me much at all. A team with issues and a leader with issues, that can face those issues and become stronger as a team, does. Something that Animated Prime and his crew had to do.

 

TFP Optimus's crew isn't perfect either. Arcee certainly isn't perfect,Bulkhead has anger issues,Ratchet's pretty much a grump,Wheeljack's shown to be reckless and even Bee had a cockyness at times. And Smokescreen's shown to fall into the imperfect slot too it seems so while TFP Optimus is shown to be perfect that doesn't really apply to the others.

Anyway for my opinion he's not the most livley or memorble Prime because Primal and TFA Prime take that cake but still he has his good moments and I like how he tries the peaceful approach first before taking action at times. And I still think there's a chance for him to change further.

 

NO SUCH THING AS A PERFECT OPTIMUS PRIME. That's the last I'm gonna say for now.

 

Yes, Thank you! Optimus is NOT perfect. Nobody is. I'm pretty sure he has made decisions in the past that he regrets and he will have to deal with it for the rest of his life. He makes mistakes and learns from them, like (mostly) everyone else.

 

Compare to the Animated crew, the TFP crew is nearly perfect when it comes to issues.

Bumblebee gave up his life's dream to ensure Bulkhead got to get his. Then later he has to regret the framing of a fellow bot and having him locked up for years. Prowl felt guilty over the death of this master and the taking of the protoforms. Prime is haunted by losing Elita-1, her transformation, and gave up his future to cover for a jerk. Ratchet is haunted by the events around Arcee and Omega. The only one of the bunch with hardly any issues was Bulkhead, who was a danger prone genious.

When it comes to TFP, Arcee is the only real one with true issues. Bulkhead felt more liked a used toy when Miko started drooling over the new bot, now he's cool with him. I don't see how Bumblebee acts cocky. Being a grump isn't a issue, its a side of somebody seeing many bad things. Smokescreen is new in battle and finding his way. Then Wheeljack is a Wrecker, they tend to be loners and reckless in action.

When it comes to Prime, as much death as he seen and having to led the Autobots from a dying Cybertron, he really should be a mental case by this point. Optimus Primal hit many near crazy moments on a conquered living Cybertron and had to be removed from leadership at one moment.

I've found myself more into Orion Pax then I do with Prime.