Bumblebee. Prime. Name?

Born out of twenty years of curiosity.

Okay, little background. 80's movie we're slapped with the onscreen take of the new toy Hot Rod. Me, I'd been endeared to Bumblebee for some time and didn't like this new Hot Rod fella.

Then Prime & Megatron engaged in one of the best cartoon fights I've seen, one of the most memorable in all Transformers history, simply iconic.

Then that Hot Rod guy I didn't like managed to get Prime killed.

Prime passed the Matrix, eventually that guy I don't like became the next Prime.

Since that film I've not liked Hot Rod, Rodimus, or any incarnation thereof. I'm not as bad about it as I once was, but still it never sat right with me. In my eyes, toy-pushing-schedule of the time aside, Bumblebee was the one who deserved it and should have gotten it. He was the underdog, the little guy, the lovable duder, and imho the next in line destined to rise up.

But I've always wondered; What would they/us call him? Bumblmus Prime? Meh. Bee Convoy? Lol.

As much as I've been deadset on the idea Bee had his day snatched and in truth should have been the chosen Prime next in line, I've never come up with a good name.

What would you name him?

"...Til all are Lost."

Just me then?

I'll get my coat..

"...Til all are Lost."

Bumblemus Prime, no question. You should see my dad's yellow dodge pickup, with black stripes. I call it Bumblemus Prime.

And I agree with you, you know, I hated, HATED Rodimus for like 20 years. As a kid I called him Rottenhead Prime and despised him for taking over for our beloved Optimus, and felt the same as you, that with Ironhide and Prowl dead, Jazz should have been the leader, or yes, even Bumblebee, because I do love the little guy.

It's only been within the past few years that I've made peace with ol' Roddy, because I've realized that all throughout season 3, he does stupid things and complains about being the leader, and how he's not capable, and he gives up that Matrix of Leadership like a hot potato any chance he gets. Now, I find him funny...he was never meant to be the second coming of Prime.

Hornet Prime

Goldbug prime? I mean Goldbug is his upgraded name, it would be a nice name.

Beeimus Prime.

Please click...

I always just imagined him as bumblebee prime... although now that I actually think about it its not a very inspiring name... maybe he would be like prima or Primon or Goldimus prime or something...

optiumble pribee

Actually it was the similarities Hot Rod had to BB that made me love him in the movie. Hot Rod didn't take anything from BB, cause BB actually survived the movie. If anything, it just gave me two favorite characters instead of one to love.

I don't thing BB needs the upgrade to Prime or anything. Even the Goldbug thing annoyed me. It was supposed to represent the more mature BB, but it kind of backfired for me. I though BB was mature enough without needed that physical change of being bigger or stronger or whatever. BB was good enough just the way he was. He was good enough to become head of Autobot Intellegence/Espionage and still remain small, his smallness was really his biggest asset, never a liability, so to try and change that by making him Goldbug or a muscle car like a Camero, seems to fly directly in the face of that, imho. In order for BB to be the hero he must remain the underdog, to make him a Prime (which by defination implies someone big and strong, which BB clearly isn't) seems like it would be a contradiction to me and lose what makes the character special in the first place, unless you are imagining BB as a completely different kind of Prime who does remain small, in which case I could get behind that maybe.

Hot Rod while similar to BB has enough differances that the Rodimus transformation proves to be an asset to his character (something I'd be willing to discuss in more detail if anyone wants) whereas I fear it would be the opposite and a detriment to BB.

That's my take anyway, feel free to disagree.

The '86 movie was probably the 2nd "G1 thing" I saw, the 1st being the "More Than Meets the Eye" tape they had at the video store.

That said, characters like Ultra Magnus, Blurr (especially those two), Kup, and Hot Rod are among my favorite G1 characters. I always call him Hot Rod and never Rodimus Prime. I dunno, maybe i just liked him better as plain old Hot Rod =P