It has to do with the fact that Optimus was meant to open it durring the darkest hour. Which was not the events the Autobots faced in the movie (Unicron) but in the ROP (hate plague). Ergo he thought he was not worthy.

 

I don't think the idea of Optimus being part of a legendary linage is a bad one actually. I just think it could do with more refinement and make it so that while he's still part of something important you don't lose what makes him relatable and out of touch with both the fans and the inverse bots he cares for. Sort of like how they've made Shiro in Voltron Legendary Defender a pretty important character in the series yet still make him down to earth and relatable. If they went with something like that with Optimus I'd dig that a lot.

 

I don't think the existence of a Prime lineage necessarily hurts Optimus but TFP (and nuRID) making him into a (demi?)god was definitely a mistake. Ironically, I think the Transformers vs G. I. Joe series had one of the best interpretations for the difference between Optimus and Rodimus: Optimus is a trailblazer and a warrior-king while Rodimus is a peacekeeper and philosopher-king.

 

But the movie tells us Optimus isn't the chosen one

 

That changes in the Return of Optimus Prime.

 

Which the movie's writers didn't realize was ever going to happen at the time they were writing the movie. It's not so much false understanding by the character as it is screenwriting dictated by corporate edict after the wee masses cried out in anguish and despair.

 

That's debatable

Now keep in mind I've argued your point is well before but I love the play devils advocate....so if you would like to have this discussion let me know

 

But as far as the "in" story goes that's irrelevant

 

I dont care what it is or why, its what happened in the continuity.

Hm?Why shouldnt I want to?We discussed this before?I dont remember. Anyway shoot.

 

right

I've noticed some members don't like to talk alternative thinking

It's rather simple , there is no chosen one ,there never was.... it was a myth born out of a misunderstanding of their own genetics or a direct falsehood given to the populace so that the matrix will not be sought out as a commodity

 

Well ok, we have nothing to support this as far as I remember but lets try it out: Why then Galvatron and Magnus couldnt open it? And why it reformated only HotRod?

 

There is support for the idea from both the g1 cartoon and comics

The idea is that some transformers have a "genetic" , or whatever you want to call it, to the matrix.Some have stronger connections while others have none whatsoever ever.

This explains why some,like Hotrod, were drastically effected and why others like Optimus were not to the same degree.

It also explains why Scourge could be effected and why others like Magnus and Galvatrons were not

 

No idea of the sort I admit. I am strictly speaking from the toon perspective. If they did say anything like this on the comics I have no clue.

 

I'm not saying it was directly stated anywhere

I'm just saying the idea fits the issues presented in both the cartoon and the comic

Examples I gave you before or from the cartoon

 

I hate the concept of a Primal lineage so goddamn much. The whole monarch that chooses the next monarch thing is really weird.

If you look at the early Marvel issues, even after millions of years of war, there's still an Autobot Council of Elders that Optimus reports to. He was just the general of the Autobot army, not their infallible God-King, and when we found out he was carrying the Matrix? That was just the prudent place to keep it. Of course, back then the Matrix wasn't just a vague magic talisman either, but I digress.

Then the cartoon came along and pooed on that with the Matrix of Leadership and Rodimus Prime. And okay, that comes with some great dialogue, ("I'm not worthy," "Neither was I,") but I'd still call it a mistake. All that stuff worked in the context of that movie, but it became so iconic that the entire mythology of the brand got forcibly tied to the silly notions introduced there for narrative convenience. Like Autobot leaders are in power until death and get to choose their successors... Unless someone else ends up with their hands on the Matrix, I guess?

And by introducing the concept of other Primes, it was inevitable that they would all turn out to be evil. Like, that's the obvious place to go right? "SURPRISE! HE'S EVIL! HE'S LIKE TA DARK MIRROR TO OPTIMUS PRIME!" And so every one we've ever met was evil or corrupt. Which is... It's just obvious. But also, what else are you gonna do with that idea? Meet one who's nice? Who gives a fudge? Have a retired one hanging around? Oh no wait, they don't retire they serve until deathdjdurhdheheheh

 

I have to agree with OP on this one. I wasn't a big fan of the "Last of the Primes" stuff.

 

I don't mind "Prime" being a title, and I felt it was handled best in TFA where it's not even "the top" title (which was Magnus). It didn't make TFA Optimus super-mega-special, it just meant he was a middling-high guy in the army / bureaucracy.

Regarding the '86 movie, my interpretation was that Optimus was the Chosen One, and when he died Hot Rod became the Chosen One. I can see how it could also be interpreted as "Hot Rod is the only Chosen One ever", but . . . what happens if he dies, then? Everyone is just screwed? Obviously the Matrix had some importance aside from defeating Unicron, or else the Autobots wouldn't have kept it after Unicron was defeated.

I HATE the "Optimus is the thirteenth Prime" thing, and don't like the concept of The Thirteen to begin with. "This is the Prime of tiny bots!" "This is the Prime of animal bots!" Okay, so how come city-formers don't have their own Prime? There's no logic. They just put "whatever" into the thirteen slots because they thought a reference to Jesus + 12 disciples was deep. It's not. It's lazy.

 

I'd prefer to redefine how the "lineage" of the Primes currently seems to work. Forget being some poorly-defined "descendant" of the direct creations of Primus, or a robot aristocracy or whatever. Let it be an adoptive lineage. Let it be one that chooses its successors based on potential and character. One that favors those who think they aren't worthy and avoids those that seek to earn the status.

And really, I think TFTM'86 and Prime were both going for something along these lines. The idea itself is good, it just needs to be handled better and receive a little more exploration.

 

I wouldn't say that RiD2015 is trying to portray Optimus as a demigod. Maybe for season one, but since then they've kind of dropped that angle. He still has that a bit of a highly respected figure, but lately he's been more or less portrayed as more of an old wise war veteran. He's basically become Kup, I guess. Season 2 was all about Optimus proving he still had potential in battles since most of the team viewed him as too old to fight. Even after he had proven himself, he still needed help defeating Starscream. For once he didn't defeat the bad guy single handedly.