Hi all, The Great Unfinished Binaltech story is still... well... unfinished. :redface: But as I was clearing out the crap on the laptop I found this idea for a "What If...?" story I never ended up doing anything with. If you never read the DW "Worlds Collide" story which wrapped up the Armada comic, none of this is going to make any sense. Still with me? Good. This was my idea... 'A beaten and broken Prime arrives in our universe from a reality which Unicron has devoured. Despite the Autobots' best efforts, he dies in their medical bay. What if he had survived? This is an Optimus Prime who has quite literally lost everything. His world has been destroyed, the Matrix taken and all his friends are dead. Five years after the events of "Worlds Collide," he has recovered - after a fashion. Stranded on a strange yet hauntingly familiar Cybertron and tormented by visions of his dead comrades, Optimus desperately seeks redemption for his past mistakes. But what if the visions are real? What if this Cybertron is different to his own for a reason? And most importantly, what does it really mean to be Optimus Prime?' In a nutshell, that was it. My idea was that this Optimus had failed in some way when Unicron attacked. Perhaps he didn't - or couldn't - open the Matrix. Perhaps he ignored some advice. Or perhaps there was nothing more he could have done, but he blamed himself anyway. I never worked that part out. Thoughts/questions/comments/energon goodies/ proposals of marriage from sufficiently wealthy persons (delete where applicable) gratefully accepted.
Seriously, perhaps it should be Rodimus Prime. I never read Worlds Collide. I find it hard to believe that Optimus Prime would flee even he was the last one alive. He'd fight Unicron to the death. Rodimus on the other hand might be more likely to seek help. Anyway, if you use Optimus, don't forget to explain how he lost the Matrix. Even if he used it to no avail, he wouldn't toss the empty shell away.
Or you could have Nemesis Prime destroy the matrix using the dead matrix. Taunted by a dark version of himself.
Just to put your mind at ease, the alternate Optimus didn't flee. He stayed til the bitter end, was captured and tortured by Unicron and then "sent ahead... a calling card" to the Armada universe. (Most people say it with flowers. Unicron says it with near-dead alternate versions of your greatest leader.) Funny you should mention Nemesis Prime, Redwolf.... No idea when - or even if - I'll ever get to flesh this out a bit more, but I really like the idea of having him show up.
I'd really be interested in this. I never read the comics, but it still sounds like a good story. You should definitely go for it
it sounds like an interesting idea, here you are the greatest hero of your kind face to face with the greatest failure of another reality. Though still heroic to the point that he fought to the bitter end. Perhaps he is meant to be a survivor for a yet unknown reason? What if He is The david to Unicron's goliath? or perhaps rather than the matrix being the weapon to stop unicron, perhaps this optimus has to learn that he himself is the weapon to stop unicron, by being the herald of unicron, unicron is turning the tide of the war and making the realitites prepared for his coming, when finally somewhere down the line, at the end of all things, Unicron is met at the nexus of all realities against every being he sought to destroy and in one final act of war each side wipes itself out finally bringing a rebirth and balance to the universe.
Found it! WHAT IF..? "GREAT RUINS" CHAPTER 1: “OPTIMUS” Optimus is having a debate with his Minicon partner, Ginrai. At a certain point in the conversation, Optimus tells Ginrai that it’s just the sort of remark he always used to make – before he died. Two medics are observing the scene via a monitor. Optimus is evidently quite alone in his quarters. They express regret that despite their best efforts, they are unable to help their patient, or find the cause of these delusions. This alternate Optimus has been healed physically, but they can do nothing about his mental state. Flashback 1: Five years previously, in another reality, Optimus Prime and a Decepticon are fighting. The backdrop to their battle is the communications tower in Iacon and below them a massive battle rages between Autobots and Decepticons. Although his opponent doesn’t look too familiar, it becomes clear that this is definitely this reality’s Megatron. (Like Prime, his appearance is a mixture of his G1 and Armada selves.) Megatron fights dirty, all the while taunting Prime about this latest attempt to retake Cybertron from its Decepticon “masters.” Optimus responds with a typically noble statement about never giving up. As long as there are sentient beings, Prime will defend their right to freedom. Megatron succeeds in throwing Prime over the edge, but he just manages to grab on to the ledge. Megatron laughs and tells him it’s over as he prepares to kick Optimus the rest of the way. As usual, Meg’s tendency to gloat is his undoing: he is completely unprepared as in one swift movement Optimus vaults back on to the ledge and strikes a mortal blow to his enemy with his energon axe. The force of the blow carries Megatron straight over the edge and he plunges the length of the tower before smashing into the ground. The noise of his scream and the impact causes all within earshot to turn towards the tower. They see Optimus Prime standing at the summit and Megatron lying broken at the base. The tide of the battle has very definitely turned in the Autobots’ favour. As the Decepticons beat a hasty retreat, the Autobots’ quickly take up a victory chant: “Prime! Prime! Prime!” He stands atop the tower in typically heroic stance, saluting his comrades. In the present day and in this reality, Optimus is still in the same posture, acknowledging the non-existent crowd, although now he looks more pathetic than heroic. He stumbles and, apparently shaken out of his memories, looks bewildered. Apparently focussing on a point on the floor, he then continues his previous conversation with his dead partner. Although the medibots are still discussing Prime’s condition and possible treatments, they have long since turned away from the monitor and so they fail to notice that, just for an instant, Prime isn’t alone in his room. A small figure is standing there, looking straight into the camera and smirking. It is a Minicon. END OF CHAPTER 1.
I started reading a bit of poetry today and parts of Tennyson's 'Ulysses' seem almost perfect for this Optimus: How dull it is to pause, to make an end, To rust unburnish'd, not to shine in use! As tho' to breathe were life. Life piled on life Were all too little, and of one to me Little remains: but every hour is saved From that eternal silence, something more, A bringer of new things; and vile it were For some three suns to store and hoard myself, And this gray spirit yearning in desire To follow knowledge like a sinking star... ...Tho' much is taken, much abides; and tho' We are not now that strength which in the old days Moved earth and heaven; that which we are, we are; One equal-temper of heroic hearts, Made weak by time and fate, but strong in will To strive, to seek, to find and not to yield. Thoughts brewing: I think I want to write this thing. But God, it's gonna be grim...
