Optimus Prime vs Megatron: The Ultimate Battle
From Transformers Wiki
| The name or term "Optimus Prime vs Megatron" refers to more than one character or idea. For a list of other meanings, see Optimus Prime vs Megatron (disambiguation). |
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| "Optimus Prime vs Megatron: The Ultimate Battle" | ||||||
| Production company | Hasbro | |||||
| Creative consultants | Aaron Archer, Gregory Lombardo, Michael Verrecchia, Michael Ballog | |||||
| Associate producer | Joshua Izzo | |||||
| Writer & producer | David McDermott | |||||
| Executive producer | Steve Drucker | |||||
| Post-production services | D-Spot Post | |||||
| Continuity | Unicron Trilogy (Armada, Energon, Cybertron) | |||||
Welcome to the Unicron Trilogy! Also, please enjoy your toys homaging Generation 1 Optimus Prime and Generation 2 Megatron.
Contents |
Synopsis
A red and blue robot comes on the screen to give the viewers a warning: Evil Decepticons have invaded Earth! Telling us he has fought them across "time and space", he says that they intend to destroy our world. The robot introduces himself as Optimus Prime, and says that he comes from the planet Cybertron. While once a peaceful, sunlit planet, thousands of years of war have ravaged Cybertron, turning it into a shell of the world that Prime once knew.
As the war progressed, the conflict spread beyond Cybertron, with "countless" other worlds becoming caught up in it. If the Decepticons aren't stopped here and now, Prime proclaims, the Earth will be destroyed... and he can't let that happen!
The inhabitants of Cybertron, Optimus tells us, are Transformers—a race of living robots with the ability to change their forms. Though made of the hardest substance in the galaxy, Transformers have the same range of thoughts and emotions that (most) humans do. Furthermore, Prime says, Transformers come in all shapes and sizes: some are small, some are big, and others are truly gigantic!
Transformers change their shape, Optimus explains, so that they can blend in to their environment or travel over different types of terrain. They can be cars, trucks, motorcycles, construction equipment, helicopters, speedboats... on some planets, they can even turn into wild beasts or dinosaurs! In fact, equipped with their scanners, Transformers can turn into almost anything, as long as they copy the object's data into their format files. Some Transformers, like Hot Shot, change themselves so often that even Optimus has trouble recognizing them! Of course, Optimus admits, he's had his fair share of different looks, too... but he's still just Prime on the inside.
Optimus then re-iterates that a Transformer will usually scan a new form when they first arrive on a planet so as to blend in better—or so the theory goes, as not everyone is subtle in their choice of alternate modes... while others are just looking for trouble.
The Transformers' war, Optimus says, began when a group decided to take over the planet and run things their way. These Transformers were called Decepticons, and ruled the planet with an iron fist, crushing all opposition! A few Transformers, including Optimus himself, chose to fight back against the tyrants, dubbing themselves Autobots. Their numbers quickly grew as more and more Transformers decided to fight for freedom, and they eventually regained control of Cybertron, forcing the Decepticons on the run. But that retreat bred desperation, leading the Decepticons to attack the energon grid protecting the planet.
According to Optimus, Megatron is already on Earth, driven by an insatiable lust for power. Optimus knows deep down that neither he nor Megatron will admit defeat until they see the other destroyed. And even as Megatron changes bodies like a race-bot changes tires, his evil only grows with every re-scan. Once, Megatron showed concern for those he led, but now the pursuit of power is his only concern, no matter who gets hurt in the process. He's also a sore loser, with Optimus recalling an incident in which his team risked their lives to legitimately win a racing trophy that might save many worlds, only for Megatron to try and take it by force.
Optimus reveals that the Autobots have access to a vast array of technology to aid in their missions. Their most frequently used tools are their weapons, such as plasma cannons, which expend enough energy to power a small Earth city. These energy readings can reach unfathomable heights through augmentation via ancient power sources like a Cyber Key, which contains a small amount of power from Cybertron's core, or a Mini-Con, a small helper robot with great powers of their own. But for as destructive as plasma cannons are, some swords are among the most powerful weapons in the universe. Though these weapons are powerful, Optimus explains, they are only a means to an end. Power for power's sake is meaningless compared to the importance of the battle between good and evil, life and destruction, which is why the Autobots must stop the Decepticons by any means.
But as Optimus says, the Autobots have one important weapon that the Decepticons don't: teamwork. Optimus knows he can fully count on every member of his team, just as they can on him. Whether backing each other up on the battlefield or literally joining to fight as one, Optimus knows being able to rely on one another will assure their victory.
Every time Optimus thinks Megatron is beaten, he somehow returns more corrupt and horrible than ever, always with a new plan to destroy the universe. But Optimus has faith in his team, knowing that each new friend and ally will strengthen their cause and get them one step closer to their final victory. And that's why Optimus asks you to join him and the Autobots in their fight to save Earth from Megatron's evil, knowing that together, they cannot be defeated!
Featured characters
(The following list reflects the list of characters present in the US version. Differences in the international version are not noted.)
(Numbers indicate order of appearance.)
| Autobots | Decepticons | Humans | Others |
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*First appears in footage where, at the time of the story, the character was not aligned with the Decepticons.
Notes
Optimus Prime vs Megatron: The Ultimate Battle was a DVD included with the Classics Optimus Prime / Megatron two-pack. The clip show features the Cybertron version of Optimus Prime (voice of Garry Chalk) speaking to the viewer and explaining the basics of the Transformers Unicron Trilogy universe over reused footage from the Armada, Energon and Cybertron cartoons.
The North American version includes a gallery that features the Classics line. The international version drops the gallery in favor of multiple languages for the episode.
Animation or technical glitches
- The art of Optimus Prime facing off against Megatron on the main episode/gallery select screen (recycled from the cover) is extremely pixelated.
- The first Cybertron version of Red Alert is used to illustrate Optimus Prime's statement that some Transformers turn into cars—which Red Alert does not.
Continuity errors
- Footage of Divebombs dropping explosives and Scorponok batting away a blue generic Transformer are used to illustrate the Decepticons ruling Cybertron "with an iron fist" in the past. Footage of Rodimus, Prowl and Landmine in silhouettte holding their Autobot-emblem flag is used to illustrate the Autobots who took up resistance against the Decepticons. Needless to say, neither of these jibe with the actual events of Energon.
Transformers references
- Transformers are made of durabyllium steel, which Optimus claims is the hardest metal in the galaxy. This refers back to the Technobot Nosecone's "durabyllium-steel alloy" drill and the material Omega Supreme's toughness tends to be compared too.
- Optimus mentions that Megatron "change[s] forms like a race-bot changes tires", likely referring to Megatron's malleability of alternate modes in the 2000s.
Trivia
- There are actually two separate versions of the featurette: the US release, which features clips from all three series, and the international release, which only uses footage from Energon and Cybertron. As such, while any Energon or Cybertron clips in the US version were retained for the international release, any instances of Armada footage have been replaced with separate clips from the latter two series.
- The featurette opens with a truncated version of the Cybertron opening, omitting Optimus's opening narration and picking up where the theme song lyrics kick in, but replaces the Cybertron logo with the Classics logo.
- Plasma cannons expel enough energy to power an entire city on Earth, and this is BEFORE being augmented by Mini-Cons or Cyber Planet Keys.
- ...and yet, swords are apparently some of the strongest weapons in the universe.
- The only new piece of "animation" in the episode is a digital overlay highlighting Hot Shot's different bodies.
- The ending credits are somewhat perfunctory, playing the Armada theme while showing sped-up versions of the Energon, Armada and Cybertron series credits (in that order!), followed by a short sequence for the featurette itself, which lists various Hasbro employees and writer/producer David McDermott (but not narrator Garry Chalk). The international version omits the Armada credits from the sequence, though the use of its theme is retained.
