When it comes to renowned leaders and animated heroes, there’s more than meets the eye. Or so the legend goes for Transformers and their fearless captain Optimus Prime.
The supreme commander of the Autobots has battled his way into the hearts of fans and collectors worldwide since making his debut as an action figure in 1983. Also known as Orion Pax or Convoy in Japanese lore, Optimus Prime is the face of the Transformers franchise and is easily recognizable across the globe in either his robot or his semi truck form.
Forged from the ancient Dynasty of Primes on the planet Cybertron, Optimus Prime is the leader in the fight against the evil forces of the Decepticons in a battle for the all-powerful Allspark that has spilled over to Earth.
Hasbro introduced the hero to the Western world after discovering his original action figure and other Transformers during the 1983 Tokyo Toy Show.
What followed was a 40-year adventure en route to becoming one of the most popular toy and media franchises in history. One that is still going strong today after branching out to comics, full-length motion pictures and lots more.
Beginning with the Generation 1 version, Optimus Prime is able to convert from his mighty robot form into a Freightliner FL86 cab-over-semi truck, which breaks down into three parts: the humanoid brain center as the cab, the truck trailer Combat Deck and a six-wheeled, non-transformable Scout Car named Roller.
Today his original action figure can fetch upwards of $1,200 still in its original packaging.
The only thing more iconic than the sound he emits when transforming is his voice, which has been famously delivered by the iconic Peter Cullen. In the years since, Optimus Prime has also been brought to life by voice actors such as Alan Tudyk, Chris Hemsworth and several others.
Optimus Prime’s exploits have led him to be named the 30th greatest movie superhero of all-time by Total Film Magazine and a Lifetime Achievement Award from Nickelodeon’s Kids’ Choice Awards.
And now, the mighty warrior and eternal nemesis of Megatron is a member of the Pop Culture Hall of Fame.
