Transformers: Age of the Primes toyline discussion || update: stock renders of upcoming Alpha Trion, Micronus, Flatline, Fireflight, Skydive, ++

[Swerve]

Maybe we should have a Prime of yellowing plastic.

 

[Shadewing]

Maybe we should have a Prime of yellowing plastic.

We already have Piss Magnus:

 

[wonko the sane?]

He needs to drink more water. That is not healthy.

 

[The Mighty Mollusk]

When life gives you lemons, build powered armor out of them.

 

[Tuxedo Prime]

When life gives you lemons, build powered armor out of them.

"...and then DEMAND TO SEE LIFE'S MANAGER! MAKE LIFE RUE THE DAY IT THOUGHT IT COULD GIVE CAVE JOHNSON LEMONS!!"

 

[Lobjob]

The issue is that the Thirteen were developed in a slapdash manner. A lot of the roster was plucked from previous fiction (oh Prima is the first Matrix bearer in Marvel? Let's use him. Oh Alpha Trion was really old and wise in Sunbow G1? Let's use him).

When they canonized the "definitive" roster they did that and came up short of thirteen names. Solus, Micronus, Onyx, Amalgamous, and Quintas were just created out of nothing to fill out the roster. And Hasbro wasn't going to put off the launch of the Thirteen to seed five new characters in new shows or comics or whatever to slow burn the concept.

tbf they did try. Micronus got some shine in IDW1 and RiD '15. Onyx seemed to get something significant in IDW1 until it was revealed he was Shockwave the whole time (one of a few things that turned IDW1 from something I was a fan of into something I was eyerolling at). Quintas pops up in EarthSpark. Solus herself doesn't get much but I'd argue Windblade's arc in IDW1 does a lot to flesh out why she's important even if we don't get much info on her personally.

Again, the IRL inspirations for the Thirteen are themselves broad stroke archetypes so... like... I don't think making each one a well rounded character was necessarily the goal? They're archetypical legendary founding figures. Background lore.

It definitely wasn't their goal, but I'd debate that it should have been. They would just be way more fun, especially now that we got an entire line centered around them.

 

[LBD "Nytetrayn"]

Not to get too deep into religion... but I'm Jewish, and in Judaism we have the Twelve Tribes of Israel. Which is explained, theologically, as the Israelites being descended from each of the twelve sons of Jacob, aka Israel.
These patriarchs of the Tribes are... well... not exactly fleshed out in scripture.

They're archetypes. Maybe based on real people, maybe amalgamations of different figures, maybe wholly fictional... but regardless, what is written about them primarily serves to explain and give context to each Tribe within the broader community of ancient Israelites.

All of this is to say that because of my own religious background the Thirteen don't really bother me because they fit a recognizable context. I can see what they're trying to do.
Stuff like them being the first of each different type of Transformer, or being short on fleshed out characterization, doesn't necessarily bother me because it fits with what I think was one of the inspirations.

These aren't necessarily supposed to be fleshed out and well rounded characters. They're mythical archetypes and patriarchs (and matriarch in Solus' case) whose exploits are supposed to be the realm of the deepest, furthest myths and legends.
Are they supposed to be actual semi-divine figures? Normal Cybertronians whose exploits were mythologized? Or wholly legendary with no historical basis? Well I'd argue just like IRL myths and legends that inspired the Thirteen... that's up for you to decide, and that's half the fun. Everyone comes at it with their own perspective. I myself prefer a more Euhemeristic take, so IDW1 intrigued me until Barber made everything Shockwave's fault.

I guess what I'm saying is that large chunks of the Thirteen not having many fictional appearances to flesh them out doesn't bother me. Being well rounded characters wasn't the point, strictly speaking. The whole concept is mirroring IRL pantheons and founding myths that treat founding figures as archetypes.

Does this mean that Hot Rod/Rodimus Prime is Jesus?

Or would that be Optimus Primal, via the Trukk Not Munky crowd?

 

[unluckiness]

Optimus as the 13th is divinity turned mortal and lived among the regular robots. Dies and resurrects a lot as well. He’s definitely Jesus.

Rodimus is Peter I guess? Magnus being the hand-picked successor muddles the analogy.