| Type: | Transmetal |
| Faction: | Maximal |
| Modes: | Gorilla, Air Guardian, Ground Cruiser, and Robot |
| Function: | Maximal Commander |
| Rank: | Maximal Commander |
He quickly learned that molding a bunch of space explorers into a fighting force would be a very difficult task. While his skills as a leader seem lacking at times, no one is better qualified for the job. He combines compassionate, cooperative leadership with tactical evaluation, allowing him to handle most situations confidently, if not gracefully. After an alien construct activated one of the planet's moons, an alien weapon in disguise, Optimus Primal piloted a modified stasis pod into space in an attempt to save the planet and all its inhabitants. He succeeded in destroying the alien weapon, but, due to Megatron's meddling, he was unable to escape the explosion and was destroyed.
The newly changed Megatron didn't waste any time in rallying his troops and attacking the Maximals, who were sure to still be reeling from the loss of their commander and lacking in defenses for their base. With Scorponok and Terrorsaur evidently destroyed, the Predacons were out-numbered considerably, but Megatron felt he was powerful enough to defeat the Maximals. In the end, the Predacons were driven back, but not before facilitating the escape of Inferno, Blackarachnia, and Tarantulas.
Soon after, Megatron discovered two stasis pods of his own, downed by the recent quantum surge. After convincing the new Fuzors, 'bots with two beasts combined into one mode, they were Predacons and that the Maximals needed to be destroyed, Megatron launched another offensive, this time with much more drastic results. Cheetor, who had been attempting to reach the two pods before Megatron, instead wound up leading them straight to the Axalon. With Tigatron and Airazor away on a mission to discover the extent of the destruction caused by the alien weapon, and Rhinox "off chasing comets with his mind," it was the Maximals who were drastically out-numbered this time. Taking a valiant stand, Cheetor, Rattrap, and Dinobot held their ground as long as they could, trying to buy Rhinox time. The Predacons eventually realized the plan and sent fliers ahead to attack the defenseless Axalon. The Maximals retreated as quickly as they could but, even aided by Rhinox, were only able to hold the Predacons momentarily. Just as all hope seemed lost and the Maximals destroyed, Optimus Primal emerged, now in his Transmetal form, and fought the Predacons off, aided by Silverbolt, a noble Fuzor now turned Maximal.
After taking Optimus Prime's spark into himself to prevent it from going off-line and thoroughly mauling the timestream, Optimus Primal, through painful development, became the four-mode 'bot dubbed by Megatron "Optimal Optimus." While Prime's body was being repaired, Primal chased Megatron, who, of course, had a backup plan, back toward the Axalon. After the two battled for a bit, Megatron revealed that he was, in fact, merely a diversion, and Primal raced on to the Axalon, where he found Rampage and hundreds of Tarantulas's spider-drones pulling the Axalon toward the canyon and the waiting water below. After severing the ropes connecting the drones to the Axalon, Primal went toe-to-toe with Rampage, only to have a stray missile send the Axalon plunging into the water. Rampage quickly made his escape, leaving the Maximals to deal with their new lack of housing. After returning Prime's spark, the Maximals
gathered up what they could of the Axalon and moved into Mount Saint Hillary, resting place of the Autobots and the Ark.
