Summary

• Transformers One changes Optimus and Megatron's origins while keeping classic elements, focusing on their early friendship turned rivalry.
• The film combines Megatron and Optimus Prime's classic origin stories by having Alpha Trion empower both characters.
• Transformers One streamlines the backstory by giving both heroes and villains powers from the same source to get to the action faster.

The animated movie Transformers One seems to be changing the origins of Optimus Prime and Megatron’s powers, but the new version still has elements of their classic backstory. Set on their home planet of Cybertron, Transformers One will fill in the Autobots and the Decepticons’ past as the two factions are initially formed and quickly come into conflict with each other. Directed by Toy Story 4’s Josh Cooley, Transformers One features an all-star voice cast including such A-listers as Keegan-Michael Key as Bumblebee, Scarlett Johansson as Elita-1, Laurence Fishburne as Alpha Trion, and Jon Hamm as Sentinel Prime.

The voice cast is being led by Chris Hemsworth in the role of Optimus Prime and Brian Tyree Henry in the role of Megatron. The story will focus specifically on their relationship, chronicling how they went from close friends to mortal enemies. The movie is also filling in their origin story, but it seems to be making a couple of alterations to their typical canonical backstory. Whereas Optimus Prime and Megatron usually have separate origins explaining how they got their powers, it seems as though Transformers One is bringing those separate origin stories together for a shared backstory.

Megatron Was Created By Decepticons

In the traditional Transformers canon, Megatron was created by the Decepticons. In the cartoon, both the Autobots and the Decepticons were created by an alien race called the Quintessons. The Autobots were built to be workers and the Decepticons were built to be soldiers. Eventually, these two factions turned on each other and the Decepticons launched an uprising against the Autobots. Despite being the ones purpose-built for combat, the Decepticons suffered a great defeat in their first civil war with the Autobots.

Their loss in the first civil war is what spurred the Decepticons to create Megatron. They built themselves a perfect leader, so it would be tougher for the Autobots to defeat them in the next civil war. Megatron proved to be every bit the great leader he was made to be, and the conflict between the Autobots and the Decepticons lasted for years afterward, with the Decepticons finally holding their own against the more righteous Autobots. It seems as though Transformers One is altering this origin to make Megatron a founding member of the Decepticons as opposed to their creation.

Transformers One will arrive in theaters on September 20, 2024.

Optimus Prime Was Created By Alpha Trion With The Matrix Of Leadership

Optimus Prime was originally a humble and naive dockworker and data clerk named Orion Pax. He worked in Iaco under the leadership of Alpha Trion. During a conflict with the Decepticons, Orion was killed by Megatron. Orion was then chosen by the High Council – led by his boss, Alpha Trion – to be revived with superpowers that would help in the fight against the Decepticons. Primus, an ancient being whose origins date back to the beginning of the universe, entrusted Orion with the Matrix of Leadership and he was reborn as Optimus Prime, the all-powerful leader of the Autobots.

The origin story in Transformers One seems to be sticking a lot closer to Optimus Prime’s canonical origins than Megatron’s canonical origins. While it’s making big changes to Megatron’s backstory, it seems to be using the same basic concept for Optimus’ backstory: he was trusted by Alpha Trion and got imbued with powers by the Matrix of Leadership. Both versions have the same outcome for Optimus: he’s the primary hero of the story and he’s defined by his noble leadership and strong code of ethics.

Transformers One Is Combining Megatron & Optimus Prime's Classic Origin Stories

Based on the trailer for Transformers One, the animated movie seems to be combining Megatron’s origin story with Optimus Prime’s. In the typical Transformers canon, they don’t get their powers from the same source – they both have totally separate origin stories and don’t collide until they’re both leading their respective armies into battle with one another – but Transformers One is changing that. It looks like the movie is giving Megatron the same classic origin as Optimus by making Alpha Trion empower both of them.

This makes sense from a storytelling standpoint, as it streamlines the backstory a bit. This way, Transformers One will be able to get into its action a lot faster. It’s also a classic trope for the hero and villain of a story to get their powers from the same source, like Captain America and the Winter Soldier or Superman and any of his Kryptonian enemies.