The bitter rivalry between Optimus Prime of the Autobots and Megatron of the Decepticons has reverberated throughout the many iterations of destruction of their world, Cybertron.
That's why it's hard to imagine that the two could have ever gotten along, let alone been good friends. And yet, IDW Publishing's Transformers introduces a time when Optimus, then known as Orion Pax, and Megatron were not only friends but arguably quite close. Transformers takes place before the war between the Autobots and the then-yet-to-be-christened Decepticons when Cybertron was still a commerce hub and when death, especially murder, was a phenomenon that hadn't occurred in quite some time. So when killings suddenly start happening by more than one perpetrator, the sentient robots are shaken to their very core.
The relationship between Orion and Megatron, however, is never portrayed in a positive light during the series' present day. It is in a constant state of deterioration that comes as a result of Megatron's obsession with and perpetual participation in a movement known as the Ascenticons, a group that is frustrated by how the Autobots continue to overcompensate for a war that has long since ended. This overcompensation has led to the continual and, in their eyes, unnecessary, rationing of Energon that deprives them of their full vigor and strength, delaying of robot forgings, and the lack of aggressive expansion so as to not risk antagonizing other lifeforms. All of this conflict is further exacerbated by Megatron's refusal to stop speaking at rallies despite many of them culminating in violence, of which the more extremist group known as The Rise takes full advantage quite often.
But readers do get to see glimpses of the strong friendship between Orion and Megatron beginning with the moment when the future leader of the Autobots seeks advice on how to deal with this Transformer whom he had once called "friend." As Orion wrestles over the realization that their relationship is crumbling and contemplates what could transpire as a result, the reader is thrust into the first of many flashbacks that take place in issue 6 where Orion, then an Archivist, stumbles upon Megatron, a miner. Orion is there to help Megatron hoist a massive fallen idol, but soon the two begin exchanging pleasantries that reveal how important their presence is in each of their lives, especially moments of triumph. In fact, Megatron expresses a want for Orion to watch him compete in a future arena battle, to which Orion responds by saying he would never miss it.
But a later flashback introduces a more complicated relationship that has already begun experiencing some strain as a result of their diverging outlooks on life. Near the beginning of their exchange, Megatron misconstrues a comment Orion made as a swipe at his status and later becomes angered when Orion questions his sanity for jumping off a space platform and falling to the planet below. Once again proving that their clashing views on life are the catalyst to their relationship's eventual demise, Megatron defends his erratic behavior by incongruently stating how his pursuits are more worthwhile than Orion's. But sandwiched between these negative outbursts are brief moments shedding light on the once strong foundations of their relationship.
At one point when the two reveal their future plans, Megatron is heartened by the fact that they are both undergoing similar experiences together despite being wholly different in substance, proving that any semblance of them bonding in some way is important to him. A later conversation soon delves into how their friendship was once founded on strong communication where secrets seemingly rarely took place, as made apparent when Orion becomes upset by the fact that Megatron didn't tell him that he was running for senate and that he had to hear it first from another Transformer.
Turns out, Megatron's hesitation to tell his friend about his venture into politics was based on how well he knew him, knowing full well that Orion would have tried talking him out of it, to which he agreed but for another reason: because Orion knows Megatron has so much more to offer. While touching, the all-encoming moment that truly illustrates the respect and awe the two Transformers have for each other (complete with hand-holding) takes place when Megatron invites Orion to jump off a space station with him that he was originally planning to do on his own to prove to himself a rather complex philosophical view he has on life that must be experienced through an act of random bravery. (Spoiler: Megatron doesn't die this time).
