Primus’ Nepotism (Long Post!)
So. I, er. I was deep-trawling through TFWiki the other day, as you do when you’re a TF fanfic writer, and I spotted something that I… honestly didn’t know, but intrigued me greatly. I feel that this is one of those things that either you know or you get blindsided by, so give me a minute.
Hot Rod | Rodimus Prime - primarily the G1 Marvel comics version (though this phenomena did overlap a bit into the Dreamwave comics, and the 3H Productions comics) - looks like Primus. I mean, a lot like Primus. And it’s apparently intentional.
Here’s a picture of Primus’ head from the 3H Productions comic Transformers: Universe #1, published in 2003 (he’s the big disembodied head in the centre, but I feel like you’ve figured that out already):
And here’s a picture of Rodimus Prime’s head from IDW’s The Transformers: Regeneration One #81, published in 2012 (I’m sure I don’t need to tell you that his head design has been pretty much made similar across continuities and has had its basics set in stone for decades now):
Notice any similarities? Across most continuities, his helm is shaped like this, whether he’s Hot Rod or Rodimus Prime. Sometimes the kibble at the top centre is shaped like the one in the Primus picture above (notably in IDW’s More Than Meets The Eye and Lost Light), but he always has that same piece of kibble. And he always has rounded audios on either side of his helm.
Here is a picture of Primus from the 3H Enterprise’s BotCon 2000 exclusive comic Terminus (sorry for poorer quality):
And here is a picture of Rodimus Prime from the Marvel US comic The Transformers #43, published in 1988:
Notice the spoiler wings on their backs? The shape of their helms? These are two very different comic panels, done by different artists, by different companies, at different times. And they chose to continue to make them look similar.
Not convinced yet? Here’s Primus from the Japanese continuity’s Generations Selects Special Comic: Super Megatron #3, published by TakaraTomy Mall:
That’s an awfully familiar paint scheme… The TakaraTomy Mall comic is from 2020. This has been a Thing since Transformers comics began, over thirty years ago.
In Japan, there was even a highly limited toy for Primus put out in 2004 as a Lucky Draw toy. It’s a golden recolour of Rodimus Prime. Here is a photo of it pulled straight from the TFWiki Primus page (credits to the contributors TFWiki users FigureGunplaFan and Monzo):
If you’re still not convinced… the question has been posed before, and answers from the sources themselves have been given:
In Marvel Comic’s The Transformers #160, published in 1988, there is a section called Grim Grams, where Grimlock answers questions sent in by fans. I’ve highlighted in red the relevant part:
The text, shortened for relevance, asks:
Dear Grimlock,
I have a few questions to ask you. 1) Rodimus Prime looks a lot like Primus (the energy being who became the Creation Matrix). Is this because Hot Rod was changed by the Matrix?
And Grimlock’s answer is:
Ah, yes. I suspected Issue 150′s shocking revelations about the origin of we Transformers would provoke a few comments and suggestions. I’ll do my best to answer what I can. 1) I reckon you’re spot on there, kid. Primus recreated Hot Rod in his own image, calling himself Rodimus Prime.
And, more recently, on the 30th August 2015, someone asked the Ask Vector Prime Facebook page… (link here to the archive page for that on TFWiki):
Why does Rodimus resemble Primus so much?
Dear Godly Guy,
Nepotism?
Just some food for thought, everyone.
