With Transformers One finally arriving in theaters, curiosity about the Autobots taking center stage, particularly Orion Pax, is at an all-time high. Thankfully, the trailers answered this question even before the movie hit theaters. “Before he was Optimus Prime, he was Orion Pax.” This line, taken from the first trailer, is a smart choice. Chris Hemsworth is stepping into the role of Orion Pax (eventually Optimus Prime), a role that has been filled primarily by the legendary Peter Cullen throughout the years. The inclusion of the aforementioned line is a perfect way to let the audience know that this isn’t Optimus Prime we’re dealing with. It’s a younger character, one not yet saddled with all the responsibilities and hardships that come with being a Prime. It helps set expectations. And thank goodness, because it seems to have kept the backlash over the casting to a minimum.
If you’re not knee-deep in the lore of Transformers, whether because you’re new to the franchise, have only seen certain cartoons or films, or for any other reason, you might be wondering how Orion Pax fits into the Transformers universe. Is this a brand-new version of the Transformers story, or just an updated take on the original? And how exactly does Orion Pax become the Optimus Prime we know and love?
Orion Pax Has Been Around Since the Beginning of ‘Transformers’
When the franchise began 40 years ago, we were introduced to Orion Pax in the second season of the 1984 Transformers cartoon. Orion Pax in this series was a worker at an energy factory, and we see that he’s a rather fun-loving and easygoing fellow who loves his job, loves his girlfriend, and jokes with his friends. When a couple of Autobots go back in time, they see firsthand what started the war between Optimus Prime and Megatron (Frank Welker). It seemed Orion actually admired Megatron, particularly because he had the power of flight, and he was excited when Megatron arrived at the factory and began talking to him. However, this was a ruse, as Megatron attacks the factory to steal the energy and gravely injures Orion.
It’s after this injury that Orion was taken to Alpha Trion (John Stephenson), who rebuilt him into Optimus Prime. Since then, Optimus and Megatron have been at war with one another. Keep in mind here that Orion admired Megatron once. This is vital to their story.
‘Transformers: Prime’ Shows a Different Orion Pax
Continuing on the animated series track, Transformers: Prime gave a slightly different take on Orion and his relationship with Megatron. Prime showed Orion as a quiet, organized clerk in The Hall of Records (Iacon Archives), where he spent his days learning about the history of Cybertron. As he read, he became more aware of the corruption of Cybertron’s rulers and the mistreatment of other classes of bots, and he became inspired by the words of a gladiator called Megatronus. However, as time went on, Megatronus (now Megatron) began to grow more violent, wanting to overthrow the ruling class by force. When they finally stood before the High Council, no one was moved by Megatron’s words. Instead, they were moved by Orion, leading to Megatron fully embracing the dark side. With war now raging and Cybertron poisoned by Dark Energon, Orion searches for the Core of Cybertron. Upon finding it, he is awarded the Matrix of Leadership which turns him into Optimus Prime.
However, Prime doesn’t stop at a backstory. We actually get to see Orion in the present at the beginning of the second season. After relinquishing the Matrix of Leadership to kill Unicron (John Noble), Optimus loses his memories and reverts back to Orion Pax. He’s then taken away by Megatron, who convinces him that it’s actually the Autobots that have ruined Cybertron. Orion is branded as a Decepticon and tasked with decoding Iacon records. He doesn’t realize anything is amiss until he happens upon Starscream (Steve Blum), who he’d been told had died.
This series shows us that Orion was always on the serious side, though Ratchet (Jeffery Combs) mentions that Orion was somewhat like Jack (Josh Keaton), a pretty responsible, reliable, and occasionally a troublemaker. Again, we see that, at the start, Orion was inspired by Megatron.
Orion Pax Doesn’t Make an Appearance in the Bayverse… But He Does in the IDW Comics
If you’ve only seen Michael Bay’s Transformers films, you may not have caught the blink-and-you’ll-miss-it mentions of Orion Pax. Let’s be honest; those films aren’t about the past, anyway. They’re about the present and watching robots kick each other’s butts. And that’s fine! There’s room for all at the Transformers table! What we do know about Orion from the Bayverse films is that he was a data clerk that became Optimus Prime using the Matrix of Leadership.
However, the IDW Transformers comics delve rather deep into Orion Pax. In this continuity, Orion is a police officer that quickly becomes a captain, and he frees Megatron from custody after clearing his name of an assault charge. He becomes fascinated with Megatron’s ideas on non-violent resistance, and he ensures Whirl, the officer who used excessive force against Megatron, was punished. Over time, Megatron began to change, and so did Orion, and eventually, Orion shed his identity to take on the Matrix of Leadership and fight for the people of Cybertron. Once again, we see Orion being inspired by Megatron. Isn’t that wild?
Transformers has always played with the idea that a single ideology can diverge, ultimately giving rise to multiple, often conflicting beliefs. This is why we repeatedly see Orion and Megatron as friends before they become enemies, as they often share the same hope for the future; but over time, Megatron’s beliefs radicalize. When his methods fail, he turns to violence, while Orion remains steadfast and composed. Ultimately, this distinction defines who Orion Pax is. He’s the core that made Optimus Prime, who is a pillar of hope for a dying world ravaged by war. He’s also a message for the little guy that even Optimus Prime was once someone small, someone that might even be considered a “nobody.” However, his courage and desire to make the world better remain steadfast, and he is rewarded with the ability to create change. It’s exciting to get to see Orion Pax fully fleshed out in Transformers One, and to get to see the changes in his and Megatron’s (Brian Tyree Henry) relationship and ideals. It will be intriguing to see who Orion Pax is in this film, and how it builds on all of the Orions of the past.
Transformers One is currently showing in theaters in the U.S.
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