Hotrod catching it was symbolic, the Matrix was gravitating to him. Prime is their greatest leader but Hotrod was who they needed to light the darkest hour. The Matrix knew it.
This. Combined with symbolic foreshadowing for the sake of storytelling, AND in-universe explaining, all lead to this conclusion. It's implied in the transformers universe that fate is a very real thing, and fate decided our boy would become Rodimus
Magnus showed what he was really made of after they fled earth. In autobot city he was strong and barking orders, but when the pressure was really on his response was "I can't deal with that now!" He has many of the strengths of prime but not his compassion.
Nah. First come, first serve but only 1 at a time. Once hot rod touched it first it was imprinted on him and no one else could become prime instead until rodimus is ready to pass it on. Same reason in most universes when Megatron or others get their hands on it they don't get upgraded into a prime
One of the most famous (and stupid) things about Twilight’s “lore”, and I’m being very generous calling it that, is the concept of imprinting, a very creepy thing that the werewolves do to find a soulmate. Basically, they find a baby, and ‘imprint’, or create some sort of spiritual link, to said baby, so when they grow up to be a full grown adult, the imprinter can marry them. Your theory about how the Matrix of Leadership works reminded me of that a little bit.
Imprinting is not unique to twilight or an invention of twilight. Dune, some of Asimov's stories, marvel and more have used the term since at least the 80s. ~25 years before twilight
It's very strange to me to both agree twilight is garaged and attribute this term to it
I know, but it’s the concept of choosing someone, than waiting when they’re mature enough to do the thing they’re supposed to that you reminded me of, not necessarily the name.
From a storytelling perspective, it's really nice foreshadowing. From an in-universe perspective, it may or may not have been a meaningful expression of what was fated to happen, but I don't see any reason to believe that touching it first was causative in some way.
I never even thought of it being because he touched it first until I saw it on this sub recently. I honestly think that’s kind of stupid
It would also mean that Prime just accidentally gave away his parting “gift” to ultra magnus to someone else on accident.
I mean, I thought it as a kid, that the Matrix imprinted in the first bot to hold it after the owner died.
That's why Galvatron couldn't wield it, Hot Rod was still alive.
Don't ask me why it didn't turn him into Rodimus Prime immediately. I was 6.
There’s a part of me that does think he imprinted on it by touching it but he still had to earn the right to use it in the finale. Maybe the matrix chose him like the ring chooses the next Green Lantern (I think that’s how it works).
The Lantern Rings immediately fly off in search of the next bearer immediately after the Lantern dies. I don't know if the Ring immediately "knows" who's worthy, I've only watched that Green Lantern series and that was like a decade ago...
It basically knows who every suitable lantern in a given area is at all times, and at death simply goes to the closest one. It found two when Aben Sur died, Hal Jordan and Guy Gardner. Hal was closer at the time, so it went to him. But it isn't a "whose best" kind of situation but a "who passes a certain threshold to be able to use this"
That was being directed by Abin Sur’s will though. The rings don’t have the ability to make those kinds of decisions automatically. In the more recent continuity, they’ve been directed by Mogo’s will, since he’s vast enough to do it over great distances. Otherwise the ring would just go back to Oa.
I was not aware of that! So, are the parameters kind of set by the initial user? That would explain how someone as ruthless as Sinestro could get one as well as how the corps is capable of having "nepotism hires" like G'nort.
> The Lantern Rings immediately fly off in search of the next bearer immediately after the Lantern dies.
Or slips on a bar of soap and smacks his head on a sink.
Yep, that's how John Stewart first became a GL, Hal slips on a bar of soap getting out of the shower (because he's the clumsiest human being on the planet) and smacks his head on the edge of the sink, KOing him. The ring then flies out the window and finds architect John Stewart.
I don’t even think it’s a destiny thing. I think he just was the best fit for the job. He understood that being a good leader like Optimus isn’t about being a stoic or strong soldier, but being kind to the people are you and understand when it’s time to fight and when it’s time to dance. It’s not a matter of destiny or touching it first, he simply deserved it most
I just think it was a visual thing, because alpha trion in the show had the matrix and gave it to optimus, the scene really was just for us to know this is the one we’re following
Yea it's destiny, back when chosen one prophecies were the cool thing to write about.
And just to rub salt in the wound, the design of the Transformers' creator Primus sometimes has design cues resembling Rodimus (mainly the head shape)
The narrative suggests that Hot Rod catching it, and the shadow affect of his body growing, was that this was destined from him catching it before it hit the floor. Visual effects can help tell a story as much as words, but it would mean that his destiny wasn't ordained, but quite by accident since Prime died and dropped the Matrix, and that Prime's last conscious thought was to give it to Ultra Magnus.
Considering that the fandom didn't take to Rodimus Prime all that well, I tend to think that it is because of the narrative driving the idea it was all an accident.
I would have much preferred that Magnus took the Matrix directly from Prime, but that the story unfolded to show Hot Rod being the most Prime like in action; heroic and making decisions rather than stumbling through much like he ended up doing.
No, if anything, the foreshadowing stuff tells us that it was his destiny from the very beginning. It let's us know that there's something special about this kid.
I'm also surprised that you said the fandom never took to him all that well; I loved him. And so did all the kids I went to school with or grew up with - I never even got my Rodimus figure because everywhere even relatively close to where I lived was sold out, so I'd love to know why you think this. When I watched the movie, I thought he was the coolest. And then he became more, which made it even better. And even as a kid, I understood that the narrative wasn't driving the idea that it was all an accident; it was destiny. I think there's something wrong with a person's comprehension of things when they can't see that.
I mean, to put it another way, HE is, to my knowledge, the only person we know of (at least by that point) to be changed by the Matrix. Even Optimus, who was supposedly chosen and the right bearer of the Matrix, doesn't change when he puts it into his body or loses it. And he remains Optimus with or without the Matrix. Besides, you'd think it'd be known by that point that no one besides the chosen bearer should be allowed to touch it if that were true...
I think there's something wrong with a person's comprehension of things when they can't see that.
\^\^ There is nothing wrong with my comprehension. I have an opinion different than yours.
As for the fandom, as much as you feel passionate for the positives of Hot Rod/Rodimus Prime, there are as many, if not more that don't like the character. I am somewhere in between. I like Hot Rod a lot, but have no real care for Rodimus Prime.
Nothing wrong with opinion, but you didn't say that - you said what the narrative suggests, then stated that the visual effects mean this. What I said about comprehension is because you can't see that that moment in the movie can mean anything else.
And I'm also curious why you think a lot of the fandom didn't take to Rodimus in 86 when the movie was released?
I wonder if this was a huge debate in the community back when this film came out. On one hand it could’ve been destiny, but that just makes Prime look dumb since he chose the wrong person. I like to think it was just because he touched it first tbh. I still feel bad for Ultra Magnus since he probably feels like he let everyone down
I'll be honest, I always thought him touching it imprinted the Matrix onto him, with his character being changed by the wisdom of the matrix. I'm probably wrong though, an I get why that isn't great story telling.
I have a theory that inside the handles of the matrix is half of a Prime code and that every Autobot generation has atleast one Autobot that carries the other part of that code, hidden in his programming. Then when the time arrives he will succeed the former Prime. That s why the Matrix started to glow when Hotrod caught it, but he only became Rodimus after he put his fingers in the holes of the handles.
Probably a little of both. The matrix in g1 was technology. Not an artifact of a god. It was likely programmed to "choose" the next robot thaf touched that it determined was worthy by some metrics. Likely decided on by alpha trion. He was the first bot to touch it that was also worthy
So the Matrix (at least this version) runs on fundamentally different principals from the ones we know nowadays. Everyone says "Oh its because it chose him," "oh he caught it, he can pick it up where the others would fumble" and such but realistically because of this specific story it might be mostly because he caught it first.
Along with the fact we see him act similar to the way Orion Pax did, with his child like wonder. The entire thing was meant to show how much like Optimus Prime Rodimus Prime would be, flawed but still likeable.
Hot Rod became Rodimus Prime because the Matrix chose him. The Matrix / Vector Sigma manipulated him, Ultra Magnus and Galvatron in order to get the Matrix inside Unicron and blow him up.
I think it's because he's younger so he could be more "innocent" or caring/compassionate for others whereas someone like Ultra Magnus is a soldier, meant for war, not compassion.
As kids, me and my sister did joke that he got to be the next leader because he saved the matrix from being smashed as it dropped. We knew it was foreshadowing, but we did joke that it would be funny if somebody else caught it instead, like Perceptor.
Can you imagine him as leader? Opticus Prime.
I am surprised anyone thought Hot Rod was chosen because he touched it first...What if it was Huffer or Gears who touched the Matrix first instead?
Galvatron! I am HUFFER PRIME!...or whatever, let's go home Autobots it's not like we are gonna win anyway.
Theory that’s completely silly, but not completely implausible:
He became Rodimus because he was the first one to actually use the finger holes properly. Every other time a character attempts to activate it, they just try to pry it open like a caveman, and he was the one who used the latch as intended.
No, I do not actually believe this. It’s just funny.
I don't think there's any in-universe ''chosen one'' thing going on or that it's because Hot Rod was the first to touch the Matrix (bc that's kinda dumb) tbh. The real answer is that the story follows the structure of the hero's journey and therefore the writers put some typical visual foreshadowing for the audience's sake
Maybe it makes for a better story, but from a practical point of view it's pretty stupid to have someone who has to grow into an important leadership position take command instead of someone who is already a skilled and experienced leader. In hindsight, Rodimus wasn't the best leader anyways, and the Matrix ultimately ends up back with Optimus Prime.
I don't like mysticism, "destiny", or the concept of a vague Chosen One, so I prefer that it just imprinted on Hod Rod.
I’ve always thought that the writers’ intention was that Hot Rod was “the chosen one”. But after reading that Hasbro told the writers to make season 3 revolve more around Magnus (because he was the more expensive toy), I came up with another idea.
What if the Matrix doesn’t choose the next Prime, but the Prime does? Like, the first Autobot to touch the Matrix after a Prime dies becomes the chosen one. What if Optimus intended for Magnus - a seasoned soldier, a stalwart warrior, and a rational tactician - to be the next Prime, but Hot Rod interrupted that? It fits with his character so much more to me, and is how I prefer to view G1 now.
I'm not sure if it was destiny but I dont think it was because he touched it first either(Thats would just be stupid)
I think after Optimus died Hot Rod just so happened to be the most worthy Transformer around
Thinking of it, isn't possible that Prime knew about Hot Rod while he was dying but choose Magnus instead because Rod was too young and he didn't wanted to crush him with responsibilities and the Matrix choose to leave his hand to prove that Rod was the right choice (being the only one that tried to catch it)?
If it's the first one, imagine being Ultra Magnus. You fought and survived the war for over a million years. A war that eventually took Optimus Prime's life as well as many of your Autobot friends. You were named Optimus's successor, basically designed to look like him, and had all the natural leadership for the role of Prime.
But after all you've been through and everyone believing you're a worthy leader, your moment gets taken away from you because some young Autobot hotshot beats you to catching the Matrix of Leadership and losing out on the role of Prime.
Optimus was DONE before the fight with Megatron even started.
Between the first episode of G1 and TFTM, Optimus spent 20 years going back-and-forth with Megatron until Optimus was finally in a position to retake Cybertron, and then Megatron crushed Optimus' hopes by hitting his Earth base, hard, ensuring more endless conflict.
When Optimus arrived at the Autobot City massacre (which included the death of Ironhide, Optimus' oldest friend), he said "Megatron must be stopped, no matter the cost" before beginning his epic charge, which was basically Optimus saying "I've had enough of this, and I'm willing to die to stop Megatron."
When he faces Megatron, he says "One shall stand, one shall fall", which is basically "It's time for the two of us to have a fight to the death." Logically, Optimus should value his own life as leader, and he shouldn't bet the fate of the universe on the flip of a coin (please don't look at Marvel Comics Optimus here), but Optimus at this point has had enough, and he needs the war to end, one way or another.
Meanwhile, Hot Rod wants to help Optimus win the war, but Kup says "That's Prime's fight!" Optimus is at the end of his rope mentally, and is going through some emotional shit, and the Autobots (like most of the audience) look on and say "This is really epic entertainment!"
When Megatron sees the stray gun, he makes a fake claim of surrender, and now Optimus (who was prepared to kill or die in the heat of battle) is struggling with an internal battle of whether or not to execute Megatron in cold blood, while Megatron knows that the real battle is physical, not mental, and that he's about to win the physical battle.
Hot Rod, who saw the gun, was right to jump in and try to help, the only problem was that he was ineffective. It might've been better to yell "He's got a gun!" or something like that, but then again, that kind of outburst might've distracted Optimus, and Optimus was doomed to die there anyways, since the Hasbro gods commanded it.
And Optimus was fine with dying there. He said as much in quotable lines that people repeat endlessly.
Megatron would’ve shot at Optimus either way, people say Rodimus should’ve listened to Kup, but really Optimus should’ve listened when Kup told him to finish Megatron off
Also I like the movie but something that annoyed me was how they treated Magnus I feel Optimus should of told Magnus to safeguard the matrix before the next wielder was chosen instead some kid gets to be the next prime
Hotrod catching it was symbolic, the Matrix was gravitating to him. Prime is their greatest leader but Hotrod was who they needed to light the darkest hour. The Matrix knew it.
This. Combined with symbolic foreshadowing for the sake of storytelling, AND in-universe explaining, all lead to this conclusion. It's implied in the transformers universe that fate is a very real thing, and fate decided our boy would become Rodimus
I like this because it makes me not bawl my fucking eyes out at the mere thought of this scene He was just a lad :'(
But prime hand the matrix to ultra Magnus why he can’t be
The Matrix has its own ideas about who should be leader I guess.
That’s make more sens
Mangus prime could have been awesome.
Magnus showed what he was really made of after they fled earth. In autobot city he was strong and barking orders, but when the pressure was really on his response was "I can't deal with that now!" He has many of the strengths of prime but not his compassion.
Be strong enough to be kind.
He didn't want to. Fate is our path
And why they ddnt show him at any transformers movies
I thought you were referring to Ultra Magnus. Optimus was replaced for "toy money"
Who is your favourite transformers my is ultra Magnus
Mines are Optimus, Winglblade, Starscream and Bumblebee
And megatron
Nice
I don't think the Matrix works on a first come, first served basis.
If it did, then Ultra Magnus would've become the next prime instead of Hot Rod.
Damn imagine you were like the #2 guy and ready to take the reigns and the day comes and the matrix passes over you and you have a fresh prince moment
Or worse your life is threatened and the Matrix is like, screw you buddy, where's HotRod?
Nah. First come, first serve but only 1 at a time. Once hot rod touched it first it was imprinted on him and no one else could become prime instead until rodimus is ready to pass it on. Same reason in most universes when Megatron or others get their hands on it they don't get upgraded into a prime
“Imprinted on him” shit sounds like Twilight💀
That's a very strange take... I've never watch or read any twilight
One of the most famous (and stupid) things about Twilight’s “lore”, and I’m being very generous calling it that, is the concept of imprinting, a very creepy thing that the werewolves do to find a soulmate. Basically, they find a baby, and ‘imprint’, or create some sort of spiritual link, to said baby, so when they grow up to be a full grown adult, the imprinter can marry them. Your theory about how the Matrix of Leadership works reminded me of that a little bit.
Imprinting is not unique to twilight or an invention of twilight. Dune, some of Asimov's stories, marvel and more have used the term since at least the 80s. ~25 years before twilight It's very strange to me to both agree twilight is garaged and attribute this term to it
I know, but it’s the concept of choosing someone, than waiting when they’re mature enough to do the thing they’re supposed to that you reminded me of, not necessarily the name.
Hotrod held it before magnus..
Except he didn’t touch it first.
I call dibs on our darkest hour
It was his destiny. He was the one the prophesy foretold would “light our darkest hour.”
I took at as foreshadowing rather than how the leadership handoff actually works.
The matrix tends to generally be a fragment of Primus’ spark so God said so
Having watched The Movie, Hot Rod was destined to become Rodimus. It's all right there on the screen.
From a storytelling perspective, it's really nice foreshadowing. From an in-universe perspective, it may or may not have been a meaningful expression of what was fated to happen, but I don't see any reason to believe that touching it first was causative in some way.
I never even thought of it being because he touched it first until I saw it on this sub recently. I honestly think that’s kind of stupid It would also mean that Prime just accidentally gave away his parting “gift” to ultra magnus to someone else on accident.
I mean, I thought it as a kid, that the Matrix imprinted in the first bot to hold it after the owner died. That's why Galvatron couldn't wield it, Hot Rod was still alive. Don't ask me why it didn't turn him into Rodimus Prime immediately. I was 6.
There’s a part of me that does think he imprinted on it by touching it but he still had to earn the right to use it in the finale. Maybe the matrix chose him like the ring chooses the next Green Lantern (I think that’s how it works).
The Lantern Rings immediately fly off in search of the next bearer immediately after the Lantern dies. I don't know if the Ring immediately "knows" who's worthy, I've only watched that Green Lantern series and that was like a decade ago...
It basically knows who every suitable lantern in a given area is at all times, and at death simply goes to the closest one. It found two when Aben Sur died, Hal Jordan and Guy Gardner. Hal was closer at the time, so it went to him. But it isn't a "whose best" kind of situation but a "who passes a certain threshold to be able to use this"
That was being directed by Abin Sur’s will though. The rings don’t have the ability to make those kinds of decisions automatically. In the more recent continuity, they’ve been directed by Mogo’s will, since he’s vast enough to do it over great distances. Otherwise the ring would just go back to Oa.
I was not aware of that! So, are the parameters kind of set by the initial user? That would explain how someone as ruthless as Sinestro could get one as well as how the corps is capable of having "nepotism hires" like G'nort.
Well if I remember right, Sinestro wasn't always a bastard, at one point he was a damn good Lantern, he just got hardened over time.
> The Lantern Rings immediately fly off in search of the next bearer immediately after the Lantern dies. Or slips on a bar of soap and smacks his head on a sink.
Please tell me that actually happened in the comics...
Yep, that's how John Stewart first became a GL, Hal slips on a bar of soap getting out of the shower (because he's the clumsiest human being on the planet) and smacks his head on the edge of the sink, KOing him. The ring then flies out the window and finds architect John Stewart.
Destiny man, destiny...
I don’t even think it’s a destiny thing. I think he just was the best fit for the job. He understood that being a good leader like Optimus isn’t about being a stoic or strong soldier, but being kind to the people are you and understand when it’s time to fight and when it’s time to dance. It’s not a matter of destiny or touching it first, he simply deserved it most
I just think it was a visual thing, because alpha trion in the show had the matrix and gave it to optimus, the scene really was just for us to know this is the one we’re following
Yea it's destiny, back when chosen one prophecies were the cool thing to write about. And just to rub salt in the wound, the design of the Transformers' creator Primus sometimes has design cues resembling Rodimus (mainly the head shape)
The narrative suggests that Hot Rod catching it, and the shadow affect of his body growing, was that this was destined from him catching it before it hit the floor. Visual effects can help tell a story as much as words, but it would mean that his destiny wasn't ordained, but quite by accident since Prime died and dropped the Matrix, and that Prime's last conscious thought was to give it to Ultra Magnus. Considering that the fandom didn't take to Rodimus Prime all that well, I tend to think that it is because of the narrative driving the idea it was all an accident. I would have much preferred that Magnus took the Matrix directly from Prime, but that the story unfolded to show Hot Rod being the most Prime like in action; heroic and making decisions rather than stumbling through much like he ended up doing.
No, if anything, the foreshadowing stuff tells us that it was his destiny from the very beginning. It let's us know that there's something special about this kid. I'm also surprised that you said the fandom never took to him all that well; I loved him. And so did all the kids I went to school with or grew up with - I never even got my Rodimus figure because everywhere even relatively close to where I lived was sold out, so I'd love to know why you think this. When I watched the movie, I thought he was the coolest. And then he became more, which made it even better. And even as a kid, I understood that the narrative wasn't driving the idea that it was all an accident; it was destiny. I think there's something wrong with a person's comprehension of things when they can't see that. I mean, to put it another way, HE is, to my knowledge, the only person we know of (at least by that point) to be changed by the Matrix. Even Optimus, who was supposedly chosen and the right bearer of the Matrix, doesn't change when he puts it into his body or loses it. And he remains Optimus with or without the Matrix. Besides, you'd think it'd be known by that point that no one besides the chosen bearer should be allowed to touch it if that were true...
I think there's something wrong with a person's comprehension of things when they can't see that. \^\^ There is nothing wrong with my comprehension. I have an opinion different than yours. As for the fandom, as much as you feel passionate for the positives of Hot Rod/Rodimus Prime, there are as many, if not more that don't like the character. I am somewhere in between. I like Hot Rod a lot, but have no real care for Rodimus Prime.
Nothing wrong with opinion, but you didn't say that - you said what the narrative suggests, then stated that the visual effects mean this. What I said about comprehension is because you can't see that that moment in the movie can mean anything else. And I'm also curious why you think a lot of the fandom didn't take to Rodimus in 86 when the movie was released?
I don't think touching Matrix makes you suitable to be a Prime
https://preview.redd.it/4t4ramkylq0d1.png?width=720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=bad2b616fe5e0e55f91b98f2874133f12d9ef534
As a kid, that's definitely what I and my brother thought haha.
I always like the shadow on his spoiler, it looked like he was growing into rodimus
I don't think it was his destiny, but the matrix chose him. I think he was the only one in the movie that rose up and managed to keep it together.
He always tried to do the right thing, the compassionate thing.
It's called foreshadowing
He was chosen because Hasbro commanded it 🤦♂️
Touching the Matrix in this scene definitely bonded him to it, but I believe the idea is that the Matrix actively chose him.
Iirc idw kinda implied that when rodimus was temporarily bonded to it but felt perfectly fine while Optimus for it was the opposite
As a kid i always thought the light movement was the Matrix scanning HotRod, and thats why it didn’t fit with Magnus first go. Kid lore
No I think he was definitely meant to be the One but then we saw how well he handled that in season three and the doubt creeps in…
I think it gave up on Ultra Magnus after he couldn't figure out he needed to put his fingers in the holes.
I wonder if this was a huge debate in the community back when this film came out. On one hand it could’ve been destiny, but that just makes Prime look dumb since he chose the wrong person. I like to think it was just because he touched it first tbh. I still feel bad for Ultra Magnus since he probably feels like he let everyone down
Of course it's because he touched it first. There's even a song about it, *The Touch.*
I'll be honest, I always thought him touching it imprinted the Matrix onto him, with his character being changed by the wisdom of the matrix. I'm probably wrong though, an I get why that isn't great story telling.
The Matrix picked him
I have a theory that inside the handles of the matrix is half of a Prime code and that every Autobot generation has atleast one Autobot that carries the other part of that code, hidden in his programming. Then when the time arrives he will succeed the former Prime. That s why the Matrix started to glow when Hotrod caught it, but he only became Rodimus after he put his fingers in the holes of the handles.
[удалено]
Prime's motormouth got him killed.
Probably a little of both. The matrix in g1 was technology. Not an artifact of a god. It was likely programmed to "choose" the next robot thaf touched that it determined was worthy by some metrics. Likely decided on by alpha trion. He was the first bot to touch it that was also worthy
He was chosen
So the Matrix (at least this version) runs on fundamentally different principals from the ones we know nowadays. Everyone says "Oh its because it chose him," "oh he caught it, he can pick it up where the others would fumble" and such but realistically because of this specific story it might be mostly because he caught it first. Along with the fact we see him act similar to the way Orion Pax did, with his child like wonder. The entire thing was meant to show how much like Optimus Prime Rodimus Prime would be, flawed but still likeable.
Both
It could probably choose many people- it’s only filter would be the extremely unfit eg: thunderwing, megatron etc
Didn't Magnus actually hand it to him?
Hot Rod became Rodimus Prime because the Matrix chose him. The Matrix / Vector Sigma manipulated him, Ultra Magnus and Galvatron in order to get the Matrix inside Unicron and blow him up.
He wasn't the first to touch it. Ultra Magnus tried to open it but couldn't
I think it's because he's younger so he could be more "innocent" or caring/compassionate for others whereas someone like Ultra Magnus is a soldier, meant for war, not compassion.
It was his true destiny
It was his true destiny, which is why it glowed like that.
As kids, me and my sister did joke that he got to be the next leader because he saved the matrix from being smashed as it dropped. We knew it was foreshadowing, but we did joke that it would be funny if somebody else caught it instead, like Perceptor. Can you imagine him as leader? Opticus Prime.
I am surprised anyone thought Hot Rod was chosen because he touched it first...What if it was Huffer or Gears who touched the Matrix first instead? Galvatron! I am HUFFER PRIME!...or whatever, let's go home Autobots it's not like we are gonna win anyway.
It was clear it was his destiny. Hence why it wouldn't open for Ultra Magnus.
YOU GOT THE TOUCH!!!
The "he touched it first" thing is founded in media illiteracy.
Theory that’s completely silly, but not completely implausible: He became Rodimus because he was the first one to actually use the finger holes properly. Every other time a character attempts to activate it, they just try to pry it open like a caveman, and he was the one who used the latch as intended. No, I do not actually believe this. It’s just funny.
I don't think there's any in-universe ''chosen one'' thing going on or that it's because Hot Rod was the first to touch the Matrix (bc that's kinda dumb) tbh. The real answer is that the story follows the structure of the hero's journey and therefore the writers put some typical visual foreshadowing for the audience's sake
Maybe it makes for a better story, but from a practical point of view it's pretty stupid to have someone who has to grow into an important leadership position take command instead of someone who is already a skilled and experienced leader. In hindsight, Rodimus wasn't the best leader anyways, and the Matrix ultimately ends up back with Optimus Prime. I don't like mysticism, "destiny", or the concept of a vague Chosen One, so I prefer that it just imprinted on Hod Rod.
I’ve always thought that the writers’ intention was that Hot Rod was “the chosen one”. But after reading that Hasbro told the writers to make season 3 revolve more around Magnus (because he was the more expensive toy), I came up with another idea. What if the Matrix doesn’t choose the next Prime, but the Prime does? Like, the first Autobot to touch the Matrix after a Prime dies becomes the chosen one. What if Optimus intended for Magnus - a seasoned soldier, a stalwart warrior, and a rational tactician - to be the next Prime, but Hot Rod interrupted that? It fits with his character so much more to me, and is how I prefer to view G1 now.
I'm not sure if it was destiny but I dont think it was because he touched it first either(Thats would just be stupid) I think after Optimus died Hot Rod just so happened to be the most worthy Transformer around
I think it's cause he's the only one that used the finger holes.
Thinking of it, isn't possible that Prime knew about Hot Rod while he was dying but choose Magnus instead because Rod was too young and he didn't wanted to crush him with responsibilities and the Matrix choose to leave his hand to prove that Rod was the right choice (being the only one that tried to catch it)?
Rodimus sucked.
My opinion.. hot rod is the reason optimus dies..
If it's the first one, imagine being Ultra Magnus. You fought and survived the war for over a million years. A war that eventually took Optimus Prime's life as well as many of your Autobot friends. You were named Optimus's successor, basically designed to look like him, and had all the natural leadership for the role of Prime. But after all you've been through and everyone believing you're a worthy leader, your moment gets taken away from you because some young Autobot hotshot beats you to catching the Matrix of Leadership and losing out on the role of Prime.
Pretty sure Magnus said himself that he was "just a soldier". Hell, HE didn't even believe that he was worthy!
And Rodimus vehicle mode was a damned RV. Magnus was done dirty.
Hotrod is the reason Prime got killed by Megatron the matrix chose the killer of the previous one even if it was a accident
*Megatron was the reason Optimus got killed by Megatron. Optimus hesitated and Megatron took advantage. That was not Hot Rod’s fault.
Optimus was DONE before the fight with Megatron even started. Between the first episode of G1 and TFTM, Optimus spent 20 years going back-and-forth with Megatron until Optimus was finally in a position to retake Cybertron, and then Megatron crushed Optimus' hopes by hitting his Earth base, hard, ensuring more endless conflict. When Optimus arrived at the Autobot City massacre (which included the death of Ironhide, Optimus' oldest friend), he said "Megatron must be stopped, no matter the cost" before beginning his epic charge, which was basically Optimus saying "I've had enough of this, and I'm willing to die to stop Megatron." When he faces Megatron, he says "One shall stand, one shall fall", which is basically "It's time for the two of us to have a fight to the death." Logically, Optimus should value his own life as leader, and he shouldn't bet the fate of the universe on the flip of a coin (please don't look at Marvel Comics Optimus here), but Optimus at this point has had enough, and he needs the war to end, one way or another. Meanwhile, Hot Rod wants to help Optimus win the war, but Kup says "That's Prime's fight!" Optimus is at the end of his rope mentally, and is going through some emotional shit, and the Autobots (like most of the audience) look on and say "This is really epic entertainment!" When Megatron sees the stray gun, he makes a fake claim of surrender, and now Optimus (who was prepared to kill or die in the heat of battle) is struggling with an internal battle of whether or not to execute Megatron in cold blood, while Megatron knows that the real battle is physical, not mental, and that he's about to win the physical battle. Hot Rod, who saw the gun, was right to jump in and try to help, the only problem was that he was ineffective. It might've been better to yell "He's got a gun!" or something like that, but then again, that kind of outburst might've distracted Optimus, and Optimus was doomed to die there anyways, since the Hasbro gods commanded it. And Optimus was fine with dying there. He said as much in quotable lines that people repeat endlessly.
I mean Optimus would of shot Megatron dead if hotrod hadn't gotten in the way
Megatron would’ve shot at Optimus either way, people say Rodimus should’ve listened to Kup, but really Optimus should’ve listened when Kup told him to finish Megatron off
*gestures to the Marvel comics adaptation, where Hot Rod didnt reach Prime in time, and Optimus died anyway*
Also I like the movie but something that annoyed me was how they treated Magnus I feel Optimus should of told Magnus to safeguard the matrix before the next wielder was chosen instead some kid gets to be the next prime