as the year two thousand five draws to a close, i think we can all remember the amazing things that happened this year, the things we experienced, and especially the people that touched our lives. of all the famous and heroic that passed from our lives this year arguably the most directly influential to me was a great leader, a simple man who fought unceasingly for the side of goodness.

i’m speaking of course of optimus prime.

it is the year 2005. the treacherous decepticons have conquered the autobot’s home planet of cyberton. but from secret staging grounds on two of cyberton’s moons the valiant autobots prepare to retake their homeland…

as a child of the 80’s, optimus prime was a huge part of my childhood. the transforming red semitruck was one of the first transformers i owned, and sadly the first to be broken. in the cartoon, optimus was the ultimate leader. self-sacrificing to a fault, he always led the autobots with an unerring integrity and respect for life – even that of the decepticons who sought to kill him. so you can imagine my reaction (and that of my peers!) when in the first act of the motion picture, optimus is fatally wounded in battle with the evil megatron. it’s the first time i remember tearing up at a movie, and optimus’ last words still move me.

optimus prime vs. megatron (16mb mpg)

the death of optimus prime (13mb mpg)