Rodimus as an adult


As a kid I think me and everyone else pretty much hated Rodimus Prime. We also hated hotrod.
Since hotrod was indirectly caused the death of Prime. Prime was black and white of what a hero should be. He was an awesome leader and helped autobots find their confidence in themselves. Rodiumus had none in himself, and was at times flat out mean to his fellow autobots and humans. He was a jerk to Spike when he was worried about losing air, to sandstorm after his planet blew up and to magnus afew times.
He was feeling the heat of being a leader. Grantedit was a lot more complicated by the time he got the matrix. Rodimus had to play politics with all the other alien races from other planets that they apperently had alliances with, in addition to the human defense forces. We can assume Prime did that stuff too leading up to the movie we just didnt seeit. Rodmius is full of self doubt and not blackand white. He has doubts, makes mistakes but usuallylearnes from them. he is cynic and a bit jaded. He also questions the point of their existance and war quite often. I found all that a heckof a lot more interesting watching it as an adult. Because lifeis full of gray. I still prefer Prime over rodimus no doubt. But the story arc of Rodmius in season 3 is very enjoyable. Which is why I refused to watch it in its reshuffled order. Dark Awkening works so much better early in the season. Rodimus comes full ciricle in The burden hardest to bare. If you watch dark akwening after that where he gives the matrix back in two seconds than it ruins the whole thing.

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I agree. I have owned this entire series since around 2000, but I didn't watch many of the third season episodes because I never liked Rodimus as leader. However, I have been watching season 3 on the hub and (as much as it is a train wreck in places) I find myself enjoying it a lot. Optimus was without a doubt the Autobots greatest leader, but (by the time we got to know him) he wasn't confliced at all. He was the ultimate leader who knew exactly what needed to be done 99.9% of the time. Rodimus doesn't have that kind of experience. He was thrust into a role that he wasn't ready for nor did he want it-ever. Season three is really(for the most part)about the journey of Rodimus/Hotrod and his willingness to finally accept the mantel of leadership even if he didn't want it. By the time the series makes it to the end of the episode "The Ultimate Weapon" it is evident that he is becoming more confident in himself. What may have helped season three (and in order to help make young viewers more accepting of Rodimus)is if Rodimus and Optimus had more communication throughout the season. Perhaps like they way that they spoke in "Five Fcaes Of Darkness" via the matrix. Of course that would have ruined "The Return Of Optimus" and I definately wanted him back, but still, it may have helped people (like myself) to have been more accepting (back then) of the flawed Rodimus figure, because in all honesty he is pretty interesting even if he says some jerky things sometimes. So, I have to admit that I am now a fan of Rodimus Prime.

I've seen things you people wouldn't believe...

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I liked Rodimus Prime and wished that when Optimus Prime got the Matrix back from him that he didn't revert back to Hot Rod but remained as Rodimus.Then Rodimus Prime could have been Optimus Prime's second in command.

So it's treason then!

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i never liked Rodimus going back to a carefree autobot with a "teenage" personality.
One of the reasons I hate the headmasters and end the series with The Return of Optimus Prime.
I mean I dont mind him looking like hot rod, but i would think he would have been grown up.
I think the Id list the Burden Hardest to Bare, the Ultimate Weapon, Optimius Prime and Dark Awkening up there for my top episodes ever. I think season 3 got a bad wrap. Of course when I was a kid I assumed the people that made the show hated us kids and fans of the show and wanted to upset us by making this loser the autobot leader and killing prime while making 20 something autobots vanish.

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I think the I'd list the Burden Hardest to Bare, the Ultimate Weapon, The Return of Optimius Prime and Dark Awkening up there for my top episodes ever.


I would definately have to agree with you. I thought all of season one was good and only about 40% of season two was good and only about 20% of season three was good, but the season three episodes that were good were amazing.

I've seen things you people wouldn't believe...

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As a kid...

Optimus' death was epic but for this new Hot Rod character no one knew (re. cared about) to interject in that was brutal. There was no way at all for him to find redemption from me.
Not least of all, while they morphed the Decepticon core group into futuristic bots- Rodimus was just another truck based Autobot... so they killed of Optimus Prime because he was old, fine, but to replace him with a guy we didn't know nor cared about who was essentially the same as Prime only weaker (re. a f'n truck toy for us kids) was insulting & I knew it.



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I can't really blame them for wanting to take the series in a different direction and show a leader that had doubts, but Rodimus wasn't a character we knew so we didn't care for him. I do think it works better watching it when you're older. Everyone loved Optimus and was so upset that he died that a lot of people would just hate Rodimus no matter what.

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As a kid I liked Hotrod/Rodimus in the movie but I hated him in the cartoon. It always seemed like he was getting his butt kicked or the one to be hurt in any situation, and then the sulking.

The OP has some valid points that made him unique as a leader but I never felt he came off as a strong enough character to replace Prime. Too bad.

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The truth is no one could replace Optimus.

--
"House. My room. Can't walk. My medal. My father. Father, don't!"

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I really liked Hot Rod and Rodimus in the movie.

I loved the confident swagger combing his confidence as Hot Rod with the power and strength of a Prime. "This is the end of the road Galvatron" line and how he quickly dispatched of him really set the tone of the character for me.

Then you get season 3. Everything I liked about Rodimus and how he was portrayed in the film was gone (same holds true with Galvatron) and now he's this insecure leader who is constantly doubting himself and questioning whether or not he will live up to being Optimus' successor. That just didn't work for me. If I hadn't seen the movie, maybe the character arc of him growing into the leader would work but seeing how strong and confident he was once he unlocked the Matrix really left Rodimus lacking in the season for me.

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Hot Rod is my favorite Transformer. I loved the way he and Kup played off each other in the movie,

They just screwed up in the way they wrote him in season 3. But I prefer Rodimus to Optimus. Rodimus actually had depth.

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confident swagger combing his confidence as Hot Rod with the power and strength of a Prime


giving the writers the benefit of the doubt... we could easily look at this as a case of , "Hold my Beer, I got this." where he had 'swagger', not because he was exceptionally brave, but because he Needed swagger. to convince himself, and his charges, that not only was the Matrix about to "Light our darkest Hour" but that he was worthy of holding that spotlight...

the depth of Sh*t that they were in at the time, if he didn't project the confidence, no one would by it... Then as he settled into the actual job of leader, well 'heavy lies the head that wears the crown.'


have I mixed enough metaphors for you?

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