Formerly: Dionisio Maxaus
Title: Neutral Defender, Engineer
Stats:
Strength:8
Intelligence:8
Speed:6
Endurance:8
Rank:8
Courage:10
Firepower:10
Skill:7
Quote: "There are no impossibilities in the multiverse, just small minds unable to comprehend the possibilities"
Weapons: Thunder-Axe, Shatterblade, Dual-barreled Sonic-Shockblast, Triple-barreled Repulsor-cannons
Bio:
The bot that would become Maximus Prime was once the simple citizen known as Dionisio Maxaus, or "D-Max" for short. D-Max was a younger Cybertronian, born from the Hot Spot of Alpha Quantron, the 2nd to last Hot Spot to ignite before the planet went dormant. D-Max was a cheerful young bot, full of hopes and ambitions, but also one who was quiet and tended to find comfort in the solitary confines of his home in the far reaches of the Alpha Quantron plains. He attended the Nexus University for Science and Engineering, where he obtained the knowledge necessary to live his dream of becoming an engineer, working on the Helexian Energon lines that allowed its citizens to live in comfort.
For a time, D-Max was satisfied with his work, but then the War arrived. D-Max saw himself as a simple engineer, not as a combatant, and refused to go to War to either save or rule his planet, he heard both brief recruiting calls. After all, citizens/non-combatants were safe right?
That thought went out the door when a Decepticon squadron, led by the large and fearsome Glitch, destroyed his hometown of Alpha Quantron along with most of its citizens, and another army led by the treacherous Ramjet attacked and destroyed the Nexus University, killing many friends D-Max had made in his time in the school and visiting it since.
Angered by the loss of many friends but refusing to join the Autobot in combating the Decepticon forces (they were trying, but they were also lacking in the civilian saving attitude D-Max thought they should have), D-Max rallied surviving members of Alpha Quantron and the Nexus University to save and evac civilians from war torn areas of Cybertron. While hardly combat capable, the group found success in saving civilians from smaller communities. But as time went on and the war became more brutal and vicious, the Alphas as they had come to be called were finding it harder to evac without covering fire, and so D-Max and the medic of the team, Clank, began to modify their bodies, attempting to better armor themselves for defense and to provide melee and ranged weapons to cover their escapes.
This legendary group became known as the Alpha 7, complete with their own crafted insignia of an A and a 7 crossing over. D-Max led the team, with Roadripper as his right hand man and most capable warrior, Clank as the medic, Speedslam as the brains, Cannonball as the Muscle, Smokespin as the scout, and Armorfist as the weapons tech. As they evolved in their role, each took on a very Asymmetrical appearance, with armor and weapons as strategically placed as possible to ensure their missions were as successful as possible.
As the Decepticons moved in on the city of Fuso, the Alpha 7 faced their greatest challenge. Caught between the advancing Decepticon army, with Megatron himself leading the attack, and an Autobot force trying desperately to hold off long enough for Optimus Prime and reinforcements to arrive, they had a large group of captured civilians they swore to rescue. In a brave and most likely suicidal plan, D-Max painted a large Autobot insignia on his chest and with his body already a close approximation of Optimus Prime's, he charged into battle, distracting the Decepticons and routing a significant portion of the hostage defenders and army so that all the captured were rescued. D-Max was not so lucky, taking very heavy damage that included a fusion cannon shot of Megatron. Severely wounded and on the cusp of both falling unconscious and being slain by Megatron as he stood over his body, mocking this "Fake Optimus", he was saved at the final moment by Prime himself, charging into battle after having snuck himself and reinforcements in during the distraction caused by D-Max. D-Max faded to black as a white and red Autobot medic came to his side....
D-Max would awaken in a hospital ward in Fuso 2 days later, on the mend from his wounds. The Autobot medic, named Ratchet, admired his courage and bravery, to which D-Max responded was his duty to the people of the planet. Optimus Prime would walk in on this conversation and inquire as to why D-Max remained a neutral when he had such heart, and D-Max said he was merely an engineer, not a warrior nor a hero. He knew he had a job, and he would get it done. Optimus Prime admired him, and asked that he continue doing as his team had done, saving those that did not wish to take part in such a long and devastating war. Before departing, Optimus asked one thing of him: keep the hand painted Autobot symbol on his chest, and use it to show that even in our darkest hour, the Autobots will always care for all sentient beings. Seeing the courage and the heart this leader had, something he had not anticipated a war time commander could have, D-Max accepted the Autobrand, and pledged his team would carry it as well.
With this pledge said, Optimus Prime renamed him "Maximus Prime, defender of Cybertron's Populace, and Prime in name as much as Spirit." This new name gave Maximus and his team new purpose, and new fire to defend their homeworld's people. Alpha 7 would go on to fight a long struggle in the war to save the innocent populace, and he and his team would survive the war, being hailed as heroes in its aftermath, and yet still simply stated it was their duty to the people, that they were not heroes, merely fellow people who knew when a job needed done and did it.
And with the story done, I give to you, Maximus Prime! Maximus the character was conceived by myself 8 or 9 years ago, as was his team and the team insignia, and he is finally seeing light as a physical object. Back in June, I found a battered Beast Hunter Optimus Prime (ultimate class) missing many pieces but still fully functional for $3, and bought him and decided to make a new character from him. He was remolded using plastic sheets from Hobby Lobby and super glue, and then painted primer gray, dark metallic red, and then colored with teal "energon blue", silver, and black to produce the final product. He is fully transformable, and include 2 new side panels to clean up the truck mode and new weapons in the form of twisty straws cut down to use as guns and has handles for his sword and axe.
The design itself took some cues from Josh Burcham's sketch of a WFC Siege Optimus Prime, especially in the Asymmetry. His image can be seen below as well.
Check out Maximus here, and below him are pictures taken during his transformation from BH Prime to Maximus Prime!
In Progress:
Before things started:
The initial haul:
Josh Burcham Art: