The Energon Pub

Back in the 80's, cartoon characters were easy: the good guys were always strong, brave and heroic, and even if they had doubts or insecurities they would always overcome them in a timely fashion and win the day in the end. Bad guys were nefarious, sinister, deceitful and often cowardly, and both the heroes and villains were almost always over-the-top. This was absolutely fine for its day; the characters didn't necessarily need depth or even characterization at times, they were easily identifiable, silly and we were happy with it. Nowadays, a lot of animation is being held to a higher standard - especially since more adults are, at least vocally, watching cartoons than thirty years ago, we demand connectable characters, interesting stories and well written dialogue. With the fandom where it is today, combined with the success of the live action movies and modern cartoons such as TF: Animated, these standards can be applied to Transformers as well. We're no longer happy with 22-minute toy commercials, we want a full-on canon so that we see the figures on our shelves as fully developed characters, not just hunks of plastic.

For the most part, Transformers: Prime not only meets these standards, it exceeds them. It's interesting enough to keep the adults watching, and just plain looks cool enough to keep the kids happy as well. Unfortunately, I have a bit of a problem with the show, and I figure it's best to just go ahead and drop the bomb: I don't think Peter Cullen is a good actor, period.

Before I elaborate, I first want to say that this has nothing to do with his voice. Peter Cullen's voice IS Optimus Prime, pure and simple. It's iconic, strong, assertive and confident, and has all the inherent qualities one would hope for in an Optimus. Frankly and ultimately, despite any argument I make here, I wouldn't want anyone else to take on the roll. His voice alone makes up for any and all of the negatives I'm about to get to.

Perhaps the most enrapturing aspect of the show, at least for me, is the script. It's wonderfully written, in terms of a fantastic plot, likeable and well-developed characters and clever dialogue. What makes it even better is the cast they have on board: every actor is able to portray the depth necessary for each character in terms of inflection, tone, demeanor, and as much character as one can put through a microphone. Peter Cullen seems to be the only exception to this. Despite his amazing voice, simply put all of his lines sound exactly the same. Every single line is delivered with the same timbre, the same attitude, as if every line is supposed to carry the same weight as "one shall stand, one shall fall." The result of this is that you have a cast of characters acting, and one character pontificating, making every scene incredibly one-sided and Prime himself seem one dimensional. Despite his 21st century look, Prime is still acting like he's in the 80's, and despite the script's obvious attempt to throw in as many memorable one-liners as possible there's still enough depth to the work that the fault lies with the actor, or possibly the voice director.

A thought did occur to me when pondering this, however. For a moment, let's take a look at the character of Optimus Prime. He is, for all intents and purposes, the epitome of the hero. He's incorruptible, courageous to a fault who holds himself to a high moral standard, moreso than anyone under his command. He's the perfect leader, able to make a stand against injustice and have the strength of body and mind to back it up. While different mediums have different takes on him, and more often than not an intense back story, Optimus Prime simply wouldn't be the iconic leader of the Autobots we all think of when we hear his name without these qualities. Take, for example, TF: Animated's take on the character. TFA Prime was a much more complicated character, with an excellent portrayal by David Kaye, but many of the fans, myself included, see this incarnation as a completely separate character. I for one was very pleased with the direction they took, but without the seemingly one-dimensional good guy archetypal qualities I can't see him as the same. What can be concluded from this is that the one-dimensional personality that I find so out of place in TF: Prime is a necessary part of the character.

But what if this isn't just a case of simplistic writing or mediocre voice work? One could argue that, even across many canons and mediums, the ultimate hero we all know Optimus Prime to be is a choice. Perhaps in a situation like TF: Prime, with a small band of Autobots on a foreign, distant world, heavily outnumbered and with little resources, and with the end of the war, the end of the Decepticons and the possibility of returning to Cybertron so remote an idea as to be virtually unachievable, Prime knows that as a leader he must find a way to keep his troops motivated. So he creates a persona: the quintessential leader, a bold and daring soldier that is stalwart, immovable and perfectly reliable. A leader so flawless that all of his soldiers are instilled with the confidence that no matter how hopeless things seem, no matter what happens or in what way, as long as they stay with Optimus they'll always come back alive. Well, except Cliffjumper.

A persona like this would require enormous psychological effort. Despite his own doubts, fears, and insecurities, Prime would have to make sure to never show any sign of weakness. Every fiber of his being, from his actions and battlefield heroics to his posture and speaking has to reflect this indomitable spirit. Given the toll the war has taken on all of them, it's easy to imagine that the sheer effort it takes to keep this persona up at all times would make one sound stilted, even cartoonish. If we decide to accept this take on Prime's character, it has two consequences. One, Optimus Prime becomes much more interesting and much more complicated. Every word and action must be consciously and intentionally chosen, which would even account for the fact that Prime speaks slower and more intensely than any other character. In addition, when things go wrong, especially when the very nature of the character conflicts with the reality of the situation, it becomes a much more convoluted and involved scene. Take, for instance, one episode where Ratchet chews Prime out for never having gone through with killing Megatron, despite numerous opportunities to do so. If we decide to look at the character in this new light, we suddenly find a leader not only struggling with his own flaws and demons regarding his adversary, but his ethical code and carefully crafted persona, used to instill his troops with desperately needed hope, is the very thing causing them to lose faith in him as a leader.

The second consequence of this take is that my entire argument against Peter Cullen's performance is negated; now the one-dimensional acting becomes an intentional choice. Unfortunately I didn't think to ask Mr. Cullen about his acting choices during the panel at Botcon this year, so I don't have any insight as to how much of the voice we hear every episode is Peter Cullen and how much is Optimus Prime. Ultimately though, as I said, I wouldn't want any casting changes. Regardless of the reasons why it sounds the way it does, the voice in and of itself is so superb as to carry the character. After the end of the show, when the next series starts, if they decide to make the Optimus in that series like the character we think of when we hear the name, I sincerely hope Cullen will sign up. And if they decide to turn the leader of the Autobots into a different character, despite any visual or name similarities, I hope they use a different actor to reflect that.



Well, that's all just my opinion. What do you guys think?

A very interesting take on such an iconic character. Really, I'm totally floored by your essay. I'll come right out and say it in return: Yes, I have noticed the lack of deviation in the voice acting for Optimus. At first it did bother me a bit, but now that I've gotten used to it I find it hard to view this incarnation of Prime any other way.

Essentially what we have is, as you have mentioned, a quintessential leader. His only flaw seems to be his mercy, and somehow this characteristically flat character pulls it off marvelously. In my mind, Prime is both a leader and a father figure to his younger subordinates. His slow and steady drawl is calming and reassuring, even in a crisis. It is entirely possible that he deliberately makes sure to appear calm, which is what any leader does, really. By default, however, Prime appears confident, composed, and a leader you'd love to follow. He's also been leader for a very long time. Being the leader during a bloody and unforgiving war changes a man. You learn to accept rather than react, to think and consider, and subsequently: you tend to not be as dismayed when a situation goes south. As a leader he has to be ready to deal with the worst and make the best of it, which doesn't leave a lot of time for emotional reactions. Maybe it's less that he IS the quintessential leader as much as he's become a quintessential leader. He's an example of a character that is forced to take up a role and that role ultimately changes him. Like coal being pressed into a diamond with time and pressure. He has no choice. He has to be perfect. The Autobots are in a desperate situation all across the galaxy and he needs to be a moral-boosting presence.

Okay, I think I've dumped all of my brain that I can currently. literature-wise, he's the perfect foil for Megatron. Optimus is steady and calm. Megatron is erratic and violent. The both of them are portrayed as extremes to emphasize each others' character traits.

Snowy wrote:Optimus is steady and calm. Megatron is erratic and violent. The both of them are portrayed as extremes to emphasize each others' character traits.

Excellent point. One of the interesting points in this discussion is that it can be taken one of two ways: from the perspective of a television show, with writers and actors and corporate whoever making decisions, or from within the story, with the characters themselves making choices. Either way, one has to wonder whether Optimus' attitude is inherent, as you pointed out a byproduct of playing a certain role for so long under such extreme circumstances, or in part a response to Megatron. Megatron's ferocity and, at times, batshit insanity (pardon the French) has always been clearly portrayed as nature; he really is just that evil, or at least malicious. Usually when faced with one extreme, a person will dig deep inside themselves to conjure up as much of the opposite to fight it as possible, or simply accept it and assimilate. It's entirely possible that, viewing the discussion from within the context of the show, Optimus must be as purely noble as possible to combat a force so unerringly chaotic as Megatron.

I'unno, it's fun to think about these things. Even if it's just a fictional robot-truck dude.

don't forget he has the matrix as well. I would imagine carrying that thing is a massive burden. I know I would feel as if all my ancestors were constantly watching my every move. that's a lot to live up to.

great thread btw.

And here I was thinking it was just me ...

How I look at it ... Cullen is trying to re-capture 80's G1 Prime, however G1 Prime and TF:P Prime are very much different characters and that's where it's falling down.

I really don't think the issue lies with Cullen. Keep in mind he also voiced Movie Prime, who displayed, as Hoit said, much more emotion. This incarnation of Prime simply has a different personality and image. Cullen also voiced KARR in Knight Rider, and that certainly wasn't the monotone we're seeing here. Cullen is an actor. His job is to do what the directors tell him to, or at least give it his best. When you see an issue like this I usually accredit it more towards the directors presenting the image than the actors.

It's the writer's faults. Optimus in TF Prime is so dull and bland, that I don't even give a damn about what happens to him. It's his character, not the actor.

While I am on the side that thinks its the writing and not Mr. Cullen, I believe this incarnation of Prime is very epic. I understand why some people say he's dull and bland as opposed to other characters and incarnations (such as TFA Prime from what I understand) but I like that in his type of character.

Like snowy said, Prime is a quintessential heroic leader. I think it's just in his character. He's experienced and wise and still a good fighter that knows his morals. He's my favorite Prime so far.

I can't deny that he's flat, but sometimes you need a flat character to act as a grounder for more turbulent characters. He's there to keep the Autobots Autobots, no matter what direction others might develop in. Helps to keep pointless drama and idiocy from happening too easily.

I wouldn't say that the character of TFP Optimus Prime is dull as much as he is stoic and that is likely by design. Consider that the Autobots on earth are a group of misfits.

- BB is the eager "young" scout of the group, prone to high risk actions.

- Ratchet is a gifted war medic haunted by his past in the war and guilt over things like being unable to restore BB's voice.

- Bulkhead, an ex-Wrecker, is a powerhouse but needs leadership to direct his brute potential.

- Arcee, similar to Ratchet, is haunted by her past and is prone to hotheadedness.

- Wheeljack, another ex-Wrecker, is a loose cannon.

Without someone to serve as a stable foundation, this ragtag bunch of Autobots would have fallen to Megatron's Decepticons long ago. As dysfunctional as the Decepticons seem to be, they outnumber the Autobots and they operate in a more militaristic manner. This version of OP needs to be measured and controlled in order to keep his Autobots alive, and more importantly, thriving in the TFP universe.

We've seen TFP OP waver such as when he decides to end things once and for all(unsuccessfully) with Megatron towards the finale of season 1. We also see Cullen's acting take variety such as when OP reverts to Orion Pax temporarily.

I think that the acting in TFP is very deliberate with all characters, including OP. When I watch the G1 episodes, I hear such a difference between G1 OP and TFP OP. The former often hams things up, perhaps unintentionally as the silly and goofy dialogue was the norm for 80s cartoons. The latter, has much more gravity in its portrayal, and perhaps it's the gravity that comes off as dull or one dimensional to some people. I think it's fitting when one considers the role that the character fulfills in the story.

Hoitytoity wrote:Despite his amazing voice, simply put all of his lines sound exactly the same. Every single line is delivered with the same timbre, the same attitude, as if every line is supposed to carry the same weight as "one shall stand, one shall fall."

I would so agree with this completely... if it were not for the Orion Pax episodes. In those episodes, Cullen portrayed Orion with a candor naivety and logic-based mind not found in his Optimus Prime portrayal. Orion Pax was a way more engaging and fascinating take on the character than how he's normally like as Optimus.

This reflects how he was portrayed in the Exodus novel, in which he was a youthful idealist with dreams and aspirations of his own, later developing into a capable leader who didn't feel that he was destined for any real greatness, but was still willing to give it his all, even if that meant having to stand against his (former) good friend Megatron.

Hrm, the point you all are making regarding Orion Pax is interesting... perhaps I'll have to go back and re-watch those episodes and revise my argument. I'm really happy to see the discussion is going so well

The oddest thin about this though, is that Starscream agrees. You and him both said prime was pontificating

But really, I agree with the overall assessment here. May revise the way I look at Optimus in the show.

In the end though, that's what I loved about Animated Optimus Prime. He was SO different and so cutloose and inexperienced and relatable that the entire series just lit up every time he was on screen.

Personally I'm surprised at how well the discussion is going considering the rather bold opening statement. I fully expected a more violent reaction.

Anyway, as I said, I was bothered at first, but after watching the show since its premier, I've really gotten used to it. I think this incarnation of Prime is the most fatherly I've seen, and it feels right.

Sabrblade wrote:

Hoitytoity wrote:Despite his amazing voice, simply put all of his lines sound exactly the same. Every single line is delivered with the same timbre, the same attitude, as if every line is supposed to carry the same weight as "one shall stand, one shall fall."

I would so agree with this completely... if it were not for the Orion Pax episodes. In those episodes, Cullen portrayed Orion with a candor naivety and logic-based mind not found in his Optimus Prime portrayal. Orion Pax was a way more engaging and fascinating take on the character than how he's normally like as Optimus.

This reflects how he was portrayed in the Exodus novel, in which he was a youthful idealist with dreams and aspirations of his own, later developing into a capable leader who didn't feel that he was destined for any real greatness, but was still willing to give it his all, even if that meant having to stand against his (former) good friend Megatron.

This. Orion Pax.

Don't get me wrong, I can completely understand and see every complaint and theory about Optimus here. What I see, is a leader that stays strong, calm, and is hardened by years of war and loss. He does it for the team, so that they never panic/feel hopeless. And he does it to enemies to show that he can't be broken, and is in complete control. The Orion Pax episodes let us see that he wasn't always like this, and probably isn't by nature, but rather, he's acting as a leader.

I would say the perfect scene, and possible solution to this discussion, would be some scene with Prime alone, or talking to someone who's dying, or something like that, where he would have to break down and show a lot of emotion...talk about how hard it is to always be the leader he is, how no matter how hard he tried to protect the humans (or whatever), he wasn't good enough, or something like that. Basically let him have a good non-literal cry. Not sure when this would occur (should've occured after CJ), but it'd be nice.

Of course, some may be upset at the sheer fact that Prime IS like this. Personally, I dislike Animated Prime, and much prefer Armada/Cybertron/Prime style Optimus. I understand the coolness of seeing him grow up and become a leader, but I'd rather just read about that in some comic, or see it in a flashback episode, but not have him be that way in the full series.

This topic really attract my attention, all of you are great in this discussion

To me, this Optimus Prime seems the only route they could go on the show - he's not the most interesting character, but he's without question the strongest and wisest character. Movie prime is a badass truck with flames - Prime prime is a stabilizing force - and I think it's just a challenge to give stabilizing forces much intrigue.

But I'm glad he's this classically heroic - it makes the rest of the action make more sense.

That said, I think there is room to reveal doubt, frustration, desperation etc in him - especially when he's alone with Ratchet - the only autobot who Prime addresses as "old friend" and who should know who Prime is beyond the facade of fearlessness and confidence.

I'm not impressed with the narratives on the show, but the acting and characterizations alone make it worthwhile.