Transformers: Prime is an American computer-animated superhero television series based on the Transformers toy franchise by Hasbro that aired on Hub Network from November 29, 2010, to July 26, 2013. Transformers: Prime focuses on the superheroic Autobots of "Team Prime", which consists of Optimus Prime, Ratchet, Arcee, Bumblebee and Bulkhead. Throughout their battles, the Autobots are aided by three human children and with their help attempt to protect the Earth from the villainous Decepticons and their leader Megatron.
Development of the series began in early 2010 with the announcement that Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci, screenwriters of the first two live-action films, would be creating the series. Casting began soon after with the announcement that Peter Cullen and Frank Welker would reprise their roles as Optimus Prime and Megatron. According to executive producer Jeff Kline the two characters, along with Bumblebee, were considered "must-haves" for the series. From that point on, they tried to include characters that would contemplate their personalities "rather than emulate them". From the early stages of development, a story bible had been created so that writers had a basic idea of where the plot was heading. Early in development, it was announced that the first season would consist of 26 episodes—the first five airing as a miniseries from November 29 to December 3, 2010. The remaining episodes aired from February 11 to October 11, 2011. While the first season was still running, it was announced the show had been renewed for a second season, also consisting of 26 episodes.
The second season premiered on February 18 and concluded on November 2, 2012. During that same year it was confirmed that the series would return for a third season. It was given the subtitle Beast Hunters and featured the appearance of Predaking and the Predacons. Kline said that the introduction of the Predacons allowed the writers to emphasize further how Earth and Cybertron are "twin planets". On March 1, 2013, Hasbro confirmed the third season of Transformers Prime—which premiered on March 22—would be the last. In the same month it was announced that the series would be followed by the TV movie Predacons Rising, which would conclude the storyline. Beast Hunters aired its final episode on July 26; Predacons Rising aired on October 4, 2013.
The series received positive reviews from critics. Praise was given to its portrayal of Ratchet and Starscream.
Transformers Prime is set in the "Aligned" continuity, taking place after the video games and books – Transformers: Exodus, Transformers: War for Cybertron, Transformers: Fall of Cybertron, Transformers: Exiles, and Transformers: Retribution.
The Autobots, led by Optimus Prime, operate from a former American military missile silo near Jasper, Nevada. The team, also known as Team Prime, initially consists of Optimus, Arcee, Bumblebee, Bulkhead, Ratchet, and Cliffjumper, who is killed in the five-part pilot “Darkness Rises”. Later characters include Wheeljack, Smokescreen, and Ultra Magnus. Knock Out, the Decepticons’ medical officer, later defects in the television movie finale Predacons Rising. The Autobots also have several human allies: Jack Darby, and later his mother, nurse June Darby, Japanese transfer student Miko Nakadai, computer prodigy Rafael Esquivel and American government agent William Fowler.
The Decepticons, led by Megatron, operate from their warship, the Nemesis. Other members include Starscream, Soundwave and his minion Laserbeak, Knock Out, Breakdown, Airachnid, the Insecticon hive led by Hardshell, Dreadwing and his brother Skyquake, and Shockwave. Shockwave creates the series’ third Transformers faction, the Predacons, consisting of Predaking, Skylynx, and Darksteel.
Other series' antagonists include Unicron, an evil, planet-eating Transformer, whose body serves as the Earth itself; and MECH, a human faction which wishes to create a new world order through cutting-edge technology stolen from the Transformer's deceased.
Cast[]
| Image | Character | USA | Mex | Jap | Bra | Ger | Fra | Ita | Pol | Swe | Fin | Spa | Kor | Isr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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Optimus Prime | Peter Cullen | Blas García | Toshiyuki Morikawa | Marco Balzarotti | Pekka Lehtosaari | Alfredo Martínez | Gilad Kletter | ||||||
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Ratchet | Jeffrey Combs | Nobuo Tobita | Jan Spitzer | Claudio Moneta | |||||||||
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Arcee | Sumalee Montano | Márcia Regina | |||||||||||
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Bulkhead | KevinMichael Richardson | Salvador Reyes | Takashi Nagasako | Pietro Ubaldi | |||||||||
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Bumblebee | Will Friedle | JoséAntonio Macías | Dor Srugo | ||||||||||
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Jack Darby | Josh Keaton | Arturo Castañeda | Jun Fukuyama | Um Sanghyun | |||||||||
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Miko Nakadai | Tania Gunadi | Karla Falcón | |||||||||||
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Rafael Esquivel | Andy Pessoa | Alan García | Motoko Kumai | ||||||||||
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Megatron | Frank Welker | Gerardo Vásquez | Keiji Fujiwara | Antônio Moreno | Tony Fuochi | Yoram Yosefsberg |