Thirteen

In the fictional Transformers universe, there were Thirteen Primes created by the Transformer deity Primus before he went on to create the rest of the Transformers race. In the live-action movie series, they were created by the All Spark, and were called the "Dynasty of Primes".

History

Before going on to create the Transformer race, Primus experimented with a group of twelve robots known as the Covenant. Based on the zodiac, these twelve robots were: Leonicus (leader), Aries, Piscor, Libras, Scorpius, Aquator, Taurotron, Cancix, Geminator, Sagittarii, Virgol and Capricurn. They existed in secret training for the Omega Point. The Omega Point was a potential event that Unicron would attack at a point that there was no Prime. After the Omega Point, time was reverted and the instance never happened.

Primus later created a group of thirteen Transformers, each with special powers, to fight against Unicron. This is the basic, communal origin for Cybertron and the Transformers across many continuities. Although the 2009 movie has The Fallen as the main villain, it does not seem to follow the Primus creation story. Like Primus and Unicron, each of the thirteen are multiversal singularities - one entity throughout reality. During their first big battle against Unicron, many of the 13 were killed and the Fallen was drawn into a black hole, where he remained trapped in a lower dimensional level.

Members

Not all of the Thirteen have been identified - the only Transformers explicitly named as part of the group are:

• Prima - The very first Transformer born from Cybertron. The leader of the Thirteen, called the Warrior of Light. Originally wielded the Star Saber before it was broken up, and was the first bearer of the Matrix of Leadership.
• Megatronus^[1] - He was later known as "the Fallen". The Guardian of Entropy, and called the Warrior of Darkness, in contrast to Prima.^[2]
• Alpha Trion^[1] - The chronicler. He maintains a close relationship with Primus through Vector Sigma.
• Liege Maximo^[1] - The ultimate evil counterforce of good. Considered more despicable than even the Fallen by Alpha Trion. He had a fierce rivalry with Nexus Prime. He fled into the stars, but was still pursued by Nexus. He is referenced a few times during the Transformers: Generation 2 comic produced by Marvel, but has never been depicted outside of this medium.
• Vector Prime - The Guardian of Time and Space.
• Nexus Prime - The Guardian of Rarified Energon. Nicknamed "the Wizard of Forms," he is the archetype of combiner Transformers. Nexus is said to have had a relationship (possibly a romance) with Solus Prime, which earned him the hatred of the Fallen and the Liege Maximo. In one reality, Nexus agreed to have Alpha Trion and Vector Prime divide him into five pieces, each piece becoming a separate Transformer and carrying a fragment of the Star Saber. The five Transformers he was divided into were Breakaway (Guardian of the Caretaker in the 2006 Classics toyline), Heatwave (a Decepticon from the Shattered Glass franchise), Landquake (a Decepticon from the Transformers: Cybertron universe), Skyfall (a Velocitronian), Topspin^[3] (a Cybertronian in the Generation 2 timeline). In another reality, Nexus hid the Cyber Caliber. After reviving to assist Optimus Prime, Nexus divided once again. The following five given charge of the Cyber Caliber were Clocker (a Velocitronian from Transformers: Exiles), Mainspring (a Velocitronian from Transformers: Exiles), Chaindrive (a Cybertronian sent by Alpha Trion to join Optimus at the Tomb of Solus from Transformers: Exiles), Pinion (a Junkion from Transformers: Exiles), and Cannonspring (a Junkion from Transformers: Exiles).
• Solus Prime - The weaponsmith, Maker and archetype for female Transformers, she is the creator of many of the various weapons and artifacts possessed by or relating to the Thirteen, possessing a hammer called the Forge of Solus Prime that enables her, or any Prime, to create matter out of nothing and forged it into what is needed. Killed by an enraged Fallen; her tomb was later visited by Optimus Prime, where a hologram of her appeared and imparted advice.^[4]
• Amalgamous Prime - The trickster. Archetype of the "shapeshifter" sub-species Transformers, like Makeshift.
• Alchemist Prime - One of the last of the Thirteen to remain on Cybertron, helping to oversee the development of the Transformers race with Alpha Trion.
• One of the Thirteen is the archetype of Beast Mode Transformers.^[5]
• One of the Thirteen is the archetype of Minicons.^[6]

Artifacts of the Primes

Known/referenced artifacts of the Thirteen Primes include:

• Star Saber - A sword used by Prima, the first Transformer and the leader of the Thirteen. In Transformers: Exodus, it was mentioned that the Matrix of Leadership was its hilt.
• Matrix of Leadership -
• Requiem Blaster -
• Blades of Time - A device broken into pieces and spread across the universe by Nexus Prime. Each of the pieces were carried by the individual parts of the Combiner. In Transformers: Exile, one was found in a tomb in the pole of Velocitron, another in the Speedia Trophy, then third held by Chaindrive, and two more send on Junkion (one piece was found by Axer). Optimus used the device to go to the dimension where Vector Prime resided.
• Quill - A device used by Alpha Trion to inscribe into the Covenant of Primus.
• Covenant of Primus -
• Chimera Stone -
• Apex Armor - An artifact sent into space by Iacon scientists so it would not fall into Decepticon hands.
• Proton Spear -
• Cyber Caliber - A weapon of the Thirteen, given to Optimus in Transformers: Exile by Nexus Prime to fight Megatron.
• Chaos Edge -
• Omni Saber -
• Infinite Combinatoric -
• Forge of Solus Prime - A hammer used by Solus Prime to create weapons such as the Star Saber and the Requiem Blaster.

Media appearances

Revenge of the Fallen

In Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, there were seven original Transformers who formed the "Dynasty of Primes", scattering throughout the galaxy looking for planets where they could build Sun Harvesters. These Sun Harvesters, powered by the Matrix of Leadership, were capable of harvesting a sun's energy to produce Energon. The Dynasty of Primes had one rule: Sun Harvesters were not to be used in solar systems containing life. The Fallen, ignoring this rule, arrived on Earth 17,000 BC and started building a new Sun Harvester with other Cybertronians.^[7] This sparked a war, with the Fallen defeated by the rest of the Dynasty of Primes as they sacrificed themselves to seal the Matrix. When Sam dies, he has a vision of the Dynasty and they tell him he has earned the Matrix and this was always his destiny. The Dynasty then resurrects Sam, who in turn brings back Optimus Prime. Optimus then kills the Fallen.

Transformers: Prime

Novels

In Transformers: Exodus, the following of the Thirteen were mentioned - Prima, the Liege Maximo and Megatronus. Alpha Trion was the only one still remaining on Cybertron. The Matrix of Leadership was once the jewel in the hilt of Prima's Star Saber, and Sentinel Prime once bore the sigil of Vector Prime.

In Transformers: Exiles, the following members of the Thirteen were mentioned - Solus Prime, Nexus Prime, Megatronus, the Liege Maximo, and Amalgamous Prime. Optimus meets with a holographic representation of Solus Prime, before meeting with Vector Prime in a pocket dimension created by said Prime, and later encounters Nexus Prime, who briefly gives him the Star Saber so that he can battle Megatron's forces, who had come to briefly possess the Requiem Blaster. Alpha Trion's chronicles in the Covenant are interspersed throughout the novel, detailing events occurring on Cybertron since the departure of Optimus and Megatron into deep space as they search for the All-Spark. He is also responsible for Nexus Prime's brief reappearance, sending one of his component bodies, an Autobot named Chaindrive, to meet with a number of others who then recombine into Nexus.

Animated Series

The Thirteen Primes were each referenced in the series. The Fallen was mentioned in the episode "Partners". In "One Shall Rise" Pt. 1. Optimus Prime mentioned that the Thirteen helped Primus defeat Unicron. In "Operation Bumblebee" Pt. 2, Solus Prime was mentioned where it was revealed that she wielded a Cybertronian hammer called the Forge of Solus Prime (one of the artifacts of the Thirteen) which can forge any weapon or device when used by a Prime.

Besides the Forge of Solus Prime, other Artifacts of the Primes were also featured:

• In "Tunnel Vision," a relic called the Phase Shifter was found in the subways of Manhattan.
• In "Triangluation", an artifact from the Iacon Vault called the Apex Armor is found. It comes into possession of Starscream while he, Dreadwing, and Optimus Prime were in Antarctica.

References

External links

• The Thirteen at TFWiki.net, the Transformers Wiki