One thing to consider - BW Optimus Primal was in exactly the same boat.  He had a leadership he was just adjusting to, a mentor whose shoes he was always trying to fill, and a crew of troops that on occasion wanted to go their own ways.

 

Why, if they're in the same situation, did one come out ahead of the other?  Primal had more time to develop, that much is true, but even if you only watch the first season of BW you get a good feel for that character and would rather see him succeed than be replaced by the earlier model.

 

What I think it may boil down to is hype.  Primal came out of nowhere, so he didn't have any sort of legacy thrust onto him.  The original Prime was safely accepted as history, so there was no alternative to his leadership.  Rodimus Prime, on the other hand, was mutated with the exclusive purpose of replacing Optimus Prime, and even got a fancy light show and musical introduction when he made his first appearance.  I know it left ME thinking "OMG this guy's gonna be WAY better than Prime!"  However, he wasn't.  Too much focus was put on his difficulties as a leader, and not on his successes with the Autobots.

 

I'd say Rodimus was more similar to BM Primal, in that he goes through his motions experiencing a sort of crisis of faith.  BM Primal doesn't get much love either, although I love him as one of the more deep characters in the entire series.

I still dont like Rodimus no matter what is said. He was an insecure snot nosed punk before he became the Autobot leader and was one while he was in command. I'm supposed to feel sorry for him? NEVER! And thats not because Prime is a favorite of mine either I just think Rodimus was a poor leader and whined way too much instead of thinking about his fellow Autobots. Why they ever wrote it into the story of him becoming leaader of the Autobots is beyond me. They should have stuck with Ultra Magnus or made Grimlock leader because I could never think of two better Autobot commanders then those two.

 

 

 

:usa

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What's funny is that you talk about Rodimus Prime as though he's some real person and not a fictional creation. "Why they wrote him in as leader?" The same writers were the ones who made him whiny and moody. It's all the same thing.

I love RP, character and toy.

 

i loved roddie but i can see why they droped him he just was not as big as prime. plus he had a lame toy that was basicly a camper van with flames

 

idd of like to see prime come back and be as to roddie as A3 was to prime

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Bingo on the OP=A3 notion. But I thought G1 roddy's alt mode was sweet. Reminded me of a souped up offroad 6x6 on crack. Much better and more unique, IMHO than a semi cab with Big Wheel syndrome, a rocket engine on the back....

I still dont like Rodimus no matter what is said. He was an insecure snot nosed punk before he became the Autobot leader and was one while he was in command. I'm supposed to feel sorry for him? NEVER! And thats not because Prime is a favorite of mine either I just think Rodimus was a poor leader and whined way too much instead of thinking about his fellow Autobots. Why they ever wrote it into the story of him becoming leaader of the Autobots is beyond me. They should have stuck with Ultra Magnus or made Grimlock leader because I could never think of two better Autobot commanders then those two.

 

 

 

:usa

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

What's funny is that you talk about Rodimus Prime as though he's some real person and not a fictional creation. "Why they wrote him in as leader?" The same writers were the ones who made him whiny and moody. It's all the same thing.

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You would rather have Cartoon Grimlock as a leader than Rodimus :eek

I still dont like Rodimus no matter what is said. He was an insecure snot nosed punk before he became the Autobot leader and was one while he was in command. I'm supposed to feel sorry for him? NEVER! And thats not because Prime is a favorite of mine either I just think Rodimus was a poor leader and whined way too much instead of thinking about his fellow Autobots. Why they ever wrote it into the story of him becoming leaader of the Autobots is beyond me. They should have stuck with Ultra Magnus or made Grimlock leader because I could never think of two better Autobot commanders then those two.

 

 

 

:usa

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

What's funny is that you talk about Rodimus Prime as though he's some real person and not a fictional creation. "Why they wrote him in as leader?" The same writers were the ones who made him whiny and moody. It's all the same thing.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

You would rather have Cartoon Grimlock as a leader than Rodimus :eek

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:tfhuh

I still dont like Rodimus no matter what is said. He was an insecure snot nosed punk before he became the Autobot leader and was one while he was in command. I'm supposed to feel sorry for him? NEVER! And thats not because Prime is a favorite of mine either I just think Rodimus was a poor leader and whined way too much instead of thinking about his fellow Autobots. Why they ever wrote it into the story of him becoming leaader of the Autobots is beyond me. They should have stuck with Ultra Magnus or made Grimlock leader because I could never think of two better Autobot commanders then those two.

 

 

 

:usa

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

What's funny is that you talk about Rodimus Prime as though he's some real person and not a fictional creation. "Why they wrote him in as leader?" The same writers were the ones who made him whiny and moody. It's all the same thing.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

You would rather have Cartoon Grimlock as a leader than Rodimus :eek

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:tfhuh

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...

[Much better and more unique, IMHO than a semi cab with Big Wheel syndrome, a rocket engine on the back....

It's a jet  :redface

 

http://www.richard-seaman.com/Aircraft/Air...ts/JetTruck.jpg

 

(Ironically, that truck's name is "Shockwave.")

cartoon grimlock does not make for a good leader, unless he lept his brain from when he made the technobots, other wise he was way too dumb to be leader, and ultra magnus wasn't built sturdy enough to be leader didn't you see how he fell apart from the con attack in the movie, at least roddy had the circuits to challenge galvy in the 1st place  :clap not to mention snatching the matrix from him and finally throwing him out of uni's eye

cartoon grimlock does not make for a good leader, unless he lept his brain from when he made the technobots, other wise he was way too dumb to be leader, and ultra magnus wasn't built sturdy enough to be leader didn't you see how he fell apart from the con attack in the movie, at least roddy had the circuits to challenge galvy in the 1st place  :clap not to mention snatching the matrix from him and finally throwing him out of uni's eye

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To be fair in the origional draft of TFTM Ultra Magnas was drawn and courtered by four sweeps instead of just getting shot by one.