# Where did Optimus Prime's hands go when he transformed? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [November 7, 2000, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-did-optimus-primes-hands-go-when-he-transformed/40168 "2000-11-07T19:47:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Inky\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/7feea3/32.png) [@Inky\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inky_1)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2000, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-did-optimus-primes-hands-go-when-he-transformed/40168/1 "2000-11-07T19:47:52Z")
Yeah, yeah, I know. A _really_ dumb question. But as I recall, unlike the other Autobots, Prime’s hands were separate (non-connected) little choking hazard type items that had to be plugged into his wrists. Did they just ignore that in the cartoon? Did they revise the toy in later production runs? Incidentally, this used to peeve me no end as a kid. Imagining Prime wheeling into battle, transforming so he could dole out some atomic powered whup-ass on Megatron only to have to stop midway and get that pussy BumbleBee to help him put his hands on (I suspect after the first one was attached he could put the second one in himself, but still, it would ruin anybody’s flow). And what about those days when you misplace your hands? And another thing: What kind of gun was Megatron? A Walther? A Luger? Some kind of made up thing? Did they ever address that weird Megatron size disparity thing between his robot and gun modes? How’z about the whole Insecticon size thing? And did they ever bother to explain why the Ironhide character looked _nothing_ like the toy? Whats was the name of that Autobot jet they found frozen in the antarctic that was obviously a Veritech fighter from Robotech with an Autobot logo stuck on him? Was Starscream gay? Who would win in a fight: Grimlock or Rodimus Prime? Should I just get a refill on my Ritalin perscription and move on with my life? ---
**Author:** ![muppetsoup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/aca169/32.png) [@muppetsoup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muppetsoup)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2000, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-did-optimus-primes-hands-go-when-he-transformed/40168/2 "2000-11-07T19:55:47Z")
I think his hands withdrew into his arms, like the evil guy who shot Indy’s waiter at the beginning of Temple of Doom. Megatron: he was mostly emtpy space as a humanoid, so there. Starscream: gay Grimlock v. Rodimus: Are you f’n kidding me? Rodimus was a puss. Grimlock would be $hitting Rodimus parts for weeks. ---
**Author:** ![fiddlesticks](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiddlesticks/32/18129_2.png) [@fiddlesticks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fiddlesticks)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2000, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-did-optimus-primes-hands-go-when-he-transformed/40168/3 "2000-11-07T20:17:31Z")
I think the hand waving explanation for big to small Transformers was that they shunted the extra mass into “another dimension”. Whatever. I don’t think the cartoon ever covered this but I think the Marvel Comics series did at some point. Most of the Transformers looked much “cleaner” in the cartoon than in “real life”. Most of the mini-Autobots (Bumblebee, Gears, Brawl, etc.) would have looked pretty silly in the cartoon if they stayed true to the toys. Ironhide and Rachet (I think he was the ambluence bot who was the same design, different color) were pretty silly looking as toys in my book so I don’t mind the artistic license there at all. ---
**Author:** ![Starbury](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f04885/32.png) [@Starbury](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Starbury)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2000, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-did-optimus-primes-hands-go-when-he-transformed/40168/4 "2000-11-07T20:19:05Z")
The Robotech-looking plane was JetFire. I think at some point Hasbro bought out the rights to the Robotech toys, and just threw him in there with the Transformers. Like muppetsoup said, in the cartoon, I remember Optimus Prime’s hands sliding back into his wrist area. Though I have to disagree with him on Grimlock vs. Rodimus. If I remember correctly, Rodimus had the Matrix, which I thought could kill just about anything, even Unicrom(Unicron?). So I don’t think Grimlock could have won. Starscream’s sexual orientation aside, he was by far the coolest Decepticon. If you’re really interested, I think that the Transformer Movie just came out on DVD. ---
**Author:** ![muppetsoup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/aca169/32.png) [@muppetsoup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muppetsoup)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2000, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-did-optimus-primes-hands-go-when-he-transformed/40168/5 "2000-11-07T20:26:23Z")
Well yeah, if he’s gonna cheat. ---
**Author:** ![Inky\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/7feea3/32.png) [@Inky\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inky_1)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2000, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-did-optimus-primes-hands-go-when-he-transformed/40168/6 "2000-11-07T20:42:42Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Starbury \* > **Starscream’s sexual orientation aside, he was by far the coolest Decepticon.** The hell! Have you forgotten Soundwave? He was the casette recorder with the enigmatic wraparound sunglasses/ninja mask face who shot casette tapes that transformed into panters and stuff, had that funkadelic digital harmonizer voice, had a cool battery compartment featuring batteries which transformed into a gun and a shoulder mounted missle launcher. And, allow me to repeat myself, **He shot casette tapes that transformed into panters!!!** And besides, like any good secretary in an office you just _knew_ that he was really the brains behind the outfit. ---
**Author:** ![Inky\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/7feea3/32.png) [@Inky\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inky_1)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2000, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-did-optimus-primes-hands-go-when-he-transformed/40168/7 "2000-11-07T20:48:51Z")
Oops, I meant to say “ **panthers** ”. **!!!** ---
**Author:** ![muppetsoup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/aca169/32.png) [@muppetsoup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muppetsoup)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2000, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-did-optimus-primes-hands-go-when-he-transformed/40168/8 "2000-11-07T20:54:52Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Inky- \* > \*\*Oops, I meant to say “ **panthers** ”. > > **!!!** \*\* That would be OK if you didn’t do it twice! ---
**Author:** ![Mojo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/85f322/32.png) [@Mojo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mojo)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2000, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-did-optimus-primes-hands-go-when-he-transformed/40168/9 "2000-11-07T20:56:25Z")
From personal experience, Optimus Prime’s hands went into the couch cushions, where they were never seen again. [DailyRadar.com](http://DailyRadar.com) recently had a “Hasbro Week” where they reviewed various Hasbro products (mostly GI Joe and Transformers)- [This](http://www.dailyradar.com/features/directhit_feature_page_1748_1.html) was one of the best ones, IMHO. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2000, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-did-optimus-primes-hands-go-when-he-transformed/40168/10 "2000-11-07T21:00:47Z")
Regarding Starscream’s orientation, wasn’t Jetfire alleged to be his bastard son? Mind you, I’m still not sure how Transformers would reproduce (and how many females were there, anyway?), but that’s the story I had heard. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Torque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Max\_Torque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Torque)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2000, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-did-optimus-primes-hands-go-when-he-transformed/40168/11 "2000-11-07T21:11:47Z")
As I recall from the box, Megatron was a Walther P-38. You can see one [here](http://wwwdev.qsystems.net/kbugg/p38.htm). Where that shoulder-stock and extended barrel came from, I have no idea. And let’s not diss the Insecticons, I kinda liked 'em… ---
**Author:** ![Starbury](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f04885/32.png) [@Starbury](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Starbury)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2000, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-did-optimus-primes-hands-go-when-he-transformed/40168/12 "2000-11-07T21:14:09Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Inky- \* > \*\* > > The hell! Have you forgotten Soundwave?..He shot casette tapes that transformed into panters!!! > > And besides, like any good secretary in an office you just _knew_ that he was really the brains behind the outfit. > > \*\* Well, I’ll always be biased towards Starscream, because he was the first Transformer I ever got. Plus, he was the only one who ever challenged Megatron. And let’s face it, Megatron was a pretty weak leader. When he transformed, he had to have Soundwave there to pull the trigger, or he was useless. I liked Soundwave too, though. I think his “ninja mask face” was the logo for the Decepticons. ---
**Author:** ![fiddlesticks](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiddlesticks/32/18129_2.png) [@fiddlesticks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fiddlesticks)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2000, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-did-optimus-primes-hands-go-when-he-transformed/40168/13 "2000-11-07T21:18:02Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Mojo \* > \*\*[DailyRadar.com](http://DailyRadar.com) recently had a “Hasbro Week” where they reviewed various Hasbro products (mostly GI Joe and Transformers)- [This](http://www.dailyradar.com/features/directhit_feature_page_1748_1.html) was one of the best ones, IMHO. \*\* Bah! The Insecticons are stupid? Double bah! They were my absolute favorite, and they only ones that I bothered to acquire a complete set of. They should complain about the original Megatron as well if they can’t get their mind around the giant robot to tiny bug transformation. Bah! I’d have to agree on most of the other selections though. ---
**Author:** ![Inky\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/7feea3/32.png) [@Inky\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inky_1)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2000, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-did-optimus-primes-hands-go-when-he-transformed/40168/14 "2000-11-07T21:24:43Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Starbury \* > I liked Soundwave too, though. I think his “ninja mask face” was the logo for the Decepticons. \*\* Well there you go proving my point for me. All the while the Decepticons were out there in the frey, getting their collective cans kicked and Soundwave was laying back saying “Geez, I’d love to go fight guys, but I’m just a harmless little _Tape Recorder_ for heavens sake…” “Heh, heh, heh. Dance my little monkeys, dance!” ---
**Author:** ![Snooooopy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Snooooopy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snooooopy)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2000, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-did-optimus-primes-hands-go-when-he-transformed/40168/15 "2000-11-07T21:31:35Z")
One thing I didn’t like about the Transformers cartoon show was that, no matter what exotic weapon the robots were supposed to be carrying – acid pellet shooter, catalytic carbine, photon blaster, electron blaster, whatever – they all ended up as the same thing: generic laser beams. Does anybody remember the girl Transformers introduced toward the end of the show’s run? Now THAT was a dead end. Like I really cared or not if Optimus Prime had a girlfriend. ---
**Author:** ![Deimos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Deimos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Deimos)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2000, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-did-optimus-primes-hands-go-when-he-transformed/40168/16 "2000-11-07T21:59:15Z")
first of all, grimlock would’ve kicked hot-rod/rodimus prime’s butt all over cybertron… the matrix was only activated once ( i think ) in order to destroy unicron… it wasn’t a weapon of mass destruction. it held the collective conciousness of all the autobot leaders that came before. also, i think grimlock ( correct me if i’m wrong ) was one of optimus’ field commanders and, until hot-rod’s promotion, outranked hot-rod. as far as the female transformer, IIRC, her name was arcee and she was introduced in the transformer movie. she transformed into a wierd looking pastel pink (gag me) car and constantly bitched about how the red autobots logo clashed with her clear coat. ---
**Author:** ![Alphagene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Alphagene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alphagene)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2000, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-did-optimus-primes-hands-go-when-he-transformed/40168/17 "2000-11-07T22:07:18Z")
Ah yes, Arcee. She was one of the newer generation Tranformers along with Blur and Wreck-Gar. Wreck-Gar would be the worst name for a Transformer if it weren’t for Kup. Poor bastard probably never stopped getting abuse. ---
**Author:** ![Starbury](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f04885/32.png) [@Starbury](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Starbury)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2000, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-did-optimus-primes-hands-go-when-he-transformed/40168/18 "2000-11-07T22:30:27Z")
The first female transformer was called Firestar. I think in one of the first episodes, they showed what life was like for the transformers when they were living on the moon. There were a bunch of females, but Firestar was the only one that had anything to say. And the matrix was used more than once. IIRC, the Decepticons stole it once, and used it as a weapon, and it was also used to get rid of that “Transformer Plague”, that turned them all red and angry. Rodimus used the Matrix to cure everyone with it. I really think it would be able to take out even a robotic T-Rex. Does anyone remember an episode where there was a robotic female ninja? I think she was probably the only female Decepticon, but I only remember seeing her once. ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2000, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-did-optimus-primes-hands-go-when-he-transformed/40168/19 "2000-11-07T22:34:11Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Starbury \* > \*\* > If you’re really interested, I think that the Transformer Movie just came out on DVD. \*\* Interesting if only for the fact that Judd Nelson gets higher billing than Orson Welles. [http://www.reel.com/movie.asp?MID=6951](http://www.reel.com/movie.asp?MID=6951) ---
**Author:** ![Mojo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/85f322/32.png) [@Mojo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mojo)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2000, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-did-optimus-primes-hands-go-when-he-transformed/40168/20 "2000-11-07T23:31:24Z")
Fiddle, you’ll be surprised to learn that Megatron was #1 on their [10 Greatest…](http://www.dailyradar.com/features/directhit_feature_page_1746_1.html) list. (Buzzsaw was #9, Jetfire was #8 for those keeping score). [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-did-optimus-primes-hands-go-when-he-transformed/40168.md?page=2)