Optimus Prime was my superhero. Then he died. Prime’s death, heralded by “Transformers: The Movie,” shocked many Transformer fans into disbelief.

“Transformers: The Movie” opens with Planet Unicron devouring Planet Lithone like a fat kid at an Old Country Buffet. Cut to Autobot City where the Deceptecons are launching an invasion against the undermanned Autobots. Then Optimus Prime drops in with the Dinobots accompanied by Stan Bush’s “The Touch.”

Prime cleans the house like my mom on a Sunday. For one last time, Optimus Prime transforms into the semi-truck, rams two deceptecons, transforms back into a robot, backflips, shoots two more Deceptecons, lands, then finishes off the remaining three on his feet.

-Prime narrows the fight down, so it’s between him and Megatron, an epic battle for Autobot City. Each holds his own until the tide turns and Megatron’s beaten. Autobot onlookers like Hot Rod and Cup watch with anticipation. But wait! Something’s wrong…

Megatron’s reaching for a gun! Upon noticing Megatron’s move, Hot-Rod joins the melee, tackling Megatron. Optimus Prime sacrifices his shot rather than shooting Megatron with the off-chance that he’d misfire and tag Hot-Rod. If I were Prime, I’d do the following: shoot Megatron, Hot Rod and Carson Daly for being a tool.

Defeated and broken, staring down an empty gun barrel, Prime gives Megatron the finger (figuratively), punches him, sending the Deceptecon leader crashing to his doom. A flailing Deceptecon army boards Astrotrain (their ship doubles as a transformer) and jets to Cybertron.

Cut to the Autobot repair bay where the near-dead Prime passes the Matrix of Leadership to Ultra Magnus. Right before he dies, Prime predicts that, “One day an Autobot will rise from our ranks and use the power of the Matrix to light our darkest hour.”

Megatron didn’t have a Matrix of Apathy to pass to Starscream, his second-in-command. Deceptecons don’t give gifts, anyway. That’s not the Deceptecon thing-to-do. The second-in-command Starscream throws any near-dead Deceptecons, including Megatron, off-ship.

After floating out in space for a bit, they are spotted by Unicron. He presents the robots with a sweet deal. In exchange for new bodies and identities, they will serve him. Megatron becomes Galvatron. Unicron orders Galvatron to destroy the Matrix, the only item Unicron fears.

Ultra Magnus gets the Optimus treatment then The Matrix is stolen from him. Galvatron tries to use the Matrix against Unicrons with no avail. Unicron swallows Galvatron for his insubordination then takes a bite out of the nearby Cyberton.

Shortly before his death, Optimus Prime preached about the Matrix of Leadership lighting the Autobot’s darkest hour. Piercing blue light spills from inside the Matrix as Hot-Rod opens the device chained around Galvatron’s neck. The light empowers Hot-Rod, he grows larger and stronger. Galvatron, prepare to wet yourself.

Roddimus picks-up Galvatron and heaves him overhead into outer-space leaving room for a third and fourth series of Transformers: the Cartoon. Minutes after brushing Galvatron off his hands, Roddimus Prime opens the Matrix. Then Unicron explodes minutes later. Happy days are here again, hey!

Death, resurrection, hope, despair – that’s film of the highest quality. And all of these great cinematic qualities are found throughout Transformer universe, as are gigantic killer robots and heroes named Optimus. Rest in peace, my brother.