#I really do headcannon that the thing is semi sentient

[lets-try-some-writing]

You got any hurt/comfort Headcanons for the bots or cons? I'm kinda down in the dumps right now.

I am so sorry it took me so long to get to this! I will try to make it up to you with my writing! I hope this makes you feel somewhat better! (also sorry that this is all about Optimus, he was just on my mind when I thought about angst and comfort... also semi sentient Matrix has been living in my head rent free for a while soooo)

Shifts and Changes

The Matrix is a mysterious relic, one which very little is known about save what the previous Primes have revealed. It was always strange to Orion that each and every one of the Primes to take up the mantle seemed to fall into madness after a time. Orion also never understood this or why the Primes kept knowledge of the Matrix and its secrets to themselves. But after coming to bear the Matrix himself, Optimus understood. Sometimes he wished he didn't.

The Matrix is more than a container for ancient knowledge, it is an artifact infused with part of the sparks and wills of all who have wielded it. Because of this, it is in a sense... alive. It has a will, an animalistic desire to see Cybertron and its people protected, by any means necessary. As such it has no issues changing its chosen champion to better suit its needs. It doesn't just remake their frame, it latches onto their spark and slowly but surely begins to connect to it, gaining a greater influence over the Prime with time. It molds their mind, giving it's Prime the same drive and desire, and it whispers to them, changing their very code, making the Prime become something... other.

Optimus is no exception to this.

In the beginning, the effects were minimal, in fact, he felt better than ever. His frame was powerful, his spark was enlightened, and he had all the knowledge and wisdom of his ancestors to guide him. However as time passed and the Matrix's bond with him grew stronger, he started to change. At first, it was small things, like feeling disconnected from the world around him in a way he couldn't explain and feeling the urge to nurture and protect the few remaining sparklings. It was off-putting but not detrimental, so Optimus chalked it up to the stress of the war and overactive parental protocols.

After a few vorns, he found himself seeing the world differently, from a more apathetic point of view. Things that seemed so important, so urgent, felt less relevant, instead, his thoughts started to drift away from his personal connections and toward the health of Cybertron and its people as a whole. He began to pull away from others, cutting himself off in a way that was not noticeable to his friends and companions. He still comforted, listened, and connected to others, at least on the surface. But he found himself looking at it as a duty, a function, and an instinctual part of his being, not his own desire.

His acquisition of Bumblebee both improved his mental state and simultaneously increased the Matrix's hold over him. For a time he stopped drifting away from others and his slowly growing apathy screeched to a halt. He devoted himself entirely to teaching and nurturing Bumblebee, almost to an obsessive degree. However once Bumblebee grew to be somewhat independent, the agreement between Optimus and the Matrix ended, the latter of which quickly renewed its efforts to change Optimus to better suit its purposes.

By the time Optimus arrived on earth he was practically a dead mech walking. His only desire, his only purpose is to fight and die for his people, nothing else matters. Any cost is acceptable if it means possibly defeating the enemy and protecting his people. In his mind he is only one part of a greater whole, a singular piece in a grand eternal plan. He is one part of the Matrix, an incarnation of Primus's will and one voice in the grand chorus. His own belief is that he as an individual does not matter, he is but a vessel and the Matrix's latest attempt to make things right. He could care less about his own wellbeing, only his people matter.

The team can see this, and while they don't understand his self sacrificial tendencies or why he refers to himself as 'we' on occasion and talks as though he were present in some ancient era, they still try to help him.

Ratchet tries his best to draw out bits of Orion, mainly by discussing old times in an attempt to pull Optimus out of his own head. It works sometimes and for a little while Optimus is just Optimus, not the Prime and not the newest attempt to fix Cybertron by the Matrix. Ratchet knows it is the Matrix screwing with his oldest friend and he hates the fragging thing even if he knows it has goodish intentions. He does everything in his power to give Optimus what little reprieve he can get from his primely duties. He tries, he really does, but he can't do it all alone.

Bulkhead, Arcee, and Wheeljack are not anywhere near as close to Optimus as Ratchet, but boy do they try and help their Prime anyway. Random acts of affection, pulling him into games with them, or simply doing their best to engage in conversation are their best attempts. Movie nights are also a good way for them to get Optimus out of his own head as the Prime tends to get distracted by a good story.

Ultra Magnus also does what he can by emulating Optimus's own methods for dealing with others. He will sit with his commander and talk, not about anything serious, but trivial things. It forces Optimus to think outside of his duties, at least partially, and engage with others. This in turn leads him to be more expressive, to separate himself from the conjoined mind that is the Matrix in order to respond appropriately.

Smokescreen doesn't even know he is doing it, but by being his fanboy self he forces Optimus to act like more of a living being. He reminds Optimus of Bumblebee when he was young and brings up emotions that are usually well hidden. The Prime becomes concerned for and affectionate towards the rambunctious elite guardsman rather quickly after his arrival. Optimus got attached and now he is physically incapable of being stoic and mystical when Smokescreen is trying to do something stupid.

Bumblebee does what Bumblebee does and gives his caretaker love. This in turn wakes Optimus from his state of resigned duty and gives him a chance to be himself. Sometimes Bumblebee will act younger than he is on purpose when he can sense Optimus has fallen deep into his trance. On those days Optimus can't help but want to be expressive and interested. He wants to watch his sparkling grow and change, and the Matrix is equally interested in the events. And so for a brief time every now and then Optimus is completely unburdened and allowed to simply be himself when Bumblebee gets involved.

The human children also help Optimus return to awareness and often don't even realize it. They are just so unpredictable and alien to both Optimus and the Matrix that both can't help but focus on the children. Optimus wants to express himself and the Matrix wants new information to feed to its future wielders, and so the Prime is capable of being emotional, compassionate, and inquisitive around the kids. The Matrix even purposefully pushes forward more of Orion's traits when around the children so that it can gain more data.

And lastly, weather Megatron knows it or not, he keeps Optimus from fully succumbing to the Matrix. His taunts, his behavior, and his constant callback's to his and Optimus's shared past make the Prime feel. He forces Optimus to feel. Not even the Matrix can stop Optimus from feeling rage, sorrow, and regret in overwhelming quantities when battling Megatron. It is the most awakening activity for the Prime and usually leaves him expressive and open for weeks afterwards before falling back into the Matrix's grip yet again.

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(So not really hurt comfort but this is what I have right now... sorry if you don't like it)

#maccadam #transformers prime #transformers #tfp optimus #the matrix of leadership #its kind of sort of alive #I really do headcannon that the thing is semi sentient #how can it not be after spending so long picking up pieces of its primes? #team prime #megatron

[the-energon-hole]

heya. saw the request box open. may i request a headcannon about Bayverse Crosshairs, drift, Hound Bumble bee and Optimus having a human ally who likes to draw, paint and make photo collages of their alt. modes? and they aspire to design cars one day?

Optimus Prime

-He always has enjoyed human creativity and culture, including things like the music and graphical arts, as it was just another way to prove that you’re species was indeed much more refined than the other Cybertronians give you credit for. Any sentient species capable of not only creating universal images that can portray heavy and interesting emotions, while also putting real value onto simple things like paintings and musical talent really proves the validity of your planet. Cybertron used to have a lot of traditional artistic things like interpretive and realistic drawings on top of both traditional and trendy music that included singing and dancing- however nearing more and more conflict in the government more emphasis was placed on things like the value of defending oneself and the need for weapons productions in case of escalating situations becoming violent, which they did. So much culture was lost in these times of the war that even the Autobots forgot about all the things their fellow bots have created-it was refreshing to see art being produced and appreciated by other beings besides their own- it gives him hope for the future of both of your species.

-Even if he won’t say it out loud, he very much enjoys the aesthetic of human automobiles, especially that of the one he choose as his alternative mode- the Peterbilt Semi-truck.It was very much a symbol of a powerful vehicle that was capable of not only transportation, but also one of great stability and comfort. He was glad that you enjoyed his outward appearance enough to create so many artistic renditions of him, he had never been the center of a muse before- beyond that record keeping of the archivists who want to keep extensive track of Cybertronian history. You very much had  a lot of talent for someone who was so young and a little inexperienced when it came to certain political ideologies, it was good that you had something to focus your attention away from all the bad and produce something beautiful in such a bleak and dark time of war. Though he keeps his praises short, and his complements small, he feels like you have great potential in your field of study and he wants to encourage you to pursue your passions of vehicular design and wishes nothing but the best for you in that pursuit.

Bumblebee

-He was never exposed to artistic Cybertronian culture, as he was thrusted into an already conflicting society really tense with the threat of war looming over them- so he was taught things like battle and survival rather than creative value and understanding. He doesn’t claim to be the smartest bot in the troop, so he doesn’t fully understand your art and why it’s important to you, as he was raised in a  militaristic way where nothing is more important than being a good soldier. Though he has strayed from a lot of those values instilled into him when he was younger- art was just one of those things that never really clicked with him- Cybertronian or Human, it’s all the same to him. He can see ho much value you place on your art and design, and being the muse of your interest, he will still support you all the way- he might not get it, but he sees how important it was to you, and that is all he needed to know that art is a good thing. He also thinks you draw him very handsomely, and anytime you show him a new piece he becomes a victim of his own vanity- he loved it.

-He picked his alternative mode- the Chevrolet Camaro, a little while ago because he enjoyed how it appeared aesthetically, and the fact it was a pretty fast and sporty vehicle. It also looked good in his signature yellow and black colors- that was a big factor in his picking an alternative mode.He would have never guess that you would have had a passion for his appearance, but it made him feel very confident and attractive, even if you didn’t mean for it to be taken that way- who knew this art stuff could have such a profound effect on his feelings and emotions! He gets artistic value a little bit more than he’s letting on, he just is underestimating his own intelligence and critical thinking skills. He wholeheartedly supported you in your efforts to become a great car designer, and he even said that if you design something sleek and fast he would use it for himself- it just has to look good in yellow and black because otherwise it will be a deal breaker.

Crosshairs

-He can’t say he is a fan of art, even back on Cybertron it seemed to him to be a silly commodity that had nothing to do with the bigger scheme of the universe, it wasn’t impressive on his home planet and it wasn’t impressive on earth either. Not that he hates the idea of culture or anything, it just seemed a little odd to place so much emphasis and ideology on some picture or sculpture- the only things that matter aesthetically like that are weapons and vehicles. You have to look good no matter what mode you take, and certainly he had to give credit to the humans for at least not having hideous designs when it comes to automobiles and aircraft. THe designs of sleek and fast cars is definitely something that should be praised and appreciated- and when you explain to him that certainly things like that started off as just a drawing, it kind of hits a little closer to home for him. He will never understand the impact art has on culture, but he can’t get over how good he looks when you show him a new projects you are working on based on his appearance.

-He had chosen an alternative mode based on a car that looked stunning and would turn heads on the street as he would zoom past them- he was a very important bot and didn’t have time for them. It was for sure a vain thing, and the only fitting car for that was the Chevrolet C7 Corvette Stingray. That car looked good in any color but black- as a car like that was meant to shine with a bright and beautiful color, and not blend in with the crowd of ever growing aesthetically pleasing cars. You give credit where it was due, and enjoyed listening to what Crosshairs had to say about car design- whom else would know better than a vehicle themselves? He might be an ass sometimes and unappreciative, but he was a his spark a good bot, even if you would never tell him and he would never want to hear it.

Drift

-Despite his harsh past, and his occasional bouts of loss of self control, he prides himself on a deeper understanding of artistic expression. It can be music created to express various opinions and tones, it could be hand crafted drawings and paintings that hold deep and meaningful emotions, or it could even be sculptures created to be viewed in different jagged shapes in order to create a three-dimensional image- either way, he loved and appreciated it all. Cybertron stopped caring about art a long time ago, so to see it still being able to flourish and grow on Earth made him hopeful and happy- seeing you constantly participating in activities that contributed to this meaningful practice made him happy. Though you were more of a graphical artist, he enjoyed how you could tell his play on words and haikus when he spoke them- finally someone was able to appreciate and understand is words hold a deeper meaning and value than just being simple words.

-Being your muse made him happy, but he would try to remain humble amongst your constant praise and adoration- as humility was a big lesson he learned long ago when he was amongst the decepticon ranks. It was hard to stay humble as his old habits surface more and more anytime you compliment his chosen alternative mode, the Volkswagen Bugatti Veyron- an uncommon car from the region where you are from, so it end up becoming a head turner of a car when he drives down a populated street. You are inspired by his color scheme and appearance, and when you tell him he had a hand to play in the fact you want to design cars one day- well let’s just say all that humility he has been trying to instill in himself is gone and is replaced with all these feelings of dangerous pride and selfishness, he did look very good didn’t he.

Hound

-You can show him all the pretty pictures you want, you can explain the importance of artistic expression all you want, and you could even be a little aggressive in your approach to try and talk to him- it all falls on deaf audio receptors. He was kind of an old man, and even back on Cybertron he didn’t much care for the fine arts of his culture, as he could go as far as to say it was a waste of time. Not to be mean to your or your ambitions, he was just a bot of action and a bot of war, even before the Autobot and Decepticon conflict, he was always a weapons and shooting guy and not a sit around and look at pretty pictures guy. He would never do anything to intentionally hurt your feelings or step on your dreams, it was just when he would see you spending hours and hours on one picture it made him think about all these other things you could be doing with that time, like learning self defense or mechanical technical stuff. He was flattered that he was the subject of a lot of your artistic aspirations- he just doesn’t get it and doesn’t want you to have a sugar coated view of his opinions on it, he just doesn’t care as much as the others would.

-You always asked him why he chose his alternative mode the way you did, and every time he told you, you always were underwhelmed and disappointed with his answer. It was mostly a tactical decision, as he needed a  big and powerful truck that could carry all his weapons as well as it could remove someone from a battle they can no longer fight in. It only made sense to pick the slightly flashy and defensible Mercedes Unimog Tactical Vehicle, and even if that was his outward excuse you knew there was more to that. If there was one thing you knew, it was that cybertronians enjoyed the aesthetics of human automobiles, and even if he won’t admit it he had the look and feel of an old army vet. It was nostalgic in a way, and it had its own weird and pleasing charm- it was vintage and you can totally dig it. Hound hasn’t given you any indication her really cares about your artistic pursuits of car design, but you know he really does care about you, even if he doesn’t get it.

#Bayverse #Optimus Prime #Bumblebee #Crosshairs #Drift #Hound #Headcanon