#ALSO when he does activate it it DOES just sort go shooop down his fave like the shitty 1996 cgi you can imagine . but it is there !

[hardkookiecookie]

OP i don't know how much Beast Wars you have watched but his mask literally already does that when he activates it

he only activates it when he goes into battle! to protect his face

[ID: two screenshots from Transformer's Beast Wars, both showing a close up of Optimus Primal's robot face, which is grey and blue with red eyes, and a white, partial facemask that has two bands, one that covers his nose, and one over his chin, leaving his lips exposed. The second screenshot has been edited to extend the faceplate until it is full coverage, completely obscuring Optimus's mouth. End ID]

I fixed Optimus Primal's Body Horror, Mummy-looking face.

I think he would have looked less creepy is they even just made whatever's going on with his battle mask thinner, to show more of his nose and face, gotten rid of it entirely, or like in the above edit, just gave him a full, traditional battlemask.

It also helps solidify his identity as (a?) Optimus, while the rest of his design keeps him distinct enough from his Autobot counterpart.