#but I’m hoping to finish it this week

[novafire-is-thinking]

Idealistic and Stubborn

In TFP, one of the defining aspects of Optimus’ characterization is his stubborn belief that Megatron is not lost—that he can overcome his lust for power.

By the end of Predacons Rising, he was proven correct, but there was very little beforehand that gave any indication that Megatron would change.

In spite of this, Optimus refused to believe Megatron had fallen beyond redemption.

Potential, Potential, Potential

“Everything always fools you,” Makeshift said. “Megatron was right about a lot of things, but he especially knew you. Naive, he said. Vulnerable because you keep on insisting that the best in bots might show through even when all the evidence is to the contrary. (Exiles)

Optimus views the world and other people in terms of their greatest potential for good. He can’t help but look beyond the present reality and see a perfect ideal. He then finds it nearly impossible to let go of this perfect ideal, no matter what reality looks like.

But I Can Change Him!

Peace with the ones with whom war had been waged for eons. . .The Autobots might have believed it to be impossible, but Optimus was willing to give it a try because whatever anyone else might say, he knew that Megatron wasn’t entirely evil. (Retribution)

There was absolutely nothing anyone could have said that would have convinced Optimus that Megatron was evil to his core. This strength of conviction made Optimus a force to be reckoned with. I can only assume that after a while, those under his leadership gave up trying to change his mind. They recognized his incredible strength of will as an asset to the Autobot cause, even if they didn’t agree with him when it came to Megatron.

“Idiotic” Instincts

What happened next was pure instinct. Optimus reached out and grabbed Megatron with one arm, then used his legs and other arm to climb, pulling them both out of the rising white water. A dazed Megatron looked around.

“What are you doing?” he yelled.

“Saving your life,” Optimus told him.

“You’re an idiot, librarian.”

“Thanks for your opinion,” Optimus said. (Retribution)

This was only one of several times Optimus could have ended Megatron’s life.

However, the belief that Megatron could and would change was so deeply embedded in Optimus’ psyche that even though he may have reasoned Megatron’s death was best, his instincts overrode everything.

At that point, Optimus was operating on the old assumption that there was still a part of Megatron left untainted by the lust for power. I believe some part of Optimus hoped that the act of saving Megatron’s life would make the warlord reevaluate things. Optimus was blind to the reality that Megatron’s purely opportunistic mindset would just see it as an opportunity to continue working toward his twisted personal vision.

More than once in TFP, we saw Optimus hesitate to kill Megatron when he could have done so and ended Megatron’s reign of chaos and destruction.

Optimus did eventually snap and confront Megatron as Unicron was awakening, but by then, it was too late. Megatron had grown too powerful from giving himself fully to the influence of Dark Energon and Unicron himself.

Responsibility vs. Hope

Megatron’s obsession with Unicron disturbs me. I see that he is convinced that awakening the monster would grant him the power he’s always desired. Only I know the absolute naivete of that assumption. Still, nothing I can say alters his course. You can tow a bot to knowledge, but you cannot make it think. He has had a taste for Dark Energon for a while now, and constant exposure to it only accelerates his departure into delusions. Must I wait for one of his aides to start an insurrection, as his madness increases? What is the likelihood? Starscream is too fearful, Shockwave is served well by Megatron no matter how insane, Airachnid has failed and must be considered out of play. Soundwave—well, who knows what goes through his mind since the war? The rest are too small-minded to organize a rebellion in a tack factory. No, it will not be any of them who topple him from his throne. Rightfully the deed is mine, though I did not make him into what he is; he was my friend, and once my brother. I would not see him fall farther, but at the same time, I find no way to hold him back other than by recruiting the humans to the Autobot cause, if not for our survival, then certainly for theirs. (CoP)

Megatron refused to allow anyone but himself be the one to kill Optimus. Similarly, Optimus believed the responsibility to stop Megatron fell on him alone.

For Optimus, there was a constant inner war between his sense of responsibility telling him he was the “right” one to stop Megatron, and his instincts rooted in idealism telling him that Megatron still had the potential for change.

When Strength Becomes Weakness

Optimus’ refusal to believe Megatron had fallen beyond redemption was closely tied to his difficulty unseeing potential and seeing things as they were. This stubborn idealism was one of Optimus’ greatest strengths and one of his worst weaknesses. It enabled him to survive the most brutal of circumstances, but it also enabled him to allow Megatron’s reign of terror to last much longer than it would have otherwise.

“Megatron has fallen, Optimus.”

“I cannot bring myself to believe that.”

✧ ✧ ✧

series master post

[timethehobo]

Lil Emmy prepping for another work week.

[seagull-scribbles]

They’re out of time (cancelled)

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[empiireans]

they’re watching the meteor shower

[queeny-v]

Day 5 of Ppkm Week 2024 - Winter

I had so much fun participating in this week! This is my last post for it so I hope y’all like it! 💛

Close ups!

I like to imagine they’re on a school trip to Big Bear Lake that’s in California, it’s the only place I know of over there that snows every year lmao.

[simmersofia]

Autumn Windenburg, an uncomfortable topic

Luna: Rohan, it’s so nice to see you again! Savannah, Sidney, hi!

Malcolm: Hi!

Rohan: Lu-Lu! And the gang! Malcolm, hi, man. What’s up?

M: Oh you know, the same old same.

Ro: Come on man, you always have the coolest stories. Tell us about your summer trip to Tartosa.

M: Oh, yeah. It was great. Lot’s of… sun.

Savannah: Holding out on us are you? Something crazy went down you don’t want to tell us about? Ohhh, a summer fling, perhaps? Come on, let’s hear it!

Lu: Guys, he was there with his family. I’m sure he was well-behaved. Right, Malcolm?

M: Yeah sure… ehum, Luna? You want a drink or something? I’m heading over to the bar.

Lu: Yeah, I’d love that. Surprise me, why don’t you?

M: Huh? Okay, sure. Be right back.

[corpsentry]

eulogy

[hanafubukki]

YESSSS I FINISHED MY FIC 🥳🥳🥳

Going to let it marinate and then edit…later.

[loopyarts]

Day 7 free day Aceichiji

For my free day slot, I went insane and made a short scruffy kiss animation for them. :3c

[orykorioart]

TAZ Sapphic Week Day 5: Haunted

Couldn’t finish what I originally scheduled for day 5 (so itll have to be pushed back), but I still wanted to have something. So let’s have a quick experimental Lureen (if that is the ship name?) angst! Because that little scene in the GN really got me 😔✌️.

[shroomerr]

Doodles I did instead of homework

[sugarcoated-lame]

i’m SO SO SO close to being done with the always a bridesmaid sequel !!! 😭 i have just ONE more scene to write

[storiesoflilies]

hope the dash isn’t too dead to see this lil snippet of ‘in your peach blush dreams’ – my soulmate!florist!sukuna mini fic :3

[buddiesmutslut]

The Buddie scene I just wrote, using only emojis:

🪂🛻🦒🐘🚫⛽️⤵️🏃‍♂️🦏🍆🦵💨

[flowering-darkness]

..well, I can at least say I’ve written over 1300 words today

..they just haven’t been for anything I was supposed to be working on, like exam revision

(because they were for an arilio scene instead)

[nina-ya]

GOOD MORNING EVERYONE!!! Happiest of Tuesdays!!! I hope your day turns out well I’m sending much love to you have a chopper to make your morning a bit better