Blitzwing
Bombshell
Cliffjumper
Cyclonus
Elita-One
Galvatron
Gears
Grimlock
Hoist
Hot Rod
Hound
Inferno
Ironhide
Jazz
Megatron
Optimus Prime
Perceptor
Prowl
Ramjet
Ratchet
Rodimus Prime
Rumble
Skyfire
Skywarp
Slag
Snarl
Starscream
Swoop
Thundercracker
Thrust
Tracks
Ultra Magnus
Wheeljack

Function: The Reluctant Hero™ Voice Actor: Movie: Judd Nelson Series: Dick Gautier First Appearance: "The Transformers: The Movie"

Nightwind's Words of Wisdom:

The easiest way to distinguish Governor Bill Clinton from President Bill Clinton is to look at the lines on his face. The easiest way to distinguish Hot Rod from Rodimus Prime is...to look at the lines on his face. :) Leadership. It just sucks the life right outta ya... :)

But I love Rodimus Prime, more than I love Hot Rod and certainly much more than I ever love(d) Optimus Prime. (I never know whether to refer to Optimus in the past or the present tense. He has/had that annoying resurrection habit, after all...) With Rodimus, it was as if the writers of the series were aiming to create an Autobot leader who was as different from Optimus Prime as a coconut is different from a watermelon. Where Optimus Prime is/was flawless, calm, serious, detached, generally humorless except on odd occasions, and utterly revered by his underlings, Rodimus Prime is delightfully flawed, excitable, occasionally goofy and often flighty, empathetic, able to come up with a gallows-humor one-liner at the drop of a hat even in the face of certain doom, and...well...not "not revered," but he's certainly more like "one of the guys" than Optimus ever was. I can picture Rodimus and Springer and Jazz and a few others in a bar, kicking back the Cybertronian version of a brewski, listening to some tunes, and generally having a blast. Optimus Prime? Ummmmmmmmm...no. :)

Now, the question that remains is whether or not such a thing is appropriate in an Autobot leader. Should the leader fraternize with his underlings in such a way? Should he be so approachable, so open to suggestion, so normal, so un-godlike? In the case of the Autobots...Yes, I think so. They're not a military organization in the strictest sense of the word. They don't really need to maintain a strict, militaristic hierarchy so that everyone knows where everyone else stands.

The closest parallel I can come up with is that the Autobots are rather like the French Resistance in World War II. They're a group of guys (and chicks) who have banded together to fight against an overwhelmingly more powerful and far more "military" force than they are, one that espouses a sociopolitical philosophy with which they don't agree. In the case of a group like that, I think it's imperative that the leader should know all of his underlings on a personal level — their strengths and weaknesses, both physical and mental, and their general personalities — in order to use them in the most effective manner against that overwhelming foe. I'll always remember the first time that I read Smokescreen's TF Universe profile, where it says something about Optimus Prime using Smokescreen to talk to the other Autobots, to find out about them and to gauge their level of morale and so forth. My reaction: "That's your job, Optimus! Yeesh!" So I think, personally, that Rodimus Prime, not Optimus Prime, has the right idea of leadership when it comes to the Autobots, particularly in the more chaotic, fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants post-movie world, where the conflict is not nearly so tidy and focused and compact as it is before the movie's events. Rodimus is the right leader for that time, not Optimus Prime.

True, Rodimus is, in the third season of the cartoon, an unpolished leader, a diamond in the rough, if you will. He had no clue, after all, that he was the "Chosen One." He had not been "groomed" for leadership and, in fact, he did not and does not particularly want to be a leader. The poor boy drowns under the weight of the responsibility. The job was just kind of dropped in his lap and then he had to either sink or swim. And, for the most part, I think Rodimus Prime swam and swam quite strongly. He adapted. He grew. Sure, he had moments where he was unsure of himself, moments of whininess, when he was no doubt overwhelmed by the responsibilities that had been unceremoniously dumped upon him. Given his situation, I would have been surprised if he hadn't had those lapses. More than that, it would have been completely unbelievable if he hadn't had those lapses of confidence and judgement. But he also generally learned from those lapses each time. After a lapse of confidence, he'd come back stronger and more decisive and more comfortable with his new and unexpected role in life, at least for a while. And after "The Burden Hardest to Bear," his ultimate crisis, he seemed quite content with his lot in life, quite settled into his role, quite ready to kick some serious keister...

...And then You-Know-Who was suddenly back.

Which, to me, was frustrating and annoying. I was enjoying seeing Rodimus develop as a leader from the callow (and annoying) kid that he was as Hot Rod in the movie. He was one of the few — if not the only! — G1 TF characters in the entire series who actually did consistently develop over the course of one season of the show...only to have all that taken abruptly away, only to have that interesting character development halted in its tracks with a grinding squeal, only to have Roddy unceremoniously replaced by a guy I didn't like in the first place. Yuck! But at least Rodimus was all kinds of fun while he lasted.

The Official Word:

Profile: Rodimus Prime is the mature, transformed persona of Hot Rod. This transformation and simultaneous assumption of the Autobot leadership occured in a major battle between the Autobots and Decepticons. It is as Rodimus Prime that Hot Rod defeated Unicron and restored order to the galaxy. Rodimus Prime speaks with the savvy of a seasoned veteran. He can be hot-headed at times; he has a tendency to act first and ask questions later. Rodimus Prime's sole purpose is to protect all life.

Abilities: He possesses acute military prowess. Rodimus Prime is an expert tactician with exceptional maneuverability in battle. In robot mode, he carries a photon eliminator that shoots high voltage electricity. Range: 500 miles. Speed: 200 mph.

Weaknesses: His only weakness is his compassion for other living creatures.

Miscellaneous:

Best Place to Roddy-Watch:
Hmmmm...There really isn't an episode that I don't like him in... Probably my favorite is "Fight or Flee," though. I like his steely resolve in that one. Other standouts are "The Ultimate Weapon" and "The Burden Hardest to Bear."