ROUND 1: SHAPE-SHIFT RIFT
OPTIMUS PRIME: It’s a classic tale of two brothers: one good, the other evil. In the 2007 film TRANSFORMERS, Optimus Prime is the leader of the Autobots. When he’s not pounding the pavement with his brother’s body, he takes the form of a truck.
MEGATRON: Lord Megatron, leader of the Decepticons, can transform into a fighter jet, travelling far greater speeds and wreaking more damage than any earthbound vehicle ever could.
Optimus Prime’s truck gets stuck in the mud. Megatron wins Round 1!
SCORE: OPTIMUS PRIME – 0
MEGATRON – 1
ROUND 2: PHILOSOPHY FIGHT
OPTIMUS PRIME: The Autobots came to Earth to protect humans from the Decepticons’ reign of terror and Megatron’s pursuit of the powerful All Spark. Prime believes that although humans are primitive, they have great potential. His motto? “Freedom is the right of all sentient beings.”
MEGATRON: To say that Megatron is less sympathetic to the human condition would be an understatement. He sees humans as weak cockroaches that don’t deserve to live and must be exterminated. Sounds like he’s still angry about those government lab tests!
“The enemy of my enemy is my friend.” Prime scores a point for his defence of humanity!
SCORE: OPTIMUS PRIME – 1
MEGATRON – 1
ROUND 3: CHARACTER CLASH
OPTIMUS PRIME: A good character begets good fortune. That’s no problem for Prime. He is the quintessential hero: selflessly willing to risk his own life to destroy the All Spark and stop Megatron at all costs.
MEGATRON: Meanwhile, Megatron is power-hungry and heartless, brimming with blind ambition and bent on destroying everything that steps between him and his selfish quest to claim the All Spark – even his own brother.
So much for brotherly love. Prime’s sacrifice is also his gain: he scores again for altruism!
SCORE: OPTIMUS PRIME – 2
MEGATRON – 1
ROUND 4: WAR OF WEAPONS
OPTIMUS PRIME: The main weapon in Prime’s arsenal is the ion blaster, but he also has an energy sword that extends from his right arm and which he used to behead the Decepticon Bonecrusher, proving that Prime isn’t afraid to get his hands dirty.
MEGATRON: Unfortunately, no sword can stand up to Megatron’s weapon of choice: the fusion cannon. One blast of this baby will take out a city block and send your opponent flying into the air.
It doesn’t get much cooler than cannons. Megatron blasts the competition, tying the match!
SCORE: OPTIMUS PRIME – 2
MEGATRON – 2
ROUND 5: ALLY ARGUMENT
OPTIMUS PRIME: What Prime lacks in brute strength, he more than makes up for with intelligence. That includes the decision to place trust in the Autobots as well as humans like Sam Witwicky, without whom the Autobots could not have defeated Megatron.
MEGATRON: On the other hand, Megatron’s allies, to the extent that he exploits them, are all as cruel as him. They include Starscream, Frenzy, and Bonecrusher, among other evil Decepticons.
If robotic aliens want to win a war on Earth, it helps to have its native inhabitants on your side.
SCORE: OPTIMUS PRIME – 3
MEGATRON – 2
ROUND UP: “At the end of this day, one shall stand, one shall fall!” Megatron tried to fly away, but his brother made him crawl. Megatronmayhave greater physical force, but might doesn’t always make right. Optimus Prime’s drive for freedom, strength of character, and strategic alliances have “transformed” our world, giving us hope that good will triumph over evil. Welcome to “Prime” Time!
TRANSFORMERS: REVENGE OF THE FALLEN storms into theatres June 24th!
Web Links:
www.transformers.com
www.transformersmovie.com