Optimus Prime has always been known as the brave and proud leader of the Autobots, ever since the first incarnation of Transformers with the Generation 1 cartoon. However, when Transformers finally leaped to live-action with the Michael Bay-directed movies in 2007, Optimus Prime became far more murderous in comparison to his cartoon self.
In the Bay-Verse Transformers movies, Optimus Prime seems to enjoy his kills, and some of Optimus Prime’s murders are downright savage and gruesome. It’s time to look back on the live-action Transformers films and judge Optimus Prime as a Decepticon killing machine.
8 Sentinel Prime’s Execution (Dark Of The Moon)
There are plenty of reasons for Optimus Prime to hate Sentinel Prime. Not only was the original Autobot leader a traitor who tried to eradicate Earth and pull in Cybertron, but he betrayed Optimus and himself by siding with Megatron. Optimus and Sentinel battle in Chicago, but Optimus is the victor.
However, as Sentinel begs for his life, Optimus cocks his gun. Screaming out “No Optimus!”, Optimus interrupts his cries by shooting him in the back and then shoots him again in the face while he cowers and tries to cover himself from his impending death. This savage death is a straight-up execution, that shows the brutality of Optimus Prime’s Bayverse persona.
7 Grindor’s Face Rip (Revenge Of The Fallen)
As Optimus Prime battles Starscream, Megatron, and Grindor in the middle of a forest, he becomes desperate to protect Sam. In a 3-v-1 situation, Optimus Prime still seems to have the upper hand, and he pumps himself up for the fight by switching his hands for a heated sword and sickle.
Optimus Prime immediately targets Grindor, claiming this Decepticon is a victim of his bloodlust. Optimus jumps on his back, and as Grindor screams helplessly, Optimus rips his face apart from the center, leaving Grindor a faceless corpse whilst degrading him as a “piece of tin”.
6 Shockwave Gutpunch (Dark Of The Moon)
Optimus Prime commits a lot of Decepticon murders in Dark of the Moon. In his defense, it is an all-out war, and the Decepticons have come to Chicago to lay waste to the city to claim the world. However, Optimus Prime will not allow this, and his latest target in his crusade of grizzly murders is Shockwave.
Optimus Prime punches Shockwave in the gut, with a set of knuckle dusters. Shockwave’s metallic ribs, flesh, and guts fly out of his now exposed body, whilst Optimus Prime lands a few more punches to the face. To finish off Shockwave from being beaten to death, Optimus rips out his throat, pulling his eyes out with the wires.
5 The Fallen, Faceless (Revenge Of The Fallen)
The founder of the Decepticons, Megatronus Prime became The Fallen after the Primes saw his unwavering dedication to evil. It’s no wonder that Optimus Prime would want to kill him, especially when The Fallen holds the power and the technology to eradicate the Earth’s Sun. Optimus Prime gets to work on killing The Fallen but takes some questionably aggressive approaches.
Optimus Prime is going to kill The Fallen, but instead of just doing it in the usual combat way, Optimus says “Give me your face”, popping The Fallen’s face off of his head to watch the villain gurgle and scream. Then, Optimus punches a hole through his chest from behind and rips his heart out.
4 Megatron Gets Murdered (Dark Of The Moon)
Optimus Prime and Megatron are sworn enemies. Few rivalries match up to these iconic characters, the leaders of the Autobots and Decepticons respectively. Megatron has killed Optimus Prime before, so it’s only right that in the conclusion to the Transformers trilogy, Optimus returns the favor. Although, Optimus does it far more savagely than Megatron, showing all that pent-up anger for his nemesis.
It's one of the coldest moments in all of Transformers' history. Megatron asks who Prime would be without him, and Optimus replies “Time to find out” and masks up, laying waste to Megatron in mere seconds with his Cybertronian axe. The battle ends with the axe embedded into Megatron’s skull, where Optimus rips his head and spine out of his body.
3 Lockdown, Split In Two (Age Of Extinction)
The galactic bounty hunter known as Lockdown had devastated Autobots and Decepticons for years. Lockdown’s allegiance with the U.S. government to hunt down Transformers made him a wanted enemy on Optimus Prime’s list, and Lockdown meets a violently deserving end at the hands of the last Prime.
Optimus Prime uses his sword, driving it deep into Lockdown’s chest. The force is so strong that it causes Lockdown to puke, which is interrupted by Optimus driving his sword upwards, splitting Lockdown in two from his chest to his scalp.
2 Infernocus, Ugly Mess (The Last Knight)
Infernocons are small and individual threats, but they can transform and combine to become oversized and violent Infernocus. This being was a protector of Quintessa, and Optimus Prime took it upon himself to eradicate this enforcer through any means necessary.
Optimus drives his sword through Infernocus’ head, causing him to separate into six Infernocons. Optimus calls them an “ugly mess”, and uses one strong sweep with his sword to cut off all six of their heads in one go.
1 Scourge Sees The Real Power Of A Prime (Rise Of The Beasts)
Optimus Prime has quite the vendetta against Scourge, the leader of the Terrorcons and slave to Unicron’s will. Earlier in Rise of the Beasts, Scourge killed Bumblebee, so it makes sense for Optimus Prime to want to fight him 1v1 for the third, and final time.
Optimus lays a violent beatdown on Scourge, throwing him head-first into lava to melt his face. However, the fight doesn’t end until Optimus runs out of patience, cutting off his arms and stabbing him through the mouth. To make the death even more violent, Optimus uses his hand to pull Scourge’s head and spine clean off from his shoulders.