It's been 40 years, it's time for boomers to apologize to Hot Rod/Rodimus>Stopped the Decepticons from sneaking into Autobot city and killing everyone>Optimus was about to get shot by the hidden gun anyways because he was playing with his food>Didn't even want to lead but was chosen anyways, just wanted to fish and huff Arcee's exhaust
Not muh Optimus. Will even take MUNKY over WAANEBAGO
He got Optimus killed and refused to step up to the plate. Bro just wanted to live his entire life fucking around with young human boys
>>152586893The show itself portrayed him as a perpetual loser propped up by the others always encouraging him, it's not some retroactive fan interpretation
Hot Rod's design spoke well to my 2000's kid soul, the big spoiler "wings" and flames, he's easily one of the coolest G1 designs and one that manages to look cool and dynamic with little changes. I'm not a big fan of most Season 1/2 designs because they just tend to lack the same sort of cool dynamic designs anime mecha have.
I didn't understand the design differences between Hot Rod and Rodimus. Looks like he just got taller.
>>152587030He's not really a "loser" though, just self-doubting. The nature of 80's shows meant he never really developed from that, but I get what they were going for because it was literally his first year(or two, the show makes it seem like the events of TFTM were years ago in Dark Awakening) as leader. He still gets stuff done, has victories, has some unorthodox approaches to solving issues like inducing near-death to enter the Matrix and get answers himself. It makes his approach to things interesting. I don't think 80's kids were ready for it. >>152586968>evenfor me it's not even a question, Munky and Wannebago are more interesting than Optimus, especially after 30 years of watered down ones that aren't even as fun as Season 2 Optimus.
>>152587073>Looks like he just got taller.That's exactly it.
>>152587708It's sort of interesting because Season 2 sets up precedence that the pre-Matrix look would be entirely different...but then, the reason the Orion Pax model sheet even existed was because it was a rejected Ultra Magnus design. Still it's not the best way to show a more developed Hot Rod. Hot Rod is such a youthful, energetic design, and stretched into Rodimus it just gives the effect of a tired old man wearing teenager's clothes.
>>152588076Energon Rodimus fixes a lot of my issues with the design. the yellow crest is a cool addition, thevehicle mode is cooler and both looks like Optimus but with a twist, the shoulder wheels are a nice change. Just a really cool design, unfortunately never to be seen again thanks to the UT designs being so low on the totem pole.
>Geewunners having to rewatch the movie
>>152588120>thevehicle mode is coolerAre you implying the space winnebaggo is not cool!?
He's still a bad leader.Good leaders don't watch a planet of innocent beings explode just to callously dismiss it.
>>152589433
>>152587056The movie characters are interesting because they are not based on real cars in the same way that old characters were
>>152589475Bro, you just posted Optimus.
>just wanted to fish and huff Arcee's exhaustmood
>>152589457Good Leaders also don't wage their war on someone else's planet.
Rodimus being a flawed leader despite his chosen one status was what made him a more interesting character than Optimus despite what crying boomers said.This is evident by how modern takes on Optimus, sometimes written by said crying boomers, tend to borrow traits from Rodimus, a reluctant, divinely appointed leader.
>>152589643The problem is that they basically treat optimus like a saint now. If you go back and watch the old show Optimus was pretty blue collar bot. He made jokes. He shot hoops. Generally he was one of the guys. Later on though they basically treat him like Robot Jesus War Hero. Everything he does and says is treated so heavily and so somber. Like they want you to burst into manly soldier tears just from being around him.
