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Post by Matrix Dragon on Oct 23, 2022 2:20:50 GMT -5
It's not Hot Rods fault Optimus died. It's Kups. The old bastard was telling him not to interfere because 'it's Prime's fight!', but then stuck around close enough to cheer Prime on? And he still didn't do anything after Megatron grabbed a gun? At least Hot Rod DID SOMETHING you damn fool!
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Post by machsabre on Oct 23, 2022 18:06:26 GMT -5
Honestly, I've always wanted to do a deep examination on this mentality of "it's Hot Rod's fault." I kinda wonder if there's some sort of underlying toxic masculinity going on where people are pissed someone got involved in a fight. Like for example, I remember in the old Street Fighter 2 anime, where Ryu and Ken team up at the end and beat Bison... Some people saying that Ryu should have beaten Bison on his own, even though the whole theme was "working together to beat a stronger foe."
Hot Rod as Rodimus beat Unicron, pushed the Decepticons back to a burnt out planet and, as of both American and the Japanese G1 continuity, they NEVER recovered from it, and helped establish a galactic peace in the galaxy. He did in one year (or five going off the Japanese timeline) what Optimus Prime couldn't do in four million years.
Yet, he's just known as the guy who got Prime killed. And more often than not, Optimus Prime's given credit for Rodimus' accomplishments. (As well as Star Saber's accomplishments too!)
And for all his wisdom and greatness, Optimus never contradicted it.
Grimlock was right. Prime's a dick.
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Post by Optimal Megatron on Oct 23, 2022 19:21:59 GMT -5
Honestly, I blame it on the same thing I do for a lot of G1: The original fanbase was traumatized by Prime's death and blamed Hot Rod for it because Hot Rod (and Rodimus, frankly, in season 3 a lot) did so too. The writing may have been intending to teach Rodimus to move past it and accept that you can't change the past, but it was an 80s cartoon show.
And we're STILL getting iterations on that 80s cartoon show 40 years later. With the same fans. Like RIRFIB/FIRRIB or being able to quote the entire movie line for line, it's been ingrained into the deepest strata of the fandom subculture. It likely won't entirely fade until after we see a wave of die-offs.
However, clearly Hot Rod is plenty popular these days. Remember when the best you could hope for was a crappy Titanium release? Now he gets a toy every line, practically. Much like how Bumblebee was relatively obscure and replaced with Hot Shot until they resolved the VW issue.
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Post by machsabre on Oct 23, 2022 20:24:50 GMT -5
I think they resolved the VW issue by not using a VW and using a Camaro instead. That said, the Rodimus resurgence is a new thing. Like in the last seven years or so. I remember when the Legacy Prime Bulkhead and Arcee was shown and people lost their shit because it wasn't Prime accurate ones. And I'm like... "It's not even been ten years since Prime toys were available. I had to wait 20 years for a new Hot Rod toy. (Classics.) 30 years, for a decent Hot Rod toy. (Titans Return.) 31 fucking years for a new Rodimus Prime toy. (Underrated PotP) And 33 years for the GOOD one! (Kingdom.) And HE was the fucking HERO of the animated movie people won't ever stop referencing. You motherfuckers can wait another few more years for a new fucking Bulkhead that you'll complain about!"
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Post by Matrix Dragon on Oct 24, 2022 0:10:07 GMT -5
I liked Classics Rodimus! ... But yes. And Season 3 looping Rodimus's guilt arc on repeat didn't help.
Still, just saying. Kup was more than happy to be a spectator and cheerleader for Prime, but he had a gun! Fuck this 'don't interfere in the big heroes fight' nonsense! DOGPILE MEGS AND BEAT HIM LIKE A DRUM.
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Post by darkseraph on Oct 24, 2022 3:19:44 GMT -5
Classics Roddy is cool... and got a cool upgrade kit from Fansproject. But yeah, Rod did amazing things, but was always hung up on his one screw up. Give me a cartoon that has Lost Light Rodimus please?
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Post by SporkBot on Oct 24, 2022 9:29:42 GMT -5
Since reading the first post in the thread, I keep imagining a "How It Should've Ended."
"This is Prime's fight, kid!"
"Oh, I'm sorry, Mr. "Lifetime of Experience", did you stop to think that maybe defeating the worst Decepticon we've ever faced might take priority over your idea of what Prime's ego needs?"
"...uhhhh..."
"I mean, we're armed, we've got the element of surprise. Howsabout you come up with a plan where WE BOTH help Prime ACTUALLY take him down "once and for all", like he always says."
"He doesn't always--"
"Three times before breakfast this morning."
"Well, y'see, on Thennik Beta, there was this--"
"Oh, and lets not forget that he just murdered a bunch of our friends in cold battery-fluid, so he could steal a ship to infiltrate our base to begin with."
"Y'know what? Let's do it."
[JUMP CUT to Megatron aiming his cannon at Optimus]
[Kup and Hot Rod appear from off-screen, weapons aimed]
HOT ROD: "Surprise, sucker!"
[They open fire, Megs gradually falls to the ground]
MEGATRON: "AAAAGGGHH! No fair! What I'd ever do to deserve this?!"
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Post by triumshockwave on Oct 24, 2022 11:48:16 GMT -5
I will say it always bothered me that Hot Rod tried to tackle Megs for the gun when, by all indications, he has a fairly powerful set of blasters mounted on both forearms. Remember when he like single-handedly shot down the hijacked shuttle? He should've just fuckin shot Megs is what I'm saying.
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Post by machsabre on Oct 24, 2022 21:42:01 GMT -5
I will say it always bothered me that Hot Rod tried to tackle Megs for the gun when, by all indications, he has a fairly powerful set of blasters mounted on both forearms. Remember when he like single-handedly shot down the hijacked shuttle? He should've just fuckin shot Megs is what I'm saying. That always did baffle me. I mean, also if you go off the tech specs... Which as an 11 year old, I totally fucking did... With exceptions of courage (really?) and speed (really?!) he was 10s across the board. He should have been able to handle Megatron.
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Post by Matrix Dragon on Oct 25, 2022 0:19:07 GMT -5
I will say it always bothered me that Hot Rod tried to tackle Megs for the gun when, by all indications, he has a fairly powerful set of blasters mounted on both forearms. Remember when he like single-handedly shot down the hijacked shuttle? He should've just fuckin shot Megs is what I'm saying. That always did baffle me. I mean, also if you go off the tech specs... Which as an 11 year old, I totally fucking did... With exceptions of courage (really?) and speed (really?!) he was 10s across the board. He should have been able to handle Megatron. That would have REALLY surprised Megs.
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