Original Form
Weapons: Twin wrist mounted blasters, Twin ninja style swords and Shoulder mounted rocket launchers
Alternate Modes: Gorilla, Robot and Flying robot
Optimus Primal was the captain of the Maximal Explorer Ship Axalon. During the Axalon's mission to dispose of the dangerous Protoform X, it was called upon to intercept a Predacon vessel stolen by the ruthless Predacon criminal Megatron.
Upon crashing on a strange, uncivilized world, Optimus Primal adopted the organic beast form of a large gorilla to protect himself from the high energon levels found on the planet. He led his crew of Maximals on many missions against Megatron. Among his strangest encounters involved aliens who constructed several structures on the Beast Wars planet, including a stone formation which was visited by an alien vessel. This vessel captured Optimus Primal for some time, extracting information from him. Optimus would later encounter the aliens face to face again as they took on the ominous form of the planet destroyer Unicron. When an alien device tried to destroy the planet the Maximals and Predacons were on, Optimus Primal flew a modified stasis pod into the device and triggered a transwarp explosion, destroying it. Unfortunately, he was trapped in the pod and destroyed as well.
Transmetal Form
Weapons: Hip mounted blaster, Twin hand held barbed clubs and Back mounted dual barrel cannon.
Alternate Modes: Transmetal gorilla, Robot and Hoverboard flight mode
Shortly after Primal's destruction, Rhinox found a crashed stasis pod with no spark. Following the transwarp trail left by Optimus Primal's spark, Rhinox traveled into the Matrix to bring back Optimus Primal's spark. He succeeded, and Optimus Primal gained a new form, that of a Transmetal. His new form was powerful and allowed him to take on the entire Predacon force in his first battle in this body.
It was while in this form that Optimus Primal fought the powerful Protoform X, met the noble Silverbolt and encountered the Decepticon warrior Ravage. It was also while in this form that Optimus Primal tried to house the Spark of Autobot commander Optimus Prime when his body had been damaged and required repair. This caused an unexpected event that changed Optimus Primal forever.
Optimal Transmetal Form
Weapons: Twin missile launchers, hand held gun and shields.
Alternate Modes: Transmetal gorilla, Robot, Ground Assault vehicle and Air Guardian jet.
Upon trying to sustain Optimus Prime's Spark within his own body, Optimus Primal underwent a fantastic and amazing transformation. His Transmetal form mutated and became a larger, more powerful form, resulting in an Optimal Optimus. Although he returned Optimus Prime's Spark to its rightful owner, he remained in this new powerful form.
Optimus Primal now stands larger than any of his fellow Maximals, including the powerful Depth Charge. There are also hints that Optimus Prime's personality has affected Optimus Primal's. This was most evident when Optimus Primal said several key phrases that Optimus Prime once used including "Freedom is the right of all sentient beings!" and "Transform and roll out!".
It was during the time that Optimus Primal took on this form he dedicated the Maximals to guarding the Autobot ship Ark from the Predacons who had previously tried to alter the time stream by attempting to destroy Optimus Prime. Optimal Optimus was dedicated to his task and fought a valiant battle to protect the future.
