Brain Center

Brain Center is a component of Autobot leader Optimus Prime from the Generation 1 continuity family.

Brain Center is shown alone in robot mode on the right and combined with the other modules on the left.

When Optimus Prime transforms from vehicle mode to robot mode, he splits into three components:

• A sentient humanoid robot module, called the Brain Center or the Commander.^[1]
• A wheeled drone module known as Roller, also once called "Scout Car".^[1]
• A Combat Deck, sometimes called "Autobot Headquarters".^[1]

It is the humanoid robot module, or Brain Center, that houses Optimus Prime's higher functions, personality, and spark. It is the Brain Center that controls the other two modules by remote and thus, in effect, is Optimus Prime.

Prime's original character description as seen in the The Transformers Universe comic and the production bible, named the Brain Center "Optimus" and the drone module "Prime", noting that the Prime module is also known as Roller.

When Optimus Prime was rebuilt for the first time into a Powermaster, his three component aspect was retained in his new body.^[2] (Despite this, Roller was never seen while Optimus Prime was a Powermaster. Once he reverted to his original body during G2, Roller returned.)

Fiction

In actual practice, however, the humanoid robot was always known as "Optimus Prime", with "Prime" being the most common nickname. The Brain Center is treated like it is Optimus Prime, with the other two modules usually disappearing from the scene as Optimus Prime transforms from vehicle mode and the humanoid robot going about the business of being Autobot Commander. The original cartoon only explicitly referred to Optimus as consisting of three components once.

Generation 2 toy bios

It is the brain center that gives all the orders in combat situations.^[3]

References