Nova Prime

This subject of this article goes by multiple names that apply to other articles as well. SeeNova Prime (disambiguation),Nemesis Prime (disambiguation).

Nova Prime is aTransformerfrom theGeneration 1continuity family.

Nova Primewas the predecessor toNominus Prime.Once the elite soldierNova Major,he led the unification of a dividedCybertron,ascending to leadership of his people. An expansionist and a supremacist, Nova Prime believed thatTransformerswere the greatest among all life forms and that they should bring their glory to the myriad of lesser races throughout the universe.

After being sucked into theDead Universe,Nova was chosen to be the host forthe Darkness,an otherworldly counterpart of theMatrix of Leadershipwhich worked by transforming the inhabitants of the Dead Universe intoundead wielders of anti-life.Upon merging, Nova was reborn as the sinister and extremely powerfulNemesis Prime.He now sees it as his mission to fulfil the Darkness' imperative by expanding the Dead Universe's hold into the living realm.

Nemesis may seem to hold sway over both his troops and the Darkness, but nothing could be further from the truth. The powerfulGalvatronsees the Darkness as his rightful inheritance. And then, there is the fear. The fear that the Darkness has more in common with the Matrix than Nemesis is comfortable with. He feels he has earned this power, and isn't willing to see it follow its natural path. It is for this reason he must eliminate Optimus Prime. And it is for this reason he fears to face his successor.

“	Nova was forever seeking, forever testing the limits of science and faith. He had a certain moral...ambiguity about the Cybertronian ideal.	”
—Omega Supreme,"Spotlight: Optimus Prime"

Contents 1Fiction 1.12005 IDW continuity 1.1.1The Functionist Universe 1.22019 IDW continuity 2Games 2.1Transformers Legends 2.2Transformers: Devastation 2.3Transformers: Battle Tactics 2.4Transformers: Frontiers 2.5Transformers: Earth Wars 3Toys 3.1Generations 3.2Timelines 3.3Legacy 4Notes 4.1Foreign names 5References

Fiction

2005 IDW continuity

First appearance:Escalation#6

Long ago inCybertron'spast, there was agreat war(no, notthat one) and Nova Major fought for his tribe's leaderPrima.Ten million years ago, Prima flew the coop and Nova was left as the last soldier standing at the Siege of theCitadel of LightuntilGalvatronarrived out of the wilderness. The two fought against the beast hordes and drove them back, turning the siege into a by-word for courage.Alpha Trion,the last Prime on the planet, was the one who brought them together in the hope that they could end the war.

Realizing the Primes were gone, Nova went out and united the tribes (starting withthe beasts) to create a unified Cybertronian society, one for all Cybertronians and where everyone would be "in their place."Trion later claimed that this did not sound sinister at the time.

With Trion's blessing, Nova took the mantle of Prime.The CrucibleWith the war over, he and his closest friends and advisors Galvatron,Jhiaxus,Cyclonus,andDai Atlaswent on a quest in Cybertron's underground, hoping to rediscover the lost principles of their gods, theGuiding Hand.Nova found the Hand's old home:Crystal City,with its guardianOmega Supreme.Omega joined Nova's crew and they worked to bring about the legendaryGolden Age.All Good Things

Soon, Nova's ambition grew and he secretly began planning theExpansion,the Cybertronian conquest of the universe. Obsessed with the Hand's prophecy that "all shall be one",he intended to enslave all other lifeforms in order to" free "them from their individual wills and make them part of something greater—Nova's empire. He formed thePrimal Vanguardfor off-world peacekeeping and began work on the firstArk,claiming it was meant for trade and exploration when it was in truth the first step of the Expansion.Hangers OnAll Good ThingsHowever, his plans hit a snag whenVector Sigma's flow of newsparksbegan to cease. Fearing that his Expansion would be impossible with a limited population of Cybertronians at his disposal, Nova had a team of scientists led byTyresttap into theMatrix of Leadershipand use its power to create new life, a process that was covered up as a "population augmentation program" that made use of"spark splicing".PatternismThe Divided SelfNova Prime also wished to evolve Cybertronians in preparation for their destiny as rulers of the universe, and against Omega's wishes, he had Jhiaxus re-engineersix Transformersto be able tocombineinto a being of higher intellect and strength, in hopes of uncovering the secret ofNexus Prime'sEnigma of Combination.However they were driven mad by the merging, and they devolved intoa monsterthat tore through Crystal City before they were stopped. Nova didn't care about the destruction though, feeling the city had outlived its usefulness.Spotlight: Optimus PrimeAll Good ThingsThe Crucible

Nova Prime and his closest comrades boarded theArkto enact the Expansion, making their way to theBenzuli Expansewhere they discovered a portal to theDead Universe.Seeing it as justanotheruniverse to conquer, Nova ordered the ship to pass through, not worried at all by the fact that the portal itself was pulling them in.Dark DawnThe ship never reappeared and the crew was presumed dead, but Nova's aggressive intentions never came to light, and the Transformers honored his memory with a statue.Megatron Origin #3The Matrix he once carried remained on Cybertron, hidden in theUndergridTransformation,with a fake one (that everyone believed was real) left behind for his successor,Nominus Prime.Post HocMeanwhile, his population expansion had left Cybertron with energon shortages and caused an outburst of racism, complete with a period of apartheid, against the constructed Transformers created by his spark splicing program.Patternism

The Prime was thought dead but countless years later, whenOptimus Primedownloaded himself intoinfraspaceto survive an attack fromMegatron,he sensed the presence of Nova Prime... and was filled with an incredible sense of dread.Escalation #6These feelings led Optimus Prime to seek information from Omega Supreme, and shared with him his belief that Nova might still be alive, and his feelings of dread. In turn, Omega told Optimus of Nova's story, and later learned of Monstructor. Optimus was left with the knowledge that thePrimelineage had been corrupt from the start, and it gave the Autobot leader something to ponder about.Spotlight: Optimus Prime

It was later learned that Optimus Prime's assessment was right: Nova Prime was still functioning, though in a strange half-dead state in theDead Universe,and was now the fearsome figure known as Nemesis Prime, powered by the almighty mind-altering anti-Matrix, theDarkness,which ruled the Dead Universe. His grand plan, the Expansion, was now intended to merge the Dead Universe with the real one, allowing him to both return home at long lastanddirect the merged universe into a new, moreorderedera.

He already had an outpost and minions onGorlam Prime,ready to direct his coming Expansion. He hadNightbeatcaptured bysome of his minionsand programmedSpotlight: Nightbeatto assassinate Optimus Prime at a set time,Spotlight: Hardheadas he subconsciously knew the Darkness would behave like the Matrix and jump from him to Optimus if given the chance.Spotlight: Sideswipe

With that secured, Nemesis Prime decided that the Expansion was ready to begin. He dispatchedGalvatrontoCybertronin a mission to secureThunderwing,kill the Autobots guarding him, and bring thePretenderto the Dead Universe. Galvatron secured Thunderwing, but spared the Autobots, viewing it as a small rebellion against Nova.Spotlight: GalvatronAfter observing theReapersabout to destroyEarth,he ordered Galvatron there to stop them, since the Earth was part of their expansion plan.Devastation #3Galvatron performed his task well, but Prime remarked to Jhiaxus that he was aware that Galvatron had his own agendas and secrets.Devastation #6

AfterCyclonussecured theNega-Coreand activated its guardian, Nemesis Prime initiated the Expansion with the rest of theDead Universecrew.Spotlight: Cyclonus

Nemesis Prime was found by Jhiaxus on the remains of theArk,thinking back on old times and planning for the future. Upon receiving the latest intelligence on both Cyclonus and Nightbeat, he dismissed the former and requested Jhiaxus take care of the Nightbeat situation personally. When Jhiaxus reported Nightbeat's death, Nemesis was unmoved, deciding he would take over Nightbeat's mission and deal with Optimus Prime himself.Spotlight: Hardhead

Nemesis Prime attacked the prison facility onGarrus-9while Optimus Prime was inspecting it. The Autobot defense forces were helpless against him: Nemesis was immune to all their firepower and used his deadly decaying touch to instantly snuff out their lives. Seeing that conflict was futile, Optimus Prime ordered all the defenders to retreat, then faced Nemesis Prime directly. Nemesis gloated about the upcoming Expansion, then revealed to Optimus Prime the nature of the Darkness and channeled it as a weapon against Optimus Prime.Spotlight: Doubledealer

Unfortunately for Nemesis, the Darknessdidwant to leap to Optimus as he had feared, and it would do so if he either used it or touched Optimus. Enraged, Nemesis backed off and resorted to firing a torrent of normal energy. Optimus was able to withstand the blast however, but their fight ended abruptly when Nemesis, distracted by the battle, was shot in the back and killed by Galvatron, as part of his plan to claim the Darkness for himself. Though Optimus Prime soon destroyed the Darkness-infused Galvatron (or so he thought), Optimus remarked that he could not mourn his predecessor, noting that Nova Prime was long dead.Spotlight: Sideswipe

Nemesis's body was taken back to Cybertron, whereBrainstormtook custody of it and began studying it in his lab in hopes of finding out more about the Dead Universe. He eventually came to speculate that Nemesis had not actually perished, but rather, that his life-essence had returned to the Dead Universe. What Brainstorm wasnotaware of, however, was the bolt of energy that had leapt from Nemesis's corpse to his own body, leaving him in a living-dead state of his own.Black Planet

Brainstorm's supposition was proven correct when Nemesis Prime reappeared on the planetDykayra,emerging from a portal to the Dead Universe to confront Galvatron. His wounds pulsating with dark energy, he now served the greater being of which the Darkness had always been but a small part: theD-Void.Heart of Darkness #3Apparently seeking to retake the Darkness from Galvatron, Nemesis briefly battled him and his army, brushing off their firepower and destroyed several of Galvatron's minions by devouring their energy. He then mutated into a gigantic, horrible monster, seemingly falling under the D-Void's direct control in the process, and continued the fight against Galvatron. In the end, Galvatron was able to summon his army and force the malformed Nemesis Prime back through the portal, which he then destroyed.Heart of Darkness #4

As it transpired, however, Nemesis had not sought to reclaim the Darkness, but had rather only been used a pawn by D-Void in its attempts to motivate Galvatron into using the Darkness to destroy Cybertron. Following the D-Void's destruction and Galvatron's own consignment to the Dead Universe, Nemesis was at last free of its influence, and reverted to being "Nova Prime" in name and appearance once more. Working with Galvatron, he made contact with Jhiaxus and his old pupilShockwavein the living universe, and began an apparent plot to conquer Cybertron and return it to Nova's leadership.Dark DawnInitially hoping to use thespace bridgeof Shockwave'sNecrotitanas transport out of the Dead Universe,Black MetalNova and Galvatron were forced to use Megatron's personal space bridge when that plan faltered.Into the AbyssHowever, as Nova was about to emerge in the living universe, the united forces ofBumblebee's Autobots andSoundwave's Decepticons attacked Shockwave's lair, and in the chaos, Nova was punched byIronhideback into the Dead Universe.

Trapped yet again, Nova Prime directed his rage upon a group of intruders who had entered the Dead Universe while he had been occupied: Orion Pax and his band.Finest HourAmused with Orion's choice to no longer call himself a Prime, Nova proceeded to mock Cyclonus, claiming that his former crewmate had been nothing but a hanger-on. AfterHardheadbroke out of the containment field Nova had sealed the group in, Nova destroyed his protective forcefield generator, allowing the Autobot to be consumed and disintegrated by the Dead Universe.No ExitDemonstrating his growing ability to manipulate the energies of the Dead Universe, Nova took the remainder of the group to his citadel, where he keptKup,whom he had been attempting to convert into a living spacebridge. In the energy of his captives'sparks,Nova Prime finally saw a chance to escape the universe.The Dead Are Not Enough

However, the prisoners were able to liberate Nightbeat, still under Nova's control after all these years, and he then helped them escape their cage. Confronting them, Nova Prime took the opportunity to challenge his successor to battle once more.Burning BrightNova employed some psychological warfare on Pax, using his control of the Dead Universe to make himself shape-shift into each member of the Prime lineage to mock Orion with its tainted legacy. After Nova became a mirror image of him, Pax sank into temporary despair as Nova began gaining the upper hand. However,Rodimusdelivered a pep talk that got Pax back on his feet, just before being blasted by Nova. Re-accepting his role as Prime and his duty to brighten that dark lineage, Optimus promptly tore Nova's arm off and finally slew his evil predecessor with a punch clear through the villain's chest. Upon expiring, Nova Prime's crumbling body reverted to its natural appearance.Finis Temporis

Unfortunately, unbeknownst to Orion, this was exactly what Shockwave had wanted all along; with Nova dead, the Dead Universe's energies were now Shockwave's to control as part of histrueplan to end all life in the universe.The BecomingNova's corpse had one final use to serve, though: when Optimus's team heard singing emanating from it, they realized that it contained a link back to the living universe, and used the technology of his citadel to convert his body into a space bridge home. They emerged through a portal in Brainstorm's own chest, thanks to his own living-dead link to the Dead Universe.Black Planet

Starscreamlater cited Nova Prime—along withSentinelandZeta—as examples of the corrupt lineage of the Primes, to discredit Optimus and sway the opinion of theCouncil of Worlds.The Medium and the MessageAfter being removed from power and receiving a life sentence, Starscream defended his reign of Cybertron to Bumblebee by bringing up Nova Prime trying to destroy the universe multiple times.Surfeit of Primes

The Functionist Universe

In analternate timelinewhere theFunctionist Counciloverthrew Nominus Prime and ruled Cybertron, they discovered the truth behind Nova Prime's spark splicing program and declared it heresy.A World Misplaced

2019 IDW continuity

At some point during Cybertron's history, Nova Prime held the Matrix. When he inherited the talisman,Orion Paxglimpsed Nova's spirit along with his other predecessors during a trip through theAllspark.Prime

Games

Transformers Legends

The peace of Nova Prime's rule over Cybertron was shattered by the arrival of a future version of himself namedNemesis Prime.Though Nova Prime ralliedTopspinandRoadbusterin an attempt to quell this future shade, Nemesis Prime triumphed over the Autobots.Prime Evil

Transformers: Devastation

Nova Prime was known as the conqueror of theBenzuli Expanse,greatest Autobot to bear the Matrix, and all around great guy. He inspiredBad Botsto be good andGood Botsto be better. It was he who led the Mission of Cybertronian Expansion, hoping to createcolonieson cyberformed planets for future Cybertronians to inhabit, thereby preserving their culture forever.

The mission started out as a tremendous success. The crew would find uninhabited planets and using theFerrotaxis,aPlasma Core,and theInsecticon Swarmaboard Nova Prime's ship, theProudstar,a planet could be quickly cyberformed and ready for colonization. AfterLithonehad been cyberformed, resources began to wane and theProudstarmade a supply run on amysterious planet.As the crew resupplied, a darkness fell over them and their ship, causing them to become corrupt and mad. Before the crew left the planet, Nova Prime pointed it in the direction of Cybertron. As theProudstarsailed through the galaxy, the darkness began to grow in Nova Prime, with righteous pride, as opposed to once peaceful intentions, beginning to guide his mission. Nova Prime eventually began targeting inhabited planets for cyberforming, wiping out several civilizations. One of these planets wasEarthwhere, thanks to some sabotage courtesy of a guilt-riddenKranix,theProudstarcrashed into the surface and trapped its crew and resources in stasis. Unaware of what had transpired on his fateful mission, the populace of Cybertron declared Nova Prime as missing in action while heralding him as one of the greatest heroes their race had ever produced.

In the late 20th century,Megatrondiscovered theProudstarand tried to use it to cyberform Earth only for his plot to be foiled by Nova's eventual successor Optimus Prime. Though Optimus had believed theProudstarto be offline once again, some unseen power supply still thrummed deep within its bowels and, within a brokenstasis pod,reawakened Nova Prime!Devastation

Transformers: Battle Tactics

Nova Prime participated in battles against a variety of opponents, both Autobots and Decepticons. Sometimes there were many of him! He was a an Epic character who was available in the (last) February Daily Campaign, and could be recruited by collecting 20 Alpha cores, 20 Beta Cores, 20 Omega cores, and 10 cores of this character.Transformers: Battle Tactics

Transformers: Frontiers

The Game Full of Death and Suffering...! This character article is astuband is missing information on theirvideo game appearances.You can helpTransformers Wikibyexpanding it. Transformers: Frontiers

Transformers: Earth Wars

An aggressive seeker of advancement of the Cybertronian race, Nova Prime observed many realities, frustrated that in none of them did Cybertronians unite to take their rightful place as leaders of the universe. To change destiny, Nova Prime instigated aTime Vortexin one universe to trap theArkandNemesisin1984,which would gradually unravel the entire fabric of reality, allowing him to conduct his ownGreat Resetting.

Nova Prime is said to be one of the original Thirteen Primes.

Upon arriving in normal spacetime, Nova Prime retrieved theTerrorconsfrom a slow-time bubble and recruited them to his cause, leaving behindRavageothers who refused to follow anyone butMegatron.Mayhem: Enemy of My EnemyBringing his new acolytes toinner space,Nova Prime maintained the other Terrorcons in stasis, instead assigningSinnertwinalone to retrieve Sinnertwin's own Megatron, preferably intact.Nova Prime arrivalThe opposition concluded that to stop a Prime's gambit, they would need a Prime's tool, theForge of Solus Prime.History Repeating

Toys

Generations

See:Nemesis Prime (G1)#Toys

TheLegendsgame event "Prime Evil",repurposesthe character model ofG1 Nemesis Primeas the future version of Nova Prime, because theNemesis Prime cardsavailable in that event use the same bio as the one we previously got in "Nemesis Rising",where he was an evil clone of Optimus Prime created byDoctor Arkeville.We'll just link you to that dude's toy page, rather than reproduce it all here.

Timelines

• Nova Prime(Deluxe Class,2015)

• Accessories:"Quantum Fusion cannon","G-MetalBattle Axe "

The first of twoTransformers Collectors' Clubexclusives for 2015, Nova Prime is aredecoof that same year's member incentive figure,Lio Convoy.Both were retooled fromThrilling 30Orion Paxand feature a new head. Nova still comes with the blaster and axe, which can store via a 5mm peg on either side of the vehicle mode. Although not depicted on the instructions, the Quantum Fusion cannon can also peg into the hole on the larger blade of the Energon Axe.

The foam insert in Nova Prime's box features an extra slot to store either the aforementioned incentive figure Lio Convoy, or theBotCon 2015customization class exclusiveGalva Convoy,both of whom are featured in the exteriorpackage art.

This figure officiallydoublesasShattered GlassNova Prime.This mold was also used to make Galva Convoy.

Legacy

• Nova Prime(Leader Class,2023)

• Accessories:Armor pieces, 2 missile launchers, laser cannon/truck cannon barrel, 2 front wheels/armguards
• Known designers:Evan Brooks(Hasbro),Takashi Kunihiro(TakaraTomy)^[1]

Part of theAmazon-exclusivePre-Cybertronian War Collectionimprint,Legacy: EvolutionNova Prime is aretoolandredecoofWar for Cybertron: SiegeGalaxy Upgrade Optimus Prime,itself an extensive retool ofSiegeUltra Magnus,based on Nova's appearance inTransformers: Devastation.He transforms into a heavily-armed, futuristic truck.

Compared to Optimus, Nova has new wings, new shoulders, a new headsculpt, and a new chest, all in "super" mode. He includes all of Optimus's accessories, redecoed into Nova's regular color scheme. Being a retool of theSiegeMagnus/Optimus mold, Nova is compatible with either of the two's armor sets, and Optimus and Magnus likewise are more or less compatible with Nova's armor pieces. The stock images (seen on the right) released after his reveal show a broken sample, where the figure's right ear tip is shown to be broken.

Like Galaxy Upgrade Optimus Prime, Nova Prime also features flip-out support struts on the leg armor to compensate for the back's weight. While they're hardly needed since the armor's bulk is heavy enough to support the weight, the pieces also prevent the leg armor from standing flat when folded in.

In vehicle mode, the trailer does not actually attach to the truck in a way that keeps its wheels lined up and consequently part of the trailer/armor section risks scraping if pushed across a surface.

Nova Prime was revealed atSan Diego Comic-CononJuly 20,2023, and went up for pre-order on Amazon the following day, withHasbro Pulsealso receiving a limited supply of the figure.

Siegemold:Ultra Magnus
Version 1: Hasbro/TakaraTomy:SiegeWFC-S13Ultra Magnus War for Cybertron TrilogyUltra Magnus (Spoiler Pack) Premium FinishPF WFC-03Ultra Magnus Version 2: Hasbro/TakaraTomy:SiegeWFC-S40Galaxy Upgrade Optimus Prime Hasbro:LegacyNova Prime Version 3: Hasbro/TakaraTomyKingdomUltra Magnus Anti-Gravity Pedestal Tenseg BaseOptimus Prime Set (cab only) Hasbro:Shattered Glass CollectionUltra Magnus

Notes

• Nova Prime's design began life as an Optimus Prime toy concept that artistDon Figueroahad drawn forHasbro,but ultimately went unused. In fact, part of the combined "Super Mode"concept art was first seen on theBotCon 2005-exclusive cover forInfiltration#0(and the full art was seen inSpotlight: Optimus Prime). Figueroa creditsSimon Furmanfor the creation of Nova Prime as a character and reused the unused Optimus Prime design for Nova as he was not aware a new character needed to be designed before receiving the script forSpotlight: Optimus Prime;^[2]given enough time, Figueroa would have made Nova's vehicle mode more Cybertronian.^[3]The head design, which had appeared prior as a vision inEscalation#6,is byE. J. Su.^[4]

Foreign names

• Japanese:Nova Prime(ノバ・プライムNoba Puraimu,ノヴァ・プライムNova Puraimu),Nemesis Prime(ネメシス・プライムNemeshisu Puraimu)
• Korean:Nova Prime(노바 프라임Noba Peulaim)
• Mandarin:Yào Tiān Wēi( diệu thiên uy, "Sky-deterrence Shine" ),Xīnghuáng(Earth Wars,Tinh hoàng "Star Emperor" )
• Russian:Nova Prime(Нова ПраймNova Praym)

References

	Lineage of thePrimesin the2005 IDW continuity
The Thirteen Nova Prime Nominus Prime Sentinel Prime Zeta Prime Optimus Prime

	The Thirteen
Primary roster Prima Vector Prime Alpha Trion Solus Prime Micronus Prime Alchemist Prime Nexus Prime Onyx Prime Amalgamous Prime Quintus Prime Liege Maximo Megatronus The Thirteenth Prime Alternate members Autonomous Maximus Logos Prime Solomus Epistemus Adaptus Mortilus Sentinel Prime Zeta Prime Nova Prime