Did Optimus Prime Let Thousands Die In Order To Make A Point?

In this video we will be talking about, if Optimus Prime let thousands of people die in order to make a point in Transformers Dark of The Moon. This video dives into the relationship between the Autobots and the United States government to determine which side was responsible for the fall of Chicago.

[treyrex]

Wow, I never paid attention to the fact that Optimus Prime had a redemption arc in DOTM but that makes total sense now. Can't believe I've watched this film so many times over the years and never noticed that but that just increases my love for this version of Optimus even more. He's flawed of course but still likeable and cares about humanity.

[wingedbluj]

I like to believe Optimus made this decision with a very heavy heart, knowing people would die. He knew trying to fight back against the Decepticons head on could lead to countless cities being laid to ruin, and took the course of action that led to the fewest casualties.

[barricadethedecepticon]

I have an answer to those who wonder why Optimus was so brutal with Shockwave?, Shockwave murdered Elita One & other autobots including Jolt offscreen

[lachlanmcdougall]

Optimus hates to harm humans, but he knew that complying was the only way to have any sort of advantage against the deceptions

[Arkhamman]

“Before your president decides, please ask him this, what if we leave.. and your wrong?”
-Optimus prime 2009

[thedragonslayer]

When a talking space truck has better judgement than your own government.

[thepie]

Despite the meme of "Warcrime Prime", I still like him, he's still shown as a capable leader, it's just these versions of the decepticons are depicted as unhinged barbarians that are willing to use whatever to their advantage unlike their G1 counterparts so prime had to toughen up to show them that the autobots are willing to fight them head on.

[Jman]

That's the thing, I never saw Bay's Optimus as a bloodthirsty war criminal, because the Decepticons in these movies are not G1 Cartoony bad guy Decepticons who say "Oh curses, my plan was foiled!" and surrender or run away. They are bloodthirsty monsters that will kill anything and everything in their way with their sharp claws if a weapon isn't available. It annoys me that people say Optimus is so ruthless, when the Decepticons in each movie have killed hundreds of humans and cause so much destruction without a care in the world, and after fighting this war for millions of years and losing Cybertron, you'd be pushed to your breaking point too.

If anyone thinks Optimus let humans die to make a point, they're ignoring the fact that the Government chose to negotiate with terrorists and exiled their only means of defense. The fall of Chicago wasn't on Optimus or the Autobots, it was on humanity, because as far as they knew, the Autobots were shot down and killed.

[ap]

I thought that the humans wanted the Autobots to leave, so.... I am not really sure why this had anything to do with Optimus, he has always believed in the freedom of others to be able to make decisions on their own, so that is what he did, and if he would have refused to leave, then the argument would be that he is a hypocrite for not allowing humans the right to choose, so Optimus is placed in this situation where he is damned if he does and damned if he doesn't.

[redbelladonna]

The “I told you so” speech is honestly accurate, however I DO think that he was aware that something devastating would happen since all the Cybertronians knew what the pillars were capable of. If that is the case and he was fully aware, then it would make sense that he chose to go with his orders from the military, rather than fight back and do something in secret. He likely left, not out of a true sense of obligation, but rather a need to let humanity see that even without the Autobots, the Decepticons would still slaughter. Plus I’m fairly certain if the military knew the Cons had planned on using humans as slaves, they would have 100% been against the exile of the Autobots.

[thrusttheconehead]

Imagine Optimus saying “whoops” after seeing thousands die just because he revived Sentinel.

[dynobros]

To think the government had the audacity to blame the autobots in the 4th and 5th movie by hunting them, when they were ones who drove them away bc of Sentinel’s warning, the moral of the story is “you’re mad at those who helped you until you need them🤷‍♂️

[luizfelipevbf]

I never had much doubt on this because, in the brazillian dub which was the one I grew up with, Optimus says it as "Your government will never understand that the decepticons will never leave your planet".

Doesn't paint the government as particularly competent but makes clear Optimus wsn't trying to give any sort of lesson.

[onetrackmind]

Good point, personally I never believed he did intentionally. But here's a good question, what about Age of Extinction Optimus, obviously he was gonna leave because of his kind being killed.

[bilal_Hadjlaoui]

The fact that bayverse prime is become one of the most popular memes in the internet and the fandom in nowdays, make it even funnier

[Blotzwave]

How I always saw this: Optimus and the Autobots crashed down into the ocean in a rocket booster. By the time they got from the booster in ocean, back on shore, and then all the way to Chicago as incognito as possible without being noticed, the Decepticons had already killed the thousands of people.
And this pretty much hit right on that with more insight, fantastic video as always!
Along with all that, Shockwave. Shockwave found them within minutes of the Autobots rolling into Chicago, almost as if he knew they where coming. Shockwave stayed out of sight, as logically, Megatron and Sentinel where handling the scheme. He wanted to take any threats by surprise. Optimus knew that if they announced they where alive, Shockwave, and whatever other 'Cons, would be on them immediately. And who knows how the Decepticons would retaliate in anger against humanity.

[greenweeaboo]

I agree with Prime`s agreement in letting the humans having the freedom of choice and as well as his correction to fix a mistake that he didn`t expect to happen

[bilal_Hadjlaoui]

Hot take:bayverse optimus is my favourite version of the character after the unicron triolgy and animated and g1 optimus's, he's really badass and always gives me a chills, and also has a great and unique design&color scheme, especially the blue flames, i think optimus should always have flames on his paintjob like bayverse prime and g2 lasee primd

[jewishcoolmaker]

It takes 15 hours to get from the shuttle launch pad to Chicago. That is a line that is said by Epps before he and sam leave for the city. No one knew the autobots had survived, meaning they had to drive 15 hours to get to Chicago. During that time frame, the decepticons attacked chicago, there is literally no way the autobots could've have saved Chicago in that time.

[zecke]

Optimus is the strongest character and personality. Even though the humans abandoned him and his team, he still came back to save them. He could have just left.