Optimus Primal

Optimus Primal is the kind-hearted leader of the Maximals and the main protagonist in Beast Wars: 'Transformers and Beast Machines. He is voiced by Garry Chalk, who would later voice Optimus Prime in Transformers Armada and would later portray Vice Principal Grimes in Scooby-Doo: The Mystery Begins.

He took the form of a silverback gorilla and after absorbing his namesake's spark took on an Optimal Optimus form.

He shares his namesake's love of honor, life, peace and freedom. His loyalty to his friends is matched only by the respect he gives his enemies, and he is dedicated to working for the betterment of others, so much so that he might even become depressed if he cannot accomplish it. Optimus Primal's most repeated quote is "Well, that's just prime", or simply "Prime", in which the word "Prime" may have been a replacement for the word "Great".

Although some aspects of Primal's story are not in continuity with the larger bulk of the fiction, they are all related in a very strict, clear chronological order relative to each other.