"The Transformers toy line surged to fame in the mid-1980s when Hasbro licensed Japan's Takara robots from the Diaclone and Micro Change lines and rebranded them as shape-shifting heroes and villains. Working with Marvel Comics, Hasbro introduced iconic names like Optimus Prime, the slogan "More Than Meets the Eye," and a dramatic Autobot-Decepticon war. A hit 1984 cartoon and comic series boosted demand, helping Hasbro earn an estimated $70-80 million in holiday sales that year and launching one of the decade's biggest toy franchises."
"The film was produced largely to launch a new wave of toys. Screenwriter Ron Friedman, who recently passed away, penned the first two drafts. He recalled: Hasbro insisted that Optimus Prime himself be killed. Friedman protested but ultimately agreed, but wanted one condition: "If I do, he'll come back to life. You have to bring him back to life," he recalled. The Hasbro officials responded, "Never. Not going to happen.""
Transformers: The Movie (1986) stages Optimus Prime's death and uses motifs from Arthurian legend to frame themes of loss, legacy, and rebirth. The film functioned as a vehicle to relaunch the toy line, prompting Hasbro to retire many original figures and insist that Optimus Prime be killed on screen. Screenwriter Ron Friedman reluctantly acceded to the death while seeking a resurrection; Hasbro refused. The death scene was staged as the passing of a king, with direction aimed at conveying human emotion and creating strong audience attachment to the character.
Read at Medievalists.net
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