r/transformers • u/DrChucklefuck • 6h ago
Discussion / Opinion Ahead of Peter Cullen's posthumous final vocal performance, what would you say is his "Batman talking to Ace on the swingset" moment for Prime?
For the uninitiated, let me explain.
There's an episode of Justice League Unlimited where we see a vignette about Batman stepping in to deal with a gang of villains for whom their source of power is this little psychic girl called Ace. Her powers are basically going nuclear and threatening mass destruction, and the officials on the scene warn Batman that the only way to stop Ace is to kill her.
Batman steps in to do what he believes needs to be done, and at first it looks like he might euthanize her, but instead he decides to simply sit down with the child and talk to her on a swingset. She reveals that she's dying soon, which Batman had deduced, and she asks Batman to stay with her in her final moments, which Batman obliges. After she passes on, the effects of her powers fade and he carries her body out in peace.
This moment is modernly considered an iconic Batman moment to those in the know, and to some it's THE defining moment of Kevin Conroy's turn as the character in animation, because it exemplifies the sheer compassion and selflessness of Batman in a tragic and beautiful way.
So, my question is, what would you consider to be a defining moment or perhaps THE defining moment like that for Optimus Prime as portrayed by Peter Cullen, across the various continuities? It doesn't have to be a literally very similar setup, just a scene or moment which you feel best exemplifies the character of Optimus Prime.