Ultra Magnus

Ultra Magnus's History

Having been mentored by Alpha Trion alongside Optimus Prime and Megatron to bring change and goodness to Cybertron, Ultra Magnus was entrusted with the Alpha Trion Protocols after his mentor's murder. Fought alongside Megatron at the battle of Tarn-Hauser Gate, where the two worked together rather effectively to achieve victory. After civil war broke out, Ultra Magnus became the chief military commander of the Autobots under Optimus Prime. After years of conflict, Megatron's Decepticons seized control over most of Cybertron and the planet was reduced to an energy-starved husk. Megatron offered a treaty to the Autobots if they would surrender, but Optimus Prime refused to entertain the notion. Frustrated over Optimus Prime's continued resistance to what he considered inevitable, Ultra Magnus donned a cloak and appeared before Megatron and his Decepticons to negotiate a peaceful resolution to the conflict. Ultra Magnus and Megatron sat and talked of their shared history, but Megatron was unswayed by Magnus' pleas for peace and demanded that he order his troops to stand down. When Magnus made it clear he would not do so, Megatron had him taken away and imprisoned in a cell. News of Ultra Magnus' surrender reached the Autobots and caused some dissension in the ranks, but Optimus Prime trusted that Magnus' intentions were honorable and he would not betray them. In his cell, Ultra Magnus overheard potential plans to locate the Allspark and Shockwave's suggestion to Megatron that it could be used to forcibly reprogram the Autobots into submission. Knowing he couldn't allow this to occur, Magnus sent a secret transmission to Optimus Prime, warning the Autobots of the danger. Soundwave intercepted the transmission and an infuriated Megatron decided to use Magnus to set a trap for the Autobots with a second, phony transmission. When the trap failed, Megatron visited Ultra Magnus in his cell and demanded the location of Autobot headquarters. Magnus refused, and Megatron then decided to go forward with his plans for the Allspark .Ultra Magnus continued to resist interrogation attempts and Shockwave requested of Megatron the use of more severe methods to glean information from their prisoner. Somewhat reluctantly, Megatron authorized Shockwave to do so, and Magnus was strung-up and tortured mercilessly by the Decepticon scientist. Megatron and Jetfire observed a torture session, both with some discomfort, but Magnus refused to break. After Magnus was taken down and about to be brought back to his cell, he suddenly sprung into action, taking down his guards and stealing a gun. He charged after the departing Megatron and Jetfire and leveled the weapon at Megatron, demanding that the Decepticon leader turn and face him. However, Megatron was confident that Magnus would not shoot him in the back and dared the Autobot to do so. Magnus was indeed unable to pull the trigger, giving Jetfire the opportunity to disarm and take him down. Bound and tortured again, this time severely enough to cause grievous physical damage to his body, an agonized Magnus finally relented and told Megatron he'd give up the location of the Autobots' base.

A shackled Ultra Magnus led Megatron and the Decepticons to a graveyard at Tarn-Hauser Gate, indicating that the Autobots were headquartered under Alpha Trion's memorial. However, after Magnus accessed the door to the memorial, the Decepticons found nothing but an empty room. Ultra Magnus faced Megatron with a smile and told him once again he would never betray the Autobots. Enraged, Megatron pointed his fusion cannon at Magnus' chest and fired, executing his former comrade on the spot. Magnus' body crumpled to the ground and upon his death, released the Alpha Trion protocols as a cloud of energized data that cascaded off into the sky, eventually finding a new host in Bumblebee. At Autobot headquarters, Optimus Prime sensed the passing of the protocols and became grief-stricken, realizing Ultra Magnus had died. He departed to inform the Guardians of Magnus' passing. Ultra Magnus' execution would be the final straw for Jetfire, and he decided to defect to the Autobots.