Is Rodimus an Outlier?

(Published Nov 19, 2020)

If you've read the IDW G1 Transformers (2005) series you are aware about outliers (Cybertronians with mutated sparks giving them special powers, AKA, X-Men) and Point One Percenters (Cybertronians who are born augmented, AKA, Superman). And while the comics confirm several outliers and Point One Percenters, such as Skywarp and Soundwave being outliers, and Optimus and Megatron being Point One Percenters, there are still several characters we don't know their spark's nature, and the writers have not clarified. One of these characters is Rodimus Prime, formerly Hot Rod, of Nyon. There are several things about him, and his abilities, that are not normal for Cybertronians, but it has never been clarified!

Two things stand out about Rodimus that are not normal: He has the ability to become engulfed in flames so hot and powerful it instantly kills anyone around him, and he has extreme heat resistance.

Several instances of him becoming a living fireball exist in the IDW comics, the first time being when he is captured by Scorponok's Sunstreaker Headmasters in issue "Maximum Dinobots #3." As he's being carried away, after mocking Scorponok, he suddenly erupts into a fiery ball of death immediately turning the Sunstreaker Headmasters into melted metal.

This exhausts him and he collapses for a time.

The only other Cybertronian who is able to do this is the Seeker Sunstorm, and while he is never seen in the IDW comics using this power (as the power was first shown in the Dreamwave comics), it's likely Sunstorm had this ability in the IDW verse for the sake of continuity with other universes. And if he had it he would definitely been an outlier, like the other two Seeker outliers, Thundercracker and Skywarp.

We will see Rodimus use this power again in the "More Than Meets the Eye" issue #54. What's interesting is after he uses his ability here he comments "I haven't flamed out in a long time." Immediately, he is exhausted and falls to his knees attributing it to the "powers wearing off" that were given to the group when Skid's spark charged them.

Two times he has become a living bonfire, both times depleted him of power. Which, could mean he's an outlier given how we've seen outlier's tire after using their powers, often because they still need more training in how to use it. Such as Shockwave's Outlier school (Professor Xavier?) where he talks about Damus needing more time to learn his ability to improve, and right now he can't do as much with it.

If Rodimus was never properly identified as an outlier when he was a "child" it's likely he never was able to learn how to control or otherwise make proper use of his ability without exhausting himself. Maybe he was scared to use it due to hurting people in the past accidentally so refrained from practice and only now uses it since he's in war. Regardless, it seems he doesn't know how to make the best use of his ability.

But with being able to produce a mini explosion he also is very heat resistant. In "Spotlight: Hot Rod" he re-enters the atmosphere, which is about 3,000 degrees Fahrenheit. For perspective, fire is about 1,100 degrees Fahrenheit. He re-enters the atmosphere without any burning, damage, nothing.

We have seen other Cybertronians enter the atmosphere, but these are mostly fliers who have the ability to slow themselves down, or are designed for space travel, such as Sky Lynx, Cosmos, and Astrotrain. When other Cybertronians, grounders, have been seen entering the atmosphere they don't do so well. The first issue of "More Than Meets the Eye" has several Cybertronians fall out of the Lost Light and none of them landed just fine as Rodimus did. They were all damaged, burned, and some dead, and were in the infirmary for some time afterwards.

We see Rodimus survive explosions, fire, and other very hot situations that would leave most Cybertronians dead or in serious agony, but he just walks away. He's not even hurt when he runs into a fire to carry out Getaway's sorry ass.

And some of this was happening before he ever touched The Matrix so that had nothing to do with his fire abilities.

While Point One Percenters have been known to have outlier powers (Tarn for example), I don't believe Rodimus would be one. He is forged, which only Point One Percenters can be, but given how reckless he is he undoubtedly has been in surgery a lot, and therefore doctors would have seen his spark and confirm he was one. A bright green glow is pretty obvious! He's never mentioned his spark, even when he and his team found a Point One Percenter in "More Than Meets the Eye" issue #17. Brainstorm, who goes on about the spark being the next Optimus or Ultra Magnus, never says anything about it being the next Rodimus, nor does anyone poke fun at or comment it to Rodimus. If he was a Point One Percenter surely someone might have said something.

And Rodimus is not someone to keep secrets all too well, when it makes him look better or otherwise more "cool," so if he was a Point One Percenter most likely he would brag. Get those femmes and sexy mechs all over him!

He also doesn't show any other common attributes One Point Percenters have, such as being larger Cybertronians, immensely strong, and able to take a beating. Rodimus seems to be equal with others with how much pain he can handle.

So, he can't be a One Percenter. This means he must be an outlier. And he either was never formerly diagnosed as such, or he keeps quiet about it, or possibly ashamed. Again, if he accidentally had hurt someone with his abilities it stands to reason he wouldn't brag or show off this ability, nor use it unless absolutely necessary. And going long periods between using it would also show he avoids using it unless positively crucial to his survival.

Also, if he was a Point One Percenter I'm sure Drift might say something as it's possible One Percenters are viewed as "blessed" or something else in some of their religions. Therefore Drift would be likely to make comments on Rodimus being one and therefore "blessed" or "chosen" or whatever.

And with Point One Percenters being so rare it's also more likely he's an outlier since they seem a bit more common. Maybe he has so much depression, anxiety, and self hate because of his mutated spark, ostracizing him from those he grew up with, possibly making him seem like a "monster" to the superstitious or if he had hurt someone those who now fear for their safety.

Whatever the reason, I think it's safe to label him as an outlier, even if we haven't received confirmation from any of the writers.