Chapter 676: A Killing Spree

When the picture filled the large screen once more, a close-up displayed Optimus Prime's transformation with unparalleled clarity. Tens of thousands of parts rotated simultaneously. Twenty-four years after its creation, a highly intelligent mechanical lifeform finally made its debut in the most spectacular way possible.

Even Duke felt a thrill of excitement, to say nothing of ordinary moviegoers and Transformers fans.

This wasn't a Transformers film he could only watch from the sidelines, as he had in his past life. This was his dream project, brought to the screen under his own direction with an investment of $220 million.

In his past life, a famous saying about Transformers claimed that men watched it for the combat, while women watched it for the transformations...

The film would have no trouble attracting a male audience; drawing in female viewers had been the true focus of the production and marketing campaigns. As a result, Andrew Garfield became the focal point of the promotional tour. Under Nancy Josephson's guidance, he fully cooperated with the crew and showcased plenty of charm.

At this point, an IMAX panoramic shot captured all five Autobots transforming.

'My dream... This is Optimus Prime!'

Aside from the movie's audio, the theater was completely silent.

'Just this single shot makes it all worth it!' Wang Ziming thought.

In the VIP seating in the front row, Jiang Xiaojun and Baldy Ge exchanged glances. They could both see the worry in each other's eyes—a deep anxiety regarding the opening of the Chinese film market.

Faced with massive blockbusters like this, where would Chinese cinema go?

As the absolute protagonist, Optimus Prime made his official debut in just over twenty-two minutes. The human scenes had been sacrificed to achieve this, but the time saved was used to flesh out his greatest enemy, Megatron, preventing him from becoming a completely one-dimensional villain.

Through a combination of holograms and voiceover, Optimus Prime introduced Megatron to Sam, Mikaela, and the entire audience.

"Cybertron is a massive metallic planet. It is composed of many different metal ores. For millions of years, Cybertron was under the leadership of the Autobots..."

After a brief introduction to Cybertron, accompanied by footage of Megatron in fierce combat, Optimus Prime's narration shifted to his old rival and friend.

"The Autobot Supreme Council's rule over Cybertron gradually grew corrupt," he explained. "Megatron's appearance changed this. He rapidly rose to power on Cybertron as a gladiator star, and the arena became his platform for attracting like-minded comrades."

"Megatron did his utmost to incite dissatisfaction with the Autobot regime, arguing that the system severely hindered their innate nature to expand and conquer. He fiercely attacked the Supreme Council, claiming they were orchestrating a scam behind the scenes—forbidding the citizens of Cybertron from understanding their true essence."

"Even though Megatron never explained the details of this 'conspiracy,' his creed resonated with the long-standing discontent of a large portion of Cybertron's population, drawing an enthusiastic response. His highly mesmerizing speeches and incredible combat strength led thousands of Transformers to join his alliance. Many of us, myself included, were bewitched. I was once good friends with Megatron, believing that what he advocated was the true future of Cybertron—until he and the Decepticons he founded betrayed everyone."

"Seduced by an ancient evil force on Cybertron, Megatron went around preaching genetic superiority and totalitarian rule, arguing that the Decepticons rightfully deserved to rule Cybertron because they could fly and possessed greater combat strength. War broke out between the Autobots and the Decepticons. Megatron went completely to the extreme, and Autobot rule on Cybertron was overthrown. I realized that if his plan succeeded, not only would Cybertron be destroyed, but the safety of other galaxies might also be threatened. Thus, I took over the mantle of leadership from the previous Autobot leader..."

Next, Optimus Prime spoke about the AllSpark and how Megatron had come to Earth in search of it, only to be frozen in ice. The group then headed straight for the house Sam had inherited from his grandfather. Just as Optimus Prime and the others hid in the woods by the road to wait for Sam and Mikaela, trying not to disturb the nearby residents, another group of uninvited guests arrived.

These Sector Seven agents, included to add a touch of humor to the film, had been drawn in by the items Sam was auctioning off and the descent of Optimus Prime's group from the sky. Quickly identifying Sam and Mikaela as direct contacts, they grabbed the two of them, threw them into a vehicle, and prepared to take them to Sector Seven.

The subsequent plot unfolded just as it had in the original timeline. Optimus Prime intercepted the convoy, but because he refused to engage in combat with humans, Bumblebee and Sam were captured by Sector Seven once again. At the same time, the camera shifted to the other two plotlines: the Secretary of Defense's group and Captain Lennox's newly returned squad had also been brought to the Hoover Dam by Sector Seven.

The film's multiple plot threads converged here. The battle between the Autobots and the Decepticons was on the verge of breaking out.

Having obtained the glasses from Sam, Optimus Prime, along with Ironhide, Ratchet, and the others, tracked them down to the vicinity of the Hoover Dam. It was here that Optimus Prime spoke the line that best reflected his ideology: "Freedom is the right of all sentient beings!"

His conversation with Ironhide, Jazz, and Ratchet also established the personality of the Autobot leader. To uphold his belief that freedom is the right of all sentient beings, and to stop Megatron's destructive ambitions, Optimus Prime—the youngest leader in Autobot history—would never miss a single opportunity to secure victory. He would do it at any cost, even if it meant sacrificing the Autobots he cared about, or his own life.

Beneath Optimus Prime's sincere, frank, gentle, and righteous exterior, the unceasing flames of war had gradually forged a relatively cold and ruthless spark.

By this point in the film, almost all suspense had vanished. The only thing left for the audience was to wait for the ultimate showdown between the Decepticons and the Autobots.

In keeping with Hollywood tradition, there was an ulterior motive behind every famous American landmark. The Hoover Dam, constructed in the 1920s and 30s, existed solely to conceal the AllSpark and Megatron. Humanity had frozen the Decepticon leader inside the dam like a slab of meat.

This also served as indirect proof that the Transformers were not invincible. Faced with these massive giants, humanity was not entirely powerless to fight back.

At the critical moment, Frenzy jumped out of Mikaela's handbag. Using the energy of the AllSpark, he regenerated the body Sam had sawed apart and simultaneously transmitted a message to the Decepticons that he had located the AllSpark and Megatron.

Consequently, the acting Decepticon leader, Starscream, issued the order for a general offensive to all Decepticons who had arrived on Earth.

Brawl, Onslaught, Blackout, Thundercracker, Skywarp, and Starscream appeared one after another.

"All hail Megatron!"

It was a very simple line of dialogue, yet it highlighted Megatron's status and prestige among the Decepticons.

As for how the other Decepticons had made their way to Earth, a series of tie-in comic books and animated shorts would explain that after the film's release.

Starscream took the lead in attacking the dam's power grid, coordinating with Frenzy to sabotage Sector Seven's cryogenic systems. Megatron awakened from the ice. Faced with the threat of the special operations squad led by Captain Lennox, Sector Seven had no choice but to hand the AllSpark over to Bumblebee. To prevent the AllSpark from falling into Decepticon hands, Captain Lennox escorted Bumblebee, Sam, and Mikaela as they fled toward Las Vegas City, where it would be easier to find cover. Meanwhile, the Secretary of Defense's party used old-fashioned shortwave radios that the Decepticons couldn't jam to contact the Air Force, scrambling a squadron of F-22 Raptor fighters into the air.

Of course, they also had to deal with Frenzy, who was there to provide comic relief.

After regrouping with Optimus Prime and the other arriving Autobots, the convoy charged onto the highway.

The film once again entered Duke's strongest element. Onslaught, Thundercracker, and Skywarp were the first to arrive. Car chases, brawls, collisions, and explosions occurred in rapid succession. In just a few short minutes of footage, dozens of General Motors vehicles were destroyed. Perhaps in standard 2D, these tricks Duke had played countless times before wouldn't seem like much, but in IMAX 3D, the immense visual impact sent everyone's adrenaline soaring.

Up to this point, aside from his clashes with humans, Optimus Prime hadn't had much opportunity to show off his combat strength. As the film's absolute protagonist, the one charging at the very front during a moment like this was undoubtedly the bravest and most skilled leader among the Autobots.

After Onslaught transformed, Optimus Prime also shifted into his robot form. He drew his iconic heavy rifle from his back and shot down the low-flying Thundercracker and Skywarp with just two blasts. He then clashed with the lunging Onslaught, the two Transformers fighting their way from the highway bridge all the way down to the ground below.

Once beneath the bridge, Optimus Prime unleashed his formidable combat prowess. His left and right Flame Blades popped out from his hands, and he chopped off Onslaught's head as easily as dicing vegetables. Charging back up onto the highway, he caught up to Skywarp just as the Decepticon took flight again. Before his opponent could initiate a teleport, Optimus Prime punched straight through his chest and crushed his wicked spark.

Thundercracker knew he was no match for Optimus Prime. Megatron was the only one in the entire Decepticon ranks who could stand against him. After a short-distance teleport, Thundercracker transformed into a jet and fled toward outer space in a panic.

These major battles delayed Optimus Prime from catching up to the convoy. Upon entering the city, Sam and the others found themselves facing Brawl, Blackout, and Starscream. The latter, disguised as an F-22 fighter, blew off Bumblebee's legs.

In this moment of crisis, Megatron caught up as well. The balance of power heavily skewed to one side. Getting the AllSpark out of there was the only viable option, forcing Sam onto a path fraught with danger and explosions.

However, before he left, it was necessary to highlight the romance between the male and female leads.

"Sam, no matter how this ends, I'm really glad I got into your car."

Against a backdrop of flames and explosions, the male and female leads embraced.

The battle had reached a white-hot intensity. Megatron's mere reputation forced the Autobots into a strategic retreat. Unfortunately, Jazz was easily brought down by Megatron and ultimately torn in half.

Under the cover of Ironhide and Ratchet, Sam sprinted toward the building where he was supposed to rendezvous with a Black Hawk helicopter. Along the way, he was intercepted by Starscream. When Sam fell, the energy leaking from the AllSpark activated a car and a telephone booth. These new Transformers, created by the AllSpark, also revealed a wicked nature, going on a killing spree the moment they appeared.