The Transformers: The Movie

Set in the far future of 2005, the animated feature pushed the cartoon’s war to its breaking point and introduced the planet-devouring Unicron, a world-sized machine that eats other worlds.

It is best remembered for a single shocking scene: the death of Optimus Prime, who falls in battle and passes the Matrix of Leadership to a new generation of Autobots.

Megatron’s assault leaves Optimus Prime mortally wounded, and the Matrix changes hands as Unicron reformats a dying Megatron into Galvatron. A new hero, Hot Rod, must rise to open the Matrix and light the Autobots’ darkest hour.

Orson Welles voiced Unicron in his final film role, with Leonard Nimoy as Galvatron, Judd Nelson as Hot Rod and Eric Idle among a starry cast. Stan Bush’s anthem "The Touch" and Vince DiCola’s synth score gave it a sound unlike any Saturday-morning cartoon.

The death of Prime stunned a generation of children and is still cited as a formative pop-culture trauma. Once a flop, the film is now a cherished cult classic and the emotional touchstone of the whole franchise.