I'd like to forget. It is really embarrassing that anyone at IDW thought that Deviations issue needed to happen.
Yeah, there were a million other ways to do that concept of "What if Optimus survived TFTM?" without needlessly bashing Hot Rod at the same time.
It would have been far more creative for Deviations (or, hey, even for TFTM itself!) to have simply had Optimus retire from Autobot leadership once Hot Rod was revealed to be the true chosen bearer of the Matrix, and become Rodimus's second-in-command and chief advisor.
The Diaclone toy that would become Ultra Magnus could have even instead been sold as an upgraded armored version of Optimus, representing the form he took on after stepping down to become Rodimus's sub-commander (maybe named "Optimus Magnus" since Rodimus would be the new Prime). While this would have removed the new character of Ultra Magnus from the equation, the new toy would have still been sold (preferably in its original, more-Optimus-like Diaclone colors) in stores at the time. It also would have paralleled Megatron getting a new upgraded toy of his own as Galvatron (and kinda Hot Rod upgrading to Rodimus).
Like, start the movie as normal, up until the attack on Autobot City, where instead of Ultra Magnus it is now either Springer or Blaster who is in charge and gives the other Autobots the orders that Magnus gives in the movie proper. Then, when Optimus arrives, after saying his "No matter the cost," line, he would turn to the others exiting the shuttle and ask if his new armor is ready to go. They would give it to him as a new trailer, and he would say, "Then let's transform..." (transforming to truck mode, his new trailer would attach to him) "... and roll out!" Cue the Stan Bush song.
Optimus drives through the city, guns blazing from the missile pods on his new trailer, blasting Decepticons left and right as he transforms, leaps into the air, and continues to blast his way to Megatron. The two leaders then have their iconic fight, but with Optimus revealing to Megatron his brand-new battle armor, showing Megatron that he means business this time. When Hot Rod interferes, however, he does not grapple with Megatron, but instead trips and winds up landing between the two, inadvertently taking Megatron's gunshot meant for Optimus. Megatron laughs maniacally at this unexpected direct hit of his. Enraged at Megatron shooting Hot Rod in the chest, Optimus pummels Megatron like he did in the movie, sending the Decepticons into retreat. However, Optimus still took some heavy damage, and he collapses as he tries to reach for the fallen Hot Rod.
Instead of a death scene for Optimus, we get a scene of both him and Hot Rod on repair beds, both being worked on by Perceptor. Optimus tells Hot Rod that what he did was very brave, with Optimus owing Hot Rod his life (so instead "Hot Rod killed Optimus!", it would be "Hot Rod
saved Optimus"), but also very foolish. Hot Rod would say something like "I guess I have my own way of doing things." As Optimus moves a little closer to Hot Rod, a light would begin to glow through a blast hole in Optimus's chest, to which Hot Rod inquires about. Optimus opens his chest and shows him the Matrix, telling him about the prophecy of one destined to use it to light their darkest hour. Optimus momentarily stirs from the pain of his injuries, and accidentally drops the Matrix. Hot Rod reaches for it and catches it, having his glowing moment that foreshadows what is to come later, and gives it back to Optimus, who places it back inside his chest.
When the Decepticons later attacked Autobot City again, Optimus and Hot Rod are back to working order, and Optimus basically takes the role of Ultra Magnus from here on out, with Hot Rod, Kup, and the Dinobots going in one shuttle while Optimus goes with the other Autobots in the other. Later, when Springer goes "Kup and Hot Rod just bought it!", Magnus's original line of "I can't deal with that now!" would be for Optimus just a mournful "NO!" By the time of the battle on Junkion where Magnus tried and failed to open the Matrix, it would be Optimus in his new armor who tries and fails to open it. As Galvatron corners Optimus, he would hearken back their previous battle by saying, "That armor won't save you this time, Prime." And just before getting blasted to pieces like Magnus did, Optimus would speak some final words to Galvatron, something like "You may finish me here today, Galvatron, but there is only one who can use the Matrix!" hinting that he knows (or at least suspects) "something".
With Optimus getting destroyed at this point, we still get an Optimus death, but halfway through the movie instead of toward the beginning. And since it's Optimus rather than new-character Ultra Magnus, the sense of hopelessness is kicked up further when Springer and the others find his remains. But, also just like Magnus, the Junkions would rebuild him, giving his body a new coat of blue and black paint; this would be how he gets the color scheme of the Diaclone Powered Convoy cab. The rest of the movie then plays out with Optimus in the role of Ultra Magnus.
During Hot Rod's confrontation with Galvatron, instead of the "First Prime, then Ultra Magnus, and now you!" line, Galvatron would belittle Hot Rod, saying something like, "Optimus couldn't keep the Matrix from me, what makes
you think you can?!" to which Hot rod would retort, "I do things my own way!" calling back to what he said to Optimus back in the repair bed scene. And after Hot Rod reveals himself to the others as Rodimus Prime, right after Kup says "I knew you had potential, lad," Optimus would say something like "So did I, Kup. So did I."
Also, when Rodimus announces "Autobots, transform and roll out!", that line would now be a callback to when Optimus said it at the beginning of the movie. Has anyone ever noticed that Optimus never says that most famous line of his at all in the entire movie? Only Rodimus ever says. Here, with Optimus saying it first at the beginning and Rodimus now echoing it at the end, it becomes more parallel.
The movie would end the same, with Rodimus giving his speech, and Optimus now standing beside and slightly behind him, showing his full endorsement of the new Autobot leader. As for Robert Stack, either he would simply be absent from the film, or he could play Springer, with Neil Ross still voicing him in Season 3 and 4 (Springer and Magnus's voices always sounded similar to me in the movie). And all the while, Peter Cullen gets to keep his paycheck into Season 3.
