Peter Cullen's Final Role Is Every Bit As Epic As Optimus Prime
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Peter Cullen is best known for his iconic performances as Transformers' main protagonist, Optimus Prime. The actor voiced this Autobot across multiple projects, including movies, TV shows, and video games, with his work dating all the way back to the 1980s, cementing him as a key figure in the franchise.
On 26 August, Cullen sadly passed away at 85 years old, but his Transformers legacy will undoubtedly last forever. As a result, his portrayal as Thaedus in Invincible will go down as his final ever role, and while it's sad we won't get to hear Cullen's voice in any future projects, he made sure his last outing was truly epic.
For many people, season 4 ranks as the best season of Invincible so far, which fittingly is the installment Cullen's Thaedus was most involved in. He first appeared as the Coalition of Planets' leader back in season 2, appearing sporadically ever since. However, with season 4 focusing on the Viltrumite War, he became a key figure.
Cullen masterfully voiced the calm, stoic leader, showing his diplomatic side, as well as his more wrathful demeanor when the fighting began. To the surprise of many, Thaedus wound up being one of the strongest members of Invincible's Coalition of Planets, and we finally got to see his full potential when he battled against the Viltrumites.
While it wasn't nearly as long-serving a role for Cullen as Optimus Prime was, Invincible's Thaedus still allowed him to utilize his tremendous voice-acting skills while playing another extremely likable character, and it proved to be the perfect final chapter in Cullen's illustrious career.
Thaedus Was A Fitting Final Role For Peter Cullen
Not only was Thaedus a strong and captivating character, but his overall arc feels like a fitting send-off for Peter Cullen. Despite having such a commanding and authoritative voice, Cullen's Optimus Prime was always a hero who fought for good, and Thaedus resembles something similar, despite being more complex.
The Viltrumite became the first Viltrumite to challenge the Empire's way of thinking, choosing to kill Emperor Argall in the hopes of ending the bloodshed Viltrum was causing on so many planets. When that didn't work, he unleashed the Scourge virus, killing billions as he felt it was the only way of achieving peace across the galaxy.
He didn't just hide away and let everyone else deal with the consequences afterward, as founding the Coalition of Planets and eventually fighting against Thragg's army shows that, despite not having a completely clean conscience, he was willing to risk his life to end this war once and for all.
Peter Cullen appeared in 7 episodes of Invincible as Thaedus.
His final message encouraging Allen to release the virus that would wipe out all remaining Viltrumites does make him a bit more morally questionable, but we at least understand his intentions. In some ways, Thaedus perfectly captures the traits that made Cullen's Optimus Prime so iconic, yet in other ways, he feels far more dangerous.
It's yet another powerful character with plenty of influence fighting against a seemingly unstoppable evil, but in an entirely different kind of universe. Thaedus may not quite have as many memorable quotes as Peter Cullen's Optimus Prime did in Transformers, but he was a great speaker and an honorable leader, making it a poetic final role for the beloved actor.
Why Peter Cullen Will Always Be Associated With Optimus Prime
There are countless reasons as to why Peter Cullen will always be associated with Optimus Prime, the main one being how long he has played the character. What could have easily been a one-off gig when he voiced the character back in the original Transformers cartoon turned into decades of voicing this symbol of hope.
While other actors have played Optimus Prime, no one has done so for as long or as often as Cullen, making him the definitive voice for the Autobot. His cadence and ability to switch from calm leader to motivational warrior are uncanny, and he simply mastered all the qualities we've come to expect from Transformers' most notable character.
The fact that he continued showing up for new projects even after so many years only further cements why Cullen will forever be connected with Optimus Prime, as he clearly loved the character and the franchise. It's hard to picture any other voice when thinking about the Autobot leader, which is a testament to Cullen's longevity and consistency.
Without him, the IP may still have been successful, but Cullen ensured fans became attached to Optimus Prime, giving Transformers the chance of a bright future thanks to the legacy he left behind. For as great as he was in Invincible and Winnie-the-Pooh, it's this larger-than-life hero that he'll always be remembered for playing, and rightfully so.
No matter where Transformers goes next or who steps up to take on the mantle, Peter Cullen shaped Optimus Prime and feels largely responsible for how the character is portrayed today, ensuring that the two will always be intertwined.
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Based on the comic book character by Robert Kirkman, Invincible follows Mark Grayson, a seventeen-year-old who leads a seemingly average life save for the fact that he lives behind the shadow of his superhero father, Omni-Man. Mark goes on to develop superhuman abilities, but he must also learn that his father's legacy isn't as glitzy and glamorous as he's been led to believe.
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Peter Cullen
- Birthdate
- July 28, 1941
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