Optimus Prime's rise to power is framed by Jetfire narrating the legend to his and Elita's daughter, Altair Comet. Orphaned after a flood, young Orion Pax (later Optimus Prime) is rescued by another bot named D-16 (later Megatron), who reluctantly allows him to join his pride. As they grow, a rift develops between them due to Orion's natural leadership, Elita's eventual love for Orion, and D-16's jealousy, which culminates in his betrayal and alliance with a deadly foe named Sentinel Prime. Orion unites a group of outsiders, (Bumblebee, Elita-1, and Dion) to defeat Sentinel Prime and his followers, leading to Orion Pax becoming Optimus Prime and making the Autobots & D-16 renaming himself Megatron and making the Decepticons.