Till All Are One

These past few days, we lost a bunch of celebrities, and I tried to put a little tribute to them on Facebook, but I didn't really have anything to say about Hayden Panettiere (I mourned her loss, but never met or worked with her or . . . a third thing) or Dolly Parton (although, wow, it was nice to hear such fantastic tributes to her, half for her talent and half for, well, being nice).

I just posted about Tim Curry (who I also never met or saw in person), but I figured I'd say a few words about Peter Cullen, who I did see at a voiceover panel at San Diego Comic Con one time.  But even if I hadn't, well . . .

This was a "life-sized" Optimus they had at SDCC in 2010.  I realize now that it just looks like a cardboard backdrop or Photoshop, but no, it was real and you could "stand" in his hand.

I was a much bigger fan of the Decepticons than the Autobots as a kid, particularly the ones voiced by Frank Welker, but dang, when they killed Optimus Prime, leader of the Autobots, in 1986, that was something.

What I found strange (though not so much anymore) is that, in the intervening years, the loss of Optimus Prime became more and more significant to me, especially when discussing it with others of my generation.  I went to a signing for the 1986 movie, and while waiting in line, I saw grown men shed tears when Prime says, "Do not grieve.  Soon, I shall be one with the Matrix."  

And Cullen's performance was a really significant part of that.  His work was always excellent, but Optimus had a gravitas to him, a decency and caring that made him the kind of leader everybody wishes they had in their lives, to give them a reason to fight for the right side, and who will always be there when they need him.

The fuggers will say, "Oh, that show was just a half hour toy commercial," and even though they're pretty much right, the show was more than that (and they're still fuggers).  Marvel and Sunbow pumped real character and talent and charm and heart and sweat into that cartoon, to the point where my friends and I knew not just characters' names and what they turned into, but their personalities as well.

You can never predict what will have an effect on someone, especially in childhood.  But, having said that, when Dolly Parton died this week, her loss was felt by people who hadn't even been born the last time she had a hit song--who were literally too young to have EVER heard a Parton song on the radio.  And yeah, as an adult, it's always been emotional to see the Autobot leader die . . . but I imagine it'll hit even harder the next time I see that.

Cullen lived to be eighty-six, and has voiced Optimus Prime for forty-two years or so, and was also known as the voice of Eeyore (Winnie the Pooh), Monterey Jack (Rescue Rangers), Venger (Dungeons & Dragons), Mario (Saturday Supercade), and I just discovered, did the vocalizations for the title character in 1987's PREDATOR.  Not too shabby.

Till all are one, Mr. Cullen.  Until that day.