Ultra Magnus
Oct 27, 2014 15:41:07 GMT -5
Post by Deleted on Oct 27, 2014 15:41:07 GMT -5
Player Info
Name/Alias: Dante.
IM/Email: annaxxmunich@gmail.com; skype username, traeumenvomfliegen; PM works as well.
Age: Eighteen.
Where did you find us?: Google search.
Character Info
Name: Ultra Magnus.
Age (or human equivalent): Mid forties.
Gender (or human equivalent): Mech/male terms.
Species: Cybertronian.
Faction: Autobot.
Original Occupation: He has had various careers throughout his lifetime, but most predominantly he was an officer in the Elite Guard and commander of the Wreckers.
Occupation/Specialization: Second in Command; Military strategist, combatant and bona fide policy advisor.
Appearance/Altmode: Ultra Magnus is built to last, with a chassis clearly designed to convey strength. He is somewhat top-heavy, having quite a bit of bulk across the chest and shoulders, but large pedes assist in balancing and supporting his frame. Broad shapes and hard edges, communicating a message of strength rather than aerodynamics, dominate his styling.
Ultra Magnus’s altmode is a 2006 Kenworth T800.
History
Ultra Magnus was actively involved in the war for Cybertron, however he had his beginnings as a law enforcement officer in Iacon. Starting from the ground up, Ultra quickly found his niche within law enforcement; he became well known as one of the most regimented individuals to be involved within the force. Time wherein he was not spent working was spent studying and reviewing Cybertronian law and policy, building the foundations for a key element of his emerging personality. Advancing through his career, he eventually found service as a bodyguard as part of the Elite Guard, who presided in security matters over members of the High Council. The Elite Guard further reinforced the foundational tenants of Ultra’s personality, primarily those of order and strict adherence to regulation. Training was difficult and rigid, as protecting the High Councillors was no simple task. Much of his leadership ethic was formed throughout his time in the Guard, through the training he’d received with them.
While not on council himself, he became involved in matters of the Council from an associated standpoint; he often observed Council meetings on security detail, and occasionally got wrapped up in the murmurs of what was going on within Iacon and Cybertron as a whole. The backlash of the freshly implemented Caste system was something Ultra witnessed from a bystander’s viewpoint. He recognized the lack of attention to civilian voices that the Council was paying, and began to give closer attention to what was going on within Council meetings. It was at one of these meetings that he first saw both Orion Pax and Megatronus; Ultra was present at the meeting wherein they both brought the civilians’ issues before council, and Orion Pax was set to be the next Prime.
At first intrigued by Orion Pax’s character, Ultra had the immediate impression that this was an individual he should be involved with. However, Ultra’s ethics at first prevented him from reaching out to Orion; as he had not been directly involved in the meeting he had overheard, he did not want to be rude and delve into matters he had no hand in. Orion and Ultra would meet through the assignment of Orion as military commander for the Autobots. As the temperature of Iacon grew violently unstable, Ultra was shifted from security duty to working under Orion Pax within the military.
From there, Ultra and Orion began what would be their long-lasting friendship; Ultra assisted the soon-to-be-Prime with the matters of military strategy and the mechanics of combat, and Orion assisted Ultra with the elements of leadership that he found difficult (namely the charismatic elements, that Ultra still ultimately struggles with). Ultra contributed as much as he could to Orion’s impromptu ‘education’, often assisting him with strategies and running the military in an efficient manner. The two were able to form a deep trust for one another, supplemented by their shared experiences and similar views.
As the war erupted, Ultra quickly voiced his support for Orion- now Optimus Prime- and fought alongside him within the war. Optimus and Ultra fought beside each other, but also continued learning from one another; as Orion became Prime, he was able to expound upon the charismatic teachings that he attempted to leave Ultra, and Ultra learned how to apply his strategic prowess on a much larger scale. While Ultra had many of the mechanical skills and intelligence needed for becoming a strong leader, much of the advice and assistance given to him from Optimus was the means by which to execute such commands and manoeuvres; Optimus gave him the tools he needed to improve his communication skills enough to be effective in a leadership position. Ultra quickly proved himself to be a capable leader and warrior under Optimus Prime, becoming one of his key lieutenants during the war.
While many would criticize Ultra for his cold demeanour and overbearing nature, he was a great asset to the Autobot cause. He advanced from the position of lieutenant to the position of Optimus Prime’s second-in-command, something that Ultra held as a tremendous honour. Ultra contributed his strategy, and while he attempted to mix his own leadership styles with those of Optimus’s, they never truly blended in his mind. Efforts to be more like Optimus came off as awkward and false. Ultra eventually reverted to the tactics he’d learned within the Elite Guard, using those as his predominant method of leadership. He excelled when acting purely as himself, although it granted him more respect than it did gain him friends.
The fearlessness in combat, willingness to learn and adherence to rules impressed Optimus Prime, so much so that Ultra was assigned to the role of commanding the Wreckers. The Wreckers were known to be tough, hardy, capable… and entirely undisciplined. While the Wreckers supplied much of the muscle (and often went ‘where no mech would go’ in terms of the types of assignments they dealt with), the lack of discipline and reckless attitude of those within the task force was of issue to the greater Autobot cause. While Ultra succeeded in bringing protocol and strategy to the group, he also stripped the group of what it was most known for- its heart. The group lost much of its ‘go in guns blazing’ attitude to the likes of Ultra Magnus’s strict control and command, which several of the group disagreed with, most notably being an Autobot named Wheeljack. Shortly after Ultra’s assignment as commander, Wheeljack promptly left the group, creating a fundamental conflict that would still divide the two currently.
It soon became clear that the only option left for the citizens of Cybertron was to evacuate their dying planet. Perhaps motivated by survivor’s guilt or a need to assist the lost, Ultra did not leave with Optimus Prime. After Cybertron went dark, he boarded his own ship and searched the galaxy for any survivors; although those he found were often dead or dying. It seemed that most he met were either too weak to continue on, or too weak to hold their own in the face of a Decepticon threat. His drifting has eventually brought him to Earth, wherein he intends to search for any remaining members of the Autobots that he has yet to encounter on his travels across the galaxy.
Personality
Ultra Magnus would most easily be described by two words- straight edge. He carries himself with an air of regality, not from vanity, but in the way that one does if they have earned their title and niche within their existence. Very little of him seems malleable, from the steely glare his optics seem to be frozen into or the authorative way he strides around the Autobot base, Ultra gives the impression that he is set in his ways (but also that has the experience to back up why he is so). If one were to ask if he was really as cold as he appears to be? Perhaps a good 10% of the time he has on an expression of something other than mild annoyance, but for the most part, he is just as rigid as he seems.
Control is something that is vital to Ultra Magnus’s being. While this may not manifest by means of controlling others per se, he requires extensive control of himself and situations to feel comfortable. Emotions are not conducive to this; he does not like displaying profound emotions in front of others. Frustration, annoyance, anger, gratitude, reassurance, and a dash of optimism are all he really allows himself to show other bots. Deeply personal emotions, such as happiness or sadness, are restricted to his own thoughts or with only his very closest of comrades- in private.
This reserved attitude extends greatly into how he socializes. Ultra is a very formal being; he does not appreciate nicknames or any sort of social shortcuts. Being too comfortable with others is a negative in his mind. He is concise and polite, but this often comes off as cold, due to his impersonal nature. He does not really know how to hold a conversation outside of discussions of work or matters of war; small talk is certainly not his forte.
Socialization for Ultra is something that is not necessarily required for him to be content. Ultra is a textbook example of an introvert, preferring silence when working, and limited conversations to long rants. He can get rambly when talking about something scholarly or something he is passionate about such as history or policy, but otherwise he does not care for meaningless conversation. He is a mech of few words, but when they are spoken, they are meaningful.
Ultra is huge on personal responsibility and ownership of one’s problems. It is difficult for him to truly give personal advice on others’ situations, as his decision-making process is almost entirely formulated through mathematic thinking. Emotions are rarely (if ever) considered in his decision making process, causing him to inevitably offend others, although that is not done on purpose. He simply evaluates situations from an objective standpoint, weighs the pros and cons of whatever actions he has the options to take, and decides which has the most optimal outcome for himself or others. He tries to work on the side of ‘bettering the common good’, but at times, self-preserving choices must be made.
Being so level headed is a strong suit of Ultra’s personality. Rarely does he allow emotional stress or the opinions of others to alter his judgement or otherwise affect his thought patterns. When he is greatly upset, he may lash out by means of a verbal outburst (although usually this does not manifest by means of cursing at someone or insulting them; he will simply state how upset he is, why he is upset, and who the cause of the conflict is), but he does not get irrational or violent. Violence, for him, is reserved for dire situations and situations wherein combat cannot be avoided. He is by no means trigger happy, and he certainly does not enjoy violence- it is simply a means to an end when a situation calls for it. Victory is something he loves, and will celebrate, as long as it isn’t a celebration of violence or glorification of slaughter.
While his feelings are greatly suppressed, he is not emotionally damaged or truly emotionally incompetent. At times he has difficulties feeling empathetic, but for the most part, he is able to quietly relate to others- although he may not know how to assist others with their emotions, as he doesn’t really manage his in a fluid sense. He will have emotional reactions to situations, but he buries them within his mind, to be accessed and reviewed perhaps before he goes to recharge or when he has a quiet moment to himself. This means that often he does not clue into correct emotional cues when they should occur; he may have a slightly delayed reaction to a traumatic event, for example. His first reaction will be to suppress, and only later will he truly ponder how he feels about an event or an individual.
Compartmentalization in Ultra Magnus’s life does not only occur in an emotional sense. Ultra is obsessive-compulsive, to put it lightly. He has many different systems for mental and physical organization, and disturbances to those systems greatly bother him. When it comes to physical manifestations of this trait, it displays through how he organizes his personal belongings and how he cares for his space. His ship is immaculate; organized, and incredibly clean.
Some may describe him as a ‘drag’, but he is by no means a negative person. Ultra Magnus is rather confident, not only in himself, but in others. You would be hard pressed to find him going out of his way to insult or otherwise put down another Autobot; while at times, his nature and patterns of socializing can make others feel as if he were. The respect he demands from others is frequently reflected back, as he makes a point of not cursing when he speaks, or using language that is detrimental to morale. Unless you have disrespected him, Ultra does not see a point in stirring conflict or holding grudges.
If he has an issue with someone, he’ll make that known. Ultra is a fairly straightforward mech, though he is also cryptic in some sense. For the most part, it isn’t hard to tell if you’re on his good side or his bad side- simply because if you’ve crossed him, he’ll be demanding a verbal or written apology immediately. However, Ultra is fairly reasonable when it comes to whom he considers an enemy and whom he does not; there must be a reoccurring problem or fundamental conflict with an individual for him to consider them someone he does not want to relate to. Passive-aggressive types endlessly frustrate him, and he simply does not play the silent treatment game. Should someone try emotional manipulation or other mind games with him, he will simply withdraw from the situation until the other party decides to ‘grow up’ and deal with the issue through a mature discussion. He keeps his personal life guarded and vague, but when it comes to the somewhat infrequent interactions he has with others, he tries to keep things clean-cut.
‘Consistency is Victory’ is a phrase often used by Ultra. Keeping things as by the book and as fair as possible is very important to him. A rule applied to one must be applied to all, and bending those rules is simply not an option. To allow one alteration of law (be it written, or a social custom) would be to open the floodgates for further alterations and manipulations, in his mind. Emergency situations may call for bending of the rules, but they must be sufficiently dire for him to accept change willingly. Compromise is not Ultra’s strong suit when it comes to established rules and code; if protocol is set, it must be followed.
Following through with his word is something Ultra is known for. He is incredibly reliable and dependable, as when he gives his word on something, it will be finished- and perhaps to a greater extent than originally asked. This is part of the fact that even though he may seem detached and somewhat aloof, he is quite selfless when it comes to assisting those within his ranks.
Assistance from him is done in a subdued, at times miniscule fashion. Ultra does care greatly for his comrades, although it is not shown in an overtly affectionate way. He doesn’t really give compliments or speak inspiring words, but he boosts morale by giving no other option besides success. He doesn’t believe in failure, and he will be quick to correct a pessimistic attitude about a situation. Ultra sees the best in individuals; while he may not outwardly state what makes them valuable, he tries to give each member in his ranks purpose, and allow them to feel valued through their contributions. There is no such thing as a ‘useless’ or ‘lesser’ individual to him, there are simply different skillsets and talents that each individual can contribute towards the greater good.
The greater good being Autobot victory, of course. As Optimus Prime’s Second in Command, it is safe to say that Ultra Magnus believes wholesparkedly in the Autobot cause. He wants nothing less than victory for their team, and has a spirit of resolute determination when it comes to the war. He has great confidence in Optimus Prime’s leadership abilities, and feels immensely grateful to have served with him.
Ultra is aware of his own seniority and experience, but he is not vain by any means. Rather, he doesn’t really express much about his intellectual and military prowess. Ultra does not gloat or brag, and when given compliments, he tends to deflect them with statements such as ‘I do what I can’ and ‘You should have seen yourself out there, Soldier’. He maintains a very grounded approach to the war; while he has great confidence in himself and others, he also is aware of his own mortality, after seeing so many deaths on Cybertron. He does not feel invincible or otherwise privileged by any means; he has simply put a lot of work and effort into becoming who he is presently.
One may describe him as courageous in battle; he easily appears fearless and strong. It may not always be the case, but he’s perfected the art of masking any panic he feels and maintaining a sound mind in battle. Risk is not something he necessarily enjoys, and would much rather follow battle plans and co-ordinated manoeuvres when it comes to combat. Breaches to these plans bother him greatly; there is already a legion of mechs attempting to slaughter Autobots, and the last thing they need is their own kind putting themselves in high-stakes situations. Should push come to shove, however, he exhibits bravery in a humble way. Commanding the Wreckers meant putting himself into particularly volatile situations on a regular basis; thus, he understands how quickly a risky mission can shift into a lethal one. Ultra will put his life on the line for others, regardless of who they are, if he has the chance to be the force that prevents an individual from getting killed.
It is easy to tell when you are on Ultra’s bad side, but not so much so when you are on his good side. Friendship with Ultra Magnus is subtle and nowhere near outwardly affectionate. Ultra can be a good mentor, if one is prepared to listen to the dry ramblings that make up most of his ‘encouragement’ speeches. He most commonly shows affection through making an effort not to point out when an individual is wrong, as he values their intelligence enough to recognize that they have the capability to notice they are acting out of line. Feelings past friendship are nearly completely foreign to Ultra; he sees courtship or flirtation as a waste of time, for the most part, especially now that they are at a state of war. He is not void of the capability to have such feelings; he just has not been prompted to see the value in them for ages.
If you are against the Autobots, you are against Ultra Magnus. Enemies are a commonality for him, although he does not have a ‘shoot-on-sight’ policy drilled into his processor. He will fight back if attacked, but often will not make the first move (unless he is placed on a mission wherein the objective is offensive) without being provoked. Even in war, there are laws; he believes that himself and his comrades must maintain some sense of composure and dignity, even when placed in a social climate that could rid a mech of that.
Likes
Chain of Command: This is rather obvious within Ultra’s personality. He places a heavy emphasis on chain of command and respecting one’s place within the pecking order. From his view, success is only attainable when all are contributing their share to the extent that is asked of them; not any more or less. As discussed previously, Ultra Magnus does not see the chain of command as a reflection of a bot’s worth or reflector of anyone’s personal traits; rather, he sees it as a system of communications and organization, that when followed to the tee, brings greater harmony throughout the Autobots as a whole.
Policy: If there is a document about something, you can bet Ultra Magnus knows that document inside and out. Policy is his keystone, and it is what he often relies on when it comes to decision-making and planning courses of action. The maintenance of a fair and just society means that all play by the rules and that those rules remain unchanged and clearly defined; with policy being the source of most rules and regulations, it is understandable that it is something Ultra would have a great interest in. He does not appreciate suggestions made by others to disregard policy or perhaps go off-book when there is policy at hand, as he views such actions as unjust.
Productivity: Ultra thrives on being busy in a work-oriented manner, which is perhaps what often tags him as a boring individual. This business does not come from hobbies or dangerous activities, but comes from planning, reviewing, studying, and debating various issues that the Autobots face on Earth. He likes to spend his spare time educating others, if the opportunity arises- or he’ll simply create an excuse to shove more knowledge down other’s throats. He is quick to quip at others about laziness or keeping a slow pace; Ultra Magnus has always been the pilot of a tight ship, and even if he is not at the helm of the operation on Earth, he occasionally barks as if he is.
Structure and Discipline: Structured and disciplined are two words that go hand in hand in the summary of Ultra Magnus’s personality; they are also two of his greatest likes. In Ultra’s case, ‘discipline’ more so refers to personal control than disciplining others. For him, one of the most important manifestations of discipline is discipline of focus; he is a strong believer in commitment and remaining loyal to an objective or goal. Ultra requires a great amount of structure to feel content, as seen in his adherence to a personal schedule and his various methods of keeping his life organized. However, this love of structure often means he becomes distracted or otherwise compromised when structure is absent; occasionally he becomes more obsessed with returning such structure, than addressing matters at hand.
Fairness: The achievement and maintenance of equality is essential to Ultra. While he may not be interested in equality in the sense of ‘levelling the playing field’ (assuming that anyone can do anything, and all are suited to certain tasks- he does not agree with this way of thinking, as elaborated in his appreciation for the chain of command), he values equity; that is, giving all a chance to prove themselves and allowing individuals to expand on what they are talented at. All have a place within the cause, and Ultra believes that place is best found through organically displaying certain talents or skillsets through evaluative, fair work. Ultra does not believe in ranking bot against bot, or devaluing an individual based on their role or assignment within the Autobots.
Justice: Gory revenge may not be something that’s entirely appetizing to Ultra, but seeing karma in its full glory? Priceless. Ultra takes great joy in the matters of justice; that is, holding wrongdoers accountable and assisting victims of crimes to the extent that he can. If someone has infringed on a law, Ultra is often the first to point it out or demand some sort of responsibility be held for participating in such an infringement. The maintenance of a just society is as close to Ultra as is his spark. In his mind, if everyone had just played by the rules and created change through stable, democratic means, Cybertronians would not be in the place they are now.
His Team: Despite all the sighing, eyerolling, and perplexed gazes, Ultra Magnus truly appreciates those that serve with him or under him. It would be hard to pin down Ultra’s sense of humour, but those he works with do bring him joy- however masked it may be.
Dislikes
Spontaneity: “I need a day’s notice” is a phrase often spoken by Ultra Magnus. He lives his life by a schedule, although it is unwritten; he abides by it by outlining such a schedule within his processor, in order to find the best use of his energy within one day to provide the best output within that day. While he tries to keep things on a day-by-day basis (since the war and arriving to earth, he’s gotten less rigid- but this is a very slight ‘less’ and not the kind of ‘less’ most would consider noteworthy), occasionally he extends this sort of mental planning through weeks as well, if only to give himself better peace of mind. Upheaval of these mental plans can trigger quite the frustrated reaction from him. He doesn’t do well with spur of the moment commands, and tries not to pull such actions on anyone his in command over, either.
Disrespect: Be it in the form of direct insults or simple disregard for the chain of command, Ultra Magnus cannot stand disrespect. In his mind, it is better to err on the side of being too formal than to exist on the side of not being formal enough. He is in great favour of regulation, formality, and compliance; breaches of any such tenants are beyond frustrating for him. He will go out of his way to single out individuals when they are being the slightest bit disrespectful towards himself or his comrades, and only give that individual one chance to correct their mistake. To have a title or form of social status is to have earned it, and in Ultra’s mind, to not acknowledge another’s achievements is nothing short of a crime. There is enough slander and arrogance in the world; there is no acceptable reason to add to it.
Pride: Pride is something that is a huge pet peeve of Ultra Magnus’s. While a healthy amount of self-esteem is optimal in his mind, overconfidence and vanity is something that troubles him greatly. Pride often leads to disrespect in the form of cockiness, which is perhaps one of the more deadly effects of such a personality trait; pride means a false sense of security for most bots, leaving those with great pride more susceptible to disregard for authority or set plans. The risk involved in being around those who are prideful is something that Ultra Magnus does not see as worth it, as he’d much rather be around those who are able to act with humility and accept their own faults. Ultra Magnus has no tolerance for pride within his ranks, having seen the ill effects of a prideful personality far too often within his past.
Disarray: As apparent with his not-so-subtle obsessive-compulsive inclinations, Ultra loves order and organization. Naturally, disarray would put him into a state of disaster. Should anyone wish to truly get under his armour, they would only need to rearrange his personal belongings in an un-Ultra-like fashion. He has systems upon systems of sorting, coding, placing, and categorizing; even the slightest disruption to any of these could easily send him reeling. Ultra likes to function in systematic ways, and without these systems, he quickly grows agitated. Searching or re-ordering what has been sorted is (to quote) ‘a huge waste of time’. There is rhyme and reason behind nearly all things Ultra does, and so the slightest change to any of his self-prescribed protocols genuinely bothers him.
This extends to the battlefield, as well. Ultra is a skilled warrior, but he does not have the same skillset as a lower-ranking infantrymech would. Ultra works best when following or creating battle plans and engaging in tactics; the ‘go in guns a blazing’ approach does not appeal to him in the slightest. He needs to know who is where and what they are doing in order to use his skillset to the greatest advantage; and if anyone knows Ultra, they know that working to an output less than optimal is not an easily accepted option for him.
Self-Depreciation: Ultra isn’t exactly the kind of mech that is all smiles all the time (he smiled once, and has regretted it ever since), but this does not mean he is a downer. A stick in the aft perhaps, but he does not put others down and does not appreciate others putting themselves down in his presence. He may not entirely understand the value in a bot’s contributions to the cause, but he figures they must have something to offer, or else they would not be involved (or be online). While he does not give compliments freely, he will often correct others upon making self-depreciating comments or putting others down; most quickly with comments such as “Why would you say that about yourself, when that is not the case?” or “Do you really think it’s productive to be saying such things?”
An element of what defines him as an effective leader, is as previously mentioned, he sees the individual contributions each bot brings to the cause. Chain of command may be important to him, but chain of command does not equate a social ladder; Ultra Magnus does not believe he is ever ‘too good’ or ‘not good enough’ to communicate with another member of the team, and believes that no one else should think that way. Each bot may have different roles and responsibilities than the next, but it does not mean that they are worth more or less than anyone else within the cause, in Ultra’s mind.
Compromise: It should be clarified that in Ultra’s case, his resistance to compromise is more so a resistance to compromise without due cause or evidence for compromises to be made. If there is a tried and true established method of dealing with an event or circumstance, Ultra will inherently wish to go the way of protocol, even if the situation may not entirely fit the parameters of what has been described in such policy. Ultra Magnus is rigid in his appreciation for fairness, and so he relies heavily on protocol to ensure things are fair in a diplomatic sense. It can be hard for him to compromise or alter protocol to fit a situation, if he is not given enough solid reasons as to why such protocol should be given an on-the-spot amendment. It cycles back to his dislike of disrespect; rules demand to be respected and enforced, and so, he does not like bending any facet of regulation. However, at the end of it all, Ultra does not have his head buried in the sand enough to disregard other’s lives’ for sake of his love of protocol.
Strengths
Physical Strength/Heavy Weapons: Ultra Magnus is an experienced, formidable opponent in combat. He is equipped with two heavy cannons that transform from his forearms, a large hammer that he frequently uses in combat, and has skills and experience in hand-to-hand brawling. ((It should be noted that the hammer he wields is not the Forge of Solus Prime and is simply a melee weapon he carries with him and prefers to use.)) Occasionally, he carries with him an external heavy rifle, but this item is used far less than his melee weapon. He may not be stealthy or effective from a range, but he is certainly more than enough muscle that is needed when it comes to Autobot offense. His long track record of involvement in the War, commanding the Wreckers, and in the Elite Guard brings him a large pool of experience to draw from in battle. He is a hardened combatant, the type that is difficult to defer or otherwise intimidate.
Piloting Skills: From spending time crossing the galaxy by his own means, Ultra Magnus has developed piloting skills through experiences with his own ship. It should be noted, however, that these skills were not used very frequently in battle; he does not quite have the military background with this skill as he does with his strength. His piloting abilities are mostly useful in peacetime, or should some sort of ship-hijacking operation occur. He knows how to fly a craft and use evasive manoeuvres, however this does not mean he is skilled when it comes to piloting an offensive airborne attack. He’ll leave that to the bots who have aerially inclined alt-modes.
Military Tactician: Ultra’s studies encompassed not only policy and regulation, but also extensive Cybertronian history; a great chunk of this being war history. Combining his personal experience, leadership experience, and intensive education, Ultra is skilled when it comes to military strategy and tactics.
Assertive: Ultra Magnus goes into battle with focus and drive. He is not insecure or lacking in confidence or capability. Mental cloudiness rarely affects him in battle, although this does not mean he is immune to fear or intimidation; it is simply harder to push him past the edge of emotional compromise in battle. He is very surefooted and confident when it comes to most conflicts, unless they are fought with foes of great power or strategy.
Weaknesses
Heavy Build: Size and strength comes at a price, and that price is that of his speed. Ultra Magnus isn’t exactly graceful, as with his stocky build and large frame, fluid movements aren’t entirely a possibility or commonality for him. He is not acrobatic in any sense, although occasionally he gets it in his head that he could be. This makes him susceptible to attacks at a rapid rate, from many angles; with smaller bots he can make sweeping movements, but with larger, faster mechs, he often finds trouble.
Related to this is the fact that Ultra Magnus is not stealthy. At all. Even when crouching or making a solid effort into being sneaky, it’s hard to obscure hishuge shoulders large figure. Even when walking lightly, he tends to have a loud step, and an overall lack of spatial awareness skills (re: bull in a china shop). There are certainly times wherein his large build can be an asset to battle, but those times are specified and are not instances wherein grace or a suave approach is needed. He is the intimidator in battle, not the infiltrator.
Easily Surprised: Ultra Magnus is wise, but he can sometimes get caught in thinking patterns that prevent him from being as critical as he should be in battle. He can be caught off guard if he gets too comfortable within battle, as the attitude of having ‘seen it all’ occasionally affects his judgement and appraisal skills. Ultra Magnus was never exactly crafty or creative, and it is through alternative approaches that he is easily taken by surprise.
Quickly Offended: Perhaps more of a personality flaw than anything, with all of his procedures and respect complexes and seniority, Ultra Magnus gets offended quite easily. This is most likely due to the fact that there is a plethora of ways to go about offending him, and what offends him isn’t clearly defined. Someone with a track record of offending him (or someone that deeply offends him once or twice) is likely to have a bit of a grudge held against them, unless a profound apology and change of character is displayed. Respect is an area of great sensitivity to him, and so breaches of respectful codes of conduct are assumed to be a personal attack or insult.
Enigmatic: While Ultra Magnus is efficient as a leader and competent as a warrior, he is not quite the most relatable of mechs. He can be dry and difficult to deal with when it comes to a personal basis, and he tends to be somewhat of an enigma when it comes to discussing matters that are not related to business or war. He finds it difficult to show vulnerability or communicate overtly personal thoughts, and so he simply avoids such topics when they are attempted to be discussed with him. Thus, it makes him a difficult figure to emphasise with or understand on a personal level, occasionally creating a disconnect between himself and his teammates. Ultra Magnus himself at times does not realize when he is being unnecessarily cold, which often leads to others being hurt by him unintentionally.
Long-Range Weakness: A close-up, one-on-one approach to combat suits Ultra Magnus best. While he is not exactly an ineffective scrapheap when it comes to long-range combat, he is simply not suited for those sorts of assaults. While his two-handed rifle can be useful in long-range attacks, he rarely uses this, as long-range combat is not often something he prepares himself for. Other than that, his weapons are designed for short to medium range use, most optimally used with a mix of melee attacks. Henceforth, his approach is predictably straightforward; he is nearly always going to attempt to go in hard and heavy on the most powerful figure of the group he is fighting, in order to disable them before they can hurt those in his squad who are smaller or weaker. Ultra Magnus tends to be the metaphorical battering ram in most battles, being the individual who is most likely to take down the strongest adversary through his strength.
Severity: Most of the time, Ultra Magnus is unable to take a joke or take things lightly. Something done in play or something said in banter is regarded as recklessness or intentional disrespect through his mind. This severity also means that it is very easy for Ultra to become stressed, or feel the strain of a situation he is involved in. While he has created coping mechanisms over the years to deal with these stresses, it would be foolish to think that the stress does not still affect him. He has his weak moments, and during those times he is quite susceptible to snapping at individuals and saying things he’d later regret.
High Standards: Pleasing or otherwise impressing Ultra Magnus is a difficult task. Maintaining the baseline requirements to be considered a good soldier by Ultra is difficult enough in itself, but surpassing his expectations is an entirely different challenge altogether.
Special skills: Excellent at seeing dirt, crooked frames, digit-prints and pede-prints in places where no one else could detect them.
Extra Info: Ghost Town by W&W would be Ultra Magnus’s theme. At first I was only going to use EDM for Endymion, however I quickly realized it’s.. the only genre I listen to. The song is heavy and powerful, but not pessimistic or negative in nature. The song is assertive and bold, something I'd use while writing a commanding post from him. A second song I would chose for him would be Find Me by Tania Zygar feat. Shogun. While not entirely accurate in a lyrical sense (only if perhaps the conversation described was someone saying those words to Ultra Magnus) the energy in the song is the perfect combination of a heavier sound and a smooth, musical tone. It was what was listened to most.
Name/Alias: Dante.
IM/Email: annaxxmunich@gmail.com; skype username, traeumenvomfliegen; PM works as well.
Age: Eighteen.
Where did you find us?: Google search.
Character Info
Name: Ultra Magnus.
Age (or human equivalent): Mid forties.
Gender (or human equivalent): Mech/male terms.
Species: Cybertronian.
Faction: Autobot.
Original Occupation: He has had various careers throughout his lifetime, but most predominantly he was an officer in the Elite Guard and commander of the Wreckers.
Occupation/Specialization: Second in Command; Military strategist, combatant and bona fide policy advisor.
Appearance/Altmode: Ultra Magnus is built to last, with a chassis clearly designed to convey strength. He is somewhat top-heavy, having quite a bit of bulk across the chest and shoulders, but large pedes assist in balancing and supporting his frame. Broad shapes and hard edges, communicating a message of strength rather than aerodynamics, dominate his styling.
Ultra Magnus’s altmode is a 2006 Kenworth T800.
History
Ultra Magnus was actively involved in the war for Cybertron, however he had his beginnings as a law enforcement officer in Iacon. Starting from the ground up, Ultra quickly found his niche within law enforcement; he became well known as one of the most regimented individuals to be involved within the force. Time wherein he was not spent working was spent studying and reviewing Cybertronian law and policy, building the foundations for a key element of his emerging personality. Advancing through his career, he eventually found service as a bodyguard as part of the Elite Guard, who presided in security matters over members of the High Council. The Elite Guard further reinforced the foundational tenants of Ultra’s personality, primarily those of order and strict adherence to regulation. Training was difficult and rigid, as protecting the High Councillors was no simple task. Much of his leadership ethic was formed throughout his time in the Guard, through the training he’d received with them.
While not on council himself, he became involved in matters of the Council from an associated standpoint; he often observed Council meetings on security detail, and occasionally got wrapped up in the murmurs of what was going on within Iacon and Cybertron as a whole. The backlash of the freshly implemented Caste system was something Ultra witnessed from a bystander’s viewpoint. He recognized the lack of attention to civilian voices that the Council was paying, and began to give closer attention to what was going on within Council meetings. It was at one of these meetings that he first saw both Orion Pax and Megatronus; Ultra was present at the meeting wherein they both brought the civilians’ issues before council, and Orion Pax was set to be the next Prime.
At first intrigued by Orion Pax’s character, Ultra had the immediate impression that this was an individual he should be involved with. However, Ultra’s ethics at first prevented him from reaching out to Orion; as he had not been directly involved in the meeting he had overheard, he did not want to be rude and delve into matters he had no hand in. Orion and Ultra would meet through the assignment of Orion as military commander for the Autobots. As the temperature of Iacon grew violently unstable, Ultra was shifted from security duty to working under Orion Pax within the military.
From there, Ultra and Orion began what would be their long-lasting friendship; Ultra assisted the soon-to-be-Prime with the matters of military strategy and the mechanics of combat, and Orion assisted Ultra with the elements of leadership that he found difficult (namely the charismatic elements, that Ultra still ultimately struggles with). Ultra contributed as much as he could to Orion’s impromptu ‘education’, often assisting him with strategies and running the military in an efficient manner. The two were able to form a deep trust for one another, supplemented by their shared experiences and similar views.
As the war erupted, Ultra quickly voiced his support for Orion- now Optimus Prime- and fought alongside him within the war. Optimus and Ultra fought beside each other, but also continued learning from one another; as Orion became Prime, he was able to expound upon the charismatic teachings that he attempted to leave Ultra, and Ultra learned how to apply his strategic prowess on a much larger scale. While Ultra had many of the mechanical skills and intelligence needed for becoming a strong leader, much of the advice and assistance given to him from Optimus was the means by which to execute such commands and manoeuvres; Optimus gave him the tools he needed to improve his communication skills enough to be effective in a leadership position. Ultra quickly proved himself to be a capable leader and warrior under Optimus Prime, becoming one of his key lieutenants during the war.
While many would criticize Ultra for his cold demeanour and overbearing nature, he was a great asset to the Autobot cause. He advanced from the position of lieutenant to the position of Optimus Prime’s second-in-command, something that Ultra held as a tremendous honour. Ultra contributed his strategy, and while he attempted to mix his own leadership styles with those of Optimus’s, they never truly blended in his mind. Efforts to be more like Optimus came off as awkward and false. Ultra eventually reverted to the tactics he’d learned within the Elite Guard, using those as his predominant method of leadership. He excelled when acting purely as himself, although it granted him more respect than it did gain him friends.
The fearlessness in combat, willingness to learn and adherence to rules impressed Optimus Prime, so much so that Ultra was assigned to the role of commanding the Wreckers. The Wreckers were known to be tough, hardy, capable… and entirely undisciplined. While the Wreckers supplied much of the muscle (and often went ‘where no mech would go’ in terms of the types of assignments they dealt with), the lack of discipline and reckless attitude of those within the task force was of issue to the greater Autobot cause. While Ultra succeeded in bringing protocol and strategy to the group, he also stripped the group of what it was most known for- its heart. The group lost much of its ‘go in guns blazing’ attitude to the likes of Ultra Magnus’s strict control and command, which several of the group disagreed with, most notably being an Autobot named Wheeljack. Shortly after Ultra’s assignment as commander, Wheeljack promptly left the group, creating a fundamental conflict that would still divide the two currently.
It soon became clear that the only option left for the citizens of Cybertron was to evacuate their dying planet. Perhaps motivated by survivor’s guilt or a need to assist the lost, Ultra did not leave with Optimus Prime. After Cybertron went dark, he boarded his own ship and searched the galaxy for any survivors; although those he found were often dead or dying. It seemed that most he met were either too weak to continue on, or too weak to hold their own in the face of a Decepticon threat. His drifting has eventually brought him to Earth, wherein he intends to search for any remaining members of the Autobots that he has yet to encounter on his travels across the galaxy.
Personality
Ultra Magnus would most easily be described by two words- straight edge. He carries himself with an air of regality, not from vanity, but in the way that one does if they have earned their title and niche within their existence. Very little of him seems malleable, from the steely glare his optics seem to be frozen into or the authorative way he strides around the Autobot base, Ultra gives the impression that he is set in his ways (but also that has the experience to back up why he is so). If one were to ask if he was really as cold as he appears to be? Perhaps a good 10% of the time he has on an expression of something other than mild annoyance, but for the most part, he is just as rigid as he seems.
Control is something that is vital to Ultra Magnus’s being. While this may not manifest by means of controlling others per se, he requires extensive control of himself and situations to feel comfortable. Emotions are not conducive to this; he does not like displaying profound emotions in front of others. Frustration, annoyance, anger, gratitude, reassurance, and a dash of optimism are all he really allows himself to show other bots. Deeply personal emotions, such as happiness or sadness, are restricted to his own thoughts or with only his very closest of comrades- in private.
This reserved attitude extends greatly into how he socializes. Ultra is a very formal being; he does not appreciate nicknames or any sort of social shortcuts. Being too comfortable with others is a negative in his mind. He is concise and polite, but this often comes off as cold, due to his impersonal nature. He does not really know how to hold a conversation outside of discussions of work or matters of war; small talk is certainly not his forte.
Socialization for Ultra is something that is not necessarily required for him to be content. Ultra is a textbook example of an introvert, preferring silence when working, and limited conversations to long rants. He can get rambly when talking about something scholarly or something he is passionate about such as history or policy, but otherwise he does not care for meaningless conversation. He is a mech of few words, but when they are spoken, they are meaningful.
Ultra is huge on personal responsibility and ownership of one’s problems. It is difficult for him to truly give personal advice on others’ situations, as his decision-making process is almost entirely formulated through mathematic thinking. Emotions are rarely (if ever) considered in his decision making process, causing him to inevitably offend others, although that is not done on purpose. He simply evaluates situations from an objective standpoint, weighs the pros and cons of whatever actions he has the options to take, and decides which has the most optimal outcome for himself or others. He tries to work on the side of ‘bettering the common good’, but at times, self-preserving choices must be made.
Being so level headed is a strong suit of Ultra’s personality. Rarely does he allow emotional stress or the opinions of others to alter his judgement or otherwise affect his thought patterns. When he is greatly upset, he may lash out by means of a verbal outburst (although usually this does not manifest by means of cursing at someone or insulting them; he will simply state how upset he is, why he is upset, and who the cause of the conflict is), but he does not get irrational or violent. Violence, for him, is reserved for dire situations and situations wherein combat cannot be avoided. He is by no means trigger happy, and he certainly does not enjoy violence- it is simply a means to an end when a situation calls for it. Victory is something he loves, and will celebrate, as long as it isn’t a celebration of violence or glorification of slaughter.
While his feelings are greatly suppressed, he is not emotionally damaged or truly emotionally incompetent. At times he has difficulties feeling empathetic, but for the most part, he is able to quietly relate to others- although he may not know how to assist others with their emotions, as he doesn’t really manage his in a fluid sense. He will have emotional reactions to situations, but he buries them within his mind, to be accessed and reviewed perhaps before he goes to recharge or when he has a quiet moment to himself. This means that often he does not clue into correct emotional cues when they should occur; he may have a slightly delayed reaction to a traumatic event, for example. His first reaction will be to suppress, and only later will he truly ponder how he feels about an event or an individual.
Compartmentalization in Ultra Magnus’s life does not only occur in an emotional sense. Ultra is obsessive-compulsive, to put it lightly. He has many different systems for mental and physical organization, and disturbances to those systems greatly bother him. When it comes to physical manifestations of this trait, it displays through how he organizes his personal belongings and how he cares for his space. His ship is immaculate; organized, and incredibly clean.
Some may describe him as a ‘drag’, but he is by no means a negative person. Ultra Magnus is rather confident, not only in himself, but in others. You would be hard pressed to find him going out of his way to insult or otherwise put down another Autobot; while at times, his nature and patterns of socializing can make others feel as if he were. The respect he demands from others is frequently reflected back, as he makes a point of not cursing when he speaks, or using language that is detrimental to morale. Unless you have disrespected him, Ultra does not see a point in stirring conflict or holding grudges.
If he has an issue with someone, he’ll make that known. Ultra is a fairly straightforward mech, though he is also cryptic in some sense. For the most part, it isn’t hard to tell if you’re on his good side or his bad side- simply because if you’ve crossed him, he’ll be demanding a verbal or written apology immediately. However, Ultra is fairly reasonable when it comes to whom he considers an enemy and whom he does not; there must be a reoccurring problem or fundamental conflict with an individual for him to consider them someone he does not want to relate to. Passive-aggressive types endlessly frustrate him, and he simply does not play the silent treatment game. Should someone try emotional manipulation or other mind games with him, he will simply withdraw from the situation until the other party decides to ‘grow up’ and deal with the issue through a mature discussion. He keeps his personal life guarded and vague, but when it comes to the somewhat infrequent interactions he has with others, he tries to keep things clean-cut.
‘Consistency is Victory’ is a phrase often used by Ultra. Keeping things as by the book and as fair as possible is very important to him. A rule applied to one must be applied to all, and bending those rules is simply not an option. To allow one alteration of law (be it written, or a social custom) would be to open the floodgates for further alterations and manipulations, in his mind. Emergency situations may call for bending of the rules, but they must be sufficiently dire for him to accept change willingly. Compromise is not Ultra’s strong suit when it comes to established rules and code; if protocol is set, it must be followed.
Following through with his word is something Ultra is known for. He is incredibly reliable and dependable, as when he gives his word on something, it will be finished- and perhaps to a greater extent than originally asked. This is part of the fact that even though he may seem detached and somewhat aloof, he is quite selfless when it comes to assisting those within his ranks.
Assistance from him is done in a subdued, at times miniscule fashion. Ultra does care greatly for his comrades, although it is not shown in an overtly affectionate way. He doesn’t really give compliments or speak inspiring words, but he boosts morale by giving no other option besides success. He doesn’t believe in failure, and he will be quick to correct a pessimistic attitude about a situation. Ultra sees the best in individuals; while he may not outwardly state what makes them valuable, he tries to give each member in his ranks purpose, and allow them to feel valued through their contributions. There is no such thing as a ‘useless’ or ‘lesser’ individual to him, there are simply different skillsets and talents that each individual can contribute towards the greater good.
The greater good being Autobot victory, of course. As Optimus Prime’s Second in Command, it is safe to say that Ultra Magnus believes wholesparkedly in the Autobot cause. He wants nothing less than victory for their team, and has a spirit of resolute determination when it comes to the war. He has great confidence in Optimus Prime’s leadership abilities, and feels immensely grateful to have served with him.
Ultra is aware of his own seniority and experience, but he is not vain by any means. Rather, he doesn’t really express much about his intellectual and military prowess. Ultra does not gloat or brag, and when given compliments, he tends to deflect them with statements such as ‘I do what I can’ and ‘You should have seen yourself out there, Soldier’. He maintains a very grounded approach to the war; while he has great confidence in himself and others, he also is aware of his own mortality, after seeing so many deaths on Cybertron. He does not feel invincible or otherwise privileged by any means; he has simply put a lot of work and effort into becoming who he is presently.
One may describe him as courageous in battle; he easily appears fearless and strong. It may not always be the case, but he’s perfected the art of masking any panic he feels and maintaining a sound mind in battle. Risk is not something he necessarily enjoys, and would much rather follow battle plans and co-ordinated manoeuvres when it comes to combat. Breaches to these plans bother him greatly; there is already a legion of mechs attempting to slaughter Autobots, and the last thing they need is their own kind putting themselves in high-stakes situations. Should push come to shove, however, he exhibits bravery in a humble way. Commanding the Wreckers meant putting himself into particularly volatile situations on a regular basis; thus, he understands how quickly a risky mission can shift into a lethal one. Ultra will put his life on the line for others, regardless of who they are, if he has the chance to be the force that prevents an individual from getting killed.
It is easy to tell when you are on Ultra’s bad side, but not so much so when you are on his good side. Friendship with Ultra Magnus is subtle and nowhere near outwardly affectionate. Ultra can be a good mentor, if one is prepared to listen to the dry ramblings that make up most of his ‘encouragement’ speeches. He most commonly shows affection through making an effort not to point out when an individual is wrong, as he values their intelligence enough to recognize that they have the capability to notice they are acting out of line. Feelings past friendship are nearly completely foreign to Ultra; he sees courtship or flirtation as a waste of time, for the most part, especially now that they are at a state of war. He is not void of the capability to have such feelings; he just has not been prompted to see the value in them for ages.
If you are against the Autobots, you are against Ultra Magnus. Enemies are a commonality for him, although he does not have a ‘shoot-on-sight’ policy drilled into his processor. He will fight back if attacked, but often will not make the first move (unless he is placed on a mission wherein the objective is offensive) without being provoked. Even in war, there are laws; he believes that himself and his comrades must maintain some sense of composure and dignity, even when placed in a social climate that could rid a mech of that.
Likes
Chain of Command: This is rather obvious within Ultra’s personality. He places a heavy emphasis on chain of command and respecting one’s place within the pecking order. From his view, success is only attainable when all are contributing their share to the extent that is asked of them; not any more or less. As discussed previously, Ultra Magnus does not see the chain of command as a reflection of a bot’s worth or reflector of anyone’s personal traits; rather, he sees it as a system of communications and organization, that when followed to the tee, brings greater harmony throughout the Autobots as a whole.
Policy: If there is a document about something, you can bet Ultra Magnus knows that document inside and out. Policy is his keystone, and it is what he often relies on when it comes to decision-making and planning courses of action. The maintenance of a fair and just society means that all play by the rules and that those rules remain unchanged and clearly defined; with policy being the source of most rules and regulations, it is understandable that it is something Ultra would have a great interest in. He does not appreciate suggestions made by others to disregard policy or perhaps go off-book when there is policy at hand, as he views such actions as unjust.
Productivity: Ultra thrives on being busy in a work-oriented manner, which is perhaps what often tags him as a boring individual. This business does not come from hobbies or dangerous activities, but comes from planning, reviewing, studying, and debating various issues that the Autobots face on Earth. He likes to spend his spare time educating others, if the opportunity arises- or he’ll simply create an excuse to shove more knowledge down other’s throats. He is quick to quip at others about laziness or keeping a slow pace; Ultra Magnus has always been the pilot of a tight ship, and even if he is not at the helm of the operation on Earth, he occasionally barks as if he is.
Structure and Discipline: Structured and disciplined are two words that go hand in hand in the summary of Ultra Magnus’s personality; they are also two of his greatest likes. In Ultra’s case, ‘discipline’ more so refers to personal control than disciplining others. For him, one of the most important manifestations of discipline is discipline of focus; he is a strong believer in commitment and remaining loyal to an objective or goal. Ultra requires a great amount of structure to feel content, as seen in his adherence to a personal schedule and his various methods of keeping his life organized. However, this love of structure often means he becomes distracted or otherwise compromised when structure is absent; occasionally he becomes more obsessed with returning such structure, than addressing matters at hand.
Fairness: The achievement and maintenance of equality is essential to Ultra. While he may not be interested in equality in the sense of ‘levelling the playing field’ (assuming that anyone can do anything, and all are suited to certain tasks- he does not agree with this way of thinking, as elaborated in his appreciation for the chain of command), he values equity; that is, giving all a chance to prove themselves and allowing individuals to expand on what they are talented at. All have a place within the cause, and Ultra believes that place is best found through organically displaying certain talents or skillsets through evaluative, fair work. Ultra does not believe in ranking bot against bot, or devaluing an individual based on their role or assignment within the Autobots.
Justice: Gory revenge may not be something that’s entirely appetizing to Ultra, but seeing karma in its full glory? Priceless. Ultra takes great joy in the matters of justice; that is, holding wrongdoers accountable and assisting victims of crimes to the extent that he can. If someone has infringed on a law, Ultra is often the first to point it out or demand some sort of responsibility be held for participating in such an infringement. The maintenance of a just society is as close to Ultra as is his spark. In his mind, if everyone had just played by the rules and created change through stable, democratic means, Cybertronians would not be in the place they are now.
His Team: Despite all the sighing, eyerolling, and perplexed gazes, Ultra Magnus truly appreciates those that serve with him or under him. It would be hard to pin down Ultra’s sense of humour, but those he works with do bring him joy- however masked it may be.
Dislikes
Spontaneity: “I need a day’s notice” is a phrase often spoken by Ultra Magnus. He lives his life by a schedule, although it is unwritten; he abides by it by outlining such a schedule within his processor, in order to find the best use of his energy within one day to provide the best output within that day. While he tries to keep things on a day-by-day basis (since the war and arriving to earth, he’s gotten less rigid- but this is a very slight ‘less’ and not the kind of ‘less’ most would consider noteworthy), occasionally he extends this sort of mental planning through weeks as well, if only to give himself better peace of mind. Upheaval of these mental plans can trigger quite the frustrated reaction from him. He doesn’t do well with spur of the moment commands, and tries not to pull such actions on anyone his in command over, either.
Disrespect: Be it in the form of direct insults or simple disregard for the chain of command, Ultra Magnus cannot stand disrespect. In his mind, it is better to err on the side of being too formal than to exist on the side of not being formal enough. He is in great favour of regulation, formality, and compliance; breaches of any such tenants are beyond frustrating for him. He will go out of his way to single out individuals when they are being the slightest bit disrespectful towards himself or his comrades, and only give that individual one chance to correct their mistake. To have a title or form of social status is to have earned it, and in Ultra’s mind, to not acknowledge another’s achievements is nothing short of a crime. There is enough slander and arrogance in the world; there is no acceptable reason to add to it.
Pride: Pride is something that is a huge pet peeve of Ultra Magnus’s. While a healthy amount of self-esteem is optimal in his mind, overconfidence and vanity is something that troubles him greatly. Pride often leads to disrespect in the form of cockiness, which is perhaps one of the more deadly effects of such a personality trait; pride means a false sense of security for most bots, leaving those with great pride more susceptible to disregard for authority or set plans. The risk involved in being around those who are prideful is something that Ultra Magnus does not see as worth it, as he’d much rather be around those who are able to act with humility and accept their own faults. Ultra Magnus has no tolerance for pride within his ranks, having seen the ill effects of a prideful personality far too often within his past.
Disarray: As apparent with his not-so-subtle obsessive-compulsive inclinations, Ultra loves order and organization. Naturally, disarray would put him into a state of disaster. Should anyone wish to truly get under his armour, they would only need to rearrange his personal belongings in an un-Ultra-like fashion. He has systems upon systems of sorting, coding, placing, and categorizing; even the slightest disruption to any of these could easily send him reeling. Ultra likes to function in systematic ways, and without these systems, he quickly grows agitated. Searching or re-ordering what has been sorted is (to quote) ‘a huge waste of time’. There is rhyme and reason behind nearly all things Ultra does, and so the slightest change to any of his self-prescribed protocols genuinely bothers him.
This extends to the battlefield, as well. Ultra is a skilled warrior, but he does not have the same skillset as a lower-ranking infantrymech would. Ultra works best when following or creating battle plans and engaging in tactics; the ‘go in guns a blazing’ approach does not appeal to him in the slightest. He needs to know who is where and what they are doing in order to use his skillset to the greatest advantage; and if anyone knows Ultra, they know that working to an output less than optimal is not an easily accepted option for him.
Self-Depreciation: Ultra isn’t exactly the kind of mech that is all smiles all the time (he smiled once, and has regretted it ever since), but this does not mean he is a downer. A stick in the aft perhaps, but he does not put others down and does not appreciate others putting themselves down in his presence. He may not entirely understand the value in a bot’s contributions to the cause, but he figures they must have something to offer, or else they would not be involved (or be online). While he does not give compliments freely, he will often correct others upon making self-depreciating comments or putting others down; most quickly with comments such as “Why would you say that about yourself, when that is not the case?” or “Do you really think it’s productive to be saying such things?”
An element of what defines him as an effective leader, is as previously mentioned, he sees the individual contributions each bot brings to the cause. Chain of command may be important to him, but chain of command does not equate a social ladder; Ultra Magnus does not believe he is ever ‘too good’ or ‘not good enough’ to communicate with another member of the team, and believes that no one else should think that way. Each bot may have different roles and responsibilities than the next, but it does not mean that they are worth more or less than anyone else within the cause, in Ultra’s mind.
Compromise: It should be clarified that in Ultra’s case, his resistance to compromise is more so a resistance to compromise without due cause or evidence for compromises to be made. If there is a tried and true established method of dealing with an event or circumstance, Ultra will inherently wish to go the way of protocol, even if the situation may not entirely fit the parameters of what has been described in such policy. Ultra Magnus is rigid in his appreciation for fairness, and so he relies heavily on protocol to ensure things are fair in a diplomatic sense. It can be hard for him to compromise or alter protocol to fit a situation, if he is not given enough solid reasons as to why such protocol should be given an on-the-spot amendment. It cycles back to his dislike of disrespect; rules demand to be respected and enforced, and so, he does not like bending any facet of regulation. However, at the end of it all, Ultra does not have his head buried in the sand enough to disregard other’s lives’ for sake of his love of protocol.
Strengths
Physical Strength/Heavy Weapons: Ultra Magnus is an experienced, formidable opponent in combat. He is equipped with two heavy cannons that transform from his forearms, a large hammer that he frequently uses in combat, and has skills and experience in hand-to-hand brawling. ((It should be noted that the hammer he wields is not the Forge of Solus Prime and is simply a melee weapon he carries with him and prefers to use.)) Occasionally, he carries with him an external heavy rifle, but this item is used far less than his melee weapon. He may not be stealthy or effective from a range, but he is certainly more than enough muscle that is needed when it comes to Autobot offense. His long track record of involvement in the War, commanding the Wreckers, and in the Elite Guard brings him a large pool of experience to draw from in battle. He is a hardened combatant, the type that is difficult to defer or otherwise intimidate.
Piloting Skills: From spending time crossing the galaxy by his own means, Ultra Magnus has developed piloting skills through experiences with his own ship. It should be noted, however, that these skills were not used very frequently in battle; he does not quite have the military background with this skill as he does with his strength. His piloting abilities are mostly useful in peacetime, or should some sort of ship-hijacking operation occur. He knows how to fly a craft and use evasive manoeuvres, however this does not mean he is skilled when it comes to piloting an offensive airborne attack. He’ll leave that to the bots who have aerially inclined alt-modes.
Military Tactician: Ultra’s studies encompassed not only policy and regulation, but also extensive Cybertronian history; a great chunk of this being war history. Combining his personal experience, leadership experience, and intensive education, Ultra is skilled when it comes to military strategy and tactics.
Assertive: Ultra Magnus goes into battle with focus and drive. He is not insecure or lacking in confidence or capability. Mental cloudiness rarely affects him in battle, although this does not mean he is immune to fear or intimidation; it is simply harder to push him past the edge of emotional compromise in battle. He is very surefooted and confident when it comes to most conflicts, unless they are fought with foes of great power or strategy.
Weaknesses
Heavy Build: Size and strength comes at a price, and that price is that of his speed. Ultra Magnus isn’t exactly graceful, as with his stocky build and large frame, fluid movements aren’t entirely a possibility or commonality for him. He is not acrobatic in any sense, although occasionally he gets it in his head that he could be. This makes him susceptible to attacks at a rapid rate, from many angles; with smaller bots he can make sweeping movements, but with larger, faster mechs, he often finds trouble.
Related to this is the fact that Ultra Magnus is not stealthy. At all. Even when crouching or making a solid effort into being sneaky, it’s hard to obscure his
Easily Surprised: Ultra Magnus is wise, but he can sometimes get caught in thinking patterns that prevent him from being as critical as he should be in battle. He can be caught off guard if he gets too comfortable within battle, as the attitude of having ‘seen it all’ occasionally affects his judgement and appraisal skills. Ultra Magnus was never exactly crafty or creative, and it is through alternative approaches that he is easily taken by surprise.
Quickly Offended: Perhaps more of a personality flaw than anything, with all of his procedures and respect complexes and seniority, Ultra Magnus gets offended quite easily. This is most likely due to the fact that there is a plethora of ways to go about offending him, and what offends him isn’t clearly defined. Someone with a track record of offending him (or someone that deeply offends him once or twice) is likely to have a bit of a grudge held against them, unless a profound apology and change of character is displayed. Respect is an area of great sensitivity to him, and so breaches of respectful codes of conduct are assumed to be a personal attack or insult.
Enigmatic: While Ultra Magnus is efficient as a leader and competent as a warrior, he is not quite the most relatable of mechs. He can be dry and difficult to deal with when it comes to a personal basis, and he tends to be somewhat of an enigma when it comes to discussing matters that are not related to business or war. He finds it difficult to show vulnerability or communicate overtly personal thoughts, and so he simply avoids such topics when they are attempted to be discussed with him. Thus, it makes him a difficult figure to emphasise with or understand on a personal level, occasionally creating a disconnect between himself and his teammates. Ultra Magnus himself at times does not realize when he is being unnecessarily cold, which often leads to others being hurt by him unintentionally.
Long-Range Weakness: A close-up, one-on-one approach to combat suits Ultra Magnus best. While he is not exactly an ineffective scrapheap when it comes to long-range combat, he is simply not suited for those sorts of assaults. While his two-handed rifle can be useful in long-range attacks, he rarely uses this, as long-range combat is not often something he prepares himself for. Other than that, his weapons are designed for short to medium range use, most optimally used with a mix of melee attacks. Henceforth, his approach is predictably straightforward; he is nearly always going to attempt to go in hard and heavy on the most powerful figure of the group he is fighting, in order to disable them before they can hurt those in his squad who are smaller or weaker. Ultra Magnus tends to be the metaphorical battering ram in most battles, being the individual who is most likely to take down the strongest adversary through his strength.
Severity: Most of the time, Ultra Magnus is unable to take a joke or take things lightly. Something done in play or something said in banter is regarded as recklessness or intentional disrespect through his mind. This severity also means that it is very easy for Ultra to become stressed, or feel the strain of a situation he is involved in. While he has created coping mechanisms over the years to deal with these stresses, it would be foolish to think that the stress does not still affect him. He has his weak moments, and during those times he is quite susceptible to snapping at individuals and saying things he’d later regret.
High Standards: Pleasing or otherwise impressing Ultra Magnus is a difficult task. Maintaining the baseline requirements to be considered a good soldier by Ultra is difficult enough in itself, but surpassing his expectations is an entirely different challenge altogether.
Special skills: Excellent at seeing dirt, crooked frames, digit-prints and pede-prints in places where no one else could detect them.
Extra Info: Ghost Town by W&W would be Ultra Magnus’s theme. At first I was only going to use EDM for Endymion, however I quickly realized it’s.. the only genre I listen to. The song is heavy and powerful, but not pessimistic or negative in nature. The song is assertive and bold, something I'd use while writing a commanding post from him. A second song I would chose for him would be Find Me by Tania Zygar feat. Shogun. While not entirely accurate in a lyrical sense (only if perhaps the conversation described was someone saying those words to Ultra Magnus) the energy in the song is the perfect combination of a heavier sound and a smooth, musical tone. It was what was listened to most.