Matrix of Leadership

The Matrix of Leadership (リーダーシップのマトリクス, Rīdāshippu no Matorikusu) is an artifact of great power, traditionally carried by the leader of the Autobots. Although its appearance differs slightly from universal stream to universal stream, it generally appears as a glowing crystal sphere encased within a hollow metal shell, with a handle on either side.

By most accounts, the Matrix is a conduit for the power of Primus, the creator-god of the Transformers, serving as a means of access to the Allspark, the "afterlife" of the Transformer race, through which it can either bestow new Transformer life, or provide its wielder with a means of communicating with the deceased leaders who have come before them. These divine powers put it at the centre of much Autobot religion, spirituality and prophecy; while many Decepticons are less inclined to believe in its divinity, they certainly covet the increased physical power it is known to convey upon its holders, and several have made obtaining the Matrix one of their primary goals. As one of the embodiments of the power of Primus, the Matrix is antithesis to Unicron, and one of the very few things the chaos-bringer fears.

Biography
The Matrix of Leadership is an ancient artifact that remains central to Cybertronian society to this very day. An object of great power, it is coveted by all the factions involved in the conflict. In addition to its symbolic significance as a marker of leadership, the Matrix is also the most effective source of new sparks making it the fount of Transformer life.

Mythology of The Matrix of Leadership
The mythology—as set forth by the Cybertronian Council of Ancients, who safeguard the passage of the Matrix between Primes and are believed to furtively pull the strings of the Autobot government—is that the Matrix of Leadership is a conduit for the energy of Primus, the mythic creator of the Cybertronians. It is through this conduit that new life essences are channeled; it is the source of all sparks, and also the place to which they return upon deactivation, enhancing the power of the Matrix by adding their experiences and wisdom to it. The Ancients have further espoused the dogma that the Matrix, Cybertron, and Primus himself are all intrinsically connected, and that only with that energy unified as a force for order can their race face up to its most fearsome challenge: an impossibly powerful being called Unicron. Modem Cybertronian society has largely rejected these notions, in fact, the reigning belief regarding the creation of Cybertron and its inhabitants is a technogenesis, which posits that mechanical life sprung up on its own from nothingness. Although most view the Council’s stones of creation as superstition created to explain things and maintain order, the average mechanoid still retains a healthy dose of reverence for the Matrix of Leadership itself.

History
The origins of the Matrix of Leadership are almost entirely unknown. The only hint of its beginnings was given in an account from near the dawn of time, soon after the ancient genius Primacron and his assistant created the colossal robot, Unicron. Unicron turned on his creators and destroyed the assistant's body, but seen to rise from his remains and disappear into space was an object that appeared identical to the Matrix. If this was truly the Matrix, it is wholly unknown how it came to be held by the Autobots and how it was elevated to the position of power it became known for.

However it came to be in Autobot hands, the Matrix came to be at the centre of the robots' belief system and was safeguarded by each successive generation of Autobot leaders. Upon the passing of its holder, the Matrix became a receptacle for the deceased Autobot's lifeforce, which cumulatively became known as the "Wisdom of the Ages", a storehouse of knowledge and experience stretching back to the dawn of Cybertronian history (and potentially beyond) that could be consulted by the Matrix's living wielders in times of need. The spirits of many Autobots have been seen within the Matrix, but the names of only a select few are known: The oldest entity within the Matrix is known only as "It" following this entity, the next oldest known was Primon, who possessed the Matrix in the early days of the Cybertronian race around twelve million years ago; Prima bore it at the height of their oppression by the Quintessons about a million years later; Prime Nova was its wielder during the eventual rebellion against the five-faced aliens; Guardian Prime and his successor Sentinel Prime carried it during the first war between the Autobots and Decepticons, before it was passed to Zeta Prime, under whose leadership the war came to an end.

Around nine million years ago, the Autobot/Decepticon war was reignited by the creation of Megatron, who killed Zeta Prime as one of his first actions. In his death throes, Zeta entrusted the Matrix to the ancient Autobot Alpha Trion, who kept it hidden until a damaged young robot was brought to his workshop, another victim of Megatron's wrath. Trion recreated him as Optimus Prime, new leader of the Autobots, and gave him the Matrix.