Apelinq (ROTB)

Apelinq is a Maximal from the Rise of the Beasts portion of the Movie continuity family.

"Apes, together....strong."

Apelinq was the Maximal leader before Optimus Primal. A just, reasonable leader, Apelinq was more than aware of the "needs of the many", perfectly willing to lay down his life — and even that of his own planet — if it meant helping the many. Just because he was willing to lose the battle for the sake of the war, however, didn't mean he wouldn't or couldn't wage the war: he was still a big gorilla who wielded arm blades in battle, having earned a reputation as the legendary defender of his planet known across the cosmos. He had long eyed Primal as his potential successor, and the arrival of Unicron proved to be the impetus for the younger Maximal to embrace his destiny...and continue his journey without his former leader.

Fiction

Rise of the Beasts film

Voice actor: David Sobolov (English), Akio Ōtsuka (Japanese), Kőrösi András (Hungarian), Féodor Atkine (European French), Dario Oppido (Italian), Oliver Stritzel (German), Vanderlan Mendes (Brazilian Portuguese), Héctor Estrada (Latin American Spanish), Domènec Farell (Spain Spanish)

One Nation under Grodd!

Apelinq was the leader of the Maximals on their homeworld—until Unicron showed up. In addition to wanting to consume their planet, Unicron also wanted the Transwarp Key that the Maximals had been guarding. After a close encounter with two Predacon Scorponok drones, Apelinq entrusted it to Optimus Primal to prevent it from falling into the hands of the Terrorcons and named him the new leader of the Maximals. Apelinq instructed Primal to flee with the Transwarp Key and remained behind to stall Scourge. The Terrorcon leader offered Apelinq the chance for Unicron to spare his planet if he surrendered the key, but Apelinq refused to allow Unicron the chance to continue on his rampage. Scourge made quick work of him, stabbing him and blasting a hole through his torso, but Apelinq taunted his killer with his last breaths that Unicron would never get the Transwarp Key and would be trapped in their galaxy forever. His body was presumably consumed when the Maximal homeworld was subsequently devoured by Unicron. As the fleeing Maximals watched their homeworld be destroyed, Airazor affirmed to her comrades that Apelinq's sacrifice would become their oath - that they would protect the key he gave his life for, no matter the cost. Rise of the Beasts

Toys

Studio Series

"George, are you ok buddy?"

• Apelinq (Leader Class, 2025)

• Movie: Rise of the Beasts
• Hasbro ID Number: 118
• Accessories: 2 Arm blades, 2 chain pieces, 2-part Transwarp Key, backdrop
• Known designers: Evan Brooks (TakaraTomy), Shuhei Umezu (TakaraTomy)^[1]

Studio Series Apelinq is a retool of Leader Class Optimus Primal from the same line, with new heads in both modes as well as new shoulders and forearm armor. He retains most of Primal's accessories, but omits Prime's axe, and swaps out Primal's swords for the two curved arm blades Apelinq brandished during his battle with Scourge. The arm blades can attach to the chain accessories to form a weapon similar to a Kusarigama. As per his Hasbro designer Evan Brooks, his faceplate'd robot mode head is explicitly intended as a more film accurate sculpt to swap on to Primal.^[1]

This item is currently scheduled for release, but is not yet available at mass retail.

Merchandise

Yolopark

"It was beauty that killed the beast..."

• Apelinq (2024)

• Accessories: Display base

Part of Yolopark's AMK Pro X line, this figure of Apelinq depicts him in his robot mode, which was not seen in the Rise of the Beasts film. It is based on a customized Yolopark AMK Series Optimus Primal made in summer 2023 by Weibo user G-GrayStudio ^[2]

This item is currently scheduled for release, but is not yet available at mass retail.

Notes

• Apelinq was confirmed to be in the film by accident; about a month before the film was released, the Hungarian voice cast was announced, and it included Apelinq. A few days before release, his English voice actor David Sobolov confirmed on Instagram that he was voicing Apelinq in the film.
• Much like his original counterpart, Apelinq's body is a recolored and modified version of Optimus Primal's. In addition to the aforementioned arm blades, the model features several details meant to resemble an albino gorilla, including a different snout, orange optics, and some fur on the top of his head.^[3]

Foreign names

• Japanese: Apelinq (エイプリンク Eipurinku)
• Mandarin: Shèng Yuán (圣猿, "Holy Ape")

References