Transformers: Animated: Shadows of Redemption

Chapter 12: Twisted Ambitions

Back on Cybertron, Sentinel Prime trained the Autobot cadets at the Autobot camp until it was time for him to return to Metroplex, but there was one thing he wanted to do before returning home. He went to the Infirmary to visit Ultra Magnus because he wanted to understand why he chose Optimus Prime to be the next Magnus instead of Sentinel Prime. 

Sentinel doesn't trust Optimus with becoming Cybertron's new ruler and the Autobots' new leader because he believes that Optimus Prime would only abandon Cybertron and the Autobots to protect the Earth and its filthy organics from Megatron and the Decepticons. As Sentinel entered the infirmary, he went to where Ultra Magnus was recharging in his berth, barely online with life support.

As Sentinel Prime stood solemnly beside the berth of the gravely injured Ultra Magnus in the sterile confines of the Infirmary, questions weighed heavily upon his circuits. His optics bore into the aged warrior, seeking answers amidst the hum of life support machinery.

"Ultra Magnus? Can you hear me?" Sentinel's voice, tinged with a mix of concern and longing for clarity, broke the silence that enveloped the chamber.

Ultra Magnus, though weakened by his injuries, stirred at the sound of Sentinel's inquiry. With effort, he turned his gaze towards the figure of his former protégé. "Sentinel Prime... why are you here?" His voice, a mere whisper, carried the weight of exhaustion and uncertainty.

"I'm here to visit you, to check on you," Sentinel began, his words measured as he struggled to contain the tumult of emotions swirling within him. "But I'm also here to ask you something... why did you choose Optimus Prime to be your successor instead of me?"

The question hung in the air, laden with unspoken implications and the ache of dashed aspirations. Sentinel awaited Ultra Magnus's response with bated breath, his optics fixed intently upon the veteran warrior.

Ultra Magnus's voice, though feeble, held a steely resolve as he sought to articulate his reasoning. "Because... Optimus Prime has... proven himself worthy," he replied, each word a testament to the conviction behind his choice. "He's full of humility and integrity. He will... lead Cybertron to a bright future... to start a new golden age."

Sentinel Prime's processor whirred with conflicting emotions as he grappled with Ultra Magnus's explanation. The sting of disappointment mingled with a pang of realization, as if a veil had been lifted to reveal the truth he had been reluctant to acknowledge.

"But why?" Sentinel pressed, unable to conceal the anguish in his voice. "Why didn't you choose me to be the next Magnus? I did everything for you. I served you, I obeyed your every command, I served the Elite Guard, I trained the Autobot recruits... I did all that I could to be your successor. But in the end... you chose Optimus to be your permanent successor instead of me? Why?!?"

The words hung in the air, heavy with the weight of unspoken resentment and fractured dreams. In that moment of vulnerability, Sentinel Prime grappled with the bitter truth that sometimes, despite one's best efforts, destiny unfolds in ways beyond comprehension or control. And as he stood beside the berth of his fallen mentor, he was forced to confront the harsh reality that perhaps, in the grand tapestry of fate, his role was never meant to be that of the chosen successor, but rather a different path altogether. Ultra Magnus's voice, though weakened by injury, resonated with a solemn authority as he addressed Sentinel's tumultuous outpouring. "Sentinel... You are unworthy to carry the mantle of Magnus," he declared, each word laden with the weight of disappointment. "You've proven yourself to be full of pride and arrogance. You have forgotten what I have taught you about real leadership when you were young."

The accusation struck Sentinel like a blow, the accusation echoing in the recesses of his processor. "What do you mean that I'm unworthy!?" he exclaimed, his voice tinged with a mix of hurt and indignation. "Ultra Magnus, you took me in after I had lost my parents. You raised me like a son, and I loved you like a father. You promised me that I would lead Cybertron in your place one day. All I ever wanted was to make you proud. But after everything I've done for you... you decided to have Optimus Prime be the one to become the next Magnus instead of me. Was I not good enough for you? If anyone should be Cybertron's new leader, it's me."