Warning! This post contains SPOILERS for Star Wars #46

Star Wars just revealed a surprise connection between the leader of the Rebel Alliance…and Transformers‘ Optimus Prime. Naturally, both Mon Mothma and Optimus Prime serve as leaders o allied heroes within their respective universes. However, Star Wars just took their shared commonalities even further in its ongoing story involving Mothma’s recent capture by a band of mercenaries.

Seeking a major ransom, it’s been revealed that a group of Scarabi mercenaries kidnapped Mon Mothma between the events of The Empire Strike Back and Return of the Jedi. Demanding 200 million credits from the Alliance before they offer Mothma to the Empire, one of the Scarabi named Hachi chooses to spend the time talking with Mothma about her life and how she came to lead the Alliance. As such, Mothma offers a very familiar sentiment in Marvel’s new Star Wars #46, a line that has also been ionically voiced by none other than Optimus Prime, leader of the Autobots:

Believing that “freedom is an essential right of all living beings”, it’s easy to be reminded of Peter Cullen’s Optimus Prime and his famous line that’s essentially the same, as heard in the first live-action Transformers movie from director Michael Bay.

Optimus Prime Shares The Same Core Belief

“Freedom Is The Right Of All Sentient Beings”

Serving as a core driving motivation for the leader of the Autobots, there’s a point near the final act of Transformers where Ironhide questions why the should fight for humankind, especially after they captured Bumblee in their ignorance over the ongoing war between the more noble Autobots and Megatron’s Decepticons who sought to enslave Earth and the galaxy at large. However, Optimus remains steadfast in his belief that “freedom is the right of all sentient beings”, refusing to give up on humans nor leave them to a dark fate of death and servitude to Megatron and his forces.

As such, it’s exciting and pretty cool to see that both Mothma and Prime share the same core belief and motivation. Neither wants to see anyone subjugated or suffering at the hands of another, and both are willing to fight to achieve freedom for all. It’s a very basic principle for good leaders to have, though to see it voiced so similarly is a fun meta-connection between the two legendary sci-fi leaders.

Mon Mothma Knows What The Empire Is Capable Of

And Why The Imperials Have To Be Resisted

As Mothma continues talking with her captor in this new issue, it’s impressive to see just how strongly she belies in the Rebel cause and why the Alliance’s fight matters so much. She knows exactly what the Empire is capable of, how much damage and oppression they’ve caused, and how much suffering they could still bring about so long as they remain in power. As such, it’s a very compelling issue that continues to highlight just how critical a figure Mon Mothma truly was for the Rebellion in the Star Wars timeline overall.