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The Ultimate Doom, Part 1

2011-07-21T15:50:56Z

118.209.47.48: /* Technical or animation glitches */

{{episode
|series=G1toon
|ep=11
|series2=SRLFtoon
|ep2=66
|prev2=The Autobot Run
|next2=The Ultimate Doom, Part 2
|series3=''[[Generation 2 (cartoon)|The Transformers: Generation 2]]''
|ep3=41
|prev3=Desertion of the Dinobots, Part 2
|next3=The Ultimate Doom, Part 2
|image=FHE-UltimateDoom.jpg
|caption="Now, pardon me as I try to outrun those tsunami behind me!"
|title="The Ultimate Doom, Part 1"
|production code=#700-08
|airdate=[[November 3]], 1984
|written by=[[Larry Strauss]]
|animation studio=[[Toei]]
|production company=[[Sunbow Productions]]
|continuity=[[Generation 1 cartoon continuity]]
}}

'''Megatron brings Cybertron into Earth orbit to harvest the energy from the destruction caused by Cybertron's gravity.'''

:''Japanese title:'' 破滅の日 PART I (''Hametsu no Hi PART I'', "Day of Destruction PART I")
:''Latin American title:'' La Destrucción Máxima, Parte I
:''Serbian title:'' '''Судњи дан, први део - Испирање мозга''' (''Sudnji dan, prvi deo - Ispiranje mozga'', "Judgment day, part 1 - Brainwash")
:''Italian title, dub 1:'' '''Lo scienziato pazzo''' ("The mad scientist")
:''Italian title, dub 2:'' '''Destino finale - I''' ("Final Destiny - I")
{{TOCclear}}
==Synopsis==
[[Image:Sparkplugkidnapped.jpg|left|200px|thumb|"Kidnapping humans will be simplicity itself, thanks to my new, Transformers-sized crane game."]]

[[Starscream (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Starscream]], [[Thundercracker (G1)|Thundercracker]] and [[Skywarp (G1)|Skywarp]] attack a solar power station on [[India]]'s coast. [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]], [[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]], [[Jazz (G1)|Jazz]] and [[Sunstreaker (G1)|Sunstreaker]] arrive in time to intercept them. Watching this battle remotely are [[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Megatron]] and the evil human scientist [[Doctor Arkeville]]. Megatron orders [[Soundwave (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Soundwave]] to begin phase two of Operation Guinea Pig, which involves setting [[Rumble (G1)|Rumble]] and [[Ravage (G1)|Ravage]] loose inside [[Ark (G1)|Autobot headquarters]]. With the [[Autobot]]s distracted by Rumble's rumbling, [[Laserbeak (G1)|Laserbeak]] flies in, nabs [[Sparkplug Witwicky|Sparkplug]] and flies out.

Back in India, the [[Seeker (body-type)|Seekers]] suddenly take flight and retreat. Prime smells a rat, then Sunstreaker tells him of the attack on their headquarters.

[[Image:TFG1TUD1.jpg|right|200px|thumb|"I love the Power Glove. It's so bad."]]

After bringing Sparkplug to [[Decepticon]] headquarters, Doctor Arkeville fits him with a mind-control device called a [[hypno-chip]] which brings him into the Decepticons' control. As a means of demonstrating the new technology, Sparkplug is made to attack a full-sized replica of Optimus Prime. Megatron intends to use this technology to create an army of human slaves. With the successful completion of the first part of his plan, Megatron communicates with [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]] to confirm that the new [[space bridge]] is ready.

The Autobots attack the Decepticon undersea base to rescue Sparkplug. Optimus Prime leads a direct attack from above while [[Cliffjumper (G1)|Cliffjumper]], [[Brawn (G1)|Brawn]] and [[Windcharger (G1)|Windcharger]] tunnel under the ocean floor. The mission is successful, and the Autobots return him to their base. After undergoing repairs, the Autobots and Spike notice that Sparkplug is acting oddly, but before they can learn why, the Decepticons launch a surprise attack. [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike]] realises that Sparkplug has sabotaged the Autobots' weapons and [[Teletraan I (G1)|Teletraan I]], which let the Decepticons in undetected.

When Spike confronts his father, Sparkplug appeals to Spike to join the Decepticons. Spike refuses, and Sparkplug tells his son that when they next meet, they will be enemies. In a desperate effort to salvage the situation, Spike sets off the [[fire-retardant foam]]. This clogs the Decepticons' weapons, and Megatron orders a retreat. Sparkplug willingly goes with them.

[[Image:Spikesparkandark.jpg|left|200px|thumb|Snow Miser tunes in to his favorite show, ''The Witwickys''.]]

At the space bridge site, Megatron reveals that he intends to bring [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] into Earth orbit using the bridge. The gravity of Cybertron will cause natural disasters, and the Decepticons plan to harvest the energy and transport it to Cybertron. Arkeville isn't too keen on this idea, but Megatron says it's a new problem for the evil scientist to solve using his genius intellect.

Using the [[Sky Spy]], the Autobots see the giant space bridge and [[roll out]] to investigate. When they attack the bridge site, Megatron releases a group of human slaves to act as shields. The ploy works, and things get even more complicated when the humans attack the Autobots with sticks and stones.

Spike stops Sparkplug from attacking Bumblebee, and for a moment it appears that Sparkplug is back to normal. But Arkeville recomputes his signal, and Sparkplug is again under Decepticon control. He rushes to the first space bridge pylon and activates it. Thundercracker activates the second.

[[Image:Tud1_megatron_cybertron.jpg|right|200px|thumb|"A ticker-tape parade using streams of volcanic ash. How ironic!"]]

Optimus Prime chases Megatron up to the third pylon and wrestles him away from the button. Megatron orders Prime to turn on the pylon himself, or else he will be responsible for catapulting Cybertron into oblivion. Unwilling to sacrifice his home planet, Optimus Prime activates the space bridge, bringing Cybertron into Earth's orbit, but wonders if he is dooming Earth in the process.

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
*[[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] (5)
*[[Jazz (G1)|Jazz]] (6)
*[[Sunstreaker (G1)|Sunstreaker]] (7)
*[[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]] (8)
*[[Ratchet (G1)|Ratchet]] (13)
*[[Bumblebee (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Bumblebee]] (14)
*[[Sideswipe (G1)|Sideswipe]] (15)
*[[Ironhide (G1)|Ironhide]] (17)
*[[Prowl (G1)|Prowl]] (20)
*[[Hound (G1)|Hound]] (21)
*[[Cliffjumper (G1)|Cliffjumper]] (23)
*[[Windcharger (G1)|Windcharger]] (24)
*[[Brawn (G1)|Brawn]] (25)
*[[Bluestreak (G1)|Bluestreak]] (26)
*[[Gears (G1)|Gears]] (27)
*[[Trailbreaker (G1)|Trailbreaker]] (28)
*[[Huffer (G1)|Huffer]] (29)

|c2=
*[[Starscream (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Starscream]] (2)
*[[Thundercracker (G1)|Thundercracker]] (3)
*[[Skywarp (G1)|Skywarp]] (4)
*[[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Megatron]] (9)
*[[Soundwave (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Soundwave]] (11)
*[[Rumble (G1)|Rumble]] (12)
*[[Ravage (G1)|Ravage]] (18)
*[[Laserbeak (G1)|Laserbeak]] (19)
*[[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]] (22)

|c3=
*Indian Maharaja (1)
*[[Doctor Arkeville]] (10)
*[[Sparkplug Witwicky]] (16)
*[[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike Witwicky]] (20)
}}

==Quotes==
'''Skywarp''': I say Megatron's plan was brilliant. 
'''Starscream''': And I say the diversionary attack on the solar plant was a waste of energy. 
'''Skywarp''': You waste more energy with your mouth!
:—More heart-warming Decepticon camaraderie.

"I've got the plan, if all of you've got the cast-iron [[manifold]]s for it!" 
"We have!"
:—'''Prowl''' and '''Optimus Prime'''

"Into the ocean, let's be daring. The last one in is a rusty herring."
:—'''Jazz''', turning into [[Wheelie (G1)|a poet]]

'''Megatron''': [[Fire-retardant foam]]! Our circuitry's been shorted out. 
'''Thundercracker''': My weapon! 
'''Skywarp''': Can't we just bash 'em to pieces? 
'''Megatron''': If we stay, this foam will permanently damage our circuitry. The Autobots are through anyway. RETREAT!
:—The Decepticons become ever more farcical and ridiculous.

"As the Earthlings say: Fat chance, fat-head!"
:—'''Optimus Prime''' has been spending too much time with Spike.

"Have I saved Cybertron...only to destroy the Earth?"
:—'''Optimus Prime''' angsts over his decision to bring Cybertron into Earth's orbit.

==Notes==
===Technical or animation glitches===
* The Maharaja says that his solar panels are collecting three hundred energy units per second. Typical government inflation! The screen says it's ''thirty'' units per second.
* For an Indian, that Maharaja sure does look like a Caucasian.
* Skywarp has Thundercracker's colors as he blasts his way into the palace.
* Prime has a sloped windscreen as he and the other Autobots drive through the jungle.
* As the Autobots enter the water, Sunstreaker is colored red instead of yellow.
* Megatron's [[fusion cannon]] is drawn pretty badly repeatedly throughout this episode. The front barrel is often drawn at less than half the size it should be. (See the picture further up this page for an example). Apparently size isn't important after all.
* Improbable viewpoints:
** Megatron gets a stationary view of the Autobots charging into the Maharaja's palace. Did Starscream and company spend their time their setting up a camera for him?
** He also gets a view of Soundwave hanging around outside Autobot Headquarters. (Clearly, the Autobots have [[Megatron's Master Plan, Part 1|no security]] at this point.)
** As Sparkplug works to sabotage the Autobots, Dr. Arkeville gets footage from ''inside'' Autobot Headquarters! We can ''maybe'' let this one slide and say that Sparkplug set up a video feed or something.
** Then Arkeville gets a view that's clearly coming from Teletraan I itself! (Actually, that would explain both viewpoints.)
** The [[Sky Spy]] gets what is essentially a ground-level view of the Decepticon energy pylons.
** Megatron doesn't seem to be leaning over a console or anything as the Autobots arrive at the space bridge, but Arkeville still gets a full view of him from Decepticon Headquarters.
** Arkeville then gets a view from right next to Sparkplug as he talks with Spike during the battle.
* As Soundwave salutes, most of his body shifts around a bit, but his chestplate remains completely still.
* As Rumble transforms, Soundwave's open chest cavity is colored light blue, as if it were closed. His open chest panel is colored dark blue, as if it weren't there!
* Soundwave has a purple Autobot symbol as he ejects Laserbeak. Once his cassette door is open, its inside face is colored solid dark blue, instead of the light blue that it should be.
* Most of Laserbeak's caws and cries are not electronically modulated, though his usual electronic trill does show up a few times.
* Sideswipe's leg clips through Spike as he joins them in watching Rumble.
* Sideswipe's gun vanishes as he bashes Ravage aside.
* Laserbeak grabs Sparkplug from a metal-paneled interior space, yet immediately flies right out of the volcano's cone. As Spike looks up after Laserbeak, he's suddenly standing against a rock background.
* After the Autobots in India realize they have been duped, Sunstreaker says "We were set up!", but in Prowl's voice. A similar goof happened in "[[Roll for It]]".
* Starscream's face is light gray instead of medium gray as he and the other Seekers ride the elevator into Decepticon HQ.
* Either a line was cut, or [[Frank Welker]] misparsed one of Megatron's lines; he says "It had ''better'' function" in regards to the hypno-chip.... when nobody had previously been discussing the chips at all.
* The outer edges of Bumblebee's face are supposed to be white, but they're colored yellow as he consoles Spike.
* The animation of Shockwave talking to Megatron is recycled from "[[Transport to Oblivion]]", complete with its strange brightly-lit background and awkward shadow, and Shockwave's incomplete arms. The establishing shot of this conversation has Megatron appearing to "hover" in front of the screen and gently descend as Shockwave speaks. This is weird.
* Starscream's air intake is light gray instead of red as he and the other jets wait for Megatron.
* When Starscream says "Optimus Prime? Prepare to attack!", he and Skywarp have traded colors. In the next shot, their proper colors are restored.
* Prowl drives into the air at the cliff edge before transforming.
* Brawn's front grill just phases right through his giant vehicle-mode drill as it folds back up.
* Appearing/disappearing Autobots:
** Prime's strike team includes Prowl, Hound, Jazz, Sunstreaker, Wheeljack, and Bumblebee. During the underwater battle, Gears appears for a single shot.
** As Bumblebee says his "biggest space bridge ever" line, the shot changes, and he's been replaced by a misshapen Hound.
* Whatever damage Cliffjumper did to the inside of Decepticon Headquarters has disappeared by the time Autobots take their exit.
* As he dives back out of Decepticon HQ, Cliffjumper is colored as Bumblebee.
*After Starscream, soaking wet with seawater, emerges from the hole made by Cliffjumper's glass gas, there is a moment where his animation freezes...as well as the dripping water.
* In a pan across the interior of Autobot Headquarters, there are two Prowls.
* One of them is drawn working on Jazz. Since when is Prowl a mechanic?
* In the same shot, Ratchet's mouth is missing as he works on Sunstreaker.
* A layering goof (or cheap shortcut) has Sparkplug's arms not actually reaching into the open panel on Wheeljack's back where he's supposed to be working.
* As Ratchet protests Sparkplug's attempt to work on Optimus, it's suddenly Prowl who he is repairing, rather than Sunstreaker (and despite Prowl being up and about a few shots ago).
* After Prime falls, suddenly it's Jazz laying on the table by Ratchet, with Bluestreak standing over him.
*Sparkplug's wrench looks different between shots, losing its round bolt wrench end in some shots.
*When the Decepticons are showered with foam at the Ark, the shot cuts from Thundercracker to Skywarp by simply changing the colors on the character.
*When Starscream flies to the space bridge, his alt-mode is noticeably misshapen. His transformation is amazingly off, as well.
*As Optimus takes aim at Megatron for the second time ("It's not over yet, Megatron!"), his faceplate disappears for a second or two.
* After Sparkplug has his moment of hesitation, Spike's mouth moves, but no words come out.
* When Dr. Arkeville mentions having to improve his hypno-chips, the background is Autobot orange instead of Decepticon purple.
* When Sparkplug climbs up onto the first energy pylon, the sound of his footsteps is that of a clanking, giant robot, not a human wearing boots.
* The third pylon's energy beam isn't quite aligned with the pylon itself.

===Continuity errors===
* Megatron's "diversion" only draws four Autobots away from their headquarters, with at least that many still present, yet he seems to regard it as a smashing success.
* In order to test the effectiveness of the hypno-chip, Megatron produces a model of Optimus Prime. Because Starscream is bone-headed enough to think Megatron just randomly let Prime into the base, Megatron directly says it's a model... in front of Sparkplug. No one considers that Sparkplug might have more common sense than Starscream, or even fake being mind-controlled because of what he's just been allowed to overhear.
* That must be one light Optimus Prime model; Sparkplug is able to grab it by the ankle and toss it across the room.
* The entire process of rescuing Sparkplug is fraught with improbabilities:
** Brawn's team should have been swept away by cascading torrents of water as soon as a big enough hole was opened in their tunnel.
** Decepticon Headquarters should also have been inundated as soon as the floor dropped out beneath Starscream. To hold the water at bay, the atmospheric pressure in the base would have to be equal to the water pressure at the bottom of the ocean — a pressure that Sparkplug and Arkeville most assuredly could not survive.
** Whatever force keeps water from gushing up through the big hole in the floor doesn't stop water from gushing in when Brawn punches a big hole in the ''wall''.
** "Hold your breath, Sparkplug!" says Windcharger, as they prepare to swim out of Decepticon HQ. Yes, that will save you from the freezing temperatures and crushing pressures at the bottom of the ocean!
** The water gushing into the base is nowhere to be seen as Starscream re-enters the base.
* The Decepticons enter Autobot Headquarters through a huge hole in the wall, yet there has been no explosion or anything.
*The Decepticons can be apparently easily damaged by fire-retardant foam (Cybertronian fire-retardant foam at that!), yet the Autobots are fine.
*Spike trips over nothing as he flees the battle. The next shot make it seem like he was supposed to have tripped over his dad's wrench... but in order to have tripped Spike, the wrench must be either monumentally heavy or bolted to the floor; nonetheless, in the next frame Spike picks the wrench up with no sign of strain—just as you would expect anyone could.

===Continuity notes===
* This episode is one of several that gets a narrative opening from [[Victor Caroli]].
[[Image:TUD1 Brawn drilling.jpg|thumb|right|200px| ]]
[[Image:TUD1 Cliffjumper depth gauge.jpg|thumb|right|200px|And now, on with the countdown.]]
* Gadgets and powers:
** The Autobots make their first use of [[hydrofoil]]s in this episode, newly installed by Wheeljack. More than most, these gadgets would show up in [[Dinobot Island, Part 2|many]] [[Atlantis, Arise!|future]] [[City of Steel|episodes]].
** Ironhide retracts his hand and out comes a toilet plunger lookin' thing. He uses it to locate the center of Rumble's seismic disturbance, with the results displaying on his chest windows (not unlike his sonadar sensors.)
** Sideswipe was getting ready to fire a flare from his hand weapon. He was interrupted by Ravage. Flares are mentioned in Sideswipe's [[bio]].
** Optimus Prime's chest windows light up, indicating an attack on Autobot Headquarters.
** Brawn has a vehicle mode tunneling drill. It'll show up again in "[[The Immobilizer]]".
** Cliffjumper has a depth gauge that emerges from his vehicle-mode hood.
** Cliffjumper fires his [[glass gas]] like a regular laser beam from his hand gun.
** Ratchet uses the same retractable wrist-welder he had in "[[Transport to Oblivion]]".
** This time, it's the blue button on Megatron's stomach that acts as his radio transmitter.
* Once again, evidence that Cybertron is actually outside the Milky Way galaxy: Optimus describes the apex of the space bridge as being "beyond this galaxy".
* For those who wonder how humans can breathe on Cybertron, this episode offers some relief: the final scenes clearly show Cybertron sucking up a chunk of Earth's atmosphere. Of course, this doesn't cover Chip Chase's earlier visit to the planet in "[[Divide and Conquer]]".

===Real-world references===
*The Seekers attack a solar power plant off [[Wikipedia:Malabar Coast|Malabar Coast]], which is located in southern [[Wikipedia:India|India]].
* As [[The Transformers: The Movie|always]] when there's a [[wikipedia:American Top Forty|countdown]] of any kind, it's given to [[Casey Kasem|Cliffjumper]].
* Is Windcharger's line "This must be the place!" a reference to [[wikipedia: This Must Be the Place (Naive Melody)|the Talking Heads song]] that came out just two years prior? Or would you have to be naive to think that?
* Brawn plays a reverse lifeguard: "Everybody into the pool!"
* ''[[Star Wars (film)|Star Wars]]'' sound effects:
** The sound of an igniting lightsaber is repurposed for Cliffjumper's glass gas beam.
** As Spike flees the battle in Autobot Headquarters, the background laser effects include the sound of the Death Star's turbolasers firing at the Rebel fighters.
** The fritzed-out Autobots get the sound of Darth Vader and Ben Kenobi's lightsabers locking and sparking in their fight aboard the Death Star. The sound is recycled when Spike shorts out Teletraan I a second later.

===Trivia===
*This episode is subtitled "Brainwash" in scripts and other official materials.

*Like "[[More than Meets the Eye (episode)|More than Meets the Eye]]", the mid-80s [[Family Home Entertainment]] VHS release of "The Ultimate Doom" was granted the [[wikipedia:Film Advisory Board|Film Advisory Board]] Award of Excellence, proudly displayed on the video box cover. However, this particular "award" does not reflect the ''quality'' of any work submitted, but rather that the work is "family-friendly". Cheeky, once again!

*This was one of the six episodes featured on the ''[[Revenge of the Fallen (Xbox 360/PS3/PC)|Revenge of the Fallen]]'' console game.

*The idea of bringing Cybertron to Earth via space bridge and enslaving humans was used as part of the plot for ''[[Dark of the Moon (film)|Transformers: Dark of the Moon]]''

==Home video releases==
{{homevidnote}}
[[Image:TransformersVillainsUltimateDoomParts1-3%281984%29.jpg|right|150px|thumb|"I'm such a villain, I even stole this DVD cover."]]
;VHS
[[Image:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 1985 — ''The Transformers'' — Volume 2: "The Ultimate Doom" ([[Family Home Entertainment]]) 
[[Image:Flag of Canada.png|20px|Canada]] 1996 — ''The Transformers'' — The Ultimate Doom ([[Malofilm]]) 
[[Image:Flag of Canada.png|20px|Canada]] 1996 — ''Transformers'' — L'Ultime Piège (Malofilm) — French audio only. 
[[Image:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2001 — ''The Original Transformers'' — Villains: The Ultimate Doom ([[The Original Transformers|Rhino Entertainment]])
;Laserdisc
[[Image:Flag of Japan.png|20px|Japan]] 1995 — ''Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers'' — Megatron Set ([[TakaraTomy|Takara]]) — Japanese audio only. 
[[Image:Flag of Japan.png|20px|Japan]] 1999 — ''The Transformers'' — Decepticon Edition ([[Geneon Universal Entertainment|Pioneer LDC]]) — Japanese audio only.
;DVD
[[Image:Flag of Japan.png|20px|Japan]] 2001 — ''The Transformers'' — DVD Box 2 (Pioneer LDC) — Japanese audio only. 
[[Image:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2001 — ''The Original Transformers'' — Villains: The Ultimate Doom ([[The Original Transformers|Rhino Entertainment]]) 
[[Image:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2002 — ''Transformers'' — Original Series: Volume One ([[Maverick Entertainment|Sony Wonder]]) 
[[Image:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2002 — ''Transformers'' — Complete Original Series: Deluxe Edition (Sony Wonder) 
[[Image:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2002 — ''The Original Transformers'' — First Season Collector's Edition (Rhino Entertainment) 
[[Image:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2002 — ''The Original Transformers'' — Volume Three (Rhino Entertainment) 
[[Image:Flag of Australia.png|20px|Australia]] 2003 — ''Transformers'' — Collection 1: Series 1 ([[Madman Entertainment]]) 
[[Image:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2004 — ''Transformers'' — Season 1 ([[Metrodome]]) 
[[Image:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2006 — ''Transformers'' — The Complete Generation One Collection (Metrodome) 
[[Image:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2007 — ''Classic Transformers'' — Series One: Part Two (Metrodome) 
[[Image:Flag of Australia.png|20px|Australia]] 2007 — ''The Transformers'' — Complete Collection (Madman Entertainment) 
[[Image:Flag of Italy.png|20px|Italy]] 2008 — ''Transformers'' — Volume 02: Stagione Uno Parte Seconda ([[Medianetwork Communication]]) — English and Italian audio. 
[[Image:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2009 — ''Transformers'' — Season One (Metrodome) 
[[Image:Flag of Australia.png|20px|Australia]] 2009 — ''The Transformers'' — Complete Collection: Decepticon Edition (Madman Entertainment) 
[[Image:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2009 — ''The Transformers'' — The Complete First Season: 25th Anniversary Edition ([[Shout! Factory]]) 
[[Image:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2009 — ''The Transformers'' — The Complete Series: 25th Anniversary "Matrix of Leadership" Collection (Shout! Factory)

==External links==
* [http://cybertronchronicle.freewebspace.com/cartoon-dossier/synopses/the_ultimate_doom_part_1.html Dossier at the Cybertron Chronicle]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ultimate Doom, Part 1}}
[[Category:Generation 1 episodes]]
[[Category:Generation 2 episodes]]

The Ultimate Doom, Part 1

2011-07-21T15:49:56Z

118.209.47.48: /* Technical or animation glitches */

{{episode
|series=G1toon
|ep=11
|series2=SRLFtoon
|ep2=66
|prev2=The Autobot Run
|next2=The Ultimate Doom, Part 2
|series3=''[[Generation 2 (cartoon)|The Transformers: Generation 2]]''
|ep3=41
|prev3=Desertion of the Dinobots, Part 2
|next3=The Ultimate Doom, Part 2
|image=FHE-UltimateDoom.jpg
|caption="Now, pardon me as I try to outrun those tsunami behind me!"
|title="The Ultimate Doom, Part 1"
|production code=#700-08
|airdate=[[November 3]], 1984
|written by=[[Larry Strauss]]
|animation studio=[[Toei]]
|production company=[[Sunbow Productions]]
|continuity=[[Generation 1 cartoon continuity]]
}}

'''Megatron brings Cybertron into Earth orbit to harvest the energy from the destruction caused by Cybertron's gravity.'''

:''Japanese title:'' 破滅の日 PART I (''Hametsu no Hi PART I'', "Day of Destruction PART I")
:''Latin American title:'' La Destrucción Máxima, Parte I
:''Serbian title:'' '''Судњи дан, први део - Испирање мозга''' (''Sudnji dan, prvi deo - Ispiranje mozga'', "Judgment day, part 1 - Brainwash")
:''Italian title, dub 1:'' '''Lo scienziato pazzo''' ("The mad scientist")
:''Italian title, dub 2:'' '''Destino finale - I''' ("Final Destiny - I")
{{TOCclear}}
==Synopsis==
[[Image:Sparkplugkidnapped.jpg|left|200px|thumb|"Kidnapping humans will be simplicity itself, thanks to my new, Transformers-sized crane game."]]

[[Starscream (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Starscream]], [[Thundercracker (G1)|Thundercracker]] and [[Skywarp (G1)|Skywarp]] attack a solar power station on [[India]]'s coast. [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]], [[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]], [[Jazz (G1)|Jazz]] and [[Sunstreaker (G1)|Sunstreaker]] arrive in time to intercept them. Watching this battle remotely are [[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Megatron]] and the evil human scientist [[Doctor Arkeville]]. Megatron orders [[Soundwave (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Soundwave]] to begin phase two of Operation Guinea Pig, which involves setting [[Rumble (G1)|Rumble]] and [[Ravage (G1)|Ravage]] loose inside [[Ark (G1)|Autobot headquarters]]. With the [[Autobot]]s distracted by Rumble's rumbling, [[Laserbeak (G1)|Laserbeak]] flies in, nabs [[Sparkplug Witwicky|Sparkplug]] and flies out.

Back in India, the [[Seeker (body-type)|Seekers]] suddenly take flight and retreat. Prime smells a rat, then Sunstreaker tells him of the attack on their headquarters.

[[Image:TFG1TUD1.jpg|right|200px|thumb|"I love the Power Glove. It's so bad."]]

After bringing Sparkplug to [[Decepticon]] headquarters, Doctor Arkeville fits him with a mind-control device called a [[hypno-chip]] which brings him into the Decepticons' control. As a means of demonstrating the new technology, Sparkplug is made to attack a full-sized replica of Optimus Prime. Megatron intends to use this technology to create an army of human slaves. With the successful completion of the first part of his plan, Megatron communicates with [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]] to confirm that the new [[space bridge]] is ready.

The Autobots attack the Decepticon undersea base to rescue Sparkplug. Optimus Prime leads a direct attack from above while [[Cliffjumper (G1)|Cliffjumper]], [[Brawn (G1)|Brawn]] and [[Windcharger (G1)|Windcharger]] tunnel under the ocean floor. The mission is successful, and the Autobots return him to their base. After undergoing repairs, the Autobots and Spike notice that Sparkplug is acting oddly, but before they can learn why, the Decepticons launch a surprise attack. [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike]] realises that Sparkplug has sabotaged the Autobots' weapons and [[Teletraan I (G1)|Teletraan I]], which let the Decepticons in undetected.

When Spike confronts his father, Sparkplug appeals to Spike to join the Decepticons. Spike refuses, and Sparkplug tells his son that when they next meet, they will be enemies. In a desperate effort to salvage the situation, Spike sets off the [[fire-retardant foam]]. This clogs the Decepticons' weapons, and Megatron orders a retreat. Sparkplug willingly goes with them.

[[Image:Spikesparkandark.jpg|left|200px|thumb|Snow Miser tunes in to his favorite show, ''The Witwickys''.]]

At the space bridge site, Megatron reveals that he intends to bring [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] into Earth orbit using the bridge. The gravity of Cybertron will cause natural disasters, and the Decepticons plan to harvest the energy and transport it to Cybertron. Arkeville isn't too keen on this idea, but Megatron says it's a new problem for the evil scientist to solve using his genius intellect.

Using the [[Sky Spy]], the Autobots see the giant space bridge and [[roll out]] to investigate. When they attack the bridge site, Megatron releases a group of human slaves to act as shields. The ploy works, and things get even more complicated when the humans attack the Autobots with sticks and stones.

Spike stops Sparkplug from attacking Bumblebee, and for a moment it appears that Sparkplug is back to normal. But Arkeville recomputes his signal, and Sparkplug is again under Decepticon control. He rushes to the first space bridge pylon and activates it. Thundercracker activates the second.

[[Image:Tud1_megatron_cybertron.jpg|right|200px|thumb|"A ticker-tape parade using streams of volcanic ash. How ironic!"]]

Optimus Prime chases Megatron up to the third pylon and wrestles him away from the button. Megatron orders Prime to turn on the pylon himself, or else he will be responsible for catapulting Cybertron into oblivion. Unwilling to sacrifice his home planet, Optimus Prime activates the space bridge, bringing Cybertron into Earth's orbit, but wonders if he is dooming Earth in the process.

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
*[[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] (5)
*[[Jazz (G1)|Jazz]] (6)
*[[Sunstreaker (G1)|Sunstreaker]] (7)
*[[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]] (8)
*[[Ratchet (G1)|Ratchet]] (13)
*[[Bumblebee (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Bumblebee]] (14)
*[[Sideswipe (G1)|Sideswipe]] (15)
*[[Ironhide (G1)|Ironhide]] (17)
*[[Prowl (G1)|Prowl]] (20)
*[[Hound (G1)|Hound]] (21)
*[[Cliffjumper (G1)|Cliffjumper]] (23)
*[[Windcharger (G1)|Windcharger]] (24)
*[[Brawn (G1)|Brawn]] (25)
*[[Bluestreak (G1)|Bluestreak]] (26)
*[[Gears (G1)|Gears]] (27)
*[[Trailbreaker (G1)|Trailbreaker]] (28)
*[[Huffer (G1)|Huffer]] (29)

|c2=
*[[Starscream (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Starscream]] (2)
*[[Thundercracker (G1)|Thundercracker]] (3)
*[[Skywarp (G1)|Skywarp]] (4)
*[[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Megatron]] (9)
*[[Soundwave (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Soundwave]] (11)
*[[Rumble (G1)|Rumble]] (12)
*[[Ravage (G1)|Ravage]] (18)
*[[Laserbeak (G1)|Laserbeak]] (19)
*[[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]] (22)

|c3=
*Indian Maharaja (1)
*[[Doctor Arkeville]] (10)
*[[Sparkplug Witwicky]] (16)
*[[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike Witwicky]] (20)
}}

==Quotes==
'''Skywarp''': I say Megatron's plan was brilliant. 
'''Starscream''': And I say the diversionary attack on the solar plant was a waste of energy. 
'''Skywarp''': You waste more energy with your mouth!
:—More heart-warming Decepticon camaraderie.

"I've got the plan, if all of you've got the cast-iron [[manifold]]s for it!" 
"We have!"
:—'''Prowl''' and '''Optimus Prime'''

"Into the ocean, let's be daring. The last one in is a rusty herring."
:—'''Jazz''', turning into [[Wheelie (G1)|a poet]]

'''Megatron''': [[Fire-retardant foam]]! Our circuitry's been shorted out. 
'''Thundercracker''': My weapon! 
'''Skywarp''': Can't we just bash 'em to pieces? 
'''Megatron''': If we stay, this foam will permanently damage our circuitry. The Autobots are through anyway. RETREAT!
:—The Decepticons become ever more farcical and ridiculous.

"As the Earthlings say: Fat chance, fat-head!"
:—'''Optimus Prime''' has been spending too much time with Spike.

"Have I saved Cybertron...only to destroy the Earth?"
:—'''Optimus Prime''' angsts over his decision to bring Cybertron into Earth's orbit.

==Notes==
===Technical or animation glitches===
* The Maharaja says that his solar panels are collecting three hundred energy units per second. Typical government inflation! The screen says it's ''thirty'' units per second.
* For an Indian, that Maharaja sure does look like a Caucasian.
* Skywarp has Thundercracker's colors as he blasts his way into the palace.
* Prime has a sloped windscreen as he and the other Autobots drive through the jungle.
* As the Autobots enter the water, Sunstreaker is colored red instead of yellow.
* Megatron's [[fusion cannon]] is drawn pretty badly repeatedly throughout this episode. The front barrel is often drawn at less than half the size it should be. (See the picture further up this page for an example). Apparently size isn't important after all.
* Improbable viewpoints:
** Megatron gets a stationary view of the Autobots charging into the Maharaja's palace. Did Starscream and company spend their time their setting up a camera for him?
** He also gets a view of Soundwave hanging around outside Autobot Headquarters. (Clearly, the Autobots have [[Megatron's Master Plan, Part 1|no security]] at this point.)
** As Sparkplug works to sabotage the Autobots, Dr. Arkeville gets footage from ''inside'' Autobot Headquarters! We can ''maybe'' let this one slide and say that Sparkplug set up a video feed or something.
** Then Arkeville gets a view that's clearly coming from Teletraan I itself! (Actually, that would explain both viewpoints.)
** The [[Sky Spy]] gets what is essentially a ground-level view of the Decepticon energy pylons.
** Megatron doesn't seem to be leaning over a console or anything as the Autobots arrive at the space bridge, but Arkeville still gets a full view of him from Decepticon Headquarters.
** Arkeville then gets a view from right next to Sparkplug as he talks with Spike during the battle.
* As Soundwave salutes, most of his body shifts around a bit, but his chestplate remains completely still.
* As Rumble transforms, Soundwave's open chest cavity is colored light blue, as if it were closed. His open chest panel is colored dark blue, as if it weren't there!
* Soundwave has a purple Autobot symbol as he ejects Laserbeak. Once his cassette door is open, its inside face is colored solid dark blue, instead of the light blue that it should be.
* Most of Laserbeak's caws and cries are not electronically modulated, though his usual electronic trill does show up a few times.
* Sideswipe's leg clips through Spike as he joins them in watching Rumble.
* Sideswipe's gun vanishes as he bashes Ravage aside.
* Laserbeak grabs Sparkplug from a metal-paneled interior space, yet immediately flies right out of the volcano's cone. As Spike looks up after Laserbeak, he's suddenly standing against a rock background.
*After the Autobots in India realize they have been duped, Sunstreaker says "We were set up!", but in Prowl's voice. A similar goof happened in "[[Roll for It]]".
* Starscream's face is light gray instead of medium gray as he and the other Seekers ride the elevator into Decepticon HQ.
* Either a line was cut, or [[Frank Welker]] misparsed one of Megatron's lines; he says "It had ''better'' function" in regards to the hypno-chip.... when nobody had previously been discussing the chips at all.
* The outer edges of Bumblebee's face are supposed to be white, but they're colored yellow as he consoles Spike.
* The animation of Shockwave talking to Megatron is recycled from "[[Transport to Oblivion]]", complete with its strange brightly-lit background and awkward shadow, and Shockwave's incomplete arms.
* Starscream's air intake is light gray instead of red as he and the other jets wait for Megatron.
* When Starscream says "Optimus Prime? Prepare to attack!", he and Skywarp have traded colors. In the next shot, their proper colors are restored.
* Prowl drives into the air at the cliff edge before transforming.
* Brawn's front grill just phases right through his giant vehicle-mode drill as it folds back up.
* Appearing/disappearing Autobots:
** Prime's strike team includes Prowl, Hound, Jazz, Sunstreaker, Wheeljack, and Bumblebee. During the underwater battle, Gears appears for a single shot.
** As Bumblebee says his "biggest space bridge ever" line, the shot changes, and he's been replaced by a misshapen Hound.
* Whatever damage Cliffjumper did to the inside of Decepticon Headquarters has disappeared by the time Autobots take their exit.
* As he dives back out of Decepticon HQ, Cliffjumper is colored as Bumblebee.
*After Starscream, soaking wet with seawater, emerges from the hole made by Cliffjumper's glass gas, there is a moment where his animation freezes...as well as the dripping water.
* In a pan across the interior of Autobot Headquarters, there are two Prowls.
* One of them is drawn working on Jazz. Since when is Prowl a mechanic?
* In the same shot, Ratchet's mouth is missing as he works on Sunstreaker.
* A layering goof (or cheap shortcut) has Sparkplug's arms not actually reaching into the open panel on Wheeljack's back where he's supposed to be working.
* As Ratchet protests Sparkplug's attempt to work on Optimus, it's suddenly Prowl who he is repairing, rather than Sunstreaker (and despite Prowl being up and about a few shots ago).
* After Prime falls, suddenly it's Jazz laying on the table by Ratchet, with Bluestreak standing over him.
*Sparkplug's wrench looks different between shots, losing its round bolt wrench end in some shots.
*When the Decepticons are showered with foam at the Ark, the shot cuts from Thundercracker to Skywarp by simply changing the colors on the character.
*When Starscream flies to the space bridge, his alt-mode is noticeably misshapen. His transformation is amazingly off, as well.
*As Optimus takes aim at Megatron for the second time ("It's not over yet, Megatron!"), his faceplate disappears for a second or two.
* After Sparkplug has his moment of hesitation, Spike's mouth moves, but no words come out.
* When Dr. Arkeville mentions having to improve his hypno-chips, the background is Autobot orange instead of Decepticon purple.
* When Sparkplug climbs up onto the first energy pylon, the sound of his footsteps is that of a clanking, giant robot, not a human wearing boots.
* The third pylon's energy beam isn't quite aligned with the pylon itself.

===Continuity errors===
* Megatron's "diversion" only draws four Autobots away from their headquarters, with at least that many still present, yet he seems to regard it as a smashing success.
* In order to test the effectiveness of the hypno-chip, Megatron produces a model of Optimus Prime. Because Starscream is bone-headed enough to think Megatron just randomly let Prime into the base, Megatron directly says it's a model... in front of Sparkplug. No one considers that Sparkplug might have more common sense than Starscream, or even fake being mind-controlled because of what he's just been allowed to overhear.
* That must be one light Optimus Prime model; Sparkplug is able to grab it by the ankle and toss it across the room.
* The entire process of rescuing Sparkplug is fraught with improbabilities:
** Brawn's team should have been swept away by cascading torrents of water as soon as a big enough hole was opened in their tunnel.
** Decepticon Headquarters should also have been inundated as soon as the floor dropped out beneath Starscream. To hold the water at bay, the atmospheric pressure in the base would have to be equal to the water pressure at the bottom of the ocean — a pressure that Sparkplug and Arkeville most assuredly could not survive.
** Whatever force keeps water from gushing up through the big hole in the floor doesn't stop water from gushing in when Brawn punches a big hole in the ''wall''.
** "Hold your breath, Sparkplug!" says Windcharger, as they prepare to swim out of Decepticon HQ. Yes, that will save you from the freezing temperatures and crushing pressures at the bottom of the ocean!
** The water gushing into the base is nowhere to be seen as Starscream re-enters the base.
* The Decepticons enter Autobot Headquarters through a huge hole in the wall, yet there has been no explosion or anything.
*The Decepticons can be apparently easily damaged by fire-retardant foam (Cybertronian fire-retardant foam at that!), yet the Autobots are fine.
*Spike trips over nothing as he flees the battle. The next shot make it seem like he was supposed to have tripped over his dad's wrench... but in order to have tripped Spike, the wrench must be either monumentally heavy or bolted to the floor; nonetheless, in the next frame Spike picks the wrench up with no sign of strain—just as you would expect anyone could.

===Continuity notes===
* This episode is one of several that gets a narrative opening from [[Victor Caroli]].
[[Image:TUD1 Brawn drilling.jpg|thumb|right|200px| ]]
[[Image:TUD1 Cliffjumper depth gauge.jpg|thumb|right|200px|And now, on with the countdown.]]
* Gadgets and powers:
** The Autobots make their first use of [[hydrofoil]]s in this episode, newly installed by Wheeljack. More than most, these gadgets would show up in [[Dinobot Island, Part 2|many]] [[Atlantis, Arise!|future]] [[City of Steel|episodes]].
** Ironhide retracts his hand and out comes a toilet plunger lookin' thing. He uses it to locate the center of Rumble's seismic disturbance, with the results displaying on his chest windows (not unlike his sonadar sensors.)
** Sideswipe was getting ready to fire a flare from his hand weapon. He was interrupted by Ravage. Flares are mentioned in Sideswipe's [[bio]].
** Optimus Prime's chest windows light up, indicating an attack on Autobot Headquarters.
** Brawn has a vehicle mode tunneling drill. It'll show up again in "[[The Immobilizer]]".
** Cliffjumper has a depth gauge that emerges from his vehicle-mode hood.
** Cliffjumper fires his [[glass gas]] like a regular laser beam from his hand gun.
** Ratchet uses the same retractable wrist-welder he had in "[[Transport to Oblivion]]".
** This time, it's the blue button on Megatron's stomach that acts as his radio transmitter.
* Once again, evidence that Cybertron is actually outside the Milky Way galaxy: Optimus describes the apex of the space bridge as being "beyond this galaxy".
* For those who wonder how humans can breathe on Cybertron, this episode offers some relief: the final scenes clearly show Cybertron sucking up a chunk of Earth's atmosphere. Of course, this doesn't cover Chip Chase's earlier visit to the planet in "[[Divide and Conquer]]".

===Real-world references===
*The Seekers attack a solar power plant off [[Wikipedia:Malabar Coast|Malabar Coast]], which is located in southern [[Wikipedia:India|India]].
* As [[The Transformers: The Movie|always]] when there's a [[wikipedia:American Top Forty|countdown]] of any kind, it's given to [[Casey Kasem|Cliffjumper]].
* Is Windcharger's line "This must be the place!" a reference to [[wikipedia: This Must Be the Place (Naive Melody)|the Talking Heads song]] that came out just two years prior? Or would you have to be naive to think that?
* Brawn plays a reverse lifeguard: "Everybody into the pool!"
* ''[[Star Wars (film)|Star Wars]]'' sound effects:
** The sound of an igniting lightsaber is repurposed for Cliffjumper's glass gas beam.
** As Spike flees the battle in Autobot Headquarters, the background laser effects include the sound of the Death Star's turbolasers firing at the Rebel fighters.
** The fritzed-out Autobots get the sound of Darth Vader and Ben Kenobi's lightsabers locking and sparking in their fight aboard the Death Star. The sound is recycled when Spike shorts out Teletraan I a second later.

===Trivia===
*This episode is subtitled "Brainwash" in scripts and other official materials.

*Like "[[More than Meets the Eye (episode)|More than Meets the Eye]]", the mid-80s [[Family Home Entertainment]] VHS release of "The Ultimate Doom" was granted the [[wikipedia:Film Advisory Board|Film Advisory Board]] Award of Excellence, proudly displayed on the video box cover. However, this particular "award" does not reflect the ''quality'' of any work submitted, but rather that the work is "family-friendly". Cheeky, once again!

*This was one of the six episodes featured on the ''[[Revenge of the Fallen (Xbox 360/PS3/PC)|Revenge of the Fallen]]'' console game.

*The idea of bringing Cybertron to Earth via space bridge and enslaving humans was used as part of the plot for ''[[Dark of the Moon (film)|Transformers: Dark of the Moon]]''

==Home video releases==
{{homevidnote}}
[[Image:TransformersVillainsUltimateDoomParts1-3%281984%29.jpg|right|150px|thumb|"I'm such a villain, I even stole this DVD cover."]]
;VHS
[[Image:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 1985 — ''The Transformers'' — Volume 2: "The Ultimate Doom" ([[Family Home Entertainment]]) 
[[Image:Flag of Canada.png|20px|Canada]] 1996 — ''The Transformers'' — The Ultimate Doom ([[Malofilm]]) 
[[Image:Flag of Canada.png|20px|Canada]] 1996 — ''Transformers'' — L'Ultime Piège (Malofilm) — French audio only. 
[[Image:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2001 — ''The Original Transformers'' — Villains: The Ultimate Doom ([[The Original Transformers|Rhino Entertainment]])
;Laserdisc
[[Image:Flag of Japan.png|20px|Japan]] 1995 — ''Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers'' — Megatron Set ([[TakaraTomy|Takara]]) — Japanese audio only. 
[[Image:Flag of Japan.png|20px|Japan]] 1999 — ''The Transformers'' — Decepticon Edition ([[Geneon Universal Entertainment|Pioneer LDC]]) — Japanese audio only.
;DVD
[[Image:Flag of Japan.png|20px|Japan]] 2001 — ''The Transformers'' — DVD Box 2 (Pioneer LDC) — Japanese audio only. 
[[Image:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2001 — ''The Original Transformers'' — Villains: The Ultimate Doom ([[The Original Transformers|Rhino Entertainment]]) 
[[Image:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2002 — ''Transformers'' — Original Series: Volume One ([[Maverick Entertainment|Sony Wonder]]) 
[[Image:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2002 — ''Transformers'' — Complete Original Series: Deluxe Edition (Sony Wonder) 
[[Image:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2002 — ''The Original Transformers'' — First Season Collector's Edition (Rhino Entertainment) 
[[Image:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2002 — ''The Original Transformers'' — Volume Three (Rhino Entertainment) 
[[Image:Flag of Australia.png|20px|Australia]] 2003 — ''Transformers'' — Collection 1: Series 1 ([[Madman Entertainment]]) 
[[Image:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2004 — ''Transformers'' — Season 1 ([[Metrodome]]) 
[[Image:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2006 — ''Transformers'' — The Complete Generation One Collection (Metrodome) 
[[Image:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2007 — ''Classic Transformers'' — Series One: Part Two (Metrodome) 
[[Image:Flag of Australia.png|20px|Australia]] 2007 — ''The Transformers'' — Complete Collection (Madman Entertainment) 
[[Image:Flag of Italy.png|20px|Italy]] 2008 — ''Transformers'' — Volume 02: Stagione Uno Parte Seconda ([[Medianetwork Communication]]) — English and Italian audio. 
[[Image:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2009 — ''Transformers'' — Season One (Metrodome) 
[[Image:Flag of Australia.png|20px|Australia]] 2009 — ''The Transformers'' — Complete Collection: Decepticon Edition (Madman Entertainment) 
[[Image:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2009 — ''The Transformers'' — The Complete First Season: 25th Anniversary Edition ([[Shout! Factory]]) 
[[Image:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2009 — ''The Transformers'' — The Complete Series: 25th Anniversary "Matrix of Leadership" Collection (Shout! Factory)

==External links==
* [http://cybertronchronicle.freewebspace.com/cartoon-dossier/synopses/the_ultimate_doom_part_1.html Dossier at the Cybertron Chronicle]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ultimate Doom, Part 1}}
[[Category:Generation 1 episodes]]
[[Category:Generation 2 episodes]]

War of the Dinobots

2011-07-21T14:05:11Z

118.209.47.48: /* Animation or technical glitches */

{{episode
|series=G1toon
|ep=10
|series2=SRLFtoon
|ep2=8
|prev2=S.O.S. Dinobots
|next2=Countdown to Extinction (episode)
|series3=''[[Generation 2 (cartoon)|The Transformers: Generation 2]]''
|ep3=14
|prev3=Prime Target (episode)
|next3=Atlantis, Arise!
|image=FHE-WarOfTheDinobots.jpg
|caption="For God's sake, I didn't eat your damn pudding!"
|title="War of the Dinobots"
|production code=#700-07
|airdate=[[November 27]], 1984
|written by=[[Donald F. Glut]]
|animation studio=[[Toei]]
|production company=[[Sunbow Productions]]
|continuity=[[Generation 1 cartoon continuity]]
}}

'''Snarl and Swoop are added to the Dinobot roster... and just in time!'''

:''German ''Generation 2'' title:'' "'''Krieg der Dinobots'''" ("War of the Dinobots")
:''Japanese title:'' 謎の巨大隕石 (''Nazo no Kyodai Inseki'', "The Mysterious Giant Meteorite")
:''Brazilian title:'' '''Guerra dos Dinobots'''
:''Serbian title:'' '''Рат Динобота''' (''Rat Dinobota'', "War of the Dinobots")
:''Italian title, dub 1:'' '''Il meteorite''' ("The meteor")
:''Italian title, dub 2:'' '''La guerra dei Dinobots''' ("War of the Dinobots")
{{TOCclear}}
==Synopsis==
[[Image:WaroftheDinos Meteorite.jpg|left|200px|thumb|Meteorini Chipper—ah, forget it.]]

[[Meteorini Chipperoni|An unidentified meteor]] is due to impact on [[Earth]], and [[Chip Chase]] asks the [[Autobot]]s to investigate. Fearing that its energy potential could be used by the [[Decepticon]]s, [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] calls in the Dinobots for help.

At Decepticon headquarters, [[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Megatron]] is watching video footage of the Dinobots and raging about how the dim-witted robots have defeated his warriors time and again. Megatron orders [[Soundwave (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Soundwave]] to find their weaknesses.

After the meteor crash-lands, the Autobots take a sample back to [[Ark (G1)|their headquarters]] and leave the Dinobots to guard the crash site. Impressed that they are following orders, Prime decides to order [[Ratchet (G1)|Ratchet]] and [[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]] to build two more Dinobots with [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike]] and Chip's help.

At the meteor site, Soundwave scans the Dinobots' brains while in hiding and reports back to Megatron. The Decepticon leader declares [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]] is arrogant, [[Slag (G1)|Slag]] is hostile, and [[Sludge (G1)|Sludge]] is stupid. He vows to use those weaknesses against the Dinobots.

[[Image:War of the dinos 1.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Me Grimlock say "Pull!"]]

Megatron's forces arrive at the meteorite's location, and after the Dinobots trash the [[Seeker (body-type)|Seekers]], Megatron comes forth and feigns humility. He wonders aloud why the Dinobots, as powerful as they are, follow a weaker leader such as Optimus Prime. Because of Megatron's powerful logic, Grimlock and the Dinobots are convinced to rebel against Prime, and the Decepticons take the meteorite.

At the Autobot base, Prime and Ratchet oversee construction of two new Dinobots: [[Snarl (G1)|Snarl]] and [[Swoop (G1)|Swoop]]. During this, Wheeljack discovers the meteorite's energy is highly unstable. [[Trailbreaker (G1)|Trailbreaker]] manages to encase the fragment in a force field just before it detonates. Fearing a huge explosion, Optimus Prime rushes out alone to warn the Dinobots.

[[Image:WaroftheDinos construction.jpg|left|200px|thumb|Dinobots—built to rule!]]

At the base, Wheeljack has Snarl and Swoop do a test run of their powers. [[Bluestreak (G1)|Bluestreak]], [[Ironhide (G1)|Ironhide]], [[Sideswipe (G1)|Sideswipe]] and [[Prowl (G1)|Prowl]] attempt to stop the new Dinobots, but get their cans soundly kicked.

Prime arrives at the crash site and is attacked by the Dinobots. Though Optimus puts up a good fight, the Autobot leader is unable to defeat the Dinobots by himself and is knocked out. However, Grimlock doesn't kill him or let the others hurt Prime further, a restraint that Prime attributes to their Autobot training. The Dinobots instead take Prime to the Decepticons.

At Autobot headquarters, Spike and Chip are concerned because Optimus hasn't reported in. [[Teletraan I (G1)|Teletraan I]] alerts Wheeljack that the meteorite has been moved and is about ready to blow. Snarl and Swoop are sent to stop it.

While the Decepticons form [[Energon cube|energon cubes]] from the volatile meteorite energy, [[Starscream (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Starscream]] grows concerned by the meteorite's unstable nature. When Grimlock, Slag and Sludge arrive, Megatron is angered that they didn't kill Prime, but is soon distracted as the energon cubes detonate.

[[Image:Grimlockapologize.jpg|right|200px|thumb|"Um... please let go. That hurts." "yOu MiNe NoW..."]]

Swoop and Snarl arrive, and the two new Dinobots fight the old Dinobots to a standstill in a vicious battle. During the battle, the meteorite visibly destabilizes, and just before it explodes, Prime pushes Grimlock to safety.

Realizing that Prime is both strong and has concern for his troops, Grimlock orders the Dinobots to attack Megatron. The Decepticons retreat, and Grimlock asks for Prime's forgiveness as the other Autobots arrive. However, Optimus Prime merely declares that the meteorite menace is over and they should go home.

{{-}}

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
* [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] (3)
* [[Hound (G1)|Hound]] (4)
* [[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]] (5)
* [[Ironhide (G1)|Ironhide]] (6)
* [[Ratchet (G1)|Ratchet]] (7)
* [[Slag (G1)|Slag]] (14)
* [[Sludge (G1)|Sludge]] (15)
* [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]] (16)
* [[Prowl (G1)|Prowl]] (19)
* [[Huffer (G1)|Huffer]] (20)
* [[Gears (G1)|Gears]] (21)
* [[Brawn (G1)|Brawn]] (22)
* [[Trailbreaker (G1)|Trailbreaker]] (23)
* [[Bluestreak (G1)|Bluestreak]] (24)
* [[Sideswipe (G1)|Sideswipe]] (25)
* [[Snarl (G1)|Snarl]] (26)
* [[Swoop (G1)|Swoop]] (27)

|c2=
* [[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Megatron]] (8)
* [[Soundwave (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Soundwave]] (9)
* [[Reflector (G1)|Reflector]] (10)
* [[Starscream (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Starscream]] (11)
* [[Thundercracker (G1)|Thundercracker]] (12)
* [[Rumble (G1)|Rumble]] (13)
* [[Skywarp (G1)|Skywarp]] (18)

|c3=
* [[Chip Chase]] (1)
* [[Jeff (astronomer)|Jeff]] (2)
* [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike Witwicky]] (7)
* [[Sparkplug Witwicky]] (17)
}}

==Quotes==
"Well, meteor or no meteor, Optimus Prime, it's great not worrying about the Decepticons for a change." 
"I always worry about the Decepticons, Spike."
:—'''Spike Witwicky''' learns that '''Optimus Prime''' ''really'' needs a vacation.

"I’ve seen enough! My finest warriors defeated by those primitive, pea-brained beasts. Revolting!"
:—'''Megatron''' on the Decepticons' failure to defeat the Dinobots.

"No matter how many times I see it, it's always outrageous."
:—'''Chip Chase''', wondering if they are [[Wikipedia:Jem (TV series)|truly truly outrageous]].

'''Grimlock''': "We destroy Optimus Prime!" 
'''Slag''': "And him, Grimlock, be new leader!" 
'''Sludge''': "Hail him, Grimlock!"
:—The Dinobots plan their coup.

"Great! I'm finally gonna get in a fight!"
:—'''Sideswipe''', finally seeing some action after being largely ignored for several episodes.

"In a ''real'' fight, we'd've creamed 'em! ...mmm, maybe."
:—'''Bluestreak''', after getting pummeled by the new Dinobots

"I do not want to fight you, but you leave me no choice."
:—'''Optimus Prime''''s warning to the Dinobots.

"You, Megatron, tricked us! Make us fight good leader, Optimus Prime. Prime risk own life to save us. Bad Megatron!" 
"Decepticons, retreat now, quick, at once!"
:—'''Grimlock''' switches allegiances again and puts the fear of God into '''Megatron'''.

"Optimus Prime, can you forgive? Me Grimlock was jealous of you."
:—'''Grimlock''', actually showing humility for once.

==Notes==
===Animation or technical glitches===
* During the scene in Decepticon headquarters when Megatron is watching footage of the Dinobots, there's a short line above and below his fist as if to make it appear to be shaking in anger. Perhaps a shortcut note for the animators that never got carried out?
* Reflector's center bot is missing his green coloration as he turns toward the deactivated viewscreen.
* As he acknowledges Megatron's order, Soundwave's visor splits into two separate eyes, then reforms. Throughout the shot, he's missing his eject button and waist belt control buttons.
* Soundwave is missing his yellow stripes as he lands in the city.
* Soundwave's cheek guards are blue instead of white as he edges toward the Autobots.
* In our first shot of the Dinobots, Slag's chest plate is red instead of white.
* In the first shot of the Autobots awaiting the meteorite, Hound is colored as [[Mirage (G1)|Mirage]].
[[Image:GrimSlagSludge.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Okay, sure, Slag's cheekguards are the wrong color, but it's still a totally sweet shot.]]
* Slag's head is miscolored (as it so frequently is):
** As Optimus prepares to blast off a fragment of the meteorite (gray).
** As he transforms to listen to Megatron, and again as he points out that Prime will resist Grimlock (white sides).
** As the Dinobots turn around after the first commercial break (starts red, turns gray).
** As Megatron humbly offers a strategy (red helmet, white face).
** As the three Dinobots form up to confront Optimus Prime (gray with red forehead).
** When the Dinobots investigate Prime's body after blasting him (gray with a red dot - he's a Hindu!).
** As Slag proposes melting down Optimus (white sides, red face, a combo that happens so frequently it might be an alternate color model.)
** As the Dinobots land at the new meteorite site (gray).
** In the shot after Grimlock shoots Starscream.
** At the beginning of the battle between old and new Dinobots, as Slag and Sludge transform to their dino mode (and again when this clip is replayed in reverse, minus Grimlock, after the meteorite exploded).
* When Spike "sees" the meteoroid, it's streaking across the sky as if heading somewhere else entirely, yet somehow it lands almost right on top of them.
* Grimlock and Sludge's heads are light gray instead of black after Prime blasts the meteorite fragment.
*Optimus blasts a fragment off of the meteor at night, transforms during the day (courtesy of a shot recycled, unaltered, from "[[More than Meets the Eye, Part 1]]"), leaves the scene around dawn, and drives off into the dead of night.
* In the first shot of the Dinobots guarding the meteorite, Slag's eyes are the same red as the rest of his face, and Sludge's helmet is largely white instead of black.
* As Megatron rants about the Dinobots' weakenesses, Soundwave is missing his insignia.
* As usual, the stock animation of the docking tower of Decepticon Headquarters emerging from the water makes it look like it's tilted about 30 degrees from vertical.
* As the Dinobots prepare to fend off the Decepticon attack, Slag's Autobot insignia is missing as he exults about getting to fight.
* After the Seekers' second pass over the Dinobots, two Thundercrackers fly over the Dinobots, both with wrongly-colored air intakes.
* Thundercracker still has blue air intakes in the diving shot after the Dinobots transform.
* As Megatron starts to talk down the Dinobots from fighting, Grimlock and Sludge's flame breath is layered behind Megatron, despite their being in the background.
* "You are stronger than ''all'' the Autobots!" Megatron's waist-sides are gray instead of red, and one of his buttons is blue instead of red.
* "Optimus Prime is leader now. He will ''fight'' if Grimlock lead!" - in addition to his miscolored helmet, Slag has somehow acquired Sludge's already inexplicable glowing orange mouth interior.
* An oddly edited shot has Sludge's face filling the frame, just as Slag answers Grimlock's question about liking to fight.
* "Hail him Grimlock!" - the Dinobot cel layers shift back and forth making them appear to be shaking. Or perhaps highly caffeinated. Just prior to this, Grimlock's back/dino mode head is black. As Slag starts to speak, his face turns white.
* Grimlock's hands are yellow as the Dinobots watch the Decepticons haul the meteorite off.
* The Ark is silver-gray instead of orange in the first establishing shot of Autobot Headquarters.
[[Image:WaroftheDinobots Sparkplug with plans.jpg|thumb|right|200px|" 'Down the breast by the arrow direction' ?"]]
* No wonder Sparkplug is puzzled by the blueprints. They're labeled with a rather [[Engrish]]y title of "Out Line Plan Desge".
* As the Autobots are finalizing construction of Snarl and Swoop, Brawn (who is working on Swoop) is colored with a yellow back, a light blue side, and gray limbs.
* After his bizarre force field use, Trailbreaker is nowhere to be seen in Wheeljack's workshop.
* When Snarl first introduces himself, his chest is missing the Autobot insignia. When Swoop lands next to Snarl to make his introduction, Snarl's insignia is present.
* Bluestreak's center head crest is red instead of gray at two points during his fight with the Dinobots.
* As the Dinobots prepare to unleash their final attack on Optimus Prime, Grimlock's torso is colored gray instead of yellow.
* Sludge's helmet-sides are once again light gray as the Dinobots carry Optimus toward Megatron.
* As Grimlock tells Megatron that he'll terminate Optimus at his discretion, only the center of Grimlock's visor eyes was colored.
* When Grimlock fires Prime's rifle at Starscream, it gets the normal Autobot sound effect, instead of its own unique sound.
[[Image:WarDinobots Chip warning Autobots.jpg|thumb|right|200px|He ''does'' have some buttons on the arm rest, but nothing for them to control.]]
* Chip doesn't appear to be doing anything to roll his wheelchair as he and Sparkplug run through Autobot Headquarters.
* Only one of Wheeljack's "ears" flashes as he reports the meteorite's location.
* Improbable viewpoints:
** The meteorite is on-screen ''before'' Chip has asked Wheeljack to "get a fix on it".
** Teletraan then provides a ground shot of the valley (minus the Decepticons, Dinobots, energon cubes, etc.)
* Soundwave's visor is blue, and his forehead is visor-red, as he recoils from the about-to-explode energon cubes.
* As Grimlock transforms to start the battle, the end of Prime's rifle is colored gold, as if it were one of Grimlock's claws.
* Slag's horns are yellow instead of red as Swoop drops his tail.
* Optimus has a blue square around his neck as he runs to save Grimlock.
* Thundercracker is shown crashing alongside Megatron as the meteorite explodes. As Thundercracker hasn't been shown in this scene at all, and Starscream was last seen taking off alongside Megatron, it probably should have been Starscream.
* Megatron's gun barrel is bigger than his head as he gets to his feet after the explosion.

===Rhino DVD release===
* When Wheeljack says "I can't wait to get to work on this", his side light things do not flash.

* When the Dinobots talk of rebelling against Prime, Slag's face is miscolored, Sludge's mouth moves to Slag's line, and after Grimlock raises his arm there is a zoom take on Slag.

* As Snarl is introduced, he is entirely too dark.

* The energon cubes are miscolored in one scene.

* When the Dinobots carry Optimus, Slag is miscolored again.

* When Starscream says Grimlock will never betray Prime, he is colored as Thundercracker.

* At two points, Starscream's fingers are colored grey instead of blue.

* As Swoop carries Snarl, Snarl's torso is colored like Swoop's body.

* When Megatron and Starscream land, Starscream is miscolored again.

* When Slag and Sludge transform back to robot mode, their transformations are reversed. They start in robot mode but transform into dinosaur mode.

* As Grimlock confronts Megatron and Starscream, Starscream is once again colored as Thundercracker.

* When the Dinobots take Optimus to Megatron, Starscream is in Thundercracker's colors.

* When asking for forgiveness from Optimus, Grimlock's eyes are not colored.

===Continuity errors===
* Chip calls the Autobots, because "they're the only ones who can save the Earth". Despite being charged with this awesome responsibility, the Autobots don't actually ''do'' anything to ward off or contain the meteorite. It's okay, though, because its actual explosion isn't even enough to damage Optimus and Grimlock, who are maybe fifty feet away when it goes up.
[[Image:Wotd wheeljack meteorite.jpg|thumb|200px|"Gee, Prime, thanks for the fifty pounds of GLOWING EXPLOSIVE DEATH ROCK."]]
* Optimus Prime is amazingly cavalier about blasting the supposedly dangerous, glowing, energy-laden meteorite with his laser rifle.

* In the long shot of the Autobots standing on the mountain about to test the new Dinobots, Optimus can be seen in the distance driving away from Autobot HQ, despite the implication that some time has passed since he left.

* Slag can be clearly seen wearing a jetpack on his back when the Dinobots leave to deliver Optimus Prime to Megatron, despite it being previously established that the Dinobots can fly without such equipment. The jet pack appears to be based on Skyfire, complete with a blue "cockpit", white body and red thruster modules!

===Astronomical errors===
[[Image:WaroftheDinos Meteorite.jpg|thumb|right|200px|It's Pizza the Hut's home planet!]]

* A ''meteor'' is a chunk of rock that's in the process of burning up in Earth's atmosphere, a process that rarely takes more than a few seconds. As Chip has plenty of time to observe the incoming projectile, it's clearly still a ''meteoroid'', a chunk of rock that's just floating around in space.
* Despite this, the meteor(oid) is trailing a flaming tail, as if it were already entering Earth's atmosphere. To the writers' credit, Prime refers to it as a ''meteorite'' once it's landed.
* Assuming our first view of the meteor/oid is meant to represent what Chip sees (there is a barely-visible telescopic outline around it), the object would have to be ''huge'' to be so highly detailed in a distant view from Earth. Such a huge object would be catastrophic for humankind if it hit Earth.
* We later learn that the thing is only about 30 feet across, though, which makes it way too small to be such a regular round body.
* Chip's telescope is apparently so sophisticated it can pick up the ''sound'' of the meteorite from across the vacuum of space, including its jet engines.
* A celestial impactor on Earth typically leaves a crater about 10 times its own diameter and annihilates both itself and pretty much everything in a much larger radius around it. Our meteorite here smacks into the middle of an urban downtown area, remains completely intact, and leaves no damage more substantial than a flattened Quonset hut and a largeish pothole.

===Continuity notes===
* The footage of the Dinobots that the Decepticons watch doesn't match up with any scene from their previous appearance ("[[S.O.S. Dinobots]]"), implying that the Decepticons have had at least one more run-in with the Dinobots since then.
* Gadgets and powers:
** Prime can... make his fist crackle with energy??
** Soundwave can snake out a long tentacle-like listening bud, to cover whatever distances between him and his subject he can't cover.
** He can also (in accord with his [[bio]]) remotely mind-read other Transformers, this time by means of a little widget that pops out of his head with a doofy-sounding ''DOING!'' noise.
** The Seekers can deploy grappling claws at the end of long cables.
** Ironhide creates metal by spraying it out of his fingertips onto the floor.
** Prowl uses a laser fired from his retracted wrist to slice the metal into smaller pieces.
** This may be the most bizarre implementation of Trailbreaker's force field ever. To contain the meteorite fragment's explosion, he starts ''spinning'', disappearing into a black blur. One might presume that this is done to invert the force field, keeping the damaging forces inside instead of outside. (Using this ability causes him to vanish from the animation!)
** When he first appears Snarl is seen holding his sword, the first of the very rare times ''any'' of the Dinobots' swords appear.
** Swoop can extend his robot arms in dino mode if he needs to give somebody a good shove.
* Huffer has evidently changed his tune about the Dinobots, as he helps build Snarl and Swoop in this episode.
[[Image:WarOfDinobots SnarlDebut.jpg|thumb|right|150px]]
* Snarl, in a rare move for a Dinobot, actually uses the word "I". All the others always say "me", with the exceptions of Sludge from "[[S.O.S. Dinobots]]", and that time Grimlock [[Grimlock's New Brain|was a genius]].
* The energon cube that Soundwave fills is a bit odd; after he creates it, it just floats in mid-air. He then fires his gun into the meteorite, which obligingly sends a stream of energy into the cube. How the heck does that work, exactly?

===Real-world references===
* ''Star Wars'' sound effects:
** Luke deflecting seeker ball bolts is repurposed as Slag powering up his horn lasers to fire on Optimus. A lightsaber ignition is used in the same sequence as Prime loses his laser rifle, followed by Darth and Ben Kenobi cutting into some machinery during their duel on the Death Star.
** Death Star firing/Alderaan exploding, + X-Wings diving, as the Dinobots take off to return to Megatron.
** ''Falcon'' engine burst as Snarl and Swoop take off from Autobot HQ.

===Trivia===
[[Image:Grimhead.JPG|right|180px|thumb|"Me Grimlock before, me Grimlock after. Head no matter, always sexpot."]]
*Grimlock's head has been redesigned, though the old version still crops up in a few future episodes. However, the old design remained predominant in the comics all the way until Grimlock evolved into an [[Action Master]] in "[[Still Life!]]". The second head design would be used in all incarnations from then on.

* In an earlier draft of this episode's script, it was not Chip who discovered the meteorite, but an original character named Doctor Lynn Hyashi. In a deleted subplot, Sparkplug's jealousy of her technical expertise would have paralleled Grimlock's jealousy of Prime's leadership.


*This episode marks the only occasion in the entire series that a normally functioning Autobot willingly battles a normally functioning Optimus Prime ("[[Dark Awakening]]" and "[[The Return of Optimus Prime, Part 1|The Return of Optimus Prime]]" don't count, as Prime was a zombie in the former and Rodimus was infected with the Hate Plague in the latter). The Dinobots have quite a bit of success, too...I know [[Starscream (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|somebody]] who could have used some lessons from them.
*This was one of the six episodes featured on the ''[[Revenge of the Fallen (Xbox 360/PS3/PC)|Revenge of the Fallen]]'' console game. However, it was erroneously named "War '''on''' the Dinobots". It was also, unfortunately, the Kid Rhino remaster.
* Seriously, Optimus Prime does not forgive Grimlock at all.

==Home video releases==
{{homevidnote}}
;VHS
[[Image:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 1985 — ''The Transformers'' — Volume 9: "War of the Dinobots" ([[Family Home Entertainment]]) 
[[Image:Flag of Canada.png|20px|Canada]] 1997 — ''The Transformers'' — War of the Dinobots ([[Malofilm]])
;Laserdisc
[[Image:Flag of Japan.png|20px|Japan]] 1994 — ''Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers'' — Convoy Set ([[TakaraTomy|Takara]]) — Japanese audio only. 
[[Image:Flag of Japan.png|20px|Japan]] 1998 — ''The Transformers'' — Autobot Edition ([[Geneon Universal Entertainment|Pioneer LDC]]) — Japanese audio only.
;DVD
[[Image:Flag of Japan.png|20px|Japan]] 2001 — ''The Transformers'' — DVD Box 1 (Pioneer LDC) — Japanese audio only. 
[[Image:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2002 — ''Transformers'' — Original Series: Volume One ([[Maverick Entertainment|Sony Wonder]]) 
[[Image:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2002 — ''Transformers'' — Complete Original Series: Deluxe Edition (Sony Wonder) 
[[Image:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2002 — ''The Original Transformers'' — First Season Collector's Edition ([[The Original Transformers|Rhino Entertainment]]) 
[[Image:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2002 — ''The Original Transformers'' — Volume Two (Rhino Entertainment) 
[[Image:Flag of Australia.png|20px|Australia]] 2003 — ''Transformers'' — Collection 1: Series 1 ([[Madman Entertainment]]) 
[[Image:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2004 — ''Transformers'' — Season 1 ([[Metrodome]]) 
[[Image:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2006 — ''Transformers'' — The Complete Generation One Collection (Metrodome) 
[[Image:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2007 — ''Classic Transformers'' — Series One: Part Two (Metrodome) 
[[Image:Flag of Australia.png|20px|Australia]] 2007 — ''The Transformers'' — Complete Collection (Madman Entertainment) 
[[Image:Flag of Italy.png|20px|Italy]] 2008 — ''Transformers'' — Volume 02: Stagione Uno Parte Seconda ([[Medianetwork Communication]]) — English and Italian audio. 
[[Image:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2009 — ''Transformers'' — Season One (Metrodome) 
[[Image:Flag of Australia.png|20px|Australia]] 2009 — ''The Transformers'' — Complete Collection: Decepticon Edition (Madman Entertainment) 
[[Image:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2009 — ''The Transformers'' — The Complete First Season: 25th Anniversary Edition ([[Shout! Factory]]) 
[[Image:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2009 — ''The Transformers'' — The Complete Series: 25th Anniversary "Matrix of Leadership" Collection (Shout! Factory)

==External links==
* [http://cybertronchronicle.freewebspace.com/cartoon-dossier/synopses/war_of_the_dinobots.html Dossier at the Cybertron Chronicle]

[[Category:Generation 1 episodes]]
[[Category:Generation 2 episodes]]

War of the Dinobots

2011-07-21T13:42:15Z

118.209.47.48: /* Rhino DVD release */

{{episode
|series=G1toon
|ep=10
|series2=SRLFtoon
|ep2=8
|prev2=S.O.S. Dinobots
|next2=Countdown to Extinction (episode)
|series3=''[[Generation 2 (cartoon)|The Transformers: Generation 2]]''
|ep3=14
|prev3=Prime Target (episode)
|next3=Atlantis, Arise!
|image=FHE-WarOfTheDinobots.jpg
|caption="For God's sake, I didn't eat your damn pudding!"
|title="War of the Dinobots"
|production code=#700-07
|airdate=[[November 27]], 1984
|written by=[[Donald F. Glut]]
|animation studio=[[Toei]]
|production company=[[Sunbow Productions]]
|continuity=[[Generation 1 cartoon continuity]]
}}

'''Snarl and Swoop are added to the Dinobot roster... and just in time!'''

:''German ''Generation 2'' title:'' "'''Krieg der Dinobots'''" ("War of the Dinobots")
:''Japanese title:'' 謎の巨大隕石 (''Nazo no Kyodai Inseki'', "The Mysterious Giant Meteorite")
:''Brazilian title:'' '''Guerra dos Dinobots'''
:''Serbian title:'' '''Рат Динобота''' (''Rat Dinobota'', "War of the Dinobots")
:''Italian title, dub 1:'' '''Il meteorite''' ("The meteor")
:''Italian title, dub 2:'' '''La guerra dei Dinobots''' ("War of the Dinobots")
{{TOCclear}}
==Synopsis==
[[Image:WaroftheDinos Meteorite.jpg|left|200px|thumb|Meteorini Chipper—ah, forget it.]]

[[Meteorini Chipperoni|An unidentified meteor]] is due to impact on [[Earth]], and [[Chip Chase]] asks the [[Autobot]]s to investigate. Fearing that its energy potential could be used by the [[Decepticon]]s, [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] calls in the Dinobots for help.

At Decepticon headquarters, [[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Megatron]] is watching video footage of the Dinobots and raging about how the dim-witted robots have defeated his warriors time and again. Megatron orders [[Soundwave (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Soundwave]] to find their weaknesses.

After the meteor crash-lands, the Autobots take a sample back to [[Ark (G1)|their headquarters]] and leave the Dinobots to guard the crash site. Impressed that they are following orders, Prime decides to order [[Ratchet (G1)|Ratchet]] and [[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]] to build two more Dinobots with [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike]] and Chip's help.

At the meteor site, Soundwave scans the Dinobots' brains while in hiding and reports back to Megatron. The Decepticon leader declares [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]] is arrogant, [[Slag (G1)|Slag]] is hostile, and [[Sludge (G1)|Sludge]] is stupid. He vows to use those weaknesses against the Dinobots.

[[Image:War of the dinos 1.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Me Grimlock say "Pull!"]]

Megatron's forces arrive at the meteorite's location, and after the Dinobots trash the [[Seeker (body-type)|Seekers]], Megatron comes forth and feigns humility. He wonders aloud why the Dinobots, as powerful as they are, follow a weaker leader such as Optimus Prime. Because of Megatron's powerful logic, Grimlock and the Dinobots are convinced to rebel against Prime, and the Decepticons take the meteorite.

At the Autobot base, Prime and Ratchet oversee construction of two new Dinobots: [[Snarl (G1)|Snarl]] and [[Swoop (G1)|Swoop]]. During this, Wheeljack discovers the meteorite's energy is highly unstable. [[Trailbreaker (G1)|Trailbreaker]] manages to encase the fragment in a force field just before it detonates. Fearing a huge explosion, Optimus Prime rushes out alone to warn the Dinobots.

[[Image:WaroftheDinos construction.jpg|left|200px|thumb|Dinobots—built to rule!]]

At the base, Wheeljack has Snarl and Swoop do a test run of their powers. [[Bluestreak (G1)|Bluestreak]], [[Ironhide (G1)|Ironhide]], [[Sideswipe (G1)|Sideswipe]] and [[Prowl (G1)|Prowl]] attempt to stop the new Dinobots, but get their cans soundly kicked.

Prime arrives at the crash site and is attacked by the Dinobots. Though Optimus puts up a good fight, the Autobot leader is unable to defeat the Dinobots by himself and is knocked out. However, Grimlock doesn't kill him or let the others hurt Prime further, a restraint that Prime attributes to their Autobot training. The Dinobots instead take Prime to the Decepticons.

At Autobot headquarters, Spike and Chip are concerned because Optimus hasn't reported in. [[Teletraan I (G1)|Teletraan I]] alerts Wheeljack that the meteorite has been moved and is about ready to blow. Snarl and Swoop are sent to stop it.

While the Decepticons form [[Energon cube|energon cubes]] from the volatile meteorite energy, [[Starscream (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Starscream]] grows concerned by the meteorite's unstable nature. When Grimlock, Slag and Sludge arrive, Megatron is angered that they didn't kill Prime, but is soon distracted as the energon cubes detonate.

[[Image:Grimlockapologize.jpg|right|200px|thumb|"Um... please let go. That hurts." "yOu MiNe NoW..."]]

Swoop and Snarl arrive, and the two new Dinobots fight the old Dinobots to a standstill in a vicious battle. During the battle, the meteorite visibly destabilizes, and just before it explodes, Prime pushes Grimlock to safety.

Realizing that Prime is both strong and has concern for his troops, Grimlock orders the Dinobots to attack Megatron. The Decepticons retreat, and Grimlock asks for Prime's forgiveness as the other Autobots arrive. However, Optimus Prime merely declares that the meteorite menace is over and they should go home.

{{-}}

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
* [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] (3)
* [[Hound (G1)|Hound]] (4)
* [[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]] (5)
* [[Ironhide (G1)|Ironhide]] (6)
* [[Ratchet (G1)|Ratchet]] (7)
* [[Slag (G1)|Slag]] (14)
* [[Sludge (G1)|Sludge]] (15)
* [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]] (16)
* [[Prowl (G1)|Prowl]] (19)
* [[Huffer (G1)|Huffer]] (20)
* [[Gears (G1)|Gears]] (21)
* [[Brawn (G1)|Brawn]] (22)
* [[Trailbreaker (G1)|Trailbreaker]] (23)
* [[Bluestreak (G1)|Bluestreak]] (24)
* [[Sideswipe (G1)|Sideswipe]] (25)
* [[Snarl (G1)|Snarl]] (26)
* [[Swoop (G1)|Swoop]] (27)

|c2=
* [[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Megatron]] (8)
* [[Soundwave (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Soundwave]] (9)
* [[Reflector (G1)|Reflector]] (10)
* [[Starscream (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Starscream]] (11)
* [[Thundercracker (G1)|Thundercracker]] (12)
* [[Rumble (G1)|Rumble]] (13)
* [[Skywarp (G1)|Skywarp]] (18)

|c3=
* [[Chip Chase]] (1)
* [[Jeff (astronomer)|Jeff]] (2)
* [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike Witwicky]] (7)
* [[Sparkplug Witwicky]] (17)
}}

==Quotes==
"Well, meteor or no meteor, Optimus Prime, it's great not worrying about the Decepticons for a change." 
"I always worry about the Decepticons, Spike."
:—'''Spike Witwicky''' learns that '''Optimus Prime''' ''really'' needs a vacation.

"I’ve seen enough! My finest warriors defeated by those primitive, pea-brained beasts. Revolting!"
:—'''Megatron''' on the Decepticons' failure to defeat the Dinobots.

"No matter how many times I see it, it's always outrageous."
:—'''Chip Chase''', wondering if they are [[Wikipedia:Jem (TV series)|truly truly outrageous]].

'''Grimlock''': "We destroy Optimus Prime!" 
'''Slag''': "And him, Grimlock, be new leader!" 
'''Sludge''': "Hail him, Grimlock!"
:—The Dinobots plan their coup.

"Great! I'm finally gonna get in a fight!"
:—'''Sideswipe''', finally seeing some action after being largely ignored for several episodes.

"In a ''real'' fight, we'd've creamed 'em! ...mmm, maybe."
:—'''Bluestreak''', after getting pummeled by the new Dinobots

"I do not want to fight you, but you leave me no choice."
:—'''Optimus Prime''''s warning to the Dinobots.

"You, Megatron, tricked us! Make us fight good leader, Optimus Prime. Prime risk own life to save us. Bad Megatron!" 
"Decepticons, retreat now, quick, at once!"
:—'''Grimlock''' switches allegiances again and puts the fear of God into '''Megatron'''.

"Optimus Prime, can you forgive? Me Grimlock was jealous of you."
:—'''Grimlock''', actually showing humility for once.

==Notes==
===Animation or technical glitches===
* During the scene in Decepticon headquarters when Megatron is watching footage of the Dinobots, there's a short line above and below his fist as if to make it appear to be shaking in anger. Perhaps a shortcut note for the animators that never got carried out?
* Reflector's center bot is missing his green coloration as he turns toward the deactivated viewscreen.
* As he acknowledges Megatron's order, Soundwave's visor splits into two separate eyes, then reforms. Throughout the shot, he's missing his eject button and waist belt control buttons.
* Soundwave is missing his yellow stripes as he lands in the city.
* Soundwave's cheek guards are blue instead of white as he edges toward the Autobots.
* In our first shot of the Dinobots, Slag's chest plate is red instead of white.
* In the first shot of the Autobots awaiting the meteorite, Hound is colored as [[Mirage (G1)|Mirage]].
[[Image:GrimSlagSludge.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Okay, sure, Slag's cheekguards are the wrong color, but it's still a totally sweet shot.]]
* Slag's head is miscolored (as it so frequently is):
** As Optimus prepares to blast off a fragment of the meteorite (gray).
** As he transforms to listen to Megatron, and again as he points out that Prime will resist Grimlock (white sides).
** As the Dinobots turn around after the first commercial break (starts red, turns gray).
** As Megatron humbly offers a strategy (red helmet, white face).
** As the three Dinobots form up to confront Optimus Prime (gray with red forehead).
** When the Dinobots investigate Prime's body after blasting him (gray with a red dot - he's a Hindu!).
** As Slag proposes melting down Optimus (white sides, red face, a combo that happens so frequently it might be an alternate color model.)
** As the Dinobots land at the new meteorite site (gray).
** In the shot after Grimlock shoots Starscream.
** At the beginning of the battle between old and new Dinobots, as Slag and Sludge transform to their dino mode (and again when this clip is replayed in reverse, minus Grimlock, after the meteorite exploded).
* When Spike "sees" the meteoroid, it's streaking across the sky as if heading somewhere else entirely, yet somehow it lands almost right on top of them.
* Grimlock and Sludge's heads are light gray instead of black after Prime blasts the meteorite fragment.
*Optimus blasts a fragment off of the meteor at night, transforms during the day (courtesy of a shot recycled, unaltered, from "[[More than Meets the Eye, Part 1]]"), leaves the scene around dawn, and drives off into the dead of night.
* In the first shot of the Dinobots guarding the meteorite, Slag's eyes are the same red as the rest of his face, and Sludge's helmet is largely white instead of black.
* As Megatron rants about the Dinobots' weakenesses, Soundwave is missing his insignia.
* As usual, the stock animation of the docking tower of Decepticon Headquarters emerging from the water makes it look like it's tilted about 30 degrees from vertical.
* As the Dinobots prepare to fend off the Decepticon attack, Slag's Autobot insignia is missing as he exults about getting to fight.
* After the Seekers' second pass over the Dinobots, two Thundercrackers fly over the Dinobots, both with wrongly-colored air intakes.
* Thundercracker still has blue air intakes in the diving shot after the Dinobots transform.
* As Megatron starts to talk down the Dinobots from fighting, Grimlock and Sludge's flame breath is layered behind Megatron, despite their being in the background.
* "You are stronger than ''all'' the Autobots!" Megatron's waist-sides are gray instead of red, and one of his buttons is blue instead of red.
* "Optimus Prime is leader now. He will ''fight'' if Grimlock lead!" - in addition to his miscolored helmet, Slag has somehow acquired Sludge's already inexplicable glowing orange mouth interior.
* An oddly edited shot has Sludge's face filling the frame, just as Slag answers Grimlock's question about liking to fight.
* Grimlock's hands are yellow as the Dinobots watch the Decepticons haul the meteorite off.
* The Ark is silver-gray instead of orange in the first establishing shot of Autobot Headquarters.
[[Image:WaroftheDinobots Sparkplug with plans.jpg|thumb|right|200px|" 'Down the breast by the arrow direction' ?"]]
* No wonder Sparkplug is puzzled by the blueprints. They're labeled with a rather [[Engrish]]y title of "Out Line Plan Desge".
* As the Autobots are finalizing construction of Snarl and Swoop, Brawn (who is working on Swoop) is colored with a yellow back, a light blue side, and gray limbs.
* After his bizarre force field use, Trailbreaker is nowhere to be seen in Wheeljack's workshop.
* When Snarl first introduces himself, his chest is missing the Autobot insignia. When Swoop lands next to Snarl to make his introduction, Snarl's insignia is present.
* Bluestreak's center head crest is red instead of gray at two points during his fight with the Dinobots.
* As the Dinobots prepare to unleash their final attack on Optimus Prime, Grimlock's torso is colored gray instead of yellow.
* Sludge's helmet-sides are once again light gray as the Dinobots carry Optimus toward Megatron.
* As Grimlock tells Megatron that he'll terminate Optimus at his discretion, only the center of Grimlock's visor eyes was colored.
* When Grimlock fires Prime's rifle at Starscream, it gets the normal Autobot sound effect, instead of its own unique sound.
[[Image:WarDinobots Chip warning Autobots.jpg|thumb|right|200px|He ''does'' have some buttons on the arm rest, but nothing for them to control.]]
* Chip doesn't appear to be doing anything to roll his wheelchair as he and Sparkplug run through Autobot Headquarters.
* Only one of Wheeljack's "ears" flashes as he reports the meteorite's location.
* Improbable viewpoints:
** The meteorite is on-screen ''before'' Chip has asked Wheeljack to "get a fix on it".
** Teletraan then provides a ground shot of the valley (minus the Decepticons, Dinobots, energon cubes, etc.)
* Soundwave's visor is blue, and his forehead is visor-red, as he recoils from the about-to-explode energon cubes.
* As Grimlock transforms to start the battle, the end of Prime's rifle is colored gold, as if it were one of Grimlock's claws.
* Slag's horns are yellow instead of red as Swoop drops his tail.
* Optimus has a blue square around his neck as he runs to save Grimlock.
* Thundercracker is shown crashing alongside Megatron as the meteorite explodes. As Thundercracker hasn't been shown in this scene at all, and Starscream was last seen taking off alongside Megatron, it probably should have been Starscream.
* Megatron's gun barrel is bigger than his head as he gets to his feet after the explosion.

===Rhino DVD release===
* When Wheeljack says "I can't wait to get to work on this", his side light things do not flash.

* When the Dinobots talk of rebelling against Prime, Slag's face is miscolored, Sludge's mouth moves to Slag's line, and after Grimlock raises his arm there is a zoom take on Slag.

* As Snarl is introduced, he is entirely too dark.

* The energon cubes are miscolored in one scene.

* When the Dinobots carry Optimus, Slag is miscolored again.

* When Starscream says Grimlock will never betray Prime, he is colored as Thundercracker.

* At two points, Starscream's fingers are colored grey instead of blue.

* As Swoop carries Snarl, Snarl's torso is colored like Swoop's body.

* When Megatron and Starscream land, Starscream is miscolored again.

* When Slag and Sludge transform back to robot mode, their transformations are reversed. They start in robot mode but transform into dinosaur mode.

* As Grimlock confronts Megatron and Starscream, Starscream is once again colored as Thundercracker.

* When the Dinobots take Optimus to Megatron, Starscream is in Thundercracker's colors.

* When asking for forgiveness from Optimus, Grimlock's eyes are not colored.

===Continuity errors===
* Chip calls the Autobots, because "they're the only ones who can save the Earth". Despite being charged with this awesome responsibility, the Autobots don't actually ''do'' anything to ward off or contain the meteorite. It's okay, though, because its actual explosion isn't even enough to damage Optimus and Grimlock, who are maybe fifty feet away when it goes up.
[[Image:Wotd wheeljack meteorite.jpg|thumb|200px|"Gee, Prime, thanks for the fifty pounds of GLOWING EXPLOSIVE DEATH ROCK."]]
* Optimus Prime is amazingly cavalier about blasting the supposedly dangerous, glowing, energy-laden meteorite with his laser rifle.

* In the long shot of the Autobots standing on the mountain about to test the new Dinobots, Optimus can be seen in the distance driving away from Autobot HQ, despite the implication that some time has passed since he left.

* Slag can be clearly seen wearing a jetpack on his back when the Dinobots leave to deliver Optimus Prime to Megatron, despite it being previously established that the Dinobots can fly without such equipment. The jet pack appears to be based on Skyfire, complete with a blue "cockpit", white body and red thruster modules!

===Astronomical errors===
[[Image:WaroftheDinos Meteorite.jpg|thumb|right|200px|It's Pizza the Hut's home planet!]]

* A ''meteor'' is a chunk of rock that's in the process of burning up in Earth's atmosphere, a process that rarely takes more than a few seconds. As Chip has plenty of time to observe the incoming projectile, it's clearly still a ''meteoroid'', a chunk of rock that's just floating around in space.
* Despite this, the meteor(oid) is trailing a flaming tail, as if it were already entering Earth's atmosphere. To the writers' credit, Prime refers to it as a ''meteorite'' once it's landed.
* Assuming our first view of the meteor/oid is meant to represent what Chip sees (there is a barely-visible telescopic outline around it), the object would have to be ''huge'' to be so highly detailed in a distant view from Earth. Such a huge object would be catastrophic for humankind if it hit Earth.
* We later learn that the thing is only about 30 feet across, though, which makes it way too small to be such a regular round body.
* Chip's telescope is apparently so sophisticated it can pick up the ''sound'' of the meteorite from across the vacuum of space, including its jet engines.
* A celestial impactor on Earth typically leaves a crater about 10 times its own diameter and annihilates both itself and pretty much everything in a much larger radius around it. Our meteorite here smacks into the middle of an urban downtown area, remains completely intact, and leaves no damage more substantial than a flattened Quonset hut and a largeish pothole.

===Continuity notes===
* The footage of the Dinobots that the Decepticons watch doesn't match up with any scene from their previous appearance ("[[S.O.S. Dinobots]]"), implying that the Decepticons have had at least one more run-in with the Dinobots since then.
* Gadgets and powers:
** Prime can... make his fist crackle with energy??
** Soundwave can snake out a long tentacle-like listening bud, to cover whatever distances between him and his subject he can't cover.
** He can also (in accord with his [[bio]]) remotely mind-read other Transformers, this time by means of a little widget that pops out of his head with a doofy-sounding ''DOING!'' noise.
** The Seekers can deploy grappling claws at the end of long cables.
** Ironhide creates metal by spraying it out of his fingertips onto the floor.
** Prowl uses a laser fired from his retracted wrist to slice the metal into smaller pieces.
** This may be the most bizarre implementation of Trailbreaker's force field ever. To contain the meteorite fragment's explosion, he starts ''spinning'', disappearing into a black blur. One might presume that this is done to invert the force field, keeping the damaging forces inside instead of outside. (Using this ability causes him to vanish from the animation!)
** When he first appears Snarl is seen holding his sword, the first of the very rare times ''any'' of the Dinobots' swords appear.
** Swoop can extend his robot arms in dino mode if he needs to give somebody a good shove.
* Huffer has evidently changed his tune about the Dinobots, as he helps build Snarl and Swoop in this episode.
[[Image:WarOfDinobots SnarlDebut.jpg|thumb|right|150px]]
* Snarl, in a rare move for a Dinobot, actually uses the word "I". All the others always say "me", with the exceptions of Sludge from "[[S.O.S. Dinobots]]", and that time Grimlock [[Grimlock's New Brain|was a genius]].
* The energon cube that Soundwave fills is a bit odd; after he creates it, it just floats in mid-air. He then fires his gun into the meteorite, which obligingly sends a stream of energy into the cube. How the heck does that work, exactly?

===Real-world references===
* ''Star Wars'' sound effects:
** Luke deflecting seeker ball bolts is repurposed as Slag powering up his horn lasers to fire on Optimus. A lightsaber ignition is used in the same sequence as Prime loses his laser rifle, followed by Darth and Ben Kenobi cutting into some machinery during their duel on the Death Star.
** Death Star firing/Alderaan exploding, + X-Wings diving, as the Dinobots take off to return to Megatron.
** ''Falcon'' engine burst as Snarl and Swoop take off from Autobot HQ.

===Trivia===
[[Image:Grimhead.JPG|right|180px|thumb|"Me Grimlock before, me Grimlock after. Head no matter, always sexpot."]]
*Grimlock's head has been redesigned, though the old version still crops up in a few future episodes. However, the old design remained predominant in the comics all the way until Grimlock evolved into an [[Action Master]] in "[[Still Life!]]". The second head design would be used in all incarnations from then on.

* In an earlier draft of this episode's script, it was not Chip who discovered the meteorite, but an original character named Doctor Lynn Hyashi. In a deleted subplot, Sparkplug's jealousy of her technical expertise would have paralleled Grimlock's jealousy of Prime's leadership.


*This episode marks the only occasion in the entire series that a normally functioning Autobot willingly battles a normally functioning Optimus Prime ("[[Dark Awakening]]" and "[[The Return of Optimus Prime, Part 1|The Return of Optimus Prime]]" don't count, as Prime was a zombie in the former and Rodimus was infected with the Hate Plague in the latter). The Dinobots have quite a bit of success, too...I know [[Starscream (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|somebody]] who could have used some lessons from them.
*This was one of the six episodes featured on the ''[[Revenge of the Fallen (Xbox 360/PS3/PC)|Revenge of the Fallen]]'' console game. However, it was erroneously named "War '''on''' the Dinobots". It was also, unfortunately, the Kid Rhino remaster.
* Seriously, Optimus Prime does not forgive Grimlock at all.

==Home video releases==
{{homevidnote}}
;VHS
[[Image:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 1985 — ''The Transformers'' — Volume 9: "War of the Dinobots" ([[Family Home Entertainment]]) 
[[Image:Flag of Canada.png|20px|Canada]] 1997 — ''The Transformers'' — War of the Dinobots ([[Malofilm]])
;Laserdisc
[[Image:Flag of Japan.png|20px|Japan]] 1994 — ''Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers'' — Convoy Set ([[TakaraTomy|Takara]]) — Japanese audio only. 
[[Image:Flag of Japan.png|20px|Japan]] 1998 — ''The Transformers'' — Autobot Edition ([[Geneon Universal Entertainment|Pioneer LDC]]) — Japanese audio only.
;DVD
[[Image:Flag of Japan.png|20px|Japan]] 2001 — ''The Transformers'' — DVD Box 1 (Pioneer LDC) — Japanese audio only. 
[[Image:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2002 — ''Transformers'' — Original Series: Volume One ([[Maverick Entertainment|Sony Wonder]]) 
[[Image:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2002 — ''Transformers'' — Complete Original Series: Deluxe Edition (Sony Wonder) 
[[Image:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2002 — ''The Original Transformers'' — First Season Collector's Edition ([[The Original Transformers|Rhino Entertainment]]) 
[[Image:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2002 — ''The Original Transformers'' — Volume Two (Rhino Entertainment) 
[[Image:Flag of Australia.png|20px|Australia]] 2003 — ''Transformers'' — Collection 1: Series 1 ([[Madman Entertainment]]) 
[[Image:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2004 — ''Transformers'' — Season 1 ([[Metrodome]]) 
[[Image:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2006 — ''Transformers'' — The Complete Generation One Collection (Metrodome) 
[[Image:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2007 — ''Classic Transformers'' — Series One: Part Two (Metrodome) 
[[Image:Flag of Australia.png|20px|Australia]] 2007 — ''The Transformers'' — Complete Collection (Madman Entertainment) 
[[Image:Flag of Italy.png|20px|Italy]] 2008 — ''Transformers'' — Volume 02: Stagione Uno Parte Seconda ([[Medianetwork Communication]]) — English and Italian audio. 
[[Image:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2009 — ''Transformers'' — Season One (Metrodome) 
[[Image:Flag of Australia.png|20px|Australia]] 2009 — ''The Transformers'' — Complete Collection: Decepticon Edition (Madman Entertainment) 
[[Image:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2009 — ''The Transformers'' — The Complete First Season: 25th Anniversary Edition ([[Shout! Factory]]) 
[[Image:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2009 — ''The Transformers'' — The Complete Series: 25th Anniversary "Matrix of Leadership" Collection (Shout! Factory)

==External links==
* [http://cybertronchronicle.freewebspace.com/cartoon-dossier/synopses/war_of_the_dinobots.html Dossier at the Cybertron Chronicle]

[[Category:Generation 1 episodes]]
[[Category:Generation 2 episodes]]

Fire on the Mountain (episode)

2011-07-21T12:42:22Z

118.209.47.48: /* Animation or technical errors */

{{episode
|series=G1toon
|ep=9
|series2=SRLFtoon
|ep2=63
|prev2=Fire in the Sky
|next2=A Plague of Insecticons
|series3=''[[Generation 2 (cartoon)|The Transformers: Generation 2]]''
|ep3=49
|prev3=Megatron's Master Plan, Part 2
|next3=Countdown to Extinction (episode)
|image=Fire on the mountain.jpg
|caption="I don't understand it, baby. This has never happened to me before, honest."
|title="Fire on the Mountain"
|production code=#700-06
|airdate=[[December 22]], 1984
|written by=[[Douglas Booth]]
|animation studio=[[Toei]]
|production company=[[Sunbow Productions]]
|continuity=[[Generation 1 cartoon continuity]]
}}

'''The Decepticons uncover the Crystal of Power in Peru, and the Autobots resurrect Skyfire to stop them.'''

:''Japanese title:'' インカの秘宝 (''Inka no Hihō'', "Incaic Jewel")
:''Brazilian title:'' '''Fogo na Montanha''' (Fire on the Mountain)
:''Russian title:'' '''Схватка на вершине''' (''Skhvatka na vershine'', "The Engagement at the Very Top")
:''Serbian title:'' '''Ватрена планета''' (''Vatrena planeta'', "Fiery planet")
:''Italian title, dub 1:'' '''Il segreto degli Incas''' ("Secret of the Incas")
:''Italian title, dub 2:'' '''Fuoco sulla montagna''' ("Fire on the mountain")
==Synopsis==
While patrolling a refinery, [[Trailbreaker (G1)|Trailbreaker]] and [[Brawn (G1)|Brawn]] spot [[Thundercracker (G1)|Thundercracker]] and [[Starscream (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Starscream]] stealing steel. The [[Decepticon]]s get away with the loot by collapsing the refinery behind them. The Autobots report back to [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]], who is puzzled about the Decepticons' motives. The [[Autobot]]s launch a [[Sky Spy]] to home in on any Decepticon activity, and the satellite picks up strange energy readings in the [[Peru]]vian [[Andes Mountains|Andes]].

[[Image:Crystalofpower.jpg|thumb|left|200px|]]

There, the Decepticons have followed an [[Inca]]n legend to an ancient temple that rests on a shaft leading deep into the [[Earth's core]], capped by the [[Crystal of Power]]. With the metal acquired by Starscream, the Decepticons have fashioned a weapon frame to accommodate the crystal. [[Laserbeak (G1)|Laserbeak]] spots the Sky Spy, and [[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Megatron]] tests the weapon by blowing the satellite out of the sky. The metal, however, proves inadequate and melts with exposure to the raw energy unleashed from the Earth’s core. Starscream tries to shift blame to Thundercracker for the faulty metal, but Megatron blames them both and has them stay behind at the temple while he soars to a nearby mining town to find replacement metal.

The nearby Peruvian mining town is abuzz with the sudden show of power from the ancient temple. A reactionary elder proclaims that long-forgotten gods have come back to punish them, but her more level-headed granddaughter, [[Luisa]], realizes that someone must have uncovered the fabled Crystal of Power.

[[Image:G1 FireontheMountain Sideswipe piledriving.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Freud would have had a field day with this.]]

In the [[Arctic]], [[Sideswipe (G1)|Sideswipe]] and [[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]] are jackhammering through the ice to resurrect the fallen warrior [[Jetfire (G1)|Skyfire]]. The massive jet emerges from the ice and transforms into robot mode. Wheeljack immediately assigns him to fly back to Autobot headquarters to pick up Brawn and [[Windcharger (G1)|Windcharger]] before heading down to the Andes Mountains.

In short order, Skyfire is in the Andes, closing in on the Decepticons. Windcharger and Brawn skydive from the jet, tangling with [[Soundwave (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Soundwave]] and [[Reflector (G1)|Reflector]] while Skyfire goes to investigate the strange energy readings from the Incan temple. While the smaller Autobots are able to hold their own against Megatron’s lieutenants, the Decepticon leader proves too powerful for them and they scatter. Windcharger desperately calls for Skyfire to return while Brawn bites off more than he can chew in the form of an angered Megatron.

[[Image:FireontheMountain SoundwaveMegsgun.jpg|thumb|left|200px|Freud would have had...oh wait, I just said that.]]

Skyfire zooms in to the rescue and gracefully airlifts Brawn and Windcharger from the thick of Decepticon danger. Skyfire quickly returns to the Ark to pick up some reinforcements and streaks back to Peru. He deposits the Autobots near the mining town to take care of Megatron while he goes to investigate the Incan temple.

The Autobots stop Megatron, Reflector and Soundwave mid-raid, with Brawn having the ball-bearings enough to swipe Megatron's [[Fusion cannon|arm cannon]] and blast the Decepticon leader with his own weapon! Laserbeak steals back the weapon and Megatron swears vengeance. He has gathered a metal strong enough for the Crystal, and requests that [[Skywarp (G1)|Skywarp]] come to retrieve it, adding further insult to Thundercracker and Starscream who are left guarding the temple.

[[Image:Brawnfusioncannon.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Good grief, it's a running gag.]]

A stray blast during the battle nearly drops an electrical tower on top of Luisa, but she is saved by Spike and Bumblebee. Luisa quickly explains that these "evil creatures" have stolen the Crystal of Power. She leads Bumblebee and Spike to a secret entrance in the temple. Soundwave detects their presence, and dispatches Ravage to follow them.

Meanwhile, Thundercracker spots Skyfire skulking about the temple. The Decepticon warrior is torn; if he blasts Skyfire, Starscream is likely to take all the credit. Conversely, if he lets Skyfire destroy the Crystal-based weapon, perhaps Starscream can take the blame. Starscream overhears Thundercracker plotting, and blasts Skyfire. He then blackmails Thundercracker to do his bidding, lest Starscream reveal to their leader just how uncertain Thundercracker's loyalties can be.

The Decepticons load up their stolen steel with Skywarp's help and depart. To cover their exit, Megatron blasts a nearby mountain, creating a deadly rockfall that threatens the mining town.

The Autobots use their firepower to reduce the falling boulders to pebbles, saving the village. Meanwhile, Megatron returns to the temple, where he successfully tests a new weapon frame that can handle the power of the crystal. Bumblebee, Spike and Luisa surreptitiously arrive in the temple, spotting the inert form of Skyfire. Spike starts repairing the fallen warrior, just as Ravage pounces. Bumblebee tries holding off the Decepticon jaguar while Spike works as fast as he can.

[[Image:G1 FireontheMountain Spike Luisa BB.jpg|left|200px|thumb|There are [[Bumblebee (Movie)|some]] out there who understand what Bumblebee's about to go through.]]

The rest of the Autobots arrive at the temple, but Megatron pins them down with devastating firepower from his weapon frame cannon. The Autobots are able to outflank Megatron, and the tide of battle is turned by Skyfire, freshly repaired by Spike. Skyfire strafes the weapons frame, destroying it and unleashing the power of the mountain. The Decepticons retreat, and Thundercracker takes fleeting pleasure in seeing Megatron and Starscream fail.

That night, Wheeljack caps the fire stream with a new invention that can contain the power that the crystal formerly held in check. The Autobots celebrate their victory while Bumblebee and Spike drive Luisa back to the mining town, where she promises to introduce Bumblebee to her brother’s convertible, Juanita.
{{-}}
==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
* [[Trailbreaker (G1)|Trailbreaker]] (3)
* [[Brawn (G1)|Brawn]] (4)
* [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] (5)
* [[Bumblebee (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Bumblebee]] (7)
* [[Ironhide (G1)|Ironhide]] (12)
* [[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]] (15)
* [[Sideswipe (G1)|Sideswipe]] (16)
* [[Jetfire (G1)|Skyfire]] (17)
* [[Windcharger (G1)|Windcharger]] (18)
* [[Bluestreak (G1)|Bluestreak]] (19)
* [[Ratchet (G1)|Ratchet]] (20)
* [[Gears (G1)|Gears]] (21)
* [[Cliffjumper (G1)|Cliffjumper]] (22)
* [[Hound (G1)|Hound]] (24)
* [[Jazz (G1)|Jazz]] (25)
* [[Sunstreaker (G1)|Sunstreaker]] (27)

|c2=
* [[Thundercracker (G1)|Thundercracker]] (1)
* [[Starscream (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Starscream]] (2)
* [[Soundwave (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Soundwave]] (8)
* [[Skywarp (G1)|Skywarp]] (9)
* [[Reflector (G1)|Reflector]] (10)
* [[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Megatron]] (11)
* [[Laserbeak (G1)|Laserbeak]] (13)
* [[Ravage (G1)|Ravage]] (23)
* [[Rumble (G1)|Rumble]] (26)

|c3=
*[[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike Witwicky]] (6)
*[[Luisa]] (14)
}}

==Quotes==
"Looks more like stealing to me… and I'm talking steel!"
:—'''Brawn''' confronts the Decepticons with fists and horrible puns.

"Awww, hexagonal nuts!"
:—'''Trailbreaker''', after he and Brawn totally fail to stop the Decepticons.

"It's cold enough to freeze the ailerons off a [[titanium moosebot]]!"
:—'''Sideswipe'''

'''Soundwave:''' "The Autobot jet is afraid to fight!" 
'''Brawn:''' "Wrong again, you dipstick tapedeck!" 
'''Windcharger:''' "We just didn't want him to spoil ''our'' fun!"

"Have fun playing crystal nurse, Screamer! Byyyye!"
:—'''Skywarp''', being a jerk.

"Fate, schmate. It isn’t over yet, Megabum!"
:—'''Trailbreaker''', after Megatron prematurely gloats of imminent victory.

"Optimus ol' buddy, this is what separates the Autobots from the robot chickens!" 
"Ain’t no one calling me a robot chicken!"
:—'''Ironhide''' and '''Brawn''' don't know what Adult Swim has planned for their kind in 20 years.

"What’s the matter, fearless leader? You and Starscream look real geeky!"
:—'''Thundercracker''', being a jerk.

==Notes==
===Animation or technical errors===
* Only one of Starscream's "boobs" is colored its proper gray as he reminds Thundercracker of who is in charge.
* The back of Brawn's backpack is yellow after he transforms to robot mode.
* As Brawn confronts Starscream and Thundercracker, the Decepticons switch places between shots.
* The blue color of Trailbreaker's eyeband kind of drips down onto his face while the steel plant is collapsing around him.
* Brawn's helmet is light gray as he watches Teletraan's screen.
* Soundwave has a white leg as he follows Megatron down the pyramid's staircase.
* Starscream's eyes are blue as he drags the weapon frame over to Megatron.
* Starscream has extra yellow bits above and below his canopy as Megatron helps him to his feet.
* As Wheeljack encourages Sideswipe, the glow of his right ear isn't quite aligned with the ear itself.
* As he first bursts to the surface encased in ice, Skyfire's (vaguely drawn) profile looks a lot more like his toy than his animation model, with separate booster jets and a rounded cockpit.
* When Sideswipe says "It's Skyfire", He speaks in a raspy voice that is vaguely similar to Scrapper's own voice, even though Scrapper won't appear for another seven episodes.
* The parts of Skyfire's tail end that light up as he activates his jets don't actually correspond to his jet thrusters.

[[Image:FireOnTheMountain Windcharger vehiclemode.jpg|thumb|200px|right|The legs on the animator's Windcharger toy would never stay folded up. Your wiki editors can sympathize.]]
* Someone must have been drawing Windcharger's car mode straight off his toy. As he flees from Laserbeak, his rear section, which is his folded-up feet, is not aligned with the rest of his car body... a problem very commonly found on his toy.
* Soundwave fires on Brawn with his own gun, but with Megatron's cannon sound effect.
* The lower "cheeks" of Megatron's Decepticon symbol aren't colored in just before he transforms to fire on Brawn.
* Megatron's gun mode is entirely white as Soundwave grasps him two-handed, right before the first commercial break.
* Skyfire's engines don't glow throughout the whole sequence of him rescuing Brawn and Windcharger.
* After Skyfire flies the Autobots to Peru, Optimus Prime pats him on the nosecone affectionately. It seems he doesn't recall that section is Skyfire's robot mode crotch.
* Ironhide is colored gray in the aerial shot of the Autobots approaching the steel mill.
* Ironhide and Ratchet have crazy huge side windows as they drive alongside Prime. The same error (and animation?) pops up again in "[[Countdown to Extinction (episode)|Countdown to Extinction]]".
* When Optimus Prime rams Megatron through the wall, the inside of the wall momentarily becomes bright white for some reason, while the view through the newly created hole shows apparent nighttime outside.
* Flying Autobots:
** Bluestreak and Windcharger get an engine-burst noise as they leap out from beneath the collapsing transmission tower.
** Brawn gets a flight sound as he leaps the final distance between him and Starscream.
** Ironhide gets the same treatment as he leaps to attack Megatron.
** And then Prime also gets the same sound effect as he tackles Megatron.
* Bluestreak's mouth isn't moving as he delivers his "watch the birdie" line.
* Soundwave's eject button is on the wrong side (his right shoulder) as he ejects Ravage.
* Thundercracker's weapon barrel has almost no interior as he threatens Skyfire.
* As Starscream rebukes Thundercracker, his air intake is the same dark gray as his helmet, instead of red.
* Rumble's eyeband isn't colored in as the Decepticons fly out of the <s>steel mill</s> mining town.
* When Megatron follows Starscream and Thundercracker out of the pyramid, his Decepticon emblem disappears for a moment.
* As Trailbreaker says his "isn't over yet" line, his leg is red instead of black. Then Wheeljack pops out of the rubble from the spot where Sunstreaker was buried a moment ago.
* One gun, many lasers:
** No fewer than five laser beams are shown flying at Windcharger when Laserbeak isn't on-screen. Even if you count his eye beams, Laserbeak only has four guns.
** As the battle gets fully underway, four laser beams are shown coming from Megatron's crystal weapon.
** Starscream only has two guns to fire at Brawn, but three lasers are shown streaking past him as he runs up the stairs.
* Bumblebee's nose is yellow as he tells Spike he can't hold Ravage off much longer.
* After Skyfire revives, he doesn't have the exterior damage to his chest. Spike was barely able to get Skyfire's interior damage fixed before Ravage batted Bumblebee away and tried to attack the humans. As he transforms to jet mode, Skyfire also has an odd blue panel on his undercarriage which is not normally present.
* When Starscream lands on the temple and starts firing at Brawn and Windcharger, his lasers are Autobot orange instead of Decepticon pink. The next shot shows the usual pink lasers hitting Windcharger.
* In the shot where Megatron's cannon shots are going wild, Starscream's leg is colored Brawn-green.
* As Reflector and Soundwave fire from the cover of the ruins, Reflector is using a tiny gun-mode Shockwave as his weapon!
* In the wide shot a second later, ''all'' the lasers are colored Decepticon pink, even though some are supposed to be Autobot shots.
*When Skyfire swoops over Soundwave and Reflector and destroys their stone bunkers, both the lasers hitting their targets and the explosions are missing, so it appears the walls just fall apart.
* In the wide shot of the temple top, Ironhide's head is gray instead of red; the colorists might have gotten him mixed up with Windcharger.
* The crystal cannon's barrel isn't hollow as Megatrom aims it at Prime and Ironhide.
* Megatron's fusion cannon is light gray instead of black as Prime hoists and throws him.
* The Autobots get a ridiculously loud sound effect for the act of turning on their headlights.
* Bumblebee has no interior when he opens his door to offer Spike and Luisa a lift.

===Continuity errors===
* The Incans apparently built temples with steps large enough for Transformers to use, staircases that lead to blank walls, passages long enough to drive down, and stone doors that automatically open when someone approaches.
* Megatron can pick off the Sky Spy (in low Earth orbit) but can't shoot Optimus Prime when he's 30 feet in front of him. The scope of the Sky Spy's explosion indicates a level of power that the crystal weapon never shows again.
* Skyfire's resurrection is one of the cartoon's most infamously problematic bits of continutity:
** Skyfire was left for dead and mourned as such in his previous, debut appearance in "[[Fire in the Sky]]". Now, suddenly, it just takes Sideswipe's pistons to dig him up out of the ice, and Wheeljack isn't the slightest bit surprised to find him alive and well. Why didn't they just dig him up right after he crashed? They only dug him up when they needed a ride?
** Wheeljack and Sideswipe apparently ''drive to the North Pole'' in order to dig up Skyfire, so he can then fly two other Autobots to South America. Why not just have Brawn and Windcharger drive to South America in the first place? (Of note, Wheeljack and Sideswipe are both capable of flight, though there's nothing to explicitly indicate that they flew to the North Pole.)
** Presumably as a result of some kind of miscommunication in production, Sideswipe is seen using an actual hand-held jackhammer to unearth Skyfire, rather than his customary built-in arm-mounted jackhammers.
** How does Skyfire know Wheeljack's name? Wheeljack wasn't part of the Autobot group that went to the Arctic Circle in "[[Fire in the Sky]]". It's possible they knew each other on Cybertron millions of years ago, but this, of course, isn't indicated.
* The Decepticons leave the temple to attack the mining town. En route, they're attacked by Brawn and Windcharger and drive them off. Skyfire then flies all the way back to Autobot Headquarters, picks up the rest of the Autobots, flies all the way back to Peru... and the Decepticons have apparently just reached the mining town like five minutes earlier.
* Soundwave was last seen at the <s>steel mill</s> mining town battle, but suddenly pops up outside the temple to send Ravage after Bumblebee and the humans.
* "It's not that we had any doubts, Wheeljack, but..." "You don't suppose we could..." "Get a fast ride back into town?" If no lines were cut from between the first and second sentence, then it's just some bizarrely awkward dialog.
* Bumblebee gets a bizarre but clearly intentional bit of humanizing in the episode's final shot, with his whole body frame bending like rubber to show embarrassment.


===Rhino DVD release===
[[Image:Fitm dvd broadcast.jpg|right|200px|thumb|You call this restoration?]]
The Rhino DVD version of this episode uses a number of erroneous takes as the basis of its remastered animation. As a result, the DVD introduces several coloring errors that were not present in the broadcast version:
* Trailbreaker, Brawn, and Starscream are colored red, brown and purple (repsectively) in their introductory shots.
* When Skywarp mocks Starscream for having to guard the Crystal, he is colored like Thundercracker.
* When Starscream and Thundercracker carry Skyfire's inert form, Skyfire has Skywarp’s colors.
* "Skyfire is an excellent catch!" In the first shot, Megatron steps up to stand next to Thundercracker (who has a white-instead-of-blue wingtip); in the second shot, Thundercracker has been replaced by Starscream. This is one of a handful of Rhino errors not corrected by the later [[Shout! Factory]] DVD release.
* When Skyfire is about to destroy the cannon, it already appears to be melted to slag.
* When Skyfire strafes the crystal-powered weapon, he momentarily has Skywarp's colors.

The chapter stops for this episode on the Rhino DVD include: Opening / Stolen Steel / It's Skyfire / To The Mining Town / Visiting Decepticon / Invention Works

===Continuity notes===
[[Image:G1 FireontheMountain SS chestmissiles.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Starscream's dreaded boob bombs.]]
* This episode references "[[Fire in the Sky]]", the previous (and first) episode that Skyfire appeared in.
* Gadgets and powers:
** Starscream has a dozen rockets in hidden chest compartments. This ability will appear again in "[[Full Throttle Scramble Power!]]". The feature was later immortalized in toy form for Starscream's ''[[Robot Masters (franchise)|Robot Masters]]'' incarnation through clip-on accessories, and again as part of his ''[[Masterpiece]]'' figure, this time actually incorporated into the figure.
** Soundwave conceals a tricorder-like scanning device in his left wrist.
** The latest device to come out of Laserbeak's head is the microphone-like thing. It's not clear what purpose it serves, as Laserbeak then broadcasts his findings to Megatron via pulsewaves that come out of his ''eyes'', of all things.
** Brawn has a retractable claw that can extend in his car mode.

[[Image:Megatron&crystalofpower.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Seriously, in the cartoon world, crystals are the [[More than Meets the Eye, Part 2|most]] [[The God Gambit|powerful]] [[A Prime Problem|things]] [[Fire in the Sky|ever]].]]
* While the concept makes no sense in real-world terms, this is the second time in almost as many episodes that a greenish crystal has been linked to the Earth's core.

* Skywarp refers to Starscream by the nickname "Screamer" in this episode, a nickname used again by Streetwise in the late Season 2 episode "[[B.O.T. (episode)|B.O.T.]]".

* Fans have long cited this episode when discussing the improbability of Brawn's death in ''[[The Transformers: The Movie]]'', observing that Brawn had previously survived direct hits from Megatron's gun mode in this episode... but it simply ain't so. Brawn ''dodges'' every shot that comes from Megatron. It's actually ''Soundwave'', using his own standard weapon, who shoots Brawn in the head to no effect. Not that we're questioning the indestructibility of the all-powerful Brawn, of course.

* This is the only episode to play on Thundercracker's uncertain loyalties, a trait called out in his original [[bio]]. However, the official [[Sunbow Productions|Sunbow]] synopsis for the episode indicates that it was originally going to take the idea even further:

::"The Autobots arrive to stop [the Decepticons], and Jetfire tries to convince a beleaguered Thundercracker to switch loyalties and join the Autobots. He is caught and wounded by Starscream. Spike, with the help of a local native girl, goes to his rescue, and Jetfire--with a little assist from Thundercracker--turns away the Decepticons and destroys the "Crystal of Power."<ref>http://tfarchive.com/cartoons/bible/#069</ref>

[[Image:Fireonthemountain soundwave vs brawn round1.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Better get use to this, Soundwave.]]

*This is also one of the few episodes in which Thundercracker displays his sonic powers, and even then, only when Starscream whines about the "awful thunder noise" he's making as they fly away. His sonic powers are also mentioned in "[[Heavy Metal War]]", where Megatron uses them after gathering all the Decepticons' powers.

* This episode begins a mini-tradition of Bluestreak [[The Ultimate Doom, Part 2|shooting]] [[Brainstorm!|down]] Laserbeak.

* '''Brawn vs. Soundwave''', Round 1: Brawn 1, Soundwave 0 [[Autobot Spike|>>]]

===Real-world references===
* The title of this episode may be a reference to the Grateful Dead song of the same name.
* The Transformers visit Peru, an ancient Incan temple, and a <s>steel manufacturing</s> mining village where everyone speaks heavily accented English.
* ''[[Star Wars]]'' sound effects:
** Laserbeak pursues Windcharger with a TIE fighter engine roar, and fires on him with the sound of the Death Star super laser firing. After the commercial break, he gets more TIE sounds along with some ''Millennium Falcon'' engines, during several different shots.
** Megatron launches to attack Brawn with another ''Falcon'' engine burst. The roar continues into the next shot as the sound of Skyfire's jets.
** ''Falcon'' engine whine as Laserbeak dives to retrieve Megatron's fusion cannon from Brawn, and again as Bluestreak and Windcharger jump out of the way, and again as Laserbeak starts chasing Bumblebee.
** More TIE engine as Laserbeak continues harassing Bumblebee, along with Death Star superlaser/Alderaan exploding.
** ''Falcon'' engine burst as Skywarp leaves the temple, and ''Falcon'' engine whine as he arrives at the battle site.
** ''Falcon'' whine as Laserbeak perches on Megatron's shoulder.

===Japanese version===
*The Japanese ordering of this episode places it toward the end of the series. This was done as it featured Skyfire prominantly and with his toy being of [[Bandai]] design (and not sold in Japan as a Transformer), that caused some legal concerns amongst Takara (many of Skyfire's smaller scenes in other episodes were cut entirely). Though the episodes featuring him as a main characters were eventually shown, the scripts were not reworked to adjust to the new chronological placement, simply being more or less direct translations of the original English versions.

*'''Cut:''' After Brawn declares, "It's fightin' time", the following overhead shot of Starscream and Skywarp fleeing the room is cut. The sequence resumes at the close-up of Starscream saying "Correction, Autobot...".

*'''Cut:''' After Starscream and Thundercracker take-off with the materials, the following scene of Brawn and Trailbreaker crawling out of the rubble, lamenting that they lost the steel and rolling out for headquarters have been cut.

*Additional narration describing the Sky Spy hovering over Peru as been added.

*'''Cut:''' The close-up of Spike's head and his line, "Uh oh, it's picking up a weird energy reading from those ruins", and the monitor shot displaying the ruins, have been cut. The sequence picks up at Laserbeak flying through the air.

*'''Cut:''' When Megatron and the Decepticons take off for the mining town in Peru, the following scene of them flying through the air and Megatron's line, "Any who stand in our way will be demolished", have been cut.

*Additional narration has been added to the scene of all the Autobots loading into Skyfire, informing the audience that the scene is taking place at Autobot Base.

*'''Cut:''' After Skyfire tells everyone to buckle-up and blasts off for Peru, the following scene of him flying over the Peruvian mountains has been cut.

*'''Cut:''' The scene panning over the mountain road leading to the metal forging facility has been cut.

*Additional narration has been added to the overhead pan of the metal forging fcility, informing the audience that Megatron is inside (immediately before the animation shows us that Megatron is inside).

*'''Cut:''' During the attack on the Decepticons at the metal forging facility, the scene of Megatron slowly marching forward as laser beams bounce off him has been cut. The sequence resumes at his lines, "Skywarp, I have created a steel alloy...".

*'''Cut:''' The scene of Starscream and Thundercracker carrying Skyfire's unconscious body has been cut. The sequence resumes at the close-up of Skyfire's head as he's being dropped.

===Trivia===
* Luisa's name is never spoken in the episode.
* A hissing sound effect (like the sound of air escaping from a canister) is heavily used in this episode, especially when a character is jumping or taking off into the air. It's never used in such a manner again. {{fact}}
*This was one of the six episodes featured on the ''[[Revenge of the Fallen (Xbox 360/PS3/PC)|Revenge of the Fallen]]'' console game.

==Home video releases==
{{homevidnote}}
;VHS
[[Image:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 1985 — ''The Transformers'' — Volume 8: "Fire on the Mountain" ([[Family Home Entertainment]]) 
[[Image:Flag of Canada.png|20px|Canada]] 1997 — ''The Transformers'' — War of the Dinobots ([[Malofilm]])
;Laserdisc
[[Image:Flag of Japan.png|20px|Japan]] 1995 — ''Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers'' — Megatron Set ([[TakaraTomy|Takara]]) — Japanese audio only. 
[[Image:Flag of Japan.png|20px|Japan]] 1999 — ''The Transformers'' — Decepticon Edition ([[Geneon Universal Entertainment|Pioneer LDC]]) — Japanese audio only.
;DVD
[[Image:Flag of Japan.png|20px|Japan]] 2001 — ''The Transformers'' — DVD Box 2 (Pioneer LDC) — Japanese audio only. 
[[Image:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2002 — ''Transformers'' — Original Series: Volume One ([[Maverick Entertainment|Sony Wonder]]) 
[[Image:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2002 — ''Transformers'' — Complete Original Series: Deluxe Edition (Sony Wonder) 
[[Image:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2002 — ''The Original Transformers'' — First Season Collector's Edition ([[The Original Transformers|Rhino Entertainment]]) 
[[Image:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2002 — ''The Original Transformers'' — Volume Two (Rhino Entertainment) 
[[Image:Flag of Australia.png|20px|Australia]] 2003 — ''Transformers'' — Collection 1: Series 1 ([[Madman Entertainment]]) 
[[Image:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2004 — ''Transformers'' — Season 1 ([[Metrodome]]) 
[[Image:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2006 — ''Transformers'' — The Complete Generation One Collection (Metrodome) 
[[Image:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2007 — ''Classic Transformers'' — Series One: Part Two (Metrodome) 
[[Image:Flag of Australia.png|20px|Australia]] 2007 — ''The Transformers'' — Complete Collection (Madman Entertainment) 
[[Image:Flag of Italy.png|20px|Italy]] 2008 — ''Transformers'' — Volume 02: Stagione Uno Parte Seconda ([[Medianetwork Communication]]) — English and Italian audio. 
[[Image:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2009 — ''Transformers'' — Season One (Metrodome) 
[[Image:Flag of Australia.png|20px|Australia]] 2009 — ''The Transformers'' — Complete Collection: Decepticon Edition (Madman Entertainment) 
[[Image:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2009 — ''The Transformers'' — The Complete First Season: 25th Anniversary Edition ([[Shout! Factory]]) 
[[Image:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2009 — ''The Transformers'' — The Complete Series: 25th Anniversary "Matrix of Leadership" Collection (Shout! Factory)

==References==
<references />

==External links==
*[http://cybertronchronicle.freewebspace.com/cartoon-dossier/synopses/fire_on_the_mountain.html Dossier at the Cybertron Chronicle]

[[Category:Generation 1 episodes]]
[[Category:Generation 2 episodes]]
[[Category:MSTF]]

Fire on the Mountain (episode)

2011-07-21T11:34:15Z

118.209.47.48: /* Animation or technical errors */

{{episode
|series=G1toon
|ep=9
|series2=SRLFtoon
|ep2=63
|prev2=Fire in the Sky
|next2=A Plague of Insecticons
|series3=''[[Generation 2 (cartoon)|The Transformers: Generation 2]]''
|ep3=49
|prev3=Megatron's Master Plan, Part 2
|next3=Countdown to Extinction (episode)
|image=Fire on the mountain.jpg
|caption="I don't understand it, baby. This has never happened to me before, honest."
|title="Fire on the Mountain"
|production code=#700-06
|airdate=[[December 22]], 1984
|written by=[[Douglas Booth]]
|animation studio=[[Toei]]
|production company=[[Sunbow Productions]]
|continuity=[[Generation 1 cartoon continuity]]
}}

'''The Decepticons uncover the Crystal of Power in Peru, and the Autobots resurrect Skyfire to stop them.'''

:''Japanese title:'' インカの秘宝 (''Inka no Hihō'', "Incaic Jewel")
:''Brazilian title:'' '''Fogo na Montanha''' (Fire on the Mountain)
:''Russian title:'' '''Схватка на вершине''' (''Skhvatka na vershine'', "The Engagement at the Very Top")
:''Serbian title:'' '''Ватрена планета''' (''Vatrena planeta'', "Fiery planet")
:''Italian title, dub 1:'' '''Il segreto degli Incas''' ("Secret of the Incas")
:''Italian title, dub 2:'' '''Fuoco sulla montagna''' ("Fire on the mountain")
==Synopsis==
While patrolling a refinery, [[Trailbreaker (G1)|Trailbreaker]] and [[Brawn (G1)|Brawn]] spot [[Thundercracker (G1)|Thundercracker]] and [[Starscream (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Starscream]] stealing steel. The [[Decepticon]]s get away with the loot by collapsing the refinery behind them. The Autobots report back to [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]], who is puzzled about the Decepticons' motives. The [[Autobot]]s launch a [[Sky Spy]] to home in on any Decepticon activity, and the satellite picks up strange energy readings in the [[Peru]]vian [[Andes Mountains|Andes]].

[[Image:Crystalofpower.jpg|thumb|left|200px|]]

There, the Decepticons have followed an [[Inca]]n legend to an ancient temple that rests on a shaft leading deep into the [[Earth's core]], capped by the [[Crystal of Power]]. With the metal acquired by Starscream, the Decepticons have fashioned a weapon frame to accommodate the crystal. [[Laserbeak (G1)|Laserbeak]] spots the Sky Spy, and [[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Megatron]] tests the weapon by blowing the satellite out of the sky. The metal, however, proves inadequate and melts with exposure to the raw energy unleashed from the Earth’s core. Starscream tries to shift blame to Thundercracker for the faulty metal, but Megatron blames them both and has them stay behind at the temple while he soars to a nearby mining town to find replacement metal.

The nearby Peruvian mining town is abuzz with the sudden show of power from the ancient temple. A reactionary elder proclaims that long-forgotten gods have come back to punish them, but her more level-headed granddaughter, [[Luisa]], realizes that someone must have uncovered the fabled Crystal of Power.

[[Image:G1 FireontheMountain Sideswipe piledriving.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Freud would have had a field day with this.]]

In the [[Arctic]], [[Sideswipe (G1)|Sideswipe]] and [[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]] are jackhammering through the ice to resurrect the fallen warrior [[Jetfire (G1)|Skyfire]]. The massive jet emerges from the ice and transforms into robot mode. Wheeljack immediately assigns him to fly back to Autobot headquarters to pick up Brawn and [[Windcharger (G1)|Windcharger]] before heading down to the Andes Mountains.

In short order, Skyfire is in the Andes, closing in on the Decepticons. Windcharger and Brawn skydive from the jet, tangling with [[Soundwave (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Soundwave]] and [[Reflector (G1)|Reflector]] while Skyfire goes to investigate the strange energy readings from the Incan temple. While the smaller Autobots are able to hold their own against Megatron’s lieutenants, the Decepticon leader proves too powerful for them and they scatter. Windcharger desperately calls for Skyfire to return while Brawn bites off more than he can chew in the form of an angered Megatron.

[[Image:FireontheMountain SoundwaveMegsgun.jpg|thumb|left|200px|Freud would have had...oh wait, I just said that.]]

Skyfire zooms in to the rescue and gracefully airlifts Brawn and Windcharger from the thick of Decepticon danger. Skyfire quickly returns to the Ark to pick up some reinforcements and streaks back to Peru. He deposits the Autobots near the mining town to take care of Megatron while he goes to investigate the Incan temple.

The Autobots stop Megatron, Reflector and Soundwave mid-raid, with Brawn having the ball-bearings enough to swipe Megatron's [[Fusion cannon|arm cannon]] and blast the Decepticon leader with his own weapon! Laserbeak steals back the weapon and Megatron swears vengeance. He has gathered a metal strong enough for the Crystal, and requests that [[Skywarp (G1)|Skywarp]] come to retrieve it, adding further insult to Thundercracker and Starscream who are left guarding the temple.

[[Image:Brawnfusioncannon.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Good grief, it's a running gag.]]

A stray blast during the battle nearly drops an electrical tower on top of Luisa, but she is saved by Spike and Bumblebee. Luisa quickly explains that these "evil creatures" have stolen the Crystal of Power. She leads Bumblebee and Spike to a secret entrance in the temple. Soundwave detects their presence, and dispatches Ravage to follow them.

Meanwhile, Thundercracker spots Skyfire skulking about the temple. The Decepticon warrior is torn; if he blasts Skyfire, Starscream is likely to take all the credit. Conversely, if he lets Skyfire destroy the Crystal-based weapon, perhaps Starscream can take the blame. Starscream overhears Thundercracker plotting, and blasts Skyfire. He then blackmails Thundercracker to do his bidding, lest Starscream reveal to their leader just how uncertain Thundercracker's loyalties can be.

The Decepticons load up their stolen steel with Skywarp's help and depart. To cover their exit, Megatron blasts a nearby mountain, creating a deadly rockfall that threatens the mining town.

The Autobots use their firepower to reduce the falling boulders to pebbles, saving the village. Meanwhile, Megatron returns to the temple, where he successfully tests a new weapon frame that can handle the power of the crystal. Bumblebee, Spike and Luisa surreptitiously arrive in the temple, spotting the inert form of Skyfire. Spike starts repairing the fallen warrior, just as Ravage pounces. Bumblebee tries holding off the Decepticon jaguar while Spike works as fast as he can.

[[Image:G1 FireontheMountain Spike Luisa BB.jpg|left|200px|thumb|There are [[Bumblebee (Movie)|some]] out there who understand what Bumblebee's about to go through.]]

The rest of the Autobots arrive at the temple, but Megatron pins them down with devastating firepower from his weapon frame cannon. The Autobots are able to outflank Megatron, and the tide of battle is turned by Skyfire, freshly repaired by Spike. Skyfire strafes the weapons frame, destroying it and unleashing the power of the mountain. The Decepticons retreat, and Thundercracker takes fleeting pleasure in seeing Megatron and Starscream fail.

That night, Wheeljack caps the fire stream with a new invention that can contain the power that the crystal formerly held in check. The Autobots celebrate their victory while Bumblebee and Spike drive Luisa back to the mining town, where she promises to introduce Bumblebee to her brother’s convertible, Juanita.
{{-}}
==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
* [[Trailbreaker (G1)|Trailbreaker]] (3)
* [[Brawn (G1)|Brawn]] (4)
* [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] (5)
* [[Bumblebee (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Bumblebee]] (7)
* [[Ironhide (G1)|Ironhide]] (12)
* [[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]] (15)
* [[Sideswipe (G1)|Sideswipe]] (16)
* [[Jetfire (G1)|Skyfire]] (17)
* [[Windcharger (G1)|Windcharger]] (18)
* [[Bluestreak (G1)|Bluestreak]] (19)
* [[Ratchet (G1)|Ratchet]] (20)
* [[Gears (G1)|Gears]] (21)
* [[Cliffjumper (G1)|Cliffjumper]] (22)
* [[Hound (G1)|Hound]] (24)
* [[Jazz (G1)|Jazz]] (25)
* [[Sunstreaker (G1)|Sunstreaker]] (27)

|c2=
* [[Thundercracker (G1)|Thundercracker]] (1)
* [[Starscream (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Starscream]] (2)
* [[Soundwave (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Soundwave]] (8)
* [[Skywarp (G1)|Skywarp]] (9)
* [[Reflector (G1)|Reflector]] (10)
* [[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Megatron]] (11)
* [[Laserbeak (G1)|Laserbeak]] (13)
* [[Ravage (G1)|Ravage]] (23)
* [[Rumble (G1)|Rumble]] (26)

|c3=
*[[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike Witwicky]] (6)
*[[Luisa]] (14)
}}

==Quotes==
"Looks more like stealing to me… and I'm talking steel!"
:—'''Brawn''' confronts the Decepticons with fists and horrible puns.

"Awww, hexagonal nuts!"
:—'''Trailbreaker''', after he and Brawn totally fail to stop the Decepticons.

"It's cold enough to freeze the ailerons off a [[titanium moosebot]]!"
:—'''Sideswipe'''

'''Soundwave:''' "The Autobot jet is afraid to fight!" 
'''Brawn:''' "Wrong again, you dipstick tapedeck!" 
'''Windcharger:''' "We just didn't want him to spoil ''our'' fun!"

"Have fun playing crystal nurse, Screamer! Byyyye!"
:—'''Skywarp''', being a jerk.

"Fate, schmate. It isn’t over yet, Megabum!"
:—'''Trailbreaker''', after Megatron prematurely gloats of imminent victory.

"Optimus ol' buddy, this is what separates the Autobots from the robot chickens!" 
"Ain’t no one calling me a robot chicken!"
:—'''Ironhide''' and '''Brawn''' don't know what Adult Swim has planned for their kind in 20 years.

"What’s the matter, fearless leader? You and Starscream look real geeky!"
:—'''Thundercracker''', being a jerk.

==Notes==
===Animation or technical errors===
* Only one of Starscream's "boobs" is colored its proper gray as he reminds Thundercracker of who is in charge.
* The back of Brawn's backpack is yellow after he transforms to robot mode.
* As Brawn confronts Starscream and Thundercracker, the Decepticons switch places between shots.
* The blue color of Trailbreaker's eyeband kind of drips down onto his face while the steel plant is collapsing around him.
* Brawn's helmet is light gray as he watches Teletraan's screen.
* Soundwave has a white leg as he follows Megatron down the pyramid's staircase.
* Starscream's eyes are blue as he drags the weapon frame over to Megatron.
* Starscream has extra yellow bits above and below his canopy as Megatron helps him to his feet.
* As Wheeljack encourages Sideswipe, the glow of his right ear isn't quite aligned with the ear itself.
* As he first bursts to the surface encased in ice, Skyfire's (vaguely drawn) profile looks a lot more like his toy than his animation model, with separate booster jets and a rounded cockpit.
* When Sideswipe says "It's Skyfire", He speaks in a raspy voice that is vaguely similar to Scrapper's own voice, even though Scrapper won't appear for another seven episodes.
* The parts of Skyfire's tail end that light up as he activates his jets don't actually correspond to his jet thrusters.

[[Image:FireOnTheMountain Windcharger vehiclemode.jpg|thumb|200px|right|The legs on the animator's Windcharger toy would never stay folded up. Your wiki editors can sympathize.]]
* Someone must have been drawing Windcharger's car mode straight off his toy. As he flees from Laserbeak, his rear section, which is his folded-up feet, is not aligned with the rest of his car body... a problem very commonly found on his toy.
* Soundwave fires on Brawn with his own gun, but with Megatron's cannon sound effect.
* The lower "cheeks" of Megatron's Decepticon symbol aren't colored in just before he transforms to fire on Brawn.
* Megatron's gun mode is entirely white as Soundwave grasps him two-handed, right before the first commercial break.
* Skyfire's engines don't glow throughout the whole sequence of him rescuing Brawn and Windcharger.
* After Skyfire flies the Autobots to Peru, Optimus Prime pats him on the nosecone affectionately. It seems he doesn't recall that section is Skyfire's robot mode crotch.
* Ironhide is colored gray in the aerial shot of the Autobots approaching the steel mill.
* Ironhide and Ratchet have crazy huge side windows as they drive alongside Prime. The same error (and animation?) pops up again in "[[Countdown to Extinction (episode)|Countdown to Extinction]]".
* When Optimus Prime rams Megatron through the wall, the inside of the wall momentarily becomes bright white for some reason, while the view through the newly created hole shows apparent nighttime outside.
* Flying Autobots:
** Bluestreak and Windcharger get an engine-burst noise as they leap out from beneath the collapsing transmission tower.
** Brawn gets a flight sound as he leaps the final distance between him and Starscream.
** Ironhide gets the same treatment as he leaps to attack Megatron.
** And then Prime also gets the same sound effect as he tackles Megatron.
* Bluestreak's mouth isn't moving as he delivers his "watch the birdie" line.
* Soundwave's eject button is on the wrong side (his right shoulder) as he ejects Ravage.
* Thundercracker's weapon barrel has almost no interior as he threatens Skyfire.
* As Starscream rebukes Thundercracker, his air intake is the same dark gray as his helmet, instead of red.
* Rumble's eyeband isn't colored in as the Decepticons fly out of the <s>steel mill</s> mining town.
* When Megatron follows Starscream and Thundercracker out of the pyramid, his Decepticon emblem disappears for a moment.
* As Trailbreaker says his "isn't over yet" line, his leg is red instead of black. Then Wheeljack pops out of the rubble from the spot where Sunstreaker was buried a moment ago.
* One gun, many lasers:
** No fewer than five laser beams are shown flying at Windcharger when Laserbeak isn't on-screen. Even if you count his eye beams, Laserbeak only has four guns.
** As the battle gets fully underway, four laser beams are shown coming from Megatron's crystal weapon.
** Starscream only has two guns to fire at Brawn, but three lasers are shown streaking past him as he runs up the stairs.
* Bumblebee's nose is yellow as he tells Spike he can't hold Ravage off much longer.
* After Skyfire revives, he doesn't have the exterior damage to his chest. Spike was barely able to get Skyfire's interior damage fixed before Ravage batted Bumblebee away and tried to attack the humans.
* When Starscream lands on the temple and starts firing at Brawn and Windcharger, his lasers are Autobot orange instead of Decepticon pink. The next shot shows the usual pink lasers hitting Windcharger.
* In the shot where Megatron's cannon shots are going wild, Starscream's leg is colored Brawn-green.
* As Reflector and Soundwave fire from the cover of the ruins, Reflector is using a tiny gun-mode Shockwave as his weapon!
* In the wide shot a second later, ''all'' the lasers are colored Decepticon pink, even though some are supposed to be Autobot shots.
*When Skyfire swoops over Soundwave and Reflector and destroys their stone bunkers, both the lasers hitting their targets and the explosions are missing, so it appears the walls just fall apart.
* In the wide shot of the temple top, Ironhide's head is gray instead of red; the colorists might have gotten him mixed up with Windcharger.
* The crystal cannon's barrel isn't hollow as Megatrom aims it at Prime and Ironhide.
* Megatron's fusion cannon is light gray instead of black as Prime hoists and throws him.
* The Autobots get a ridiculously loud sound effect for the act of turning on their headlights.
* Bumblebee has no interior when he opens his door to offer Spike and Luisa a lift.

===Continuity errors===
* The Incans apparently built temples with steps large enough for Transformers to use, staircases that lead to blank walls, passages long enough to drive down, and stone doors that automatically open when someone approaches.
* Megatron can pick off the Sky Spy (in low Earth orbit) but can't shoot Optimus Prime when he's 30 feet in front of him. The scope of the Sky Spy's explosion indicates a level of power that the crystal weapon never shows again.
* Skyfire's resurrection is one of the cartoon's most infamously problematic bits of continutity:
** Skyfire was left for dead and mourned as such in his previous, debut appearance in "[[Fire in the Sky]]". Now, suddenly, it just takes Sideswipe's pistons to dig him up out of the ice, and Wheeljack isn't the slightest bit surprised to find him alive and well. Why didn't they just dig him up right after he crashed? They only dug him up when they needed a ride?
** Wheeljack and Sideswipe apparently ''drive to the North Pole'' in order to dig up Skyfire, so he can then fly two other Autobots to South America. Why not just have Brawn and Windcharger drive to South America in the first place? (Of note, Wheeljack and Sideswipe are both capable of flight, though there's nothing to explicitly indicate that they flew to the North Pole.)
** Presumably as a result of some kind of miscommunication in production, Sideswipe is seen using an actual hand-held jackhammer to unearth Skyfire, rather than his customary built-in arm-mounted jackhammers.
** How does Skyfire know Wheeljack's name? Wheeljack wasn't part of the Autobot group that went to the Arctic Circle in "[[Fire in the Sky]]". It's possible they knew each other on Cybertron millions of years ago, but this, of course, isn't indicated.
* The Decepticons leave the temple to attack the mining town. En route, they're attacked by Brawn and Windcharger and drive them off. Skyfire then flies all the way back to Autobot Headquarters, picks up the rest of the Autobots, flies all the way back to Peru... and the Decepticons have apparently just reached the mining town like five minutes earlier.
* Soundwave was last seen at the <s>steel mill</s> mining town battle, but suddenly pops up outside the temple to send Ravage after Bumblebee and the humans.
* "It's not that we had any doubts, Wheeljack, but..." "You don't suppose we could..." "Get a fast ride back into town?" If no lines were cut from between the first and second sentence, then it's just some bizarrely awkward dialog.
* Bumblebee gets a bizarre but clearly intentional bit of humanizing in the episode's final shot, with his whole body frame bending like rubber to show embarrassment.


===Rhino DVD release===
[[Image:Fitm dvd broadcast.jpg|right|200px|thumb|You call this restoration?]]
The Rhino DVD version of this episode uses a number of erroneous takes as the basis of its remastered animation. As a result, the DVD introduces several coloring errors that were not present in the broadcast version:
* Trailbreaker, Brawn, and Starscream are colored red, brown and purple (repsectively) in their introductory shots.
* When Skywarp mocks Starscream for having to guard the Crystal, he is colored like Thundercracker.
* When Starscream and Thundercracker carry Skyfire's inert form, Skyfire has Skywarp’s colors.
* "Skyfire is an excellent catch!" In the first shot, Megatron steps up to stand next to Thundercracker (who has a white-instead-of-blue wingtip); in the second shot, Thundercracker has been replaced by Starscream. This is one of a handful of Rhino errors not corrected by the later [[Shout! Factory]] DVD release.
* When Skyfire is about to destroy the cannon, it already appears to be melted to slag.
* When Skyfire strafes the crystal-powered weapon, he momentarily has Skywarp's colors.

The chapter stops for this episode on the Rhino DVD include: Opening / Stolen Steel / It's Skyfire / To The Mining Town / Visiting Decepticon / Invention Works

===Continuity notes===
[[Image:G1 FireontheMountain SS chestmissiles.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Starscream's dreaded boob bombs.]]
* This episode references "[[Fire in the Sky]]", the previous (and first) episode that Skyfire appeared in.
* Gadgets and powers:
** Starscream has a dozen rockets in hidden chest compartments. This ability will appear again in "[[Full Throttle Scramble Power!]]". The feature was later immortalized in toy form for Starscream's ''[[Robot Masters (franchise)|Robot Masters]]'' incarnation through clip-on accessories, and again as part of his ''[[Masterpiece]]'' figure, this time actually incorporated into the figure.
** Soundwave conceals a tricorder-like scanning device in his left wrist.
** The latest device to come out of Laserbeak's head is the microphone-like thing. It's not clear what purpose it serves, as Laserbeak then broadcasts his findings to Megatron via pulsewaves that come out of his ''eyes'', of all things.
** Brawn has a retractable claw that can extend in his car mode.

[[Image:Megatron&crystalofpower.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Seriously, in the cartoon world, crystals are the [[More than Meets the Eye, Part 2|most]] [[The God Gambit|powerful]] [[A Prime Problem|things]] [[Fire in the Sky|ever]].]]
* While the concept makes no sense in real-world terms, this is the second time in almost as many episodes that a greenish crystal has been linked to the Earth's core.

* Skywarp refers to Starscream by the nickname "Screamer" in this episode, a nickname used again by Streetwise in the late Season 2 episode "[[B.O.T. (episode)|B.O.T.]]".

* Fans have long cited this episode when discussing the improbability of Brawn's death in ''[[The Transformers: The Movie]]'', observing that Brawn had previously survived direct hits from Megatron's gun mode in this episode... but it simply ain't so. Brawn ''dodges'' every shot that comes from Megatron. It's actually ''Soundwave'', using his own standard weapon, who shoots Brawn in the head to no effect. Not that we're questioning the indestructibility of the all-powerful Brawn, of course.

* This is the only episode to play on Thundercracker's uncertain loyalties, a trait called out in his original [[bio]]. However, the official [[Sunbow Productions|Sunbow]] synopsis for the episode indicates that it was originally going to take the idea even further:

::"The Autobots arrive to stop [the Decepticons], and Jetfire tries to convince a beleaguered Thundercracker to switch loyalties and join the Autobots. He is caught and wounded by Starscream. Spike, with the help of a local native girl, goes to his rescue, and Jetfire--with a little assist from Thundercracker--turns away the Decepticons and destroys the "Crystal of Power."<ref>http://tfarchive.com/cartoons/bible/#069</ref>

[[Image:Fireonthemountain soundwave vs brawn round1.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Better get use to this, Soundwave.]]

*This is also one of the few episodes in which Thundercracker displays his sonic powers, and even then, only when Starscream whines about the "awful thunder noise" he's making as they fly away. His sonic powers are also mentioned in "[[Heavy Metal War]]", where Megatron uses them after gathering all the Decepticons' powers.

* This episode begins a mini-tradition of Bluestreak [[The Ultimate Doom, Part 2|shooting]] [[Brainstorm!|down]] Laserbeak.

* '''Brawn vs. Soundwave''', Round 1: Brawn 1, Soundwave 0 [[Autobot Spike|>>]]

===Real-world references===
* The title of this episode may be a reference to the Grateful Dead song of the same name.
* The Transformers visit Peru, an ancient Incan temple, and a <s>steel manufacturing</s> mining village where everyone speaks heavily accented English.
* ''[[Star Wars]]'' sound effects:
** Laserbeak pursues Windcharger with a TIE fighter engine roar, and fires on him with the sound of the Death Star super laser firing. After the commercial break, he gets more TIE sounds along with some ''Millennium Falcon'' engines, during several different shots.
** Megatron launches to attack Brawn with another ''Falcon'' engine burst. The roar continues into the next shot as the sound of Skyfire's jets.
** ''Falcon'' engine whine as Laserbeak dives to retrieve Megatron's fusion cannon from Brawn, and again as Bluestreak and Windcharger jump out of the way, and again as Laserbeak starts chasing Bumblebee.
** More TIE engine as Laserbeak continues harassing Bumblebee, along with Death Star superlaser/Alderaan exploding.
** ''Falcon'' engine burst as Skywarp leaves the temple, and ''Falcon'' engine whine as he arrives at the battle site.
** ''Falcon'' whine as Laserbeak perches on Megatron's shoulder.

===Japanese version===
*The Japanese ordering of this episode places it toward the end of the series. This was done as it featured Skyfire prominantly and with his toy being of [[Bandai]] design (and not sold in Japan as a Transformer), that caused some legal concerns amongst Takara (many of Skyfire's smaller scenes in other episodes were cut entirely). Though the episodes featuring him as a main characters were eventually shown, the scripts were not reworked to adjust to the new chronological placement, simply being more or less direct translations of the original English versions.

*'''Cut:''' After Brawn declares, "It's fightin' time", the following overhead shot of Starscream and Skywarp fleeing the room is cut. The sequence resumes at the close-up of Starscream saying "Correction, Autobot...".

*'''Cut:''' After Starscream and Thundercracker take-off with the materials, the following scene of Brawn and Trailbreaker crawling out of the rubble, lamenting that they lost the steel and rolling out for headquarters have been cut.

*Additional narration describing the Sky Spy hovering over Peru as been added.

*'''Cut:''' The close-up of Spike's head and his line, "Uh oh, it's picking up a weird energy reading from those ruins", and the monitor shot displaying the ruins, have been cut. The sequence picks up at Laserbeak flying through the air.

*'''Cut:''' When Megatron and the Decepticons take off for the mining town in Peru, the following scene of them flying through the air and Megatron's line, "Any who stand in our way will be demolished", have been cut.

*Additional narration has been added to the scene of all the Autobots loading into Skyfire, informing the audience that the scene is taking place at Autobot Base.

*'''Cut:''' After Skyfire tells everyone to buckle-up and blasts off for Peru, the following scene of him flying over the Peruvian mountains has been cut.

*'''Cut:''' The scene panning over the mountain road leading to the metal forging facility has been cut.

*Additional narration has been added to the overhead pan of the metal forging fcility, informing the audience that Megatron is inside (immediately before the animation shows us that Megatron is inside).

*'''Cut:''' During the attack on the Decepticons at the metal forging facility, the scene of Megatron slowly marching forward as laser beams bounce off him has been cut. The sequence resumes at his lines, "Skywarp, I have created a steel alloy...".

*'''Cut:''' The scene of Starscream and Thundercracker carrying Skyfire's unconscious body has been cut. The sequence resumes at the close-up of Skyfire's head as he's being dropped.

===Trivia===
* Luisa's name is never spoken in the episode.
* A hissing sound effect (like the sound of air escaping from a canister) is heavily used in this episode, especially when a character is jumping or taking off into the air. It's never used in such a manner again. {{fact}}
*This was one of the six episodes featured on the ''[[Revenge of the Fallen (Xbox 360/PS3/PC)|Revenge of the Fallen]]'' console game.

==Home video releases==
{{homevidnote}}
;VHS
[[Image:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 1985 — ''The Transformers'' — Volume 8: "Fire on the Mountain" ([[Family Home Entertainment]]) 
[[Image:Flag of Canada.png|20px|Canada]] 1997 — ''The Transformers'' — War of the Dinobots ([[Malofilm]])
;Laserdisc
[[Image:Flag of Japan.png|20px|Japan]] 1995 — ''Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers'' — Megatron Set ([[TakaraTomy|Takara]]) — Japanese audio only. 
[[Image:Flag of Japan.png|20px|Japan]] 1999 — ''The Transformers'' — Decepticon Edition ([[Geneon Universal Entertainment|Pioneer LDC]]) — Japanese audio only.
;DVD
[[Image:Flag of Japan.png|20px|Japan]] 2001 — ''The Transformers'' — DVD Box 2 (Pioneer LDC) — Japanese audio only. 
[[Image:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2002 — ''Transformers'' — Original Series: Volume One ([[Maverick Entertainment|Sony Wonder]]) 
[[Image:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2002 — ''Transformers'' — Complete Original Series: Deluxe Edition (Sony Wonder) 
[[Image:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2002 — ''The Original Transformers'' — First Season Collector's Edition ([[The Original Transformers|Rhino Entertainment]]) 
[[Image:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2002 — ''The Original Transformers'' — Volume Two (Rhino Entertainment) 
[[Image:Flag of Australia.png|20px|Australia]] 2003 — ''Transformers'' — Collection 1: Series 1 ([[Madman Entertainment]]) 
[[Image:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2004 — ''Transformers'' — Season 1 ([[Metrodome]]) 
[[Image:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2006 — ''Transformers'' — The Complete Generation One Collection (Metrodome) 
[[Image:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2007 — ''Classic Transformers'' — Series One: Part Two (Metrodome) 
[[Image:Flag of Australia.png|20px|Australia]] 2007 — ''The Transformers'' — Complete Collection (Madman Entertainment) 
[[Image:Flag of Italy.png|20px|Italy]] 2008 — ''Transformers'' — Volume 02: Stagione Uno Parte Seconda ([[Medianetwork Communication]]) — English and Italian audio. 
[[Image:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2009 — ''Transformers'' — Season One (Metrodome) 
[[Image:Flag of Australia.png|20px|Australia]] 2009 — ''The Transformers'' — Complete Collection: Decepticon Edition (Madman Entertainment) 
[[Image:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2009 — ''The Transformers'' — The Complete First Season: 25th Anniversary Edition ([[Shout! Factory]]) 
[[Image:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2009 — ''The Transformers'' — The Complete Series: 25th Anniversary "Matrix of Leadership" Collection (Shout! Factory)

==References==
<references />

==External links==
*[http://cybertronchronicle.freewebspace.com/cartoon-dossier/synopses/fire_on_the_mountain.html Dossier at the Cybertron Chronicle]

[[Category:Generation 1 episodes]]
[[Category:Generation 2 episodes]]
[[Category:MSTF]]