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The Legend of Rodimus

2010-10-06T12:18:06Z

118.209.77.147: /* Continuity errors */ Because Starscream was supposed to kill him.

{{episode|
|series=Energon
|series2=Superlink
|ep=11
|prev=Energon Tower (episode)
|next=Crisis in Jungle City
|title=The Legend of Rodimus
|japanese=ちっぽけな宇宙
|romaji=Chippoke na Uchū
|translation=This Tiny Universe
|image=E11_titlecard.jpg
|caption=[[Hot Rod (G1)|Once upon a time, there was this guy who replaced Optimus Prime.]]
|production code=
|production company=[[TV Tokyo]], [[Nihon Ad Systems|NAS]]
|writer=[[Akira Okeya]]
|director=[[Masayuki Ōseki]]
|animation studio=[[Actas Inc.|Actas]], [[Studio A-CAT]] (3D)
|airdate=[[March 19|19 March]] [[2004]] (Japan) [[April 9]], 2004 (US)
|continuity=[[Unicron Trilogy]]
}}

'''Megatron confronts Starscream, Kicker faces the fears of his past, and a legendary Autobot returns.'''

==Synopsis==
The [[Decepticon]]s' mobile fortress emerges from a deep space warp gate and crashes violently into... something. Megatron emerges amid the wreckage and questions his troops about what went wrong.

Alpha Q gloats that he will have all the [[energon (Energon)|energon]] before Megatron even notices, and will bring all of Unicron to life.

On [[Earth]], another [[energon tower (building)|energon tower]] emerges from a warp gate above [[Blizzard City]], stabilized by Signal Flares under Hot Shot's supervision. In the mines below, Kicker and Ironhide are looking for energon. Kicker speculates that nobody seems to understand how dangerous the mission is, and flashes back to his father assigning him to lead the search, and to a much earlier time when his father lowered him into a deep, dark mine shaft as a young child.

[[Image:Energon-Hot-Shot-Facepalm.jpg|200px|thumb|left|Even his comrades are annoyed.]] Taking a break from the search, Ironhide tries to pep talk Kicker into appreciating his father more. Hot Shot arrives and relates the tale of his own hero, the legendary Rodimus, who was last seen traveling into the future.

Within Unicron(?), Megatron proposes stealing more energon from Earth. Scorponok counters that the energon towers make such an attack too dangerous without more energon, and proposes continuing to mine energon from [[Mars (planet)|Mars]] instead. Megatron will only hear of a path of conquest, but gives Scorponok leave to carry out his idea regardless. Scorponok angrily blasts his way out, and departs with a fleet of [[Terrorcon (Energon)|Terrorcon]]s, musing that Megatron isn't as in control as he'd like to think.

Outside Unicron, Starscream approaches, entering and searching for Megatron.

[[Image:Energon-Giant-Megatron-Head.jpg|200px|thumb|right|''Energon'' would go on to steal the title of 'Most Hated ''Transformers'' series from ''[[Beast Machines (cartoon)|Beast Machines]]''. [[Grand Mal|Picture unrelated]].]] Ironhide tells Kicker more about Rodimus. Amid the endless [[Cybertronian Civil Wars|civil war]] on [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]], Rodimus emerged "8,000 eons ago" and rallied the [[Autobot]]s around a message of peace, calling for the Autobots to leave and find a new world to live in peace. Kicker points out that this makes Optimus look bad, but Ironhide says that Optimus stayed and led the Autobots, making the current rebuilding of Cybertron possible, and that Prime is his greatest hero. Rodimus was last seen going from planet to planet, looking for Transformers who were lost in space.

On Mars, Scorponok finds the former base empty and abandoned, and deploys his Terrorcons to claim the energon... in the name of Alpha Q. As they do, a suspiciously well-timed trio appears in the distance.

Starscream approaches the sleep-mode Megatron, and tries to stab him through the chest, but is met with a huge surge of energy. Megatron vanishes; Ironhide engages Starscream; the other Decepticons arrive. Megatron has gained the power of [[invisibility]] through his union with Unicron, and easily assaults Starscream with a horde of duplicates and energon shards. Starscream tries to flee, but the big floating head of Megatron pursues and captures him, placing him in an empty void.

[[Image:Energon-Starscream-Dark.jpg|200px|thumb|left|Starscream takes a shot in the dark.]] Megatron lectures Starscream, reminding him that he used to be one of his troops, and threatening to leave him in the darkness forever. Starscream goes mad, opening fire in all directions, then lets slip that he was working for Alpha Q.

Kicker has had it with energon mining, and tells Ironhide about an energon expedition when he was a kid, when he lost control in deep space and drifted aimlessly. Landing on an asteroid, he resumed contact with Dr. Jones, but then got trapped in a cave-in, left alone in the dark. Ironhide isn't very sympathetic, telling Kicker that Rodimus overcame ''his'' fears, and that he isn't a kid anymore. Ironhide gives up lecturing and storms off; Kicker says he'll find his own way out.

Megatron speaks to Starscream: he has no idea who he is, and has forgotten all his ties to the world. Megatron is the only thing he can believe in, and will shape his reality now. He urges Starscream to use his rage, and revel in destruction. He appears and stabs Starscream through the chest with [[Energon Sword|his sword]], demanding his allegiance in exchange for allowing him to live.

Kicker forges ahead through the dark, and finds an energon seam. As he does, Ironhide returns with the [[Omnicon]]s. He apologizes for being harsh, and the Omnicons find a large seam of energon.

On Mars, the Mysterious Figure attacks Scorponok's Terrorcons. Observing from afar, Alpha Q notes that Rodimus has returned.

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
* [[Signal Flare (Energon)| Signal Flare]] (6)
* [[Ironhide (Energon)|Ironhide]] (7)
* [[Skyblast (Energon)|Skyblast]] (9)
* [[Strongarm (Energon)|Strongarm]] (10)
* [[Hot Shot (Armada)|Hot Shot]] (11)

|c2=
* [[Megatron (Armada)|Megatron]] (1)
* [[Cyclonus (Armada)|Cyclonus]] (2)
* [[Demolishor (Armada)|Demolishor]] (3)
* [[Scorponok (Energon)|Scorponok]] (4)
* [[Tidal Wave (Armada)|Tidal Wave]] (13)
* [[Starscream (Armada)|Starscream]] (16)

|c3=
* [[Kicker Jones]] (8)
* [[Brian Jones (Energon)|Dr. Brian Jones]] (12)

|c4=
* [[Alpha Quintesson]] (5)
* [[Battle Ravage|Battle Ravage drones]] (14)
* [[Divebomb (Energon)|Divebomb drones]] (15)
}}

==Quotes==
'''Megatron:''' "What's going on here, huh? Did someone set the wrong coordinates for the warp gate?...Who's responsible for this? I want answers!" 
'''Cyclonus:''' "Gee, I don't know! You got me, boss!" 
'''Megatron:''' "Ah, I see. ''Renovations''. Of course! Is that it? How amusing 
'''Scorponok:''' "It could be that Unicron is deteriorating from the lack of energon, sir. That could be what happened." 
'''Megatron:''' "Scorponok. You know that can't be!" 
'''Scorponok:''' "Hrnnnn."
:—the Decepticons bring you your daily dose of nonsensical dialog.

"Now listen up. We're going to raid, conquer and destroy. I will accept nothing less than that, Scorponok!"
:—'''Megatron''' lays down the law to Scorponok

"All we do is battle, and nothing happens. Fighting all the time has left Cybertron in ruins. If this continues, we'll have no future. Let's leave and create a better world! Join me! Let's find a place that we can call home. Yes! We will never look back."
:—'''Ironhide''' recites Rodimus's "famous speech"

"''You'' have an important decision to make! Say you'll join me or I'll let you slip away into the ''darkness''. I, Megatron, am your only leader now. Say my name and I'll spare you. What is my name, Starscream?" 
"...Megatron..." 
"''Say it again.''" 
"''Meg - a - tron!''"
:—'''Megatron''' establishes the pecking order for '''Starscream'''.

==Notes==
===Lost in translation===
* The opening scene's animation is missing the background image of Unicron that the fortress crashes into. Without it, Megatron's ship just seems to be floating through empty space, only to abruptly crash into something that wasn't there before.
* The opening conversation is likewise a bit more coherent in the ''Super Link'' version, as Megatron claims that various walls and passages he's created have disappeared, and Scorponok states that Unicron is regressing since he's not been given energon lately. The "walls and passages" got mangulated into "renovations" for the US dub.
* Unicron is regressing because Alpha Q stole his energon, as he gloats to himself in ''Super Link''. The dub omits this bit of back story, which was not actually shown on-screen; the plot point is therefore entirely lost for ''Energon'', leaving a typical example of things seeming to happen for no reason at all.
* Ironhide originally told Hot Shot about his own hero-worship of him, with Hot Shot doing a face-palm in response. In the dub, Ironhide just says that he was telling Kicker to respect his father, making Hot Shot's reaction into nonsense.
* The backgrounds of this same scene are incomplete in the dub. The ''Super Link'' version features a mountain-side niche for Ironhide and Kicker, and an interior passage behind Hot Shot, rather than open sky.
* Rodimus originally "journeyed toward the future", in a metaphoric sense. The dub hilariously transliterates this to say that Rodimus was last seen "traveling into the future".
* When Ironhide tells Kicker about Rodimus, the silhouettes of Rodimus, Prowl and Landmine are shown, but it's a recycled shot from their later arrival on Mars. ''Super Link'' features a new matte painting instead (featuring [[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]] as one of Rodimus's troops.) This painting reappears in several subsequent episodes, and appears in the dub beginning [[Rodimus: Friend or Foe?|4 episodes from this]].
* Rodimus's original speech mentions a call not to fear the vastness of space, giving some context to Ironhide's later claim that Rodimus overcame his fears.
* Ironhide doesn't say he's starting to ''talk'' like Kicker (he isn't), but rather has acquired his "stupid habit" of kicking things.
* The "say my name" bit with Starscream is a dub addition... but for once, it's actually an ''improvement''.

===Pain count===
* "Uh?": 13
* We need/they want energon: 9
* We've gotta: 1
* Come on: 2

...but not a single stock footage sequence!

===Animation and/or technical glitches===
===Continuity errors===
* "I'll find my own way out of here" -- at no point is it implied that Kicker was lost to begin with.

===Trivia===
*Megatron's reasoning is rather petulantly circular: they can't attack Earth because they need more energon to do so; therefore, they must attack Earth to get more energon, allowing them to attack Earth.
*So Rodimus just ''happens'' to show up just as Hot Shot and Ironhide just ''happen'' to be spinning yarns about him. ''Riiiiiight''.
*Although a case could be made for the replacement of Starscream's original developed personality in earlier episodes with his amnesiac mind being the viewers introduction to an infamous Energon trait, this is the first concrete instant i.e. the taking of a character, erasing every bit of character development from either this or the preceding series and turning them into a lobotimized characterless zombie. Other notable examples of development being completely dropped for no good reason include Demolishor, Scorponok (twice) and Inferno.
*Megatron never uses his super special awesome new Unicron powers again.

==Home video releases==
{{homevidnote}}
;DVD
[[Image:Flag of Japan.png|20px|Japan]] 2004 — ''Transformer: Super Link'' — Volume 003 ([[Interchannel]]) — Japanese audio only. 
[[Image:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2008 — ''Transformers: Energon'' — The Ultimate Collection ([[Paramount Pictures|Paramount]])

{{DEFAULTSORT:Legend of Rodimus}}
[[Category:Energon episodes]]

Energon Tower (episode)

2010-10-06T08:21:26Z

118.209.77.147: /* Animation and/or technical glitches */

{{disambig2|the ''Energon'' cartoon episode|the titular building|Energon Tower (building)}}

{{episode|
|series=Energon
|series2=Superlink
|ep=10
|prev=Battle of the Asteroid Belt
|next=The Legend of Rodimus
|title=Energon Tower
|japanese=出現! エネルゴンタワー
|romaji=Shutsgen! Energon Tower
|translation=Appear! Energon Tower
|image=E10_titlecard.jpg
|caption=Following Armada Tower, and followed by Cybertron Tower.
|production code=
|production company=[[TV Tokyo]], [[Nihon Ad Systems|NAS]]
|writer=[[Shōji Tonoike]]
|director=[[Naoki Ōhira]]
|animation studio=[[Actas Inc.|Actas]], [[Studio A-CAT]] (3D)
|airdate=[[March 12|12 March]] [[2004]] (Japan) [[April 9]], 2004 (US)
|continuity=[[Unicron Trilogy]]
}}

'''The Autobots and humans work to complete an energon tower defense grid for Earth before the Decepticons can find out about it.'''

==Summary==
Dr. Jones arrives at [[Ocean City]] to push for and oversee his [[energon tower (building)|energon tower]] project, to Kicker's surprise. The project gets underway with [[Earth Federation]] backing and massive work crews both [[human]] and [[Transformer]]. Kicker notes that it's the biggest project "since building [[Armed City]]".

Alexis reports to Dr. Jones about incoming supplies, and recalls the terror of Unicron. She offers to help get more personnel, but Dr. Jones says that it's not necessary. By re-using existing structures, they expect the project to take about a week.

Sally and Mrs. Jones return to Ocean City, wondering if Dr. Jones and Kicker will get along this time. Kicker is worrying to Optimus Prime about a possible attack during the construction, when Dr. Jones comes looking for him, annoying him by calling him "Junior". Kicker turns him down for lunch and leaves with Misha.

[[Image:Energon-Megatron-Tentacles.jpg|200px|thumb|left|Thank Primus Starscream isn't here.]] On [[Mars (planet)|Mars]], Cyclonus is bored as the [[energon (Energon)|energon]] scavenging operations drag on, but Megatron promises him action soon. Soon the time comes to return to Unicron. Megatron vows to create a new mobile fortress, and does so. Within Unicron, Megatron has [[Energon Sword|his sword]] recreated into a more powerful weapon. Demolishor is thrown slightly for a loop by when Megatron questions him about Ocean City; Megatron then orders the Decepticons to attack while Prime is stationed there. Alpha Q observes the [[Decepticon]]s leaving Unicron aboard the mobile fortress, and figures it's the perfect chance to steal back the energon, dispatching [[Terrorcon (Energon)|Terrorcon]]s.

Kicker has traveled with Misha to [[Jungle City]], anxious to get away from his dad. He detects an incoming attack. Ocean City braces for attack.

[[Image:Energon-Pillar-Of-Faces.jpg|200px|thumb|right|Do you think it screams?]] The [[Autobot]]s and the automated defenses hold off the Terrorcons, but Megatron emerges from the sea and attacks Prime with his new sword. Demolishor winds up facing off with Ironhide, and hesitates till he's goaded into action by Megatron.

Ironhide breaks off from the battle to pursue Scorponok. Dr. Jones leaves a shelter in the middle of the fight to go help, with Sally following. Ironhide contacts Kicker, who ignores him. Sally follows up, telling him that their dad is injured.

The Transformers square off: Jetfire vs. Scorponok, Inferno and Hot Shot vs. Tidal Wave; Demolishor vs. Ironhide; Prime vs. Megatron. Megatron taunts Prime that Unicron's revival is already underway.

Alpha Q and Starscream observe the Terrorcons returning from Unicron's body, loaded with energon for Unicron's revival.

[[Image:Energon-Decepticons-Flee-Tower.jpg‎|200px|thumb|left|So it repels Decepticons but not Autobots? If, hypothetically, [[Inferno (Energon)|an Autobot]] were forcibly turned evil, what would be the result?]] Kicker arrives in the middle of the battle aboard Skyblast and gives some tactical help to the Autobots. Scorponok attacks him, but suddenly a huge tower begins to arise from Ocean City. It sends a beam into the sky, enhanced by a team of Signal Flares. Something huge emerges from the sky—the [[energon tower (building)|energon tower]]! It lands and connects with the energon tower, glowing red with energy. The pulses begin destroying the Terrorcons, and Megatron orders a retreat. Dr. Jones emerges, alive and well, and rejoicing in the energy pulses washing over the city.

Kicker yells at Sally for lying about their dad being injured; she counters that it was the only way to get him to return. Dr. Jones explains his "energon shockwave assault" to the Autobots. Prime worries that, having seen the energon tower, Megatron will be back soon.

Megatron angrily wonders how the Autobots built the tower without him finding out. And Alpha Q observes as Unicron's head flickers with new energy; it won't be long now...

{{-}}

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
* [[Hot Shot (Armada)|Hot Shot]] (1)
* [[Optimus Prime (Armada)|Optimus Prime]] (2)
* [[Ironhide (Energon)|Ironhide]] (3)
* [[Jetfire (Armada)|Jetfire]] (9)
* [[Inferno (Energon)|Inferno]] (17)
* [[Skyblast (Energon)|Skyblast]] (18)
* [[Strongarm (Energon)|Strongarm]] (19)
* [[Signal Flare (Energon)| Signal Flare]] (21)

|c2=
* [[Cyclonus (Armada)|Cyclonus]] (11)
* [[Megatron (Armada)|Megatron]] (12)
* [[Scorponok (Energon)|Scorponok]] (13)
* [[Tidal Wave (Armada)|Tidal Wave]] (15)
* [[Demolishor (Armada)|Demolishor]] (16)
* [[Starscream (Armada)|Starscream]] (20)

|c3=
* [[Brian Jones (Energon)|Dr. Brian Jones]] (4)
* [[Kicker Jones]] (5)
* [[Alexis Thi Dang|Alexis]] (6)
* [[Sally Jones]] (7)
* [[Miranda Jones]] (8)
* [[Misha Miramond]] (10)

|c4=
* [[Divebomb (Energon)|Divebomb drones]] (11)
* [[Battle Ravage|Battle Ravage drones]] (14)
* [[Alpha Quintesson]] (17)
}}

==Quotes==
"Demolishor! I understand Optimus Prime is stationed in your old home town." 
"Yes, I mean -- it's more or less the same place." 
"Inarticulate as always." 
"Forgive me, sir; it's just, I spent a lot of time away, so even though I ''come'' from there -- 
"Never mind!"
: — '''Megatron''' isn't going to let '''Demolishor''' have an easy time.

"What is this monstrosity?" 
"Big. BIG!"
: — '''Megatron''' and '''Tidal Wave''', who gets right to the point

"Uhhh.... translation anybody?"
: — '''Ironhide''' watches <strike>the ''Energon'' cartoon</strike> the energon tower descend.

"What is this stuff, anyway?" 
"...It's the awesome power of energon! ''Amazing.''"
: — '''Hot Shot''' and '''Optimus Prime''' want you to buy those toys!

==Notes==
===Lost in translation===
A ''huge'' number of backgrounds were not finished for the dub version of this episode. Most of the time, an adequate substitute was used (in fact it's not clear why some of them even needed to be changed), but in a couple of places it makes the story less clear.

* ''Super Link'' and ''Energon'' use differents opening shots of [[Ocean City]], and again when Sally and her mom arrive.
* The dub takes an idle thought by Kicker about how "each of the armed cities" will have its own Energon Tower, and turns it into the wildly nonsensical statement that "this was the biggest project since the construction of [[Armed City]]".
* Immediately after, Kicker's impressed thought that "I never would have thought of that" gets dub-mutilated into a scornful "I don't know ''what'' these people are thinking."
* In the dub, the cables that attach Megatron to Unicron are missing their color. ''Super Link'' also adds some glow effects to the cables as they power up, and likewise to Megatron's eyes.
* The dub makes Megatron's dialog while creating the new mobile fortress somewhat at odds with the animation. He proclaims "we WILL create a new fortress", only for it to happen just a second later; he then orders the Terrorcons to "seek out what will be your new home", as if it wasn't right there in front of them. In ''Super Link'', he simply orders Unicron to create the fortress, then tells the Terrorcons that it is their home now.
* Demolishor's statement that he's spent a lot of time away (quoted above) was originally a statement that ''Optimus Prime'' often leaves Ocean City, and might not be there.
* ''Super Link'' features full coloration on the demonic faces that briefly appear around Megatron's sword. They also glow green before exploding. In the dub, they're simply shaded blue.
* Alpha Q's "no one here but us!" is, of course, a dub flub, since Alpha Q isn't in Unicron's body.
* ''Super Link'' features new establishing shots of [[Jungle City]], scrolling through cliffs and showing the tower under construciton. ''Energon'' recycles some still shots of the ancient pyramids instead.
* Kicker's thought "you don't know the half of it" is purely a dub addition.
* Still more unfinished/changed backgrounds as Dr. Jones leaves the shelter, and Sally arrives in the control room.
* Scorponok's "poison claw" line, rather inexplicably said in reference to his ''tail'', was original just a line about some "poison".
* The Signal Flares' bizarre cry of "SOREEEE!!!" (a nonsense word said for emphasis of action) as they bring in the tower is changed to a simple and more Western-palatable "Fire!" for the dub.
* More unfinished animation: the bottom of the descending energon tower looks like a fuzzy [[Moon (moon)|moon]] in the dub. ''Super Link'' replaces this with a darkened orb.
* ''Energon'' lacks any animation to show the suborbital top of the tower activating. In ''Super Link'', a different background painting is used, with red energon pulses.

===Pain count===
"Uh?": 12 
Stock footage: 2 
Energon is great: 2

===Animation and/or technical glitches===
* The top of the energon tower is missing when it first powers up.
* Now it's Mee-sha.

===Continuity errors===
* How did the Decepticons manage to get so close to Ocean City without being detected?
* Just where Scorponok is going, and why it's so important, is never quite made clear.
* Demolishor cuts off Ironhide's pursuit of Scorponok, but for some reason it's not actually shown on camera.
* Why is Ironhide contacting Kicker?
* Sally isn't shown leaving the shelter; we don't realize she's done so till she arrives in the control center.

===Trivia===
*Apart from the conversation between Dr. Jones and Alexis, this episode's dialog actually flows pretty well.
*Scorponok is ''really'' enjoying the battle, laughing madly through the whole thing.
*Megatron upgrades his [[Energon Sword]].
*The [[Energon Blaster]] makes a brief reappearance.

==Home video releases==
{{homevidnote}}
;DVD
[[Image:Flag of Japan.png|20px|Japan]] 2004 — ''Transformer: Super Link'' — Volume 003 ([[Interchannel]]) — Japanese audio only. 
[[Image:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2008 — ''Transformers: Energon'' — The Ultimate Collection ([[Paramount Pictures|Paramount]])

[[Category:Energon episodes]]