MediaWiki - User contributions [en]

Constructicon (Animated)

2009-04-02T12:01:33Z

168.8.120.2:

{{factions|decepticon}}
{{disambig3|Constructicon}}

:''The Constructicons are [[Decepticon|Decepticons]] from the [[Animated]] [[continuity family]].''

[[Image:TFAni Threes a Crowd Constructicons.jpg|right|300px|thumb|The pub crawl was on!]]

The '''Constructicons''' (briefly known as '''Constructobots''') are a trio of construction vehicles given life by [[AllSpark (Animated)|AllSpark]] fragments. Though they wear the badge of the Decepticons, they are largely disinterested in the war with the [[Autobot]]s, and are out for their own selfish interests... mostly the acquisition of oil, though there's some argument between them as to just what they'll ''do'' with it.

The Constructicons are

* [[Dirt Boss (Animated)|Dirt Boss]] the forklift
* [[Mixmaster (Animated)|Mixmaster]] the cement truck
* [[Scrapper (Animated)|Scrapper]] the steam shovel

==Fiction==
===''Animated'' cartoon===
The first two "Constructobots", Mixmaster and Scrapper, came to life when two stray AllSpark shards were embedded in a cement mixer and an excavator at a human construction site. After some initial confusion about no longer being inanimate vehicles, the pair named themselves and quickly figured out how to [[Transformation|transform]]. After saving [[Bulkhead (Animated)|Bulkhead]] from a construction accident, they befriended him and were invited to the [[Autobot]] headquarters. However, their behavior left much to be desired, and the two found themselves kicked out by [[Optimus Prime (Animated)|Optimus Prime]] after nearly decapitating [[Sari Sumdac]].

Eventually, the pair stumbled upon [[Blitzwing (Animated)|Blitzwing]] and [[Lugnut]] stealing construction supplies, and saved the former from being crushed by his own loot. Impressed by their strength, Blitzwing decided to let them do the heavy lifting, then take them offline once they reached the [[Decepticon]] base. However, once [[Megatron (Animated)|Megatron]] found out about their existence, he had other plans: to let the Constructobots build his [[space bridge]] for him, something the two had no problem with.

While out stealing supplies for the bridge, Mixmaster and Scrapper met with Bulkhead again, and told him about their new job. Outraged, Bulkhead explained in detail the evil and deceitful nature of the Decepticons, and the Constructobots confronted Megatron about it. However, the Decepticon leader simply used that very deceitful nature, along with his "private blend" of oil, to convince the two that he was a good guy, fighting back against Autobot oppression. Not knowing who to believe, Mixmaster and Scrapper simply decided to join the ones with the better oil.

Taking on the title of "Constructicons", the pair went to steal the Autobots' AllSpark fragments for Megatron, but ended up being tricked by Bulkhead into drinking some contaminated oil. This scrambled their memory chips, and the Constructicons forgot all about Autobots, Decepticons and space bridges. {{storylink|Rise of the Constructicons|Rise of the Constructicons}}

Going back to their usual pastime, the Constructicons started stealing and drinking oil around [[Detroit]] until the Autobots decided to put a stop to it. However, while they were out looking for the pair, Mixmaster and Scrapper found their way to Autobot headquarters. While the two were just looking for something to drink, the left-behind Sari took it as a Decepticon attack and managed to attack and repel them. Shortly afterwards, the Constructicons encountered Blitzwing, who had been ordered by Megatron to retrieve them. After being offered some oil, Mixmaster recognized it as the "really good stuff" he had vague memories of, and the pair followed Blitzwing back to the Decepticons. {{storylink|Sari, No One's Home|Sari, No One's Home}}

Mixmaster and Scrapper soon completed work on Megatron's space bridge, and were officially [[Branding|branded]] as Decepticons. Once Bulkhead was kidnapped by Megatron to put a finishing touch on the space bridge, he called out to the Constructicons for help, but they didn't recognize him. When the Autobots arrived to save Bulkhead and wreck Megatron's plans, Scrapper and Mixmaster managed to incapacitate all four of them. {{storylink|A Bridge Too Close, Part I|A Bridge Too Close, Part I}}

Within seconds [[Starscream (Animated)|Starscream]] and his [[Starscream clone|clones]] attacked, and Mixmaster joined in on the battle whilst Scrapper went off to fetch Lugnut and Blitzwing. The battle was eventually won, and the Constructicons cheered on Megatron's speech about conquering [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]], despite having no idea what a "Cybertron" was supposed to be. When the Decepticon base came crumbling down due to the malfunctioning space bridge, the Constructicons desperately tried to save the oil inside it. They were last seen trying to cover it as the cavern collapsed. {{storylink|A Bridge Too Close, Part II|A Bridge Too Close, Part II}}

[[Image:Three'saCrowdConstructiconsOilrefinery.jpg|200px|thumb|right|The whole combiner thing is a little over their heads.]]
Somehow escaping from the cavern, Scrapper and Mixmaster retired to a junkyard, where they lounged around drinking oil and watching cars being dismantled while waiting for the other Decepticons to come and find them. [[Bulkhead (Animated)|Bulkhead]] surprised them by showing up in the middle of the night, and they promptly attacked him. Fortunately, they were willing to give him the benefit of the doubt and backed off to hear his proposition: Sumdac Towers had suffered some damage recently, and Bulkhead needed somebody to fix the holes. The promise of honest work, plus a little manipulation by Bulkhead, got the two Constructicons to agree, but on the strict provision that this favor was "off the books".

Once back at the Tower, the Constructicons set to work, Bulkhead taking this as an opportunity to try and persuade them to quit being Decepticons and join the Autobots. Their resolve was starting to weaken, until Scrapper accidentally fished up something from the bottom of the Tower. During the original accident, a bunch of AllSpark shards, a forklift and a damaged Headmaster Unit had fallen down the hole{{m-}}and merged together to create a new Constructicon, [[Dirt Boss (Animated)|Dirt Boss]]. The belligerent Transformer wasted no time in asserting his dominance over his "fellow" Constructicons, using his ability to control machines to hijack Scrapper's body and intimidate them into obeying his orders.

Under Dirt Boss's command, the Constructicons began to hijack oil, attacking fuel trucks, petrol stations and any other source of energy. Bulkhead tried to persuade Mixmaster and Scrapper to stop listening to Dirt Boss, but failed. This led to the Autobot trying to take on all three Constructicons singlehandedly at the Fossil Fuels plant, which Dirt Boss planned to destroy. This resulted in him first getting his wrecking ball stuck in Mixmaster's chemical thrower, then getting controlled by Dirt Boss, who planned to sacrifice both Bulkhead and Mixmaster to set the plant on fire and blow it sky high. Fortunately for Bulkhead, the other Autobots showed up to help, freeing him from both Dirt Boss and Mixmaster. Unfortunately for the Constructicons, the spilled oil was set alight during the battle, and all three were transwarped to just off the shore of Dinobot Island...atop a burning oil tank, which exploded seconds after they arrived. {{storylink|Three's a Crowd}}

Their current fate is unknown.

[[Category:Animated]]
[[Category:Constructicons| (Animated)]]
[[Category:Decepticon subgroups]]

Transformers Animated (cartoon)

2009-03-19T16:04:45Z

168.8.120.2: /* Cast */

{{Nav-Animated}}
'''''Transformers Animated''''' is a cartoon series which debuted on December 26, 2007, in support of the [[Franchise|franchise]] of [[Transformers Animated|the same name]].

The cartoon is produced by [[Cartoon Network|Cartoon Network]], scripted in the United States, with character and background designs by the crews behind shows like ''[[wikipedia:Teen_Titans_(TV_series)|Teen Titans]]'' and ''[[wikipedia:Ben_10|Ben 10]]'', while animation is being provided by Japanese studios [[Mook|Mook]], [[The Answer Studio|The Answer Studio]], and [[Studio 4°C|Studio 4°C]].

''Animated'' sees several ''[[Generation 1|Generation 1]]'' voice actors reprise their old roles ([[Susan Blu|Susan Blu]], [[Corey Burton|Corey Burton]], [[John Moschitta|John Moschitta]], etc.), and is the first ''Transformers'' series featuring [[David Kaye|David Kaye]] in which he won't be voicing [[Megatron (Animated)|Megatron]].

==Overview==
:''For further information, see: [[Transformers Animated timeline|Transformers Animated timeline]]''

[[Image:TransformersAnimatedPoster.jpg|left|250px|thumb|"When there's trouble you know who to call..."]]
''Animated'' follows the adventures of a small crew of Autobots who come into possession of the all-powerful AllSpark artifact. Stranded on Earth and living among the population of [[Detroit|Detroit]], they face off against a series of human villains and their mighty Decepticon foes, who seek to possess the AllSpark. Though they were originally a lowly space bridge repair crew, these five Autobots must rise to their circumstances to deal with threats large and small.

The series eschews the ever-continuing space opera storylines of the [[Unicron Trilogy|Unicron Trilogy]] cartoons to return to the episodic approach of ''[[Beast Wars (cartoon)|Beast Wars]]''; most episodes are standalone stories, but with larger story arcs that stretch through the whole series. The focus is on characterization, dynamic action, and humor.

The episodes center not only on the war between the [[Autobot|Autobots]] and the [[Decepticon|Decepticons]], but also on the Autobots' interactions with many of [[Detroit|Detroit]]'s [[Human|human]] supervillain denizens, including a [[Angry Archer|maladjusted marksman]], a [[Nanosec|speedy racer]], and a guy who [[Prometheus Black|looks good in a pimp suit]]. The idea is to present the Decepticons as more of an ongoing background threat instead of having them be repeatedly defeated each episode and look like bumbling fools. The arrival of a Decepticon in battle is a big deal, requiring multiple Autobots working together to stop even a single one. The human villains give the Autobots "everyday" threats, and some of their schemes are the result of Decepticon treachery. Note well: [[Doctor Arkeville|Human]] [[Lord Chumley|adversaries]] [[Circuit Breaker|are]] [[Cobra Commander|not]] [[Abdul Fakkadi|new]] [[Lazarus|in]] [[Mega|''Transformers'']] [[Giga|continuity]].

While the series is not a sequel to the [[Transformers (2007)|live-action movie]], they have many thematic elements in common, most notably the central role of the [[AllSpark (Animated)|AllSpark]] and the revelation that all modern technology has been reverse-engineered from the dormant body of [[Megatron (Animated)|Megatron]]. Hasbro also carried over some design elements from the live-action movie into ''Animated'' designs, including not just the aforementioned cube but also [[Ratchet (Animated)|Ratchet]]'s medical readout striped deco, [[Bumblebee (Animated)|Bumblebee]]'s black racing stripe, and [[Megatron (Animated)|Megatron]]'s helmet. These are meant to be "connection points," helping kids who had seen the theatrical film but had no prior ''Transformers'' experience ease into understanding the new series.

The series also includes many elements and homages to prior ''Transformers'' series. Most conspicuously, it has many parallels to ''[[G1|Generation 1]]'' character designs, personalities, and major characteristics; [[Shockwave (Animated)|Shockwave]] and [[Blurr (Animated)|Blurr]] are even voiced by the same voice actors as their G1 analogues. ''[[Beast Wars|Beast Wars]]'' gets nods in the form of the inclusion of new versions/homages of [[Blackarachnia (Animated)|Blackarachnia]] and [[Wasp|Waspinator]], plus the overall plot structure: The main war is over, the good guys won, but now a small team of heroes never meant for combat roles must go up against an upstart cell of villains led by a charismatic rogue.

{{-}}

==Cast==
{|border=5 cellpadding=5 cellspacing=5 align=center style="border:#800000"
! style="background:#FFEEEE" | [[Autobots]]
! style="background:#EEEEFE" | [[Decepticons]]
! style="background:antiquewhite" | [[Human|Humans]]

|-
| style="background:#FFEEEE" valign="top" |
;Main Cast
* [[Optimus Prime (Animated)|Optimus Prime]] ([[David Kaye|David Kaye]])
* [[Bulkhead (Animated)|Bulkhead]] ([[Bill Fagerbakke|Bill Fagerbakke]])
* [[Bumblebee (Animated)|Bumblebee]] ([[Bumper Robinson|Bumper Robinson]])
* [[Prowl (Animated)|Prowl]] ([[Jeff Bennett|Jeff Bennett]])
* [[Ratchet (Animated)|Ratchet]] ([[Corey Burton|Corey Burton]])
;[[Dinobot (Animated)|Dinobots]]
* [[Grimlock (Animated)|Grimlock]] ([[David Kaye|David Kaye]])
* [[Snarl (Animated)|Snarl]]
* [[Swoop (Animated)|Swoop]]
;[[Cybertron Elite Guard|Cybertron Elite Guard]]
* [[Ultra Magnus (Animated)|Ultra Magnus]] ([[Jeff Bennett|Jeff Bennett]])
* [[Jazz (Animated)|Jazz]] ([[Phil LaMarr|Phil LaMarr]])
* [[Sentinel Prime (Animated)|Sentinel Prime]] ([[Townsend Coleman|Townsend Coleman]])
* [[Blurr (Animated)|Blurr]] ([[John Moschitta|John Moschitta]])
;Others
* [[Arcee (Animated)|Arcee]] ([[Susan Blu|Susan Blu]])
* [[Cliffjumper (Animated)|Cliffjumper]]
* [[Blackarachnia (Animated)|Elita-1]] ([[Cree Summer|Cree Summer]])
* [[Ironhide (Animated)|Ironhide]] ([[Corey Burton|Corey Burton]])
* [[Longarm Prime| Longarm/Longarm Prime]] ([[Corey Burton|Corey Burton]])
* [[Omega Supreme (Animated)|Omega Supreme]] ([[Kevin Michael Richardson|Kevin Michael Richardson]])
* [[Wreck-Gar (Animated)|Wreck-Gar]] ([["Weird Al" Yankovic|"Weird Al" Yankovic]])
* [[Wasp|Wasp]] ([[Tom Kenny|Tom Kenny]])
* Rodimus Prime
* Red Alert
* Hot Shot

| style="background:#EEEEFE" valign="top" |
;Main Cast
* [[Megatron (Animated)|Megatron]] ([[Corey Burton|Corey Burton]])
* [[Blackarachnia (Animated)|Blackarachnia]] ([[Cree Summer|Cree Summer]])
* [[Blitzwing (Animated)|Blitzwing]] ([[Bumper Robinson|Bumper Robinson]])
* [[Lugnut|Lugnut]] ([[David Kaye|David Kaye]])
* [[Starscream (Animated)|Starscream]] ([[Tom Kenny|Tom Kenny]])
;[[Constructicon (Animated)|Constructicons]]
* [[Scrapper (Animated)|Scrapper]] ([[Tom Kenny|Tom Kenny]])
* [[Mixmaster (Animated)|Mixmaster]] ([[Jeff Bennett|Jeff Bennett]])
;Others
* [[Lockdown|Lockdown]] ([[Lance Henriksen|Lance Henriksen]])
* [[Soundwave (Animated)|Soundwave]] ([[Jeff Bennett|Jeff Bennett]])
* [[Swindle (Animated)|Swindle]] ([[Fred Willard|Fred Willard]])
* [[Shockwave (Animated)|Shockwave]] ([[Corey Burton|Corey Burton]])
* [[Starscream clone|Starscream clones]] ([[Tom Kenny|Tom Kenny]], [[Tara Strong|Tara Strong]])
* Strika
* Spittor
* Cyclonus
* Oil Slick
* Blackout

| style="background:antiquewhite" valign="top" |
;Main Cast
* [[Sari Sumdac|Sari Sumdac]] ([[Tara Strong|Tara Strong]])
* [[Isaac Sumdac|Isaac Sumdac]] ([[Tom Kenny|Tom Kenny]])
* [[Captain Fanzone|Captain Fanzone]] ([[Jeff Bennett|Jeff Bennett]])
;[[:Category:Supervillains|Supervillains]]
* [[Angry Archer|Angry Archer]] ([[Jeff Bennett|Jeff Bennett]])
* [[Meltdown (Animated)|Meltdown]] ([[Peter Stormare|Peter Stormare]])
* [[Colossus Rhodes|Colossus Rhodes]] ([[Corey Burton|Corey Burton]])
* [[Fusion creature|Meltdown's Experiments]]

* [[Nanosec|Nanosec]] ([[Brian Posehn|Brian Posehn]])
* [[Professor Princess|Professor Princess]] ([[Kath Soucie|Kath Soucie]])
* [[Headmaster (Animated)|The Headmaster]] ([[Alexander Polinsky|Alexander Polinsky]])
* [[Master Disaster|Master Disaster]] ([[Bill Fagerbakke|Bill Fagerbakke]])
* [[Slo-Mo|Slo-Mo]] ([[Tara Strong|Tara Strong]])

;Others
* [[Porter C. Powell|Porter C. Powell]] ([[Bumper Robinson|Bumper Robinson]])
* [[Mayor Edsel|Mayor Edsel]]
* [[Mayor Edsel's press secretary|Mayor Edsel's press secretary]] ([[Tara Strong|Tara Strong]])
* [[Spike Witwicky (Animated)|Spike]] ([[Corey Burton|Corey Burton]])
* [[Carly Witwicky (Animated)|Carly]] ([[Tara Strong|Tara Strong]])
* [[Daniel Witwicky (Animated)|Daniel]] ([[Tara Strong|Tara Strong]])
* [[Sparkplug (Animated human)|Sparkplug]] ([[Bumper Robinson|Bumper Robinson]])/([[David Kaye|David Kaye]])

|}
{{-}}

==Episodes==
:''For further information, see: [[List of Transformers Animated episodes|List of Transformers Animated episodes]]''

{|border=5 cellpadding=5 cellspacing=5 align=center style="border:#800000"
! style="background:#FFFFFF" | Season 1: 2007-08
! style="background:#FFFFFF" | Season 2: 2008
! style="background:#FFFFFF" | Season 3: 2009
! style="background:#FFFFFF" | Shorts

|-
| style="background:#FFFFFF" valign="top" |
# [[Transform and Roll Out|Transform and Roll Out (Part One)]]
# [[Transform and Roll Out|Transform and Roll Out (Part Two)]]
# [[Transform and Roll Out|Transform and Roll Out (Part Three)]]
# [[Home Is Where the Spark Is|Home Is Where the Spark Is]]
# [[Total Meltdown|Total Meltdown]]
# [[Blast from the Past|Blast from the Past]]
# [[The Thrill of the Hunt|The Thrill of the Hunt]]
# [[Nanosec (episode)|Nanosec]]
# [[Along Came a Spider|Along Came a Spider]]
# [[Sound and Fury|Sound and Fury]]
# [[Lost and Found (episode)|Lost and Found]]
# [[Survival of the Fittest|Survival of the Fittest]]
# [[Headmaster (episode)|Headmaster]]
# [[Nature Calls|Nature Calls]]
# [[Megatron Rising - Part 1|Megatron Rising - Part 1]]
# [[Megatron Rising - Part 2|Megatron Rising - Part 2]]

| style="background:#FFFFFF" valign="top" |
# [[The Elite Guard|The Elite Guard]]
# [[The Return of the Headmaster|The Return of the Headmaster]]
# [[Mission Accomplished|Mission Accomplished]]
# [[Garbage In, Garbage Out|Garbage In, Garbage Out]]
# [[Velocity|Velocity]]
# [[Rise of the Constructicons|Rise of the Constructicons]]
# [[A Fistful of Energon|A Fistful of Energon]]
# [[SUV: Society of Ultimate Villainy|SUV: Society of Ultimate Villainy]]
# [[Autoboot Camp|Autoboot Camp]]
# [[Black Friday (episode)|Black Friday]]
# [[Sari, No One's Home|Sari, No One's Home]]
# [[A Bridge Too Close, Part I|A Bridge Too Close, Part I]]
# [[A Bridge Too Close, Part II|A Bridge Too Close, Part II]]

| style="background:#FFFFFF" valign="top" |
# [[TransWarped|TransWarped (Part One)]]
# [[TransWarped|TransWarped (Part Two)]]
# [[TransWarped|TransWarped (Part Three)]]
# [[Where Is Thy Sting?|Where Is Thy Sting?]]
# [[Five Servos of Doom|Five Servos of Doom]]

| style="background:#FFFFFF" valign="top" |
'''[[Studio 4°C|Studio 4°C]] shorts'''

# [[Career Day|Career Day]]
# [[Evel Knievel Jump|Evel Knievel Jump]]
# [[Mime Time|Mime Time]] (aka "Bumblebee")
# [[Starscream Heckles Megatron|Starscream Heckles Megatron]] (aka "Mocking Megatron")
# [[Explosive Punch|Explosive Punch]]
# [[Bulkhead plays with Grimlock|Bulkhead plays with Grimlock]]
# [[Ratchet performs surgery on Bulkhead|Ratchet performs surgery on Bulkhead]]

'''Other shorts'''

# [[Meet Bulkhead|Meet Bulkhead]]
# [[Meet Ratchet|Meet Ratchet]]
# [[Meet Bumblebee|Meet Bumblebee]]
# [[Meet Optimus Prime|Meet Optimus Prime]]
# [[Meet Prowl|Meet Prowl]]
# [[Meet Megatron|Meet Megatron]]
# [[Meet Starscream|Meet Starscream]]

|}

==Upcoming==
Season 3 premiered on both Cartoon Network<ref>[http://tformers.com/transformers-transformers-animated-season-3-debuts-march-14-on-cartoon-network/11088/news.html]</ref> and YTV<ref>[http://promos.ytv.com/transformersanimated YTV.com]</ref> on March 14th.

==Creative Staff==
There are some talented people working on this show. Among the more prominent-

{{collist|2|
* [[Sam Register|Sam Register]] - Executive Producer
* [[Marty Isenberg|Marty Isenberg]] - Story Editor, Writer
* [[Irineo Maramba|Irineo Maramba]] - Director, Character Designer
* [[Derrick J. Wyatt|Derrick J. Wyatt]] - Art Director
* [[Jeff Shiffman|Jeff Shiffman]] - Co-Sound Supervisor
}}

==Home Video Releases==
*'''Transform and Roll Out''' (DVD, June 22, 2008)

:A single DVD containing the three-part premier ''Transform and Roll Out!'' and two unaired shorts. Has Full Screen video and stereo sound in English and Spanish. A Target [[Exclusive|exclusive]] version contains a second disc with ''Home Is Where the Spark Is''.

*'''Season One''' (DVD, August 19 2008)

: A Two-disc set containing the complete first season, from ''Home is Where the Spark Is'' to ''Megatron Rising Part II''.

*'''Season Two''' (DVD, Jan 6 2009)

:A Two-disc set containing the entirety of season 2, from "The Elite Guard" to "A Bridge to Close Part II"; season 2 photo gallery and two animated shorts included on DVD. Includes an insert advertising the Jetfire/Jetstorm 2-pack on one side, various merchandise on the other.

==Comic Adaptations==
A [[Transformers Animated (IDW Publishing)|comic adaptation]] of the series was published by [[IDW Publishing|IDW Publishing]] starting in January 2008. The book used cartoon screen captures arranged in comic book style panels.

==Reception==
''Transformers Animated'' debuted January 5, 2008, at 10:30am EST as the number one television show among boys 6-11 in both cable and network television. In addition, the strength of the showing helped lift the ratings of all its neighboring shows in Cartoon Network's "Dynamite Action" scheduling block. <ref>[http://www.timewarner.com/corp/newsroom/pr/0,20812,1701434,00.html ''Transformers Animated'' Premieres #1 on All Television Among Boys and Boosts Kids 6-11 and 2-11 Delivery by Powerful Double-Digits]</ref>

The immediate response to the earliest promotional materials from the online fandom was the [[Ruined FOREVER|painfully traditional one]], with an added dash of overblown paranoia that the franchise would be far too "[[Pokeformers|kid]]-[[Playskool|oriented]]" for longtime fans to enjoy, based on nothing more than its artistic style. Attitudes took an eyebrow-raisingly sharp turn with the premiere of the first footage from the show at the San Diego Comic Con and Hasbro's presentation at [[BotCon 2007|BotCon 2007]], and after the debut of the show, it was essentially only the most ardent "already-made-up-their-mind-to-hate-it" viewers who were speaking ill. In particular, many fears were alleviated with the airing of "[[The Thrill of the Hunt|The Thrill of the Hunt]]", which involved [[Ratchet (Animated)|Ratchet]] savagely beating [[Lockdown|Lockdown]] for revenge, Ratchet coping with the loss of [[Arcee (Animated)|Arcee]]'s memories, and a look at the horrors of war. This unusual level of maturity let many fans warm up to the new series.

The aforementioned ability of the series to carry on story arcs for multiple episodes and, in many cases, for an entire season also lends itself to enjoyment by older viewers. Multiple plot lines run simultaneously and are not resolved within a single episode, allowing a deeper, more intricate story than previous ''Transformers'' series. The return of [[Megatron (Animated)|Megatron]] took up most of season one, and the construction of the [[Space bridge|space bridge]] and the revelation of the identity of the Decepticon [[Shockwave (Animated)|traitor]] among the Autobots unfolded throughout the second season, while the mystery of [[Sari Sumdac|Sari's]] origin has been hinted at throughout the entire series.

==Trivia==
[[Image:Tfa widescreen2.jpg|right|250px|thumb|The fullscreen broadcast and DVD release (top) cuts the sides off the widescreen image (bottom).]]
* Despite being animated in a widescreen format, the series is delivered to Cartoon Network in a cropped-down, fullscreen format, and is subsequently broadcast this way. Alas, the series has been released on DVD in this format, too. Fans could glimpse various widescreen images in a promo reel screened at various conventions before the launch of the series, which was later included on the DVD packaged with action figure two-pack, "The Battle Begins".

* The series is the first in over a decade to re-establish the classic ''Generation 1'' convention of blue eyes for Autobots and red eyes for Decepticons... though there is the [[Swindle (Animated)|occasional exception]].

* As well as the aforementioned ''Generation 1'' voice actors, [[Townsend Coleman|Townsend Coleman]] returns to a ''Transformers'' series. He voiced [[Rewind|Rewind]] in the original ''Generation 1'' cartoon.

* For some reason, a lot of fans want to believe that ''Animated'' is full of references to the anime ''[[wikipedia:Tengen_Toppa_Gurren_Lagann|Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann]]'', selecting lots of random, generic, anime-influenced hand motions and assorted design quirks throughout season 1 as "obvious" nods to the series (seemingly ignoring the fact that ''Lagann'' referenced Transformers first with mechs shaped like the Autobot and Decepticon insignia). Then Derrick Wyatt announced that he hadn't even seen the show until the production of Season 1 was finished. ''HA''. Of course, the possibility exists that the second season may see some ''Lagann'' references, as Wyatt notes that it and ''[[wikipedia:Diebuster|Diebuster]]'' have since inspired the production staff, but Wyatt singles out ''[[wikipedia:Mighty_Orbots|Mighty Orbots]]'' and the British comic ''[[wikipedia:2000_AD|2000 AD]]'''s ''[[wikipedia:ABC_Warriors|ABC Warriors]]'' strip as the biggest influences on the character designs, with ''Lagann''/''Diebuster'' producers [[wikipedia:Gainax|Gainax]] animation studio as a constant source of influence.<ref>[http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=21975298&postID=8564559979841180115 Comment section of "Back from Botcon" entry in Derrick Wyatt's blog]</ref>

* In May 2008, when North American broadcasts of the series were only four episodes into season two, all the remaining episodes of the season aired in Dubai. While almost nobody in the fandom had personally seen these episodes (and no one had seen them in English as they were intended), gossip based on viewer reviews and screencaps resulted in many plot developments and potential surprises being spoiled. Hooray.

* There is one possible continuity error throughout the entire first season: Megatron's decapitated head appears to be his Earth-mode head, even though [[Isaac Sumdac|Isaac Sumdac]] found it in its Cybertronian form. However, it could be argued that this look is due to Sumdac's mechanical tinkering over the last few decades.

* Yes, they have large [[Chin|chins]]. Shut up about it.

==References==
<references />

==External links==
*[http://derrickjwyatt.blogspot.com/ ''Animated'' character designer Derrick J. Wyatt's blog]
*[http://www.cartoonnetwork.com/tv_shows/transformersa/ The Cartoon Network's official ''Transformers Animated'' homepage]
*[http://www.hasbro.com/transformers/animated/ Hasbro's official ''Transformers'' Animated homepage]

[[Category:Animated]]
[[Category:Television series]]
[[Category:Continuities]]

Transformers Animated (cartoon)

2009-03-19T16:02:08Z

168.8.120.2: /* Cast */

{{Nav-Animated}}
'''''Transformers Animated''''' is a cartoon series which debuted on December 26, 2007, in support of the [[Franchise|franchise]] of [[Transformers Animated|the same name]].

The cartoon is produced by [[Cartoon Network|Cartoon Network]], scripted in the United States, with character and background designs by the crews behind shows like ''[[wikipedia:Teen_Titans_(TV_series)|Teen Titans]]'' and ''[[wikipedia:Ben_10|Ben 10]]'', while animation is being provided by Japanese studios [[Mook|Mook]], [[The Answer Studio|The Answer Studio]], and [[Studio 4°C|Studio 4°C]].

''Animated'' sees several ''[[Generation 1|Generation 1]]'' voice actors reprise their old roles ([[Susan Blu|Susan Blu]], [[Corey Burton|Corey Burton]], [[John Moschitta|John Moschitta]], etc.), and is the first ''Transformers'' series featuring [[David Kaye|David Kaye]] in which he won't be voicing [[Megatron (Animated)|Megatron]].

==Overview==
:''For further information, see: [[Transformers Animated timeline|Transformers Animated timeline]]''

[[Image:TransformersAnimatedPoster.jpg|left|250px|thumb|"When there's trouble you know who to call..."]]
''Animated'' follows the adventures of a small crew of Autobots who come into possession of the all-powerful AllSpark artifact. Stranded on Earth and living among the population of [[Detroit|Detroit]], they face off against a series of human villains and their mighty Decepticon foes, who seek to possess the AllSpark. Though they were originally a lowly space bridge repair crew, these five Autobots must rise to their circumstances to deal with threats large and small.

The series eschews the ever-continuing space opera storylines of the [[Unicron Trilogy|Unicron Trilogy]] cartoons to return to the episodic approach of ''[[Beast Wars (cartoon)|Beast Wars]]''; most episodes are standalone stories, but with larger story arcs that stretch through the whole series. The focus is on characterization, dynamic action, and humor.

The episodes center not only on the war between the [[Autobot|Autobots]] and the [[Decepticon|Decepticons]], but also on the Autobots' interactions with many of [[Detroit|Detroit]]'s [[Human|human]] supervillain denizens, including a [[Angry Archer|maladjusted marksman]], a [[Nanosec|speedy racer]], and a guy who [[Prometheus Black|looks good in a pimp suit]]. The idea is to present the Decepticons as more of an ongoing background threat instead of having them be repeatedly defeated each episode and look like bumbling fools. The arrival of a Decepticon in battle is a big deal, requiring multiple Autobots working together to stop even a single one. The human villains give the Autobots "everyday" threats, and some of their schemes are the result of Decepticon treachery. Note well: [[Doctor Arkeville|Human]] [[Lord Chumley|adversaries]] [[Circuit Breaker|are]] [[Cobra Commander|not]] [[Abdul Fakkadi|new]] [[Lazarus|in]] [[Mega|''Transformers'']] [[Giga|continuity]].

While the series is not a sequel to the [[Transformers (2007)|live-action movie]], they have many thematic elements in common, most notably the central role of the [[AllSpark (Animated)|AllSpark]] and the revelation that all modern technology has been reverse-engineered from the dormant body of [[Megatron (Animated)|Megatron]]. Hasbro also carried over some design elements from the live-action movie into ''Animated'' designs, including not just the aforementioned cube but also [[Ratchet (Animated)|Ratchet]]'s medical readout striped deco, [[Bumblebee (Animated)|Bumblebee]]'s black racing stripe, and [[Megatron (Animated)|Megatron]]'s helmet. These are meant to be "connection points," helping kids who had seen the theatrical film but had no prior ''Transformers'' experience ease into understanding the new series.

The series also includes many elements and homages to prior ''Transformers'' series. Most conspicuously, it has many parallels to ''[[G1|Generation 1]]'' character designs, personalities, and major characteristics; [[Shockwave (Animated)|Shockwave]] and [[Blurr (Animated)|Blurr]] are even voiced by the same voice actors as their G1 analogues. ''[[Beast Wars|Beast Wars]]'' gets nods in the form of the inclusion of new versions/homages of [[Blackarachnia (Animated)|Blackarachnia]] and [[Wasp|Waspinator]], plus the overall plot structure: The main war is over, the good guys won, but now a small team of heroes never meant for combat roles must go up against an upstart cell of villains led by a charismatic rogue.

{{-}}

==Cast==
{|border=5 cellpadding=5 cellspacing=5 align=center style="border:#800000"
! style="background:#FFEEEE" | [[Autobots]]
! style="background:#EEEEFE" | [[Decepticons]]
! style="background:antiquewhite" | [[Human|Humans]]

|-
| style="background:#FFEEEE" valign="top" |
;Main Cast
* [[Optimus Prime (Animated)|Optimus Prime]] ([[David Kaye|David Kaye]])
* [[Bulkhead (Animated)|Bulkhead]] ([[Bill Fagerbakke|Bill Fagerbakke]])
* [[Bumblebee (Animated)|Bumblebee]] ([[Bumper Robinson|Bumper Robinson]])
* [[Prowl (Animated)|Prowl]] ([[Jeff Bennett|Jeff Bennett]])
* [[Ratchet (Animated)|Ratchet]] ([[Corey Burton|Corey Burton]])
;[[Dinobot (Animated)|Dinobots]]
* [[Grimlock (Animated)|Grimlock]] ([[David Kaye|David Kaye]])
* [[Snarl (Animated)|Snarl]]
* [[Swoop (Animated)|Swoop]]
;[[Cybertron Elite Guard|Cybertron Elite Guard]]
* [[Ultra Magnus (Animated)|Ultra Magnus]] ([[Jeff Bennett|Jeff Bennett]])
* [[Jazz (Animated)|Jazz]] ([[Phil LaMarr|Phil LaMarr]])
* [[Sentinel Prime (Animated)|Sentinel Prime]] ([[Townsend Coleman|Townsend Coleman]])
* [[Blurr (Animated)|Blurr]] ([[John Moschitta|John Moschitta]])
;Others
* [[Arcee (Animated)|Arcee]] ([[Susan Blu|Susan Blu]])
* [[Cliffjumper (Animated)|Cliffjumper]]
* [[Blackarachnia (Animated)|Elita-1]] ([[Cree Summer|Cree Summer]])
* [[Ironhide (Animated)|Ironhide]] ([[Corey Burton|Corey Burton]])
* [[Longarm Prime| Longarm/Longarm Prime]] ([[Corey Burton|Corey Burton]])
* [[Omega Supreme (Animated)|Omega Supreme]] ([[Kevin Michael Richardson|Kevin Michael Richardson]])
* [[Wreck-Gar (Animated)|Wreck-Gar]] ([["Weird Al" Yankovic|"Weird Al" Yankovic]])
* [[Wasp|Wasp]] ([[Tom Kenny|Tom Kenny]])
* Rodimus Prime

| style="background:#EEEEFE" valign="top" |
;Main Cast
* [[Megatron (Animated)|Megatron]] ([[Corey Burton|Corey Burton]])
* [[Blackarachnia (Animated)|Blackarachnia]] ([[Cree Summer|Cree Summer]])
* [[Blitzwing (Animated)|Blitzwing]] ([[Bumper Robinson|Bumper Robinson]])
* [[Lugnut|Lugnut]] ([[David Kaye|David Kaye]])
* [[Starscream (Animated)|Starscream]] ([[Tom Kenny|Tom Kenny]])
;[[Constructicon (Animated)|Constructicons]]
* [[Scrapper (Animated)|Scrapper]] ([[Tom Kenny|Tom Kenny]])
* [[Mixmaster (Animated)|Mixmaster]] ([[Jeff Bennett|Jeff Bennett]])
;Others
* [[Lockdown|Lockdown]] ([[Lance Henriksen|Lance Henriksen]])
* [[Soundwave (Animated)|Soundwave]] ([[Jeff Bennett|Jeff Bennett]])
* [[Swindle (Animated)|Swindle]] ([[Fred Willard|Fred Willard]])
* [[Shockwave (Animated)|Shockwave]] ([[Corey Burton|Corey Burton]])
* [[Starscream clone|Starscream clones]] ([[Tom Kenny|Tom Kenny]], [[Tara Strong|Tara Strong]])
* Strika
* Spittor
* Cyclonus
* Oil Slick
* Blackout

| style="background:antiquewhite" valign="top" |
;Main Cast
* [[Sari Sumdac|Sari Sumdac]] ([[Tara Strong|Tara Strong]])
* [[Isaac Sumdac|Isaac Sumdac]] ([[Tom Kenny|Tom Kenny]])
* [[Captain Fanzone|Captain Fanzone]] ([[Jeff Bennett|Jeff Bennett]])
;[[:Category:Supervillains|Supervillains]]
* [[Angry Archer|Angry Archer]] ([[Jeff Bennett|Jeff Bennett]])
* [[Meltdown (Animated)|Meltdown]] ([[Peter Stormare|Peter Stormare]])
* [[Colossus Rhodes|Colossus Rhodes]] ([[Corey Burton|Corey Burton]])
* [[Fusion creature|Meltdown's Experiments]]

* [[Nanosec|Nanosec]] ([[Brian Posehn|Brian Posehn]])
* [[Professor Princess|Professor Princess]] ([[Kath Soucie|Kath Soucie]])
* [[Headmaster (Animated)|The Headmaster]] ([[Alexander Polinsky|Alexander Polinsky]])
* [[Master Disaster|Master Disaster]] ([[Bill Fagerbakke|Bill Fagerbakke]])
* [[Slo-Mo|Slo-Mo]] ([[Tara Strong|Tara Strong]])

;Others
* [[Porter C. Powell|Porter C. Powell]] ([[Bumper Robinson|Bumper Robinson]])
* [[Mayor Edsel|Mayor Edsel]]
* [[Mayor Edsel's press secretary|Mayor Edsel's press secretary]] ([[Tara Strong|Tara Strong]])
* [[Spike Witwicky (Animated)|Spike]] ([[Corey Burton|Corey Burton]])
* [[Carly Witwicky (Animated)|Carly]] ([[Tara Strong|Tara Strong]])
* [[Daniel Witwicky (Animated)|Daniel]] ([[Tara Strong|Tara Strong]])
* [[Sparkplug (Animated human)|Sparkplug]] ([[Bumper Robinson|Bumper Robinson]])/([[David Kaye|David Kaye]])

|}
{{-}}

==Episodes==
:''For further information, see: [[List of Transformers Animated episodes|List of Transformers Animated episodes]]''

{|border=5 cellpadding=5 cellspacing=5 align=center style="border:#800000"
! style="background:#FFFFFF" | Season 1: 2007-08
! style="background:#FFFFFF" | Season 2: 2008
! style="background:#FFFFFF" | Season 3: 2009
! style="background:#FFFFFF" | Shorts

|-
| style="background:#FFFFFF" valign="top" |
# [[Transform and Roll Out|Transform and Roll Out (Part One)]]
# [[Transform and Roll Out|Transform and Roll Out (Part Two)]]
# [[Transform and Roll Out|Transform and Roll Out (Part Three)]]
# [[Home Is Where the Spark Is|Home Is Where the Spark Is]]
# [[Total Meltdown|Total Meltdown]]
# [[Blast from the Past|Blast from the Past]]
# [[The Thrill of the Hunt|The Thrill of the Hunt]]
# [[Nanosec (episode)|Nanosec]]
# [[Along Came a Spider|Along Came a Spider]]
# [[Sound and Fury|Sound and Fury]]
# [[Lost and Found (episode)|Lost and Found]]
# [[Survival of the Fittest|Survival of the Fittest]]
# [[Headmaster (episode)|Headmaster]]
# [[Nature Calls|Nature Calls]]
# [[Megatron Rising - Part 1|Megatron Rising - Part 1]]
# [[Megatron Rising - Part 2|Megatron Rising - Part 2]]

| style="background:#FFFFFF" valign="top" |
# [[The Elite Guard|The Elite Guard]]
# [[The Return of the Headmaster|The Return of the Headmaster]]
# [[Mission Accomplished|Mission Accomplished]]
# [[Garbage In, Garbage Out|Garbage In, Garbage Out]]
# [[Velocity|Velocity]]
# [[Rise of the Constructicons|Rise of the Constructicons]]
# [[A Fistful of Energon|A Fistful of Energon]]
# [[SUV: Society of Ultimate Villainy|SUV: Society of Ultimate Villainy]]
# [[Autoboot Camp|Autoboot Camp]]
# [[Black Friday (episode)|Black Friday]]
# [[Sari, No One's Home|Sari, No One's Home]]
# [[A Bridge Too Close, Part I|A Bridge Too Close, Part I]]
# [[A Bridge Too Close, Part II|A Bridge Too Close, Part II]]

| style="background:#FFFFFF" valign="top" |
# [[TransWarped|TransWarped (Part One)]]
# [[TransWarped|TransWarped (Part Two)]]
# [[TransWarped|TransWarped (Part Three)]]
# [[Where Is Thy Sting?|Where Is Thy Sting?]]
# [[Five Servos of Doom|Five Servos of Doom]]

| style="background:#FFFFFF" valign="top" |
'''[[Studio 4°C|Studio 4°C]] shorts'''

# [[Career Day|Career Day]]
# [[Evel Knievel Jump|Evel Knievel Jump]]
# [[Mime Time|Mime Time]] (aka "Bumblebee")
# [[Starscream Heckles Megatron|Starscream Heckles Megatron]] (aka "Mocking Megatron")
# [[Explosive Punch|Explosive Punch]]
# [[Bulkhead plays with Grimlock|Bulkhead plays with Grimlock]]
# [[Ratchet performs surgery on Bulkhead|Ratchet performs surgery on Bulkhead]]

'''Other shorts'''

# [[Meet Bulkhead|Meet Bulkhead]]
# [[Meet Ratchet|Meet Ratchet]]
# [[Meet Bumblebee|Meet Bumblebee]]
# [[Meet Optimus Prime|Meet Optimus Prime]]
# [[Meet Prowl|Meet Prowl]]
# [[Meet Megatron|Meet Megatron]]
# [[Meet Starscream|Meet Starscream]]

|}

==Upcoming==
Season 3 premiered on both Cartoon Network<ref>[http://tformers.com/transformers-transformers-animated-season-3-debuts-march-14-on-cartoon-network/11088/news.html]</ref> and YTV<ref>[http://promos.ytv.com/transformersanimated YTV.com]</ref> on March 14th.

==Creative Staff==
There are some talented people working on this show. Among the more prominent-

{{collist|2|
* [[Sam Register|Sam Register]] - Executive Producer
* [[Marty Isenberg|Marty Isenberg]] - Story Editor, Writer
* [[Irineo Maramba|Irineo Maramba]] - Director, Character Designer
* [[Derrick J. Wyatt|Derrick J. Wyatt]] - Art Director
* [[Jeff Shiffman|Jeff Shiffman]] - Co-Sound Supervisor
}}

==Home Video Releases==
*'''Transform and Roll Out''' (DVD, June 22, 2008)

:A single DVD containing the three-part premier ''Transform and Roll Out!'' and two unaired shorts. Has Full Screen video and stereo sound in English and Spanish. A Target [[Exclusive|exclusive]] version contains a second disc with ''Home Is Where the Spark Is''.

*'''Season One''' (DVD, August 19 2008)

: A Two-disc set containing the complete first season, from ''Home is Where the Spark Is'' to ''Megatron Rising Part II''.

*'''Season Two''' (DVD, Jan 6 2009)

:A Two-disc set containing the entirety of season 2, from "The Elite Guard" to "A Bridge to Close Part II"; season 2 photo gallery and two animated shorts included on DVD. Includes an insert advertising the Jetfire/Jetstorm 2-pack on one side, various merchandise on the other.

==Comic Adaptations==
A [[Transformers Animated (IDW Publishing)|comic adaptation]] of the series was published by [[IDW Publishing|IDW Publishing]] starting in January 2008. The book used cartoon screen captures arranged in comic book style panels.

==Reception==
''Transformers Animated'' debuted January 5, 2008, at 10:30am EST as the number one television show among boys 6-11 in both cable and network television. In addition, the strength of the showing helped lift the ratings of all its neighboring shows in Cartoon Network's "Dynamite Action" scheduling block. <ref>[http://www.timewarner.com/corp/newsroom/pr/0,20812,1701434,00.html ''Transformers Animated'' Premieres #1 on All Television Among Boys and Boosts Kids 6-11 and 2-11 Delivery by Powerful Double-Digits]</ref>

The immediate response to the earliest promotional materials from the online fandom was the [[Ruined FOREVER|painfully traditional one]], with an added dash of overblown paranoia that the franchise would be far too "[[Pokeformers|kid]]-[[Playskool|oriented]]" for longtime fans to enjoy, based on nothing more than its artistic style. Attitudes took an eyebrow-raisingly sharp turn with the premiere of the first footage from the show at the San Diego Comic Con and Hasbro's presentation at [[BotCon 2007|BotCon 2007]], and after the debut of the show, it was essentially only the most ardent "already-made-up-their-mind-to-hate-it" viewers who were speaking ill. In particular, many fears were alleviated with the airing of "[[The Thrill of the Hunt|The Thrill of the Hunt]]", which involved [[Ratchet (Animated)|Ratchet]] savagely beating [[Lockdown|Lockdown]] for revenge, Ratchet coping with the loss of [[Arcee (Animated)|Arcee]]'s memories, and a look at the horrors of war. This unusual level of maturity let many fans warm up to the new series.

The aforementioned ability of the series to carry on story arcs for multiple episodes and, in many cases, for an entire season also lends itself to enjoyment by older viewers. Multiple plot lines run simultaneously and are not resolved within a single episode, allowing a deeper, more intricate story than previous ''Transformers'' series. The return of [[Megatron (Animated)|Megatron]] took up most of season one, and the construction of the [[Space bridge|space bridge]] and the revelation of the identity of the Decepticon [[Shockwave (Animated)|traitor]] among the Autobots unfolded throughout the second season, while the mystery of [[Sari Sumdac|Sari's]] origin has been hinted at throughout the entire series.

==Trivia==
[[Image:Tfa widescreen2.jpg|right|250px|thumb|The fullscreen broadcast and DVD release (top) cuts the sides off the widescreen image (bottom).]]
* Despite being animated in a widescreen format, the series is delivered to Cartoon Network in a cropped-down, fullscreen format, and is subsequently broadcast this way. Alas, the series has been released on DVD in this format, too. Fans could glimpse various widescreen images in a promo reel screened at various conventions before the launch of the series, which was later included on the DVD packaged with action figure two-pack, "The Battle Begins".

* The series is the first in over a decade to re-establish the classic ''Generation 1'' convention of blue eyes for Autobots and red eyes for Decepticons... though there is the [[Swindle (Animated)|occasional exception]].

* As well as the aforementioned ''Generation 1'' voice actors, [[Townsend Coleman|Townsend Coleman]] returns to a ''Transformers'' series. He voiced [[Rewind|Rewind]] in the original ''Generation 1'' cartoon.

* For some reason, a lot of fans want to believe that ''Animated'' is full of references to the anime ''[[wikipedia:Tengen_Toppa_Gurren_Lagann|Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann]]'', selecting lots of random, generic, anime-influenced hand motions and assorted design quirks throughout season 1 as "obvious" nods to the series (seemingly ignoring the fact that ''Lagann'' referenced Transformers first with mechs shaped like the Autobot and Decepticon insignia). Then Derrick Wyatt announced that he hadn't even seen the show until the production of Season 1 was finished. ''HA''. Of course, the possibility exists that the second season may see some ''Lagann'' references, as Wyatt notes that it and ''[[wikipedia:Diebuster|Diebuster]]'' have since inspired the production staff, but Wyatt singles out ''[[wikipedia:Mighty_Orbots|Mighty Orbots]]'' and the British comic ''[[wikipedia:2000_AD|2000 AD]]'''s ''[[wikipedia:ABC_Warriors|ABC Warriors]]'' strip as the biggest influences on the character designs, with ''Lagann''/''Diebuster'' producers [[wikipedia:Gainax|Gainax]] animation studio as a constant source of influence.<ref>[http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=21975298&postID=8564559979841180115 Comment section of "Back from Botcon" entry in Derrick Wyatt's blog]</ref>

* In May 2008, when North American broadcasts of the series were only four episodes into season two, all the remaining episodes of the season aired in Dubai. While almost nobody in the fandom had personally seen these episodes (and no one had seen them in English as they were intended), gossip based on viewer reviews and screencaps resulted in many plot developments and potential surprises being spoiled. Hooray.

* There is one possible continuity error throughout the entire first season: Megatron's decapitated head appears to be his Earth-mode head, even though [[Isaac Sumdac|Isaac Sumdac]] found it in its Cybertronian form. However, it could be argued that this look is due to Sumdac's mechanical tinkering over the last few decades.

* Yes, they have large [[Chin|chins]]. Shut up about it.

==References==
<references />

==External links==
*[http://derrickjwyatt.blogspot.com/ ''Animated'' character designer Derrick J. Wyatt's blog]
*[http://www.cartoonnetwork.com/tv_shows/transformersa/ The Cartoon Network's official ''Transformers Animated'' homepage]
*[http://www.hasbro.com/transformers/animated/ Hasbro's official ''Transformers'' Animated homepage]

[[Category:Animated]]
[[Category:Television series]]
[[Category:Continuities]]

Sentinel Prime (Animated)

2008-04-02T18:13:12Z

168.8.120.2: /* Trivia */

{{disambig3|Sentinel Prime}}
:''Sentinel Prime is an [[Autobot]] in the [[Transformers Animated]] [[continuity family]].''

[[Image:Sentinel prime.PNG|right|300px|thumb|'''''SPOOOOOOON!!!''''']]

'''Sentinel Prime''' is a member of the [[Cybertron Elite Guard]] under the command of [[Ultra Magnus (Animated)|Ultra Magnus]]. His alt-mode is a snow plow truck.

Sentinel has a history of rivalry with [[Optimus Prime (Animated)|Optimus Prime]], who attended the [[Autobot Academy]] with him. In his academy days, he was somewhat of a maverick, leading the more responsible Optimus to refer to him as a "walking malfunction." Of course, he's the one that ended up on the Elite Guard while Optimus was sent off to repair space bridges, of which fact he's all too fond of reminding his former classmate.

All things considered, he's kind of a jerk.

==Fiction==
===Animated===
{{ongoing}}
:''Voice actor:'' [[Townsend Coleman]] (English), [[Peter Reinhardt]] (German)
[[Image:animated_sentinel1.JPG|left|thumb|200px|"Party at my starship—Bring Your Own Energon!"]]
Sentinel Prime took Optimus and [[Blackarachnia (Animated)|Elita-1]] on a mission looking for an old Decepticon warship, hoping to get all the [[energon]] stored within. However, they ran into a pack of massive arachnids. Sentinel Prime tried to hold them off long enough for Optimus and Elita to escape. When he came across the the ship that Optimus and Elita found, Optimus had to drag him away from the exploding energon, forcing them to leave Elita-1 behind. Optimus Prime's radar couldn't find Elita's energy signature, and he assumed that she was dead. A furious Sentinel blamed Optimus Prime for what happened, even though this whole disaster had been ''his'' idea. Jerk. {{storylink|Along Came a Spider}}

Years later, he's still a jerk. When Optimus Prime rings up the Cybertron Elite Guard to tell them of the Decepticons in pursuit, he sneers that a screw-up like Optimus isn't worth the attention of Ultra Magnus. Piping through a visual of the [[All Spark (Animated)|All Spark]] from the cargo hold of the ''Ark'' shuts him up quickly enough. {{storylink|Transform and Roll Out!}}

{{-}}

==Trivia==
*Like another [[Captain America|sentinel of liberty]], Sentinel Prime's signature weapon is a round shield that he wears on his arm and throws around the room like a discus. The shield can also project a protective force field.
*Sentinel Prime's blue coloration and especially pronounced chin really make him look like [[wikipedia: Tick (comics)|The Tick]]. He's even voiced by Townsend Coleman, who provided the voice of the Tick in his 1990s animated series. At the minute, we don't know if the character was designed to look like the Tick and the casting was done based on that, or if the casting of Coleman prompted the Tick-style design, or some other combination of factors, but its pretty evident that the writers are working with it, having him utter silly Tick-esque lines like "Energon-y goodness!"
*This is the first time the name "Sentinel Prime" has been used outside the comics.
*If he doesn't get a toy, there will be much sadness.

==External links==

[[Category: Animated characters]]
[[Category: Autobots]]<div id="wikia-credits"><br /><br /><small>From [http://transformers.wikia.com Teletraan I: The Transformers Wiki], a [http://www.wikia.com Wikia] wiki.</small></div>

Possession

2007-11-09T15:02:00Z

168.8.120.2: /* Quotes */

{{stub}}{{picsneeded}}
{{episodenav |BW |season=1 |21 |prev=Dark Voyage |next=The Low Road}}
'''Writers:''' [[Ian Weir]]

[[Waspinator (BW)|Waspinator]] finds himself possessed by none other than the original [[Decepticon]] traitor [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]]!

'''Major characters (in order of appearance):''' '''[[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]]''', [[Cheetor (BW)|Cheetor]], [[Rhinox (BW)|Rhinox]], [[Optimus Primal (BW)|Optimus Primal]], [[Waspinator]], [[Megatron (BW)|Megatron]], [[Terrorsaur (BW)|Terrorsaur]], [[Rattrap]], [[Scorponok (BW)|Scorponok]], [[Tarantulas]], '''[[Blackarachnia (BW)|Blackarachnia]]''', [[Unicron]], [[Dinobot (BW)|Dinobot]], [[Airazor (BW)|Airazor]], [[Tigatron (BW)|Tigatron]],

'''Original air date:''' February 3, 1997

==Summary==

Through the reaches of space, a Spark floats.

On Earth, the Maximals deal with the bad weather by securing their spare weapons. The storm also knocks out much of their surveilance and defenses.)

On the Darksyde, the Predacons have similar inconveniences due to the same bad weather. Waspinator tries to work with a malfunctioning console, but from the console, a high-pitched voice taunts the bug, followed by a bright flash from the machinery's display. After the anomoly, Terrorsaur sees Waspinator momentarily display a strange glow."

Waspinator re-introduces himself to the other Predacons, his voice raises to a higher pitch by his body's new occupant: Air Commander Starscream of the Decepticon Battle Fleet. To provide context for Waspinator's new mind, Blackarachnia explains what is known about Starscream's history. He corrects her, explaining how his body was destroyed defending [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]] from [[Unicron]], and he's come to assist the new Megatron in winning the Beast Wars.

After the storm, Cheetor surveys the damage done to the area around the [[Axalon]] when he sees a [[Cyber-Bee]]. Instinctively, he destroys it, but not before it's relayed footage to the Predacons. Starscream's sister plan is to not attack the Maximal's protected weak spot, but rather to attack the maximal's other side.

The battle begins, and Starscream and Blackarachnia are easily able to blast inside of the Maximal's base. Starscream's own battle skills greatly helps the Predacons conquer their foes. Reintroducing himself to the Maximals, Dinobot is stunned by Waspinator's current identity - giving Megatron an opening to attack. With his side at a sudden disadvantage, Optimus orders his team to retreat.

The Predacons enjoy their victory. To make sure their own base is secured, Megatron, decides that he, Terrorsaur, and Tarantulas will return to their own base, while Starscream commands Blackarachnia and Scorponok in the Maximal's captured domicile. Terrorsaur takes an issue with the arrangement, but Megatron instructs Terrorsaur to comply. After the three Predacons leaves, Starscream and Blackarachnia have a discuession in private. Blackarachnia discloses she knows the truth about Starscream, but instead of reporting him, Blackarachnia and Starscream form an alliance.

The evicted Maximals consider their situation, Dinobot explaining to his comrades that Starscream was a notorious Decepticon traitor. After uniting with Airazor and Tigatron, the group return to their base to surrender to Starscream so they might get Dinobot to a CR chamber for repaits (although this is a ruse). Starscream complies, and let's Dinobot into a CR chamber - but takes Optimus Primal as his captive.

With two of the Maximal's captive, Waspinator blackmails the other Maximals into attacking the Predacon base (Scorponok calls out Strscream on his treachery, but is shot away quickly).

Inside, Optimus breaks free of his restraints and accesses the weaponry (which were stored beneath the armored floors to protect it from the storm.) and attacks Waspinator in the main room. Primal frees Dinobot, making the battle an even two-on-two. Never eager to fight fairly, Waspinator exits out the ceiling hatch, abandoning Blackarachnia. the Predacons in the Axalon no longer a problem, Primal rushes to stop the other maximals from getting killed attacking the Predacon base.

Optimus and Waspinator soon arrive outside the Predacon base, where the rest of the Maximals were having no particular success. Primal uppercuts Strscream, knocking the Decepticon up, and then onto the ground near some surface Energon. Starscream tries to bargain and reason his way out of the situation, but Blackarachnia, resenting her recent abandonment, fires at the energon. Optimus manages to fly away in time, but Starscream is caught in the massive energon explosion.

Afterwards, Waspinator is back to his regular fuzzy self. Blackarachnia explains to Megatron she was only pretending to ally with Starscream, but this explanation doesn't entirely satisfy her leader. The Maximals, having reclaimed their own base, clean up. While in orbit, without any body, Starscream once again swears revenge.

==Quotes==
'''
Waspinator:''' What is this, program will not respond! Waspinator does not understand!<br>
'''Starscream:''' I'll bet Waspinator seldom does, but try not to let is depress you, bug face!<br>

"Starscream, perhaps the centuries of weightlessness have taken a toll on your neurological circuitry."

Rinox: "I'd say it's tramplin' time"

==Notes==
===Continuity Inquiries===
*Megatron knew a great deal about Cybertronian history, yet apparently did not know the real nature of Starscream and his demise. However, Megatron might have been playing dumb to lure Starscream into being bolder with his actions. It should also be of note that both the Predacon and Maximal Elders had a large portion of his records sealed ''due'' to his history.
*For some reason, [[Inferno (BW)|Inferno]] is absent for the entire episode.

===Transformers references===
*Obviously, Starscream himself firmly ties ''Beast Wars'' to established G1 history.
*Starscream's spark, or "ghost" as it was then called, had possessed several Decepticons (including [[Cyclonus]], [[Scourge]], and [[Trypticon]]) in the G1 episodes "[[Starscream's Ghost]]" and "[[Ghost in the Machine]]."
*During the episode, if you look closely, one of Waspinator's Predacon insignias on the side of his cranium changes into Decepticon insignia while Starscream's spark is inhabiting his superstructure.
* This is the first episode of ''Beast Wars'' to refer to the [[Autobot]]s and [[Decepticon]]s, revealed here as the ancestors of the Maximals and Predacons respectively. Incidentally, this is the first episode to refer to any G1 characters and events at all. It begins here, folks!!

===Real-World references===
*[[Optimus Primal]] says "Hasta la vista, Starscream." This is a reference to [[Wikipedia:Terminator_2:_Judgment_Day|Terminator 2]].
*As he flies away immediately after saying this, Optimus Primal is seen wearing a pair of sunglasses. This may or may not be a reference to the same movie.
[[Category:Beast Wars episodes]]<div id="wikia-credits"><br /><br /><small>From [http://transformers.wikia.com Teletraan I: The Transformers Wiki], a [http://www.wikia.com Wikia] wiki.</small></div>

Possession

2007-11-09T15:01:37Z

168.8.120.2: /* Quotes */