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Transformers: Energon (cartoon)

2010-05-28T08:26:36Z

222.155.126.22: /* Characters */

{{nav-energon}}
[[Image:TransEnergonTitle.JPG|right|250px|thumb|Bringing you pain for far too long.]]

The '''''Energon''''' cartoon series was produced by [[Actas Inc.]] and [[Studio A-CAT]]. It aired in the US from January 2004 to June 2005 for <strike>52</strike> 51 episodes, in support of the toyline of the same name. It is a direct sequel to ''[[Armada (cartoon)|Armada]]'' and forms the second part of the "[[Unicron Trilogy]]".

The show takes place ten years after the finale of ''Armada'', opening in an age of peace on Cybertron and Earth which is destined not to last long. ''Energon'' pits the Autobots against an array of villains: the reborn [[Megatron (Armada)|Megatron]], the barely functional [[Unicron]], and the mysterious [[Alpha Quintesson|Alpha Q]] and his [[Terrorcon (Energon)|Terrorcon]] minions.

''Energon'', like ''Armada'', was written and animated in Japan and dubbed for US consumption. The series introduced to Transformers cartoons the technique of combining cel-shaded [[Computer-generated imagery|computer animation]] with 2D cel-animation, creating a fusion between the CGI of ''[[Beast Wars (cartoon)|Beast Wars]]''/''[[Beast Machines (cartoon)|Machines]]'' and traditionally animated series such as ''[[Robots in Disguise (cartoon)|Robots in Disguise]]''.

For ''Super Link'', "[[Taiyō no Transform!!]]" plays as its opening [[Japanese themes|theme]] and "[[Calling You]]" for its ending theme.

:''Preceded by: [[Armada (cartoon)|Armada]]''
:''Followed by: [[Cybertron (cartoon)|Cybertron]]''

==Characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
'''Main Cast'''

* [[Optimus Prime (Armada)|Optimus Prime]] ([[Garry Chalk]])
* [[Hot Shot (Armada)|Hot Shot]] ([[Brent Miller]])
* [[Inferno (Energon)|Inferno/Roadblock]] ([[Michael Daingerfield]])
* [[Ironhide (Energon)|Ironhide]] ([[Matt Hill]])
* [[Jetfire (Armada)|Jetfire]] ([[Scott McNeil]])
* [[Wing Saber]] ([[Colin Murdoch]])
* [[Omega Supreme (Energon)|Omega Supreme]] (Scott McNeil)

'''Team Rodimus'''

* [[Rodimus (Energon)|Rodimus]] ([[Paul Dobson]])
* [[Prowl (Energon)|Prowl]] ([[Alistair Abell]])
* [[Landmine (Energon)|Landmine]] ([[Ward Perry]])

'''Team Bulkhead'''

* [[Bulkhead (Energon)|Bulkhead]] ([[French Tickner]])
* [[Cliffjumper (Energon)|Cliffjumper]] ([[Doron Bell Jr.]])
* [[Downshift (Energon)|Downshift]] ([[Ty Olsson]])

'''Omnicons'''

* [[Arcee (Energon)|Arcee]] ([[Sharon Alexander]])
* [[Signal Flare (Energon)|Signal Flare]] ([[Michael Dobson]])
* [[Skyblast (Energon)|Skyblast]] ([[Terry Klassen]])
* [[Strongarm (Energon)|Strongarm]] (Scott McNeil)

'''Combiner teams'''

*[[Air Team]]
** [[Superion Maximus]] ([[Paul Dobson]])
** [[Storm Jet (Energon)|Storm Jet]]
** [[Sky Shadow (Energon)|Sky Shadow]]
** [[Terradive (Energon)|Terradive]]
** [[Treadshot (Energon)|Treadshot]]
** [[Windrazor (Energon)|Windrazor]]

'''Others'''
* [[Padlock]] ([[Ron Halder]])
* [[Padlock#Orange jet Autobot|Orange jet Autobot]]
* [[Autobot nurse]]s (?)
* [[Rhyming Omnicon fanboys]] ([[Tony Sampson]])
* [[Anonymous Maximus |Superions Brother]]
* [[Omega Sentinel (Energon)|Omega Sentinal]]

|c2=
'''Main Cast'''

* [[Megatron (Armada)|Megatron/Galvatron]] ([[David Kaye]])
* [[Cyclonus (Armada)|Cyclonus/Snow Cat]] ([[Don Brown]])
* [[Demolishor (Armada)|Demolishor]] ([[Alvin Sanders]])
* [[Starscream (Armada)|Starscream]] ([[Michael Dobson]])
* [[Tidal Wave (Armada)|Tidal Wave/Mirage]] ([[Doug Parker]])
* [[Shockblast (Energon)|Shockblast]] ([[Brian Drummond]])
* [[Six Shot]] ([[Terry Klassen]])

'''Combiner teams'''

* [[Construction Team]]
** [[Constructicon Maximus]] (Don Brown)
** [[Steamhammer (Energon)|Steamhammer]]
** [[Bonecrusher (Energon)|Bonecrusher]]
** [[Duststorm]]
** [[Sledge (Energon)|Sledge]]
** [[Wideload (Energon)|Wideload]]

* [[Destruction Team]]
** [[Bruticus Maximus (Energon)|Bruticus Maximus]] ([[Trevor Devall]])
** [[Barricade (Energon)|Barricade]]
** [[Blackout (combiner)|Blackout]]
** [[Blight (Energon)|Blight]]
** [[Kickback (Energon)|Kickback]]
** [[Stormcloud (Energon)|Stormcloud]]

|c3=
'''Regulars'''
* [[Kicker Jones|Kicker]] ([[Brad Swaile]])
* [[Misha Miramond]] ([[Ellen Kennedy]])
* [[Brian Jones (Energon)|Brian Jones]] ([[Ron Halder]])
* [[Alexis]] ([[Tabitha St. Germain]])
* [[Carlos Lopez]] ([[Matt Hill]])
* [[Miranda Jones]] ([[Nicole Oliver]])
* [[Rad White]] ([[Kirby Morrow]])
* [[Sally Jones]] (Nicole Oliver)

|c4=
* [[Alpha Quintesson]] ([[Trevor Devall]])
* [[Primus]] ([[Ron Halder]])
* [[Unicron]] ([[Mark Acheson]])

'''Terrorcons'''

* [[Scorponok (Energon)|Scorponok]] ([[Colin Murdoch]])
* [[Battle Ravage]]/[[Command Ravage]]
* [[Divebomb (Energon)|Divebomb]]/[[Blackout (Terrorcon)|Blackout]]
* [[Cruellock]]
* [[Insecticon (Energon)|Insecticon]]
|nonumbering=true
}}

==Episodes==
{{main|List of Energon episodes}}

{{collist|4|
#[[Cybertron City (episode)|Cybertron City]]
#[[Energon Stars]]
#[[Scorpinok]]
#[[Megatron's Sword]]
#[[The New Cybertron City]]
#[[Megatron Resurrected]]
#[[Megatron Raid]]
#[[Starscream the Mysterious Mercenary]]
#[[Battle of the Asteroid Belt]]
#[[Energon Tower (episode)|Energon Tower]]
#[[The Legend of Rodimus]]
#[[Crisis in Jungle City]]
#[[Kicker Beware!]]
#[[Energon Grid]]
#[[Rodimus: Friend or Foe?]]
#[[Go for Unicron!]]
#[[The Return of Demolishor]]
#[[A Tale of Two Heros]]
#[[Battle Stations]]
#[[Alpha Q: Identity]]
#[[Shockblast: Rampage]]
#[[Survival Instincts]]
#[[Each One Fights...]]
#[[Unicron Unleashed]]
#[[Open Fire!]]
#[[Ripped Up Space]]
#[[Team Optimus Prime]]
#[[Protection]]
#[[Imprisoned Inferno|Improsoned Inferno]]
#[[Jungle Planet (episode)|Jungle Planet]]
#[[Bulkhead (episode)|Bulkhead]]
#[[Farewell Inferno]]<br />[[Return! Our Scorponok]]
#[[Crash Course]]
#[[Omega Supreme (episode)|Omega Supreme]]
#[[A Heroic Battle]]
#[[The Power]]
#[[Optimus Supreme]]
#[[Unicron Perishes]]
#[[Ambition]]
#[[Wishes]]
#[[Galvatron!]]
#[[Break Through]]
#[[Distribution]]
#[[The Omega Train]]
#[[Decepticon Army|Deception Army]]
#[[Ironhide Team]]
#[[Formidable]]
#[[Galvatron Terror]]
#[[Destructive Power]]
#[[Spark (episode)|Spark]]
#[[The Sun]]
}}
"Return! Our Scorponok" was to be "Scorponok's Scars", but it never aired and was probably never dubbed. It is not considered to exist in the English version of the series.

==Criticisms==
{{bigquote|Something cool ''finally'' happened!|[[Alpha Quintesson|Alpha Q]] announces that the series is over.<ref>No, really! In every preview for ''Super Link'', Alpha Q promised the audience that "Something cool might happen" in the next episode. When the series ended, he finally declared that the promised coolness had, at last, come to pass. He might be crazy, but he's not ''entirely'' wrong in the head.</ref>}}

The [[Unicron Trilogy]] was a franchise that got off to a poor start, fictionally speaking. ''Armada'' (the predecessor to ''Energon'') suffered from a bad beginning that, in the eyes of many, condemned the entire show. Although it improved as it went along (with the "Unicron Battles" story arc regarded as fairly good in comparison), the sub-par start left it laboring under a bad reputation that it never escaped. Many fans had hopes that ''Energon'' would be a return to glory.

It was quite the proverbial [[brick]] to the testicles, then, that ''Energon'', the televisual representation of Transformers for its 20th anniversary year, turned out to be just the opposite — a series with a strong beginning, which slowly but surely degenerated into what is widely considered the worst Transformers cartoon broadcast in the U.S. In retrospect, the fans' positive initial reaction may have been simply because it wasn't ''Armada.''

===Conceptual and storytelling flaws===
====Plotting====
The primary flaw of ''Energon'' is that it simply does not have enough plot to fill 52 episodes. The first half of the series moves at a respectable pace, and around episode #20, the villains achieve their objective — the restoration of Unicron. However, because there are another 30 episodes to fill, an attack by the Autobots and their allies [[Battle Stations|deactivates Unicron]]. The storyline is then essentially ''repeated'' for twenty more episodes, until Unicron is reactivated ''again'' and [[Unicron Perishes|destroyed ''again'']]. But even then, there are ''still'' thirteen more episodes to go, and with the ''driving aspect of the plot'' destroyed, viewers are served up a virtually pointless storyline full of [[To sell toys|repaints and combiners]], which added nothing to what had already taken place.

Individual episodes are likewise padded out with time-killing scenes such as [[stock footage]] sequences, generally a minimum of three per episode. An ''incredible'' amount of time is consumed in communication and report scenes, in which the characters stand around in front of video screens and [[Team Optimus Prime|tell one another things that the viewers already know]].

====Character de-evolution====
The series takes a ''very'' dismissive attitude towards characters and their development. With the exception of [[Ironhide (Energon)|Ironhide]] (who survives the series and resolves his long-running feud with [[Scorponok (Energon)|Scorponok]]), the writers seemed unable to carry personal sub-plots and conflicts through to any conclusion. Instead, they would either quietly drop these opportunities for character development, or (much more gallingly) the characters would die and/or get mindwiped, so the stories would not ''have'' to be resolved. Examples:

* Demolishor's uncertainty in the Decepticon cause? "Resolved" by having him sacrifice himself to save Megatron, then having Megatron resurrect him with no memories.
* Inferno's struggle against Megatron's Decepticon programming? Brought to an end by having him kill himself, then be resurrected, only to do ''absolutely nothing'' for the rest of the series.
* Kicker's hatred of Transformers? Vanishes with no explanation after roughly two episodes, save for the occasional kick to Ironhide.
* Rodimus and Optimus Prime's ideological feud over whether Unicron should be destroyed? Rodimus puts himself under Optimus's command for the mission to defeat Galvatron, and the argument never comes up again.
* Wing Saber's dedication to capturing Shockblast? Well, he captures him . . . but when Shockblast escapes again, Wing Saber doesn't say a word.

Many similar examples exist.

====Promoting toys====
Of course, any Transformers series exists [[to sell toys]], but in promoting the abilities and gimmicks of its toyline, ''Energon'' frequently ignored common sense to the most amazing degree in order to shoehorn these concepts into a setting and story where they didn't make sense.

[[Image:Carsinspace.jpg|right|180px|thumb|Their wheels spin and everything.]]
In choosing to set most of its action in the void of space, ''Energon'' foolishly robbed the Transformers of any real reason to ''transform.'' They can all happily fly in robot mode (in space, on planets, anywhere), inviting the question of why transformation is necessary. But, to promote the fact that the toys transform, characters would routinely change to vehicle mode anyway, even in outer space. Cue innumerable scenes of cars, trucks, and snowmobiles ''driving through space.'' Characters would even transform to vehicle mode on the ground, and then ''drive away into the air''. Everyone could control their flight with no problem in either form, completely invalidating the need for any variety in [[alternate mode]]. Conversely, on occasions when it might actually make sense to transform to a speedy vehicle form for fast or long-distance travel, characters often choose to run to where they're going instead.

Whereas the English version of the series takes its name from the central plot element (the collection of Energon) the Japanese version, ''Super Link,'' takes its name from the main thematic concept/[[gimmick]]: Autobots [[Powerlinx|powerlinxing]]. The Japanese version of the show contained a lot of waffling about the symbolic nature of this ("Even when one heart is weak, together, we are strong!"). Unfortunately, the fact remains that, almost without exception, these combinations are used in straight firefights, where combining two soldiers into one means ''fewer guns to fire at the enemy.'' Further, the resulting combined soldier rarely shows any sign of enhanced firepower.

Further failing to advertise the combining gimmick are the "Maximus" combiner teams. For about 90% of their screen time, the three giants are seen in ''only'' their combined super robot modes, rarely splitting into individual vehicles. The central torso units are seen as individual robots for perhaps 5 seconds in the entire series, and the show doesn't even acknowledge that the limbs could ''be'' individuals.

===Production flaws===
====Art and animation====

[[Image:Scorponok blacklines.jpg|left|250px|thumb|Rescale what now?]]
''Energon'', animated by [[Actas Inc.]] and [[Studio A-CAT]], introduced a new concept to Transformers cartoons: the blending of CGI with traditional cel animation. The animators rendered the Transformer characters in cel-shaded CGI, while animating humans and other aspects of the show through traditional means. On the plus side, this allowed for a consistently high level of cel animation quality (especially enjoyable after the often scattershot quality of ''Armada''). In particular, the show uses the CGI to show many characters in motion at once, often with a high frame rate that gives them a very fluid appearance (for example, the many charges of the [[Battle Ravage]] Terrorcon drones, replete with numerous stamping legs and bobbing heads and tails.)

On the other hand, the CGI animation is positively primitive. Characters possess no sense of weight and can not move in any manner but the most basic. Even ''walking'' is a challenge for characters with bulky models, like Ironhide, who is often reduced to swinging his arms and legs back and forth while sliding along a predetermined path. The black-line outlines of character models were often not rescaled for different shots, resulting in the characters sometimes appearing as indecipherable masses of heavy black lines.

[[Image:GuessIronhidesEmotion.jpg|right|250px|thumb|The above images feature: A horrified Ironhide witnessing Demolishor's death; a surprised Ironhide asking a question; a determined Ironhide charging into battle; and a fighting-mad Ironhide striking a decisive blow. Can you figure out which is which?]]
[[Image:Energon InfernoImprisoned torture.jpg|thumb|left|150px|Are you @&#%$ kidding me?!]]

Additionally, "emotion" is nonexistent; the blank-faced CGI models could not easily display any [[Dull surprise|facial expressions beyond "mouth open" and "mouth closed."]] Numerous characters don't ''have'' facial animation, even ones with mouths. Most prominent among these is Alpha Q, who has ''no facial animation at all'' despite the fact that he's basically nothing but four faces. In some cases, when it was necessary for a character to emote visibly (Megatron's pronounced yawning, Inferno's [[Imprisoned Inferno|tortured screaming]]), or to do something visually dynamic ([[Jungle Planet (episode)|acrobatic transformation]]), the CGI would actually be ''replaced'' with cel animation, because it just ''looked more impressive''. Does that seem ''right'' to you?

In addition, the show's CGI compares very poorly with ''Beast Wars'' and ''Beast Machines,'' both of which came out ''years'' previously, both of which were ''fully'' CGI (without the crutch of cel animation to fall back on), and both of which had characters who boasted complex, nuanced facial expressions and fluid, constant body language — even [[Diagnostic Drone|the ones with utterly inhuman faces and bodies]]. The only way to spare the animators' reputation is to assume that Energon's budget was miniscule in comparison.

Even within the limits of the animation, many bad editing, design, and lighting choices make the series difficult to follow visually. Unicron's body — primarily black, to match his ''Energon'' redeco toy — is frequently lost against the blackness of space. When Alpha Q energizes Unicron's head, it becomes the [[Energon Orb]], with no visual indication as to what it used to be. Scenes set underground or within Unicron's body are commonly underlit, to the point that the characters can't even be distinguished. Strange elements such as the [[Rift (Energon)|rift in space]] are inconsistently animated and described by the characters, making it difficult to figure out what they are.

====Editing====
At times, ''Energon'' tends to flow like a single feature-length film... a film that has been mercilessly chopped up into 22 minute segments. Thus, confusing, unclear elements like the [[Rift (Energon)|rift in space]] and [[Unicron]]'s dark, partially re-energized body are routinely shown in closeup without any introductory establishing shots, making it extraordinarily unclear what's happening or where for the viewer who's just watching one particular episode by itself. To be a ''little'' bit fairer, this "chopped-up film" sensation is not exactly uncommon in Japanese animated series with a defined length, but ''Energon'' is a good example of the method at its very worst.

The show's scene editing also tends to be very abrupt and choppy. Battle animation in particular routinely cuts between numerous, very short scenes, showing several simultaneous but unrelated events as if the viewer must be kept up to date on ''all'' of them in real time. This makes it difficult to grasp the significance of ''any'' of the events shown. When boiled down, this editing style often serves to mask the fact that not much is actually happening.

To make things worse for the credibility of the editors, "[[Scorpinok]]", "[[A Tale of Two Heros]]", "[[Imprisoned Inferno|Improsoned Inferno]]", and "[[Decepticon Army|Deception Army]]" all have blatant spelling errors '''''in the titles!''''' Making it more annoying is that only the latter two of those four were corrected for the DVD release.

====Scripting and dubbing====
The original Japanese version of the show is, in short, sluggish and confusing... but at least the conversations make sense. Even that got lost when the show was ported for North American consumption.

The dub of ''Energon'' seems even ''more'' rushed than ''Armada,'' which was already known for being so hurried that dubbers were working with unfinished animation, got names wrong, and had moments of dialogue that didn't jibe with the action. ''Energon'' [[Battle of the Asteroid Belt|generally]] got completed animation, and ''usually'' got names right—but [[Misha Miramond|Misha]] gets three different names during the course of the show, and [[Downshift (Energon)|Downshift]] and [[Cliffjumper (Energon)|Cliffjumper]] are constantly confused.

The rushed dub script is full of mistranslations. Though some elements obviously needed to be altered to suit a Western audience, it seems that many portions of the dub were never checked to see if they made logical sense. As a result, the script is stilted, perfunctory, and repetitive, constantly throwing in cliche, time-killing phrases like "We've gotta [repeat the plot which everyone already knows]", "Let's do it!", and "It's time to [perform some action that's already blatantly obvious]". There is arbitrary new dialogue (that seems to exist purely due to writers' carelessness) which ''does not match what is occurring onscreen''. The final result is a show with some bizarre non-sequiturs and more than a few moments of ''genuine nonsense.''

To cite just one example: at the start of "[[Team Optimus Prime]]", Dr. Jones says, in a frustrated tone, "I ''can't'' get back the energon I sent to Kicker. That's ''impossible!''" The entire notion of "getting it back" is absurd on the surface, akin to trying to get back water that went down a drain; saying that not getting it back is ''impossible'' is even more ridiculous; and further, the original dialog is a passive lament, more along the lines of "It's not like that energon I sent is ever coming back." Similar examples exist in nearly every single episode of the show.

Outside of these accidents, there are also some strange ''deliberate'' changes, chief among them the tendency for [[Primus]] to be intermittently ignored. In one episode, Primus would be dubbed accurately, talking with other characters normally, while in the next, he would be deliberately edited out, with his lines erased or given to other characters, and references to him replaced with "the core". Other odd instances include Terrorcon drones having spoken lines randomly inserted in some scenes, never attributed to any one Terrorcon.

Given all of this, the quality of voice acting frequently suffers throughout the show. This can be a common result of the antiseptic [[ADR]] (Additional Dialogue Recording) environment, where actors perform solo, with no one to play off. But ''Energon'' is particularly bad in this regard. Lead talents such as [[Garry Chalk]] and [[David Kaye]] still turn in strong performances, but actors for many of the secondary characters clearly struggle to make something of the material they're given, often sounding flat and uninspired, or just confused. There are many times when ''all'' the actors clearly have no idea what their lines mean in the greater scheme of things, nor any idea of what they're really talking about; the Dr. Jones quote cited above is also an example of this problem.

There's also a pronounced amount of "filling dead air," with characters talking from offscreen simply to make noise where there was none originally. Take a drink every time someone goes "Uhh?" to break the silence, and you'll be hammered by the first commercial break.

{{bigquote|I really wish they would put this terrible series out on DVD. Not because I really want to watch it again, but because it would fill that unsightly gap between Armada and Cybertron with unsightly content.|The nicest words ever spoken about the Energon cartoon, [http://tinyurl.com/5tuucc "Gustavo!", August 2008]}}

==Home video releases==
===''Super Link''===
{{main|Interchannel}}
The ''Super Link'' version of ''Energon'' was released on DVD by Interchannel in [[Japan]] while the series was still on air.
[[Image:Tf superlink vol 01.jpg|thumb|150px|]]
*''Transformer: Super Link'' — Volume 001 (2004)
*''Transformer: Super Link'' — Volume 002 (2004)
*''Transformer: Super Link'' — Volume 003 (2004)
*''Transformer: Super Link'' — Volume 004 (2004)
*''Transformer: Super Link'' — Volume 005 (2004)
*''Transformer: Super Link'' — Volume 006 (2004)
*''Transformer: Super Link'' — Volume 007 (2004)
*''Transformer: Super Link'' — Volume 008 (2004)
*''Transformer: Super Link'' — Volume 009 (2005)
*''Transformer: Super Link'' — Volume 010 (2005)
*''Transformer: Super Link'' — Volume 011 (2005)
*''Transformer: Super Link'' — Volume 012 (2005)
*''Transformer: Super Link'' — Volume 013 (2005)
{{-}}

===''Energon''===
[[Image:Energon Ultimate Collection DVD.jpg|thumb|100px|]]
{{main|Paramount Pictures}}
When Paramount Home Entertainment released a handful of ''Energon'' collections on VHS and DVD in 2004 and 2005, several episodes were re-dubbed to fix numerous mistakes that occurred in the episodes that were broadcast, as well as throwing in some new dialogue.
*''Transformers: Energon'' — Volume 1: The Battle for Energon (2004)
*''Transformers: Energon'' — Volume 2: The Return of Megatron (2004)
*''Transformers: Energon'' — Volume 3: Shockblast Unleashed (2005)
*''Transformers: Energon'' — Volume 4: Omega Supreme (2005)
*''Transformers: Energon'' — The Ultimate Collection (2008)
{{-}}

==Footnotes==
<references />

==External links==
*[http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%83%88%E3%83%A9%E3%83%B3%E3%82%B9%E3%83%95%E3%82%A9%E3%83%BC%E3%83%9E%E3%83%BC_%E3%82%B9%E3%83%BC%E3%83%91%E3%83%BC%E3%83%AA%E3%83%B3%E3%82%AF ''Transformers: Super Link'' at the Japanese Wikipedia]

[[Category:Energon| Energon (cartoon)]]
[[Category:Television series]]

Transformers: Armada (cartoon)

2010-05-28T08:17:50Z

222.155.126.22: /* Characters */

{{nav-armada}}
'''''Armada''''' (Micron Legend in Japan) is a ''Transformers'' cartoon series that ran from 2002-2003, in support of the franchise of the same name. Produced by [[Actas Inc.]], the series initiated a total continuity reboot, setting up a brand new ''Transformers'' universe separate from any previous storyline. Together with its two sequels, this continuity family is now known as the [[Unicron Trilogy]].
''Armada'''s universe is most distinguished by the presence and importance of [[Mini-Con|Mini-Cons]], a race of human-sized Transformers that, when "[[Powerlinx|powerlinxed]]" to their larger brethren, would unleash a flood of energy. Because of the great potential for their exploitation, the Mini-Cons attempt to abstain from the [[Autobot]]/[[Decepticon]] war and flee [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]], crashing on [[Earth]] and its moon. When some Mini-Cons are accidentally reactivated in 2010 by clumsy teenagers, a beacon alerts both the Autobots and Decepticons on Cybertron, who track them to Earth and continue their battle here.

''Micron Legend'' has the [[Japanese themes|opening songs]] "[[Transformer: Dream Again|TRANSFORMER -Dream Again-]]" and "[[Transformers: Kōtetsu no Yūki|Transformers ~Kōtetsu no Yūki~]]", with the ending songs "[[Never Ending Road]]" and "[[Don't Give Up!!]]".

==Characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
* [[Optimus Prime (Armada)|Optimus Prime]] ([[Garry Chalk]])
* [[Blurr (Armada)|Blurr]] ([[Brian Drummond]])
* [[Hot Shot (Armada)|Hot Shot]] ([[Brent Miller]])
* [[Jetfire (Armada)|Jetfire]] ([[Scott McNeil]])
* [[Overload (Armada)|Overload]]
* [[Red Alert (Armada)|Red Alert]] ([[Brian Dobson]])
* [[Scavenger (Armada)|Scavenger]] ([[Ward Perry]])
* [[Side Swipe (Armada)|Side Swipe]] ([[Sam Vincent]])
* [[Smokescreen (Armada)|Smokescreen/Hoist]] ([[Dale Wilson]])
* [[Christmas Maximus |Autobot Commander]]
* [[Arrogant Autobot officer |Autobot Officer]] ([[Brian Dobson]])
* [[Arrogant Autobot officer#Subordinate |Subordinate]]

|c2=
* [[Megatron (Armada)|Megatron/Galvatron]] ([[David Kaye]])
* [[Cyclonus (Armada)|Cyclonus]] ([[Don Brown]])
* [[Demolishor (Armada)|Demolishor]] ([[Alvin Sanders]])
* [[Starscream (Armada)|Starscream]] ([[Michael Dobson]])
* [[Thrust (Armada)|Thrust]] ([[Colin Murdoch]])
* [[Tidal Wave (Armada)|Tidal Wave]] ([[Doug Parker]])
* [[Wheeljack (Armada)|Wheeljack]] ([[Michael Daingerfield]])

|c3=
* [[Rad White]] ([[Kirby Morrow]])
* [[Alexis]] ([[Tabitha St. Germain]])
* [[Billy (Armada)|Billy]] ([[Andrew Francis]])
* [[Carlos Lopez]] ([[Matt Hill]])
* [[Fred (Armada)|Fred]] ([[Tony Sampson]])

|c4=
* [[Sideways (RID)|Sideways]] ([[Paul Dobson]]), ([[Mark Acheson]])
* [[Nemesis Prime (Armada)|Nemesis Prime]] (Paul Dobson)
* [[Unicron]] ([[Mark Acheson]])

|h5=[[Mini-Con]]s|c5=
* [[Sparkplug (Armada)|Sparkplug]]
* [[Street Action Mini-Con Team]]
** [[High Wire (Armada)|High Wire]] ([[Terry Klassen]])
** [[Grindor (Armada)|Grindor]] (?)
** [[Sureshock (Armada)|Sureshock]](?)

* [[Air Defense Mini-Con Team (Armada)|Air Defense Mini-Con Team]]: [[Star Saber (Armada)|Star Saber]]
** [[Jetstorm (Armada)|Jetstorm]]
** [[Runway]]
** [[Sonar (Armada)|Sonar]]

* [[Race Mini-Con Team]]: [[Skyboom (Armada)|Skyboom Shield]]
** [[Downshift (Armada)|Downshift]]
** [[Dirt Boss (Armada)|Dirt Boss]]
** [[Mirage (Armada)|Mirage]]

* [[Space Mini-Con Team]]: [[Requiem Blaster]]
** [[Astroscope]]
** [[Payload (Armada)|Payload]]
** [[Sky Blast]]
|nonumbering=true
}}

Narrator: [[Jim Conrad]]

==Major Locations==
* [[Lincoln, Nebraska]]
*[[Cybertron Base (Armada)|Cybertron Base]] (Autobot HQ)
*[[Cosmoscope Research Center]]

* [[Lunar Base (Armada)|Lunar Base]] (Decepticon HQ)
* [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]]

==Production==
''Armada'' was the first Transformers cartoon to be co-developed in the United States and Japan. The show was produced in Japan with animation by [[Actas Inc.]], aired first in the United States, and then aired later in Japan. Dubbing for the US version was done by ADR studio [[Voicebox Productions|Voicebox]].

When ''Armada'' was first announced, an unnamed Hasbro source was quoted as claiming [[Mainframe Entertainment]] had been "tapped" to make the show. Sadly, this didn't happen. <ref>[http://www.seibertron.com/infozone/armada.php The 2002 Armada page at Seibertron]</ref>

==Criticisms==
[[Image:TacticianMiniConChanges.jpg|thumb|250px|Between the American (top) and Japanese (bottom) airings, the entire back row of Mini-Cons was changed or recolored.]]
The US dub of ''Armada'' was plagued with errors. Most explicit is the repeated misnaming of characters, particularly the Mini-Cons. More subtle clues point to scripts that were transliterated and never given a proper re-write to adapt them for a Western audience.

The show also featured wildly varying animation quality. This is due in large part to an extremely rushed production schedule; Voicebox rarely had time to get more than a first-draft translation of the script together in time for recording, and would often have to work with unfinished animation. As a side note, it is often claimed that much of the animation was cleaned up for the show's later broadcast in Japan, which is basically true; aside from the well-publicized example of "[[Linkup]]", which featured some significantly altered and corrected animation, smaller alterations were made in many episodes, such as changing incongruous Mini-Con lineups or fixing blatant coloring mistakes (such as Cyclonus being colored as Demolishor for one scene in "[[Swoop (episode)|Swoop]]").

The cause of this rush job is still under speculation, but there appear to be two primary suspects:

* Initial plans called for [[Dreamwave Productions|Dreamwave]] to supply character models for the series (at least, that was the claim), but that never materialized, possibly throwing off production schedules.
* [[Cartoon Network]], the channel that aired the show, reportedly would not sign off on the series without a certain number of episodes already finished, forcing a rush job to get the cartoon out to coincide with the toy line's release.

Even accounting for the rushed dub, ''Armada'''s scripting tends to be of poor quality. Characters give long, rambling, semi-coherent monologues, react strangely to one another's dialog, have very disjointed "conversations", reiterate obvious plot points to one another, and repeatedly use stock phrases such as "Hey, wait up!" Moments of intended silence are filled with babble, especially the dreaded "Uh?" every time a character reacts to anything.

The show has also taken flack for the repetitive nature of its first half, in which the same small groups of Autobots and Decepticons hunt for Mini-Cons in one episode after another. The threat of Unicron, as well as the gradually expanding cast, eventually led to more wide-ranging stories.

==Reception==
Although fans had a [[Pokeformers|mixed reaction]] towards the product as a whole (which is [[Ruined FOREVER|typical]] of ''any'' new series), it was ''incredibly'' successful with the target audience, children ages 4-9. The toys sold like hotcakes, prompting Hasbro to pad out the tail end of the toyline with a number of ''Beast Wars'' redecos.

The success of ''Armada'' led to the more expensive R&D that went into the next two franchises, ''[[Energon (franchise)|Energon]]'' and ''[[Cybertron (franchise)|Cybertron]]''. It also prompted the launch of the ''Transformers [[Universe (2003 franchise)|Universe]]'' subline, as demand for Transformers product continued to outstrip Hasbro's ability to develop new molds.

==Episodes==
{{main|List of Armada episodes}}

{{collist|4|
#[[First Encounter]]
#[[Metamorphosis]]
#[[Base]]
#[[Comrade]]
#[[Soldier]]
#[[Jungle]]
#[[Carnival]]
#[[Palace]]
#[[Confrontation (episode)|Confrontation]]
#[[Underground]]
#[[Ruin]]
#[[Prehistory]]
#[[Swoop (episode)|Swoop]]
#[[Overmatch]]
#[[Gale]]
#[[Credulous]]
#[[Conspiracy]]
#[[Trust (Armada)|Trust]]
#[[Vacation]]
#[[Reinforcement]]
#[[Decisive Battle]]
#[[Vow]]
#[[Rebellion]]
#[[Chase (episode)|Chase]]
#[[Tactician]]
#[[Linkup]]
#[[Detection]]
#[[Awakening]]
#[[Desperate]]
#[[Runaway]]
#[[Past]]
#[[Past II]]
#[[Sacrifice]]
#[[Regeneration]]
#[[Rescue]]
#[[Mars (episode)|Mars]]
#[[Crack]]
#[[Threaten]]
#[[Crisis]]
#[[Remorse]]
#[[Depart]]
#[[Miracle]]
#[[Puppet]]
#[[Uprising]]
#[[Dash (episode)|Dash]]
#[[Drift (episode)|Drift]]
#[[Portent]]
#[[Cramp]]
#[[Alliance (episode)|Alliance]]
#[[Union]]
#[[Origin]]
#[[Mortal Combat]]
}}

==Home video releases==
{{anchor|DVD}}
===''Micron Legend''===
{{main|Columbia Music Entertainment}}
The ''Micron Legend'' version of ''Armada'' was released on DVD by Columbia Music Entertainment in [[Japan]] while the series was still on air for a total of 13 volumes. Initial releases of each volume included a bonus mini-con figure and [[Linkage (comic)|an original comic sidestory]] which helped to fill in some of the series' gaps.
[[Image:Tf micron legend vol 01.jpg|thumb|150px|]]
*''Transformers: Micron Legend'' — Volume 1 (2003)
*''Transformers: Micron Legend'' — Volume 2 (2003)
*''Transformers: Micron Legend'' — Volume 3 (2003)
*''Transformers: Micron Legend'' — Volume 4 (2003)
*''Transformers: Micron Legend'' — Volume 5 (2003)
*''Transformers: Micron Legend'' — Volume 6 (2003)
*''Transformers: Micron Legend'' — Volume 7 (2003)
*''Transformers: Micron Legend'' — Volume 8 (2003)
*''Transformers: Micron Legend'' — Volume 9 (2003)
*''Transformers: Micron Legend'' — Volume 10 (2004)
*''Transformers: Micron Legend'' — Volume 11 (2004)
*''Transformers: Micron Legend'' — Volume 12 (2004)
*''Transformers: Micron Legend'' — Volume 13 (2004)
{{-}}

===''Armada''===
====United Kingdom====
{{main|Universal}}
[[Image:Armada Collector's Edition DVD.jpg|thumb|100px|]]
Universal released several DVD collections of ''Armada'' in the UK.
*''Transformers: Armada'' — Vol:01 (2003)
*''Transformers: Armada'' — Vol:02 (2003)
*''Transformers: Armada'' — Vol:03 (2005)
*''Transformers: Armada'' — Triple Collection (2005)
*''Transformers: Armada'' — Vol:04 (2005)
*''Transformers: Armada'' — Collector's Edition (2007)
*''Transformers: Armada'' — Bumper Double DVD Collection (2008)
{{-}}

====Australia====
{{main|Warner Bros.}}
Warner Music Video released a random assortment of ''Armada'' DVD collections in Australia.
*''Transformers: Armada'' — Vol:02 (2003)
*''Transformers: Armada'' — Vol:04 (2003)
*''Transformers: Armada'' — Vol:09 (2003)
*''Transformers: Armada'' — Vol:10 (2003)
*''Transformers: Armada'' — Vol:14 (2003)
{{-}}

====United States====
{{main|Kid Rhino}}
[[Image:KidRhinoTransformersArmadaPart1.jpg|thumb|100px|]]
Kid Rhino released a few DVD collections in the United States, before releasing the entire series in two box sets.
*''Transformers: Armada'' — Best Battles (2004)
*''Transformers: Armada'' — Flashbacks (2004)
*''Transformers: Armada'' — Battle for the Mini-Cons (2004)
*''Transformers: Armada'' — Power of the Mini-Cons (2004)
*''Transformers: Armada'' — Best of the Autobots (2004)
*''Transformers: Armada'' — Best of the Decepticons (2004)
*''Transformers: Armada'' — Season One: Part One (2004)
*''Transformers: Armada'' — Season One: Part Two (2006)
{{-}}

====Germany====
{{main|KSMFilm}}
KSMFilm released two DVD boxsets in Germany, each including 26 episodes with German and English audio.
*''Transformers: Armada'' — Volume One (2008)
*''Transformers: Armada'' — Volume Two (2009)
{{-}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.geocities.co.jp/Playtown-Knight/6670/my_micron/armada-legend.html Site comparing animation differences between Armada and Micron Legend]

*[http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E8%B6%85%E3%83%AD%E3%83%9C%E3%83%83%E3%83%88%E7%94%9F%E5%91%BD%E4%BD%93%E3%83%88%E3%83%A9%E3%83%B3%E3%82%B9%E3%83%95%E3%82%A9%E3%83%BC%E3%83%9E%E3%83%BC_%E3%83%9E%E3%82%A4%E3%82%AF%E3%83%AD%E3%83%B3%E4%BC%9D%E8%AA%AC Japanese Wiki '''Transformers Micron Legend''' article]

[[Category:Armada| Armada (cartoon)]]
[[Category:Television series]]

Transformers: Armada (cartoon)

2010-05-28T08:14:58Z

222.155.126.22: /* Characters */

{{nav-armada}}
'''''Armada''''' (Micron Legend in Japan) is a ''Transformers'' cartoon series that ran from 2002-2003, in support of the franchise of the same name. Produced by [[Actas Inc.]], the series initiated a total continuity reboot, setting up a brand new ''Transformers'' universe separate from any previous storyline. Together with its two sequels, this continuity family is now known as the [[Unicron Trilogy]].
''Armada'''s universe is most distinguished by the presence and importance of [[Mini-Con|Mini-Cons]], a race of human-sized Transformers that, when "[[Powerlinx|powerlinxed]]" to their larger brethren, would unleash a flood of energy. Because of the great potential for their exploitation, the Mini-Cons attempt to abstain from the [[Autobot]]/[[Decepticon]] war and flee [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]], crashing on [[Earth]] and its moon. When some Mini-Cons are accidentally reactivated in 2010 by clumsy teenagers, a beacon alerts both the Autobots and Decepticons on Cybertron, who track them to Earth and continue their battle here.

''Micron Legend'' has the [[Japanese themes|opening songs]] "[[Transformer: Dream Again|TRANSFORMER -Dream Again-]]" and "[[Transformers: Kōtetsu no Yūki|Transformers ~Kōtetsu no Yūki~]]", with the ending songs "[[Never Ending Road]]" and "[[Don't Give Up!!]]".

==Characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
* [[Optimus Prime (Armada)|Optimus Prime]] ([[Garry Chalk]])
* [[Blurr (Armada)|Blurr]] ([[Brian Drummond]])
* [[Hot Shot (Armada)|Hot Shot]] ([[Brent Miller]])
* [[Jetfire (Armada)|Jetfire]] ([[Scott McNeil]])
* [[Overload (Armada)|Overload]]
* [[Red Alert (Armada)|Red Alert]] ([[Brian Dobson]])
* [[Scavenger (Armada)|Scavenger]] ([[Ward Perry]])
* [[Side Swipe (Armada)|Side Swipe]] ([[Sam Vincent]])
* [[Smokescreen (Armada)|Smokescreen/Hoist]] ([[Dale Wilson]])
* [[Christmas Maximus |Autobot Commander]]
* [[Arrogant Autobot officer |Autobot Officer]] ([[Brian Dobson]])
* [[Arrogant Autobot officer |Subordinate]]

|c2=
* [[Megatron (Armada)|Megatron/Galvatron]] ([[David Kaye]])
* [[Cyclonus (Armada)|Cyclonus]] ([[Don Brown]])
* [[Demolishor (Armada)|Demolishor]] ([[Alvin Sanders]])
* [[Starscream (Armada)|Starscream]] ([[Michael Dobson]])
* [[Thrust (Armada)|Thrust]] ([[Colin Murdoch]])
* [[Tidal Wave (Armada)|Tidal Wave]] ([[Doug Parker]])
* [[Wheeljack (Armada)|Wheeljack]] ([[Michael Daingerfield]])

|c3=
* [[Rad White]] ([[Kirby Morrow]])
* [[Alexis]] ([[Tabitha St. Germain]])
* [[Billy (Armada)|Billy]] ([[Andrew Francis]])
* [[Carlos Lopez]] ([[Matt Hill]])
* [[Fred (Armada)|Fred]] ([[Tony Sampson]])

|c4=
* [[Sideways (RID)|Sideways]] ([[Paul Dobson]]), ([[Mark Acheson]])
* [[Nemesis Prime (Armada)|Nemesis Prime]] (Paul Dobson)
* [[Unicron]] ([[Mark Acheson]])

|h5=[[Mini-Con]]s|c5=
* [[Sparkplug (Armada)|Sparkplug]]
* [[Street Action Mini-Con Team]]
** [[High Wire (Armada)|High Wire]] ([[Terry Klassen]])
** [[Grindor (Armada)|Grindor]] (?)
** [[Sureshock (Armada)|Sureshock]](?)

* [[Air Defense Mini-Con Team (Armada)|Air Defense Mini-Con Team]]: [[Star Saber (Armada)|Star Saber]]
** [[Jetstorm (Armada)|Jetstorm]]
** [[Runway]]
** [[Sonar (Armada)|Sonar]]

* [[Race Mini-Con Team]]: [[Skyboom (Armada)|Skyboom Shield]]
** [[Downshift (Armada)|Downshift]]
** [[Dirt Boss (Armada)|Dirt Boss]]
** [[Mirage (Armada)|Mirage]]

* [[Space Mini-Con Team]]: [[Requiem Blaster]]
** [[Astroscope]]
** [[Payload (Armada)|Payload]]
** [[Sky Blast]]
|nonumbering=true
}}

Narrator: [[Jim Conrad]]

==Major Locations==
* [[Lincoln, Nebraska]]
*[[Cybertron Base (Armada)|Cybertron Base]] (Autobot HQ)
*[[Cosmoscope Research Center]]

* [[Lunar Base (Armada)|Lunar Base]] (Decepticon HQ)
* [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]]

==Production==
''Armada'' was the first Transformers cartoon to be co-developed in the United States and Japan. The show was produced in Japan with animation by [[Actas Inc.]], aired first in the United States, and then aired later in Japan. Dubbing for the US version was done by ADR studio [[Voicebox Productions|Voicebox]].

When ''Armada'' was first announced, an unnamed Hasbro source was quoted as claiming [[Mainframe Entertainment]] had been "tapped" to make the show. Sadly, this didn't happen. <ref>[http://www.seibertron.com/infozone/armada.php The 2002 Armada page at Seibertron]</ref>

==Criticisms==
[[Image:TacticianMiniConChanges.jpg|thumb|250px|Between the American (top) and Japanese (bottom) airings, the entire back row of Mini-Cons was changed or recolored.]]
The US dub of ''Armada'' was plagued with errors. Most explicit is the repeated misnaming of characters, particularly the Mini-Cons. More subtle clues point to scripts that were transliterated and never given a proper re-write to adapt them for a Western audience.

The show also featured wildly varying animation quality. This is due in large part to an extremely rushed production schedule; Voicebox rarely had time to get more than a first-draft translation of the script together in time for recording, and would often have to work with unfinished animation. As a side note, it is often claimed that much of the animation was cleaned up for the show's later broadcast in Japan, which is basically true; aside from the well-publicized example of "[[Linkup]]", which featured some significantly altered and corrected animation, smaller alterations were made in many episodes, such as changing incongruous Mini-Con lineups or fixing blatant coloring mistakes (such as Cyclonus being colored as Demolishor for one scene in "[[Swoop (episode)|Swoop]]").

The cause of this rush job is still under speculation, but there appear to be two primary suspects:

* Initial plans called for [[Dreamwave Productions|Dreamwave]] to supply character models for the series (at least, that was the claim), but that never materialized, possibly throwing off production schedules.
* [[Cartoon Network]], the channel that aired the show, reportedly would not sign off on the series without a certain number of episodes already finished, forcing a rush job to get the cartoon out to coincide with the toy line's release.

Even accounting for the rushed dub, ''Armada'''s scripting tends to be of poor quality. Characters give long, rambling, semi-coherent monologues, react strangely to one another's dialog, have very disjointed "conversations", reiterate obvious plot points to one another, and repeatedly use stock phrases such as "Hey, wait up!" Moments of intended silence are filled with babble, especially the dreaded "Uh?" every time a character reacts to anything.

The show has also taken flack for the repetitive nature of its first half, in which the same small groups of Autobots and Decepticons hunt for Mini-Cons in one episode after another. The threat of Unicron, as well as the gradually expanding cast, eventually led to more wide-ranging stories.

==Reception==
Although fans had a [[Pokeformers|mixed reaction]] towards the product as a whole (which is [[Ruined FOREVER|typical]] of ''any'' new series), it was ''incredibly'' successful with the target audience, children ages 4-9. The toys sold like hotcakes, prompting Hasbro to pad out the tail end of the toyline with a number of ''Beast Wars'' redecos.

The success of ''Armada'' led to the more expensive R&D that went into the next two franchises, ''[[Energon (franchise)|Energon]]'' and ''[[Cybertron (franchise)|Cybertron]]''. It also prompted the launch of the ''Transformers [[Universe (2003 franchise)|Universe]]'' subline, as demand for Transformers product continued to outstrip Hasbro's ability to develop new molds.

==Episodes==
{{main|List of Armada episodes}}

{{collist|4|
#[[First Encounter]]
#[[Metamorphosis]]
#[[Base]]
#[[Comrade]]
#[[Soldier]]
#[[Jungle]]
#[[Carnival]]
#[[Palace]]
#[[Confrontation (episode)|Confrontation]]
#[[Underground]]
#[[Ruin]]
#[[Prehistory]]
#[[Swoop (episode)|Swoop]]
#[[Overmatch]]
#[[Gale]]
#[[Credulous]]
#[[Conspiracy]]
#[[Trust (Armada)|Trust]]
#[[Vacation]]
#[[Reinforcement]]
#[[Decisive Battle]]
#[[Vow]]
#[[Rebellion]]
#[[Chase (episode)|Chase]]
#[[Tactician]]
#[[Linkup]]
#[[Detection]]
#[[Awakening]]
#[[Desperate]]
#[[Runaway]]
#[[Past]]
#[[Past II]]
#[[Sacrifice]]
#[[Regeneration]]
#[[Rescue]]
#[[Mars (episode)|Mars]]
#[[Crack]]
#[[Threaten]]
#[[Crisis]]
#[[Remorse]]
#[[Depart]]
#[[Miracle]]
#[[Puppet]]
#[[Uprising]]
#[[Dash (episode)|Dash]]
#[[Drift (episode)|Drift]]
#[[Portent]]
#[[Cramp]]
#[[Alliance (episode)|Alliance]]
#[[Union]]
#[[Origin]]
#[[Mortal Combat]]
}}

==Home video releases==
{{anchor|DVD}}
===''Micron Legend''===
{{main|Columbia Music Entertainment}}
The ''Micron Legend'' version of ''Armada'' was released on DVD by Columbia Music Entertainment in [[Japan]] while the series was still on air for a total of 13 volumes. Initial releases of each volume included a bonus mini-con figure and [[Linkage (comic)|an original comic sidestory]] which helped to fill in some of the series' gaps.
[[Image:Tf micron legend vol 01.jpg|thumb|150px|]]
*''Transformers: Micron Legend'' — Volume 1 (2003)
*''Transformers: Micron Legend'' — Volume 2 (2003)
*''Transformers: Micron Legend'' — Volume 3 (2003)
*''Transformers: Micron Legend'' — Volume 4 (2003)
*''Transformers: Micron Legend'' — Volume 5 (2003)
*''Transformers: Micron Legend'' — Volume 6 (2003)
*''Transformers: Micron Legend'' — Volume 7 (2003)
*''Transformers: Micron Legend'' — Volume 8 (2003)
*''Transformers: Micron Legend'' — Volume 9 (2003)
*''Transformers: Micron Legend'' — Volume 10 (2004)
*''Transformers: Micron Legend'' — Volume 11 (2004)
*''Transformers: Micron Legend'' — Volume 12 (2004)
*''Transformers: Micron Legend'' — Volume 13 (2004)
{{-}}

===''Armada''===
====United Kingdom====
{{main|Universal}}
[[Image:Armada Collector's Edition DVD.jpg|thumb|100px|]]
Universal released several DVD collections of ''Armada'' in the UK.
*''Transformers: Armada'' — Vol:01 (2003)
*''Transformers: Armada'' — Vol:02 (2003)
*''Transformers: Armada'' — Vol:03 (2005)
*''Transformers: Armada'' — Triple Collection (2005)
*''Transformers: Armada'' — Vol:04 (2005)
*''Transformers: Armada'' — Collector's Edition (2007)
*''Transformers: Armada'' — Bumper Double DVD Collection (2008)
{{-}}

====Australia====
{{main|Warner Bros.}}
Warner Music Video released a random assortment of ''Armada'' DVD collections in Australia.
*''Transformers: Armada'' — Vol:02 (2003)
*''Transformers: Armada'' — Vol:04 (2003)
*''Transformers: Armada'' — Vol:09 (2003)
*''Transformers: Armada'' — Vol:10 (2003)
*''Transformers: Armada'' — Vol:14 (2003)
{{-}}

====United States====
{{main|Kid Rhino}}
[[Image:KidRhinoTransformersArmadaPart1.jpg|thumb|100px|]]
Kid Rhino released a few DVD collections in the United States, before releasing the entire series in two box sets.
*''Transformers: Armada'' — Best Battles (2004)
*''Transformers: Armada'' — Flashbacks (2004)
*''Transformers: Armada'' — Battle for the Mini-Cons (2004)
*''Transformers: Armada'' — Power of the Mini-Cons (2004)
*''Transformers: Armada'' — Best of the Autobots (2004)
*''Transformers: Armada'' — Best of the Decepticons (2004)
*''Transformers: Armada'' — Season One: Part One (2004)
*''Transformers: Armada'' — Season One: Part Two (2006)
{{-}}

====Germany====
{{main|KSMFilm}}
KSMFilm released two DVD boxsets in Germany, each including 26 episodes with German and English audio.
*''Transformers: Armada'' — Volume One (2008)
*''Transformers: Armada'' — Volume Two (2009)
{{-}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.geocities.co.jp/Playtown-Knight/6670/my_micron/armada-legend.html Site comparing animation differences between Armada and Micron Legend]

*[http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E8%B6%85%E3%83%AD%E3%83%9C%E3%83%83%E3%83%88%E7%94%9F%E5%91%BD%E4%BD%93%E3%83%88%E3%83%A9%E3%83%B3%E3%82%B9%E3%83%95%E3%82%A9%E3%83%BC%E3%83%9E%E3%83%BC_%E3%83%9E%E3%82%A4%E3%82%AF%E3%83%AD%E3%83%B3%E4%BC%9D%E8%AA%AC Japanese Wiki '''Transformers Micron Legend''' article]

[[Category:Armada| Armada (cartoon)]]
[[Category:Television series]]

Transformers: Armada (cartoon)

2010-05-28T08:11:11Z

222.155.126.22: /* Characters */

{{nav-armada}}
'''''Armada''''' (Micron Legend in Japan) is a ''Transformers'' cartoon series that ran from 2002-2003, in support of the franchise of the same name. Produced by [[Actas Inc.]], the series initiated a total continuity reboot, setting up a brand new ''Transformers'' universe separate from any previous storyline. Together with its two sequels, this continuity family is now known as the [[Unicron Trilogy]].
''Armada'''s universe is most distinguished by the presence and importance of [[Mini-Con|Mini-Cons]], a race of human-sized Transformers that, when "[[Powerlinx|powerlinxed]]" to their larger brethren, would unleash a flood of energy. Because of the great potential for their exploitation, the Mini-Cons attempt to abstain from the [[Autobot]]/[[Decepticon]] war and flee [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]], crashing on [[Earth]] and its moon. When some Mini-Cons are accidentally reactivated in 2010 by clumsy teenagers, a beacon alerts both the Autobots and Decepticons on Cybertron, who track them to Earth and continue their battle here.

''Micron Legend'' has the [[Japanese themes|opening songs]] "[[Transformer: Dream Again|TRANSFORMER -Dream Again-]]" and "[[Transformers: Kōtetsu no Yūki|Transformers ~Kōtetsu no Yūki~]]", with the ending songs "[[Never Ending Road]]" and "[[Don't Give Up!!]]".

==Characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
* [[Optimus Prime (Armada)|Optimus Prime]] ([[Garry Chalk]])
* [[Blurr (Armada)|Blurr]] ([[Brian Drummond]])
* [[Hot Shot (Armada)|Hot Shot]] ([[Brent Miller]])
* [[Jetfire (Armada)|Jetfire]] ([[Scott McNeil]])
* [[Overload (Armada)|Overload]]
* [[Red Alert (Armada)|Red Alert]] ([[Brian Dobson]])
* [[Scavenger (Armada)|Scavenger]] ([[Ward Perry]])
* [[Side Swipe (Armada)|Side Swipe]] ([[Sam Vincent]])
* [[Smokescreen (Armada)|Smokescreen/Hoist]] ([[Dale Wilson]])
* [[Christmas Maximus |Hotshots Boss]]

|c2=
* [[Megatron (Armada)|Megatron/Galvatron]] ([[David Kaye]])
* [[Cyclonus (Armada)|Cyclonus]] ([[Don Brown]])
* [[Demolishor (Armada)|Demolishor]] ([[Alvin Sanders]])
* [[Starscream (Armada)|Starscream]] ([[Michael Dobson]])
* [[Thrust (Armada)|Thrust]] ([[Colin Murdoch]])
* [[Tidal Wave (Armada)|Tidal Wave]] ([[Doug Parker]])
* [[Wheeljack (Armada)|Wheeljack]] ([[Michael Daingerfield]])

|c3=
* [[Rad White]] ([[Kirby Morrow]])
* [[Alexis]] ([[Tabitha St. Germain]])
* [[Billy (Armada)|Billy]] ([[Andrew Francis]])
* [[Carlos Lopez]] ([[Matt Hill]])
* [[Fred (Armada)|Fred]] ([[Tony Sampson]])

|c4=
* [[Sideways (RID)|Sideways]] ([[Paul Dobson]]), ([[Mark Acheson]])
* [[Nemesis Prime (Armada)|Nemesis Prime]] (Paul Dobson)
* [[Unicron]] ([[Mark Acheson]])

|h5=[[Mini-Con]]s|c5=
* [[Sparkplug (Armada)|Sparkplug]]
* [[Street Action Mini-Con Team]]
** [[High Wire (Armada)|High Wire]] ([[Terry Klassen]])
** [[Grindor (Armada)|Grindor]] (?)
** [[Sureshock (Armada)|Sureshock]](?)

* [[Air Defense Mini-Con Team (Armada)|Air Defense Mini-Con Team]]: [[Star Saber (Armada)|Star Saber]]
** [[Jetstorm (Armada)|Jetstorm]]
** [[Runway]]
** [[Sonar (Armada)|Sonar]]

* [[Race Mini-Con Team]]: [[Skyboom (Armada)|Skyboom Shield]]
** [[Downshift (Armada)|Downshift]]
** [[Dirt Boss (Armada)|Dirt Boss]]
** [[Mirage (Armada)|Mirage]]

* [[Space Mini-Con Team]]: [[Requiem Blaster]]
** [[Astroscope]]
** [[Payload (Armada)|Payload]]
** [[Sky Blast]]
|nonumbering=true
}}

Narrator: [[Jim Conrad]]

==Major Locations==
* [[Lincoln, Nebraska]]
*[[Cybertron Base (Armada)|Cybertron Base]] (Autobot HQ)
*[[Cosmoscope Research Center]]

* [[Lunar Base (Armada)|Lunar Base]] (Decepticon HQ)
* [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]]

==Production==
''Armada'' was the first Transformers cartoon to be co-developed in the United States and Japan. The show was produced in Japan with animation by [[Actas Inc.]], aired first in the United States, and then aired later in Japan. Dubbing for the US version was done by ADR studio [[Voicebox Productions|Voicebox]].

When ''Armada'' was first announced, an unnamed Hasbro source was quoted as claiming [[Mainframe Entertainment]] had been "tapped" to make the show. Sadly, this didn't happen. <ref>[http://www.seibertron.com/infozone/armada.php The 2002 Armada page at Seibertron]</ref>

==Criticisms==
[[Image:TacticianMiniConChanges.jpg|thumb|250px|Between the American (top) and Japanese (bottom) airings, the entire back row of Mini-Cons was changed or recolored.]]
The US dub of ''Armada'' was plagued with errors. Most explicit is the repeated misnaming of characters, particularly the Mini-Cons. More subtle clues point to scripts that were transliterated and never given a proper re-write to adapt them for a Western audience.

The show also featured wildly varying animation quality. This is due in large part to an extremely rushed production schedule; Voicebox rarely had time to get more than a first-draft translation of the script together in time for recording, and would often have to work with unfinished animation. As a side note, it is often claimed that much of the animation was cleaned up for the show's later broadcast in Japan, which is basically true; aside from the well-publicized example of "[[Linkup]]", which featured some significantly altered and corrected animation, smaller alterations were made in many episodes, such as changing incongruous Mini-Con lineups or fixing blatant coloring mistakes (such as Cyclonus being colored as Demolishor for one scene in "[[Swoop (episode)|Swoop]]").

The cause of this rush job is still under speculation, but there appear to be two primary suspects:

* Initial plans called for [[Dreamwave Productions|Dreamwave]] to supply character models for the series (at least, that was the claim), but that never materialized, possibly throwing off production schedules.
* [[Cartoon Network]], the channel that aired the show, reportedly would not sign off on the series without a certain number of episodes already finished, forcing a rush job to get the cartoon out to coincide with the toy line's release.

Even accounting for the rushed dub, ''Armada'''s scripting tends to be of poor quality. Characters give long, rambling, semi-coherent monologues, react strangely to one another's dialog, have very disjointed "conversations", reiterate obvious plot points to one another, and repeatedly use stock phrases such as "Hey, wait up!" Moments of intended silence are filled with babble, especially the dreaded "Uh?" every time a character reacts to anything.

The show has also taken flack for the repetitive nature of its first half, in which the same small groups of Autobots and Decepticons hunt for Mini-Cons in one episode after another. The threat of Unicron, as well as the gradually expanding cast, eventually led to more wide-ranging stories.

==Reception==
Although fans had a [[Pokeformers|mixed reaction]] towards the product as a whole (which is [[Ruined FOREVER|typical]] of ''any'' new series), it was ''incredibly'' successful with the target audience, children ages 4-9. The toys sold like hotcakes, prompting Hasbro to pad out the tail end of the toyline with a number of ''Beast Wars'' redecos.

The success of ''Armada'' led to the more expensive R&D that went into the next two franchises, ''[[Energon (franchise)|Energon]]'' and ''[[Cybertron (franchise)|Cybertron]]''. It also prompted the launch of the ''Transformers [[Universe (2003 franchise)|Universe]]'' subline, as demand for Transformers product continued to outstrip Hasbro's ability to develop new molds.

==Episodes==
{{main|List of Armada episodes}}

{{collist|4|
#[[First Encounter]]
#[[Metamorphosis]]
#[[Base]]
#[[Comrade]]
#[[Soldier]]
#[[Jungle]]
#[[Carnival]]
#[[Palace]]
#[[Confrontation (episode)|Confrontation]]
#[[Underground]]
#[[Ruin]]
#[[Prehistory]]
#[[Swoop (episode)|Swoop]]
#[[Overmatch]]
#[[Gale]]
#[[Credulous]]
#[[Conspiracy]]
#[[Trust (Armada)|Trust]]
#[[Vacation]]
#[[Reinforcement]]
#[[Decisive Battle]]
#[[Vow]]
#[[Rebellion]]
#[[Chase (episode)|Chase]]
#[[Tactician]]
#[[Linkup]]
#[[Detection]]
#[[Awakening]]
#[[Desperate]]
#[[Runaway]]
#[[Past]]
#[[Past II]]
#[[Sacrifice]]
#[[Regeneration]]
#[[Rescue]]
#[[Mars (episode)|Mars]]
#[[Crack]]
#[[Threaten]]
#[[Crisis]]
#[[Remorse]]
#[[Depart]]
#[[Miracle]]
#[[Puppet]]
#[[Uprising]]
#[[Dash (episode)|Dash]]
#[[Drift (episode)|Drift]]
#[[Portent]]
#[[Cramp]]
#[[Alliance (episode)|Alliance]]
#[[Union]]
#[[Origin]]
#[[Mortal Combat]]
}}

==Home video releases==
{{anchor|DVD}}
===''Micron Legend''===
{{main|Columbia Music Entertainment}}
The ''Micron Legend'' version of ''Armada'' was released on DVD by Columbia Music Entertainment in [[Japan]] while the series was still on air for a total of 13 volumes. Initial releases of each volume included a bonus mini-con figure and [[Linkage (comic)|an original comic sidestory]] which helped to fill in some of the series' gaps.
[[Image:Tf micron legend vol 01.jpg|thumb|150px|]]
*''Transformers: Micron Legend'' — Volume 1 (2003)
*''Transformers: Micron Legend'' — Volume 2 (2003)
*''Transformers: Micron Legend'' — Volume 3 (2003)
*''Transformers: Micron Legend'' — Volume 4 (2003)
*''Transformers: Micron Legend'' — Volume 5 (2003)
*''Transformers: Micron Legend'' — Volume 6 (2003)
*''Transformers: Micron Legend'' — Volume 7 (2003)
*''Transformers: Micron Legend'' — Volume 8 (2003)
*''Transformers: Micron Legend'' — Volume 9 (2003)
*''Transformers: Micron Legend'' — Volume 10 (2004)
*''Transformers: Micron Legend'' — Volume 11 (2004)
*''Transformers: Micron Legend'' — Volume 12 (2004)
*''Transformers: Micron Legend'' — Volume 13 (2004)
{{-}}

===''Armada''===
====United Kingdom====
{{main|Universal}}
[[Image:Armada Collector's Edition DVD.jpg|thumb|100px|]]
Universal released several DVD collections of ''Armada'' in the UK.
*''Transformers: Armada'' — Vol:01 (2003)
*''Transformers: Armada'' — Vol:02 (2003)
*''Transformers: Armada'' — Vol:03 (2005)
*''Transformers: Armada'' — Triple Collection (2005)
*''Transformers: Armada'' — Vol:04 (2005)
*''Transformers: Armada'' — Collector's Edition (2007)
*''Transformers: Armada'' — Bumper Double DVD Collection (2008)
{{-}}

====Australia====
{{main|Warner Bros.}}
Warner Music Video released a random assortment of ''Armada'' DVD collections in Australia.
*''Transformers: Armada'' — Vol:02 (2003)
*''Transformers: Armada'' — Vol:04 (2003)
*''Transformers: Armada'' — Vol:09 (2003)
*''Transformers: Armada'' — Vol:10 (2003)
*''Transformers: Armada'' — Vol:14 (2003)
{{-}}

====United States====
{{main|Kid Rhino}}
[[Image:KidRhinoTransformersArmadaPart1.jpg|thumb|100px|]]
Kid Rhino released a few DVD collections in the United States, before releasing the entire series in two box sets.
*''Transformers: Armada'' — Best Battles (2004)
*''Transformers: Armada'' — Flashbacks (2004)
*''Transformers: Armada'' — Battle for the Mini-Cons (2004)
*''Transformers: Armada'' — Power of the Mini-Cons (2004)
*''Transformers: Armada'' — Best of the Autobots (2004)
*''Transformers: Armada'' — Best of the Decepticons (2004)
*''Transformers: Armada'' — Season One: Part One (2004)
*''Transformers: Armada'' — Season One: Part Two (2006)
{{-}}

====Germany====
{{main|KSMFilm}}
KSMFilm released two DVD boxsets in Germany, each including 26 episodes with German and English audio.
*''Transformers: Armada'' — Volume One (2008)
*''Transformers: Armada'' — Volume Two (2009)
{{-}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.geocities.co.jp/Playtown-Knight/6670/my_micron/armada-legend.html Site comparing animation differences between Armada and Micron Legend]

*[http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E8%B6%85%E3%83%AD%E3%83%9C%E3%83%83%E3%83%88%E7%94%9F%E5%91%BD%E4%BD%93%E3%83%88%E3%83%A9%E3%83%B3%E3%82%B9%E3%83%95%E3%82%A9%E3%83%BC%E3%83%9E%E3%83%BC_%E3%83%9E%E3%82%A4%E3%82%AF%E3%83%AD%E3%83%B3%E4%BC%9D%E8%AA%AC Japanese Wiki '''Transformers Micron Legend''' article]

[[Category:Armada| Armada (cartoon)]]
[[Category:Television series]]

Transformers: Energon (cartoon)

2010-05-28T08:08:34Z

222.155.126.22: /* Characters */

{{nav-energon}}
[[Image:TransEnergonTitle.JPG|right|250px|thumb|Bringing you pain for far too long.]]

The '''''Energon''''' cartoon series was produced by [[Actas Inc.]] and [[Studio A-CAT]]. It aired in the US from January 2004 to June 2005 for <strike>52</strike> 51 episodes, in support of the toyline of the same name. It is a direct sequel to ''[[Armada (cartoon)|Armada]]'' and forms the second part of the "[[Unicron Trilogy]]".

The show takes place ten years after the finale of ''Armada'', opening in an age of peace on Cybertron and Earth which is destined not to last long. ''Energon'' pits the Autobots against an array of villains: the reborn [[Megatron (Armada)|Megatron]], the barely functional [[Unicron]], and the mysterious [[Alpha Quintesson|Alpha Q]] and his [[Terrorcon (Energon)|Terrorcon]] minions.

''Energon'', like ''Armada'', was written and animated in Japan and dubbed for US consumption. The series introduced to Transformers cartoons the technique of combining cel-shaded [[Computer-generated imagery|computer animation]] with 2D cel-animation, creating a fusion between the CGI of ''[[Beast Wars (cartoon)|Beast Wars]]''/''[[Beast Machines (cartoon)|Machines]]'' and traditionally animated series such as ''[[Robots in Disguise (cartoon)|Robots in Disguise]]''.

For ''Super Link'', "[[Taiyō no Transform!!]]" plays as its opening [[Japanese themes|theme]] and "[[Calling You]]" for its ending theme.

:''Preceded by: [[Armada (cartoon)|Armada]]''
:''Followed by: [[Cybertron (cartoon)|Cybertron]]''

==Characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
'''Main Cast'''

* [[Optimus Prime (Armada)|Optimus Prime]] ([[Garry Chalk]])
* [[Hot Shot (Armada)|Hot Shot]] ([[Brent Miller]])
* [[Inferno (Energon)|Inferno/Roadblock]] ([[Michael Daingerfield]])
* [[Ironhide (Energon)|Ironhide]] ([[Matt Hill]])
* [[Jetfire (Armada)|Jetfire]] ([[Scott McNeil]])
* [[Wing Saber]] ([[Colin Murdoch]])
* [[Omega Supreme (Energon)|Omega Supreme]] (Scott McNeil)

'''Team Rodimus'''

* [[Rodimus (Energon)|Rodimus]] ([[Paul Dobson]])
* [[Prowl (Energon)|Prowl]] ([[Alistair Abell]])
* [[Landmine (Energon)|Landmine]] ([[Ward Perry]])

'''Team Bulkhead'''

* [[Bulkhead (Energon)|Bulkhead]] ([[French Tickner]])
* [[Cliffjumper (Energon)|Cliffjumper]] ([[Doron Bell Jr.]])
* [[Downshift (Energon)|Downshift]] ([[Ty Olsson]])

'''Omnicons'''

* [[Arcee (Energon)|Arcee]] ([[Sharon Alexander]])
* [[Signal Flare (Energon)|Signal Flare]] ([[Michael Dobson]])
* [[Skyblast (Energon)|Skyblast]] ([[Terry Klassen]])
* [[Strongarm (Energon)|Strongarm]] (Scott McNeil)

'''Combiner teams'''

*[[Air Team]]
** [[Superion Maximus]] ([[Paul Dobson]])
** [[Storm Jet (Energon)|Storm Jet]]
** [[Sky Shadow (Energon)|Sky Shadow]]
** [[Terradive (Energon)|Terradive]]
** [[Treadshot (Energon)|Treadshot]]
** [[Windrazor (Energon)|Windrazor]]

'''Others'''
* [[Padlock]] ([[Ron Halder]])
* [[Padlock#Orange jet Autobot|Orange jet Autobot]]
* [[Autobot nurse]]s (?)
* [[Rhyming Omnicon fanboys]] ([[Tony Sampson]])
* [[Anonymous Maximus |Superions Brother]]

|c2=
'''Main Cast'''

* [[Megatron (Armada)|Megatron/Galvatron]] ([[David Kaye]])
* [[Cyclonus (Armada)|Cyclonus/Snow Cat]] ([[Don Brown]])
* [[Demolishor (Armada)|Demolishor]] ([[Alvin Sanders]])
* [[Starscream (Armada)|Starscream]] ([[Michael Dobson]])
* [[Tidal Wave (Armada)|Tidal Wave/Mirage]] ([[Doug Parker]])
* [[Shockblast (Energon)|Shockblast]] ([[Brian Drummond]])
* [[Six Shot]] ([[Terry Klassen]])

'''Combiner teams'''

* [[Construction Team]]
** [[Constructicon Maximus]] (Don Brown)
** [[Steamhammer (Energon)|Steamhammer]]
** [[Bonecrusher (Energon)|Bonecrusher]]
** [[Duststorm]]
** [[Sledge (Energon)|Sledge]]
** [[Wideload (Energon)|Wideload]]

* [[Destruction Team]]
** [[Bruticus Maximus (Energon)|Bruticus Maximus]] ([[Trevor Devall]])
** [[Barricade (Energon)|Barricade]]
** [[Blackout (combiner)|Blackout]]
** [[Blight (Energon)|Blight]]
** [[Kickback (Energon)|Kickback]]
** [[Stormcloud (Energon)|Stormcloud]]

|c3=
'''Regulars'''
* [[Kicker Jones|Kicker]] ([[Brad Swaile]])
* [[Misha Miramond]] ([[Ellen Kennedy]])
* [[Brian Jones (Energon)|Brian Jones]] ([[Ron Halder]])
* [[Alexis]] ([[Tabitha St. Germain]])
* [[Carlos Lopez]] ([[Matt Hill]])
* [[Miranda Jones]] ([[Nicole Oliver]])
* [[Rad White]] ([[Kirby Morrow]])
* [[Sally Jones]] (Nicole Oliver)

|c4=
* [[Alpha Quintesson]] ([[Trevor Devall]])
* [[Primus]] ([[Ron Halder]])
* [[Unicron]] ([[Mark Acheson]])

'''Terrorcons'''

* [[Scorponok (Energon)|Scorponok]] ([[Colin Murdoch]])
* [[Battle Ravage]]/[[Command Ravage]]
* [[Divebomb (Energon)|Divebomb]]/[[Blackout (Terrorcon)|Blackout]]
* [[Cruellock]]
* [[Insecticon (Energon)|Insecticon]]
|nonumbering=true
}}

==Episodes==
{{main|List of Energon episodes}}

{{collist|4|
#[[Cybertron City (episode)|Cybertron City]]
#[[Energon Stars]]
#[[Scorpinok]]
#[[Megatron's Sword]]
#[[The New Cybertron City]]
#[[Megatron Resurrected]]
#[[Megatron Raid]]
#[[Starscream the Mysterious Mercenary]]
#[[Battle of the Asteroid Belt]]
#[[Energon Tower (episode)|Energon Tower]]
#[[The Legend of Rodimus]]
#[[Crisis in Jungle City]]
#[[Kicker Beware!]]
#[[Energon Grid]]
#[[Rodimus: Friend or Foe?]]
#[[Go for Unicron!]]
#[[The Return of Demolishor]]
#[[A Tale of Two Heros]]
#[[Battle Stations]]
#[[Alpha Q: Identity]]
#[[Shockblast: Rampage]]
#[[Survival Instincts]]
#[[Each One Fights...]]
#[[Unicron Unleashed]]
#[[Open Fire!]]
#[[Ripped Up Space]]
#[[Team Optimus Prime]]
#[[Protection]]
#[[Imprisoned Inferno|Improsoned Inferno]]
#[[Jungle Planet (episode)|Jungle Planet]]
#[[Bulkhead (episode)|Bulkhead]]
#[[Farewell Inferno]]<br />[[Return! Our Scorponok]]
#[[Crash Course]]
#[[Omega Supreme (episode)|Omega Supreme]]
#[[A Heroic Battle]]
#[[The Power]]
#[[Optimus Supreme]]
#[[Unicron Perishes]]
#[[Ambition]]
#[[Wishes]]
#[[Galvatron!]]
#[[Break Through]]
#[[Distribution]]
#[[The Omega Train]]
#[[Decepticon Army|Deception Army]]
#[[Ironhide Team]]
#[[Formidable]]
#[[Galvatron Terror]]
#[[Destructive Power]]
#[[Spark (episode)|Spark]]
#[[The Sun]]
}}
"Return! Our Scorponok" was to be "Scorponok's Scars", but it never aired and was probably never dubbed. It is not considered to exist in the English version of the series.

==Criticisms==
{{bigquote|Something cool ''finally'' happened!|[[Alpha Quintesson|Alpha Q]] announces that the series is over.<ref>No, really! In every preview for ''Super Link'', Alpha Q promised the audience that "Something cool might happen" in the next episode. When the series ended, he finally declared that the promised coolness had, at last, come to pass. He might be crazy, but he's not ''entirely'' wrong in the head.</ref>}}

The [[Unicron Trilogy]] was a franchise that got off to a poor start, fictionally speaking. ''Armada'' (the predecessor to ''Energon'') suffered from a bad beginning that, in the eyes of many, condemned the entire show. Although it improved as it went along (with the "Unicron Battles" story arc regarded as fairly good in comparison), the sub-par start left it laboring under a bad reputation that it never escaped. Many fans had hopes that ''Energon'' would be a return to glory.

It was quite the proverbial [[brick]] to the testicles, then, that ''Energon'', the televisual representation of Transformers for its 20th anniversary year, turned out to be just the opposite — a series with a strong beginning, which slowly but surely degenerated into what is widely considered the worst Transformers cartoon broadcast in the U.S. In retrospect, the fans' positive initial reaction may have been simply because it wasn't ''Armada.''

===Conceptual and storytelling flaws===
====Plotting====
The primary flaw of ''Energon'' is that it simply does not have enough plot to fill 52 episodes. The first half of the series moves at a respectable pace, and around episode #20, the villains achieve their objective — the restoration of Unicron. However, because there are another 30 episodes to fill, an attack by the Autobots and their allies [[Battle Stations|deactivates Unicron]]. The storyline is then essentially ''repeated'' for twenty more episodes, until Unicron is reactivated ''again'' and [[Unicron Perishes|destroyed ''again'']]. But even then, there are ''still'' thirteen more episodes to go, and with the ''driving aspect of the plot'' destroyed, viewers are served up a virtually pointless storyline full of [[To sell toys|repaints and combiners]], which added nothing to what had already taken place.

Individual episodes are likewise padded out with time-killing scenes such as [[stock footage]] sequences, generally a minimum of three per episode. An ''incredible'' amount of time is consumed in communication and report scenes, in which the characters stand around in front of video screens and [[Team Optimus Prime|tell one another things that the viewers already know]].

====Character de-evolution====
The series takes a ''very'' dismissive attitude towards characters and their development. With the exception of [[Ironhide (Energon)|Ironhide]] (who survives the series and resolves his long-running feud with [[Scorponok (Energon)|Scorponok]]), the writers seemed unable to carry personal sub-plots and conflicts through to any conclusion. Instead, they would either quietly drop these opportunities for character development, or (much more gallingly) the characters would die and/or get mindwiped, so the stories would not ''have'' to be resolved. Examples:

* Demolishor's uncertainty in the Decepticon cause? "Resolved" by having him sacrifice himself to save Megatron, then having Megatron resurrect him with no memories.
* Inferno's struggle against Megatron's Decepticon programming? Brought to an end by having him kill himself, then be resurrected, only to do ''absolutely nothing'' for the rest of the series.
* Kicker's hatred of Transformers? Vanishes with no explanation after roughly two episodes, save for the occasional kick to Ironhide.
* Rodimus and Optimus Prime's ideological feud over whether Unicron should be destroyed? Rodimus puts himself under Optimus's command for the mission to defeat Galvatron, and the argument never comes up again.
* Wing Saber's dedication to capturing Shockblast? Well, he captures him . . . but when Shockblast escapes again, Wing Saber doesn't say a word.

Many similar examples exist.

====Promoting toys====
Of course, any Transformers series exists [[to sell toys]], but in promoting the abilities and gimmicks of its toyline, ''Energon'' frequently ignored common sense to the most amazing degree in order to shoehorn these concepts into a setting and story where they didn't make sense.

[[Image:Carsinspace.jpg|right|180px|thumb|Their wheels spin and everything.]]
In choosing to set most of its action in the void of space, ''Energon'' foolishly robbed the Transformers of any real reason to ''transform.'' They can all happily fly in robot mode (in space, on planets, anywhere), inviting the question of why transformation is necessary. But, to promote the fact that the toys transform, characters would routinely change to vehicle mode anyway, even in outer space. Cue innumerable scenes of cars, trucks, and snowmobiles ''driving through space.'' Characters would even transform to vehicle mode on the ground, and then ''drive away into the air''. Everyone could control their flight with no problem in either form, completely invalidating the need for any variety in [[alternate mode]]. Conversely, on occasions when it might actually make sense to transform to a speedy vehicle form for fast or long-distance travel, characters often choose to run to where they're going instead.

Whereas the English version of the series takes its name from the central plot element (the collection of Energon) the Japanese version, ''Super Link,'' takes its name from the main thematic concept/[[gimmick]]: Autobots [[Powerlinx|powerlinxing]]. The Japanese version of the show contained a lot of waffling about the symbolic nature of this ("Even when one heart is weak, together, we are strong!"). Unfortunately, the fact remains that, almost without exception, these combinations are used in straight firefights, where combining two soldiers into one means ''fewer guns to fire at the enemy.'' Further, the resulting combined soldier rarely shows any sign of enhanced firepower.

Further failing to advertise the combining gimmick are the "Maximus" combiner teams. For about 90% of their screen time, the three giants are seen in ''only'' their combined super robot modes, rarely splitting into individual vehicles. The central torso units are seen as individual robots for perhaps 5 seconds in the entire series, and the show doesn't even acknowledge that the limbs could ''be'' individuals.

===Production flaws===
====Art and animation====

[[Image:Scorponok blacklines.jpg|left|250px|thumb|Rescale what now?]]
''Energon'', animated by [[Actas Inc.]] and [[Studio A-CAT]], introduced a new concept to Transformers cartoons: the blending of CGI with traditional cel animation. The animators rendered the Transformer characters in cel-shaded CGI, while animating humans and other aspects of the show through traditional means. On the plus side, this allowed for a consistently high level of cel animation quality (especially enjoyable after the often scattershot quality of ''Armada''). In particular, the show uses the CGI to show many characters in motion at once, often with a high frame rate that gives them a very fluid appearance (for example, the many charges of the [[Battle Ravage]] Terrorcon drones, replete with numerous stamping legs and bobbing heads and tails.)

On the other hand, the CGI animation is positively primitive. Characters possess no sense of weight and can not move in any manner but the most basic. Even ''walking'' is a challenge for characters with bulky models, like Ironhide, who is often reduced to swinging his arms and legs back and forth while sliding along a predetermined path. The black-line outlines of character models were often not rescaled for different shots, resulting in the characters sometimes appearing as indecipherable masses of heavy black lines.

[[Image:GuessIronhidesEmotion.jpg|right|250px|thumb|The above images feature: A horrified Ironhide witnessing Demolishor's death; a surprised Ironhide asking a question; a determined Ironhide charging into battle; and a fighting-mad Ironhide striking a decisive blow. Can you figure out which is which?]]
[[Image:Energon InfernoImprisoned torture.jpg|thumb|left|150px|Are you @&#%$ kidding me?!]]

Additionally, "emotion" is nonexistent; the blank-faced CGI models could not easily display any [[Dull surprise|facial expressions beyond "mouth open" and "mouth closed."]] Numerous characters don't ''have'' facial animation, even ones with mouths. Most prominent among these is Alpha Q, who has ''no facial animation at all'' despite the fact that he's basically nothing but four faces. In some cases, when it was necessary for a character to emote visibly (Megatron's pronounced yawning, Inferno's [[Imprisoned Inferno|tortured screaming]]), or to do something visually dynamic ([[Jungle Planet (episode)|acrobatic transformation]]), the CGI would actually be ''replaced'' with cel animation, because it just ''looked more impressive''. Does that seem ''right'' to you?

In addition, the show's CGI compares very poorly with ''Beast Wars'' and ''Beast Machines,'' both of which came out ''years'' previously, both of which were ''fully'' CGI (without the crutch of cel animation to fall back on), and both of which had characters who boasted complex, nuanced facial expressions and fluid, constant body language — even [[Diagnostic Drone|the ones with utterly inhuman faces and bodies]]. The only way to spare the animators' reputation is to assume that Energon's budget was miniscule in comparison.

Even within the limits of the animation, many bad editing, design, and lighting choices make the series difficult to follow visually. Unicron's body — primarily black, to match his ''Energon'' redeco toy — is frequently lost against the blackness of space. When Alpha Q energizes Unicron's head, it becomes the [[Energon Orb]], with no visual indication as to what it used to be. Scenes set underground or within Unicron's body are commonly underlit, to the point that the characters can't even be distinguished. Strange elements such as the [[Rift (Energon)|rift in space]] are inconsistently animated and described by the characters, making it difficult to figure out what they are.

====Editing====
At times, ''Energon'' tends to flow like a single feature-length film... a film that has been mercilessly chopped up into 22 minute segments. Thus, confusing, unclear elements like the [[Rift (Energon)|rift in space]] and [[Unicron]]'s dark, partially re-energized body are routinely shown in closeup without any introductory establishing shots, making it extraordinarily unclear what's happening or where for the viewer who's just watching one particular episode by itself. To be a ''little'' bit fairer, this "chopped-up film" sensation is not exactly uncommon in Japanese animated series with a defined length, but ''Energon'' is a good example of the method at its very worst.

The show's scene editing also tends to be very abrupt and choppy. Battle animation in particular routinely cuts between numerous, very short scenes, showing several simultaneous but unrelated events as if the viewer must be kept up to date on ''all'' of them in real time. This makes it difficult to grasp the significance of ''any'' of the events shown. When boiled down, this editing style often serves to mask the fact that not much is actually happening.

To make things worse for the credibility of the editors, "[[Scorpinok]]", "[[A Tale of Two Heros]]", "[[Imprisoned Inferno|Improsoned Inferno]]", and "[[Decepticon Army|Deception Army]]" all have blatant spelling errors '''''in the titles!''''' Making it more annoying is that only the latter two of those four were corrected for the DVD release.

====Scripting and dubbing====
The original Japanese version of the show is, in short, sluggish and confusing... but at least the conversations make sense. Even that got lost when the show was ported for North American consumption.

The dub of ''Energon'' seems even ''more'' rushed than ''Armada,'' which was already known for being so hurried that dubbers were working with unfinished animation, got names wrong, and had moments of dialogue that didn't jibe with the action. ''Energon'' [[Battle of the Asteroid Belt|generally]] got completed animation, and ''usually'' got names right—but [[Misha Miramond|Misha]] gets three different names during the course of the show, and [[Downshift (Energon)|Downshift]] and [[Cliffjumper (Energon)|Cliffjumper]] are constantly confused.

The rushed dub script is full of mistranslations. Though some elements obviously needed to be altered to suit a Western audience, it seems that many portions of the dub were never checked to see if they made logical sense. As a result, the script is stilted, perfunctory, and repetitive, constantly throwing in cliche, time-killing phrases like "We've gotta [repeat the plot which everyone already knows]", "Let's do it!", and "It's time to [perform some action that's already blatantly obvious]". There is arbitrary new dialogue (that seems to exist purely due to writers' carelessness) which ''does not match what is occurring onscreen''. The final result is a show with some bizarre non-sequiturs and more than a few moments of ''genuine nonsense.''

To cite just one example: at the start of "[[Team Optimus Prime]]", Dr. Jones says, in a frustrated tone, "I ''can't'' get back the energon I sent to Kicker. That's ''impossible!''" The entire notion of "getting it back" is absurd on the surface, akin to trying to get back water that went down a drain; saying that not getting it back is ''impossible'' is even more ridiculous; and further, the original dialog is a passive lament, more along the lines of "It's not like that energon I sent is ever coming back." Similar examples exist in nearly every single episode of the show.

Outside of these accidents, there are also some strange ''deliberate'' changes, chief among them the tendency for [[Primus]] to be intermittently ignored. In one episode, Primus would be dubbed accurately, talking with other characters normally, while in the next, he would be deliberately edited out, with his lines erased or given to other characters, and references to him replaced with "the core". Other odd instances include Terrorcon drones having spoken lines randomly inserted in some scenes, never attributed to any one Terrorcon.

Given all of this, the quality of voice acting frequently suffers throughout the show. This can be a common result of the antiseptic [[ADR]] (Additional Dialogue Recording) environment, where actors perform solo, with no one to play off. But ''Energon'' is particularly bad in this regard. Lead talents such as [[Garry Chalk]] and [[David Kaye]] still turn in strong performances, but actors for many of the secondary characters clearly struggle to make something of the material they're given, often sounding flat and uninspired, or just confused. There are many times when ''all'' the actors clearly have no idea what their lines mean in the greater scheme of things, nor any idea of what they're really talking about; the Dr. Jones quote cited above is also an example of this problem.

There's also a pronounced amount of "filling dead air," with characters talking from offscreen simply to make noise where there was none originally. Take a drink every time someone goes "Uhh?" to break the silence, and you'll be hammered by the first commercial break.

{{bigquote|I really wish they would put this terrible series out on DVD. Not because I really want to watch it again, but because it would fill that unsightly gap between Armada and Cybertron with unsightly content.|The nicest words ever spoken about the Energon cartoon, [http://tinyurl.com/5tuucc "Gustavo!", August 2008]}}

==Home video releases==
===''Super Link''===
{{main|Interchannel}}
The ''Super Link'' version of ''Energon'' was released on DVD by Interchannel in [[Japan]] while the series was still on air.
[[Image:Tf superlink vol 01.jpg|thumb|150px|]]
*''Transformer: Super Link'' — Volume 001 (2004)
*''Transformer: Super Link'' — Volume 002 (2004)
*''Transformer: Super Link'' — Volume 003 (2004)
*''Transformer: Super Link'' — Volume 004 (2004)
*''Transformer: Super Link'' — Volume 005 (2004)
*''Transformer: Super Link'' — Volume 006 (2004)
*''Transformer: Super Link'' — Volume 007 (2004)
*''Transformer: Super Link'' — Volume 008 (2004)
*''Transformer: Super Link'' — Volume 009 (2005)
*''Transformer: Super Link'' — Volume 010 (2005)
*''Transformer: Super Link'' — Volume 011 (2005)
*''Transformer: Super Link'' — Volume 012 (2005)
*''Transformer: Super Link'' — Volume 013 (2005)
{{-}}

===''Energon''===
[[Image:Energon Ultimate Collection DVD.jpg|thumb|100px|]]
{{main|Paramount Pictures}}
When Paramount Home Entertainment released a handful of ''Energon'' collections on VHS and DVD in 2004 and 2005, several episodes were re-dubbed to fix numerous mistakes that occurred in the episodes that were broadcast, as well as throwing in some new dialogue.
*''Transformers: Energon'' — Volume 1: The Battle for Energon (2004)
*''Transformers: Energon'' — Volume 2: The Return of Megatron (2004)
*''Transformers: Energon'' — Volume 3: Shockblast Unleashed (2005)
*''Transformers: Energon'' — Volume 4: Omega Supreme (2005)
*''Transformers: Energon'' — The Ultimate Collection (2008)
{{-}}

==Footnotes==
<references />

==External links==
*[http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%83%88%E3%83%A9%E3%83%B3%E3%82%B9%E3%83%95%E3%82%A9%E3%83%BC%E3%83%9E%E3%83%BC_%E3%82%B9%E3%83%BC%E3%83%91%E3%83%BC%E3%83%AA%E3%83%B3%E3%82%AF ''Transformers: Super Link'' at the Japanese Wikipedia]

[[Category:Energon| Energon (cartoon)]]
[[Category:Television series]]

Transformers: Energon (cartoon)

2010-05-28T08:06:08Z

222.155.126.22: /* Characters */

{{nav-energon}}
[[Image:TransEnergonTitle.JPG|right|250px|thumb|Bringing you pain for far too long.]]

The '''''Energon''''' cartoon series was produced by [[Actas Inc.]] and [[Studio A-CAT]]. It aired in the US from January 2004 to June 2005 for <strike>52</strike> 51 episodes, in support of the toyline of the same name. It is a direct sequel to ''[[Armada (cartoon)|Armada]]'' and forms the second part of the "[[Unicron Trilogy]]".

The show takes place ten years after the finale of ''Armada'', opening in an age of peace on Cybertron and Earth which is destined not to last long. ''Energon'' pits the Autobots against an array of villains: the reborn [[Megatron (Armada)|Megatron]], the barely functional [[Unicron]], and the mysterious [[Alpha Quintesson|Alpha Q]] and his [[Terrorcon (Energon)|Terrorcon]] minions.

''Energon'', like ''Armada'', was written and animated in Japan and dubbed for US consumption. The series introduced to Transformers cartoons the technique of combining cel-shaded [[Computer-generated imagery|computer animation]] with 2D cel-animation, creating a fusion between the CGI of ''[[Beast Wars (cartoon)|Beast Wars]]''/''[[Beast Machines (cartoon)|Machines]]'' and traditionally animated series such as ''[[Robots in Disguise (cartoon)|Robots in Disguise]]''.

For ''Super Link'', "[[Taiyō no Transform!!]]" plays as its opening [[Japanese themes|theme]] and "[[Calling You]]" for its ending theme.

:''Preceded by: [[Armada (cartoon)|Armada]]''
:''Followed by: [[Cybertron (cartoon)|Cybertron]]''

==Characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
'''Main Cast'''

* [[Optimus Prime (Armada)|Optimus Prime]] ([[Garry Chalk]])
* [[Hot Shot (Armada)|Hot Shot]] ([[Brent Miller]])
* [[Inferno (Energon)|Inferno/Roadblock]] ([[Michael Daingerfield]])
* [[Ironhide (Energon)|Ironhide]] ([[Matt Hill]])
* [[Jetfire (Armada)|Jetfire]] ([[Scott McNeil]])
* [[Wing Saber]] ([[Colin Murdoch]])
* [[Omega Supreme (Energon)|Omega Supreme]] (Scott McNeil)

'''Team Rodimus'''

* [[Rodimus (Energon)|Rodimus]] ([[Paul Dobson]])
* [[Prowl (Energon)|Prowl]] ([[Alistair Abell]])
* [[Landmine (Energon)|Landmine]] ([[Ward Perry]])

'''Team Bulkhead'''

* [[Bulkhead (Energon)|Bulkhead]] ([[French Tickner]])
* [[Cliffjumper (Energon)|Cliffjumper]] ([[Doron Bell Jr.]])
* [[Downshift (Energon)|Downshift]] ([[Ty Olsson]])

'''Omnicons'''

* [[Arcee (Energon)|Arcee]] ([[Sharon Alexander]])
* [[Signal Flare (Energon)|Signal Flare]] ([[Michael Dobson]])
* [[Skyblast (Energon)|Skyblast]] ([[Terry Klassen]])
* [[Strongarm (Energon)|Strongarm]] (Scott McNeil)

'''Combiner teams'''

*[[Air Team]]
** [[Superion Maximus]] ([[Paul Dobson]])
** [[Storm Jet (Energon)|Storm Jet]]
** [[Sky Shadow (Energon)|Sky Shadow]]
** [[Terradive (Energon)|Terradive]]
** [[Treadshot (Energon)|Treadshot]]
** [[Windrazor (Energon)|Windrazor]]

'''Others'''
* [[Padlock]] ([[Ron Halder]])
* [[Padlock#Orange jet Autobot|Orange jet Autobot]]
* [[Autobot nurse]]s (?)
* [[Rhyming Omnicon fanboys]] ([[Tony Sampson]])

|c2=
'''Main Cast'''

* [[Megatron (Armada)|Megatron/Galvatron]] ([[David Kaye]])
* [[Cyclonus (Armada)|Cyclonus/Snow Cat]] ([[Don Brown]])
* [[Demolishor (Armada)|Demolishor]] ([[Alvin Sanders]])
* [[Starscream (Armada)|Starscream]] ([[Michael Dobson]])
* [[Tidal Wave (Armada)|Tidal Wave/Mirage]] ([[Doug Parker]])
* [[Shockblast (Energon)|Shockblast]] ([[Brian Drummond]])
* [[Six Shot]] ([[Terry Klassen]])

'''Combiner teams'''

* [[Construction Team]]
** [[Constructicon Maximus]] (Don Brown)
** [[Steamhammer (Energon)|Steamhammer]]
** [[Bonecrusher (Energon)|Bonecrusher]]
** [[Duststorm]]
** [[Sledge (Energon)|Sledge]]
** [[Wideload (Energon)|Wideload]]

* [[Destruction Team]]
** [[Bruticus Maximus (Energon)|Bruticus Maximus]] ([[Trevor Devall]])
** [[Barricade (Energon)|Barricade]]
** [[Blackout (combiner)|Blackout]]
** [[Blight (Energon)|Blight]]
** [[Kickback (Energon)|Kickback]]
** [[Stormcloud (Energon)|Stormcloud]]

|c3=
'''Regulars'''
* [[Kicker Jones|Kicker]] ([[Brad Swaile]])
* [[Misha Miramond]] ([[Ellen Kennedy]])
* [[Brian Jones (Energon)|Brian Jones]] ([[Ron Halder]])
* [[Alexis]] ([[Tabitha St. Germain]])
* [[Carlos Lopez]] ([[Matt Hill]])
* [[Miranda Jones]] ([[Nicole Oliver]])
* [[Rad White]] ([[Kirby Morrow]])
* [[Sally Jones]] (Nicole Oliver)

|c4=
* [[Alpha Quintesson]] ([[Trevor Devall]])
* [[Primus]] ([[Ron Halder]])
* [[Unicron]] ([[Mark Acheson]])

'''Terrorcons'''

* [[Scorponok (Energon)|Scorponok]] ([[Colin Murdoch]])
* [[Battle Ravage]]/[[Command Ravage]]
* [[Divebomb (Energon)|Divebomb]]/[[Blackout (Terrorcon)|Blackout]]
* [[Cruellock]]
* [[Insecticon (Energon)|Insecticon]]
|nonumbering=true
}}

==Episodes==
{{main|List of Energon episodes}}

{{collist|4|
#[[Cybertron City (episode)|Cybertron City]]
#[[Energon Stars]]
#[[Scorpinok]]
#[[Megatron's Sword]]
#[[The New Cybertron City]]
#[[Megatron Resurrected]]
#[[Megatron Raid]]
#[[Starscream the Mysterious Mercenary]]
#[[Battle of the Asteroid Belt]]
#[[Energon Tower (episode)|Energon Tower]]
#[[The Legend of Rodimus]]
#[[Crisis in Jungle City]]
#[[Kicker Beware!]]
#[[Energon Grid]]
#[[Rodimus: Friend or Foe?]]
#[[Go for Unicron!]]
#[[The Return of Demolishor]]
#[[A Tale of Two Heros]]
#[[Battle Stations]]
#[[Alpha Q: Identity]]
#[[Shockblast: Rampage]]
#[[Survival Instincts]]
#[[Each One Fights...]]
#[[Unicron Unleashed]]
#[[Open Fire!]]
#[[Ripped Up Space]]
#[[Team Optimus Prime]]
#[[Protection]]
#[[Imprisoned Inferno|Improsoned Inferno]]
#[[Jungle Planet (episode)|Jungle Planet]]
#[[Bulkhead (episode)|Bulkhead]]
#[[Farewell Inferno]]<br />[[Return! Our Scorponok]]
#[[Crash Course]]
#[[Omega Supreme (episode)|Omega Supreme]]
#[[A Heroic Battle]]
#[[The Power]]
#[[Optimus Supreme]]
#[[Unicron Perishes]]
#[[Ambition]]
#[[Wishes]]
#[[Galvatron!]]
#[[Break Through]]
#[[Distribution]]
#[[The Omega Train]]
#[[Decepticon Army|Deception Army]]
#[[Ironhide Team]]
#[[Formidable]]
#[[Galvatron Terror]]
#[[Destructive Power]]
#[[Spark (episode)|Spark]]
#[[The Sun]]
}}
"Return! Our Scorponok" was to be "Scorponok's Scars", but it never aired and was probably never dubbed. It is not considered to exist in the English version of the series.

==Criticisms==
{{bigquote|Something cool ''finally'' happened!|[[Alpha Quintesson|Alpha Q]] announces that the series is over.<ref>No, really! In every preview for ''Super Link'', Alpha Q promised the audience that "Something cool might happen" in the next episode. When the series ended, he finally declared that the promised coolness had, at last, come to pass. He might be crazy, but he's not ''entirely'' wrong in the head.</ref>}}

The [[Unicron Trilogy]] was a franchise that got off to a poor start, fictionally speaking. ''Armada'' (the predecessor to ''Energon'') suffered from a bad beginning that, in the eyes of many, condemned the entire show. Although it improved as it went along (with the "Unicron Battles" story arc regarded as fairly good in comparison), the sub-par start left it laboring under a bad reputation that it never escaped. Many fans had hopes that ''Energon'' would be a return to glory.

It was quite the proverbial [[brick]] to the testicles, then, that ''Energon'', the televisual representation of Transformers for its 20th anniversary year, turned out to be just the opposite — a series with a strong beginning, which slowly but surely degenerated into what is widely considered the worst Transformers cartoon broadcast in the U.S. In retrospect, the fans' positive initial reaction may have been simply because it wasn't ''Armada.''

===Conceptual and storytelling flaws===
====Plotting====
The primary flaw of ''Energon'' is that it simply does not have enough plot to fill 52 episodes. The first half of the series moves at a respectable pace, and around episode #20, the villains achieve their objective — the restoration of Unicron. However, because there are another 30 episodes to fill, an attack by the Autobots and their allies [[Battle Stations|deactivates Unicron]]. The storyline is then essentially ''repeated'' for twenty more episodes, until Unicron is reactivated ''again'' and [[Unicron Perishes|destroyed ''again'']]. But even then, there are ''still'' thirteen more episodes to go, and with the ''driving aspect of the plot'' destroyed, viewers are served up a virtually pointless storyline full of [[To sell toys|repaints and combiners]], which added nothing to what had already taken place.

Individual episodes are likewise padded out with time-killing scenes such as [[stock footage]] sequences, generally a minimum of three per episode. An ''incredible'' amount of time is consumed in communication and report scenes, in which the characters stand around in front of video screens and [[Team Optimus Prime|tell one another things that the viewers already know]].

====Character de-evolution====
The series takes a ''very'' dismissive attitude towards characters and their development. With the exception of [[Ironhide (Energon)|Ironhide]] (who survives the series and resolves his long-running feud with [[Scorponok (Energon)|Scorponok]]), the writers seemed unable to carry personal sub-plots and conflicts through to any conclusion. Instead, they would either quietly drop these opportunities for character development, or (much more gallingly) the characters would die and/or get mindwiped, so the stories would not ''have'' to be resolved. Examples:

* Demolishor's uncertainty in the Decepticon cause? "Resolved" by having him sacrifice himself to save Megatron, then having Megatron resurrect him with no memories.
* Inferno's struggle against Megatron's Decepticon programming? Brought to an end by having him kill himself, then be resurrected, only to do ''absolutely nothing'' for the rest of the series.
* Kicker's hatred of Transformers? Vanishes with no explanation after roughly two episodes, save for the occasional kick to Ironhide.
* Rodimus and Optimus Prime's ideological feud over whether Unicron should be destroyed? Rodimus puts himself under Optimus's command for the mission to defeat Galvatron, and the argument never comes up again.
* Wing Saber's dedication to capturing Shockblast? Well, he captures him . . . but when Shockblast escapes again, Wing Saber doesn't say a word.

Many similar examples exist.

====Promoting toys====
Of course, any Transformers series exists [[to sell toys]], but in promoting the abilities and gimmicks of its toyline, ''Energon'' frequently ignored common sense to the most amazing degree in order to shoehorn these concepts into a setting and story where they didn't make sense.

[[Image:Carsinspace.jpg|right|180px|thumb|Their wheels spin and everything.]]
In choosing to set most of its action in the void of space, ''Energon'' foolishly robbed the Transformers of any real reason to ''transform.'' They can all happily fly in robot mode (in space, on planets, anywhere), inviting the question of why transformation is necessary. But, to promote the fact that the toys transform, characters would routinely change to vehicle mode anyway, even in outer space. Cue innumerable scenes of cars, trucks, and snowmobiles ''driving through space.'' Characters would even transform to vehicle mode on the ground, and then ''drive away into the air''. Everyone could control their flight with no problem in either form, completely invalidating the need for any variety in [[alternate mode]]. Conversely, on occasions when it might actually make sense to transform to a speedy vehicle form for fast or long-distance travel, characters often choose to run to where they're going instead.

Whereas the English version of the series takes its name from the central plot element (the collection of Energon) the Japanese version, ''Super Link,'' takes its name from the main thematic concept/[[gimmick]]: Autobots [[Powerlinx|powerlinxing]]. The Japanese version of the show contained a lot of waffling about the symbolic nature of this ("Even when one heart is weak, together, we are strong!"). Unfortunately, the fact remains that, almost without exception, these combinations are used in straight firefights, where combining two soldiers into one means ''fewer guns to fire at the enemy.'' Further, the resulting combined soldier rarely shows any sign of enhanced firepower.

Further failing to advertise the combining gimmick are the "Maximus" combiner teams. For about 90% of their screen time, the three giants are seen in ''only'' their combined super robot modes, rarely splitting into individual vehicles. The central torso units are seen as individual robots for perhaps 5 seconds in the entire series, and the show doesn't even acknowledge that the limbs could ''be'' individuals.

===Production flaws===
====Art and animation====

[[Image:Scorponok blacklines.jpg|left|250px|thumb|Rescale what now?]]
''Energon'', animated by [[Actas Inc.]] and [[Studio A-CAT]], introduced a new concept to Transformers cartoons: the blending of CGI with traditional cel animation. The animators rendered the Transformer characters in cel-shaded CGI, while animating humans and other aspects of the show through traditional means. On the plus side, this allowed for a consistently high level of cel animation quality (especially enjoyable after the often scattershot quality of ''Armada''). In particular, the show uses the CGI to show many characters in motion at once, often with a high frame rate that gives them a very fluid appearance (for example, the many charges of the [[Battle Ravage]] Terrorcon drones, replete with numerous stamping legs and bobbing heads and tails.)

On the other hand, the CGI animation is positively primitive. Characters possess no sense of weight and can not move in any manner but the most basic. Even ''walking'' is a challenge for characters with bulky models, like Ironhide, who is often reduced to swinging his arms and legs back and forth while sliding along a predetermined path. The black-line outlines of character models were often not rescaled for different shots, resulting in the characters sometimes appearing as indecipherable masses of heavy black lines.

[[Image:GuessIronhidesEmotion.jpg|right|250px|thumb|The above images feature: A horrified Ironhide witnessing Demolishor's death; a surprised Ironhide asking a question; a determined Ironhide charging into battle; and a fighting-mad Ironhide striking a decisive blow. Can you figure out which is which?]]
[[Image:Energon InfernoImprisoned torture.jpg|thumb|left|150px|Are you @&#%$ kidding me?!]]

Additionally, "emotion" is nonexistent; the blank-faced CGI models could not easily display any [[Dull surprise|facial expressions beyond "mouth open" and "mouth closed."]] Numerous characters don't ''have'' facial animation, even ones with mouths. Most prominent among these is Alpha Q, who has ''no facial animation at all'' despite the fact that he's basically nothing but four faces. In some cases, when it was necessary for a character to emote visibly (Megatron's pronounced yawning, Inferno's [[Imprisoned Inferno|tortured screaming]]), or to do something visually dynamic ([[Jungle Planet (episode)|acrobatic transformation]]), the CGI would actually be ''replaced'' with cel animation, because it just ''looked more impressive''. Does that seem ''right'' to you?

In addition, the show's CGI compares very poorly with ''Beast Wars'' and ''Beast Machines,'' both of which came out ''years'' previously, both of which were ''fully'' CGI (without the crutch of cel animation to fall back on), and both of which had characters who boasted complex, nuanced facial expressions and fluid, constant body language — even [[Diagnostic Drone|the ones with utterly inhuman faces and bodies]]. The only way to spare the animators' reputation is to assume that Energon's budget was miniscule in comparison.

Even within the limits of the animation, many bad editing, design, and lighting choices make the series difficult to follow visually. Unicron's body — primarily black, to match his ''Energon'' redeco toy — is frequently lost against the blackness of space. When Alpha Q energizes Unicron's head, it becomes the [[Energon Orb]], with no visual indication as to what it used to be. Scenes set underground or within Unicron's body are commonly underlit, to the point that the characters can't even be distinguished. Strange elements such as the [[Rift (Energon)|rift in space]] are inconsistently animated and described by the characters, making it difficult to figure out what they are.

====Editing====
At times, ''Energon'' tends to flow like a single feature-length film... a film that has been mercilessly chopped up into 22 minute segments. Thus, confusing, unclear elements like the [[Rift (Energon)|rift in space]] and [[Unicron]]'s dark, partially re-energized body are routinely shown in closeup without any introductory establishing shots, making it extraordinarily unclear what's happening or where for the viewer who's just watching one particular episode by itself. To be a ''little'' bit fairer, this "chopped-up film" sensation is not exactly uncommon in Japanese animated series with a defined length, but ''Energon'' is a good example of the method at its very worst.

The show's scene editing also tends to be very abrupt and choppy. Battle animation in particular routinely cuts between numerous, very short scenes, showing several simultaneous but unrelated events as if the viewer must be kept up to date on ''all'' of them in real time. This makes it difficult to grasp the significance of ''any'' of the events shown. When boiled down, this editing style often serves to mask the fact that not much is actually happening.

To make things worse for the credibility of the editors, "[[Scorpinok]]", "[[A Tale of Two Heros]]", "[[Imprisoned Inferno|Improsoned Inferno]]", and "[[Decepticon Army|Deception Army]]" all have blatant spelling errors '''''in the titles!''''' Making it more annoying is that only the latter two of those four were corrected for the DVD release.

====Scripting and dubbing====
The original Japanese version of the show is, in short, sluggish and confusing... but at least the conversations make sense. Even that got lost when the show was ported for North American consumption.

The dub of ''Energon'' seems even ''more'' rushed than ''Armada,'' which was already known for being so hurried that dubbers were working with unfinished animation, got names wrong, and had moments of dialogue that didn't jibe with the action. ''Energon'' [[Battle of the Asteroid Belt|generally]] got completed animation, and ''usually'' got names right—but [[Misha Miramond|Misha]] gets three different names during the course of the show, and [[Downshift (Energon)|Downshift]] and [[Cliffjumper (Energon)|Cliffjumper]] are constantly confused.

The rushed dub script is full of mistranslations. Though some elements obviously needed to be altered to suit a Western audience, it seems that many portions of the dub were never checked to see if they made logical sense. As a result, the script is stilted, perfunctory, and repetitive, constantly throwing in cliche, time-killing phrases like "We've gotta [repeat the plot which everyone already knows]", "Let's do it!", and "It's time to [perform some action that's already blatantly obvious]". There is arbitrary new dialogue (that seems to exist purely due to writers' carelessness) which ''does not match what is occurring onscreen''. The final result is a show with some bizarre non-sequiturs and more than a few moments of ''genuine nonsense.''

To cite just one example: at the start of "[[Team Optimus Prime]]", Dr. Jones says, in a frustrated tone, "I ''can't'' get back the energon I sent to Kicker. That's ''impossible!''" The entire notion of "getting it back" is absurd on the surface, akin to trying to get back water that went down a drain; saying that not getting it back is ''impossible'' is even more ridiculous; and further, the original dialog is a passive lament, more along the lines of "It's not like that energon I sent is ever coming back." Similar examples exist in nearly every single episode of the show.

Outside of these accidents, there are also some strange ''deliberate'' changes, chief among them the tendency for [[Primus]] to be intermittently ignored. In one episode, Primus would be dubbed accurately, talking with other characters normally, while in the next, he would be deliberately edited out, with his lines erased or given to other characters, and references to him replaced with "the core". Other odd instances include Terrorcon drones having spoken lines randomly inserted in some scenes, never attributed to any one Terrorcon.

Given all of this, the quality of voice acting frequently suffers throughout the show. This can be a common result of the antiseptic [[ADR]] (Additional Dialogue Recording) environment, where actors perform solo, with no one to play off. But ''Energon'' is particularly bad in this regard. Lead talents such as [[Garry Chalk]] and [[David Kaye]] still turn in strong performances, but actors for many of the secondary characters clearly struggle to make something of the material they're given, often sounding flat and uninspired, or just confused. There are many times when ''all'' the actors clearly have no idea what their lines mean in the greater scheme of things, nor any idea of what they're really talking about; the Dr. Jones quote cited above is also an example of this problem.

There's also a pronounced amount of "filling dead air," with characters talking from offscreen simply to make noise where there was none originally. Take a drink every time someone goes "Uhh?" to break the silence, and you'll be hammered by the first commercial break.

{{bigquote|I really wish they would put this terrible series out on DVD. Not because I really want to watch it again, but because it would fill that unsightly gap between Armada and Cybertron with unsightly content.|The nicest words ever spoken about the Energon cartoon, [http://tinyurl.com/5tuucc "Gustavo!", August 2008]}}

==Home video releases==
===''Super Link''===
{{main|Interchannel}}
The ''Super Link'' version of ''Energon'' was released on DVD by Interchannel in [[Japan]] while the series was still on air.
[[Image:Tf superlink vol 01.jpg|thumb|150px|]]
*''Transformer: Super Link'' — Volume 001 (2004)
*''Transformer: Super Link'' — Volume 002 (2004)
*''Transformer: Super Link'' — Volume 003 (2004)
*''Transformer: Super Link'' — Volume 004 (2004)
*''Transformer: Super Link'' — Volume 005 (2004)
*''Transformer: Super Link'' — Volume 006 (2004)
*''Transformer: Super Link'' — Volume 007 (2004)
*''Transformer: Super Link'' — Volume 008 (2004)
*''Transformer: Super Link'' — Volume 009 (2005)
*''Transformer: Super Link'' — Volume 010 (2005)
*''Transformer: Super Link'' — Volume 011 (2005)
*''Transformer: Super Link'' — Volume 012 (2005)
*''Transformer: Super Link'' — Volume 013 (2005)
{{-}}

===''Energon''===
[[Image:Energon Ultimate Collection DVD.jpg|thumb|100px|]]
{{main|Paramount Pictures}}
When Paramount Home Entertainment released a handful of ''Energon'' collections on VHS and DVD in 2004 and 2005, several episodes were re-dubbed to fix numerous mistakes that occurred in the episodes that were broadcast, as well as throwing in some new dialogue.
*''Transformers: Energon'' — Volume 1: The Battle for Energon (2004)
*''Transformers: Energon'' — Volume 2: The Return of Megatron (2004)
*''Transformers: Energon'' — Volume 3: Shockblast Unleashed (2005)
*''Transformers: Energon'' — Volume 4: Omega Supreme (2005)
*''Transformers: Energon'' — The Ultimate Collection (2008)
{{-}}

==Footnotes==
<references />

==External links==
*[http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%83%88%E3%83%A9%E3%83%B3%E3%82%B9%E3%83%95%E3%82%A9%E3%83%BC%E3%83%9E%E3%83%BC_%E3%82%B9%E3%83%BC%E3%83%91%E3%83%BC%E3%83%AA%E3%83%B3%E3%82%AF ''Transformers: Super Link'' at the Japanese Wikipedia]

[[Category:Energon| Energon (cartoon)]]
[[Category:Television series]]

Beast Wars: Transformers (cartoon)

2010-05-28T08:00:16Z

222.155.126.22: /* Characters */

{{Nav-bw}}

Though [[Trukk not munky|reviled]] by many Transfans when it first hit the airwaves in 1996, the wholly-[[CGI]] '''''Beast Wars''''' is now considered by many to be among the finest examples of Transformers storytelling.

:''Canadian name:'' '''Beasties'''
:''Japanese name (season 1):'' '''Super Lifeform Transformers Beast Wars''' (超生命体トランスフォーマー　ビーストウォーズ, Chō Seimeitai Transformers Beast Wars)
:''Japanese name (season 2-3):'' '''Super Lifeform Transformers Beast Wars Metals''' (超生命体トランスフォーマー　ビーストウォーズ　メタルス, Chō Seimeitai Transformers Beast Wars Metals)
:''French name:'' '''Animutants'''
:''French name (Canada):'' '''Robots-Bêtes'''
:''Italian name:'' '''Biocombat'''
:''Latin-American name:'' '''Guerra de Bestias'''
:''Polish name:'' '''Kosmiczne Wojny''' ("Cosmic Wars")
:''Russian name:'' '''Voyni Zverey''' (Войны зверей, "Wars of the Beasts")
:''Vietnamese name:'' '''Chiến tranh quái vật vũ trụ''' ("Galaxy Monster Wars")

==Overview==
The series opens at an unspecified time and place, where two warring factions of robots have crashed on a strange planet populated by animals like those on [[Earth]]. The planet abounds in mystery, with vast deposits of raw [[Energon (fuel)|Energon]] and evidence of [[Vok|alien]] activity. The Energon forces the newly arrived Transformers to take on protective beast forms to shield themselves from the ambient Energon radiation. And so begin the [[Beast Wars (event)|Beast Wars]]...

[[Image:Beastwarsmaxgroup.jpg|left|300px|thumb|Rattrap and Airazor conspire to ruin school picture day.]]
Though at first the show seemed to be in an entirely separate continuity, by the end of the first season's 26 episodes, viewers had been treated to a number of classical Transformers references, such as [[Unicron]] and even the reappearance of [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]], last seen as a ghost in the third season of [[The Transformers (cartoon)|the original cartoon]]. These ties to the original story increased as the second season progressed and the planet was revealed as prehistoric Earth, the characters having been thrown back in time. The third season was entirely structured around the [[Maximal]]s defending their dormant [[Autobot]] ancestors aboard the ancient crashed [[Ark (G1)|Ark]].

The show won over many viewers through fun, intriguing stories and generally high production values. Strong characterization, top-notch scripting and voice acting, and complex, overarching plot threads are among the reasons cited for the show's enduring popularity. Some of the show's mysteries and machinations remain topics for fan debate over a decade after it aired.

The show's CGI, though somewhat primitive by today's standards, was revolutionary by television standards of the time (and puts [[Energon (cartoon)|some later shows]] to [[Cybertron (cartoon)|shame]]). Mainframe's animators took pains to ensure their characters gestured and emoted in great detail, and the "camera" work often took creative advantage of the format's flexibility.

The show was immediately followed by a sequel series, ''[[Beast Machines (cartoon)|Beast Machines]]''.
{{-}}

==Episodes==
{{main|List of Beast Wars episodes}}

''Beast Wars'' has had 52 episodes over 3 seasons.

===Season 1: 1996–1997===
{{columnlist|4|
# [[Beast Wars (Part 1)]]
# [[Beast Wars (Part 2)]]
# [[The Web]]
# [[Equal Measures]]
# [[Chain of Command]]
# [[Power Surge]]
# [[Fallen Comrades]]
# [[Double Jeopardy]]
# [[A Better Mousetrap]]
# [[Gorilla Warfare]]
# [[The Probe]]
# [[Victory (episode)|Victory]]
# [[Dark Designs (episode)|Dark Designs]]
# [[Double Dinobot]]
# [[The Spark]]
# [[The Trigger, Part 1]]
# [[The Trigger, Part 2]]
# [[Spider's Game]]
# [[Call of the Wild]]
# [[Dark Voyage]]
# [[Possession]]
# [[The Low Road]]
# [[Law of the Jungle]]
# [[Before the Storm]]
# [[Other Voices, Part 1]]
# [[Other Voices, Part 2]]}}

===Season 2: 1997–1998===
{{columnlist|4|
# [[Aftermath]]
# [[Coming of the Fuzors (Part 1)]]
# [[Coming of the Fuzors (Part 2)]]
# [[Tangled Web]]
# [[Maximal, No More]]
# [[Other Visits (Part 1)]]
# [[Other Visits (Part 2)]]
# [[Bad Spark]]
# [[Code of Hero]]
# [[Transmutate (episode)|Transmutate]]
# [[The Agenda (Part 1)]]
# [[The Agenda (Part 2)]]
# [[The Agenda (Part III)]]}}

===Season 3: 1998–1999===
{{columnlist|4|
# [[Optimal Situation]]
# [[Deep Metal]]
# [[Changing of the Guard]]
# [[Cutting Edge]]
# [[Feral Scream Part 1]]
# [[Feral Scream Part 2]]
# [[Proving Grounds]]
# [[Go with the Flow]]
# [[Crossing the Rubicon]]
# [[Master Blaster]]
# [[Other Victories]]
# [[Nemesis Part 1]]
# [[Nemesis Part 2]]}}

==Characters==
Because developing new CGI character models was, at the time, an expensive and time-consuming process, the number of on-screen characters in ''Beast Wars'' was relatively small compared to most other ''Transformers'' shows. It is thus practical to list all the Transformers who appeared in the cartoon. They are listed in order of appearance. (The [[stasis lock]]ed [[Autobot]]s and [[Decepticon]]s aboard the [[Ark (G1)|Ark]] are not on this list.) Note that many characters besides these are also full-fledged ''Beast Wars'' characters, having appeared in other media.
[[Image:BW Maximals.jpg|left|200px|thumb|Time for Rattrap to lead.]]
[[Image:BW Predacons.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Waspinator is loved by fans.]]

{{-}}

{{featuredcharacters
|h1=[[Maximal]]s|c1=
*[[Optimus Primal]] ([[Garry Chalk]])
*[[Rattrap]] ([[Scott McNeil]])
*[[Rhinox (BW)|Rhinox]] ([[Richard Newman]])
*[[Cheetor (BW)|Cheetor]] ([[Ian James Corlett]])
*[[Dinobot (BW)|Dinobot]]* ([[Scott McNeil]])
*[[Tigatron]] ([[Blu Mankuma]])
*[[Airazor (BW)|Airazor]] ([[Pauline Newstone]])
*[[Silverbolt (BW)|Silverbolt]] ([[Scott McNeil]])
*[[Depth Charge (BW)|Depth Charge]] ([[David Sobolov]])
*[[Tigerhawk]] ([[Blu Mankuma]])
|h2=[[Predacon (BW)|Predacons]]|c2=
*[[Megatron (BW)|Megatron]] ([[David Kaye]])
*[[Scorponok (BW)|Scorponok]] ([[Don Brown]])
*[[Tarantulas]] ([[Alec Willows]])
*[[Terrorsaur (BW)|Terrorsaur]] ([[Doug Parker]])
*[[Waspinator (BW)|Waspinator]] ([[Scott McNeil]])
*[[Blackarachnia (BW)|Blackarachnia]]† ([[Venus Terzo]])
*[[Inferno (BW)|Inferno]] ([[Jim Byrnes]])
*[[Quickstrike (BW)|Quickstrike]] ([[Colin Murdoch]])
*[[Rampage (BW)|Rampage]] ([[Campbell Lane]])
*[[Ravage (G1)|Ravage]] ([[Lee Tockar]])
*[[Dinobot II]] ([[Scott McNeil]])
==[[Tripredacus Council]]==
*[[Ram Horn]] ([[Lee Tockar]])
*[[Sea Clamp]] ([[Ian Corlett]])
*[[Cicadacon]] ([[Scott McNeil]])

|c4=
'''[[Protohuman]]s'''
*[[Leader Neanderthal]] ([[Garry Chalk]])
*[[Chak]]
*[[Una]] ([[Susan Blu]])
'''[[Decepticon]]s
*[[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]] ([[Doug Parker]])
*[[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]] ([[Gary Chalk]])

|nonumbering=true
}}
<nowiki>*</nowiki> Allied with the Maximals, nominally a Predacon.

† Became a Maximal towards the end of the series.

==International releases==
===Japan===
In Japan the show was split into 2 separate 26 episode series, ''Beast Wars'' which aired in 1997 (consisting of Canadian season 1) and ''Beast Wars Metals'' which aired in 1999 (consisting of Canadian seasons 2 and 3). The ''Beast Wars Metals'' series featured two additional clip shows:

*Episode 14: "[[Where Is the Banana?]]"
*Episode 26: "[[Remix: I Lost the Banana!]]"

Japan crafted two separate theatrical releases, the first being "[[Beast Wars Special Super Lifeform Transformers]]" (premiering the episode "[[Bad Spark]]" as well as two other segments) and a triple feature of short animated films based on [[TakaraTomy|Takara]] toylines (premiering the episode "[[Cutting Edge]]"). Since these episodes were released theatrically, they are not included in the show's proper 26 episode list, with their places being taken by the pair of aforementioned clip shows.

Additionally, for whatever reason, the Japanese dub of ''Beast Wars'' and ''Beast Wars Metals'' notoriously chose to turn the series into a goofy comedy show with lots of fourth-wall humor and a relentless string of over-the-top and in-your-face jokes, even at the most ''inappropriate'' of moments. This was the work of [[Iwanami Yoshikazu]], director of the Japanese ''Beast Wars'' series.

Some examples include:
* The beginning of every episode would start with one of the characters asking a ridiculous question and receiving equally ridiculous answers (Optimus Primal asking "Where is my banana", for instance) before segueing into the [[War War! Stop It|opening rap theme]] by [[Banana Ice]]. (On that music note, "[[For the Dream|FOR THE DREAM]]" is the closing song, while "[[Hello! Toughness]]" was the ending song for the special "[[Clash! Beast Warriors]]".)
* An attempt was made to ensure that nary a moment went by in which at least ''one'' character wasn't talking. Dramatic silences and subtle jokes involving body language or facial expressions were killed with meaningless, prattling dialogue and corny jokes. Characters could even be heard talking when their lips were visibly ''not moving at all''. Even in close ups. Perhaps worst of all, a "gag" that ran through the course of the entire series featured each character "making noises" every single time they fired their weapon. For instance, Rattrap would make a sound along the likes of "pikyuu!" every time he fired. Every. Single. Time.
* Rattrap would constantly break the fourth wall by "smelling" what the audience was eating and make gluttonous comments.
* Many characters received completely new personalities that were polar opposites to their Western interpretation (Depth Charge enjoyed singing folk songs while Megatron became a flamboyant madman that shrieked like a little girl at the sight of danger). A character had their gender altered (poor, poor Airazor).
* Clip shows would feature the characters interacting in silly situations such as game shows and contests (in one instance, Megatron acted as judge in a celebrity impersonation contest).

While many long-time ''Transformers'' fans in Japan reviled this dub (including [[Hirofumi Ichikawa]]) it remained a hit with its target audience: young children. At any rate, this version of ''Beast Wars'' was popular enough to spawn two equally goofy-natured spin-offs, ''[[Beast Wars II (cartoon)|Beast Wars II]]'' and ''[[Beast Wars Neo (cartoon)|Beast Wars Neo]]'', and two Japanese-exclusive theatrical releases.

===United Kingdom===
When originally aired on GMTV in the United Kingdom, ''Beast Wars'' was only screened on school holidays, usually in double bills on Bank Holidays, and one episode per morning on half-term weeks, meaning that only a few episodes were shown a year, with wide gulfs in between (most prominently, ''three months'' passed between the airings of "Other Visits" parts [[Other Visits (Part 1)|1]] and [[Other Visits (Part 2)|2]]). In a sign of things to come, "[[Beast Wars (Part 1)]]" was shown some 25 minutes earlier than billed due to re-scheduled news reports, meaning many fans missed the entire opening episode. Things went from bad to worse when "[[Equal Measures]]" was skipped, and only continued when, after "[[Victory (episode)|Victory]]", the series skipped directly to "[[Other Voices, Part 1]]". The entirety of the second season followed the conclusion of the first, but the channel never aired the third season; although it was subsequently released on VHS, the cliffhanger-resolving "[[Optimal Situation]]" was only available as a free gift with purchase at [[Toys"R"Us]].

Additionally, these GMTV airings were modified in various ways. The first and most foremost alteration was the removal of the word "Transformers" from the series' title, which was only reinstated with "[[Other Voices, Part 1]]". With regard to the actual content, the earliest episodes generally had nothing more extreme than the removal of uses of the word "[[Slag (slang)|slag]]" (as it is effectively a synonym for "slut" in English slang), but with the beginning of the second season, edits were steadily made to episodes for no readily apparent reasons. Additionally, any scenes featuring flashing images were routinely put through a filter that slowed such scenes down to comical levels. This culminated in a butchered version of "[[The Agenda (Part 1)|The Agenda]]", which snipped out many short scenes throughout all three episodes for no reason, from inconsequential moments like Tarantulas cackling and driving out of his lab in Part 1, to key scenes such as Silverbolt and Optimus Primal's "office talk" in Part 2, and in what was the last straw for many fans, the complete second half of [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]]'s speech (''the part explaining [[Megatron (BW)|Megatron]]'s entire motivation''), also from Part 2.

During the time they had the rights to the series, GMTV also showed the entirety of seasons one and two on the then cable-only channel ITV 2.

Channel 5, a terrestrial channel, showed the entire series in its complete form in 2003. Thankfully. This got rerun too, leading to the ''Beast Wars'' comics getting [[Transformers (Titan Magazine)|used as reprints in Titan's Movie-based comic]].

===France===
In France and (French) Belgium, the show was called "Animutants" and had a good-quality dubbing, rather close to the original voices. (The Dutch-speaking territory kept the original English dub.) But while the first two seasons of the show were aired, the third one never was; the show always ended with "[[The Agenda (Part III)]]", leaving the viewers in the area with the worst case of cliffhanger ever.

===Vietnam===
In Vietnam, the show was called "Chiến tranh quái vật vũ trụ" (Galaxy Monster Wars). The show was released on VHS tapes with a very good Vietnamese dub, then it was copied to VCD. Unfortunately, as happened in France, only the first two seasons were aired. It ended with "[[The Agenda (Part III)]]", and left the fans with a cliffhanger.

===Germany===
The German dub used the original title, ''Beast Wars'''. The show was initially very successful on the TV Station RTL2 and was released on VHS. However, only the first season was shown and dubbed. Furthermore, the TV broadcast had many fight scenes censored to comply with Germany's strict laws against TV violence; however, the VHS Release was uncut. After many reruns the show was cancelled and the second and third Season were never shown in Germany.

==Home video releases==
===Canada===
{{main|Alliance Atlantis}}
[[Image:Alliance Beast Wars Vol1 DVD.jpg|thumb|150px|]]
;VHS
*''Beast Wars'' — A Feature Length Beasties Adventure (1996)
*''Robots-Bêtes'' — Une Adventure Cybernetique (1996)
*''Beast Wars'' — Beasties Escape (1998)
*''Robots-Bêtes'' — L'Évasion (1998)
*''Beast Wars'' — Warning from Space (1998)
*''Robots-Bêtes'' — Alert Dans L'Espace (1998)
*''Beast Wars'' / ''Robots-Bêtes'' Three pack (1998)
*''Beast Wars'' — Optimus Lives! (1998)
*''Robots-Bêtes'' — L'Empreinte D'Optimus (1998)
;DVD
*''Beast Wars'' — Classic Episodes — Where the Beasties Began! (2005)
*''Beast Wars'' — Classic Episodes: Volume 2 — The Saga Continues! (2005)
*''Beast Wars'' — Classic Episodes: Volume 3 — The Battle Rages On! (2005)
*''Beast Wars'' — Classic Episodes: Volume 4 — The Predacons Advance! (2005)
*''Beast Wars'' — The Complete First Season (2005)
{{-}}

===Japan===
{{main|Geneon Universal Entertainment}}
[[Pioneer]]'s Japanese DVD sets of the series come with optional English language dialogue with Japanese subtitles, allowing fans in Japan to view the more serious version of the show if desired.
;VHS
*''Beast Wars: Super Lifeform Transformers'' — Enter the Super Lifeform Transformers (1997)
*''Beast Wars: Super Lifeform Transformers'' — Cheetus' Crisis (1997)
*''Beast Wars: Super Lifeform Transformers'' — Convoy Disappeared (1998)
*''Beast Wars: Super Lifeform Transformers'' — Lonely Warrior Tigatron (1998)
*''Beast Wars: Super Lifeform Transformers'' — New Weapon of Terror (1998)
*''Beast Wars: Super Lifeform Transformers'' — Goodbye Rattle!? (1998)
*''Beast Wars: Super Lifeform Transformers'' — Floating Island Deathmatch (1998)
*''Beast Wars: Super Lifeform Transformers'' — The Destrons Make Drama (1998)
*''Beast Wars: Super Lifeform Transformers'' — There are 2 Dinobots? (1998)
*''Beast Wars: Super Lifeform Transformers'' — Resurrected Beast Power (1998)
*''Beast Wars: Super Lifeform Transformers'' — Starscream's Invulnerability (1998)
*''Beast Wars: Super Lifeform Transformers'' — Farewell Tigatron (1998)
*''Beast Wars: Super Lifeform Transformers'' — To Protect the Peace... (1998)
*''Beast Wars: Super Lifeform Transformers Special'' — Great Cybertron Army Collection (1998)
*''Beast Wars: Super Lifeform Transformers Special'' — Great Destron Army Collection (1998)
*''Beast Wars: Super Lifeform Transformers'' — Great Quiz Collection (1999)
*''Beast Wars: Super Lifeform Transformers: Metals'' — We're Back! (1999)
*''Beast Wars: Super Lifeform Transformers: Metals'' — Convoy Reborn (1999)
*''Beast Wars: Super Lifeform Transformers: Metals'' — I Quit! (2000)
*''Beast Wars: Super Lifeform Transformers: Metals'' — Huh? The Face? (2000)
*''Beast Wars: Super Lifeform Transformers: Metals'' — I'm a Crab! (2000)
*''Beast Wars: Super Lifeform Transformers: Metals'' — I Do Love You! (2000)
*''Beast Wars: Super Lifeform Transformers: Metals'' — Groooww Bigger (2000)
*''Beast Wars: Super Lifeform Transformers: Metals'' — Rrray! (2000)
*''Beast Wars: Super Lifeform Transformers: Metals'' — The Movie (2000)
*''Beast Wars: Super Lifeform Transformers: Metals'' — Yeah, I'm Back! (2000)
*''Beast Wars: Super Lifeform Transformers: Metals'' — Love Typhoon (2000)
*''Beast Wars: Super Lifeform Transformers: Metals'' — Sssshiny! (2000)
*''Beast Wars: Super Lifeform Transformers: Metals'' — We Have Returned (2000)
*''Beast Wars: Super Lifeform Transformers: Metals'' — Happy? This Should Do It (2000)
[[Image:Pioneer BeastWars Laserdisc Box2.jpg|thumb|150px|]]
;Laserdisc
*''Beast Wars: Transformers'' — Maximal Edition (1998)
*''Beast Wars: Transformers'' — Predacon Edition (1998)
;DVD
*''Beast Wars: Transformers'' — DVD BOX (2000)
*''Beast Wars: Transformers: Metals'' — DVD BOX 1 (2000)
*''Beast Wars: Transformers: Metals'' — DVD BOX 2 (2000)
{{-}}

===United Kingdom===
{{main|Universal}}
Almost the entire run of the show ended up on VHS from 2000 to 2001, oddly missing "[[Aftermath]]" and "[[Optimal Situation]]". This time, cuts were gone! Characters could rightfully swear!
[[Image:UK Beast Wars Vol3 VHS.jpg|150px|thumb|Not featuring [[Razorclaw (BW)|Razorclaw]].]]
;VHS
*''Beast Wars: Transformers'' — Free Video (2000)
*''Beast Wars: Transformers'' — Vol. 1 (2000)
*''Beast Wars: Transformers'' — Vol. 2 (2000)
*''Beast Wars: Transformers'' — Vol. 3 (2000)
*''Beast Wars: Transformers'' — Vol. 4 (2000)
*''Beast Wars: Transformers'' — Vol. 5 (2001)
*''Beast Wars: Transformers'' — Vol. 6 (2001)
*''Beast Wars: Transformers'' — Vol. 7 (2001)
*''Beast Wars: Transformers'' — Vol. 8 (2001)
*''Beast Wars: Transformers'' — The Beginning: Vol. 1 (2001)
*''Beast Wars: Transformers'' — The Beginning: Vol. 2 (2001)
*''Beast Wars: Transformers'' — The Beginning: Vol. 3 (2001)
*''Beast Wars: Transformers'' — The Beginning: Vol. 4 (2001)
;DVD
*''Beast Wars: Transformers'' — Vol. 1 (2004)
*''Beast Wars: Transformers'' — Vol. 2 (2005)
{{-}}

===United States===
[[Image:Rhino BeastWars Vol1 DVD.jpg|thumb|100px|]]
{{main|Kid Rhino}}
*''Beast Wars: Transformers'' — Volume 1 (2002)
*''Beast Wars: Transformers'' — Volume 2 (2002)
*''Beast Wars: Transformers'' — The Complete First Season (2003)
*''Beast Wars: Transformers'' — The Complete Second Season (2004)
*''Beast Wars: Transformers'' — The Complete Third Season (2004)
{{-}}

===Australia and New Zealand===
{{main|Madman Entertainment}}
*''Beast Wars: Transformers'' — Season 1 (2006)
*''Beast Wars: Transformers'' — Season 2 (2006)
*''Beast Wars: Transformers'' — Season 3 (2006)
*''The Transformers: Beast Wars'' — Complete Collection (2009)
{{-}}

==Trivia==
* The first season of ''Beast Wars'' cost $18 million, according to [http://groups.google.com/group/alt.toys.transformers/browse_thread/thread/b334d45514e26ab4/bc8e54e9165e0823?hl=en&lnk=st&q=bob+forward+interview+inferno+megatron&rnum=1#bc8e54e9165e0823 a 1997 interview with Bob Forward].
* [http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/B-CLUB_%28%E6%A8%A1%E5%9E%8B%E9%9B%91%E8%AA%8C%29 B-Club magazine] erroneously claims that ''Beast Wars'' is the first fully CGI television show in the world, a title actually held by ''[[:wikipedia:Insektors|Insektors]]''. Mainframe's own CGI show ''[[wikipedia:ReBoot|ReBoot]]'' also predates ''Beast Wars''.
* The Production Designer for the show, [[Clyde Klotz]], won an Emmy for Outstanding Individual Achievement in Animation in 1997. How cool is that?

==See also==
*[[Dark Glass]] was an unproduced script intended for season 3.

[[Category:Beast Wars| Beast Wars (cartoon)]]
[[Category:Mainframe]]
[[Category:Television series]]

Beast Wars: Transformers (cartoon)

2010-05-28T07:59:27Z

222.155.126.22: /* Characters */

{{Nav-bw}}

Though [[Trukk not munky|reviled]] by many Transfans when it first hit the airwaves in 1996, the wholly-[[CGI]] '''''Beast Wars''''' is now considered by many to be among the finest examples of Transformers storytelling.

:''Canadian name:'' '''Beasties'''
:''Japanese name (season 1):'' '''Super Lifeform Transformers Beast Wars''' (超生命体トランスフォーマー　ビーストウォーズ, Chō Seimeitai Transformers Beast Wars)
:''Japanese name (season 2-3):'' '''Super Lifeform Transformers Beast Wars Metals''' (超生命体トランスフォーマー　ビーストウォーズ　メタルス, Chō Seimeitai Transformers Beast Wars Metals)
:''French name:'' '''Animutants'''
:''French name (Canada):'' '''Robots-Bêtes'''
:''Italian name:'' '''Biocombat'''
:''Latin-American name:'' '''Guerra de Bestias'''
:''Polish name:'' '''Kosmiczne Wojny''' ("Cosmic Wars")
:''Russian name:'' '''Voyni Zverey''' (Войны зверей, "Wars of the Beasts")
:''Vietnamese name:'' '''Chiến tranh quái vật vũ trụ''' ("Galaxy Monster Wars")

==Overview==
The series opens at an unspecified time and place, where two warring factions of robots have crashed on a strange planet populated by animals like those on [[Earth]]. The planet abounds in mystery, with vast deposits of raw [[Energon (fuel)|Energon]] and evidence of [[Vok|alien]] activity. The Energon forces the newly arrived Transformers to take on protective beast forms to shield themselves from the ambient Energon radiation. And so begin the [[Beast Wars (event)|Beast Wars]]...

[[Image:Beastwarsmaxgroup.jpg|left|300px|thumb|Rattrap and Airazor conspire to ruin school picture day.]]
Though at first the show seemed to be in an entirely separate continuity, by the end of the first season's 26 episodes, viewers had been treated to a number of classical Transformers references, such as [[Unicron]] and even the reappearance of [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]], last seen as a ghost in the third season of [[The Transformers (cartoon)|the original cartoon]]. These ties to the original story increased as the second season progressed and the planet was revealed as prehistoric Earth, the characters having been thrown back in time. The third season was entirely structured around the [[Maximal]]s defending their dormant [[Autobot]] ancestors aboard the ancient crashed [[Ark (G1)|Ark]].

The show won over many viewers through fun, intriguing stories and generally high production values. Strong characterization, top-notch scripting and voice acting, and complex, overarching plot threads are among the reasons cited for the show's enduring popularity. Some of the show's mysteries and machinations remain topics for fan debate over a decade after it aired.

The show's CGI, though somewhat primitive by today's standards, was revolutionary by television standards of the time (and puts [[Energon (cartoon)|some later shows]] to [[Cybertron (cartoon)|shame]]). Mainframe's animators took pains to ensure their characters gestured and emoted in great detail, and the "camera" work often took creative advantage of the format's flexibility.

The show was immediately followed by a sequel series, ''[[Beast Machines (cartoon)|Beast Machines]]''.
{{-}}

==Episodes==
{{main|List of Beast Wars episodes}}

''Beast Wars'' has had 52 episodes over 3 seasons.

===Season 1: 1996–1997===
{{columnlist|4|
# [[Beast Wars (Part 1)]]
# [[Beast Wars (Part 2)]]
# [[The Web]]
# [[Equal Measures]]
# [[Chain of Command]]
# [[Power Surge]]
# [[Fallen Comrades]]
# [[Double Jeopardy]]
# [[A Better Mousetrap]]
# [[Gorilla Warfare]]
# [[The Probe]]
# [[Victory (episode)|Victory]]
# [[Dark Designs (episode)|Dark Designs]]
# [[Double Dinobot]]
# [[The Spark]]
# [[The Trigger, Part 1]]
# [[The Trigger, Part 2]]
# [[Spider's Game]]
# [[Call of the Wild]]
# [[Dark Voyage]]
# [[Possession]]
# [[The Low Road]]
# [[Law of the Jungle]]
# [[Before the Storm]]
# [[Other Voices, Part 1]]
# [[Other Voices, Part 2]]}}

===Season 2: 1997–1998===
{{columnlist|4|
# [[Aftermath]]
# [[Coming of the Fuzors (Part 1)]]
# [[Coming of the Fuzors (Part 2)]]
# [[Tangled Web]]
# [[Maximal, No More]]
# [[Other Visits (Part 1)]]
# [[Other Visits (Part 2)]]
# [[Bad Spark]]
# [[Code of Hero]]
# [[Transmutate (episode)|Transmutate]]
# [[The Agenda (Part 1)]]
# [[The Agenda (Part 2)]]
# [[The Agenda (Part III)]]}}

===Season 3: 1998–1999===
{{columnlist|4|
# [[Optimal Situation]]
# [[Deep Metal]]
# [[Changing of the Guard]]
# [[Cutting Edge]]
# [[Feral Scream Part 1]]
# [[Feral Scream Part 2]]
# [[Proving Grounds]]
# [[Go with the Flow]]
# [[Crossing the Rubicon]]
# [[Master Blaster]]
# [[Other Victories]]
# [[Nemesis Part 1]]
# [[Nemesis Part 2]]}}

==Characters==
Because developing new CGI character models was, at the time, an expensive and time-consuming process, the number of on-screen characters in ''Beast Wars'' was relatively small compared to most other ''Transformers'' shows. It is thus practical to list all the Transformers who appeared in the cartoon. They are listed in order of appearance. (The [[stasis lock]]ed [[Autobot]]s and [[Decepticon]]s aboard the [[Ark (G1)|Ark]] are not on this list.) Note that many characters besides these are also full-fledged ''Beast Wars'' characters, having appeared in other media.
[[Image:BW Maximals.jpg|left|200px|thumb|Time for Rattrap to lead.]]
[[Image:BW Predacons.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Waspinator is loved by fans.]]

{{-}}

{{featuredcharacters
|h1=[[Maximal]]s|c1=
*[[Optimus Primal]] ([[Garry Chalk]])
*[[Rattrap]] ([[Scott McNeil]])
*[[Rhinox (BW)|Rhinox]] ([[Richard Newman]])
*[[Cheetor (BW)|Cheetor]] ([[Ian James Corlett]])
*[[Dinobot (BW)|Dinobot]]* ([[Scott McNeil]])
*[[Tigatron]] ([[Blu Mankuma]])
*[[Airazor (BW)|Airazor]] ([[Pauline Newstone]])
*[[Silverbolt (BW)|Silverbolt]] ([[Scott McNeil]])
*[[Depth Charge (BW)|Depth Charge]] ([[David Sobolov]])
*[[Tigerhawk]] ([[Blu Mankuma]])
|h2=[[Predacon (BW)|Predacons]]|c2=
*[[Megatron (BW)|Megatron]] ([[David Kaye]])
*[[Scorponok (BW)|Scorponok]] ([[Don Brown]])
*[[Tarantulas]] ([[Alec Willows]])
*[[Terrorsaur (BW)|Terrorsaur]] ([[Doug Parker]])
*[[Waspinator (BW)|Waspinator]] ([[Scott McNeil]])
*[[Blackarachnia (BW)|Blackarachnia]]† ([[Venus Terzo]])
*[[Inferno (BW)|Inferno]] ([[Jim Byrnes]])
*[[Quickstrike (BW)|Quickstrike]] ([[Colin Murdoch]])
*[[Rampage (BW)|Rampage]] ([[Campbell Lane]])
*[[Ravage (G1)|Ravage]] ([[Lee Tockar]])
*[[Dinobot II]] ([[Scott McNeil]])
===[[Tripredacus Council]]===
*[[Ram Horn]] ([[Lee Tockar]])
*[[Sea Clamp]] ([[Ian Corlett]])
*[[Cicadacon]] ([[Scott McNeil]])

|c4=
'''[[Protohuman]]s'''
*[[Leader Neanderthal]] ([[Garry Chalk]])
*[[Chak]]
*[[Una]] ([[Susan Blu]])
'''[[Decepticon]]s
*[[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]] ([[Doug Parker]])
*[[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]] ([[Gary Chalk]])

|nonumbering=true
}}
<nowiki>*</nowiki> Allied with the Maximals, nominally a Predacon.

† Became a Maximal towards the end of the series.

==International releases==
===Japan===
In Japan the show was split into 2 separate 26 episode series, ''Beast Wars'' which aired in 1997 (consisting of Canadian season 1) and ''Beast Wars Metals'' which aired in 1999 (consisting of Canadian seasons 2 and 3). The ''Beast Wars Metals'' series featured two additional clip shows:

*Episode 14: "[[Where Is the Banana?]]"
*Episode 26: "[[Remix: I Lost the Banana!]]"

Japan crafted two separate theatrical releases, the first being "[[Beast Wars Special Super Lifeform Transformers]]" (premiering the episode "[[Bad Spark]]" as well as two other segments) and a triple feature of short animated films based on [[TakaraTomy|Takara]] toylines (premiering the episode "[[Cutting Edge]]"). Since these episodes were released theatrically, they are not included in the show's proper 26 episode list, with their places being taken by the pair of aforementioned clip shows.

Additionally, for whatever reason, the Japanese dub of ''Beast Wars'' and ''Beast Wars Metals'' notoriously chose to turn the series into a goofy comedy show with lots of fourth-wall humor and a relentless string of over-the-top and in-your-face jokes, even at the most ''inappropriate'' of moments. This was the work of [[Iwanami Yoshikazu]], director of the Japanese ''Beast Wars'' series.

Some examples include:
* The beginning of every episode would start with one of the characters asking a ridiculous question and receiving equally ridiculous answers (Optimus Primal asking "Where is my banana", for instance) before segueing into the [[War War! Stop It|opening rap theme]] by [[Banana Ice]]. (On that music note, "[[For the Dream|FOR THE DREAM]]" is the closing song, while "[[Hello! Toughness]]" was the ending song for the special "[[Clash! Beast Warriors]]".)
* An attempt was made to ensure that nary a moment went by in which at least ''one'' character wasn't talking. Dramatic silences and subtle jokes involving body language or facial expressions were killed with meaningless, prattling dialogue and corny jokes. Characters could even be heard talking when their lips were visibly ''not moving at all''. Even in close ups. Perhaps worst of all, a "gag" that ran through the course of the entire series featured each character "making noises" every single time they fired their weapon. For instance, Rattrap would make a sound along the likes of "pikyuu!" every time he fired. Every. Single. Time.
* Rattrap would constantly break the fourth wall by "smelling" what the audience was eating and make gluttonous comments.
* Many characters received completely new personalities that were polar opposites to their Western interpretation (Depth Charge enjoyed singing folk songs while Megatron became a flamboyant madman that shrieked like a little girl at the sight of danger). A character had their gender altered (poor, poor Airazor).
* Clip shows would feature the characters interacting in silly situations such as game shows and contests (in one instance, Megatron acted as judge in a celebrity impersonation contest).

While many long-time ''Transformers'' fans in Japan reviled this dub (including [[Hirofumi Ichikawa]]) it remained a hit with its target audience: young children. At any rate, this version of ''Beast Wars'' was popular enough to spawn two equally goofy-natured spin-offs, ''[[Beast Wars II (cartoon)|Beast Wars II]]'' and ''[[Beast Wars Neo (cartoon)|Beast Wars Neo]]'', and two Japanese-exclusive theatrical releases.

===United Kingdom===
When originally aired on GMTV in the United Kingdom, ''Beast Wars'' was only screened on school holidays, usually in double bills on Bank Holidays, and one episode per morning on half-term weeks, meaning that only a few episodes were shown a year, with wide gulfs in between (most prominently, ''three months'' passed between the airings of "Other Visits" parts [[Other Visits (Part 1)|1]] and [[Other Visits (Part 2)|2]]). In a sign of things to come, "[[Beast Wars (Part 1)]]" was shown some 25 minutes earlier than billed due to re-scheduled news reports, meaning many fans missed the entire opening episode. Things went from bad to worse when "[[Equal Measures]]" was skipped, and only continued when, after "[[Victory (episode)|Victory]]", the series skipped directly to "[[Other Voices, Part 1]]". The entirety of the second season followed the conclusion of the first, but the channel never aired the third season; although it was subsequently released on VHS, the cliffhanger-resolving "[[Optimal Situation]]" was only available as a free gift with purchase at [[Toys"R"Us]].

Additionally, these GMTV airings were modified in various ways. The first and most foremost alteration was the removal of the word "Transformers" from the series' title, which was only reinstated with "[[Other Voices, Part 1]]". With regard to the actual content, the earliest episodes generally had nothing more extreme than the removal of uses of the word "[[Slag (slang)|slag]]" (as it is effectively a synonym for "slut" in English slang), but with the beginning of the second season, edits were steadily made to episodes for no readily apparent reasons. Additionally, any scenes featuring flashing images were routinely put through a filter that slowed such scenes down to comical levels. This culminated in a butchered version of "[[The Agenda (Part 1)|The Agenda]]", which snipped out many short scenes throughout all three episodes for no reason, from inconsequential moments like Tarantulas cackling and driving out of his lab in Part 1, to key scenes such as Silverbolt and Optimus Primal's "office talk" in Part 2, and in what was the last straw for many fans, the complete second half of [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]]'s speech (''the part explaining [[Megatron (BW)|Megatron]]'s entire motivation''), also from Part 2.

During the time they had the rights to the series, GMTV also showed the entirety of seasons one and two on the then cable-only channel ITV 2.

Channel 5, a terrestrial channel, showed the entire series in its complete form in 2003. Thankfully. This got rerun too, leading to the ''Beast Wars'' comics getting [[Transformers (Titan Magazine)|used as reprints in Titan's Movie-based comic]].

===France===
In France and (French) Belgium, the show was called "Animutants" and had a good-quality dubbing, rather close to the original voices. (The Dutch-speaking territory kept the original English dub.) But while the first two seasons of the show were aired, the third one never was; the show always ended with "[[The Agenda (Part III)]]", leaving the viewers in the area with the worst case of cliffhanger ever.

===Vietnam===
In Vietnam, the show was called "Chiến tranh quái vật vũ trụ" (Galaxy Monster Wars). The show was released on VHS tapes with a very good Vietnamese dub, then it was copied to VCD. Unfortunately, as happened in France, only the first two seasons were aired. It ended with "[[The Agenda (Part III)]]", and left the fans with a cliffhanger.

===Germany===
The German dub used the original title, ''Beast Wars'''. The show was initially very successful on the TV Station RTL2 and was released on VHS. However, only the first season was shown and dubbed. Furthermore, the TV broadcast had many fight scenes censored to comply with Germany's strict laws against TV violence; however, the VHS Release was uncut. After many reruns the show was cancelled and the second and third Season were never shown in Germany.

==Home video releases==
===Canada===
{{main|Alliance Atlantis}}
[[Image:Alliance Beast Wars Vol1 DVD.jpg|thumb|150px|]]
;VHS
*''Beast Wars'' — A Feature Length Beasties Adventure (1996)
*''Robots-Bêtes'' — Une Adventure Cybernetique (1996)
*''Beast Wars'' — Beasties Escape (1998)
*''Robots-Bêtes'' — L'Évasion (1998)
*''Beast Wars'' — Warning from Space (1998)
*''Robots-Bêtes'' — Alert Dans L'Espace (1998)
*''Beast Wars'' / ''Robots-Bêtes'' Three pack (1998)
*''Beast Wars'' — Optimus Lives! (1998)
*''Robots-Bêtes'' — L'Empreinte D'Optimus (1998)
;DVD
*''Beast Wars'' — Classic Episodes — Where the Beasties Began! (2005)
*''Beast Wars'' — Classic Episodes: Volume 2 — The Saga Continues! (2005)
*''Beast Wars'' — Classic Episodes: Volume 3 — The Battle Rages On! (2005)
*''Beast Wars'' — Classic Episodes: Volume 4 — The Predacons Advance! (2005)
*''Beast Wars'' — The Complete First Season (2005)
{{-}}

===Japan===
{{main|Geneon Universal Entertainment}}
[[Pioneer]]'s Japanese DVD sets of the series come with optional English language dialogue with Japanese subtitles, allowing fans in Japan to view the more serious version of the show if desired.
;VHS
*''Beast Wars: Super Lifeform Transformers'' — Enter the Super Lifeform Transformers (1997)
*''Beast Wars: Super Lifeform Transformers'' — Cheetus' Crisis (1997)
*''Beast Wars: Super Lifeform Transformers'' — Convoy Disappeared (1998)
*''Beast Wars: Super Lifeform Transformers'' — Lonely Warrior Tigatron (1998)
*''Beast Wars: Super Lifeform Transformers'' — New Weapon of Terror (1998)
*''Beast Wars: Super Lifeform Transformers'' — Goodbye Rattle!? (1998)
*''Beast Wars: Super Lifeform Transformers'' — Floating Island Deathmatch (1998)
*''Beast Wars: Super Lifeform Transformers'' — The Destrons Make Drama (1998)
*''Beast Wars: Super Lifeform Transformers'' — There are 2 Dinobots? (1998)
*''Beast Wars: Super Lifeform Transformers'' — Resurrected Beast Power (1998)
*''Beast Wars: Super Lifeform Transformers'' — Starscream's Invulnerability (1998)
*''Beast Wars: Super Lifeform Transformers'' — Farewell Tigatron (1998)
*''Beast Wars: Super Lifeform Transformers'' — To Protect the Peace... (1998)
*''Beast Wars: Super Lifeform Transformers Special'' — Great Cybertron Army Collection (1998)
*''Beast Wars: Super Lifeform Transformers Special'' — Great Destron Army Collection (1998)
*''Beast Wars: Super Lifeform Transformers'' — Great Quiz Collection (1999)
*''Beast Wars: Super Lifeform Transformers: Metals'' — We're Back! (1999)
*''Beast Wars: Super Lifeform Transformers: Metals'' — Convoy Reborn (1999)
*''Beast Wars: Super Lifeform Transformers: Metals'' — I Quit! (2000)
*''Beast Wars: Super Lifeform Transformers: Metals'' — Huh? The Face? (2000)
*''Beast Wars: Super Lifeform Transformers: Metals'' — I'm a Crab! (2000)
*''Beast Wars: Super Lifeform Transformers: Metals'' — I Do Love You! (2000)
*''Beast Wars: Super Lifeform Transformers: Metals'' — Groooww Bigger (2000)
*''Beast Wars: Super Lifeform Transformers: Metals'' — Rrray! (2000)
*''Beast Wars: Super Lifeform Transformers: Metals'' — The Movie (2000)
*''Beast Wars: Super Lifeform Transformers: Metals'' — Yeah, I'm Back! (2000)
*''Beast Wars: Super Lifeform Transformers: Metals'' — Love Typhoon (2000)
*''Beast Wars: Super Lifeform Transformers: Metals'' — Sssshiny! (2000)
*''Beast Wars: Super Lifeform Transformers: Metals'' — We Have Returned (2000)
*''Beast Wars: Super Lifeform Transformers: Metals'' — Happy? This Should Do It (2000)
[[Image:Pioneer BeastWars Laserdisc Box2.jpg|thumb|150px|]]
;Laserdisc
*''Beast Wars: Transformers'' — Maximal Edition (1998)
*''Beast Wars: Transformers'' — Predacon Edition (1998)
;DVD
*''Beast Wars: Transformers'' — DVD BOX (2000)
*''Beast Wars: Transformers: Metals'' — DVD BOX 1 (2000)
*''Beast Wars: Transformers: Metals'' — DVD BOX 2 (2000)
{{-}}

===United Kingdom===
{{main|Universal}}
Almost the entire run of the show ended up on VHS from 2000 to 2001, oddly missing "[[Aftermath]]" and "[[Optimal Situation]]". This time, cuts were gone! Characters could rightfully swear!
[[Image:UK Beast Wars Vol3 VHS.jpg|150px|thumb|Not featuring [[Razorclaw (BW)|Razorclaw]].]]
;VHS
*''Beast Wars: Transformers'' — Free Video (2000)
*''Beast Wars: Transformers'' — Vol. 1 (2000)
*''Beast Wars: Transformers'' — Vol. 2 (2000)
*''Beast Wars: Transformers'' — Vol. 3 (2000)
*''Beast Wars: Transformers'' — Vol. 4 (2000)
*''Beast Wars: Transformers'' — Vol. 5 (2001)
*''Beast Wars: Transformers'' — Vol. 6 (2001)
*''Beast Wars: Transformers'' — Vol. 7 (2001)
*''Beast Wars: Transformers'' — Vol. 8 (2001)
*''Beast Wars: Transformers'' — The Beginning: Vol. 1 (2001)
*''Beast Wars: Transformers'' — The Beginning: Vol. 2 (2001)
*''Beast Wars: Transformers'' — The Beginning: Vol. 3 (2001)
*''Beast Wars: Transformers'' — The Beginning: Vol. 4 (2001)
;DVD
*''Beast Wars: Transformers'' — Vol. 1 (2004)
*''Beast Wars: Transformers'' — Vol. 2 (2005)
{{-}}

===United States===
[[Image:Rhino BeastWars Vol1 DVD.jpg|thumb|100px|]]
{{main|Kid Rhino}}
*''Beast Wars: Transformers'' — Volume 1 (2002)
*''Beast Wars: Transformers'' — Volume 2 (2002)
*''Beast Wars: Transformers'' — The Complete First Season (2003)
*''Beast Wars: Transformers'' — The Complete Second Season (2004)
*''Beast Wars: Transformers'' — The Complete Third Season (2004)
{{-}}

===Australia and New Zealand===
{{main|Madman Entertainment}}
*''Beast Wars: Transformers'' — Season 1 (2006)
*''Beast Wars: Transformers'' — Season 2 (2006)
*''Beast Wars: Transformers'' — Season 3 (2006)
*''The Transformers: Beast Wars'' — Complete Collection (2009)
{{-}}

==Trivia==
* The first season of ''Beast Wars'' cost $18 million, according to [http://groups.google.com/group/alt.toys.transformers/browse_thread/thread/b334d45514e26ab4/bc8e54e9165e0823?hl=en&lnk=st&q=bob+forward+interview+inferno+megatron&rnum=1#bc8e54e9165e0823 a 1997 interview with Bob Forward].
* [http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/B-CLUB_%28%E6%A8%A1%E5%9E%8B%E9%9B%91%E8%AA%8C%29 B-Club magazine] erroneously claims that ''Beast Wars'' is the first fully CGI television show in the world, a title actually held by ''[[:wikipedia:Insektors|Insektors]]''. Mainframe's own CGI show ''[[wikipedia:ReBoot|ReBoot]]'' also predates ''Beast Wars''.
* The Production Designer for the show, [[Clyde Klotz]], won an Emmy for Outstanding Individual Achievement in Animation in 1997. How cool is that?

==See also==
*[[Dark Glass]] was an unproduced script intended for season 3.

[[Category:Beast Wars| Beast Wars (cartoon)]]
[[Category:Mainframe]]
[[Category:Television series]]

Beast Wars: Transformers (cartoon)

2010-05-28T07:57:57Z

222.155.126.22: /* Characters */

{{Nav-bw}}

Though [[Trukk not munky|reviled]] by many Transfans when it first hit the airwaves in 1996, the wholly-[[CGI]] '''''Beast Wars''''' is now considered by many to be among the finest examples of Transformers storytelling.

:''Canadian name:'' '''Beasties'''
:''Japanese name (season 1):'' '''Super Lifeform Transformers Beast Wars''' (超生命体トランスフォーマー　ビーストウォーズ, Chō Seimeitai Transformers Beast Wars)
:''Japanese name (season 2-3):'' '''Super Lifeform Transformers Beast Wars Metals''' (超生命体トランスフォーマー　ビーストウォーズ　メタルス, Chō Seimeitai Transformers Beast Wars Metals)
:''French name:'' '''Animutants'''
:''French name (Canada):'' '''Robots-Bêtes'''
:''Italian name:'' '''Biocombat'''
:''Latin-American name:'' '''Guerra de Bestias'''
:''Polish name:'' '''Kosmiczne Wojny''' ("Cosmic Wars")
:''Russian name:'' '''Voyni Zverey''' (Войны зверей, "Wars of the Beasts")
:''Vietnamese name:'' '''Chiến tranh quái vật vũ trụ''' ("Galaxy Monster Wars")

==Overview==
The series opens at an unspecified time and place, where two warring factions of robots have crashed on a strange planet populated by animals like those on [[Earth]]. The planet abounds in mystery, with vast deposits of raw [[Energon (fuel)|Energon]] and evidence of [[Vok|alien]] activity. The Energon forces the newly arrived Transformers to take on protective beast forms to shield themselves from the ambient Energon radiation. And so begin the [[Beast Wars (event)|Beast Wars]]...

[[Image:Beastwarsmaxgroup.jpg|left|300px|thumb|Rattrap and Airazor conspire to ruin school picture day.]]
Though at first the show seemed to be in an entirely separate continuity, by the end of the first season's 26 episodes, viewers had been treated to a number of classical Transformers references, such as [[Unicron]] and even the reappearance of [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]], last seen as a ghost in the third season of [[The Transformers (cartoon)|the original cartoon]]. These ties to the original story increased as the second season progressed and the planet was revealed as prehistoric Earth, the characters having been thrown back in time. The third season was entirely structured around the [[Maximal]]s defending their dormant [[Autobot]] ancestors aboard the ancient crashed [[Ark (G1)|Ark]].

The show won over many viewers through fun, intriguing stories and generally high production values. Strong characterization, top-notch scripting and voice acting, and complex, overarching plot threads are among the reasons cited for the show's enduring popularity. Some of the show's mysteries and machinations remain topics for fan debate over a decade after it aired.

The show's CGI, though somewhat primitive by today's standards, was revolutionary by television standards of the time (and puts [[Energon (cartoon)|some later shows]] to [[Cybertron (cartoon)|shame]]). Mainframe's animators took pains to ensure their characters gestured and emoted in great detail, and the "camera" work often took creative advantage of the format's flexibility.

The show was immediately followed by a sequel series, ''[[Beast Machines (cartoon)|Beast Machines]]''.
{{-}}

==Episodes==
{{main|List of Beast Wars episodes}}

''Beast Wars'' has had 52 episodes over 3 seasons.

===Season 1: 1996–1997===
{{columnlist|4|
# [[Beast Wars (Part 1)]]
# [[Beast Wars (Part 2)]]
# [[The Web]]
# [[Equal Measures]]
# [[Chain of Command]]
# [[Power Surge]]
# [[Fallen Comrades]]
# [[Double Jeopardy]]
# [[A Better Mousetrap]]
# [[Gorilla Warfare]]
# [[The Probe]]
# [[Victory (episode)|Victory]]
# [[Dark Designs (episode)|Dark Designs]]
# [[Double Dinobot]]
# [[The Spark]]
# [[The Trigger, Part 1]]
# [[The Trigger, Part 2]]
# [[Spider's Game]]
# [[Call of the Wild]]
# [[Dark Voyage]]
# [[Possession]]
# [[The Low Road]]
# [[Law of the Jungle]]
# [[Before the Storm]]
# [[Other Voices, Part 1]]
# [[Other Voices, Part 2]]}}

===Season 2: 1997–1998===
{{columnlist|4|
# [[Aftermath]]
# [[Coming of the Fuzors (Part 1)]]
# [[Coming of the Fuzors (Part 2)]]
# [[Tangled Web]]
# [[Maximal, No More]]
# [[Other Visits (Part 1)]]
# [[Other Visits (Part 2)]]
# [[Bad Spark]]
# [[Code of Hero]]
# [[Transmutate (episode)|Transmutate]]
# [[The Agenda (Part 1)]]
# [[The Agenda (Part 2)]]
# [[The Agenda (Part III)]]}}

===Season 3: 1998–1999===
{{columnlist|4|
# [[Optimal Situation]]
# [[Deep Metal]]
# [[Changing of the Guard]]
# [[Cutting Edge]]
# [[Feral Scream Part 1]]
# [[Feral Scream Part 2]]
# [[Proving Grounds]]
# [[Go with the Flow]]
# [[Crossing the Rubicon]]
# [[Master Blaster]]
# [[Other Victories]]
# [[Nemesis Part 1]]
# [[Nemesis Part 2]]}}

==Characters==
Because developing new CGI character models was, at the time, an expensive and time-consuming process, the number of on-screen characters in ''Beast Wars'' was relatively small compared to most other ''Transformers'' shows. It is thus practical to list all the Transformers who appeared in the cartoon. They are listed in order of appearance. (The [[stasis lock]]ed [[Autobot]]s and [[Decepticon]]s aboard the [[Ark (G1)|Ark]] are not on this list.) Note that many characters besides these are also full-fledged ''Beast Wars'' characters, having appeared in other media.
[[Image:BW Maximals.jpg|left|200px|thumb|Time for Rattrap to lead.]]
[[Image:BW Predacons.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Waspinator is loved by fans.]]

{{-}}

{{featuredcharacters
|h1=[[Maximal]]s|c1=
*[[Optimus Primal]] ([[Garry Chalk]])
*[[Rattrap]] ([[Scott McNeil]])
*[[Rhinox (BW)|Rhinox]] ([[Richard Newman]])
*[[Cheetor (BW)|Cheetor]] ([[Ian James Corlett]])
*[[Dinobot (BW)|Dinobot]]* ([[Scott McNeil]])
*[[Tigatron]] ([[Blu Mankuma]])
*[[Airazor (BW)|Airazor]] ([[Pauline Newstone]])
*[[Silverbolt (BW)|Silverbolt]] ([[Scott McNeil]])
*[[Depth Charge (BW)|Depth Charge]] ([[David Sobolov]])
*[[Tigerhawk]] ([[Blu Mankuma]])
|h2=[[Predacon (BW)|Predacons]]|c2=
*[[Megatron (BW)|Megatron]] ([[David Kaye]])
*[[Scorponok (BW)|Scorponok]] ([[Don Brown]])
*[[Tarantulas]] ([[Alec Willows]])
*[[Terrorsaur (BW)|Terrorsaur]] ([[Doug Parker]])
*[[Waspinator (BW)|Waspinator]] ([[Scott McNeil]])
*[[Blackarachnia (BW)|Blackarachnia]]† ([[Venus Terzo]])
*[[Inferno (BW)|Inferno]] ([[Jim Byrnes]])
*[[Quickstrike (BW)|Quickstrike]] ([[Colin Murdoch]])
*[[Rampage (BW)|Rampage]] ([[Campbell Lane]])
*[[Ravage (G1)|Ravage]] ([[Lee Tockar]])
*[[Dinobot II]] ([[Scott McNeil]])
===Tripredacus Council===
*[[Ram Horn]] ([[Lee Tockar]])
*[[Sea Clamp]] ([[Ian Corlett]])
*[[Cicadacon]] ([[Scott McNeil]])

|c4=
'''[[Protohuman]]s'''
*[[Leader Neanderthal]] ([[Garry Chalk]])
*[[Chak]]
*[[Una]] ([[Susan Blu]])
'''[[Decepticon]]s
*[[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]] ([[Doug Parker]])
*[[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]] ([[Gary Chalk]])

|nonumbering=true
}}
<nowiki>*</nowiki> Allied with the Maximals, nominally a Predacon.

† Became a Maximal towards the end of the series.

==International releases==
===Japan===
In Japan the show was split into 2 separate 26 episode series, ''Beast Wars'' which aired in 1997 (consisting of Canadian season 1) and ''Beast Wars Metals'' which aired in 1999 (consisting of Canadian seasons 2 and 3). The ''Beast Wars Metals'' series featured two additional clip shows:

*Episode 14: "[[Where Is the Banana?]]"
*Episode 26: "[[Remix: I Lost the Banana!]]"

Japan crafted two separate theatrical releases, the first being "[[Beast Wars Special Super Lifeform Transformers]]" (premiering the episode "[[Bad Spark]]" as well as two other segments) and a triple feature of short animated films based on [[TakaraTomy|Takara]] toylines (premiering the episode "[[Cutting Edge]]"). Since these episodes were released theatrically, they are not included in the show's proper 26 episode list, with their places being taken by the pair of aforementioned clip shows.

Additionally, for whatever reason, the Japanese dub of ''Beast Wars'' and ''Beast Wars Metals'' notoriously chose to turn the series into a goofy comedy show with lots of fourth-wall humor and a relentless string of over-the-top and in-your-face jokes, even at the most ''inappropriate'' of moments. This was the work of [[Iwanami Yoshikazu]], director of the Japanese ''Beast Wars'' series.

Some examples include:
* The beginning of every episode would start with one of the characters asking a ridiculous question and receiving equally ridiculous answers (Optimus Primal asking "Where is my banana", for instance) before segueing into the [[War War! Stop It|opening rap theme]] by [[Banana Ice]]. (On that music note, "[[For the Dream|FOR THE DREAM]]" is the closing song, while "[[Hello! Toughness]]" was the ending song for the special "[[Clash! Beast Warriors]]".)
* An attempt was made to ensure that nary a moment went by in which at least ''one'' character wasn't talking. Dramatic silences and subtle jokes involving body language or facial expressions were killed with meaningless, prattling dialogue and corny jokes. Characters could even be heard talking when their lips were visibly ''not moving at all''. Even in close ups. Perhaps worst of all, a "gag" that ran through the course of the entire series featured each character "making noises" every single time they fired their weapon. For instance, Rattrap would make a sound along the likes of "pikyuu!" every time he fired. Every. Single. Time.
* Rattrap would constantly break the fourth wall by "smelling" what the audience was eating and make gluttonous comments.
* Many characters received completely new personalities that were polar opposites to their Western interpretation (Depth Charge enjoyed singing folk songs while Megatron became a flamboyant madman that shrieked like a little girl at the sight of danger). A character had their gender altered (poor, poor Airazor).
* Clip shows would feature the characters interacting in silly situations such as game shows and contests (in one instance, Megatron acted as judge in a celebrity impersonation contest).

While many long-time ''Transformers'' fans in Japan reviled this dub (including [[Hirofumi Ichikawa]]) it remained a hit with its target audience: young children. At any rate, this version of ''Beast Wars'' was popular enough to spawn two equally goofy-natured spin-offs, ''[[Beast Wars II (cartoon)|Beast Wars II]]'' and ''[[Beast Wars Neo (cartoon)|Beast Wars Neo]]'', and two Japanese-exclusive theatrical releases.

===United Kingdom===
When originally aired on GMTV in the United Kingdom, ''Beast Wars'' was only screened on school holidays, usually in double bills on Bank Holidays, and one episode per morning on half-term weeks, meaning that only a few episodes were shown a year, with wide gulfs in between (most prominently, ''three months'' passed between the airings of "Other Visits" parts [[Other Visits (Part 1)|1]] and [[Other Visits (Part 2)|2]]). In a sign of things to come, "[[Beast Wars (Part 1)]]" was shown some 25 minutes earlier than billed due to re-scheduled news reports, meaning many fans missed the entire opening episode. Things went from bad to worse when "[[Equal Measures]]" was skipped, and only continued when, after "[[Victory (episode)|Victory]]", the series skipped directly to "[[Other Voices, Part 1]]". The entirety of the second season followed the conclusion of the first, but the channel never aired the third season; although it was subsequently released on VHS, the cliffhanger-resolving "[[Optimal Situation]]" was only available as a free gift with purchase at [[Toys"R"Us]].

Additionally, these GMTV airings were modified in various ways. The first and most foremost alteration was the removal of the word "Transformers" from the series' title, which was only reinstated with "[[Other Voices, Part 1]]". With regard to the actual content, the earliest episodes generally had nothing more extreme than the removal of uses of the word "[[Slag (slang)|slag]]" (as it is effectively a synonym for "slut" in English slang), but with the beginning of the second season, edits were steadily made to episodes for no readily apparent reasons. Additionally, any scenes featuring flashing images were routinely put through a filter that slowed such scenes down to comical levels. This culminated in a butchered version of "[[The Agenda (Part 1)|The Agenda]]", which snipped out many short scenes throughout all three episodes for no reason, from inconsequential moments like Tarantulas cackling and driving out of his lab in Part 1, to key scenes such as Silverbolt and Optimus Primal's "office talk" in Part 2, and in what was the last straw for many fans, the complete second half of [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]]'s speech (''the part explaining [[Megatron (BW)|Megatron]]'s entire motivation''), also from Part 2.

During the time they had the rights to the series, GMTV also showed the entirety of seasons one and two on the then cable-only channel ITV 2.

Channel 5, a terrestrial channel, showed the entire series in its complete form in 2003. Thankfully. This got rerun too, leading to the ''Beast Wars'' comics getting [[Transformers (Titan Magazine)|used as reprints in Titan's Movie-based comic]].

===France===
In France and (French) Belgium, the show was called "Animutants" and had a good-quality dubbing, rather close to the original voices. (The Dutch-speaking territory kept the original English dub.) But while the first two seasons of the show were aired, the third one never was; the show always ended with "[[The Agenda (Part III)]]", leaving the viewers in the area with the worst case of cliffhanger ever.

===Vietnam===
In Vietnam, the show was called "Chiến tranh quái vật vũ trụ" (Galaxy Monster Wars). The show was released on VHS tapes with a very good Vietnamese dub, then it was copied to VCD. Unfortunately, as happened in France, only the first two seasons were aired. It ended with "[[The Agenda (Part III)]]", and left the fans with a cliffhanger.

===Germany===
The German dub used the original title, ''Beast Wars'''. The show was initially very successful on the TV Station RTL2 and was released on VHS. However, only the first season was shown and dubbed. Furthermore, the TV broadcast had many fight scenes censored to comply with Germany's strict laws against TV violence; however, the VHS Release was uncut. After many reruns the show was cancelled and the second and third Season were never shown in Germany.

==Home video releases==
===Canada===
{{main|Alliance Atlantis}}
[[Image:Alliance Beast Wars Vol1 DVD.jpg|thumb|150px|]]
;VHS
*''Beast Wars'' — A Feature Length Beasties Adventure (1996)
*''Robots-Bêtes'' — Une Adventure Cybernetique (1996)
*''Beast Wars'' — Beasties Escape (1998)
*''Robots-Bêtes'' — L'Évasion (1998)
*''Beast Wars'' — Warning from Space (1998)
*''Robots-Bêtes'' — Alert Dans L'Espace (1998)
*''Beast Wars'' / ''Robots-Bêtes'' Three pack (1998)
*''Beast Wars'' — Optimus Lives! (1998)
*''Robots-Bêtes'' — L'Empreinte D'Optimus (1998)
;DVD
*''Beast Wars'' — Classic Episodes — Where the Beasties Began! (2005)
*''Beast Wars'' — Classic Episodes: Volume 2 — The Saga Continues! (2005)
*''Beast Wars'' — Classic Episodes: Volume 3 — The Battle Rages On! (2005)
*''Beast Wars'' — Classic Episodes: Volume 4 — The Predacons Advance! (2005)
*''Beast Wars'' — The Complete First Season (2005)
{{-}}

===Japan===
{{main|Geneon Universal Entertainment}}
[[Pioneer]]'s Japanese DVD sets of the series come with optional English language dialogue with Japanese subtitles, allowing fans in Japan to view the more serious version of the show if desired.
;VHS
*''Beast Wars: Super Lifeform Transformers'' — Enter the Super Lifeform Transformers (1997)
*''Beast Wars: Super Lifeform Transformers'' — Cheetus' Crisis (1997)
*''Beast Wars: Super Lifeform Transformers'' — Convoy Disappeared (1998)
*''Beast Wars: Super Lifeform Transformers'' — Lonely Warrior Tigatron (1998)
*''Beast Wars: Super Lifeform Transformers'' — New Weapon of Terror (1998)
*''Beast Wars: Super Lifeform Transformers'' — Goodbye Rattle!? (1998)
*''Beast Wars: Super Lifeform Transformers'' — Floating Island Deathmatch (1998)
*''Beast Wars: Super Lifeform Transformers'' — The Destrons Make Drama (1998)
*''Beast Wars: Super Lifeform Transformers'' — There are 2 Dinobots? (1998)
*''Beast Wars: Super Lifeform Transformers'' — Resurrected Beast Power (1998)
*''Beast Wars: Super Lifeform Transformers'' — Starscream's Invulnerability (1998)
*''Beast Wars: Super Lifeform Transformers'' — Farewell Tigatron (1998)
*''Beast Wars: Super Lifeform Transformers'' — To Protect the Peace... (1998)
*''Beast Wars: Super Lifeform Transformers Special'' — Great Cybertron Army Collection (1998)
*''Beast Wars: Super Lifeform Transformers Special'' — Great Destron Army Collection (1998)
*''Beast Wars: Super Lifeform Transformers'' — Great Quiz Collection (1999)
*''Beast Wars: Super Lifeform Transformers: Metals'' — We're Back! (1999)
*''Beast Wars: Super Lifeform Transformers: Metals'' — Convoy Reborn (1999)
*''Beast Wars: Super Lifeform Transformers: Metals'' — I Quit! (2000)
*''Beast Wars: Super Lifeform Transformers: Metals'' — Huh? The Face? (2000)
*''Beast Wars: Super Lifeform Transformers: Metals'' — I'm a Crab! (2000)
*''Beast Wars: Super Lifeform Transformers: Metals'' — I Do Love You! (2000)
*''Beast Wars: Super Lifeform Transformers: Metals'' — Groooww Bigger (2000)
*''Beast Wars: Super Lifeform Transformers: Metals'' — Rrray! (2000)
*''Beast Wars: Super Lifeform Transformers: Metals'' — The Movie (2000)
*''Beast Wars: Super Lifeform Transformers: Metals'' — Yeah, I'm Back! (2000)
*''Beast Wars: Super Lifeform Transformers: Metals'' — Love Typhoon (2000)
*''Beast Wars: Super Lifeform Transformers: Metals'' — Sssshiny! (2000)
*''Beast Wars: Super Lifeform Transformers: Metals'' — We Have Returned (2000)
*''Beast Wars: Super Lifeform Transformers: Metals'' — Happy? This Should Do It (2000)
[[Image:Pioneer BeastWars Laserdisc Box2.jpg|thumb|150px|]]
;Laserdisc
*''Beast Wars: Transformers'' — Maximal Edition (1998)
*''Beast Wars: Transformers'' — Predacon Edition (1998)
;DVD
*''Beast Wars: Transformers'' — DVD BOX (2000)
*''Beast Wars: Transformers: Metals'' — DVD BOX 1 (2000)
*''Beast Wars: Transformers: Metals'' — DVD BOX 2 (2000)
{{-}}

===United Kingdom===
{{main|Universal}}
Almost the entire run of the show ended up on VHS from 2000 to 2001, oddly missing "[[Aftermath]]" and "[[Optimal Situation]]". This time, cuts were gone! Characters could rightfully swear!
[[Image:UK Beast Wars Vol3 VHS.jpg|150px|thumb|Not featuring [[Razorclaw (BW)|Razorclaw]].]]
;VHS
*''Beast Wars: Transformers'' — Free Video (2000)
*''Beast Wars: Transformers'' — Vol. 1 (2000)
*''Beast Wars: Transformers'' — Vol. 2 (2000)
*''Beast Wars: Transformers'' — Vol. 3 (2000)
*''Beast Wars: Transformers'' — Vol. 4 (2000)
*''Beast Wars: Transformers'' — Vol. 5 (2001)
*''Beast Wars: Transformers'' — Vol. 6 (2001)
*''Beast Wars: Transformers'' — Vol. 7 (2001)
*''Beast Wars: Transformers'' — Vol. 8 (2001)
*''Beast Wars: Transformers'' — The Beginning: Vol. 1 (2001)
*''Beast Wars: Transformers'' — The Beginning: Vol. 2 (2001)
*''Beast Wars: Transformers'' — The Beginning: Vol. 3 (2001)
*''Beast Wars: Transformers'' — The Beginning: Vol. 4 (2001)
;DVD
*''Beast Wars: Transformers'' — Vol. 1 (2004)
*''Beast Wars: Transformers'' — Vol. 2 (2005)
{{-}}

===United States===
[[Image:Rhino BeastWars Vol1 DVD.jpg|thumb|100px|]]
{{main|Kid Rhino}}
*''Beast Wars: Transformers'' — Volume 1 (2002)
*''Beast Wars: Transformers'' — Volume 2 (2002)
*''Beast Wars: Transformers'' — The Complete First Season (2003)
*''Beast Wars: Transformers'' — The Complete Second Season (2004)
*''Beast Wars: Transformers'' — The Complete Third Season (2004)
{{-}}

===Australia and New Zealand===
{{main|Madman Entertainment}}
*''Beast Wars: Transformers'' — Season 1 (2006)
*''Beast Wars: Transformers'' — Season 2 (2006)
*''Beast Wars: Transformers'' — Season 3 (2006)
*''The Transformers: Beast Wars'' — Complete Collection (2009)
{{-}}

==Trivia==
* The first season of ''Beast Wars'' cost $18 million, according to [http://groups.google.com/group/alt.toys.transformers/browse_thread/thread/b334d45514e26ab4/bc8e54e9165e0823?hl=en&lnk=st&q=bob+forward+interview+inferno+megatron&rnum=1#bc8e54e9165e0823 a 1997 interview with Bob Forward].
* [http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/B-CLUB_%28%E6%A8%A1%E5%9E%8B%E9%9B%91%E8%AA%8C%29 B-Club magazine] erroneously claims that ''Beast Wars'' is the first fully CGI television show in the world, a title actually held by ''[[:wikipedia:Insektors|Insektors]]''. Mainframe's own CGI show ''[[wikipedia:ReBoot|ReBoot]]'' also predates ''Beast Wars''.
* The Production Designer for the show, [[Clyde Klotz]], won an Emmy for Outstanding Individual Achievement in Animation in 1997. How cool is that?

==See also==
*[[Dark Glass]] was an unproduced script intended for season 3.

[[Category:Beast Wars| Beast Wars (cartoon)]]
[[Category:Mainframe]]
[[Category:Television series]]

Spike Witwicky (G1)

2010-05-28T06:08:55Z

222.155.126.22:

{{factions|{{factions/icons|custom=Symbol autobot reg.png|cLink=Honorary Autobot}}|autobot|autobotg2}}
{{disambig3|Spike Witwicky}}

:''Spike [[Witwicky]] is an [[Autobot|Autobot]]-allied [[human]] and Autobot [[Headmaster]] ([[The Rebirth]] only) from the [[Generation 1 (franchise)|Generation 1]] [[continuity family]].''

[[Image:Spikewitwickyg1.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Wait till you see my sweet future jumpsuit!]]
'''Spike Witwicky''' is the oldest (and sometimes only) son of [[Sparkplug Witwicky]].

Spike, like most Witwickys, has a tendency to form close bonds to the Autobots and become one of their main human allies. 'Cause let's face it, there are advantages when your best friend is [[Bumblebee (G1)|a car]].

:''Malay-English name:'' '''Sparkle''' ([[Omni Productions]] dub)
:''Hungarian name'': '''Csuka''' ("Pike", ''The Movie'' dub)

==Fiction==
===Generation 1 cartoon continuity===
====''The Transformers'' cartoon====
:''Voice actor:'' [[Corey Burton]] (English), [[Show Hayami]] (Japanese, ''Fight! Super Robot Lifeform''), [[Masashi Ebara]] (Japanese, ''The Movie'', ''Transformers 2010''), [[Ochiai Hiroharu]] (Japanese, ''The Rebirth''), [[Wolfgang Mascher]] (German; Generation 1), [[Dirk Meyer]] (German; ''Generation 2''), [[Crock Krumbiegel]] (German; ''The Movie'')

[[Image:Mtmte2_witiwickys_saved.jpg|left|thumb|220px|This isn't what they meant by "bodyboarding", Prime...]]

In 1984, the fourteen-year-old Spike was working on an oil rig with his father [[Sparkplug Witwicky|Sparkplug]] when his life was turned upside-down by the arrival of the [[Decepticon]]s. The evil robots began attacking the rig and terrorizing the workers; when Spike tried vainly to save his father from the clutches of [[Rumble (G1)|Rumble]], he was swatted away by the Decepticon and fell in the ocean. Sparkplug broke free from Rumble's grip a second later and leapt in after him, and as the two Witwickys floated in the brine, the [[Autobot]]s arrived to stop the Decepticons' evildoing. To cover the villains' escape, [[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Megatron]] collapsed the oil rig, imprisoning Spike and Sparkplug beneath a metal lattice with fire creeping towards them. {{storylink|More than Meets the Eye, Part 1}} Autobot leader [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] freed the two humans and brought them to safety, and in reciprocation, Spike and his father offered to serve as the Autobots' guides to [[Earth]] and allies in the fight against the Decepticons.

[[Image:Mtmte2 spike finds soundwave.jpg|right|thumb|220px]]

While returning to the Autobots' base after writing the latest entry in his journal, Spike stumbled across a sweet discarded cassette player, which he brought back to the base with him. After quizzing [[Trailbreaker (G1)|Trailbreaker]], [[Hound (G1)|Hound]] and [[Mirage (G1)|Mirage]] on the Autobots' various special abilities, Spike took Hound up on his offer for a joyride through the desert, leaving the tape player behind. When he returned, however, he was horrified to discover that the device had been the Decepticon [[Soundwave (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Soundwave]] in disguise, and that he had downloaded much secret information from [[Teletraan I (G1)|Teletraan I]]. Using that information, the Decepticons soon struck [[Sherman Dam]], and when the Autobots tried to stop them, Hound was buried under a pile of rocks, deep in the river, by Rumble. Spike dived in to save him, but once he had done so, he then had to be saved by Hound, who gave him CPR.

[[Image:Mtmte2 witwickys and trailbreaker.jpg|left|thumb|220px]]

While out scanning for Decepticon transmissions with Trailbreaker, Spike and his father learned that Megatron was planning to hit the [[Ruby Crystal Mines of Burma]], and the Autobots mobilized to confront them. {{storylink|More than Meets the Eye, Part 2}} Soon after, when the Autobots learned that the Decepticons were poised to return to Cybertron, Spike and Sparkplug volunteered to stop them before they could depart aboard their [[Revenge (G1)|space cruiser]]. During the subsequent battle, Spike threw a rock that dislodged [[Starscream (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Starscream]]'s [[null-ray]]. Eventually, the threat of the Decepticons was believed ended when their space cruiser crashed in the ocean. {{storylink|More than Meets the Eye, Part 3}}

[[Image:Transporttooblivion captive spike.jpg|right|thumb|220px]]

Several months later, the Decepticons resurfaced with a plan to create an intergalactic transportation system known as a "[[space bridge]]". Spike was chilling with [[Jazz (G1)|Jazz]] when the villains struck a solar power plant, knocking out power across the city. When Optimus Prime charged [[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]] with spying on the Decepticons to learn their plan, Spike requested that he be allowed to accompany the small Autobot, beginning a long-standing friendship between the two. Unfortunately, this first mission together did not go very well, as Spike was captured by the Decepticons and almost used as a guinea pig for the first test run of the space bridge, but was thankfully saved at the last second by Optimus Prime and Bumblebee. {{storylink|Transport to Oblivion}}

Spike's friend [[Chip Chase]] brought Spike and Bumblebee on a visit to the laboratory of [[Doctor Alcazar]], with whom he was working on an [[antimatter]] formula. [[Laserbeak (G1)|Laserbeak]] attacked the trio as they were leaving the lab, and although they were able to escape, the Decepticons returned to capture Chip in his home. Spike, Bumblebee, Hound and Mirage teamed up to rescue Chip, but the Decepticons were still able to acquire the antimatter formula. In the battle that resulted, [[Skywarp (G1)|Skywarp]] was wielding the antimatter-powered Megatron when Spike bravely attacked his leg with a pneumatic drill. Skywarp seized the boy, but this gave Chip the distraction he needed to plant an override device on the Decepticon's leg, allowing [[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]] to control Skywarp's motor relays remotely, tipping the scales of the battle in the Autobots' favor. {{storylink|Roll for It}}

[[Image:Divideandconquer spike grabs gun.jpg|left|thumb|220px]]

Spike was helping Optimus Prime search for the newest location of the Decepticons' space bridge when a distress call from Chip summoned them to a munitions plant under Decepticon attack. Prime was fatally wounded in the subsequent battle, forcing Chip and a team of Autobots to head to Cybertron to recover a replacement [[cosmotron]] for his systems. In their absence, the Decepticons attacked Autobot Headquarters, and the leaderless Autobots could not muster the courage to fight. Claiming that this was not what Prime would have wanted, Spike seized Jazz's pistol and announced that he would fight the battle himself if he had to, his bravery galvanizing the other Autobots into action. During the fight, the Cybertron team returned with the cosmotron, restoring Prime, who defeated Megatron and won the day. {{storylink|Divide and Conquer}}

A freak snowstorm in the desert around Autobot Headquarters gave Spike cause for celebration, as he introduced the Autobots to the wonders of a snowball fight. When the unnatural weather was discovered to be the product of a Decepticon plot at the North Pole, Spike and his father headed to the Arctic Circle with the Autobots. There, the two humans were captured by the Decepticons' newest recruit [[Jetfire (G1)|Skyfire]], but they could see that his heart wasn't in the evil robots' scheme, and he soon switched sides. {{storylink|Fire in the Sky}}

[[Image:Fireonthemountain spike and luisa.jpg|right|thumb|220px|It's the pink interior that makes Spike such a [[Ladiesman217|Ladiesman]].]]

When the Autobots discovered a cavern full of [[dinosaur]] bones behind their Headquarters, Spike educated them on the ancient reptiles, and helped design the robotic "[[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobots]]" that Optimus Prime decided to have created based on Spike's stories. {{storylink|S.O.S. Dinobots}} Later, he and Bumblebee headed to South America to investigate a Decepticon scheme in Peru, where he got cosy with a native girl named [[Luisa]] after he saved her life. Luisa led them to the temple the Decepticons were using as a base, where Spike discovered and repaired the captive Skyfire. {{storylink|Fire on the Mountain}}

After he and Chip helped the Autobots create two more Dinobots, {{storylink|War of the Dinobots}} Spike faced his greatest challenge yet when he saw his father abducted by the Decepticons. The Autobots quickly enacted a rescue plan, but Spike soon realized that his father was not in his right mind when he discovered that he was responsible for sabotaging Teletraan I and the Autobots' weapons. In truth, a [[hypno-chip]] had transformed Sparkplug into a mind-controlled Decepticon slave! {{storylink|The Ultimate Doom, Part 1}}

[[Image:Tud hypnochipped sparkplug.jpg|left|thumb|220px]]

Concurrently, the Decepticons activated a massive space bridge that teleported the entire planet [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] into Earth's orbit, causing massive natural disasters that Spike and the Autobots were also forced to contend with. Discovering that his father had been taken to Cybertron, Spike insisted that Optimus Prime allow him and a team of Autobots to go to the planet and find him. Navigating traps and ventilation shafts, Spike, Bumblebee and [[Brawn (G1)|Brawn]] made their way to [[Decepticon Headquarters (Cybertron)|Decepticon Headquarters]], where Spike confronted his father in hopes of bringing him to his sense. {{storylink|The Ultimate Doom, Part 2}} Unfortunately, Sparkplug instead triggered an alarm that brought the Decepticons running, forcing Spike and the Autobots to flee and take refuge in [[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]]'s old laboratory. There, Wheeljack analyzed a computer disk stolen from Decepticon Headquarters by Bumblebee and created a device to undo the hypno-chips' effects. Spike served as bait to lure the Decepticons and Sparkplug out so that the device could be tested, and although he was nearly shot by his brainwashed father, Wheeljack's counter-weapon succeeded, freeing Sparkplug from Decepticon control. The Autobots and Witwickys headed back to Earth, where Spike hit on the idea to blow up the Decepticons' stockpile of [[energon cube]]s in order to blast Cybertron out of Earth orbit. {{storylink|The Ultimate Doom, Part 3}}

[[Image:AutobotSpike-AutobotXTabled.jpg|right|thumb|220px]]

Spike traveled with the Autobots to [[Bali]] to battle the newest Decepticons, the [[Insecticon (G1)|Insecticons]], and was the one who came up with the idea to use Trailbreaker's forcefield to block [[Shrapnel (G1)|Shrapnel]]'s clone beams. {{storylink|A Plague of Insecticons}} Soon after, Spike was among the spectators of a mighty one-on-one battle between Optimus Prime and Megatron, which ended with Prime's defeat. When Megatron was revealed to have cheated by combining all the powers of the Decepticons together, the Autobots overturned the result of the fight and sent the Decepticons tumbling into a river of lava. Spike wondered if this was truly the end of the Transformers' war, but Optimus Prime was uncertain. {{storylink|Heavy Metal War}}

[[Image:Autobotspike spike and bee.jpg|left|thumb|220px]]

When Spike was grievously injured by Megatron in a Decepticon attack, the Autobots had to figure out a way to remove his mind from his body so that life-saving surgery could be performed. The process was carried out using [[Autobot X]], a [[Doctor Frankenstein|Frankenstein]]-like robot created by Sparkplug from various Autobot spare parts, but the unstable robot body clouded Spike's mind. He began rampaging, and eventually fled Autobot Headquarters, at which point he was approached by Megatron, who manipulated him into allying with the Decepticons against his friends. Only after nearly killing his father did Spike come to his senses, and turned on the Decepticons, after which his mind was subsequently transferred back into his body. {{storylink|Autobot Spike}}

Spike was instrumental in saving [[New York City]] from Decepticon domination when he and Bumblebee infiltrated Megatron's command post and goaded him into destroying his own weapons control console, {{storylink|City of Steel}} after which he had to fight against his friends when the Autobots fell under the influence of a Decepticon [[personality destabilizer device]]. {{storylink|Attack of the Autobots}}

[[Image:Arcade Hahaha.jpg|right|thumb|220px]]

While on a run to pick up a [[polarizer]] for Wheeljack's new [[Immobilizer]] invention, Spike and Bumblebee stopped off at the [[Robots Video Arcade]], where Spike was approached by an older girl named [[Carly]]. When it turned out that all she wanted was to be introduced to Bumblebee, however, Spike excused himself and his Autobot buddy, and they had an eventful journey back to the base, enduring a policeman who questioned Spike's driving age and a surprise attack by [[Ravage (G1)|Ravage]]. Carly trailed them back, and then helped them out in their mission to reclaim the stolen Immobilizer from the Decepticons. At the adventure's end, Spike invited Carly out for a chocolate soda, beginning a romance between the two teens. {{storylink|The Immobilizer}}

When Spike and Chip came up with the idea of the Autobots racing for charity, they could never have predicted that the Decepticons would use it as an opportunity to trap the heroic robots in their vehicle modes with their new [[Transfixatron]]. Wheeljack and [[Ratchet (G1)|Ratchet]] managed to escape the paralyzing device's influence and created a grenade to undo its effects, and Chip and Spikec outran Soundwave and his cassettes to detonate it in the Autobots' midst and save them. {{storylink|The Autobot Run}}

[[Image:Spike SemiNude.jpg|left|150px|thumb|We have hereby filled our beefcake quota for this Wiki. Move along.]]

After a lesson in how to play football, Spike went with a team of Autobots to investigate the underwater city of [[Sub-Atlantica]], and told them of the legend of [[Atlantis]] that was potentially inspired by it. {{storylink|Atlantis, Arise!}} Later, while investigating a Decepticon oil pumping platform, Spike was captured alongside Skyfire and Hound, but was able to effect their release by incapacitating their Decepticon guards with an electro-magnet. {{storylink|Day of the Machines}} Later still, Spike told the Autobots about ninjas when he attended the unveiling of [[Nightbird (G1)|Nightbird]]. {{storylink|Enter the Nightbird}}

When a mysterious second [[Optimus Prime clone|Optimus Prime]] appeared while the Autobots were investigating a crevice of [[korlonium crystal]]s, Spike proposed a series of tests to determine which was the real one. The tests failed, but the impostor Prime was revealed when he displayed no concern for Spike after the boy was captured by Megatron. His deception revealed, Megatron hurled Spike through the air to cover his retreat, but he was safely rescued by [[Powerglide (G1)|Powerglide]]. {{storylink|A Prime Problem}} Soon after, Spike joined the Autobots in battling the super-powered Insecticons, and bravely climbed Shrapnel's body to deliver by hand the antidote that stopped his over-charged frame from exploding. {{storylink|The Insecticon Syndrome}}

[[Image:Dinobotisland_ham_on_his_eggs.jpg|right|thumb|220px]]

The Autobots' discovery of a mysterious prehistoric island where dinosaurs still lived was a dream come true for Spike, and he christened the lost world "[[Dinobot Island (G1)|Dinobot Island]]" when Powerglide and the Dinobots took him there. After some perilous encounters with the local wildlife, however, Spike decided he would limit his dinosaur experiences to reading about them in [[Ere Cenozoique Periode Tertiaire|books]]. Powerglide returned Spike home, but while he and Bumblebee headed to the library, the Decepticons arrived on Dinobot Island and began draining its many sources of energy. This caused a series of time warps to open all over the world, including one that disgorged barbarians and woolly mammoths right into Spike and Bumblebee's path! The time-tossed creatures collapsed a building on top of the duo, {{storylink|Dinobot Island, Part 1}} but Bumblebee shielded Spike with his body, and the other Autobots soon arrived to dig them out and send the unwelcome visitors back through the time warp. {{storylink|Dinobot Island, Part 2}} A little later, Spike taught Optimus Prime how to play basketball. {{storylink|The Master Builders}}

[[Image:Masterplan_spike_cornered.jpg|left|thumb|220px]]

Spike believed it was "about time" when the mayor of [[Central City (G1)|Central City]] decided to honor the Autobots with a holiday dedicated to them, but he was horrified when mayoral rival [[Shawn Berger]] interrupted the ceremony with a tape given to him by Megatron that framed the Autobots for energy theft. Naturally, Spike, his father and Chip were not fooled by the bogus footage, but unfortunately, they were about the only humans who stood by the Autobots. When the heroic robots went to trial, Spike left in the middle of the proceedings to try and locate some evidence to prove their innocence. He was successful, discovering more footage on the tape that revealed the "Autobots" on display as disguised Decepticons, but was then confronted by Ravage. {{storylink|Megatron's Master Plan, Part 1}} Escaping, Spike presented his evidence to the mayor, but it came too late: the Autobots had already been exiled from Earth, and the world was now celebrating the Decepticons. Megatron did not allow his pantomime to last long, however, announcing in a press conference his dominion over Central City. Spike was captured and put to work in a slave camp along with the rest of the city's population, but thankfully, before long, the Autobots returned to Earth to clear their names and rout the Decepticons. {{storylink|Megatron's Master Plan, Part 2}}

[[Image:Dotd_spike_carly_swoop.jpg|right|thumb|220px]]

Spike and Carly were enjoying themselves at an amusement park with Bumblebee, but the merriment had to come to an end so they could go to the airport and pick up Sparkplug. The airfield soon became a battlefield, however, when a Decepticon base was discovered in a nearby hangar and the Dinobots were ordered in to attack. Badly damaged by the fight, the Dinobots decided to finally secede from the Autobots, but this could not have come at a worse time: no sooner had they left than the Autobots began to malfunction due to [[cybertonium]] deterioration. {{storylink|Desertion of the Dinobots, Part 1}} Spike and Carly volunteered to go to Cybertron to recover a fresh supply, but as soon as they had arrived, they fell afoul of Shockwave, and were forced to flee into the tiny tunnels honeycombing the planet. Heading for Wheeljack's lab, Spike and Carly encountered [[Swoop (G1)|Swoop]], who had come to Cybertron with the other Dinobots, but had been the only member of the team to avoid capture. With Swoop to help them, Spike and Carly navigated the the ancient traps in the bowels of the planet, and even found a historical video records room that relayed for them the history of the Transformers' war. While watching the video, they were ambushed by Shockwave's [[Sentinel (G1)|sentinels]] and taken to join the other Dinobots in the cybertonium pits. The Dinobots had had their memory circuits bypassed to ensure their compliance, but Carly soon put their systems right, and they worked with the two humans to escape the pits, defeat their captors and return to Earth with enough cybertonium to repair all the Autobots. For their bravery, Spike and Carly were appointed [[Honorary Autobot]]s. {{storylink|Desertion of the Dinobots, Part 2}}

[[Image:Spike gets kissed.jpg|left|thumb|220px]]

Spike and Carly got to travel to the [[moon (moon)|moon]] when the Decepticons threatened the world with the [[Voltronic Galaxer]], {{storylink|Blaster Blues}} after which Spike went on an even greater journey: into the past! Along with [[Hoist (G1)|Hoist]] and [[Warpath (G1)|Warpath]], Spike followed a group of Decepticons through a relic called the [[Dragon Mound]], which transported them to 543 AD. There, Spike took an immediate liking to [[Nimue]], the daughter of a local nobleman, and tried to single-handedly rescue her when she was kidnapped by the Decepticons and their local ally, [[Sir Wigend du Blackthorne]]. Unfortunately, by the time Spike had scaled the tower Nimue was being held in (which was in and of itself a challenge thanks to the heavy suit of armor Hoist had made for him), she and Wigend had fallen in love and become engaged! Spike subsequently returned to the present with the Transformers, where we can only assume he didn't tell Carly about the hot medieval chick. {{storylink|A Decepticon Raider in King Arthur's Court}}

When several Autobots and Decepticons were lost in a space bridge accident, Spike was among those who huddled around Teletraan I as Chip tried to use the computer to locate them. {{storylink|Child's Play (episode)|Child's Play}} After the lost Transformers returned, Spike, Bumblebee and [[Cosmos (G1)|Cosmos]] were sent to the planet [[Floron III]] to recover [[robotic insecticide]] that would help deal with the threat of the Insecticons. Unfortunately, they also inadvertently brought back one of the planet's native lifeforms, the [[Morphobot]]s. {{storylink|Quest for Survival}}

[[Image:Gwlp_spike_and_astoria.jpg|right|thumb|220px]]

Spike was washed away in a flash flood caused by [[Astrotrain (G1)|Astrotrain]] and [[Blitzwing (G1)|Blitzwing]] when they started fighting for Decepticon leadership, but was rescued by Optimus Prime and carried to safety by Powerglide. {{storylink|Triple Takeover}} Later, Spike was working in his father's automotive garage when Powerglide dropped in with [[Astoria Carlton-Ritz]], a flighty heiress he had rescued from the Decepticons. Spike began hitting on Astoria when they were left along, but when he found that all she wanted to talk about was Powerglide, he grumpily returned to his work...at which point all his equipment started malfunctioning thanks to Astoria's tendency to jinx up machinery around her. We bet Spike didn't tell Carly about her, either. {{storylink|The Girl Who Loved Powerglide}}

[[Image:Hoisthollywoodflesheatinglava.jpg|left|thumb|220px]]

When Hoist, Spike and Carly accidentally stumbled into the middle of a movie shoot, the movie's [[director]] decided to hire Hoist and some other Autobots on to star in his movie, and Spike and Carly were given free passes to the studio lot. While there, they discovered the Decepticons were also hiding out on the lot, searching for footage a film crew had accidentally taken of a secret cargo they were transporting. Spike and Carly were able to get hold of the negative the Decepticons were looking for, and fled (with some difficulty) through the myriad movie sets decorating the lot. Eventually, the Decepticons were tricked into believing the negative was destroyed when Hoist pretended to be evil and dropped it, Spike and Carly in a vat of lava...but of course, it was only movie magic. {{storylink|Hoist Goes Hollywood}}

Spike, Carly and Sparkplug were in the audience when [[Perceptor (G1)|Perceptor]] received the [[National Scientific Achievement]] award for his newest invention, [[Corrostop]]. {{storylink|Cosmic Rust (episode)|Cosmic Rust}} Later, when the [[Combaticon (G1)|Combaticons]] tried to plunge the Earth into the sun using the space bridge, Spike helped the Autobots find the missing space bridge control panel, and convinced Megatron to join forces with them to stop the Combaticons' plan.{{storylink|The Revenge of Bruticus}} For his final recorded adventure in the 20th century, Spike aided the Autobots in apprehending the [[Stunticon (G1)|Stunticons]], reacting with some distress to the sight of Optimus Prime playing "chicken" with [[Motormaster]]. {{storylink|Masquerade}}

[[Image:Spike ospit.jpg|right|220px|thumb|Oh, bother. How do you propose we solve our predicament at this moment?]]

Over the course of the next twenty years, Spike and Carly married and had a son named [[Daniel Witwicky (G1)|Daniel]]. Spike was even able to take a more active hand in the Transformers' battles, as he was given a transforming [[exo-suit]]. In the course of these twenty years, the Decepticons finally conquered Cybertron, forcing the Autobots to relocate to their newly-built [[Autobot City]] on Earth, and to bases on two of Cybertron's moon. In the year 2005, the thirty-five-year-old Spike was stationed on [[Moonbase Two]] with Bumblebee when the Autobots decided to make their big push against the Decepticons, and he requested that [[Ironhide (G1)|Ironhide]] tell Daniel, on Earth, that he would be home soon.

[[Image:Tftm_spike_acid_drop.jpg|left|thumb|275px]]

Spike could never have predicted what would happen next. As he and Bumblebee watched, the monstrous planet [[Unicron]] appeared from the depths of space and consumed Moonbase One, with Moonbase Two next on the menu. Acting quickly, Spike and Bumblebee set a stockpile of explosives to blow up the moon right in Unicron's mouth as they escaped on a shuttlecraft. When the smoke cleared, however, they found that Unicron was completely uninjured, and a frustrated Spike expressed his discontent in a distinctly PG manner. Their craft was then caught in the suction from Unicron's mouth, and they were pulled in to the behemoth's digestive system, where they hung from a conveyor, waiting to be dropped into an acid pit. Thankfully, they were saved from his messy fate by Daniel, wearing an older version of Spike's exo-suit, who shot the pit cover down just as they were dropped. Spike and his son escaped Unicron's body along with the other Autobots who had entered it, as the chaos-bringer exploded thanks to the power of the Autobot [[Matrix of Leadership]]. {{storylink|The Transformers: The Movie}}

Under their new leader, [[Hot Rod (G1)|Rodimus Prime]], the Autobots subsequently forced the Decepticons off Cybertron and retook the planet. With Cybertron established as a force for good in the universe once more, Spike was appointed Earth's official ambassador to the planet. {{storylink|Madman's Paradise}}

[[Image:Ffod2_spike_wrestles_deliberata.jpg|right|thumb|220px]]

While attending the first [[Galactic Olympics]], Spike, [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]] and [[Kup (G1)|Kup]] were captured by a strike team of [[Sharkticon (G1)|Sharkticons]] that attacked the event. {{storylink|Five Faces of Darkness, Part 1}} They were taken to the planet [[Quintessa]], where the native [[Quintesson]]s questioned them, and then intended to put them to death. The trio tried rushing the aliens and taking [[Judge Deliberata|one of their number]] captive, but the other Quintessons simply sentenced their comrade to death along with them, and they were all dropped into the Sharkticon pit together. At the last moment, a team of Autobots arrive to pluck them from the jaws of death, but the Quintessons then detonated a [[core bomb]] that blew up their planet and sent the Autobots and Spike hurtling through space. {{storylink|Five Faces of Darkness, Part 2}} They eventually landed on the planet [[Goo #8739B]], where they came under attack from the Decepticons, now allied with the Quintessons, {{storylink|Five Faces of Darkness, Part 3}} but they were soon rescued by the [[Junkion (species)|Junkions]]. {{storylink|Five Faces of Darkness, Part 4}} They returned to Cybertron, but the Decepticons and Quintessons pursued them, and ultimately, the aliens betrayed their allies when they activated a [[large switch]] that shut down Transformers all across the galaxy. Unfortunately for them, the Quintessons had not reckoned with Spike, who used the paralyzed Rodimus Prime's gun to destroy the switch, undoing its effects. {{storylink|Five Faces of Darkness, Part 5}}

[[Image:Madmansparadise_witwicky_future_duds.jpg|left|thumb|220px]]

In 2006, while fleeing from a Decepticon attack, Spike, Daniel and a team of Autobots took refuge in the colossal [[Autobot Mausoleum|mausoleum]] the Autobots had built to hold the bodies of their fallen warriors. There, they discovered that Optimus Prime was apparently not dead after all, as he appeared to see the Decepticons off. Rodimus quickly returned the Matrix to his old leader, at which point Optimus was revealed to simply be a re-animated Quintesson pawn who activated the mausoleum's self-destruct sequence and left Spike and the others to die in the mausoleum. Luckily, they were able to hastily construct an improvised craft to get themselves to safety. {{storylink|Dark Awakening}}

Despite preparations for the first major peace conference on Cybertron taking up most of his time, Spike was still able to organize a surprise party for Daniel's birthday. This gave Daniel the idea to have a party for Ultra Magnus, however, and he proceeded to get in a lot of trouble trying to find out the Autobot's birthday. Once Daniel had been rescued from the Decepticons' clutches, Spike decided that they would just appoint that day as Ultra Magnus's birthday. {{storylink|Surprise Party}} Later, he welcomed the ambassador from [[Odessix]], [[Ynara]], to Cybertron, and had to make a few apologies for the bored Daniel's brusque behavior. Daniel subsequently went missing (in actuality, he was transported to the other-dimensional world of [[Menonia]]), but Carly told Spike to stay at the party while she and [[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]] went looking. {{storylink|Madman's Paradise}}

[[Image:Ultimateweapon_spike_steals_cog.jpg|right|thumb|220px]]

When Daniel began suffering nightmares, Spike and Carly called on Rodimus Prime to help ease the boy's troubles. {{storylink|Nightmare Planet}} A little later, Spike accompanied Kup on a security inspection of [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]], during which Starscream's ghost and [[Scourge (G1)|Scourge]] tried to steal the giant Autobot's eyes. Spike and Bumblebee teamed up to investigate, and caught the villains in the act. {{storylink|Ghost in the Machine}} Spike also helped Rodimus Prime moderate peace talks between the planets [[Xetaxxis]] and [[Lanarq]], {{storylink|The Quintesson Journal}} after which he and Daniel helped the Autobots by posing as human repairmen to sneak inside [[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]] and steal his [[transforming cog]]. {{storylink|The Ultimate Weapon}}

[[Image:Rebirth_1_Autobot_heads.JPG|left|thumb|220px]]

In 2007, Spike was on Cybertron when the Decepticons launched a massive attack on the planet with the intention of taking control of the legendary [[Plasma energy|Plasma Energy Chamber]]. Together with a team of Autobots, Spike pursued Scourge deep into the planet, where a blast of energy from the Plasma Energy Chamber struck their craft and overloaded its engines, sending them careening across the galaxy, wildly out of control. They eventually crashed on the planet [[Nebulos]], where they ran afoul of a cell of rebel Nebulans who were fighting against the [[Hive (G1)|Hive]], the tyrannical rulers of their planet, and mistook the Autobots for their robot servants. Spike tried to talk the Nebulans out of destroying the captured Autobots, but it took the arrival of the Decepticons for the Nebulans to risk releasing their prisoners to help them fight back. During the battle, several Autobots were captured, forcing the Autobots and Nebulans to take a drastic step: to fight back against the Decepticons and the Hive, four Nebulans and four Autobots volunteered to undergo a process developed by [[Brainstorm]] that would merge them together into [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmasters]]. {{storylink|The Rebirth, Part 1}} Spike carried out the biotechnological modifications, following Brainstorm's design, and in addition to the Nebulans, also bonded Daniel to [[Arcee (G1)|Arcee]] at her request in order to save his life. The Decepticons subsequently emulated the Autobots' Headmaster process with members of the Hive, and also modified the process to create [[Targetmaster]]s. The Autobots didn't rest on their laurels, and Spike again helped modify six of the rebel sharpshooters to become Autobot Targetmasters themselves. {{storylink|The Rebirth, Part 2}}

[[Image:SpikeHeadmasterRebirth1.jpg|right|thumb]]

To battle against [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]], the gigantic robot created by Hive leader [[Zarak (Nebulan)|Lord Zarak]] from the Hive's own subterranean city, Spike had the pacifistic Autobot [[Cerebros (G1)|Cerebros]] lead him to the Hive's old, abandoned surface city, which he had previously discovered while wandering the planet. There, Spike used the city's old machines to reconstruct it, Cerebros and himself, bonding them all together into the mighty [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress Maximus]]. Spike flew his new creation to Cybertron (which the Decepticons have moved into the vicinity of Earth with a giant rocket engine in his absence), where he battled and defeated Scorponok and rescued Daniel and the captive Autobots within the giant robot's city banks. The Decepticons, however, had already opened the Plasma Energy Chamber, which threatened to drive the [[Sun]] nova and destroy Earth, Cybertron and the entire [[solar system]]. As they were organic and unaffected by the chamber's energy, Spike and the Nebulons were able to act quickly to save the planet by shutting the chamber down and reversing the Decepticons' rocket to draw off the excess solar energy. This energy was funnelled into [[Vector Sigma]], revitalizing Cybetron and bringing about a new [[Golden Age]]. Despite all of this, Cerebros was insistent that Spike deactivate him so that he would never have to fight again...but quickly changed his tune when Spike transformed back into his head so that he could see the beauty of the restored planet. Optimus Prime subsequently appointed Cerebros as guardian of Nebulos, where he and the other Autobot Headmasters would root out and destroy the lingering influence of the Hive, after which Cerebros would live on the planet as its guardian. What this meant for Spike, however, was never revealed. {{storylink|The Rebirth, Part 3}}
{{--}}

====Madman ''The Transformers'' comic====
[[Image:Madman comic Spike AutobotCity.jpg|thumb|left|200px|]]
In the year 2001, Spike Witwicky was overseeing the construction of [[Autobot City]] when his friend [[Hot Rod (G1)|Hot Rod]] complained about the fact he was stuck on guard duty while the rest of the Autobots forces were fighting a rearguard action during the evacuation of Cybertron. Spike tries to cheer him up, assuring the young Autobot that his time is coming, and for now, just to enjoy the view of the future Autobot City. While Hot Rod rambled on about Optimus Prime bravely fighting off Decepticons single-handedly, Spike spotted [[Soundwave (G1)|Soundwave]] and his minions up to no good on the dig site, and Hot Rod sprang into action. The young Autobot prevented the Decepticons from stealing the Autobot Matrix of Leadership, and during the struggle, the Autobot artifact spoke to him with Spike's own words of encouragement. {{Storylink|The Transformers (Madman)}}

{{-}}

====Japanese cartoon continuity====
{{note|The events of the American animated series occur in Japanese continuity as noted above, except that the events of Season 3, which took place in 2006 in America, were moved back to 2010, and the events of "The Rebirth" do not occur. Japanese animated continuity inserts several additional stories into the timeline, as detailed below.}}
=====''Scramble City'' cartoon=====

[[Image:Scramblecity spike and bee.jpg|right|thumb|220px]]

In the late 1980s, the Autobots began work on a mobile battle fortress dubbed "[[Metroplex (G1)|Scramble City]]", and began construction of the massive structure in a subterranean cavern. Spike helped the Autobots work on the project along with [[Carly]], [[Sparkplug Witwicky|his father]] and [[Chip Chase|Chip]], and while welding a section of machinery, he was approached by Bumblebee with the prospect of taking a quick break from the labor. {{storylink|Scramble City}}
{{--}}
=====''The Great Transformer War'' comic=====

[[Image:Greattfwar spike in exosuit.jpg|left|thumb|220px]]

After the [[Terrorcon (G1)|Terrorcon]]s brainwashed [[Computron (G1)|Computron]] into becoming a [[Decepticon]] with [[Cohesive Control Liquid]], Spike donned a modified exosuit and lasergun to save his Autobot friends. Daniel initially asked to go, but Spike forbid him, as the mission was too dangerous. Dodging Computron's laserfire, Spike burned the control liquid off with his lasergun, freeing Computron from the Terrorcons's hold. Computron immediately defeated the Decepticons and sent them fleeing. {{storylink|The Great Transformer War issue 2}}
{{--}}
=====''The Headmasters'' cartoon=====
:''Voice actor:'' [[Masashi Ebara]] (Japanese)

[[Image:Hm1 tea with witwickys.jpg|right|thumb|220px]]

In the year that followed the resurrection of Optimus Prime, Spike spent most of his time on Cybertron, actively working as a liaison between the Autobots and humanity to develop new sources of energy. In 2011, Spike was enjoying a cup of tea with Carly on Cybertron when the Decepticons suddenly launched a massive offensive against the planet, backed up with the added power of their new Headmaster warriors. Spike quickly contacted Optimus Prime at the Autobots' secondary command post on the planet [[Athenia]], and then withdrew to the safety of Athenia himself once reinforcements arrived on Cybertron. {{storylink|Four Warriors Come out of the Sky}} Optimus Prime himself was among the Autobots who went to Cybertron, intending to stabilize Vector Sigma, which had begun to run out of control. Spike had researched the computer and claimed there was no way to stop it without the Matrix, which was precisely what Prime didn't have. Daniel was concerned for Prime, but Spike assured him he would be fine. {{storylink|The Mystery of Planet Master}} He wasn't, though. He died. Again. {{storylink|Birth of the Fantastic Double Prime}}

[[Image:Hm6 unexplained injuries.jpg|left|thumb|220px]]

When Spike next appeared, he had sustained some serious injuries through unexplained means. Although he was on the mend, it meant he was not fit for a mission that required a human agent: the disabling of a [[Metamorpho|metal-warping meteor]] that the Decepticons had set on collison course with Athenia. Daniel volunteered to go in his place, and Spike, impressed with his bravery, allowed it. {{storylink|Approach of the Demon Meteorite}}

After Cybertron was destroyed thanks to the machinations of Decepticon Headmaster leader [[Scorponok (G1)#Japanese cartoon continuity|Scorponok]], Spike moved his family and his research to Athenia. Soon after this, Spike supervised the launch of the [[Solar 1]] satellite, a solar energy satellite built by both humans and Transformers that served as a symbol of unity between their two planets. Unfortunately, the Decepticons stole it. {{storylink|The Shadow Emperor, Scorponok}} Later, Spike went with the Autobots to help evacuate the residents of a South American village that was threatened by a volcanic eruption, {{storylink|The Dormant Volcano Mysteriously Erupts}} and was menaced on Athenia by an ambulatory monster-plant from [[Darhos]]. {{storylink|Head On!! Fortress Maximus}}

[[Image:Hm14 mars survey.jpg|right|thumb|250px]]

While conducting a geographic survey on [[Mars (planet)|Mars]] with a view to terraforming the planet, Spike, Daniel, [[Wheelie (G1)|Wheelie]] and the [[Trainbot]]s discovered a Decepticon plot to destroy the red planet with plasma energy bombs. The Autobot Headmasters were called in while Spike, Daniel and Wheelie returned to Athenia, {{storylink|Explosion on Mars!! Maximus Is in Danger}} but alas, the four young heroes were not able to stop Mars from being blown up. {{storylink|Explosion on Mars!! MegaZarak Appears}} Spike subsequently scanned the remains of the the planet with Arcee and [[Broadside (G1)|Broadside]], and they concluded that the gravimetric balance of the solar system had been badly damaged. Spike feared that the destruction of another planet by the Decepticons would utterly destroy the whole system. {{storylink|Return of the Immortal Emperor}}

When the Autobots received an distress signal from the planet [[Sandra]] in a parallel dimension, which was running critically low on energy, Spike was unsure whether or not they should risk giving up any of their own carefully-managed energy supply. He was eventually convinced that it was the right way to proceed, and even allowed Daniel and Wheelie to travel to Sandra with him and the Headmasters on the basis that it would be a good experience for them. Spike got very philosophical once they were on Sandra, remarking that all resources tend to run out eventually, and lamenting that Earth could face the same fate as Sandra if they weren't careful.{{storylink|SOS from Planet Sandra}}

[[Image:Hm18 negotiating with galvatron.jpg|left|thumb|220px|We aren't negotiating in good faith? We went through a lot of trouble to make a wicker chair that would support your weight.]]

His fears for the safety of the universe growing since the destruction of Mars, Spike stunned the Autobots when he announced his intention to negotiate with Galvatron the possibility of the Autobots and Decepticons allying to create a joint energy development programme. Even more surprising was that Galvatron ''agreed'', on the condition that Spike bring Carly and Daniel with him, that the Decepticons might hold them hostage so that the negotiations could be held in "good faith". Negotiations proceeded badly, with Galvatron accusing Spike of arguing from a non-neutral position, given that he lived with the Autobots on Athenia, instead of his native Earth. Galvatron instructed Spike to leave his "most precious thing" on Earth to prove his neutrality: his son, Daniel! Daniel reluctantly agreed to stay on Earth, and Carly decided to stay with him, meaning that Spike would be separated from his whole family in the pursuit of peace. As it turned out, however, Spike wasn't actually negotiating with Galvatron at all: a transmission from [[Chaar]] by the Autobot spy [[Punch (G1)|Punch]] revealed that the real Galvatron was still there, and that Spike was conversing with a disguised [[Sixshot]]! The Decepticons were using the peace talks as a cover to embark on an interplanetary energy quest, and the Autobots were left in the dust as a consequence. As the Autobots prepared to follow the villains, Daniel insisted that he be allowed to go to defend his family honor, and Spike and Carly were silently proud of their determined son. {{storylink|Daniel Faces His Biggest Crisis Ever!!}}

[[Image:Hm26 telekinetic operation.jpg|right|thumb|220px]]

The Autobots' return to Earth some time later heralded a great loss, as Ultra Magnus soon died in battle with Sixshot, and Spike wept at his funeral. {{storylink|Ultra Magnus Dies!!}} Decepticon attacks continued with increased ferocity around the globe, angering Spike, {{storylink|The Emperor of Destruction Vanishes on an Iceberg}} but he did not let these tragedies deter him from his work. While attending a summit on Earth to discuss using the planet's volcanoes for power, he realized that the Decepticons' recent activities had been focused on the [[Pacific Ring of Fire]]. When he returned to Autobot City to present his findings, however, the city came under attack by Trypticon and Sixshot, and Spike was wounded by a stray laser blast. With all of the Headmasters' technology unable to remove a large chunk of shrapnel embedded in one of his arteries, Spike told Daniel to remain strong even in the face of his death, and to take his place as Earth's envoy to the Autobots. Luckily, this wasn't necessary: in a drastic step that used up all of his energy, [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress]] used his telekinetic powers to dissolve the shrapnel and save Spike's life. {{storylink|I Risk My Life for Earth}}

In a major subsequent battle, the Autobots were able to force the Decepticons to withdraw from Earth, seemingly for good. Fortress appointed Spike head of the clean-up operation to remove all traces of the villains' memory from Earth, and Spike started by organizing an Autobot wrecking crew to destroy the Decepticons' desert Earth headquarters. {{storylink|Miraculous Warriors, Targetmasters (Part 1)}} News soon reached the Autobots on Earth that the Decepticons had returned to the Headmasters' home planet, [[Master (planet)|Master]], and Daniel petitioned Spike to be allowed to accompany the Headmasters there. Carly was unwilling to let him go, but Spike decided it'd be good for his character, and asked Fortress to let Daniel go with them. {{storylink|Miraculous Warriors, Targetmasters (Part 2)}} Spike watched as the worried Carly cooked up some [[space rations]] for Daniel to take with him. {{storylink|My Friend Sixshot!}}

[[Image:Hm35 witwickys goodbye.jpg|left|thumb|220px]]

Unfortunately for the Earth, the Decepticons would eventually return, just as Earth's restoration programme was entering a critical phase. With Fortress and the other Headmasters not yet back from Master, Spike was left to co-ordinate the Autobot counter-attack to the Decepticons' renewed offensive, and headed to Santiago, [[Chile]] with Carly to investigate the emergence of a strange metal tower there. On the way, his plane was forced to make an emergency landing in the Andes, where Carly and several other passengers fell into a crevasse. Simultaneously, Fortress's team returned to Earth, and Daniel immediately set out to help his parents. Spike attempted to descend into the crevice himself despite his injuries, and was surprised when Daniel stopped him and insisted that he rescue his mother personally. Daniel performed the task admirably, and Spike could see that his boy had grown into a man. {{storylink|The Final Showdown on Earth (Part 1)}} When the message came in for the Autobots to gather for the final battle with the Decepticons, Spike told Daniel that he would look after Carly so that he could join his friends in the fight.

Following the Decepticons' ultimate defeat in a colossal battle royal at the North Pole, which saw the evil robots at last forced off Earth, the Autobots prepared to depart the planet as well. Spike, Carly and Daniel gathered to bid farewell to their long-time friends, and Spike was determined that the goodbye should be a happy one, since, while the Transformers were leaving, the peace they had brought to the planet was there to stay. {{storylink|The Final Showdown on Earth (Part 2)}}

=====''The Headmasters'' comic=====

[[Image:Hm_manga8_spike_vs_slugfest.jpg|right|thumb|250px]]

After the Decepticons' defeat at the North Pole, but shortly before the Autobots' departure from Earth, Spike was out walking with Carly, Daniel, Wheelie and Chromedome when they were attacked by [[Soundwave (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Soundblaster]]. [[Slugfest (G1)|Slugfest]] charged at Daniel, but Spike leapt into his path and was injured, driving Daniel furious. The youth leapt onto Slugfest and covered his eyes, tricking him into blasting [[Overkill (G1)|Overkill]] and freeing up Chromedome to take Soundblaster down.

A little later, after the Autobots had left, Spike, Daniel and Carly were seen happily running along a beach. {{storylink|The Headmasters issue 8}}
{{--}}

===Marvel Comics continuity===
====Generation 1====
{{noteukonly}}

Spike Witwicky was away at college for the first few years of the Autobot/Decepticon war on Earth until he returned home to find his younger brother [[Buster Witwicky (G1)|Buster]] kidnapped by the Decepticons. Spike soon became the binary-bond partner to the [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmaster]] [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress Maximus]], after Fortress Maximus' first partner, [[Galen|Galen]], was killed in a battle with the Decepticon [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]]. {{storylink|Trial by Fire!}}

Thereafter he struggled with balancing his responsibilities to his family with those to the Autobots. Once Buster was rescued, and with [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Optimus Prime]] returned to life to take his place as Autobot leader, Spike went into retirement, mothballing poor Max. This retirement wouldn't last however as it was interrupted, first by a pair of Decepticon [[Pretender|Pretenders]], {{storylink|The Man in the Machine!}} then by the crash of the [[Ark (G1)|Ark]] and a raving [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]]. {{storylink|The Last Autobot?}} Through the course of these conflicts Spike learned that the [[Binary bonding|binary bonding]] he had undergone with Maximus was far deeper and more permanent than he'd believed. Fortress Maximus was always there with him in his head, always a part of him. After his battle with Galvatron he seemed to have made peace with his connection to Fortress Maximus and his role as (perhaps) the last Autobot protector of Earth.

[[Image:Spikewitwicky2009.jpg|right|150px|thumb|In 2009, jheri curls return with a vengeance. Just you wait.]]

[[Image:Spikewitwickytimewars.jpg|left|150px|thumb|White jumpsuits were so 2006.]]

''In an alternate timeline in the year 2009, Decepticons had built a machine to destroy Earth while a space-time anomaly was eating entire planets. After [[Hot Rod (G1)|Rodimus Prime]] orchestrated a plan to travel twenty years back in time to the source of the anomaly, Spike Witwicky and his son Daniel accused Rodimus of shirking his responsibilities towards Earth and guilted Rodimus into allotting more troops to help destroy the Decepticons' machine. {{storylink|Time Wars}}''

In another alternate timeline in the year 2009, Spike Witwicky was part of a very small Autobot/human resistance movement in a world where [[Galvatron II|Galvatron II]]'s Decepticons controlled North America. The handful of Autobots who remained alive despaired and were on the cusp of giving up, but Spike and [[Lisa|Lisa]] (who shared growing feelings for each other) guilted them into one last suicidal attack on Decepticon headquarters in New York before the rest of the world could unleash a nuclear holocaust onto America at midnight. Though there were several casualties, Spike managed to hoist an American flag on the Decepticon stronghold on live television, a symbolic measure which prompted the end of the planned nuclear strike. Before Galvatron II could respond, the Decepticon despot was abducted by [[Hook, Line, and Sinker|Hook, Line, and Sinker]] into another timeline. {{storylink|Rhythms of Darkness!}}
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====''Generation 2''====
[[Image:Spikewitwickyg2.jpg|left|100px|thumb|Now the jumpsuit's in BROWN?]]
Spike followed up on the now [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]]-controlled Ark, which he'd apparently stuffed Fortress Maximus aboard and then abandoned after his battle with Galvatron (great job protecting Earth there, "Last Autobot").

He reunited with Max and together they . . . um, sort of stopped Megatron (well, delayed him a little . . . maybe) by throwing themselves into the ship's [[antimatter]] core.

He blowed up '''real''' good. {{storylink|All or Nothing!}}
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===Dreamwave comics continuity===
It's to be assumed that Spike and his father, Sparkplug, met the Autobots early on in their time on Earth (in a similar fashion as Spike and Sparkplug did in the cartoon, or Buster and Sparkplug did in the Marvel Comics). Spike definitely had a younger brother named Buster (as in the Marvel comics), yet it was Spike who formed a close friendship with Bumblebee (as in the cartoon, rather than missing out on the first few years of the Witwicky family's interaction with the Transformers while engaging in drinking orgies at college, as he did in the Marvel comics). The exact details of the Witwickys' early years as the Autobots' human associates are therefore not known.

Somewhere in the time after 1984, Spike married Carly, who then gave birth to Spike's son, Daniel. After the explosion of the ''[[Ark II]]'' in 1999, which caused the death of Spike's father Sparkplug, Spike tried to leave his involvement with the Transformers behind and settled down with his wife and son in Cleveland, Ohio, trying to live a new life as a normal family. The newfound peace wouldn't last for long, though, as Spike was soon recruited by a shady military official named [[Robert Hallo|General Hallo]] seeking his help in reviving Optimus Prime, whose body his men had recently found in the Arctic. Spike, who had been entrusted by Prime with a fragment of the Matrix, used that fragment to bring Prime back to life. {{storylink|Prime Directive issue 1|Prime Directive #1}} {{storylink|Prime Directive issue 2|Prime Directive #2}}

Prime subsequently used the Matrix to revive and assemble a group of his Autobots, which he would then lead against Megatron's Decepticons. Meanwhile, Spike was imprisoned by General Hallo, who had double motives behind reviving the Autobots and even tried to kill them by bombing them. With the help of [[Larry|Larry, the World's Most Resourceful Janitor]], Spike was able to escape his cell and uncover Hallo's sinister schemes, but not in time to stop him from launching a nuclear strike against the Autobots which was ultimately averted when [[Superion (G1)|Superion]] sacrificed his life in order to make it detonate before it could reach its target. {{storylink|Prime Directive issue 5|Prime Directive #5}} {{storylink|Prime Directive issue 6|Prime Directive #6}}

Following these events, Spike once again returned to his family and tried to leave his past with the Transformers behind. A few months later, though, his old friend Bumblebee, who had just decided to quit the Autobot army following a fierce battle against [[Sunstorm (G1)|Sunstorm]], showed up by his house. Spike, frustrated that the Autobots refused to leave him alone, hurled a few nasty insults against his old buddy before changing his mind and joining him on a men's night out in the city, where they stopped a mugging. {{storylink|Lost and Found (issue)|Lost and Found}} The follow-up scene of Carly shouting at Spike singing drinking songs with Bumblebee was never published due to the untimely faltering of Dreamwave. It also means we will never know if Spike and Bumblebee formed a crime fighting duo.

===''G.I. Joe vs the Transformers''===
In response to the forming of the terrorist organization [[Cobra|Cobra]] and its commandeered Transformers, the United States government assembled a strike team dubbed [[G.I. Joe (team)|G.I. Joe]]. Spike Witwicky (codename Spike) was listed on the roster, but was never seen. {{storylink|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers issue 2|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers #2}}

===''Transformers Legends'' anthology===
Spike was out driving with Bumblebee and Hound when, to their surprise, they stumbled on a badly-damaged Starscream. Though Spike was all in favor of leaving the Decepticon there, Bumblebee insisted they take Screamer back to the [[Ark (G1)|Ark]] with them. {{storylink|Redemption Center}}

Bumblebee gave Spike a ride to his high school, but while Spike was in class, his Autobot pal got carjacked. When Spike emerged, he found a smug Bumblebee sitting in the carpark with two wet seats. {{storylink|Joyride (story)|Joyride}}

===IDW comics continuity===
[[Image:Spikewitwickybuttonflies.jpg|left|thumb|250px|Hey, remember above, when we said we filled the beefcake quota for the wiki? We lied!]]In the wake of the Decepticons' devastating attack on Earth, Commander Spike Witwicky met his dad, Colonel "Sparkplug" Witwicky, inside a secret bunker where the remnants of the United States military had gathered to mount a desperate counteroffensive. Regrettably, Sparkplug had selected Spike for a mission to assassinate the leader of the Decepticons, Megatron, even though he feared his son would not make it back. It was a suicide mission, but Spike was the most qualified. Spike accepted, despite the consequences, but ignored his father's pleas for him to call his worried mother first.

During the night, he and a team snuck into [[New York City]] by boat, but they were discovered by [[Ratbat (G1)|Ratbat]]. With one dive, the boat and its occupants were dashed to bits under the water, and Spike's signal was destroyed. Learning his son was dead, Sparkplug, in shock, believed it was he who had not only sent his son to die, but had inspired Spike to join the military in the first place. But unknown to Sparkplug, his son surfaced on the shore of New York, perfectly alive... {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 5}}

Stealing new pants from an abandoned [[Gloomindales]], Spike ran into the leaders of the underground human resistance movement, who were looking for supplies. Spike took [[Bridge]] and [[Sarah]] into an abandoned office building to discuss gathering the resistance and assassinating Megatron. But first, Spike took them into a disguised military facility where he retrieved a weapon created from studying [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]]'s gun arm. Their quick escape was cut short, since [[Rumble (G1)|Rumble]] was causing a ruckus outside. Telling the others to run for cover, Spike ducked into a building and then reappeared when he drove a motorcycle through an upstairs window, firing a small pistol. This distracted Rumble long enough for [[Charles (G1)|Charles]] to shoot him right in the face. Rumble's defeat was followed by a overcoming sonic screech, and as Soundwave arrived to sadly take Rumble's body away, it seemed the city's electronic blackout was over. Phones were working again, and so Spike called his father. He learned not only that his father thought he was dead, but that there was nothing they could do to prevent other nations from unleashing a nuclear onslaught across North America. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 9}}

Later, Spike, Sarah, Bridge and Charles ran out of a half-demolished building, passing [[Devastator (G1)|Devastator]], who was slagging the [[European Union]] jets. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 11}}

He and his party set up a better sniper position in a nearby building, where they watched [[Megatron (G1)|two]] [[Optimus Prime (G1)|robots]] fight each other. When Megatron eventually bested Optimus, Spike decided it was time to intervene. He charged the weapon and blasted Megatron's face, allowing Optimus to defeat him. Later, [[Hound (G1)|Hound]] found him and brought him to Optimus Prime. Prime offered to help Spike and the rest of the humans rebuild their planet. Spike thanked Prime for his thought, but said that there was no chance of the Transformers and the humans reconciling. As he put it, Optimus' "kind" caused all the destruction, and that any chance of an alliance was gone. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 12}}

[[Image:SpikeWitwickyG1-ManofSteel.jpg|right|thumb|200px|"All right, guys, who ordered me the strippers?"]]

After the Decepticons' defeat, they abandoned Earth, leaving Ravage and others behind. Spike Witwicky headed a military regiment to hunt down surviving Transformers and found Ravage in an abandoned building. Ravage attacked Spike but got blasted for his efforts. At least he put Spike in the hospital, though. Sparkplug became the new head of [[Skywatch]] and requested Spike join his task force of ridding the planet of Transformers. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 16|The Man of Steel}}

[[Image:Ongoing Issue 2 Spike one night stand.jpg|left|thumb|200px|[[Andy Schmidt|"Our new Transformers ongoing is totally kid-friendly! Honest!"]] ]]

Two years after the events of ''AHM'', Spike was still part of the Transformer-hunting team. With his amazing [[Crash suit]], he quickly contained the Decepticon [[Breakdown (G1)|Breakdown]] which subsequently drew the watching [[Prowl (G1)#IDW comics continuity|Prowl]] out of hiding. Then he drove away in the contained Breakdown {{storylink|...For All Mankind}} for a one-night stand with a [[Spike's booty call|local stripper]]. He came back to the Skywatch HQ after being alerted to Optimus' surrender. His father reprimanded him for being offsite for Prowl's liberation and Optimus' surrender, so to prove himself, Spike went to interrogate Optimus. {{storylink|New Arrivals, Old Encounters}}

{{charstubfiction}}
{{storylink|A Rude Awakening}}
{{storylink|Seasons in Flight}}
{{storylink|Enemies of the System}}

{{spoiler|Earthworks|May 28}}

{{charstubfiction}}
{{storylink|Earthworks}}

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==Toys==
===Generation 1===
[[Image:Spikeheadmastertoy.jpg|right|250px|thumb|Finally, your favorite Transformers character!]]
* '''Fortress Maximus''' (Headmaster, 1987)

:Spike was a [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmaster]] figure who came with [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress Maximus]]. Gray and blue, he transformed into [[Cerebros (G1)|Cerebros]]' head, who then in turn became Fortress Maximus' head. Although the on-package [[Bio|bio]] referred to 'the Nebulan leader, Spike', most assume it was supposed to represent the character from TV, making this the first Transformers toy of an Earth human.

:This toy was [[Repurposing|repurposed]] as [[Galen]], and [[Redeco|redecoed]] as [[Gran]], ''[[Robots in Disguise (toyline)|Robots in Disguise]]'' [[Cerebros (RID)|Cerebros]] and ''[[Robot Masters]]'' [[Master (RM)|Master]].

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==Merchandise==
===Super Collection Figure===

[[Image:SCF-Bumblebee-Spike.JPG|right|200px|thumb|Spike says "How."]]
*'''Bumble and Spike''' (Act 3, 2001)
**''Japanese ID Number'': '''5''' (painted) '''6''' (clear)

:[[Plastic|PVC]] figurines of Spike and [[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]] were sold together in the third act of [[TakaraTomy|Takara]]'s [[Super Collection Figure]] series. Like all the figures in the wave, the pair were available as both regular full-color figures and clear plastic versions, one of each of which was available in a standard case of twelve [[blindpacking|blindpacked]] figures. The full-color version of the set came packaged with the torso piece of the wave's Fortress Maximus "build-a-figure".

===Heroes of Cybertron===

*'''Autobot Espionage Team''' (2003)

:''Super Collection Figure'' Spike and Bumblebee were later released by [[Hasbro]] as part of their ''[[Heroes of Cybertron]]'' line, sold under the name "Autobot Espionage Team," as Hasbro did not have the trademark rights to Bumblebee's name at this point in time. Unlike the blindpacked Japanese version, they were sold on an individual blister card, and came packaged with the right leg of the Fortress Maximus figure.
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==Notes==
*Spike and Buster were both derived from the same "young male human friend" character in early backstory material. For more on the name variation see [[Butch Witwicky (G1)|Butch Witwicky]].

==External links==
*[http://www.tfu.info/1987/Autobot/FortressMaximus/fortressmaximus.htm Fortress Maximus (with Spike) at TFU.info]
*[http://www.ntfa.net/universe/english/index.php?act=view&char=Fortress_Maximus Fortress Maximus's ''Universe'' profile (with Spike) at NFTA.net]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Witwicky, Spike (G1)}}
[[Category:Autobots]]
[[Category:G.I. Joe]]
[[Category:Generation 1 characters]]
[[Category:Generation 2 characters]]
[[Category:Headmasters]]
[[Category:Headmasters characters]]
[[Category:Skywatch]]
[[Category:Witwicky family|Spike Witwicky (G1)]]