Ghost in the Machine (G1)

2011-11-14T14:36:36Z

72.81.141.104: /* Quotes */

{{episode|
|series=G1toon
|series2=2010
|ep=80
|ep2=16
|prev2=Fight or Flee
|next2=Webworld
|series3=''[[Generation 2 (cartoon)|The Transformers: Generation 2]]''
|ep3=22
|prev3=Masquerade
|next3=The Ultimate Weapon
|image=GhostMachine Starscream Scourge Unicron.JPG
|caption=Screw you guys, I'm going home.
|title="Ghost in the Machine"
|production code=700-100
|airdate=[[October 21]], 1986
|written by=[[Joey Kurihara Piedra]] [[Michael Charles Hill]]
|production company=[[Sunbow Productions]]
|animation studio=[[AKOM]]
|continuity=[[Generation 1 cartoon continuity]]
}}

'''Set on regaining a physical body, the ghost of Starscream possesses Scourge and makes a deal with the devil.'''

:''Japanese title:'' スタースクリームの復活 (''Starscream no Fukkatsu'', "Starscream's Revival")
:''German title:'' "'''Der Geist im Roboter'''" ("The Ghost inside the Robot")
:''German'' Generation 2 ''title:'' "'''Starscream kehrt zurück'''" ("Starscream Returns")
:''Russian title:'' "'''Prizrak v mashine'''" (''Призрак в машине'', "Ghost in the Machine")
==Synopsis==
[[Image:GhostMachine Scourge approaches Unicron.jpg|left|200px|thumb|Your ''break''fast, Sir!]]

On [[Chaar]], the [[Decepticon]]s are following [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]], when [[Starscream (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Starscream]]'s ghost appears and possesses [[Scourge (G1)|Scourge]]. Despite his better efforts, Starscream forces Scourge to fire on Galvatron, then flees with [[Cyclonus (G1)|Cyclonus]] in pursuit. Cyclonus follows as far as [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]], where he breaks off, assuming that Scourge has defected to the [[Autobot]]s. But that is not Starscream's goal. He instead flies to the severed head of [[Unicron]]. Using Scourge to reactivate the Dark God, Starscream offers his services in exchange for a new body. Unicron agrees to restore him to life in exchange for three labors. The first labor is to bring [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]]'s [[Sensors|eyes]] to Unicron. With nowhere else to go, Scourge agrees to serve Unicron.

[[Image:GhostMachine Metroplex eye explode.jpg|right|200px|thumb|There are no eye-drops for this.]]

On Earth, [[Kup (G1)|Kup]] arrives for an inspection of [[Autobot City]], when Scourge and Starscream make their move. Destroying Metroplex's security system, the two Decepticons steal the eyes, but [[Bumblebee (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Bumblebee]] and [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike Witwicky]] cause Scourge to drop one, shattering it. Fleeing, Metroplex [[Transformation|transforms]], but cannot see, and begins firing on the Autobots. However, a photon bomb disables Metroplex, causing him to crash. Lacking one eye, the two head back for Chaar, where they dispatch the [[Battlecharger]]s, outwit Starscream's [[Seeker (body-type)|former soldiers]], and steal one of [[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]]'s eyes. In addition, Starscream possesses [[Astrotrain (G1)|Astrotrain]] to serve as their ride home, where Astrotrain is left to the mercy of the Autobots. Upon learning of what happened, Galvatron reacts in a rational, controlled manner... for Galvatron.

[[Image:Dirge AlmostDeath.jpg|left|200px|thumb|Galvatron settles an old score with the wall.]]

Pleased with his new eyes, Unicron informs Starscream and Scourge of their next labor: bring Trypticon to Unicron (should have told them that before they left). Starscream heads off to complete the task. Meanwhile, [[Hot Rod (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Rodimus Prime]] interrogates Astrotrain, who claims not to remember what happened, but [[Blurr (G1)|Blurr]] reveals that Unicron has his eyes back! [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ultra Magnus]] takes [[Sky Lynx (G1)|Sky Lynx]], [[Hot Spot (G1)|Hot Spot]], and [[Springer (G1)|Springer]] to investigate, but Unicron drives them off. Scourge is becoming nervous, but Unicron warns his creation that he can take what he has given. On Chaar, Galvatron orders the Battlechargers and [[Conehead|Coneheads]] to locate Starscream and Scourge, only for Trypticon to transform, under Starscream's control, and depart, with the Decepticons in pursuit.

As the Autobots prepare for the Decepticon assault, Unicron commands Starscream to remove Trypticon's [[transformation cog]] and place it in Unicron. The Decepticons arrive and attack, but Starscream uses Trypticon to disable their weapons. As the Decepticons flee, Unicron commands his minions to complete the third labor—connect Unicron's head to Cybertron, making it his new body. Scourge decides to book it, and Starscream is left to complete the task. Scourge tries to warn Galvatron, but he doesn't care. Scourge then heads to the Autobots, and warns them of Unicron's intentions.

[[Image:GhostMachine Unicron starscream jumpers.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Refusing to call Triple-A, Starscream prepares to jumpstart Unicron.]]

Within Trypticon, the Battlecharges and the Coneheads disable Starscream's control over Trypticon, so Starscream demands his body to complete the labors. Unicron restores his body, but Starscream (surprise, surprise), tells Unicron to connect himself to Cybertron. However, the Autobots manage to plant some [[Energon cube|energon cubes]] on Unicron's head. They detonate the [[Energon (fuel)|energon]], causing Unicron's head to return to orbit and Starscream to go flying. Thrown past the Decepticons, Galvatron orders them to fire on Starscream. When their shots begin hitting him, Cyclonus wonders why Starscream's ghost has lost control.

On Cybertron, Rodimus agrees to allow Scourge and Astrotrain to leave, in exchange for their help. He then tells the Autobots of their new mission to retrieve Metroplex's eye, but then reveals that he was joking, saying that the eyes were probably destroyed in the explosion.

Unseen by the Autobots, Unicron's eye twinkles in the night...

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
* [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]] (with [[Scamper]]) (9)
* [[Sky Lynx (G1)|Sky Lynx]] (10)
* [[Kup (G1)|Kup]] (11)
* [[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]] (13)
* [[Powerglide (G1)|Powerglide]] (14)
* [[Bumblebee (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Bumblebee]] (15)
* [[Warpath (G1)|Warpath]] (16)
* [[Silverbolt (G1)|Silverbolt]] (17)
* [[Skydive (G1 Aerialbot)|Skydive]] (18)
* [[Slingshot (G1)|Slingshot]] (19)
* [[Hot Rod (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Rodimus Prime]] (26)
* [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ultra Magnus]] (27)
* [[Blurr (G1)|Blurr]] (28)
* [[Springer (G1)|Springer]] (29)
* [[Hot Spot (G1)|Hot Spot]] (30)
* [[Groove (G1)|Groove]] (31)
* [[Arcee (G1)|Arcee]] (cameo) (33)

|c2=
* [[Starscream (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Starscream]] (1)
* [[Scourge (G1)|Scourge]] (2)
* [[Sweep|Sweeps]] (3)
* [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]] (4)
* [[Cyclonus (G1)|Cyclonus]] (5)
* [[Headstrong]] (6)
* [[Razorclaw (G1)|Razorclaw]] (7)
* [[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]] (20)
* [[Runabout (G1)|Runabout]] (21)
* [[Runamuck (G1)|Runamuck]] (22)
* [[Thrust (G1)|Thrust]] (23)
* [[Dirge (G1)|Dirge]] (24)
* [[Astrotrain (G1)|Astrotrain]] (25)
* [[Divebomb (G1)|Divebomb]] (32)

|c3=
* [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike Witwicky]] (12)

|c4=
* [[Unicron|Unicron's head]] (8)
}}

==Quotes==
"THERE IS NO REASONING WITH HIM! DESTROY HIM! HE'S LOST HIS MIND!"
:—'''Galvatron''', calling [[Scourge (G1)|the kettle]] black.

"Aerialbots! Wait for... umm... nevermind."
:—'''Warpath''', getting left behind.

"Decepticon intruders IN MY BRAIN!"
:—'''Metroplex''', on the perils of being city-sized.

"Where are my eyes?!"
:—'''Metroplex''' would look around for them if he could.

"First, you two let Scourge and Starscream steal one of Trypticon's eyes. And then you two allowed Astrotrain to be used as their escape vehicle. So Scourge is helping Starscream voluntarily, and you four were unable to stop them! Well, all I can say is...BWWWAAAAAAA!"
:—'''Galvatron''', giving his outbust a rare preamble.

"Why did Galvatron have you attack Cybertron all by yourself? Are you stupid or just obedient?"
:—'''Rodimus Prime''', getting sassy with Astrotrain

"I don't have to show you no stinking passes."
:—'''Starscream''' has picked up some [[wikipedia:Stinking_badges|Earth culture]].

"Starscream! You are a dead mechanism!" 
"Of course I'm dead, Galvatron! But not for much longer. And then are you going to be sorry!" 
"I'm already sorry!"
:—'''Galvatron''' and '''Starscream''', bickering like [[Megatron (G1)|old times]].

"Unicron! If you want the connection made, you'd better give me a new body now!" 
"You shall have it." 
''(Unicron shoots lasers from his eyes, and Starscream's body is reformed)'' 
"I live again!" 
"Now, do my bidding. Complete the connection!" 
"Ha! Do it yourself!"
:—'''Unicron''' bet on the wrong pony, and '''Starscream''' just loves being a prick.

"Wait a minute, since when do ghosts tumble out of control through space?"
:—'''Cyclonus''', catching up with the plot.

"The Autobots have been repulsed. And to think I doubted you, but they will be back. It would be dangerous for me to remain." 
"You will stay until the labors have been completed. What I have given you, I can also take away."
:-'''Scourge''' tries to reason with '''Unicron''', and promptly gets put in his place.

==Notes==
===Animation or technical glitches===
* Headstrong's gun sounds like Galvatron's cannon.
* In this episode, Cyclonus's eyebrows are purple. His chin is still grey, though.
* Unicron's helmet was all gold [[Five Faces of Darkness, Part 1| the last time we saw it]]. Now it's blue with gold horns.
* After entering Unicron, Scourge/Starscream lands and walks forward. Look at the background—it turns dark and suddenly flashes back to the previous background again.
* As he says, "Only three?," Starscream's eyes are suddenly huge.
[[Image:GhostInTheMachine Bumblebee huge wheels.jpg|thumb|right|200px]]
* When Bumblebee and Spike discover Scourge stealing Metroplex's eyes, Bumblebee has enormous wheels.
* Just before setting the charge inside Metroplex, Scourge's eyes are blue instead of red.
* After the bomb goes off, the next shot of the inside of Metroplex shows a star background on his monitor. A few shots later, it's the usual Earth sky.
* When Silverbolt says that he doesn't see any enemy, he and Skydive are both mouthing the words.
* As Scourge exits Astrotrain/Starscream to dig out Metroplex's eye, he's still carrying Trypticon's eye. It disappears in the next shot.
* As he re-enters Astrotrain/Starscream, Scourge just sort of clips into him through a solid wall.
* In a few scenes, Hot Spot has a mouth on his faceplate.
* The tops of Rodimus's shoulders are the same color as his arms in this episode. [[Fight or Flee|The last time we saw him]], they were white.
* The inside of Ultra Magnus's mouth is red for most of the episode.
* In a layering error, the "Unidentified craft" warning message that flashes up on Blurr's screen overlays his head.
* Groove has a totally different voice for his one line ("Locked and loaded!"), sounding somewhat like Beachcomber. Usually, he sounds more like a higher-pitched Trailbreaker.
* When he accuses Astrotrain of stealing Metroplex's eyes, Magnus's whole face is blue.
* As Sky Lynx approaches him, Unicron's eyes are missing again.
* During Scourge's attack on him, Sky Lynx has a Decepticon symbol on his nose.
* Hot Spot says, "Look out, Scourge!" when he probably meant to say, "Look out, it's Scourge!"
* As he berates his troops, the tops of Galvatron's shoulders are missing their red squares.
* As Scourge is brought to Rodimus, an overhead shot shows Ultra Magnus with circular cogs on his shoulders instead of the usual white pillars.
* Magnus's line, "Let's plant the energon explosives and get out of here," is cut off in the middle.
* When Galvatron shoots at Starscream, his cannon sounds like a regular Decepticon laser.
* When Rodimus shakes Magnus's hand, Magnus has an Autobot symbol on his left shoulder. He should only have one on his right shoulder.
* As Rodimus jokes about recovering Metroplex's eyes from Unicron, a reaction shot shows Magnus's other (right) shoulder. This ''should'' have an Autobot symbol, but doesn't!
* As Rodimus jokes about recovering Metroplex's eyes from Unicron, one shot shows a solid wall behind him even though he's still standing in front of the display (showing space).
* ''After'' Rodimus jokes about recovering Metroplex's eyes from Unicron, Hot Spot is shown with Ultra Magnus's color scheme.

===Continuity errors===
* While Scourge makes a respectable attempt at fighting off Starscream's control of his body in this episode, he displayed no such strength of will when he was possessed by the latter at the end of "[[Starscream's Ghost]]". Of course, this time he could have been some what familiar with Starscream's forceful takeover techniques and able to mount a better resistance.
* Cyclonus won't go near Unicron's head because that would alert the Autobots, but they don't seem to notice Scourge approaching it.
* Putting one wire back together is enough to reactivate Unicron's mind! You'd think Rodimus would have done more to make it unrepairable.
* [[Triple Takeover|It's not unprecedented]] for Autobots to come back from being seriously injured, but Powerglide appears alive and well, even though he was blown up by the Quintessons [[Dark Awakening|the last time we saw him]].
* Starscream enters Kup's body and somehow immediately causes an explosion in a random wall that blows out Metroplex's ''entire'' security system.
* Following that scene, Scourge is already in Metroplex. Nobody noticed him fly to Earth? What happened to the Earth Defense Command satellites?
* What is Trypticon doing on that random planet? And why doesn't he notice Scourge stealing his eye?
* Although undoubtedly big, Metroplex and Trypticon's eyes should be ''way'' too small for Unicron to use as like-for-like replacements.
* Ultra Magnus accuses Astrotrain of stealing Metroplex's eye'''s''', but Scourge/Starscream only took one (the other one broke).
* Why don't the Autobots just blast Unicron's repaired circuits as soon as they enter his head?
* When Scourge approaches Galvatron he says, "Galvatron, don't shoot!" Galvatron states he couldn't even if he wanted to, because Trypticon neutralized their weapons (somehow). Yet, when Starscream's out of control body flies past him, he begins firing on him.
* It's odd that Unicron wants Starscream to bring Trypticon to him just to get his transformation cog. Why not just steal the cog as they did in "[[The Ultimate Weapon]]"?
* Why doesn't Rodimus just jump inside Unicron's head and open the Matrix again?
* What happens to Trypticon (and the Decepticons inside him) when Unicron's head is blasted away?
* Why does Starscream "tumble through space" if he could just transform and fly away?
* Arcee appears in one shot of the episode, as the Autobots cheer when Unicron's head is blasted away.
* Warpath and Bumblebee appear (for one shot each) on the Autobots' base on Cybertron at the end of the episode. Is there some reason why they made the trip there from Earth?
* Rodimus jokes about recovering Metroplex's eye'''s''' from Unicron. One of the eyes is Trypticon's.

===Transformers references===
* Only appearance of [[Runabout (G1)|Runabout]].
* This episode is the second appearance of Starscream's ghost. His first appearance was in the G1 episode "[[Starscream's Ghost]]". His ghost makes a third appearance in the ''[[Beast Wars (cartoon)|Beast Wars]]'' episode "[[Possession]]" in which he takes over [[Waspinator (BW)|Waspinator]].

===Real-world references===
* The title's literal meaning obviously applies to the events of the episode, but the phrase has a history in philosophical discourse. It was [[Wikipedia:Ghost in the machine|coined as a pejorative]] against the [[Wikipedia:Mind-body dichotomy|mind-body split]] of [[wikipedia:René Descartes|Cartesian]] dualism, and by the time this episode was made, it had also been used as the title of [[wikipedia:The Ghost in the Machine|a book]] and [[wikipedia:Ghost in the Machine (album)|a rock album]].
* Starscream delivers the line, "I don't have to show you no [[wikipedia:Stinking_badges|stinking passes]]"

===Trivia===
* Scourge demonstrates an extraordinary level of willpower in this episode. Of all the Transformers Starscream is seen possessing in both this episode and "[[Starscream's Ghost]]", Scourge is the only one who puts up a fight for control of his own body and retains his memories of what happened while "under the influence". (This is admittedly inconsistent with the ending of the prequel to this episode, however.)
* Unicron displays the ability to electrocute the Autobots inside his head and expel them through his neck.
* Starscream is last seen tumbling away through space in his new body, possibly damaged from Galvatron's attacks but still very much alive. This is sometimes seen as a point of conflict with his appearance as a ghost in the ''Beast Wars'' episode "[[Possession]]". Fans have reconciled this by speculating that he died again off-screen, or else traveled through time to the ''Beast Wars'' era (and back) before this episode took place chronologically. Alternatively, the ''Beast Wars'' cartoon does not follow strictly from any specific Generation 1 continuity, allowing the "error" to be dismissed entirely.

==Home video releases==
{{homevidnote}}
;VHS
[[Image:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 1987 — ''Transformers'' — Starscream's Ghost / The Nightmare Planet / The Ghost in the Machine ([[St. Michael Video Library]]) 
[[Image:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 1989 — ''Transformers'' — A Ghost in the Machine / Heavy Metal Wars ([[Tempo Video]]) 
[[Image:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 1989 — ''Transformers'' — The Action Adventure Collection II (Tempo Video) 
[[Image:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2000 — ''The Original Transformers'' — Volume 11: The Decepticon Possession ([[The Original Transformers|Rhino Entertainment]])
;Laserdisc
[[Image:Flag of Japan.png|20px|Japan]] 1999 — ''The Transformers: 2010'' ([[Geneon Universal Entertainment|Pioneer LDC]]) — Japanese audio only.
;DVD
[[Image:Flag of Japan.png|20px|Japan]] 2001 — ''The Transformers: 2010'' — DVD Box (Pioneer LDC) — Japanese audio only. 
[[Image:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2004 — ''The Original Transformers'' — Season 3 Part 2 & Season 4 ([[The Original Transformers|Rhino Entertainment]]) 
[[Image:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2004 — ''Transformers'' — Season 3 and Season 4 ([[Metrodome]]) 
[[Image:Flag of Australia.png|20px|Australia]] 2004 — ''Transformers'' — Collection 4: Series 3.1 ([[Madman Entertainment]]) 
[[Image:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2006 — ''Transformers'' — The Complete Generation One Collection (Metrodome) 
[[Image:Flag of Australia.png|20px|Australia]] 2006 — The Best of ''The Transformers'' (Madman Entertainment) 
[[Image:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2007 — ''Transformers'' — The Classic Episodes (Metrodome) 
[[Image:Flag of Australia.png|20px|Australia]] 2007 — ''The Transformers'' — Complete Collection (Madman Entertainment) 
[[Image:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2009 — ''Transformers'' — Season's Three & Four {{sic}} (Metrodome) 
[[Image:Flag of Australia.png|20px|Australia]] 2009 — ''The Transformers'' — Complete Collection: Decepticon Edition (Madman Entertainment) 
[[Image:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2009 — ''The Transformers'' — The Complete Series: 25th Anniversary "Matrix of Leadership" Collection ([[Shout! Factory]]) 
[[Image:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2010 — ''The Transformers'' — Seasons Three & Four: 25th Anniversary Edition (Shout! Factory)

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

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

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Ghost in the Machine (G1)