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Megatron's Master Plan, Part 2

2010-05-15T17:11:23Z

75.178.40.169: /* Quotes */

{{episode
|series=G1toon
|ep=36
|series2=SRLFtoon
|ep2=27
|prev2=Megatron's Master Plan, Part 1
|next2=Desertion of the Dinobots, Part 1
|image=MMP2 Megatron press conference.jpg
|caption=Somewhere, a [[Cobra Commander|terrorist]] is crying himself to sleep.
|title="Megatron's Master Plan, Part 2"
|production code=#700-35
|airdate=[[October 15]], 1985
|written by=[[Donald F. Glut]]
|production company=[[Sunbow Productions]]
|continuity=[[Generation 1 cartoon continuity]]
}}

'''Having had the Autobots exiled from Earth, Megatron reveals the Decepticons' true intentions.'''

:''Japanese title:'' メガトロン地球征服作戦 PART II (''Megatron Chikyū Seifuku Sakusen PART II'', "Megatron's Plan to Conquer Earth PART II")

==Synopsis==
''[[Victor Caroli]] provides a "[[Megatron's Master Plan, Part 1|Last time, on ''The Transformers'']]" recap.''

[[Image:MegatronsMasterPlan2 Decepticon Day.JPG|left|200px|thumb|Wait, something's WRONG here...]]

As a marching band parades through the streets of [[Central City (G1)|Central City]], Berger announces that today is [[Decepticon Day]]. Sparkplug and Chip immensely dislike the event, but Chip says that it's too late now for Spike to be searching for evidence to prove the Autobots are innocent.

Back in a video viewing room, Spike finishes watching another tape showing the Decepticons as the real culprits. He's about to leave when he meets Ravage. During a brief fight, in which Ravage slams into a TV screen, gets fried, smacked with an office chair, and then finally gets buried under a shelf of video tapes (poor kitty), Spike makes his escape.

At a nearby high school disco, Soundwave and his cassettes make an appearance. Rumble dances with the ladies, Ravage gets petted by some schoolgirls, and Laserbeak gives a real evil glare to a kid who's offering him a cracker (probably considering eating the kid instead).

In deep space, Cosmos is leading the rocket ship carrying the Autobots. Inside, Ironhide and Cliffjumper persuade Prime to turn around and head back to Earth. After the ship doesn't respond to Cliffjumper's control input, Hound uses his shoulder scanner to pinpoint their destination...the [[Sun|SUN]]! Cosmos finds he is unable to link up with Teletraan I as the rocket starts to overheat...along with the Autobots inside. Cosmos then comes aboard and starts working on the computer, but to no avail.

[[Image:MegatronsMasterPlan2 Autobots sizzle.JPG|right|200px|thumb|"Optimus...getting...hot..." "Not now, Ironhide."]]
Inside the [[Victory (ship)|Decepticon base]], Megatron looks on with glee as he watches the Autobots and their ship collide with the sun and explode. The Decepticons then leave for a press conference.

In the Mayor's Office of Central City, Spike shows the Mayor the tapes he's found. The Mayor can't bring back the Autobots, but now armed with the right evidence, he and Spike start a campaign to clear the Autobots' names.

At the press conference, Megatron reveals that he plans to conquer the planet and suck it dry of energy. He is now the marshal of Central City, newly christened as Megatronia 1, and everyone will be made slaves to obtain energy for the Decepticons. A nearby screen shows the [[Conehead]]s running amok through Central City. Spike learns of the Autobots' destruction and escapes, but the tape of evidence is destroyed. Berger saves Spike from getting killed by Laserbeak, but their escape is short-lived, as they're all captured by Megatron.

Back in space, the Autobots have been saved by Trailbreaker's [[force field]]. They're attached to Cosmos, who is still heading towards the Sun, since his actions are controlled by Teletraan I.

[[Image:Berger Sad Enslaved.jpg|left|200px|thumb|It's hard being an opportunistic jerk!]]
Back on Earth, things are grim. All the humans have been enslaved by the Decepticons, and they're being forced to mine energy from every available source. Berger's received his reward: He too is cuffed and made to work in a power plant. One night, Chip breaks out of the power plant and sneaks on board a nearby truck. He heads for the [[Ark (G1)|Autobot base]], where he sets to work at Teletraan I. He finds out that the Autobot rocket was destroyed and is about to learn more when Thrust breaks into the base, destroys Teletraan I and takes Chip back to the plant.

[[Image:MegsMasterPlan Autobots roll out.JPG|right|200px|thumb|"Nothing has changed between us, right Prime?" "I said 'not now', Ironhide."]]
Meanwhile, Cosmos realises he's got control back and turns around. Back on Earth, an Air Force rescue attempt is easily thwarted by the [[Seeker (body-type)|Seekers]] and Blitzwing. Megatron has the humans cornered when the Autobots arrive. Optimus Prime assembles [[To sell toys|<s>the entire '84 and '85 line</s>]] his entire forces to combat the Decepticons, and they win, heavily damaging many of their foes, including the Insecticons and Constructicons. Having thoroughly lost their advantage, the Decepticons retreat.

The Mayor pardons the Autobots, while Berger is taken by the authorities to face justice. With the Decepticons defeated, the Autobots transform and roll for home.
{{-}}

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
* [[Ironhide (G1)|Ironhide]] (22)
* [[Cosmos (G1)|Cosmos]] (23)
* [[Hound (G1)|Hound]] (24)
* [[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]] (25)
* [[Huffer (G1)|Huffer]] (26)
* [[Cliffjumper (G1)|Cliffjumper]] (27)
* [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] (28)
* [[Prowl (G1)|Prowl]] (29)
* [[Jazz (G1)|Jazz]] (30)
* [[Sideswipe (G1)|Sideswipe]] (31)
* [[Ratchet (G1)|Ratchet]] (32)
* [[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]] (33)
* [[Mirage (G1)|Mirage]] (35)
* [[Sunstreaker (G1)|Sunstreaker]] (36)
* [[Windcharger (G1)|Windcharger]] (37)
* [[Trailbreaker (G1)|Trailbreaker]] (38)
* [[Teletraan I (G1)|Teletraan I]] (55)
* [[Gears (G1)|Gears]] (56)
* [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]] (57)
* [[Brawn (G1)|Brawn]] (58)
* [[Bluestreak]] (59)
* [[Beachcomber (G1)|Beachcomber]] (61)
* [[Smokescreen (G1)|Smokescreen]] (62)
* [[Inferno (G1)|Inferno]] (63)
* [[Perceptor (G1)|Perceptor]] (64)
* [[Hoist (G1)|Hoist]] (65)
* [[Powerglide (G1)|Powerglide]] (66)
* [[Red Alert (G1)|Red Alert]] (67)
* [[Seaspray (G1)|Seaspray]] (68)
* [[Tracks (G1)|Tracks]] (69)
* [[Warpath (G1)|Warpath]] (70)

|c2=
* [[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Megatron]] (3)
* [[Starscream (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Starscream]] (4)
* [[Soundwave (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Soundwave]] (5)
* [[Shrapnel (G1)|Shrapnel]] (6)
* [[Bombshell (G1)|Bombshell]] (7)
* [[Scrapper (G1)|Scrapper]] (8)
* [[Bonecrusher (G1)|Bonecrusher]] (9)
* [[Hook (G1)|Hook]] (10)
* [[Mixmaster (G1)|Mixmaster]] (11)
* [[Long Haul (G1)|Long Haul]] (12)
* [[Ravage (G1)|Ravage]] (18)
* [[Rumble (G1)|Rumble]] (19)
* [[Laserbeak (G1)|Laserbeak]] (20)
* [[Skywarp (G1)|Skywarp]] (34)
* [[Thundercracker (G1)|Thundercracker]] (39)
* [[Blitzwing (G1)|Blitzwing]] (40)
* [[Thrust (G1)|Thrust]] (41)
* [[Ramjet (G1)|Ramjet]](42)
* [[Dirge (G1)|Dirge]] (43)
* [[Astrotrain (G1)|Astrotrain]] (53)
* [[Scavenger (G1)|Scavenger]] (71)

|c3=
* Berger's army (1)
* [[Shawn Berger]] (2)
* Kid in Megatron costume (13)
* [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike Witwicky]] (15)
* [[Chip Chase]] (16)
* [[Sparkplug Witwicky]] (17)
* Teenager at Decepticon-hosted discotheque (21)
* [[Central City (G1)#Mayor|Mayor of Central City]] (44)
* [[Justin]] (45)
* Justin's mother (46)
* Justin's father (47)
* Reporter (48)
* Angry audience member No. 1 (49)
* Angry audience member No. 2 (50)
* Private guard No. 3 (51)
* Private guard No. 4 (52)
* Truck driver (54)
* Jet fighter pilots (60)
}}

==Quotes==
"Hey, get down Soundwave!"
:—'''Rumble''' as he dances with the ladies.

"Uh, Laserbeak wanna cracker?"
:—'''Male human teen''' who suspects Laserbeak wants to eat him

'''Ironhide''': Are we going anywhere, Cosmos, or is this a tour of the stars? 
'''Hound''': Lay off him, Ironhide. He didn't cause our problems. 
'''Ironhide''': You're right! Maybe we oughta take it out on the one who got us into this mess! 
'''Optimus Prime''': I did what was necessary.
:—Only Ironhide could get away with taking a shot at Prime like that.

"This city is under martial law...and ''I'' am the marshal!"
:—'''Megatron''' spells doom for the people of Central City...and makes a funny.

"Let us teach them a lesson in ''sorrow''!"
:—'''Dirge''' as he and the Coneheads terrorize Central City during the Decepticon-imposed martial law

"It is over. I saw the Autobot ship, like a silver bullet, streaking toward the Sun, and it collided—collided with destiny! I saw the end. They died in a cosmic funeral pyre!"
:—'''Shawn Berger''', destroying all hope

"You...pile of reject parts, I'll—" 
"Reject parts? BWAHAHAHAHHAHA!"
:—'''Chip Chase''' as '''Thrust''' destroys Teletraan I and, perhaps, mocks the handicapped

"You are going to face justice, and may it be kinder to you than it was to us."
:—'''Optimus Prime''', deciding not to have Berger sent on a collision course with the Sun

==Notes==
===Animation or technical glitches===
* Some of the show's stock background music is briefly repurposed as source music (music that's actually heard by the characters in the show), coming from a marching band. Unfortunately, the marching band's drumming doesn't actually match up with the musical drum beats. In the next shot, a trumpet is shown as the flutes cut in.
* Thundercracker is shown alongside Megatron in the first shot of the marching Decepticons. Subsequent dialog and animation makes it clear that this should have been Starscream.
* As he watches the Decepticon parade, the temple of Chip's glasses is missing.
* A short scene meant to catch us up with what Spike has been doing shows Spike viewing footage and Ravage arriving in the video room. But the footage Spike views is different from what he saw last episode, and Ravage now arrives through an open doorway instead of bashing down the door and wall.
* Barely disguised versions of Carly and Spike's character models are seen at the Teen Dance. Not-Spike is even wearing Spike's stock tan shirt and blue jeans.
* This being his first appearance, Cosmos's voice lacks the self-echo that would characterize it in his subsequent appearances.
* Improbable viewpoints:
** Megatron gets a view from right alongside the Autobot ship as it approaches the Sun.
* Soundwave is missing his Decepticon symbol as Megatron turns away from watching the Autobot ship explode. It suddenly appears as he steps forward.
* The footage that Spike shows to the mayor is a ''third'' version of Starscream removing his Optimus Prime mask, despite Dirge only filming the scene once.
* Justin complains that he doesn't have any "metal-colored crayons" to finish coloring Megatron, even as he continues coloring him. Despite coloring Megatron perfectly thus far, his first stroke goes way outside the lines.
* In the opening shot of the press conference (seen up top), Starscream's helmet is light gray instead of dark gray.
* Starscream's optics are mis-colored blue as he fires his [[null-ray]] finger.
* Spike's mouth doesn't move as he says "Oh no" in response to Berger's rant.
* Soundwave's ejection button is blue instead of white as he dispatches Ravage and Laserbeak to capture Spike.
* Megatron's eyes light up, then dim, then light up again. An energy sound effect plays, but not till well after the second lighting-up is finished.
* Blitzwing's head is purple instead of yellow as he and Astrotrain guard the workers.
* Soundwave's mouth plate disappears after threatening "increase efficiency or be terminated" and firing on the slaves.
* When Megatron instructs Thrust to re-capture Chip Chase, his voice is not electronically enhanced.
* Teletraan I's screen displays Cosmos's name as "COSMS" {{sic}}.
* The launching sound effect for Thundercracker and Skywarp plays before they've actually lifted off.
* Thundercracker transforms without the transforming sound effect.
* The Decepticons get the Autobot laser sound effect for their opening volley as they fire on the human jets.
* Optimus's headlights aren't colored in as he lectures Megatron.
* As the Autobots arrive at the battle site, Ironhide is drawn with Ratchet's ambulance lights on his roof. Ratchet is right next to him, with no lights visible.
* Not truly an error, but the two sequences of Autobots transforming for battle are recycled sequences from "[[Atlantis, Arise!]]" played in reverse. They're played again, forwards this time, as the Autobots transform to roll for home.
* Starscream's "Yeeiiii!" begins before he's actually shot.
* The three panning shots of the various Autobots firing on the Decepticons are all repeated twice.
* One of these panning shots features Smokescreen with a blue head crest, which should be yellow.

===Continuity errors===
* When Spike found the fishy video footage and was cornered by Ravage last episode, the trial was nearing its conclusion. Since then, the trial has concluded, the Autobots have launched into space, Megatron has paid a visit to Autobot Headquarters, and a [[Decepticon Day]] parade has been organized...and meanwhile, Spike is ''still'' facing off with Ravage.
* Ravage is seen at the Teen Dance...just one shot after his face-off with Spike. Did he really give up that quickly? (Both this and the previous snafu combine to make it clear that Spike's encounter happened much earlier than the subsequent events, and his escape from Ravage is only shown in this episode because it made a better cliffhanger that way.)
* Did Cosmos just ''not notice'' that they were heading toward the Sun?
* Okay, we can buy that Megatron shorted out the ship's guidance system by remote control and locked in its course. But how the heck can Teletraan I control Cosmos against his will? And if that's the case, why not just have Blaster jam the signal?
* Chip rolls out of the truck trailer at will, but trailer doors are generally designed to open only from the outside.
* There are a lot of missing Autobots in this and the previous episode. In particular, the Dinobots, who did not stop fighting and leave Earth on [[Heavy Metal War|a similar previous occasion]], are not seen boarding the ship. [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]] seems to be present in the force field, but it seems [[Desertion of the Dinobots|rather]] [[S.O.S. Dinobots|unlikely]] that they would give up the fight on Prime's orders.
* Chip and Optimus Prime behave as if Cosmos is the only interstellar-capable Autobot at this time, which is only ''sort of'' true; there's [[Skyfire (G1)|Skyfire]], but he had been written out of the show by this point, while [[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]] would not appear for another three episodes.

===Continuity notes===
[[Image:Nullray-finger.jpg|thumb|right|200px| ]]
* First onscreen appearances of Cosmos and Astrotrain.
* Gadgets and powers:
** Hound uses his missile launcher as a sort of radar-path-finder thing.
** Starscream fires the [[null-ray]] from his finger.
** Laserbeak fires his eye beams yet again to destroy the videotape.
** Trailbreaker extends his force field to enclose the entire Autobot army, and seemingly radiates it from his entire body.
** Ratchet can fire laser blasts [[Tonka GoBots|from his hands]].
** Ironhide zaps Chip's energy bonds out of existence with a beam from his fingertip.
* Spike makes use of Ravage's tech spec weakness, blinding him with a studio spotlight.
* This episode goes to some lengths to show the full extent of both armies. Lots of characters such as Red Alert, Perceptor, Seaspray and Astrotrain show up for just a shot or two. Even the Insecticons can be glimpsed for a few frames in the Decepticon Day parade (only from the thighs down), and Grimlock is visible among the Autobots floating in space. It's almost shocking that Buzzsaw and Frenzy don't appear.

===Real world references===
* ''[[Star Wars]]'' sound effects:
** The ''Millennium Falcon'' engine burst is combined with the Death Star superlaser firing noise as the Decepticons leave Decepticon Headquarters.
** Thrust and Dirge both bear down on the city with some more ''Falcon'' engine noise.

===Trivia===
[[Image:MegatronsMasterPlan2 Trailbreaker force field.JPG|right|200px|thumb|"Good work, Trailbreaker." "Prime...kill me...so tired..."]]
* Ramjet causes a building at least eight stories tall to collapse with zero warning. Some cracks on the building may be meant to indicate that it's abandoned, but otherwise, a lot of humans just died.
* Though he single-handedly saves the Autobots on his own initiative, Trailbreaker gets no lines in the episode and barely even appears except as a Jesus-like silhouette at the center of his force field.
* Judging by the girls surrounding him at the club, Soundwave is popular with the ladies. Trust women to be attracted to something large, cold and mechanical.
[[Image:MegsMasterPlan2 ShinyThundercracker.jpg|right|200px|thumb|"Quoth the raven, 'What a shine!'"]]
* When the Decepticon jets fly off to face the human resistance fighter, as Thundercracker passes the camera, his silver-coloured parts have an almost heroic, shiny gleam to them, which is unusual, given he is a villain in this story.
* The kid cheering for Megatron and company uses the same voice as [[Aron]] from the later episode "[[Child's Play (episode)|Child's Play]]".
* As is made evident by the shooting script for this episode, a large portion of this episode was actually added in at a later stage to bring it up to the required length—namely, Cosmos's inability to alter his flight path, Chip's escape and Thrust's blasting of Teletraan I.
* When released as a video in the UK, both episodes were compiled as a 45-minute "movie" instead of being treated as a two-part episode.

==Home video releases==
{{homevidnote}}
;VHS
[[Image:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 1986 — ''The Transformers'' — Megatron's Master Plan ([[Video Gems|A.M.T. Video Gems]]) 
[[Image:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 1988 — ''The Transformers'' — Megatron's Master Plan ([[Video Gems|V.I.P. Video Gems]]) 
[[Image:Flag of Canada.png|20px|Canada]] 1998 — ''The Transformers: Generation 2'' — Megatron's Master Plan ([[Malofilm|Behaviour]]) 
[[Image:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2000 — ''The Original Transformers'' — Volume 10: Megatron's Master Plan ([[The Original Transformers|Rhino Entertainment]])
;Laserdisc
[[Image:Flag of Japan.png|20px|Japan]] 1994 — ''Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers'' — Convoy Set ([[TakaraTomy|Takara]]) — Japanese audio only. 
[[Image:Flag of Japan.png|20px|Japan]] 1998 — ''The Transformers'' — Autobot Edition ([[Geneon Universal Entertainment|Pioneer LDC]]) — Japanese audio only.
;DVD
[[Image:Flag of Japan.png|20px|Japan]] 2001 — ''The Transformers'' — DVD Box 1 (Pioneer LDC) — Japanese audio only. 
[[Image:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2002 — ''The Original Transformers'' — Season 2 Part 1 ([[The Original Transformers|Rhino Entertainment]]) 
[[Image:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2002 — ''The Original Transformers'' — Season 2 Part 1: Vol. 3 (Rhino Entertainment) 
[[Image:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2003 — ''Transformers'' — Season 2 Part 1 ([[Metrodome]]) 
[[Image:Flag of Australia.png|20px|Australia]] 2004 — ''Transformers'' — Collection 2: Series 2.1 ([[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]] 2007 — ''The Transformers'' — Complete Collection (Madman Entertainment) 
[[Image:Flag of Italy.png|20px|Italy]] 2008 — ''Transformers'' — Volume 04: Stagione Due Parte Seconda ([[Medianetwork Communication]]) — English and Italian audio. 
[[Image:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2009 — ''Transformers'' — Season Two: Part One (Metrodome) 
[[Image:Flag of Australia.png|20px|Australia]] 2009 — ''The Transformers'' — Complete Collection: Decepticon Edition (Madman Entertainment) 
[[Image:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2009 — ''The Transformers'' — Season Two, Volume One: 25th Anniversary Edition ([[Shout! Factory]]) 
[[Image:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2009 — ''The Transformers'' — The Complete Series: 25th Anniversary "Matrix of Leadership" Collection (Shout! Factory)

==External links==
*[http://cybertronchronicle.freewebspace.com/cartoon-dossier/synopses/megatron's_master_plan_part_2.html Dossier at the Cybertron Chronicle]

[[Category:Generation 1 episodes]]

Megatron's Master Plan, Part 2

2010-05-15T17:11:00Z

75.178.40.169: /* Quotes */

Microbots

2010-05-15T17:07:17Z

75.178.40.169: /* Synopsis */

{{episode
|series=G1toon
|ep=34
|series2=SRLFtoon
|ep2=25
|prev2=Auto Berserk
|next2=Megatron's Master Plan, Part 1
|image=Microbots shrink.JPG
|caption=In the '80s, every cartoon had to have a shrinking episode.
|title="Microbots"
|production code=#700-33
|airdate=[[October 7]], 1985
|written by=[[David Wise]]
|production company=[[Sunbow Productions]]
|continuity=[[Generation 1 cartoon continuity]]
}}

'''Perceptor, Brawn, and Bumblebee must shrink themselves to go inside Megatron and retrieve an artifact, the Heart of Cybertron, that gives him enormous power.'''

:''Japanese title:'' ミクロの決死隊 (''Micro no Kesshi Tai'', "The Micro Suicide Squad")

==Synopsis==
[[Image:NemesisMicrobots1.jpg|left|200px|thumb|"We've passed here for the past 20 years! How could we never have spotted this before?!" "Every time we passed here, you pointed to that rock with the funny shape on the other side of the road, Mike."]]


While digging for Mayan artifacts in South America, a group of archaeologists stumble upon an ancient spacecraft. As news of the discovery is broadcast on the news, [[Soundwave (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Soundwave]] and [[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Megatron]] recognize it as the [[Nemesis (G1)|Decepticon ship]] they traveled to Earth in four million years ago. Megatron states that there is something on that ship which he wants, and sets out to get it.

Meanwhile, at the [[Autobot]]s' [[Ark (G1)|headquarters]], [[Perceptor (G1)|Perceptor]] is using a [[transmat reduction beam|shrinking-enlarging device]] to repair one of [[Ironhide (G1)|Ironhide's]] memory chips while being insulted by [[Brawn (G1)|Brawn]] for not being a soldier. [[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]] walks in and tries to make him stop, when [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] orders Brawn and Bumblebee to follow him to South America along with [[Ratchet (G1)|Ratchet]], to stop Megatron from obtaining what he wants.

[[Image:Microbots Megatron energy blasts.JPG|right|200px|thumb|Now you will experience the full power of the dark side.]]

As Megatron's troops blast their way through a rainforest in order to avoid satellite detection, [[Starscream (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Starscream]] manages to first miss blasting a tree and then get attacked by a giant snake, to the amusement of [[Rumble (G1)|Rumble]] and the [[Constructicon (G1)|Constructicons]]. Meanwhile, [[Ravage (G1)|Ravage]] has met his match in the form of a real jaguar. The Autobots arrive and decide not to burn the forest down, because Optimus says "that's not our style".

Megatron gets through the forest first, and reaches the ship. Blasting it open, he retrieves the ship's energy core, the [[Heart of Cybertron]]. [[Hook (G1)|Hook]] implants it into Megatron's torso, vastly increasing his power level. Optimus Prime then arrives and orders the Autobots to attack, but they are all defeated by Megatron's new ability to continuously fire energy from his fingertips. The Autobots only manage to escape when Optimus orders [[Smokescreen (G1)|Smokescreen]] to generate a smokescreen, allowing them to bring a hill down on the Decepticons.

[[Image:Microbots Decepticons drunk.JPG|left|200px|thumb|Soundwave superior. Lightweights inferior.]]

After limping back to base, Wheeljack creates a force-field to keep Megatron at bay. Perceptor hatches a plan to shrink himself, Brawn and Bumblebee to microscopic sizes in order to infiltrate Megatron's body and disconnect the Heart of Cybertron.

Meanwhile, the Decepticons sit around and get <s>plastered</s> <s>overcharged</s> wasted on [[Energon (fuel)|energon]]. After Megatron rambles on about the "good ol' days" and passes out, [[Powerglide (G1)|Powerglide]] delivers the tiny Autobots into his body. This causes him to wake up and go to destroy the Autobots himself, as the rest of his forces can't stay on their feet.

[[Image:Microbots Heart throw.JPG|right|200px|thumb|"Why don't we install it in Optimus, Perceptor?" "Because you're an idiot, Brawn."]]

Perceptor, Brawn and Bumblebee make their way through Megatron's body, avoiding his [[electro-sanitizer]]s, until they reach the Decepticon's brain. The others have to restrain Brawn from destroying the brain, since the fall would likely cause the Heart of Cybertron to explode. Megatron reaches Autobot headquarters and begins firing on the force field protecting Optimus Prime. The miniaturized trio ride one of Megatron's [[evil brain impulse]]s to the Heart of Cybertron, which Perceptor disconnects while dodging more brain impulses. Taking the heart, they make a dash for safety as the shrink-ray's effects begin to wear off. Megatron, deprived of his weapon and knocked flat by Optimus, is shocked by the sight of three rapidly-growing Autobots jumping out of his shoulder joint, and flies off.

Observing that the Heart of Cybertron has become unstable, Brawn tosses it two thousand miles into the sky, at which point Perceptor detonates it with a blast from his cannon. After this, Brawn shows much more respect for Perceptor.

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
*[[Perceptor (G1)|Perceptor]] (6)
*[[Ironhide (G1)|Ironhide]] (7)
*[[Brawn (G1)|Brawn]] (8)
*[[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]] (9)
*[[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] (10)
*[[Ratchet (G1)|Ratchet]] (11)
*[[Cliffjumper (G1)|Cliffjumper]] (19)
*[[Bluestreak]] (20)
*[[Huffer (G1)|Huffer]] (21)
*[[Smokescreen (G1)|Smokescreen]] (22)
*[[Windcharger (G1)|Windcharger]] (23)
*[[Hoist (G1)|Hoist]] (24)
*[[Grapple]] (25)
*[[Gears (G1)|Gears]] (27)
*[[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]] (28)
*[[Powerglide (G1)|Powerglide]] (29)
*[[Sideswipe (G1)|Sideswipe]] (30)
*[[Warpath (G1)|Warpath]] (31)

|c2=
*[[Soundwave (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Soundwave]] (4)
*[[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Megatron]] (5)
*[[Bonecrusher (G1)|Bonecrusher]] {12)
*[[Starscream (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Starscream]] (13)
*[[Scavenger (G1)|Scavenger]] (14)
*[[Rumble (G1)|Rumble]] (15)
*[[Ravage (G1)|Ravage]] (16)
*[[Thundercracker (G1)|Thundercracker]] (17)
*[[Hook (G1)|Hook]] (18)
*[[Laserbeak (G1)|Laserbeak]] (30)

|c3=
*[[Merrick]] (1)
*[[Jose (cartoon)|Jose]] (2)
*[[Joan]] (3)
*[[Sparkplug Witwicky]] (23)
}}

==Quotes==
"Nice scenery." 
"Yeah, let's waste it! I hate nice things."
:—'''Rumble''' and '''Scavenger'''

''[Starscream shoots at a tree and misses]'' 
"Good shot, Starscream!" 
"Shut up or I'll blast ''you'', punk!" 
"Hey, hold that pose! I wanna remember you that way!" 
''[A snake wraps itself around Starscream's neck]'' 
"Help! Get this thing off me!" 
"I think it looks stunning on ya!"
:—'''Rumble''' and the Constructicons laugh at '''Starscream'''.

"He'll blow us away if we attack." 
"He'll blow us away if we just stand here! ''Charge!''"
:—'''Ratchet''' and '''Cliffjumper''' debate whether or not to attack the powered-up Megatron.

'''Brawn''': Are you ''defective?'' ''How''<nowiki>'</nowiki>re we gonna do ''that?!'' 
'''Perceptor''': Simple! We use my trans-mat reduction beam to shrink down to microscopic size. Then, we crawl into Megatron, and rip the blasted heart out! 
'''Optimus''': What do you think of his intelligence now, Brawn? 
'''Brawn''': Ahhh, I reserve judgment.
:—Brawn is just being pissy at this point.

'''Megatron''': Decepticons: a toast. To the imminent destruction of the accursed Autobots! 
''[The Decepticons begin drinking Energon]'' 
'''Starscream''': Energy! We won't need to conserve it after tomorrow. We can bleed this planet dry! 
'''Rumble''': ''[hiccups]'' Boy, these are good. ''[hiccups]'' I needed to refuel. Energy! 
'''Megatron''': Energy! Energy! 
'''Thundercracker''': Hey! This stuff's the greatest! ''[passes out]'' 
'''Megatron''': Ah, those were the good ol' days, back on Cybertron...Didn' half to...sneak around in these...ugly Earth disguises. 
''[Powerglide arrives]'' 
'''Powerglide''': Time to cut the jets and glide! ...What in the world? 
'''Megatron''': Good ol' Cybertron! Land...of the metal moon!
:—the Decepticons give us what is quite possibly the funniest scene in the series.

"How come it's so quiet?" 
"Because he isn't engaging any of his main brain functions." 
"Then I got a honey of an idea. Let's bash brain!"
:—'''Brawn''' and '''Perceptor''' in Megatron's cranial chamber

"What are they?" 
"Brain impulses... ''evil'' brain impulses!"
:—'''Brawn''' and '''Perceptor''' discuss Decepticon neuroscience.

"It's all over, Prime!" 
"Not until every last Autobot program is erased, Megatron."
:-'''Megatron''' anticipates the destruction of the Autobots, as if it was a new thing.

==Notes==
===Animation and/or technical glitches===
* The excavation site changes radically between shots. When the archeologists first strike the Decepticon ship, they're digging downward into flat ground. In the next shot, they've removed an entire hillside, while still standing on flat ground. In the third shot ("this thing's been here longer than the hill!") the hill has become much bigger.
* As Perceptor unshrinks Ironhide's microchip, Perceptor has a red Decepticon symbol.
* Scavenger's head is colored light gray instead of dark gray as Rumble mocks him for missing.
* When the Constructicons laugh at Starscream, they use Rumble's laughter while Rumble is talking. This laughter is reused a second later by Rumble himself when he is done talking.
* Megatron gives the order to "'''''cut''''' [[Nemesis (G1)|the ship]] open". Hook proceeds to blast a huge explosive hole in the vessel.
* After Megatron hands the Heart of Cybertron to Hook, Hook's head is white instead of black.
* Appearing/disappearing Autobots:
** In three different scenes, only Ratchet, Prime, Bumblebee and Brawn are shown making the journey to South America. After the first commercial break, however, lots more Autobots just show up in the middle of the battle (Cliffjumper, Bluestreak, Ironhide, Huffer, Smokescreen, Windcharger, Hoist...)
* The doofy shot of Megatron firing upwards at the Autobots on the hill keeps getting re-used, even after the Autobots are no longer attacking from the hill.
* One gun, many lasers:
** In the same sequence of shots, multiple beams of energy are streaking in towards the Autobots from multiple directions, despite Megatron only having two hands to fire the beams from. (There's no on-screen evidence that the other Decepticons have joined in the firing at all.)
* When Smokescreen finds Prime, he's lying in a completely different spot than where he fell after getting knocked out.
* Perceptor's eyes are white instead of blue when he reacts to the damaged Autobots.
* The damaged Autobots include Ratchet and Hoist, who didn't have a mark on them when the battle concluded. They also include Wheeljack and Gears, who weren't seen at the battle at all.
* While Perceptor is giving his monologue about shrinking down and going into Megatron, Optimus Prime's waist is red instead of white.
* When the Decepticons get drunk, Soundwave is seen drinking amongst the crowd, despite having a faceplate. Maybe it can drop down like that of [[Dead End (G1)|Dead End]] (as seen in "[[Five Faces of Darkness, Part 3]]").
* Flying Autobots:
** As Brawn leaps up to attack the electro-sanitizers, he has a flight sound effect.
* After he leaps back down, the top of his backpack is yellow instead of olive green.
* The animation of Megatron stepping aside to avoid Warpath's shells is played twice in a row, which means the first shell's explosion is missing in the second shot.
* In typical cartoon fashion, the energy shield shatters like glass, complete with breaking glass sound effects. The [[dome of invulnerability]] went down the same way in "[[Atlantis, Arise!]]"
* When Prime opens fire on Megatron, his shots don't quite reach the whole, oh, maybe 50 feet of distance between him and Megatron.
* After Megatron falls, a closeup shot shows the joint in Megatron's shoulder. The next shot is a tighter closeup; the joint has suddenly gone from solid to hollow (allowing us to see the Autobots running past.)
* As the three Autobots flee Megatron's interior and start to return to their normal size, the Heart of Cybertron grows right along with Brawn during the first growing spell.
* The line "But it's destabilizing. It could explode at any second!" is voiced by Brawn, but Perceptor's mouth moves. The line sure sounds like it was written for Percy.
* When the Heart of Cybertron is supposedly 1,500 miles above the ground, it's still in front of the night sky clouds.

===Continuity errors===
*The archaeologists at the beginning of the episode are digging for Mayan artifacts in South America, though in the real world the Maya civilization never reached further south than modern-day Honduras.
* Megatron rather strangely identifies the vessel as "''a'' Decepticon ship", as if he's never seen it before, despite later verifying that it is "our ship".
* Do the Decepticons ''really'' need to carve a path the size of an interstate highway? Wouldn't a single-file pathway be a lot quicker?
* The Decepticons' ship was depicted as being the same size as the ship used by the Autobots in the opening episode, but here it's considerably smaller.
* Would the ship's vital, fragile power source really be that close to its exterior hull? (said hull being quite vulnerable to a small hand-held weapon?)
* Why on Earth are the Decepticons sitting around in the middle of the desert somewhere? And how does Powerglide know to find them there?
* Prime has "all available Autobots" move out to attack Megatron. Responding to the call are... Cliffjumper, Windcharger and Warpath. What happened to everybody else?!
* At one point, Brawn proposes killing Megatron from the inside (by PUNCHING HIS BRAIN TO PIECES). Perceptor stops him, saying that if he fell while flying, the impact could detonate the Heart of Cybertron. But while they're having this debate, Megatron lands, so it wouldn't seem to be a concern anymore. Perhaps even a short fall would have been enough? Maybe not, since Megatron falls right over when Prime shoots him a moment later! Also, with Megatron's change in orientation, the room that Perceptor and company are in should really undergo a 90 degree gravity shift, but nothing changes.
* Why is it so hard for Perceptor to reach the wire that's right in front of him? He's not damaged or anything!
* We're not doubting the strength of the almighty, indestructible Brawn or anything, but... can something as tiny and light as the Heart of Cybertron really be ''thrown'' 2,000 miles into space?
* For that matter, Perceptor's tracking report means the Heart is moving at about 250 miles ''per second''. Wouldn't it have incinerated in the lower atmosphere at such speeds?

===Continuity notes===
* [[Nemesis (G1)|The Decepticon ship]] is the same one last seen in the series pilot episode, "[[More than Meets the Eye, Part 1]]". A decade later, it would be given a name and a central role in the [[Beast Wars (cartoon)|''Beast Wars'']] cartoon episode "[[Nemesis Part 1]]".
[[Image:Microbots impulse ride.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Maybe this is how Teletraan I is able to detect "[[Attack of the Autobots|evil presences]]".]]
* We learn quite a bit about Megatron's physiology in this episode:
** He can fly at least 600 miles per hour (100 miles in ten minutes, per Prime's reading of [[Teletraan I (G1)|Teletraan I]].)
** He has an open spot amid his chest circuitry for the Heart of Cybertron, much like Ultra Magnus and Hot Rod have reserved spots (holes) for the Matrix.
** He has a wristwatch on his left wrist, which he looks at while flying around (causing concern for the Autobots within his shoulder joints). Oddly enough, this has [[Transport to Oblivion|precedent]].
** While drunk, Megatron rants about disliking his "ugly Earth disguise", yet in 2005, he still has the same alt-mode. Surely he could have found time to change his gun mode if he really hated it that much! Maybe he doesn't like his ''troops<nowiki>'</nowiki>'' alternate modes.
** [[Evil brain impulse]]s!
* Warpath actually fires shells from his cannon, rather than the usual lasers.
* Warpath's [[tech spec]] weakness comes into play: He is "helpless if upended".

===Real-world references===
* The pulsating sound heard when Perceptor and company approach the Heart of Cybertron within Megatron is the same one used for the [[Dalek]] control rooms in all episodes of ''Doctor Who'' since 1963.

===Miscellaneous trivia===
* "Microbots" features some of the most beautifully animated sequences in the entire series: Ratchet tumbling into the camera as he's shot, Soundwave trying to outrun the avalanche, Brawn ripping apart the electro-sanitizers, Cliffjumper getting hit by rocks, Warpath's shells closing on Megatron...
* Brawn's assertion that "five of us are functional" actually accords with the animation; Prime calls on Ratchet, Grapple and Hoist, and Bumblebee and Brawn are shown still standing in the preceding shot. Amusingly, Grapple is never seen in the animation at all.
* Decepticons make funny, happy drunks.
* Writer David Wise reused scenes from "Microbots", almost word-for-word, in the parts of the ''Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles'' episode "Shredder and Splintered" involving the Turtles inside Krang's giant robot body. This would not be the [[Kremzeek!|only]] [[Auto-Bop|''Transformers'' episode]] Wise recycled concepts of for ''TMNT''.

==Home video releases==
{{homevidnote}}
;VHS
[[Image:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2000 — ''The Original Transformers'' — Volume 12: Size Matters ([[The Original Transformers|Rhino Entertainment]])
;Laserdisc
[[Image:Flag of Japan.png|20px|Japan]] 1994 — ''Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers'' — Convoy Set ([[TakaraTomy|Takara]]) — Japanese audio only. 
[[Image:Flag of Japan.png|20px|Japan]] 1998 — ''The Transformers'' — Autobot Edition ([[Geneon Universal Entertainment|Pioneer LDC]]) — Japanese audio only.
;DVD
[[Image:Flag of Japan.png|20px|Japan]] 2001 — ''The Transformers'' — DVD Box 1 (Pioneer LDC) — Japanese audio only. 
[[Image:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2002 — ''The Original Transformers'' — Season 2 Part 1 ([[The Original Transformers|Rhino Entertainment]]) 
[[Image:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2002 — ''The Original Transformers'' — Season 2 Part 1: Vol. 3 (Rhino Entertainment) 
[[Image:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2003 — ''Transformers'' — Season 2 Part 1 ([[Metrodome]]) 
[[Image:Flag of Australia.png|20px|Australia]] 2004 — ''Transformers'' — Collection 2: Series 2.1 ([[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]] 2007 — ''The Transformers'' — Complete Collection (Madman Entertainment) 
[[Image:Flag of Italy.png|20px|Italy]] 2008 — ''Transformers'' — Volume 04: Stagione Due Parte Seconda ([[Medianetwork Communication]]) — English and Italian audio. 
[[Image:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2009 — ''Transformers'' — Season Two: Part One (Metrodome) 
[[Image:Flag of Australia.png|20px|Australia]] 2009 — ''The Transformers'' — Complete Collection: Decepticon Edition (Madman Entertainment) 
[[Image:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2009 — ''The Transformers'' — Season Two, Volume One: 25th Anniversary Edition ([[Shout! Factory]]) 
[[Image:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2009 — ''The Transformers'' — The Complete Series: 25th Anniversary "Matrix of Leadership" Collection (Shout! Factory)

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

[[Category:Generation 1 episodes]]

Countdown to Extinction (episode)

2010-05-15T16:21:09Z

75.178.40.169: /* Quotes */

{{disambig2|the episode Countdown to Extinction|the comic issue|Countdown to Extinction (issue)}}
{{episode
|series=G1toon
|ep=14
|series2=SRLFtoon
|ep2=9
|prev2=War of the Dinobots
|next2=Heavy Metal War
|image=FHE-CountdownToExtinction.jpg
|caption="Whoa, what, really? My bad, Prime."
|title="Countdown to Extinction"
|production code=#700-11
|airdate=[[December 1]], 1984
|written by=[[Reed Robbins]] and [[Peter Salas]]
|animation studio=[[Toei]]
|production company=[[Sunbow Productions]]
|continuity=[[Generation 1 cartoon continuity]]
}}

'''In the aftermath of Cybertron's catastrophic orbit of Earth, both sides regroup, while Starscream puts into motion a plan to destroy the planet.'''

:''Japanese title:'' 地球消滅計画 (''Chikyū Shōmetsu Keikaku'', "The Earth Obliteration Plan")
:''Latin American title:'' "Cuenta atrás hacia la extinción"
{{TOCclear}}
==Synopsis==
[[Image:Countdown Extinction Autobots repair.JPG|thumb|left|150px|I think my toy had something like this.]]

The previous threat of [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]]'s orbits over [[Earth]] have passed. [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] and the [[Autobot]]s work to help repair cities and do other generous/benevolent type things. After all, [[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Megatron]] is MIA, believed killed in the explosion that moved Cybertron from Earth's orbit. But they are not the only ones to notice Megatron's absence.

[[Starscream (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Starscream]], believing Megatron destroyed, forces [[Doctor Arkeville]] to take him to his secret laboratory. Once there he discovers another of the Doctor's inventions, the [[Exponential Generator]], a power source that, if it overcharges, will detonate with enough energy to destroy the Earth.

[[Image:Countdown Extinction Decepticon badge.JPG|right|thumb|150px|Freeze, this is the DPD!]]

Seeking to gain power for himself, Starscream links the generator to a timer and then takes Doctor Arkeville with him to [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]], which is still nearby. He plans to collect the energy unleashed by Earth's destruction to revitalize Cybertron. He coerces [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]] into serving him, and to help in the restoration of Cybertron.

Meanwhile on Earth, Megatron has returned to the Decepticons, having survived the explosion of his starship. When he learns that Starscream and Doctor Arkeville are apparently working together he sets off in pursuit with the other Decepticons.

The Autobots detect the Decepticon activity and set off after them. After a short battle the Autobots are trapped in quicksand. [[Ironhide (G1)|Ironhide]] freezes the quicksand with his liquid nitrogen allowing them to escape. [[Laserbeak (G1)|Laserbeak]], who was standing guard over them, is captured and [[Jazz (G1)|Jazz]] forces him to play his findings. The Autobots learn that the Decepticons are heading for the Doctor's secret laboratory and they set off to follow them.

[[Image:CountdownDrArkeville.jpg|left|thumb|Stephen Hawking in a rare Transformers cameo.]]

The Doctor, unwilling to let Starscream benefit from the Earth's destruction, attempts to sabotage the energy collectors but the Decepticon security system stuns him with a blast of electricity. Starscream has the badly-injured Doctor 'repaired' by the [[medicroid]]s, leaving him more machine now than man. Of course, he was twisted and evil to start with, so.

The Autobots and Decepticons arrive at the laboratory and battle each other again. Unaware of the danger it represents, Megatron covets the exponential generator and fights Optimus Prime for its possession. During the fight Megatron receives a communication from Shockwave on Cybertron.

Shockwave, unwilling to serve Starscream, warns Megatron about the timer and Starscream's plan. Megatron rips the timer from the wall just in time. On Cybertron, Starscream is baffled that the Earth has not exploded and sets off back to check the timer.

[[Image:CountdownToExtinction.jpg|right|thumb|Prime helps Megatron to shoot his load.]]

The exponential generator has become volatile and begins to go critical, ready to explode. Prime rips it away from Megatron, but the [[Decepticon leader]] says he needs the Autobot leader's help. [[Transformation|Transforming]], Megatron tells Prime to load the generator into his gun barrel, and then fires it into space. It explodes and the blast sends Starscream crashing to Earth where Megatron is waiting for him.

With the threat ended, the Autobots let the Decepticons go. [[Bumblebee (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Bumblebee]] wonders what will happen to Starscream, and the other Autobots are amused at the thought of what Megatron plans to do.
{{-}}

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
*[[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]] (1)
*[[Sludge (G1)|Sludge]] (2)
*[[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]] (3)
*[[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] (4)
*[[Ratchet (G1)|Ratchet]] (5)
*[[Ironhide (G1)|Ironhide]] (6)
*[[Brawn (G1)|Brawn]] (7)
*[[Gears (G1)|Gears]] (8)
*[[Huffer (G1)|Huffer]] (9)
*[[Hound (G1)|Hound]] (10)
*[[Cliffjumper (G1)|Cliffjumper]] (18)
*[[Trailbreaker (G1)|Trailbreaker]] (19)
*[[Prowl (G1)|Prowl]] (22)
*[[Bumblebee (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Bumblebee]] (23)
*[[Sideswipe (G1)|Sideswipe]] (24)
*[[Jazz (G1)|Jazz]] (25)
*[[Mirage (G1)|Mirage]] (26)
|c2=
*[[Skywarp (G1)|Skywarp]] (11)
*[[Rumble (G1)|Rumble]] (12)
*[[Thundercracker (G1)|Thundercracker]] (13)
*[[Soundwave (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Soundwave]] (14)
*[[Frenzy (G1)|Frenzy]] (15)
*[[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Megatron]] (16)
*[[Laserbeak (G1)|Laserbeak]] (17)
*[[Starscream (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Starscream]] (20)
*[[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]] (27)
*[[Reflector (G1)|Reflector]] (28)
|c3=
*[[Doctor Arkeville]] (21)
}}

==Quotes==
"Can't you do ''anything'' right, Skywarp?" 
"Watch it you metallic mini-meatball or I'll step on you!"
:—'''Rumble''' and '''Skywarp''' shortly before the former gets owned.

"Hey, I didn't volunteer for this geeky assignment. I want Skywarp's job." 
"Butt out, Frenzy. Geek work's made for a geek! Like you!"
:—'''Skywarp''' and '''Frenzy''' bickering before resorting to violence.

"I, Doctor Arkeville, genius of science, say... OPEN SESAME!" 
"How original."
:—'''Dr. Arkeville''' shows '''Starscream''' the entrance to his secret lab.

"Hey Optimus, how'd you like to hear the number one on the Decepticon hot cassette charts?" 
"As I believe the Earthlings say...lay it on me, man."
:—'''Jazz''' and '''Optimus Prime'''

"Your destiny is to serve me, my potent beauty."
:—'''Megatron''''s interest in the exponential generator gets a little creepy.

'''Rumble''': Megatron, it's...it's the Autobots! 
'''Megatron''': Impossible! They were doomed! 
'''Skywarp''': Don't worry. We'll make them regret undooming themselves.
:—The Decepticons prepare to kick some exhaust port.

'''Megatron''': Here! Have a ton of fun! 
''[Megatron throws a boulder at Optimus and misses.]'' 
'''Optimus''': Hahaha! Your aim's improving, Megatron!
:—'''Optimus Prime''' is having a blast.

"Welcome home, noble voyager."
:—'''Megatron''' missed Janeway too.

'''Bumblebee''': Hey Prime, what do you think Megatron's gonna do to Starscream?" 
'''Optimus''': Nothing gentle, I would say. 
''[general laughter]'' 
'''Jazz''': I think we seen the last of ol' Starcreep alright! And that's the first thing that's gone right all day.
:—The Autobots muse on Starscream's fate after Megatron is last seen carrying him off screen.

==Notes==
* In the [[Family Home Entertainment]] VHS promotional blurb for this episode, the narrator claims the exponential generator's explosion is powerful enough to destroy ''the entire universe.'' So, uhhh, maybe every bit of TF fiction produced after this actually represents a different [[universal stream]]!

===Technical or animation glitches===
* As the Dinobots push the building back into place, Grimlock has his old head design, and Sludge has that strange yellow mouth interior again.
* As Wheeljack raises his hand to indicate where the Dinobots should stop, the flashing glow of his "ears" is layered on top of his hand.
* Two Brawns are seen repairing the damaged dam, one handing the other a concrete block. In the next shot, one of them has turned into Gears, in time for Huffer to hassle him.
* When Skywarp's hand and arm reach into the frame to slap Rumble, they're in Thundercracker's colors.
* Missing Seeker insignia:
** Skywarp and Thundercracker are both missing the insignia on the back of their wings as Thundercracker steps in to tell them to shape up.
* Soundwave is missing the yellow lines around his tape door as he mocks Thundercracker.
* As the sliding doors start to open to admit Megatron, he disappears for a frame or two.
* As Megatron asks about Arkeville, Skywarp's chest intakes are colored black. Both he and Thundercracker have the bottom segments of their canopies colored orange instead of black/blue respectively.
* Skywarp is drawn delivering Thundercracker's "He's gone!" lines.
* As usual when he's playing back a tape report, Soundwave's tape door suddenly becomes transparent as Laserbeak plays back. Behind him, Thundercracker's canopy is still over-oranged, and his wings aren't symmetrical.
* The Laserbeak tape is blue in the first shot, but during the close-up, its coloring changes to Laserbeak's normal red-and-white.
* As Megatron orders his troops to move out, Soundwave's hand is white, then changes to blue.
* Wheeljack is missing his ears as he watches Megatron & co. on screen.
* Improbable viewpoints:
** How DID Teletraan-1 get that image of the Decepticons flying along?
* Starscream's foot is light gray instead of blue as he comments on the Doctor's originality.
* Bumblebee is tan instead of yellow as the jets fire on the Autobot convoy.
* The area in front of Starscream's neck is dark gray instead of light gray as Dr. Arkeville says he must work under his supervision.
* As Starscream prepares to flip the switch, his wings are missing most of their paint details.
* As Starscream congratulates the Doctor for understanding his intent, the stripes on his wings are white instead of red.
* In the next shot, the bridge of Starscream's nose is dark gray instead of medium gray. In fact, Starscream's nose changes color a lot throughout this episode, too much to mention.
* "Puny flesh creature!" The insignia on Starscream's wing-back is badly out of place.
* Starscream's air intakes are light gray instead of red as Dr. Arkeville boards his jet mode.
* As Starscream talks to Dr. Arkeville in space, his voice is muffled as though coming over a radio. Since Arkeville is ''inside'' him, shouldn't Starscream's voice be normal?
* Brawn's helmet is yellow instead of gray in the big lineup of firing Autobots. Jazz is missing his insignia. Wheeljack's ears flash for a single frame even though he's not speaking, and they're orange; he's missing his missile launcher.
* Thundercracker has no stripes or insignia on his wings as he, Soundwave and Rumble half-heartedly dodge Autobot fire (instead of landing like Megatron just ordered.)
* Starscream's elbow segment is red instead of gray after he threatens Shockwave.
* Optimus's antenna is white instead of blue as he looks up at Megatron perched on the rock peak, and again as he watches the Decepticons fly off.
* As he stands over the generator, the red button on Megatron's waist is colored blue.
* Thundercracker is drawn delivering Skywarp's "undooming themselves" line.
* The end of Megatron's fusion cannon is ''much'' too thin as he aims at Prime in front of the generator.
* As Prime warns Megatron to be careful, his faceplate drops almost all the way to his chin as he speaks.
* The damage caused to Megatron's chest by the exponential generator disappears after he leaves the lab.
* Starscream's tailfins are miscolored as he falls to Earth and impacts.
* The chest segment above Starscream's canopy is colored yellow instead of gray as Megatron looms over him.
* As the Autobots drive past cam, Ironhide and Ratchet's passenger side windows are HUGE.
* Prime's strange half-sloped windscreen design appears in the next shot.

===Shout! Factory DVD release===
* The volume of the sound effects in the Shout! release of this episode are noticeably reduced from the original; the beeping of the timer after the first commercial break, for example, is barely audible.

===Continuity errors===
* Narrator [[Victor Caroli]] claims that Cybertron's orbit of Earth has "left the world in ruins". Yet somehow, after the opening scenes of this episode, we never see any signs of this catastrophic damage - in this episode or any future one.
* Megatron was beat to hell at the end of last episode. When he returns to Decepticon Headquarters, he's brand-spankin' new. Where did he get the resources to repair himself so thoroughly?
* Optimus says that "we can't let [Megatron] and the Decepticons regroup"... but it should be obvious from the screen that they already ''have'' regrouped.
*The timer that Starscream connects to the exponential generator, which starts at 8:00:00, leads to some dubious situations:
**It takes Starscream less than 30 seconds to reach outer space (and have a good bit of distance between him and Earth). He then reaches Cybertron in about 4 hours. For what it's worth, Starscream's toy [[Bio|bio]] states that he can reach Mach 2.8.
**There's a time lapse of around 15 minutes between the moment Megatron finds the exponential generator and when he opens it up. That, of course, could be overlooked seeing how it may take Megatron, who's unfamilar with the lab, that much time to figure out the controls.
**The battle outside Doctor Arkeville's lab goes on for 2 hours. Maybe not so dubious, but it's not the norm for the television series.
*How is it that everyone seems to know where Doctor Arkeville's '''secret''' laboratory is? (The very prominent ''front staircase'' might be a clue.)
* When we last see Laserbeak, he's held prisoner in Jazz's tape deck. We never do learn how he gets free.
* If the generator can melt Megatron's chest, why doesn't it melt his hands?
*The explosion from the exponential generator is supposed to be powerful enough to destroy the Earth, and yet the actual explosion is so small, all it does is knock Starscream out of the air. (See also [[War of the Dinobots]] for another example of an "Earth-destroying" explosion). In fairness, Megatron by this point has spent some time de-wiring and perhaps de-powering the device.
* While this episode is supposed to take place immediately after "[[The Ultimate Doom]]", the Japanese continuity places that three-parter at the end of the series, leaving everyone clueless as to how Starscream and Arkeville know each other and how Arkeville is turned back into a human from a cyborg.

===Continuity notes===
* This episode follows on from "[[The Ultimate Doom, Part 3]]" and includes a narrative recap of that episode's crucial events.
*[[Frenzy (G1)|Frenzy]] first appears in this episode...and [[FIRRIB|he's red]].
* Gadgets and powers:
** A relatively rare instance of Wheeljack firing his missile launcher.
** An even more rare instance of Mirage firing his.
** Ironhide unleashes his old favorite, supercooled nitrogen. It's a whitish-clear gas this time, coming from his retracted wrist.
** Megatron's communication with Shockwave on Cybertron is indicated by his upper-chest rectangles blinking.
*As proof of his leadership, Starscream shows a badge with the Decepticon [[Insignia|symbol]]. [[Megatron (G1)|Every]] [[Soundwave (G1)|other]] [[Shockwave (G1)|leader]] just had Laserbeak perch on his shoulder or arm.
* We never see Arkeville again; Starscream leaves him on Cybertron as an immobilized, half-man, half-machine freak.
* The episode is ''amazingly'' consistent about showing the same 13 Autobots in Prime's strike force.
* '''[[S.O.S. Dinobots|< <]]''' What makes Starscream the leader? Megatron's ship blew up! '''[[The Immobilizer|> >]]'''

===Real-World references===
* ''[[Star Wars]]'' sound effects:
** ''Millennium Falcon'' engine burst as Starscream approaches the secret lab.
** TIE Fighter engine roar and ''Falcon'' whine as Skywarp and Thundercracker open fire on the Autobot convoy.
** More ''Falcon'' rumble as Skywarp is hit by Wheeljack's missile.
** More TIE engine as the Decepticons move to land a second later.
** Death Star firing noise as the Decepticons launch to retreat.
** Diving X-Wings as the Decepticons leave the quicksand pit.
** TIE/''Falcon'' as Laserbeak launches to stop Ironhide.
* A sound effect more commonly used for the Road Runner is repurposed as Skywarp and Thundercracker diving to attack the Autobots.

===Trivia===
*The [[Sunbow Productions]] cast list for this episode lists "Tyrex" and "Bronton" as [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobot]]s appearing with non-speaking roles. Evidence points to these being early names for Grimlock and Sludge coined by writer [[Donald F. Glut]]; in an interview with Glut<ref>[http://web.archive.org/web/20070217131842/http://members.aol.com/tfencyc/interview_glut.html Interview with Donald F. Glut]</ref>, he revealed that, prior to the Dinobots receiving their final names, he had submitted more "dinosaurian" names for them. Why Glut's proposed names were used on a cast list page for an episode he did not write {{m-}} particularly when Grimlock and Sludge had been referred to in prior cast list pages under their proper names {{m-}} is unknown.
*For some reason, this episode was commemorated by an exclusive [[Super_Collection_Figure#Exclusives|Super Collection Figure]] giftset sold at the Wonder Festival 2002 convention in Japan. The set included both a metallic-painted PVC of Optimus Prime holding Megatron in gun mode and a metallic-painted PVC of Prime in truck mode.
*Yes, that is the Heroic Autobots laughing over how Megatron is going to torture Starscream at the very end.

==Home video releases==
{{homevidnote}}
;VHS
[[Image:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 1986 — ''The Transformers'' — Volume 11: "Countdown to Extinction" ([[Family Home Entertainment]])
;Laserdisc
[[Image:Flag of Japan.png|20px|Japan]] 1994 — ''Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers'' — Convoy Set ([[TakaraTomy|Takara]]) — Japanese audio only. 
[[Image:Flag of Japan.png|20px|Japan]] 1998 — ''The Transformers'' — Autobot Edition ([[Geneon Universal Entertainment|Pioneer LDC]]) — Japanese audio only.
;DVD
[[Image:Flag of Japan.png|20px|Japan]] 2001 — ''The Transformers'' — DVD Box 1 (Pioneer LDC) — Japanese audio only. 
[[Image:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2002 — ''Transformers'' — Original Series: Volume Three ([[Maverick Entertainment|Sony Wonder]]) 
[[Image:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2002 — ''Transformers'' — Complete Original Series: Deluxe Edition (Sony Wonder) 
[[Image:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2002 — ''The Original Transformers'' — First Season Collector's Edition ([[The Original Transformers|Rhino Entertainment]]) 
[[Image:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2002 — ''The Original Transformers'' — Volume Three (Rhino Entertainment) 
[[Image:Flag of Australia.png|20px|Australia]] 2003 — ''Transformers'' — Collection 1: Series 1 ([[Madman Entertainment]]) 
[[Image:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2004 — ''Transformers'' — Season 1 ([[Metrodome]]) 
[[Image:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2006 — ''Transformers'' — The Complete Generation One Collection (Metrodome) 
[[Image:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2007 — ''Classic Transformers'' — Series One: Part Two (Metrodome) 
[[Image:Flag of Australia.png|20px|Australia]] 2007 — ''The Transformers'' — Complete Collection (Madman Entertainment) 
[[Image:Flag of Italy.png|20px|Italy]] 2008 — ''Transformers'' — Volume 02: Stagione Uno Parte Seconda ([[Medianetwork Communication]]) — English and Italian audio. 
[[Image:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2009 — ''Transformers'' — Season One (Metrodome) 
[[Image:Flag of Australia.png|20px|Australia]] 2009 — ''The Transformers'' — Complete Collection: Decepticon Edition (Madman Entertainment) 
[[Image:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2009 — ''The Transformers'' — The Complete First Season: 25th Anniversary Edition ([[Shout! Factory]]) 
[[Image:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2009 — ''The Transformers'' — The Complete Series: 25th Anniversary "Matrix of Leadership" Collection (Shout! Factory)

==References==
<references/>

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

[[Category: Generation 1 episodes]]

Prowl (G1)

2010-05-08T15:35:06Z

75.178.40.169: /* American cartoon continuity */

{{factions|autobot|autobotg2|maximal}}
{{disambig3|Prowl}}
:''Prowl is an [[Autobot]] and [[Maximal]] from the [[Generation 1 (franchise)|Generation 1]] [[continuity family]].''

[[Image:Prowlg1.jpg|right|300px|thumb|Prick.]]
'''Prowl''' is the Autobot military strategist. As such, [[Prime (rank)|Autobot Commander]] [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] keeps Prowl near at hand for his indispensable expertise. Prowl is quiet, competent, loyal, and possessed of almost endless patience.

Prowl's dedication to logic and reason make him an excellent strategist, but not much of a socialite. He really doesn't tend to get along well with his fellow Autobots, many of whom find his strict adherence to military protocol stifling, and his uptight personality sure doesn't help matters. He does not react well to the unexpected, to the point that it can literally scramble his cerebral circuits. The [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobot]] commander [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]], who is disorder made manifest, ''especially'' honks Prowl off, and Grimlock feels pretty much the same way in return, only with more swear words. He's very fond of his [[Acid pellet|acid pellets]], though.

{{bigquote|Listening to you, [[Bluestreak|Blue Streak]], taxes even the endless patience of '''Prowl.''' I have little to say, but my logic center dictates the most advantageous course of action in any situation.|Prowl begins his long history of prickery|"[[The Transformers (issue)|The Transformers]]"}}

:''French-Canadian name:'' '''Cervo'''
:''French-Canadian name (Action Master):'' '''Rôdeur ''' ("Prowler")
:''Chinese name (Taiwan):'' '''Pái-húai''' (徘徊, "Prowl")
:''Chinese name (China):'' '''Jing Che''' (警車, "Police Car")
:''Hungarian name'': '''Portyázó''' ("Prowler")
:''Italian name:'' '''Pantera''' ("Panther")
:''Portuguese name (Portugal comic):'' '''Batedor'''
:''Portuguese name (Brazil comic):'' '''Espreitador'''
:''Russian name'': '''Сыщик''' ("Detective")

==Fiction==
===Marvel Comics continuity===
====Generation 1====
{{noteukonly}}
''Before Optimus became leader, Prowl was part of the self-styled Magnificent Six, a team of Autobot warriors who would be tortured and humiliated by the sadistic [[Megadeath]].'' {{storylink|The Magnificent Six!}}

[[Image:Prowlg1marvelfirst.jpg|left|100px|thumb|Well somebody's character model was ready.]]
Prowl was one of the select Autobots chosen by [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] to travel aboard the ''[[Ark (G1)|Ark]]'', and ended up in stasis lock for four million years at the base of [[Mount St. Hilary]] with the rest of the crew. Once the volcano exploded, Optimus chose Prowl to lead the first away mission into civilization. {{storylink|The Transformers (issue)|The Transformers}} Like most of the Autobots, though, he soon ran out of energy without any option of refueling on Earth, and suffered even greater injuries when the ''Ark'' and the deactivated Autobots aboard were taken over by [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]] and the Decepticons. ''He was eventually revived when [[Ratchet (G1)|Ratchet]] and the [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobots]] reclaimed control of the ''Ark'' from Shockwave's drone, the [[Guardian (Marvel)|Guardian]]. {{storylink|The Wrath of Guardian!}}''

With Optimus Prime's head still in Decepticon possession, Prowl took command of the Autobots until their true leader could be restored. At [[Jazz (G1)|Jazz]]'s suggestion, he forged an alliance with human fuel magnate [[G.B. Blackrock]], arranging an exchange of free gasoline for the Autobots for their help in protecting Blackrock's facilities from the Decepticons. {{storylink|DIS-Integrated Circuits!}} The Autobots were eventually successful in recovering Prime's head, and restoring him to functionality, but Prowl suffered some injuries battling the Decepticons and a false Prime in the process. {{storylink|Prime Time!}}

[[Image:Prowlg1crisisofcommand.jpg|right|300px|thumb|Some even call me a prick! And why? Because I dared to dream of my own race of atomic monsters!]]

''Shortly thereafter, Prowl was the ringleader of a group of Autobots strongly requesting that Prime use his [[Matrix of Leadership|Creation Matrix]] to create Ultimate Autobot super-warriors to wipe out the Decepticons for them. The lethal efficiency of Prowl's stance was just as strongly opposed by another faction who saw such action as a perversion of their sacred lifeforce, and the potential for laying waste to Earth. Prime's long absence and relative weakness after his recent ordeals left Prowl and the others less deferential than normal to his will, but after he singlehandedly fought through the Decepticons to rescue [[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]], Prowl and the other Ultimate Autobot proponents backed down and accepted Prime's final word on the subject. {{storylink|Crisis of Command!}} When the Dinobots were driven feral by their primitive circuitry, Prowl nearly sacrificed himself crashing a shuttlecraft straight into the feuding [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]] and [[Sludge (G1)|Sludge]]. {{storylink|Dinobot Hunt!}}''

''Prowl was displaced to [[Limbo]] along with Optimus Prime and Ratchet when [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]], [[Cyclonus (G1)|Cyclonus]] and [[Scourge (G1)|Scourge]] time-traveled from the future. {{storylink|Target: 2006}} Joined later by [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]], [[Thundercracker (G1)|Thundercracker]] and [[Frenzy (G1)|Frenzy]], they found themselves in the middle of a war between the peaceful, cat-like [[Cloran]] and evil, monkey-like invaders led by [[Zenag]]. {{storylink|Distant Thunder!}} When Galvatron's group returned to their own time, Prowl was released from Limbo.''

''Prowl was next in action during the [[Battlecharger|Battlechargers]]' rampage, and attempted to bring them in despite the endangerment of human life.'' {{storylink|Perchance to Dream|Perchance to Dream}} Deactivated by means unknown, Ratchet did manage to briefly revive him in order to exploit Prowl's police car mode against a human thief named the [[Mechanic]] who had infiltrated the ''Ark''. {{storylink|Funeral for a Friend!}} Prowl was fully revived in time for Grimlock and [[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]]'s grudge match on the moon, and fought alongside the combined crews of the ''Ark'' and ''[[Steelhaven (G1)|Steelhaven]]'' against the Decepticon party-crashers. {{storylink|Totaled!}} Unfortunately, it wasn't too long afterwards that Prowl was once again knocked off-line, this time battling the [[Underbase]]-charged [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]] in New York. {{storylink|Dark Star (issue)|Dark Star}}

[[Image:Prowlg1exodus.jpg|left|200px|thumb|You'd be a prick too if Grimlock kept getting promoted over you.]]

He would remain in stasis for some time, until Grimlock acquired a large supply of super-energy known as [[Nucleon]], and pumped it into all of the ''Ark'''s stasis chambers. Prowl found himself revived just in time to engage the Chaos-Bringer known as [[Unicron]] for the sake of all Cybertron, and then bury his longterm friend and leader, Optimus Prime, who sacrificed himself to destroy Unicron. {{storylink|On the Edge of Extinction!}} At Prime's last request, Prowl reluctantly supported Grimlock as new leader of the Autobots. While Grimlock pursued his own interests, though, Prowl found himself working almost alone trying to maintain the tenuous peace between the Autobots and Decepticons. He ended up overplaying his hand, and gave Decepticon leader [[Bludgeon (G1)|Bludgeon]] a chance to betray the Autobots, leaving them trapped on the dying world of Cybertron, without transport, while the Decepticons fled to conquer new civilizations. Luckily for Prowl, Grimlock had anticipated the Decepticons' treachery (by Primus, how'd he manage that?!?) and had secured alternate starships. The Autobots chased their foes to the planet of [[Klo]] and, thanks to the resurrection of Optimus Prime and the arrival of the [[Last Autobot]], managed to drive off Bludgeon's forces, sending them into at least temporary exile. {{storylink|End of the Road! (US)|End of the Road!}}

In an alternate 2009, Prowl was one of only seven Autobots left alive after [[Galvatron II|Galvatron]] and his Decepticons took over America. With Cybertron destroyed by [[Unicron]] and the various Primes dead, things looked bleak. Prowl and Jazz led a last-ditch assault on the Decepticon fortress and, miraculously, managed to send a signal to the rest of the world that America was still alive and fighting. When some [[Hook, Line, and Sinker|mysterious travelers]] shang-haied Galvatron from the field of battle, Prowl joined Jazz and [[Inferno (G1)|Inferno]] (the last of their kind) in fighting alongside their human allies with renewed vigor. Perhaps the war could yet be won! {{storylink|Rhythms of Darkness!}}

=====Earthforce=====
{{earthforcefiction}}
[[Image:Prowllittlemen.jpg|right|250px|thumb|Prowl was GEEWUN before it was fashionable.]]
''Deactivated following his battle with the [[Underbase]]-enhanced Starscream, Prowl lay recuperating within a lifepod in the ''Ark'' for months, until the [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]] of a parallel future intervened. Using a series of dream bug devices, Galvatron manipulated the baser instincts of several Autobots, attempting to revive them as pawns he could use for his own purposes. Instead they revived intent on opposing him. Prowl joined [[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]], [[Sunstreaker (G1)|Sunstreaker]], [[Ironhide (G1)|Ironhide]] and [[Silverbolt (G1)|Silverbolt]] in overpowering and capturing the renegade Decepticon. Wheeljack cobbled together a device that turned Galvatron's own technology against him, and Prowl slapped it on the villain's head, leaving him trapped in his own nightmares. {{storylink|Perchance to Dream}}''

''As the days passed, Prowl attempted to readjust to the war, despite how it had changed around him. Along with Wheeljack, he lamented about the proliferation of newer types of Transformers, claiming these newcomers gave him a headache just thinking about them. Luckily, their patrol turned up several familiar enemies, including the [[Constructicon (G1)|Constructicons]] and [[Stunticon (G1)|Stunticons]] working under [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]]'s command. Megatron had formulated a scheme to destroy Earth's atmosphere with a deadly rocket, and reap the excess energy that would no longer be filtered out before reaching the planet's surface. {{storylink|Starting Over!}} While Wheeljack engaged the Decepticons, Prowl leaped aboard the flying rocket, knocking it off course so that its deadly poison never reached the proper altitude. {{storylink|Desert Island Risks!}} He crashed down in the backwoods of Louisiana, and befriended some locals who helped fix him up over the next few days. Prowl also neutralized the rocket's poison, and got a good chuckle out of watching the two Decepticon factions arrive days later and begin fighting over a useless cargo. {{storylink|Life in the Slow Lane}}''

''A new team of Autobots called [[Earthforce]] had been formed, partly to help recover Prowl and the atmospheric rocket, and he quickly joined the organization once reunited with his fellow Autobots. Working under Grimlock's overall command, Prowl acted as second lieutenant, providing a voice of reason and strategy for the Dinobot Commander. On one occasion, Prowl sabotaged Megatron's attempt to alter the timeline using a [[Flashback doorway]]. The two opponents traveled back in time to the battle with Starscream, where Megatron possessed the body of [[Snaptrap (G1)|Snaptrap]], and attempted to lead the [[Seacon (G1)|Seacons]] to safety in order to receive their services in the present. Prowl possessed his own past form and ensured the Seacons' destruction before returning to the present. {{storylink|Flashback!}} He also talked Grimlock into accepting the [[Survivors]] into Earthforce, and joined them in assaulting the island base of the [[Mayhem Attack Squad]]. {{storylink|Where Wolf?}}''

''When the Autobot Earthbase was finished, Prowl gathered with all the other Autobots outside to witness Wheeljack's handiwork. Ever cautious and critical, Prowl commented on the noticeable lack of defenses. Wheeljack then turned on the defense grid and tossed a rock towards the base, triggering a series of underground weapon systems that annihilated the projectile. Prowl still wasn't convinced, and began asking how the defenses might be knocked off-line once activated. Wheeljack assured him the defenses were so completely fool proof that NO ONE could shut them off once they had been activated unless they were sitting at the control console inside the base. Prowl then gave Wheeljack his "Everybody's dumb but me" look, and did a headcount of the ''entire'' Earthforce who had come outside for the demonstration... meaning no one was inside who could shut off the deadly defense grid. In order to get back inside their base, Prowl volunteered to brave the perils and reach the console himself. With [[Jazz (G1)|Jazz]], [[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]] and the [[Aerialbot (G1)|Aerialbots]] spotting him, Prowl navigated his way through lasers, heat-seeking drones, acid bats, and electrified tentacles before finally shutting off the system. {{storylink|The House that Wheeljack Built!}}''

''Later on, [[Snarl (G1)|Snarl]] began suffering from a case of [[Corrodia Gravis]], and the Autobots were forced to go to Starscream in order to get a compatible systems boost to save the Dinobot's life. Not destined to be an easy mission in the best of cases, Prowl, Ironhide and the remaining Dinobots walked in on an assassination in progress and the former Decepticon leaders attempted to remove the current ones from their former thrones. As was often the case, it fell on Prowl to re-explain to Grimlock why it wasn't a good thing that Starscream's life was in danger. {{storylink|External Forces!|External Forces!}} After Megatron, Shockwave and their assassins were chased off, Prowl and Grimlock made a deal with Starscream to gain his help, in exchange for agreeing to step in if Megatron ever tried to overthrow their current Decepticon regime again. {{storylink|The Lesser Evil}}''

''When [[Bombshell (G1)|Bombshell]] injected [[Superion (G1)|Superion]] with a [[cerebro-shell]] and caused him to go wild, Earthforce was in dire straits trying to find a means of stopping the warrior juggernaut. Prowl found a human reporter on the scene named [[Irwin Spoon]], and made a deal with him for an exclusive interview in exchange for Irwin's help removing the shell from the inside. {{storylink|Inside Story!}} Irwin was successful and got his interview. Prowl hoped the good publicity would help the Autobots establish better relations with humanity, despite Grimlock's grumbling. It seemed the Decepticons had the same notion, and so Starscream and Soundwave sent the Stunticons to kidnap Irwin from Earthbase before he could publish his story, taking him right out from under Prowl's olfactory receptor. {{storylink|Front Line!}} Prowl tried to chase down [[Motormaster]] and recover the human, but was bashed off the side of the highway, and had to be recovered by Wheeljack. {{storylink|End of the Road! (UK)|End of the Road!}}''

''Along with the surviving Magnificent Six and Silverbolt, Prowl once more faced Megadeath in 1990 and, encouraged by Silverbolt to overcome the past, helped beat Megadeath half to death.''

=====''Another Time and Place''=====
Several months after the incident on Klo, Prowl caught wind of Grimlock running off on his own again, this time back to [[Hydrus Four]]. Prowl alerted Optimus Prime to the situation, but was surprised when his leader harshly rebuked him for bringing it to his attention. When Prime made it clear he didn't want anything to do with Prowl's report, the Autobot strategist stormed off to consider the problem himself. After some solitary computation, Prowl decided that the threat of Decepticons following Grimlock to Hydrus Four and acquiring [[Nucleon]] was too perilous to ignore. He was rushing out of his chambers, ready to throw together a squad of Autobots regardless of what Optimus Prime thought, when he ran smack into Optimus himself. Prime apologized to Prowl for "hiding his head in the sand"—he had wanted the war to be over so badly, for his fellow Autobots' sake and not his, that he was willing to ignore an obvious threat. The two old friends shook hands and proceeded to gather their strike team.

On Hydrus Four, Prowl joined a small group of commandos including [[Springer (G1)|Springer]], [[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]], [[Nightbeat (G1)|Nightbeat]] and [[Ironhide (G1)|Ironhide]] to scout the enemy position. They dispatched [[Fangry]] with little effort, and sent in [[Roadhandler (G1)|Roadhandler]] and some [[Micromaster|Micromasters]] to free Grimlock and the Dinobots quietly before the main offensive began. Nothing ever goes quietly with the Dinobots, though, and so once the shooting started inside, the [[Aerialbot (G1)|Aerialbots]] were sent in to bomb the facility and let the Decepticons know they were in for it. Prowl and his fellow Autobots assaulted the base and, in little time at all, Bludgeon and his crew were dismantled and the day was won yet again. {{storylink|Another Time and Place}}

====Generation 2====
[[Image:Prowlg2muzzle.jpg|left|100px|thumb|Prowl and Grimlock's sexual tension continues.]]
When Optimus Prime and Grimlock discovered the threat of the [[Cybertronian (faction)|Cybertronian Empire]], they called in Autobots scattered across the galaxy, including Prowl. As one of Prime's most loyal supporters, Prowl did not participate in Grimlock's ill-advised strike on the [[Jhiaxus (G2)|Liege Centuro]] and his fleet. {{storylink|Devices and Desires! (Marvel)|Devices and Desires!}} Still, Prowl would not completely ignore Grimlock's opinions: when Optimus Prime decreed that he be left alone to entreat Megatron for peace, Grimlock convinced Prowl that Prime made a bad call, and they arrived with a rescue battalion just in time to keep Megatron from destroying his old nemesis. {{storylink|The Gathering Darkness}} Prowl continued serving the Autobot cause, and was present when they attempted to stop the genocide of the planet [[Ethos]] by the Cybertronian Empire. {{storylink|Escalation!}}
{{-}}

===American cartoon continuity===
:''Voice actor:'' [[Michael Bell]] (English), [[Toshio Ishii]] (Japanese)

[[Image:G1 Prowl Bluestreak Rollforit.jpg|left|180px|thumb|It's like looking into a mirror... well, not really.]]
Prowl was part of the crew of the ''[[Ark (G1)|Ark]]'', the Autobot starship that left Cybertron looking for alternate sources of energy. Whilte enroute he monitored the [[Viewtrex]] and detected the Decepticons pursuing them. The Decepticons boarded and the ensuing conflict caused the Ark to crashland on [[Earth]]. Four million years later, the Transformers were reawakened by the eruption of the volcano the Ark had crashed in and reformatted by [[Teletraan I (G1)|Teletraan I]]. Despite being situated in the United States, Prowl was reformatted as a Japanese police car. No one seemed to notice. When the Autobots first fought the Decepticons on Earth, aboard an oceanic oil refinery, Prowl teamed with [[Jazz (G1)|Jazz]] in shooting up the Decepticons' supply of [[energon cube]]s. {{storylink|More than Meets the Eye, Part 1}}

The two Autobots worked together again when [[Soundwave (G1)|Soundwave]] invaded the Ark for information. The crafty Decepticon got away, but Prowl and Jazz managed to capture his pet, [[Ravage (G1)|Ravage]], in a solid energy net. Prowl joined the Autobots for their subsequent battles at [[Sherman Dam]] and the ruby crystal mines of Burma. {{storylink|More than Meets the Eye, Part 2}} During the final fight at the Decepticon space cruiser, Prowl ran over [[Starscream (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Starscream]]'s [[null ray]] before he could "activate" it. {{storylink|More than Meets the Eye, Part 3}}

Prowl and the Autobots next battled the Decepticons at a solar power station. Prowl and [[Ratchet (G1)|Ratchet]] attempted to stop Starscream and [[Skywarp (G1)|Skywarp]] from escaping with the energon cubes, but Starscream started launching concussive blasts, knocking aside their lasers and driving them back. Later that day, Prowl zapped [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]] during a cave fight, but was then clubbed from behind by Skywarp. That's snow fair. {{storylink|Transport to Oblivion}}

During an attack against the Decepticons, Prowl's battle computer was knocked offline by a particularly fierce blow. Crippled, Prowl extended his antenna to seek out an online computer that he could patch into. He found [[Chip Chase]]'s desktop terminal, and the young human ally momentarily took control of Prowl, animating the Autobot warrior with his computer. Chip and Prowl handily defeated the Decepticons, and the Autobot remarked that Chip was a human after his own central processor. {{storylink|Roll for It}} After Optimus Prime suffered some brief but severe injuries, Prowl was present with the other Autobots in defending the Ark, as the Decepticons attempted to press their advantage.{{storylink|Divide and Conquer}}

Prowl was also among the Autobots who took an unpleasant number of hits trying to calm down the rampaging [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobot]]s. {{storylink|S.O.S. Dinobots}} He held no grudges, though, and participated in the construction of two new Dinobots a few months later, using laser bursts to cut up raw materials for the design. Still, he showed a bit more caution than his fellow Autobots during the "play fighting" tests of [[Snarl (G1)|Snarl]] and [[Swoop (G1)|Swoop]]. While Ironhide, [[Bluestreak]] and [[Sideswipe (G1)|Sideswipe]] went in for close quarters combat with the Dinos (and subsequently got bashed around quite a bit), Prowl stuck to long-range laser fire, and managed to avoid getting his head handed to him. {{storylink|War of the Dinobots}}

After [[Sparkplug Witwicky]] was kidnapped, Prowl was shown acting as a strategist for once, constructing battle-plans using [[Hound (G1)|Hound]]'s holographic maps for reference. He coordinated a two-pronged rescue mission on the Decepticon's sunken space cruiser, from above and below. While he and the main Autobot force dropped in on the Decepticons from above and drew their fire, [[Cliffjumper (G1)|Cliffjumper]], [[Brawn (G1)|Brawn]] and [[Windcharger (G1)|Windcharger]] used their special abilities to tunnel right underneath the base, breaking in and freeing Sparkplug before the Decepticons got wind of it. {{storylink|The Ultimate Doom, Part 1}} He remained active with the Autobot forces as they dealt with Cybertron's newfound proximity to Earth. {{storylink|The Ultimate Doom, Part 2}} Prowl later surfed into battle against the Decepticons, but the resulting tidal wave allowed Megatron to escape before the fight even started. A small contingent of Autobots eventually tracked the Decepticon energon shuttle to a tropical coast, and engaged them in battle. The fully charged Decepticons soon began to overpower the Autobots, however, driving them back to the safety of some convenient trenches. Prowl attempted to suggest a strategic regrouping, but Prime wouldn't hear of it. Luckily, [[Jetfire (G1)|Skyfire]] arrived with reinforcements from Cybertron to even the odds. As Megatron retreated, the Autobots were left to deal with a tidal wave large enough to wipe out all life on Earth. Prowl calculated they would need an explosion equivalent to 10 billion astro-liters of energy to knock Cybertron out of Earth's orbit and reverse the tidal wave. At Spike's suggestion, the Autobots took aim at Megatron's fleeing starship, igniting the energon cubes inside to expel Cybertron from orbit and save the Earth. {{storylink|The Ultimate Doom, Part 3}} After the devastation, Prowl was seen helping repair human civilization, and hunting down the loose ends left by the Decepticons' schemes. {{storylink|Countdown to Extinction (episode)|Countdown to Extinction}} Prowl also bore witness to the gladiatorial combat between Megatron and Optimus Prime. {{storylink|Heavy Metal War}}

After Sparkplug Witwicky created a metallic Frankenstein called [[Autobot X]], to the abject surprise of no one it suddenly ran amok. Prowl, Ironhide and [[Trailbreaker (G1)|Trailbreaker]] stood up to the crazed creation, and Prowl used his acid pellets to incapacitate Autobot X. Later that day, Spike Witwicky was injured during a battle with the Decepticons at a rocket base. Prowl provided a "police escort" for Ratchet to get Spike to a hospital as quickly as possible. {{storylink|Autobot Spike}} As the Decepticons staged a daring raid at the Ark's front door, Prowl drove out to meet them in combat. He had to dodge and transform in mid-air to avoid [[Thundercracker (G1)|Thundercracker]]'s missiles, and ended up being divebombed by Laserbeak anyhow. Prowl got back at the tinfoil turkey by strapping a wire-guided bola onto his rifle, and lassoing the Decepticon bird as he swooped by for another pass. Despite the laser blasts hurled his way, Prowl held tight to his catch until Laserbeak severed the rope and fled. {{storylink|Attack of the Autobots}}

Prowl overheard Cliffjumper's infamous accusations about [[Mirage (G1)|Mirage]]'s loyalty, but neglected to participate in the retrieval of the missing [[electro-cell]]s. {{storylink|Traitor}} He also played a minor role in recovering the [[immobilizer]] {{storylink|The Immobilizer}}, and joined his fellow Autobots in a race for charity, which Spike and Chip had arranged for them. {{storylink|The Autobot Run}} Prowl was part of the Autobot strike unit dispatched to [[Washington, D.C.]] when it came under attack by the Decepticons and [[Sub-Atlantica]]ns. He, Hound and Brawn engaged the Decepticons near the Washington Monument, until King [[Nergill]] zapped them with his paralyzing ray. Prowl remained inactive until the Dinobots joined the party, and [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]] destroyed the ray, freeing the incapacitated Autobots. {{storylink|Atlantis, Arise!}}

Next, the Autobots responded to an SOS when the super-computer called [[TORQ III]] ran amok. Unfortunately, they discovered TORQ was capable of controlling other simple machines in the area, and so Prowl and the others found themselves facing a horde of angry droids. Prowl was nearly swallowed whole by a mechanical scoop, until he fired an acid pellet down its gullet and corroded its inner workings. {{storylink|Day of the Machines}} Prowl was among the Autobots who failed to prevent the Decepticons from stealing the female ninja robot called [[Nightbird (G1)|Nightbird]]. While discussing the Decepticons' possible plans for Nightbird with Spike, Prowl was unaware the ninja herself was right above them on the Ark's elevator. {{storylink|Enter the Nightbird}}

Prowl charged the Decepticon flank when the Transformers were fighting over [[korlonium crystal]]s. {{storylink|A Prime Problem}} Prowl and [[Sunstreaker (G1)|Sunstreaker]] were part of a group of Autobots patrolling a riverbed...until they discovered the riverbed wasn't there anymore. Tracing the diverted water, they came across the [[Constructicon (G1)|Constructicon]]s and a Decepticon scheme to drill down to Earth's core. Megatron sicced Devastator on Prowl's team, forcing them to retreat for reinforcements. Back at the Ark, the Autobots cooked up a plot to use [[dominator disc]]s and gain control over the Constructicons whenever they formed Devastator. As part of a commando raiding party, Prowl and the others lured the Constructicons out into the open. Under the cover of night, Prowl slipped a disk on [[Scrapper (G1)|Scrapper]], and soon all the Constructicons had disks planted on them. Although the Autobots temporarily gained control of Devastator, Megatron soon negated their control and retrieved his giant warrior. {{storylink|The Core}}

[[Image:DinobotIsland Pt2 Prowlacidpellets.jpg|right|180px|thumb|Prowl demonstrates his revolutionary "wee-wee gun".]]
Prowl was present in the Ark during yet another display of the Dinobots' talent for chaos. {{storylink|Dinobot Island, Part 1}} After the [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobots]] moved to a mysterious prehistoric island, time portals began opening all over North America. Prowl led [[Red Alert (G1)|Red Alert]], [[Inferno (G1)|Inferno]] and [[Jazz (G1)|Jazz]] to deal with a portal from the wild west. Prowl defeated the cattle rustlers by melting their guns with his acid pellets. {{storylink|Dinobot Island, Part 2}} Like all the Autobots, Prowl was temporarily banished into space by the citizens of [[Central City (G1)|Central City]], thanks to Megatron's carefully orchestrated smear campaign. {{storylink|Megatron's Master Plan, Part 1}} He eventually returned with the others for an all-out assault on the Decepticons and re-established the Autobots' good name. {{storylink|Megatron's Master Plan, Part 2}} Prowl was also subject to [[cybertonium]] depletion, although he was ultimately revived when Spike and [[Carly]] brought a fresh supply back from Cybertron. {{storylink|Desertion of the Dinobots, Part 2}}

When Megatron used the [[Voltronic Galaxer]] to scramble Earth's communications, the humans were left in a state of confusion. Prowl took a team of Autobots on the road to help motorists who missed the message about an incoming blizzard. Unfortunately, Thundercracker and [[Ramjet (G1)|Ramjet]] got involved and nearly turned the rescue mission into a catastrophe. Prowl and the Autobots were buried in snow for a time until they could dig themselves and the humans out. {{storylink|Blaster Blues}} He was among the Autobots temporarily rendered invulnerable by [[electrum]], and fought the Decepticons for control of the golden lagoon. {{storylink|The Golden Lagoon}} He also helped stop Megatron from taking over New York City with an army of robot car drones. {{storylink|Make Tracks}} Prowl was on hand as [[Perceptor (G1)|Perceptor]] analyzed the robotic plantlife Bumblebee and [[Cosmos (G1)|Cosmos]] brought back to Earth. They determined the plants were [[Morphobot]]s, and extremely hazardous to all robot lifeforms. {{storylink|Quest for Survival}}

When the [[Triple Changer]]s overthrew Megatron and began vying for Decepticon command themselves, [[Blitzwing (G1)|Blitzwing]] took over a football stadium and began launching "long bombs" into the city beyond. Optimus Prime sent Prowl to investigate, alongside Bluestreak, [[Skids (G1)|Skids]] and [[Tracks (G1)|Tracks]], but they were stymied by Blitzwing's "zone defense". At his command, the Constructicons had created an elaborate and confusing maze of passages outside the stadium, leaving the Autobots racing around blindly inside its tight corridors. Using his flight and tank modes for maneuverability and power, Blitzwing easily overwhelmed the Autobot invaders. Prowl and Skids plowed into each other on a blind junction, and were then mowed over by the Decepticon's massive treads. The crazed [[Scrapper (G1)|Scrapper]] had them rebuilt into a throne for him inside the zone, until [[Smokescreen (G1)|Smokescreen]] and [[Hoist (G1)|Hoist]] rescued their comrades. {{storylink|Triple Takeover}} Although he did absolutely nothing to save the missing Autobots or stop [[Lord Chumley]]'s antics, Prowl was allowed a heroic drive into the sunset along with Optimus Prime and the rest of the Autobots. {{storylink|Prime Target}}

After the government concocted a new super-fuel, they decided to offer it to the Autobots for testing. Fearing a Decepticon attack, Prowl arranged a series of security measures to protect the cargo, and keep the Decepticons from learning about the fuel. Unfortunately, those measures failed, and Megatron attacked the tanker convoy with his Seekers. Despite the breach, the Autobots' superior driving abilities enabled them to outmaneuver the Decepticons. {{storylink|The Key to Vector Sigma, Part 1}}
[[Image:TFTM Prowl dies.jpg|left|180px|thumb|Scavenger can always be proud of this.]]

Prowl stood gawking mutely when Prime explained his plan to infiltrate the Decepticons disguised as [[Motormaster]] and the Stunticons. It's possible he didn't think the plan was strategically sound. {{storylink|Masquerade}} Prowl was also seen applying [[Corrostop]] to the [[Statue of Liberty]], and later helped rescue Perceptor from Fox Creek Canyon. {{storylink|Cosmic Rust (episode)|Cosmic Rust}}

When Jazz and Cliffjumper were kidnapped by Starscream's [[Combaticon (G1)|Combaticons]], Prowl traveled to the Amalgamated Water & Power Plant with the other Autobots to rescue them. Wisely, the Autobots completely avoided the war between the Decepticons and Combaticons taking place immediately to their left -- they just grabbed their pals and split. {{storylink|Starscream's Brigade}} Prowl, [[Tracks (G1)|Tracks]], and Sideswipe went with Optimus Prime to clear the Insecticons out of a human settlement. They were aided in evacuating the neighborhood by the [[Protectobot (G1)|Protectobots]], leaving the Autobots clear to fire at will at the Insecticon clones. This relatively routine mission turned sour, however, when Spike and Perceptor reported that Earth's orbit had been altered, sending it towards the sun. Learning the effect originated from Cybertron, Prowl and the others attempted to hijack the space bridge, but [[Shrapnel (G1)|Shrapnel]] stole the bridge's control panel before they could board the transporter. The Autobots searched the area for signs of the control panel with sensor beams from their chests, but all Prowl managed to turn up was an old wrecked television. The panel was later recovered and repaired, and Prowl joined both Autobots and Decepticons alike in traveling to Cybertron to stop the Combaticons' plot. {{storylink|The Revenge of Bruticus}} Prowl also helped defend the Ark when it was later attacked by [[Bruticus (G1)|Bruticus]] and the Decepticons. {{storylink|B.O.T. (episode)|B.O.T.}}

{{bigquote|Decepticons!|Prowl's last words - well, word.}}

Prowl met [[Primus|his manufacturer]] in the year 2005, alongside fellow Autobots [[Ironhide (G1)|Ironhide]], [[Brawn (G1)|Brawn]] and [[Ratchet (G1)|Ratchet]]. The four Autobots were manning a shuttle run to Earth, to collect and bring fresh energon and supplies to [[Moonbase One]] from [[Autobot City]] on Earth, in preparation for a planned assault to retake Cybertron. They were hijacked in mid-flight by Megatron and the Decepticons, who sought to sneak past Autobot City's early warning systems. Prowl very nearly shot [[Starscream (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Starscream]]'s head off during the raid, but was felled by a single blast from [[Scavenger (G1)|Scavenger]]. That blast penetrated his armor, burned his innards horribly, and left him belching fiery smoke as he fell to the floor, dead. {{storylink|The Transformers: The Movie}}

Prowl's body was evidently recovered for interment, as his grave was housed in the interstellar [[Autobot Mausoleum]]. Along with the mausoleum itself, Prowl's remains were later plunged into a red sun as a side-effect of a [[Quintesson]] plot. {{storylink|Dark Awakening}}
{{-}}

===Japanese cartoon continuity===
====The Headmasters cartoon====
[[Image:Prowlwubsmagnus headmasters.jpg|right|180px|thumb|G-G-Ghost Prowl!]]
:''See also:'' [[Prowl II]]

Prowl was stationed at [[Autobot City]] on Earth in 2011 when he and many other troops were summoned to [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] to help repel a [[Decepticon]] invasion. {{storylink|Four Warriors Come out of the Sky}}

Later, Prowl attended a briefing at [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]], where [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]] assigned several Autobot units to run interference with the Decepticons for [[Hot Rod (G1)|Hot Rod]], as the young Autobot searched for the missing [[Matrix of Leadership]]. Prowl accompanied Ultra Magnus's unit, but did not appear again. {{storylink|Birth of the Fantastic Double Prime}}

{{note|Prowl's revival is one of those "WTF?" errors that happened in the Japanese series as a result of [[The Transformers: The Movie|the movie]] not reaching Japan until many years later. However, that's really not an excuse, because he was listed among the deceased in both the English and Japanese versions of "[[Dark Awakening]]". The [[Binaltech]] fiction tried patching this up (see the Prowl II link above), but it didn't stick.}}

====Binaltech====
When Prowl's [[laser core]] was lost to [[subspace]] in a [[GT System|GT]] Transfer accident, his longtime friend Chip Chase volunteered to sacrifice his very own soul in order to breathe life into the now-lifeless Prowl 2. With the help of [[Ratchet (G1)|Ratchet]] and [[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]], Chip's consciousness was transported into Prowl's frame. The new entity created in this fusion is virtually indistinguishable from Prowl's old persona, thanks to copies of the original Prowl's [[memory core]] and [[datatrax]], while a separate neurocomputer handles Chip's thought processes.

===Kid Stuff Talking Story Books===
:''Voice actor:'' Unknown

{{bigquote|OUR MISSILES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!}}

Prowl is Optimus Prime's over-acting right-hand man. {{storylink|When Continents Collide}}

===Dreamwave comics continuity===
[[Image:Prowlthewarwithin.jpg|left|250px|thumb|Who are you, and what did you do with Prowl?]]

Prowl was an Autobot from [[Praxus]]. After the death of [[Sentinel Prime (G1)|Sentinel Prime]], [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]] called him, [[Jazz (G1)|Jazz]], and others to the ruins of Praxus, where he declared that if the new [[Prime (rank)|Prime]] was insufficient, they would take control of the Autobot military. Prowl was present at the ceremony when Optronix became Optimus Prime, and was restrained by Grimlock when Prime was attacked. {{storylink|The War Within issue 1}} Prowl became Optimus Prime's [[Second-in-command|immediate subordinate]] and advisor. When Optimus ordered a planetary evacuation, Prowl told Prime that there were many voices raised in opposition against it. When Prime asked if Prowl's own voice was raised in opposition, Prowl looked away but did not reply. The planetary turbines were activated by Megatron, and Prime left to investigate. {{storylink|The War Within issue 2}} As [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]] led an assault on [[Iacon]], Prowl and Jazz led the defense, and Prowl sent out an order to all Autobots outside Iacon to regroup and dig in elsewhere, {{storylink|The War Within issue 3}} while those with him made a final stand. {{storylink|The War Within issue 5}} After Iacon was devastated by the mecha-forming process, Prime aborted the evacuation. {{storylink|The War Within issue 6}}

[[Image:Prowldarkagesvehicle.jpg|right|150px|thumb|Cheese it! It's the cops!]]

After Prime and Megatron disappeared in a [[space bridge]] test, the Autobots fractured, leading to the [[Lightning Strike Coalition]] and [[Wrecker|Wreckers]] leaving the main Autobot army. Prowl took over leadership of the Autobots. {{storylink|Fragmentation}} He worked with Shockwave, who had assumed command of the Decepticons, to prevent the [[The Fallen|Fallen]]'s plans from coming to fruition. He and Shockwave agreed to let the [[Well of All Sparks]] remain sealed "[['Til all are one]]," as Shockwave put it. Prowl thought the line was catchy. {{storylink|Conflagration}} Eventually, however, [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]] took command of the Autobots, and reunited the three factions. {{storylink|The Age of Wrath issue 1}}

[[Image:DWPrimeDirective2 Prowl kills.jpg|left|200px|thumb|[[Dull surprise| DULL MIND CONTROL]]! Wait...that actually kinda makes sense...]]

While those left on Cybertron endured the [[Great Shutdown]], a group of Autobots under Optimus Prime's command left on board the Ark in search of new energy sources. Unfortunately, Megatron led an attack on the Autobot flagship from the ''[[Nemesis (G1)|Nemesis]]'', and both ships crash-landed on a planet called Earth. Millions of years later in the Earth year of 1984, the Autobots and Decepticons awoke and resumed the [[Great War (G1)|Great War]]. The Decepticons were eventually defeated by the Autobots and their human allies, and the Transformers were set to return home on the ''[[Ark II]]'', but it was sabotaged by General [[Robert Hallo]] and rogue government engineer-turned-arms dealer [[Adam Rook]].

In the year 2002, Prowl was one of many Transformers under the control of Rook. He, along with several Autobots and Decepticons, attacked the Smitco Oil Refinery Arctic facility during Rook's sales demonstration to several terrorist organizations. Unfortunately, the invasive program that controlled Prowl killed a helpless human refinery worker escaping from the destruction. {{storylink|Prime Directive issue 2}} After Megatron reactivated himself and freed the other Decepticons from Rook's slavery, he used Prowl and the Autobots as power sources for his metallic cyberforming virus. {{storylink|Prime Directive issue 4}}

{{charstubfiction}}

===Devil's Due ''G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers'' comics===
[[Image:GIJoevsTF5_Autobots.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Utter prick, now in Firebat Red!]]
Among many of his fellow Autobots (and several Decepticons), Prowl was found dormant on the crashed ''Ark'' by the human terrorist organization [[Cobra]] and reprogrammed to serve them. He and [[Bluestreak]] were rebuilt to transform into Cobra [[Firebat]] jets in the process. When the Transformers were eventually freed from the humans' control, Prowl joined a team of Autobots that hunted down [[Cobra Commander]], but failed to capture him as they were distracted by his [[S.N.A.K.E.]] guards. After taking out most of the mechs, the team witnessed [[Trailbreaker (G1)|Trailbreaker]] get decapitated by [[Storm Shadow]], and descended upon the ninja in a fit of rage. {{storylink|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers issue 5|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers #5}} Prowl and Bluestreak were later seen fighting two [[Seeker (body-type)|Seekers]] in the sky when the [[SPS Satellite]] went out of control and sent energy beams raining down on [[Cobra Island]]. {{storylink|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers issue 6|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers #6}}

A few years later, having returned to Cybertron, Prowl was part of a team of Autobots waiting for a chance to charge in and free Optimus Prime from [[Serpent O.R.]]'s clutches. {{storylink|The Art of War issue 4|The Art of War #4}} With the Decepticon army defeated, Prowl was sent back to Earth as part of a team that worked to prevent Cybertronian technology from falling into the wrong hands. After a failed attempt to capture [[Destro]] while he was illegally selling S.N.A.K.E.s in [[Cuba]], Prowl returned to the team's headquarters at the ''[[Arc II]]'' and discussed Optimus Prime's recent mission to [[Tibet]] with [[Firewall]]. The base then came under attack by the [[Pretender Monster]]s, and Prowl fought them alongside [[Eject]]. {{storylink|Black Horizon, Part 1 of 2|Black Horizon, Part 1}} He was heavily injured during the battle, but soon received medical attention at [[Pit (G.I. Joe)|the Pit]] and was set for a full recovery. {{storylink|Black Horizon, Part 2 of 2|Black Horizon, Part 2}}

===Dreamwave ''Transformers/G.I. Joe'' comics===
Prowl, along with several other Autobots, lay dormant on the [[Fera Islands]] for a long time until 1939, when [[G.I. Joe (team)|G.I. Joe]] stumbled upon them whilst battling [[Cobra]]. Soon after awakening and being reformatted into a new form, Prowl told [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] not to trust the [[human]]s, as they had just opened fire on [[Ironhide (G1)|Iron Hide]] {{sic}} without provocation. In contrast, the other Autobots were happy to offer G.I. Joe help, though Prowl insisted that they needed more information before throwing themselves headlong into the humans' war. {{storylink|Transformed}} After the Autobots teamed up with the Joes anyway, Prowl mocked [[Duke]] for thinking a rope would be enough to pull [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]] up from a crumbling cliff. {{storylink|Wolves}}

As the Autobots and Joes got closer to the Cobra [[Terrordrome]], Optimus Prime started to regret interfering with the humans and their war, and contemplated withdrawing. Prowl agreed, pointing out that G.I. Joe could very well be the bad guys in the scenario, but [[Hound (G1)|Hound]] told him to shut up. {{storylink|Trenches}} Optimus Prime soon changed his mind, and Prowl participated in the attack on the Terrordrome. Along with all the other Transformers, he was killed when the life-giving [[Matrix of Leadership]] was destroyed. {{storylink|The Iron Fist}}

===Transformers Legends anthology===
When Optimus Prime accidentally killed a fellow Autobot, Prowl—who never liked [[Geosensus|the dead guy]] anyway—covered it up so the rest of the team wouldn't lose faith in their leader. He swore that if the accidental killing was ever discovered, he would take the blame. {{Storylink|Parts}}

===IDW comics continuity===
{{ongoing}}
[[Image:MegatronOrigin2 boredAutobots.jpg|left|180px|thumb|And remember to fill out those TPS reports.]]

Prowl has served the Autobots for a long time, dating back to the days of [[Sentinel Prime (G1)|Sentinel Prime]], if not earlier. [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]]'s rise as the most popular and violent pit fighter in videos of Kaon's illegal [[gladiatorial combat]] attacted Prowl's attention, and he formed a Autobot Security Services team to crack down on them, though to the chagrin of his fellow officers, he tended to blather on about his theories about how somebody was making a fortune distributing on these inexpensive to produce videos. {{storylink|Megatron Origin issue 2}}

After the murder of [[Bumper (G1)|Bumper]] and [[Fastback]], Sentinel and Prowl led a security forces deployment that arrested much of Megatron's pit fighters and those that they were attempting to recruit. Prowl personally attached the [[inhibitor claw]] to Megatron once he was overwealmed by security forces. While processing the prisoners, he delivered the galling news that due to [[Ratbat (G1)#IDW comics continuity|senate orders]], the one known as [[Soundwave (G1)|Soundwave]] was to be freed without charge. {{storylink|Megatron Origin issue 3}} Unfortunately, it was all part of Megatron's mad plans. He allowed himself and his men to be captured so Starscream could feign turning coat murder the senate members who questioned him. During the ensuing jail break that devastated the [[Security Services Headquarters|Security Team HQ]] and following street battle, Prowl lost his usual cool composure in the face of such onslaught and looked to Sentinel Prime for directions. When Prime left to face Megatron personally and was brutally defeated, it was Prowl who took control and ordered the evacuation of security forces from Kaon. {{storylink|Megatron Origin issue 4}}

[[Image:Infiltration3 Prowl saveit.jpg|right|300px|thumb|Talk to the hand, the prick ain't listening.]]

In more recent times, he was the leader of a detachment of Autobots that operated covertly on [[Earth]] for at least four years, attempting to foil a Decepticon insurgency led by [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]] and blindly following the Autobot rules of counterinsurgency. He almost threw [[Ratchet (G1)|Ratchet]] in the brig for breaking cover to rescue three humans from the Decepticons, and subsequently refused to contact [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] until further evidence of enemy activities was uncovered. He did not willingly believe Ratchet when the medic told him that the Decepticons had stepped up their presence by constructing a [[Infiltration protocol|second base]]. However, [[Ironhide (G1)|Ironhide]] ended up sending a pulsewave transmission to Optimus Prime behind Prowl's back. {{storylink|Infiltration issue 3}} Prowl was forced to face reality when Megatron arrived on Earth to confront Starscream, and he finally agreed to call in Optimus Prime. Thing was, Prime had already arrived. {{storylink|Infiltration issue 6}}

When [[Springer (G1)|Springer]] ordered several Autobots on a lethal mission to rescue the damaged and deranged Kup from an alien world, Prowl evidently helped conceal Springer's efforts from Optimus. However, he still felt it was a misguided effort, asking Springer if Kup would want other Autobots killed rescuing him. {{storylink|Spotlight: Kup}}

[[Image:Escalation6 Prowl MYTURF.jpg|left|250px|thumb|Yeah, let the irresponsible loner look after the MacGuffin. Good call.]]
After [[Sunstreaker (G1)|Sunstreaker]] was kidnapped by [[Machination|a mysterious group of humans]], {{storylink|Escalation issue 1}} Prowl was still obsessed with the rules of the counterinsurgency war and thus did not understand why Optimus Prime requested reinforcements to Earth. Prowl was furious when Ironhide dared to go around him and volunteer himself to track down clues on Sunstreaker's disappearance, and subsequently forced him to stay behind while the Autobots not on his grievance list left for [[Brasnya]] to confront the Decepticons. {{storylink|Escalation issue 3}} When everything kicked off in the former [[Russia|Soviet]] nation, Prowl led [[Jazz (G1)|Jazz]] and [[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]] (and later [[Hot Rod (G1)|Hot Rod]] and [[Hardhead (G1)|Hardhead]]) into battle, attempting to capture [[Georgi Koska]], a Decepticon [[Facsimile Construct|facsimile]]. {{storylink|Escalation issue 4}} He clashed with Hot Rod over the capture of Korska as both of them were of equal rank, but when Optimus Prime was temporarily offline and believed dead, Prowl assumed full command and came up with a strategy for fighting Megatron (shoot him, then run away). {{storylink|Escalation issue 6}}

Under orders from Optimus, Prowl oversaw the moving of ''[[Ark-19]]'' to a more secure location. He turned to Prime rather than order the launch on his own discretion. (Prime had to order him to use his own discretion.) {{storylink|Devastation issue 1}} When [[Sixshot]] blew them out of the sky, Optimus took command of the situation until the ''Ark-19'' was destroyed. {{storylink|Devastation issue 2}}

Once on the ''[[Ark-32]]'', Prowl found that, due to injuries from the battle with Sixshot {{storylink|Devastation issue 4}} and separate missions, he and Hardhead were the only active Autobots. He was mildly annoyed that Optimus Prime and [[Nightbeat (G1)|Nightbeat]] were otherwise preoccupied during this crisis. He was then shocked when Optimus abruptly ordered their unit to withdraw from Earth to handle a situation at the [[Garrus-9]] secure facility. {{storylink|Devastation issue 5}}

Optimus Prime and Prowl met with [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress Maximus]] and [[Jetfire (G1)|Jetfire]] on Garrus-9 to discuss the prisoners' breakout and how a surviving Decepticon had been tortured. Prime left Maximus in charge and said that he and Prowl had unfinished business aboard the ''Ark-32''. When [[Thunderwing (G1)|Thunderwing]] was reported guarding a cave on [[Corata-Vaz]], Optimus Prime recognized this had something to do with his [[infraspace]] encounter in [[Brasnya]]. He ordered Prowl to summon the [[Wrecker|Wreckers]] to find out what Thunderwing was guarding. {{storylink|Spotlight: Cyclonus}} He judged the subsequent battle between the Wreckers and Thunderwing as suicidal, and felt that they were wasting their time given everything seemed to be coming at them at once. {{storylink|Spotlight: Hardhead}}

[[Image:AHM15 SpringerpunchesProwl.jpg|right|150px|thumb|According to my calcula- ''OHGODMYFACE!'']]
Prowl became increasingly frustrated with the tendency of the Autobots in general and Optimus specifically to lionise and listen to charismatic warriors and mavericks. Realising nobody would listen to the more logical tactical advice that he or Perceptor gave, he had Kup sent to the [[Kimia Facility]] to be rebuilt... with some personality sub-routines added in, which would ensure that the iconic elder could be controlled and made to act as a proxy for him. Prowl didn't want attention or glory, he only wanted to do his job, and he had absolutely no ethical qualms about ensuring that "when [Kup] speaks, you won't even see my lips move"...

He ''really'' didn't like Springer either, and was annoyed that the ''Decepticons'' seem to be a more unified body than the Autobots. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 15}}

After the [[Expansion]] incident, Optimus Prime reassigned more Autobots to Earth. The Decepticons had been laying low for months, and everyone was starting to get restless. While Prowl recommended a "wait and see" approach to Optimus Prime, Ironhide's calls for action soon drowned out Prowl's reasoning. When Mirage handed them solid intelligence about a possible opportunity to wipe out Starscream and a small group of Decepticons, the Autobots acted on it. It turned out to be an ambush, and the Autobots were soundly defeated by the Decepticons with the aid of [[Devastator (G1)|Devastator]]. Informed that the Decepticons were launching simultaneous attacks across the galaxy on Autobot installations and also that there was a traitor among them, the Autobots' morale was dealt a heavy blow. Through use of a space bridge portal, Megatron planned to send the Autobots to Cybertron to have them devoured by the [[Insecticon swarm|Swarm]]. Optimus Prime managed to sabotage the portal and strand the Autobots on Cybertron before the Decepticons could follow, albeit nearly at the cost of his life. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 7}}
[[Image:Ironhidepuncheseveryone.jpg|left|250px|thumb|I'm sensing a pattern emerging.]]
In this unprecedented situation, Jazz's authority superseded Prowl's, and he took overall command of the battered and demoralized Autobots. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 1}} Jazz also proved necessary to shore up Prowl's own authority, which was severely disregarded by his men. Jazz's reputation helped keep them in line, particularly the recalcitrant Ironhide, who had taken to striking superior officers, including Prowl himself. After the situation with Ironhide was defused, Prowl got Jazz to admit the energon searches he'd been sending troops out on were just to keep the men busy. Prowl worried that Prime would soon die, and about the details of their commander's condition that they had kept from the troops at large. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 4}}

In particular, what Jazz and Prowl were withholding was the fact that the [[Matrix of Leadership]] was not within Prime anymore, but had been absconded with by Megatron. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 5}}

Kup arrived on Cybertron shortly thereafter with his own team, and things took a turn for the worse, with the Swarm encroaching on their position. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 6}} Sunstreaker was revealed to be the traitor, having made a bargain with Starscream to kill Megatron. He sacrificed his life to buy the other Autobots time to put some distance between them and the Swarm.{{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 8}}
[[Image:AHM10 ProwlandJazz.jpg|right|250px|thumb|Prick ''and'' nerd.]]
Thankfully, Ratchet finally managed to repair and revive Optimus Prime, and Autobot morale went on the upswing despite their situation. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 9}} Under Prime's direction, they immediately began building a defense against the oncoming Swarm horde in a new temporary base. Once everything was nearly in place, Prowl calculated the odds of them succeeding and wound up with quite a dire forecast. Jazz urged him to keep it to himself, which Prowl quickly agreed to do. When the Swarm surged against them, the Autobots fought as hard as they could, but were eventually on the verge of being overwhelmed. Fortunately, [[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]] arrived to tilt the odds squarely in the Autobots' favor. Prowl asked Omega how he had survived the galaxy-wide Decepticon attack, speculating that they had probably sent an army against him. Omega simply replied, "I am Omega Supreme". {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 10}}

The Autobots eventually boarded Omega's rocket mode and headed for Earth. There, they engaged the Decepticon forces in a fierce battle which ended with Megatron's defeat and Starscream ordering a withdrawal from the planet. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 12}}

Over the next three years, the Autobots remained on Earth at the insistence of Optimus Prime. Optimus believed they could not leave in good conscience while human society was still in disarray from their war and rogue Decepticons still wandered the planet. The humans were not interested in having protectors, however, and soon learned to take care of themselves. [[Skywatch]] reverse-engineered Cybertronian technology to hunt and capture Autobots AND Decepticons left on the planet.

{{spoiler|Spotlight: Prowl|May 21}}
As part of Optimus Prime's belief that the Autobots must help humanity rebuild in whatever way possible, Prowl was assigned to assist the local police whilst in disguise as one of their squad cars. Over the next eight months, Prowl saw humanity at its lowest eb. Desperate, angry people who would never forgive the Transformers for bringing their war to humanity's homeworld. He watched as some of his driver's fellow police officers set fire to the building that the Decepticon [[Thrust (G1)|Thrust]] was trapped in, a cold execution of what Prowl considered an enemy combatant. He protested to Optimus Prime that humanity was dangerous, they were now killing Transformers, and that there was no strategic purpose for the Autobots to be on this planet or for he to continue this masquerade of being a police car. Prime asked his officer to trust him in his belief to the value of this activity, and that all the Autobots were on a personal journey.

And so Prowl continued to patrol the streets, and while he did so, he calculated. The humans numbered in their swarming billions versus less than ten thousand Cybertronians. Humanity lived brief, petty, frantic lives of comparatively little consequence, their world and its infrastructure inefficient, ramshackle and incompetent. Prowl concluded that not a single human life was worth that of a Cybertronian. However, when he and his police officer drive was overseeing the removable of volatile Cybertronian wreckage from a building, some workers accidently triggered an abandoned weapon to fire, destroying a damaged building. Without thinking, Prowl transformed and pushed a young girl out of the way, saving her life, but in the process, was trapped under the rubble that would have crushed her. His driver expressed disbelief that the Autobot had been in disguise as his car for the past eight months, and that he had broken cover to save one girl. Prowl confessed that for eight months he had been watching, planning, but unable to do anything. There were so many times he could have assisted if he were able to break cover. He had run the numbers, made calculations on Earth and on humanity, his math was flawless, but they weren't ''right''. And when push came to shove, he couldn't rely on what he thought might happen, he had to act on instinct and do the right thing. The policeman, impressed, remarked that Prowl spoke like a true beat cop, and stated that while he was obligated to call this incident in, it wasn't an emergency and suggested that Prowl had an hour to extricate himself before Skywatch arrived. {{storylink|Spotlight: Prowl}}

[[Image:Ongoing issue 1-Prowl shot in the back.jpg|left|thumb|200px|Woman makes Prick staticky. Hilarity ensues.]]

The Autobots moved west, where Prowl was joined in his undercover police work with new arrival [[Streetwise (G1)|Streetwise]]. They were present at a power installation in New Mexico, which was being ransacked by the ravenous [[Stunticon]] [[Breakdown (G1)|Breakdown]]. Skywatch deployed its robot-hunting crash-suits and brought down the Decepticon before leveling lethal particle cannons at him. Despite himself, Prowl broke cover to prevent the execution of a helpless Transformer. This left his backside open to the second Skywatch team on site, who used mode lock inhibitors to capture him as well as the "bait", Breakdown.

Prowl's capture was reported back to Autobase by Streetwise, and Hot Rod assembled a strike team to infiltrate Skywatch and rescue him. These Autobots were outfitted with [[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]]'s new counter-inhibitors to prevent the mode lock from working. Unfortunately, this sudden change in tactical efficiency only caused Skywatch to panic, drawing out their lethal ordnance to protect themselves. Prowl was rescued...but Ironhide died in the assault. Grieving for his friend, Optimus Prime then stepped down as Autobot leader and turned himself over to Skywatch. {{storylink|...For All Mankind}}

With Optimus gone, Hot Rod advocated abandoning his plan and this planet, and Prowl was one of the first to sign up for Hot Rod's splinter group. They failed to convince [[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]] to fly them off-world, but then encountered a group of Decepticons led by [[Swindle (G1)|Swindle]]. After a brief scuffle, Hot Rod and Swindle entered into negotiations for a truce. Prowl was uncomfortable with the idea of collaboration, despite his earlier effort on Breakdown's behalf. Ultimately, however, he went along with it. {{storylink|New Arrivals, Old Encounters}}

The united Autobots and Decepticons attempted to construct a space cruiser in order to leave the planet. Their efforts reached a hurdle with the arrival of [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]], duly appointed enforcer of the [[Tyrest Accord]]. Prowl had summoned Ultra Magnus to Earth as part of standard operating procedure after Ironhide's death, before Prime abdicated his leadership and the faction had split. Things became difficult as Magnus attempted to confiscate Hot Rod's "unlicensed interstellar vehicle". Prowl attempted to weigh in with legalese of his own, citing the line of procedural succession and emergency powers, but it became moot when Magnus discovered their collaboration. {{storylink|Seasons in Flight}}

{{-}}

{{spoiler|Spotlight: Prowl|May 21}}

Eventually, things changed, and the Autobots were able to work with Skywatch to defend Earth. Prowl himself changed. Now, instead of having to be ordered to do so by Optimus Prime, Prowl assists the police of his own free will. He now understood that math and calculations, no matter how accurate, were useless in the face of evolving threats and a brave new world. No longer believing that a single human life was not worth that of one Cybertronian, Prowl would risk his life for any human. {{storylink|Spotlight: Prowl}}

===IDW ''[[Hearts of Steel]]'' continuity===
With Optimus Prime in stasis lock, Prowl and [[Ratchet (G1)|Ratchet]] appeared to be the co-leaders of the Autobots in the 19th century. {{storylink|Hearts of Steel issue 1}} Despite [[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]]'s pleading, he was reluctant to interfere with the humans, but nevertheless participated in the pursuit of [[Astrotrain (G1)|the Astrotrain]] as it headed to New York. {{storylink|Hearts of Steel issue 4}}

His "Ice Age Wars" altmode is uncertain, but it is spiky, and possibly aquatic. His 19th century altmode is a small black-and-white locomotive with a glowing red smokestack.

===IDW Beast Wars comics===
[[Image:Maximalimperium.jpg|right|200px|thumb|]]
Prowl is a member of the Maximal counterpart to the Tripredacus Council, the [[Maximal Imperium]], alongside former Autobot teammates Ironhide and Silverbolt. The trio sent [[Ikard]] to request a report from [[Big Convoy]], but he refused, citing his need to investigate the [[Angolmois]]-fueled murders. {{storylink|The Ascending issue 2|The Ascending #2}}

{{-}}

===Timelines===
Prowl (in his ''[[Machine Wars]]'' body) is a member of the [[Axiom Nexus Security Administration]]. He, [[Prowl (Armada)|Prowl]] and [[Prowl II|Prowl]] were part of the group investigating the discovery of [[Comet]]'s body. {{storylink|Withered Hope}}

===''Henkei! Henkei!'' pack-in comic===

{{storylink|Henkei! Henkei! volume 5|Henkei! Henkei! #5}}

===3D Battle-Card Game===
Prowl was one of [[Optimus Primal]]'s many allies in a fight against [[Megatron (BW)|Megatron]]'s own army, in what might possibly have been an inter-universe battle. {{storylink|3D Battle-Card Game#Energon Wars expansion|Energon Wars Expansion Set}}
{{-}}

==Commercial appearances==
Prowl has appeared in several [[commercial|television commercials]]:

* He features in the very first Transformers animation, a commercial for [[The Transformers (issue)|Issue #1]] of Marvel's ''[[The Transformers (Marvel comic)|The Transformers]]'' comic book. He is seen hanging around with Jazz and Sideswipe on Cybertron, where all three transformed to robot mode and flew away into the air. Later on Earth, the same three bots drive out to (from?) a power plant to defend it from Decepticon attack.

* Much later, he appears in the Action Masters commercial; he's with a band of Autobots who agree to join Optimus Prime as he gives up transformation powers to become "more alive".

* In an ad for Starscream and Prowl, [[Action Master]]-form Prowl battles Starscream aboard his [[Turbo Cycle]] on Cybertron.

==Toys==
{{main|Prowl (G1)/toys}}

==Merchandise==
:''Main article: [[Prowl (G1)/toys#Merchandise|Merchandise]]''

==Trivia==
* Prowl's ''[[Diaclone]]'' predecessor also came with additional, optional stickers that would identify him as being part of the police forces from existing Japanese cities, namely Tokyo, Sapporo, Sendai, Osaka and Fukuoka.

* The original ''Transformers'' instruction booklet shows a visible Japanese label sheet, complete with the cherry blossom emblem found on Japanese police cars, which did not make it to final product.

* The Autobot [[faction symbol]] seems to be loosely based on Prowl's head.

* ''Machine Wars'' Prowl's card-art is actually an altered version of the art for the ''[[Generation 2 (toyline)|Generation 2]]'' [[Laser Rod]] [[Jolt (G2)|Jolt]].

* [[Transmetal 2]] [[Prowl II|Prowl]] may ''possibly'' be the same spark as the Generation 1 character reincarnated...though the [[Beast Wars Sourcebook|IDW series]] makes this REALLY complicated. ''Urgh''.

[[Image:ProwlMaybe BM.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Be too prickish, and you end up like this.]]
* A very Prowlish [[Character model|computer model]] was used for one of the [[Generic|generic]] Transformers in [[Beast Machines (cartoon)|Beast Machines]]. It is seen in a [[Vehicon (BM)|Vehicon]] factory as a corpse. A similar thing happens with [[Soundwave (G1)#Trivia|Soundwave]], [[:Image:Bm soundwave.jpg|too]]. {{storylink|Revelations Part I: Discovery}}

* At [[OTFCC 2004]], Hasbro stated that there was no Prowl ''Alternators'' toy in the works, but some other emergency vehicle (which got a chorus of boos).

* The Acura RSX ''[[Alternators]]'' mold was originally supposed to be [[Red Alert (G1)|Red Alert]], with a different head sculpt. Eventually, however, it was decided to release the toy as Prowl instead, even though the Subaru Impreza model had more resemblance to Prowl and the Acura RSX model had more resemblance to Red Alert. Control drawings of the figure with the originally intended Red Alert head sculpt can be found in the Japanese ''[[Transformers Collection 2007]]'' book, among other places.

[[Image:Tftm prowl blowsmoke.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Turns out he ''didn't'' know his vocalizer from his exhaust port.]]
*Instead of having a normal gunshot death, Prowl is shown having orange smoke coming from his mouth as he dies. ''Hardcore.''

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.tfu.info/1984/Autobot/Prowl/prowl.htm Prowl on TFU.info]
*[http://ntfa.net/universe/english/index.php?act=view&char=Prowl Prowl's Universe profile on NTFA.net]

[[Category:Action Masters]]
[[Category:Alternators]]
[[Category:Autobots]]
[[Category:Autobot leaders]]
[[Category:Beast Wars characters]]
[[Category:Classics characters]]
[[Category:Combiners]]
[[Category:Generation 1 characters]]
[[Category:Generation 2 characters]]
[[Category:Headmasters characters]]
[[Category:Henkei! Henkei! characters]]
[[Category:Maximals]]
[[Category:Maximal leaders]]
[[Category:Security officers]]
[[Category:Strategists]]
[[Category:Universe (2008)]]

MediaWiki:TFWiki.net 2010 Transformers Hall of Fame Auditions/Entries

2010-04-17T14:06:38Z

75.178.40.169: /* Poll entries */

This is the page for the '''TFWiki.net Transformers Hall of Fame Auditions''' entries. The rules are as follows:

#You must pick your top five ''Transformers'' characters, from any era. They must actually '''be''' Transformers; sorry, but no humans, non-Transformer aliens, non-Transformer robots, or anything else of the sort are being considered for the Hall of Fame. Any votes for such entities will '''not''' be tabulated. It is the sole discretion of the contest organizers to decide what does and does not count.
#Take your top five list and '''put it in alphabetical order'''. Order of preference does not matter. Feel free to denote the character's franchise of origin, although these distinctions may not figure into the final results.
#You '''cannot''' pick a specific version of Optimus Prime, Bumblebee, Megatron or Starscream. They're already being inducted!
#Only one entry per user.

Please put your characters of choice and user name below in the following manner:

*Bulkhead (Animated), Emirate Xaaron, Side Swipe (Armada), Waspinator (BW), X-Brawn --(four tildes)

Poll entry period ends '''April 21st, 2010'''. --[[User:Monzo|Monzo]] 01:19, 1 April 2010 (EDT)

==Poll entries==
* Bluestreak (G1), Drift, Lio Junior, Skyfire (G1), Wheelie (Movie) --[[User:Lonegamer78|Lonegamer78]] 01:23, 1 April 2010 (EDT)
* Elita One, Hellbat, Shokaract, Ultra Magnus, Wipe-Out --[[User:Geewunling|Geewunling]] 01:31, 1 April 2010 (EDT)
* Dinobot, Drift, Hot Shot, Shokaract, Ravage --[[User:ItsWalky|ItsWalky]] 01:36, 1 April 2010 (EDT)
* Impactor, Jhiaxus, Liege Maximo, Scrounge, Straxus --[[User:Rosicrucian|Rosicrucian]][[User Talk:Rosicrucian|Talk]] 01:43, 1 April 2010 (EDT)
* Dinobot, Drift, Hopper, Shokaract, Straxus --[[User:Jhiaxus|Jhiaxus]] 01:45, 1 April 2010 (EDT)
* Blackarachnia (BW), Bludgeon (G1), Hot Rod (G1), Jazz (G1), Prowl (Animated) --[[User:Detour|Detour]] 01:46, 1 April 2010 (EDT)
* Blaster (G1), Nightbeat (G1), Rhinox (BW), Shockwave (G1), Sky-Byte (RID) --[[User:G1MarvelBlaster|G1MarvelBlaster]] 01:49, 1 April 2010 (EDT)
* Dualor, Scorponok, Sky-Byte, Ratchet, Rattrap - [[User:RolonBolon|RolonBolon]] 01:59, 1 April 2010 (EDT)
* Dinobot, Emirate Xaaron, "Piano Transformer Guy", Wreck-Gar (Animated), Wreck-Gar (G1) [[User:Monty Prime|Monty Prime]] 02:07, 1 April 2010 (EDT)
* Dinobot, Grimlock, Ravage, Soundwave, Waspinator -- [[User:Cyberlink420|Cyberlink420]] 02:12, 1 April 2010 (EDT)
[[Category:TFWiki.net]]
* Arcee (Animated), Blackarachnia (Animated), Elita One, Ravage, Wreck-Gar (Animated)--[[User:Wednesday|Wednesday]] 02:12, 1 April 2010 (EDT)
* Ironhide (Movie), Prowl (Animated), Rhinox, Sky-Byte, Soundwave --[[User:Abates|abates]] 02:18, 1 April 2010 (EDT)
* Devastator, Laserbeak, Ravage, Shokaract, Ultra Magnus --[[User:LV|LV]] 02:21, 1 April 2010 (EDT)
* Blitzwing (Animated), Bludgeon (G1), Soundwave (G1), Waspinator, Wreck-Gar (Animated) --[[User:HunterCham|HunterCham]] 03:02, 1 April 2010 (EDT)
* Bludgeon, Elita One, Impactor, Ratbat, Soundwave -- [[User:Ayellowbirds|Ayellowbirds]] 03:15, 1 April 2010 (EDT)
* Dinobot, Overlord (G1), Shockwave (Animated), Sunstreaker (G1), Waspinator (BW) --[[User:Sunjumper|Sunjumper]] 03:56, 1 April 2010 (EDT)
* Blackarachnia, Dinobot, Rattrap, Ultra Magnus, Waspinator --[[User:HotAndCold|HotAndCold]] 04:47, 1 April 2010 (EDT)
* Devastator (G1), Dinobot, the Fallen, Hot Rod (G1), Optimus Primal -- [[User:Semysane|Semysane]] 05:33, 1 April 2010 (EDT)
* Jazz (G1), Soundwave (G1), Ultra Magnus (G1), Vector Prime, Wreck-Gar (Animated) --[[User:NCZ|NCZ]] 06:18, 1 April 2010 (EDT)
* Blitzwing (Animated), Dinobot, Grimlock (G1), Jazz (G1), Waspinator (BW)`--[[User:TVsGrady|TVsGrady]] 09:44, 1 April 2010 (EDT)
* Dead End (SG), Grimlock (G1), Hubcap (G1), Rattrap, Sky-Byte (RID) --[[User:Bzero|Bzero]] 10:23, 1 April 2010 (EDT)
* Bruticus, Jazz (G1), Rumble, Shockwave, Shrapnel -- [[User:Starfield|Starfield]] 10:26, 1 April 2010 (EDT)
* Blaster (G1), Perceptor (G1), Rumble (G1), Shockwave (G1), Soundwave (G1) --[[User:Khajidha|Khajidha]] 10:34, 1 April 2010 (EDT)
* Grimlock (G1), Ramjet (Animated), Sentinel Prime (Animated), Sky-Byte (RID), Waspinator (BW) --[[User:Dan|Dan]] 9:40, 1 April 2010 (CDT)
* Big Daddy (G1), Dinobot (BW), Scrounge (G1), Waspinator (BW), Wheeljack (G1) -- [[User:Tonyfitz|Tonyfitz]] 12:07, 1 April 2010 (EDT)
* Big Daddy (G1), Bluestreak (G1), Dinobot (BW), Sky-Byte (RID), Waspinator (BW) -- [[User:Bluestreak7|Bluestreak7]] 12:41, 1 April 2010 (EDT)
* Drift, Sky-Byte, Soundwave (BW), Tarantulas, Waspinator (BW). [[User:Interrobang|—Interrobang]] 14:24, 1 April 2010 (EDT)
* Dinobot, Shockwave, Soundwave, Tarantulas, Waspinator. [[User:Gizen|—Gizen]] 15:00, 1 April 2010 (EDT)
* Arcee (G1), Elita 1(G1), Prowl (Animated), Rumble (G1), Soundwave.[[User:TFgirl|TFgirl]] 15:11, 1 April 2010 (EDT)
* Blaster, Nightbeat (G1), Perceptor (G1), Shockwave, Wheeljack --[[User:Jeysie|Jeysie]] 15:49, 1 April 2010 (EDT)
* Dirge (G1), Rattrap, Shockwave (G1), Sixshot (G1), and Soundwave (G1).[[User:Stevo|Stevo]] 15:55, 1 April 2010 (EDT)
* Blades (G1), Punch, Scourge (RID), Side Burn (RID), and Smokescreen (G1) [[User:Antimatter|Antimatter]] 16:17, 1 April 2010 (EDT)
* Ratchet, Shockwave, Sunstreaker, Swindle, Waspinator - [[User:Cattleprod|Cattleprod]] 16:42, 1 April 2010 (EDT)
* Arcee (G1), Dinobot (BW), Galvatron (G1), Hot Rod (G1), Soundwave (G1)---[[User:ACIDSTORM92|ACIDSTORM92]] 17:06, 1 April 2010 (EDT)
* Grimlock (G1), Optimus Primal (BW), Prowl (Animated), Shockwave (Animated), Sky-Byte (RiD)--[[User:Apcog|Apcog]] 18:47, 1 April 2010 (EDT)
* Crankcase (G1), Prowl (RID), Red Alert (Armada), Thundercracker (Cybertron), Vector Prime--[[User:Metal Gear NOIZE|Metal Gear NOIZE]] 22:20, 1 April 2010 (EDT)
* Cheetor (BW), Dinobot (BW), Ginrai, Optimus Primal, Prowl (Animated) --[[User:Sabrblade|Sabrblade]] 23:00, 1 April 2010 (EDT)
* Ironhide (Movie), Jetfire (G1), Omega Supreme (G1), Shockwave (G1), Soundwave (G1)--[[User:Shockmatter|Shockmatter]] 00:36, 2 April 2010 (EDT)
* Ironhide (G1), Jazz (G1), Optimus Primal, Ratchet (G1), Soundwave (G1) -- [[User:SFH|SFH]] 00:46, 2 April 2010 (EDT)
* Prowl (G1), Soundwave (G1), Thunderwing (G1), Waspinator (BW) [[User:Blackjack|Blackjack]] 09:31, 2 April 2010 (EDT)
* Dinobot (BW), Grimlock (G1), Ravage (G1), Sentinel Prime (Animated), Waspinator [[User:Awa64|Awa64]] 10:39, 2 April 2010 (EDT)
* Big Daddy (G1), Dinobot (BW), Rattrap (BW), Sky-Byte (RiD), Waspinator (BW) [[User:Hooper X|-hx]] 12:29, 2 April 2010 (EDT)
* Bludgeon, Bugbite, Grimlock, Shockwave, Soundwave -- [[User:Arborday|Arborday]] 09:24, 3 April 2010 (EDT)
* Blitzwing (Animated), Cheetor, Soundwave (G1), Warpath (G1), Wreck-Gar (Animated) --[[User:Chocobo prime|Chocobo prime]] 19:34, 3 April 2010 (EDT)
* Gears, Omega Supreme, Shockwave, Soundwave, Sunstreaker -- [[Special:Contributions/72.205.32.171|72.205.32.171]] 20:36, 3 April 2010 (EDT)
* Dinobot (BW), Jazz (G1), Soundwave (G1), Swindle (Animated), Tarantulas (BW) -- [[User:soliloquent|soliloquent]] 10:40, 3 April 2010 (EDT)
* Dinobot (BW), Grimlock (G1), Jazz (G1), Soundwave (G1), Waspinator (BW) --[[User:Tigerpaw28|Tigerpaw28]] 02:25, 4 April 2010 (EDT)
* Brawn (G1), Grimlock (G1), Optimus Primal (BW), Ratchet (Animated), Slammer (G1) --[[User:Tengu|Tengu]] 03:41, 4 April 2010 (EDT)
* Blitzwing (Animated), Rotorstorm, Signal Lancer, Sixshot, Wreck-Gar (Animated) --[[User:Apoc|Apoc]] 06:11, 4 April 2010 (EDT)
* Grimlock (G1), Overlord (Masterforce), Side Burn (RID), Sideways (Armada), Waspinator (BW) --[[User:Fortress Minimus|Fortress Minimus]] 10:50, 4 April 2010 (EDT)
*Grimlock (G1), Overlord (G1), Scourge (RiD), Shockwave (G1), Star Saber (Victory) -- [[User:Kup22|Kup22]] 14:24, 2 April 2010 (EDT)
* Blitzwing (Animated), Jetfire (G1), Mirage (G1), Perceptor (G1), Prowl (Animated) --[[User:Silver|Silvery]] 14:26, 4 April 2010 (EDT)
* Dinobot, Grimlock, Hot Rod, Powerdasher (drill), Waspinator -- [[User:JediFlaherty|JediFlaherty]] 01:52, 5 April 2010 (EDT)
*Grimlock (G1), Jetstorm (BM), Shockwave (G1), Sky-Byte, Waspinator -- [[User:Quickstrike|Quickstrike]] 02:02, 5 April 2010 (EDT)
* Dinobot, Impactor, Shockwave, Soundwave, Ravage --[[User:Emvee|Emvee]] 04:45, 5 April 2010 (EDT)
* Grimlock (G1), Ironhide (G1), Optimus Primal (Beast Wars), Rodimus (Classics), Shockwave (G1) --Acheron40 09:50, 5 April 2010 (EDT)
* Dinobot (BW), Jazz (G1), Perceptor (G1), Swindle (Animated), Tarantulas (BW)--[[User:TPScreenName|TPScreenName]] 12:38, 5 April 2010 (EDT)
* Bluestreak (G1), Fortress Maximus (G1), Grotusque(G1), Omega Supreme(G1), Sky Dive (G1) --[[User:ZacWilliam|ZacWilliam]] 13:28, 5 April 2010 (EDT)
* Bulkhead (Animated), Laserbeak (G1), Ratchet (Animated), Ravage (G1), Shockwave (Animated) --[[Special:Contributions/60.226.34.209|60.226.34.209]] 20:16, 5 April 2010 (EDT)
* Blitzwing, Grimlock, Jazz, Rodimus Prime, Ultra Magnus (g1) --[[Special:Contributions/203.45.237.63‎|203.45.237.63]] 21:20, 6 April 2010 (EDT)
* Devastator, Dinobot (BW), Grimlock, Unicron, Waspinator --[[Special:Contributions/136.152.181.185|136.152.181.185]] 20:37, 7 April 2010 (EDT)
* Galvatron, Ratbat, Rosanna, Swindle, Waspinator -- [[Derrick Wyatt]] 23:06, 7 April 2010 (EDT)
* Blackarachnia (BW), Blitzwing (Animated), Galvatron (G1), Soundwave (G1), Waspinator (BW) --[[User:Professor Icepick|Professor Icepick]] 23:55, 7 April 2010 (EDT)
* Big Convoy, Grimlock (G1), Optimus Primal, Rattrap, Sideswipe (SG) --'''[[User:TX55|TX55]]'''''[[User talk:TX55|TALK]]'' 03:58, 8 April 2010 (EDT)
* Cheetor, Dinobot(BW), Esmeral(SG), Paddles, Roadgrabber --[[User:Ennby|Ennby]] 23:59, 8 April 2010 (EDT)
* Ironhide(G1),Prowl (Animated),Rodimus Prime (G1), Ultra Magnus (G1), Wreck-Gar(Animated)--[[User:OptimusMagnus4|OptimusMagnus4]] 19:35, 9 April 2010 (EDT)
* Bulkhead (Animated), Dinobot, Grimlock, Ratchet, Tarantulas --[[User:Chip|Chip]] 21:37, 10 April 2010 (EDT)
* Dinobot, Grimlock, Hot Rod, Rattrap, Star Saber --Darkproject ,09:27, 12 April 2010 (EDT)
* Grimlock, Jazz, Prowl, Shockwave, Ultra Magnus --[[User:Rav|Rav]] 15:48, 12 April 2010 (EDT)
* Ironhide (G1), Jazz (Animated), Jazz (G1), Springer (G1), Ultra Magnus -- ABmatrix44
* Dinobot, Grimlock, Hot Rod (G1), Inferno (G1), Rattrap --airfox
* Dinobot, Ginrai, Grimlock (G1), Ironhide (G1), Optimus Primal -[[User:Mazenoise|Mazenoise]] 05:40, 14 April 2010 (EDT)
* Arcee, Jazz, Ravage, Shockwave, Soundwave -- [[User:Riddlerj|Riddlerj]] 13:31, 14 April 2010 (EDT)
* Devastator, Dinobot, Grimlock, Shockwave, Soundwave -- [[User:Kcchia80|Kcchia80]] 13:31, 14 April 2010 (EDT)
* Grimlock (G1), Jazz (G1), Scorponok (G1), Shockwave (G1), Soundwave (G1) -- crazyfist1979 15 April 2010
*Astrotrain (G1), Galvatron (G1), Hot Shot (Armada), Shockwave (Animated) [[User:BlastWave|BlastWave]] 14:43, 16 April 2010 (EDT)
* Blurr, Brawn, Grimlock, Rumble, Soundwave -CalvinB
* Blurr, Jazz (G1), Prowl(G1, Soundwave (G1), Ultra Magnus (G1) --JAG 10:06, 17 April EST

MediaWiki:TFWiki.net 2010 Transformers Hall of Fame Auditions/Entries

2010-04-17T14:06:16Z

75.178.40.169: /* Poll entries */

Transformers: Ghosts of Yesterday

2010-04-04T23:57:40Z

75.178.40.169: /* Quotes */

{{Comicstory|
|seriesissue=[[Movie (books)|''Transformers'' book series]]
|prev=
|next=Transformers (novel)
|title=''Transformers: Ghosts of Yesterday''
|image=TF2007_GhostsofYesterday.jpg
|caption=
|publisher=[[Del Rey Books]]
|date=[[March 27|March 27]], 2007
|writer=[[Alan Dean Foster]]
|story concept=[[David Cian]]
|continuity=[[Movie continuity]]
|ISBN=ISBN 0345497988 ISBN 9780345497987
|pagecount=286
}}

'''In 1969, shortly after the ''Apollo 11'' moon landing, the clandestine organization known as Sector Seven tests their first Ice Man-derived spacecraft with disastrous consequences.'''

==Synopsis==
As ''Apollo 11'' launches into space, all eyes are on it. Almost all eyes, anyway. In the Arctic Circle, [[Sector Seven]] is preparing to launch their own ship, the ''[[Ghost 1]]''. As the ''Ghost's'' crew launch into space, some S7 workers—including Thomas Kinnear—are worried.

The captain of ''Ghost 1'', [[Samuel Walker]], silently worries about the mission. He knows that he has to return to Earth, but he's not sure that he'll make it. He gives his crew a speech, and they rocket towards the Sun. As they are about to slingshot towards Jupiter, they are sucked into a wormhole, and they all lose consciousness.

Meanwhile, the ''[[Nemesis (Movie)|Nemesis]]'' is continuing its search for [[Megatron (Movie)|Megatron]] and the [[AllSpark (Movie)|Allspark]], when the [[Decepticon]]s receive indications of wormhole travel. Since [[Transformer|Cybertronians]] are the only ones who use wormhole travel, [[Starscream (Movie)|Starscream]] orders them to investigate. However, [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]] and the [[Autobot]]s detect the same energy signature, and takes the ''[[Ark (Movie)|Ark]]'' to investigate. The ''Nemesis'' arrives first, and the Decepticons cannot believe what they are seeing. It appears to be a Cybertronian vessel of Decepticon design, but it's too crude to be one of theirs, along with the organic lifeforms inside. [[Blackout (Movie)|Blackout]] believes they should destroy it, as anyone capable of wormhole travel is sufficiently advanced to be a threat. To regain the initiative, Starscream decides they will investigate. Before they can, [[Barricade (Movie)|Barricade]] detects the ''Ark''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s reemergence from wormhole travel, and the ''Nemesis'' manages to hide behind the moon of the planet the vessel reached. As the Autobots arrive, [[Ironhide (Movie)|Ironhide]] assumes the vessel is Decepticon, but further analysis shows that it can't be. On board ''Ghost 1'', the crew regains consciousness, and upon seeing the ''Ark'', become concerned.

Back on Earth, [[Walter Simmons]] orders that the [[Megatron (Movie)|Ice Man]] be moved from the [[Sector Seven High Arctic Base]] to a [[Area 52 (Movie)|secret location]] close to the more recently discovered Cube. The [[Soviet Union|Soviets]] learn of the move and raid the convoy hoping to recover the frozen artifact. During the chaos of battle, Megatron partially wakes up in a bad mood. The Soviets are beaten back with the help of [[Staff Sergeant Martin]] and his unit of commandos. Megatron is re-frozen with liquid nitrogen and eventually makes the trip to Nevada without further incident.

{{stub}}
==Feactured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
*[[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]] (12)
*[[Ironhide (Movie)|Ironhide]] (13)
*[[Jazz (Movie)|Jazz]] (14)
*[[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee]] (15)
*[[Ratchet (Movie)|Ratchet]] (16)
|c2=
*[[Starscream (Movie)|Starscream]] (9)
*[[Barricade (Movie)|Barricade]] (10)
*[[Blackout (Movie)|Blackout]] (11)
*[[Frenzy (Movie)|Frenzy]] (17)
*[[Bonecrusher (Movie)|Bonecrusher]] (19)
*[[Scorponok (Movie)|Scorponok]] (20)
*[[Megatron (Movie)|Megatron]] (23)
|c3=
*[[Neil Armstrong]] (1)
*[[Sergei Tasarov]] (23)
*[[Staff Sergeant Martin]] (24)
|h4=[[Sector Seven]]|c4=
*[[Sam Walker]] (2)
*[[Craig Clarkson]] (3)
*[[Jacob Thompson]] (4)
*[[Michael Avery]] (5)
*[[Maria Gonzalez]] (6)
*[[Thomas Kinnear]] (7)
*[[Lieutenant Jensen]] (8)
*[[Phil Nolan]] (18)
*[[Walter Simmons]] (21)
*[[Christolph Smythe]] (22)
*[[Brad Conncarry]] (24)
}}

== Quotes ==

"If Megatron has allied himself with these life-forms, you're going to get your Spark handed to you. Painfully."
:—'''Blackout''' reminds Starscream about how ruthless Megatron is.

"Starscream, I'm here for you." 
"Then come! I've maintained a special file that is devoted to nothing but anticipation for this!" 
"Your wait is over." 
:—'''Optimus Prime''' and '''Starscream''' exchange taunts.

"Time to repeat a lesson you seem to have forgotten." [''cuts Blackout's weapons systems off''] A short memory can be fatal. Here is lesson number two: pain hurts." [''fires into Blackout's chest then punches him in the face''] "Lesson number three: pain continues to hurt even when you wish for it to stop." 
"Don't... You prevail. I concede utterly. You are the leader. I withdraw my challenge." 
"We are not quite done yet. Here is the last and most important lesson: pain is an excellent teaching tool that should be practiced by all leaders and recognized by all smart-mouthed soldiers." [''shoots Blackout again'']
:—'''Starscream''' teaches '''Blackout''' a few lessons. He was ''so'' abused as a kid.

== Notes ==
*The novel was originally announced as being written by David Cian, but after turning in a (self-admittedly<ref>[http://www.donmurphy.net/board/showthread.php?t=17231 Brief Note about Ghosts of Yesterday]</ref> rushed) first draft, he was replaced by Alan Dean Foster, who then rewrote the novel to an unknown extent. Foster's is the lone name on the binding, while Cian receives a story credit inside.

*The book as published only marginally resembles Cian's description of the one he was writing and features a much more defined scope and focus.<ref>[http://www.seibertron.com/people/interviews/view.php?interview_id=32 Talking Transformers Movie Novels with Alan Dean Foster]</ref>

*Much of the plot takes place on a planet reminiscent of the setting of [[Wikipedia:Dune (novel)|''Dune'']]—desert environment, pillars with glyphs carved into them, sandworms, etc.

*Autobots can fly under gravity.

*Starscream learns that both Megatron and the Allspark are on Earth (but not the location of Earth) from the humans. He keeps that information to himself.

*Christolph Smythe owns hardcover copies of the books ''Alice's Adventures in Wonderland'' and ''Through the Looking Glass''.

==International printings==
'''Japan'''
*ISBN 4150116229
*ISBN 978-4150116224
*'''Date published:''' [[July 15]], 2007
*'''Publisher:''' [http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E6%97%A9%E5%B7%9D%E6%9B%B8%E6%88%BF Hayakawa Publishing Corp.]
*'''Translator:''' [[Tsukasa Kaneko]]
*'''Pagecount:''' 431

==References==
<references/>

==External links==
*[http://www.randomhouse.com/delrey/catalog/display.pperl?isbn=9780345497987 Product page at Del Rey Online]

[[Category:Novels]]
[[Category:Movie]]

Transformers (novel)

2010-04-04T23:42:46Z

75.178.40.169: /* Quotes */

{{Comicstory|
|seriesissue=[[Movie (books)|''Transformers'' book series]]
|prev=Ghosts of Yesterday
|next=The Veiled Threat
|title=''Transformers''
|image=TF2007_novelisation.jpg
|caption=
|publisher=[[Del Rey Books]]
|date=[[May 29]], [[2007]]
|writer=[[Alan Dean Foster]]
|continuity=[[Movie continuity]]
|pagecount=304
|story=[[Roberto Orci]] & [[Alex Kurtzman]] and [[John Rogers]]
|screenplay=[[Roberto Orci]] & [[Alex Kurtzman]]
|ISBN=978-0345497994
}}

'''An ancient conflict between the forces of chaos and those who covet freedom has come to Earth. Their War. Our World.'''

==Synopsis==
The book begins with the history of Cybertron's destruction at the hands of Megatron, and his quest to obtain the [[AllSpark (Movie)|Energon Cube]]. Megatron discovers the Cube on [[Earth]], but crash-lands in the [[Arctic Circle]], becoming frozen in the ice. Captain [[Archibald Witwicky]] and his crew of explorers stumble upon Megatron's body in the late 19th century. Megatron's navigational system is unintentionally activated, and Archibald's eye glasses are imprinted with the coordinates to the Cube's location. Sector Seven, a secret organization of the United States government, discovers the Energon Cube and builds the Hoover Dam around it to mask the energy signal. The still-frozen Megatron is moved into this facility, and is reverse engineered to further advance human technology.

In the present day, the rest of the Decepticons—Blackout, Scorponok, Frenzy, Barricade, Starscream, Bonecrusher, and Devastator—have already landed on Earth and assumed the disguise of Earth vehicles. Blackout and Scorponok attack a U.S. military base in Qatar in an effort to use the military database to discover the location of Megatron and the Cube, but they do not succeed. A small group of survivors from the military base attack wander through the desert and are attacked by Scorponok. The Autonomous Robotic Life Form (shortened to "Autobot") known as Bumblebee is also on Earth, disguised as a 1977 Chevrolet Camaro, and looking for Sam Witwicky, the descendant of Captain Archibald Witwicky. As soon as he locates Sam, the two quickly begin to bond as Bumblebee helps Sam try and woo his crush, Mikaela Banes; Sam is unaware of the fact that Bumblebee is an alien, until he witnesses Bumblebee transform and send out a homing signal for the rest of the Autobots. After Blackout's failure, Frenzy infiltrates [[Air Force One]] and discovers that Sam possesses the map that will lead the Decepticons to the Energon Cube. Frenzy and Barricade begin tracking Sam's location.

Barricade confronts Sam, demanding Archibald's glasses. Bumblebee, who is following Sam, transforms and battles Barricade. Mikaela, who is also following Sam, is caught in the crossfire, and leaves with Sam and Bumblebee to rendezvous with the rest of the Autobots. The Autobots—Optimus Prime, Jazz, Ironhide, and Ratchet—land on Earth and take on the forms of several Earth vehicles. Sam, Mikaela, and the Autobots return to Sam's home to retrieve the glasses. However, agents from Sector Seven arrive to take Sam and Mikaela into custody. Bumblebee is also apprehended, against the pleas of Sam who assures the agents—to no avail—that he means them no harm.

Frenzy secretly accompanies the group to the [[Hoover Dam]], and releases Megatron from cryogenic stasis. Locating the Cube, he sends out an alert to the rest of the Decepticons. Megatron escapes, and Sam convinces the Sector Seven agents to release Bumblebee so that he can get the Cube to Optimus Prime. The Decepticons chase the Autobots, who now possess the Energon Cube, into a neighboring city. An battle ensues, resulting in casualties on both sides, with Sam ultimately destroying Megatron and the Energon Cube when he rams it into Megatron's chest. The remains of the Decepticons are cast into the [[Laurentian Abyss]]. With no other home to go to — Cybertron having been destroyed by Megatron and the Cube being the only thing that could have restored it — the Autobots decide to stay on Earth, and Optimus sends out a signal across space in an effort to locate any surviving Autobots, while Sam and Mikaela begin a relationship. Starscream, one of the Decepticons that survived the battle, leaves Earth.

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
*[[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee]]
*[[Ironhide (Movie)|Ironhide]]
*[[Jazz (Movie)|Jazz]]
*[[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]]
*[[Ratchet (Movie)|Ratchet]]
|c2=
*[[Barricade (Movie)|Barricade]]
*[[Blackout (Movie)|Blackout]]
*[[Bonecrusher (Movie)|Bonecrusher]]
*[[Devastator (Movie)|Devastator]]
*[[Frenzy (Movie)|Frenzy]]
*[[Megatron (Movie)|Megatron]]
*[[Scorponok (Movie)|Scorponok]]
*[[Starscream (Movie)|Starscream]]
|c3=
*[[Tom Banachek]]
*[[Mikaela Banes]]
*[[Bobby Bolivia]]
*[[Robert Epps]]
*[[John Keller]]
*[[William Lennox]]
*[[Maggie Madsen]]
*[[Seymour Simmons]]
*[[Glen Whitmann]]
*[[Judy Witwicky]]
*[[Ron Witwicky]]
*[[Sam Witwicky]]
}}

==Notes==
Several scenes differ between the film and novel due to the fact that Foster was working from an earlier version of the script. These include:

* The [[AllSpark]] is known as the "[[Energon Cube]]", although its function in the story is nothing like that of Energon cubes from ''Transformers'' history, instead serving exactly the same purpose as the AllSpark in the film.
* [[Jorge Figueroa]] doesn't talk in Spanish during the Osprey ride and later dies on the plane taking [[William Lennox|Lennox]] and his men back to America. Fig's death scene was filmed but was ultimately cut from the movie.
*[[Judy Witwicky|Sam's mom]] DOES NOT make any reference to [[Sam Witwicky|a certain embarrassed boy]] masturbating. Which is a good thing.
*When Ratchet scans Sam and Mikaela, he reveals their undergarments. Weird.
*As with the film, Optimus Prime and Megatron actually refer to each other as "brother."
*During the battle in [[Mission City|some city]], the energy released when the [[AllSpark (Movie)|All Spark]] hits the ground causes ''lots'' of [[Xbox 360 robot|video game consoles]] to become Transformers. Interestingly, ''guns'' can become Transformers if in range of the cube's energy.
*The novel has the final battle take place in [[Las Vegas]] instead of [[Mission City]].
*Sam and Mikaela don't make out on top of Bumblebee at the end, although they do kiss in the school parking lot.
*Starscream has a chat with Megatron at [[Hoover Dam]], where they seem to be on good terms. Starscream's fight with the F-22s is not included, though much of the final battle scene is greatly abridged.
*[[Brawl (Movie)|Devastator]] appears out of nowhere during the city battle.
*Megatron rips out Jazz's spark instead of tearing him in half. In addition, during the hologram flashback to Cybertron, Megatron is shown killing an Autobot in the same way, instead of spearing him from a distance.
*Neither the movie nor its adaptations explain how global communications were restored or how long it took for it to happen (or anything that happened beyond the events involving the Transformers). They all also assume that no one used a camera phone to record the battle and post it on the Internet after it was restored.
*Jazz doesn't talk "street" in the novel, in fact, all Autobots speak an unnaturally formal form of English to enhance their alien status. In the film, Jazz's first line is "What's cracking, li'l bitches?", while in the novel, his first line is "Greetings, terrestrial adolescent humans." This also reflects Foster's depiction of the character in ''[[Ghosts of Yesterday]]''.

==Quotes==
"Whoa, hey. I thought we'd wait till she was at least two before we got into the R-rated stuff."
:-'''Lennox''' needs to head back to parenting classes.
"Actually, it's not ''Margaret''. I ''hate'' that. It says ''Maggie'' on my birth certificate and whenever anyone calls me Margaret I tend to-never mind, sorry. I got a little impulse-control problem, no filter. Like I probably shouldn't say your bushy eyebrows are kinda throwing me right now..."
:-'''Maggie''' needs to get her filter fixed and quick.
'''Optimus''': Did you look within the oblong clothing-storage device?

'''Sam''': "The what?"

'''Mikaela''': "I think he means the dresser."

'''Ratchet''': "Perhaps it is beneath the four-point floor sheath."

'''Sam''': "Okay, totally stumped."

'''Mikaela''': "The rug?"
:- '''Optimus''' and '''Ratchet''' not understanding Earth culture, '''Sam''' not understanding alien language, and '''Mikaela''' being the smartest around.
"I owe you my life. Humans do not always think rationally, but you can think fast."
:-'''Optimus''' unintentionally insults and complements humans in the same sentence.

==International printings==
'''Japan'''
*ISBN 4150116229
*ISBN 978-4150116224
*'''Date published:''' [[July 15]], 2007
*'''Publisher:''' [http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E6%97%A9%E5%B7%9D%E6%9B%B8%E6%88%BF Hayakawa Publishing Corp.]
*'''Translator:''' [[Naoya Nakahara]]
*'''Pagecount:''' 415

==External links==
*[http://www.randomhouse.com/delrey/catalog/display.pperl?isbn=9780345497994 Product page at Del Rey Online]

[[Category:Novels]]
[[Category:Movie]]

Starscream's Ghost

2010-03-14T20:23:46Z

75.178.40.169: /* Quotes */

{{episode|
|series=G1toon
|series2=2010
|ep=75
|ep2=7
|prev2=Thief in the Night
|next2=Dark Awakening
|image=G1 StarscreamsGhost AHHHHH.jpg
|caption=Ebenezer Ooooctaaaane! You must pick a mode and stick to it!
|title="Starscream's Ghost"
|production code=700-95
|airdate=[[October 2]], 1986
|written by=[[Megeen McLaughlin]]
|production company=[[Sunbow Productions]]
|continuity=[[Generation 1 cartoon continuity]]
}}

'''On the run from the Decepticons, Octane seeks asylum on Cybertron, where he encounters the ghost of Starscream, who is still scheming in death.'''

:''Japanese title:'' スタースクリームの幽霊 (''Starscream no Yūrei'', "Starscream's Ghost")
:''German title:'' "'''Der Geist von Starscream'''" ("The Ghost of Starscream")
:''German'' Generation 2 ''title:'' "'''Starscream kehrt zurück'''" ("Starscream Returns")

==Synopsis==
[[Image:G1 StarscreamsGhost SpaceDynamite.jpg|left|150px|thumb|Clearly, Homeland Security is earning its budget.]]

Exiled from the Decepticons, the former Decepticon Octane now makes a living freighting scrap metal from planet [[Junkion (planet)|Junkion]] for the Autobots. However, his past catches up to him when a vengeful Galvatron hires an alien bounty hunter, the [[Skuxxoid]], to assassinate Octane. Just after he leaves Junk, Octane's cargo ship is destroyed by a bomb planted by his would-be assassin. Fortunately Octane is merely blown away from the explosion and is rescued by a passing transport ship.

[[Image:G1 StarscreamsGhost Combaticonstalkers.jpg|right|150px|thumb|Who would have thought [[Brawl (G1)|Brawl]] could keep quiet?]]

Enraged by this failure, Galvatron dispatches the Combaticons to track and eliminate the exile. Fearing for his life, Octane takes refuge with the Autobots on [[Earth]] and seeks the advice of his friend Sandstorm, who at first doesn't believe him. When they are ambushed and the Combaticons concentrate on Octane while leaving Sandstorm alone, however, the Autobot is convinced and the pair escape Earth in an Autobot shuttle.

[[Image:G1 StarscreamsGhost Diningout.jpg|left|150px|thumb|"Why'd you take me here, man? This bar has the ugliest hookers in space."]]

The two Triple Changers stop and refuel at a neutral alien space station, and use the time to discuss the situation at the adjoining diner. Octane shows off to Sandstorm, juggling energon cubes and doing other tricks (possibly in a vain attempt to get to second base with Sandstorm on the first date). The Skuxxoid has managed to track him and is foiled in several attempts to do away with the wanted ex-Decepticon - partly due to incompetence, partly due to interference. Finally, the Skuxxoid caves in and attempts to attack Octane by tackling the back of the Transformer's head. Octane grabs the alien and demands to know who hired him. When the Skuxxoid says he was hired by Galvatron, Octane decides to go deeper into hiding.

[[Image:StarscreamCryptMarker1.jpg|right|150px|thumb|Octane's a leg man.]]

He is followed to [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] by Cyclonus, Scourge, and the Sweeps. When the attacking Decepticons pin him down, he seeks shelter in what appears to be a large drainage pipe, but turns out to be the secret entrance to a [[Decepticon Crypt]]. While there, he encounters the ghost of Starscream, who conspires with Octane to take control of Cyclonus. Successful, Starscream then proceeds to "capture" the runaway Octane. However, they are pursued by the Autobots, intent on protecting Octane. Starscream somehow manages to convince Rodimus Prime to let them go, to the confusion of the other Autobots.

When "Cyclonus" brings the cowering Octane back to [[Chaar]], Galvatron is initially furious that the exile was not destroyed. "Cyclonus" convinces Galvatron that the 'traitor' should be interrogated for any information he might know. At a faux display of torture, "Cyclonus" further convinces Galvatron that he has forced an Autobot secret out of Octane. The trio travel to a pre-arranged location earlier agreed to by Rodimus Prime and Starscream, trapping Galvatron in an ambush with many Autobots.

[[Image:G1 StarscreamsGhost Cyclonuswrecked.jpg|left|150px|thumb|"DAMN YOU, TACO BELL!"]]

The ambush fails, however, and when Galvatron returns to see "Cyclonus" and Octane discussing his apparent demise, Starscream can't resist gloating, revealing his presence to the Decepticon leader, who proceeds to blast a hole into the possessed Cyclonus' torso. Starscream de-possesses Cyclonus the moment before the blast hits.

As Galvatron orders Cyclonus repaired to top working order, the obedient Scourge is revealed to be Starscream's new host body.
{{-}}

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters|c1=
* [[Sandstorm (G1)|Sandstorm]] (5)
* [[Kup (G1)|Kup]] (15)
* [[Hot Rod (G1)|Rodimus Prime]] (16)
* [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]] (17)
* [[Silverbolt (G1)|Silverbolt]] (18)
* [[Air Raid (G1)|Air Raid]] (19)
* [[Fireflight (G1)|Fireflight]] (20)
* [[Skydive (G1 Aerialbot)|Skydive]] (21)
* [[Slingshot]] (22)
* [[Perceptor (G1)|Perceptor]] (23)
|c2=
* [[Octane]] (2)
* [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]] (3)
* [[Onslaught (G1)|Onslaught]] (6)
* [[Blast Off (G1)|Blast Off]] (7)
* [[Brawl (G1)|Brawl]] (8)
* [[Scourge (G1)|Scourge]] (11)
* [[Sweep|Sweeps]] (12)
* [[Cyclonus (G1)|Cyclonus]] (13)
* [[Starscream (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Starscream]] (14)
|h3=Others|c3=
* [[Junkion (species)|Junkion]] (1)
* [[Skuxxoid]] (4)
* Alien serving wench (9)
* Alien tentacle guy (10)
}}

==Quotes==
"Ehh, I'd probably be a jerk too if I was made of junk."
:—'''Octane''', apparently having forgotten that he is a jerk.

[''Taps Octane on the shoulder''.]"It's your old buddy, ''Starscream''!AHAHAHAHAHA!" 
"Just a shadow of my former self. Don't you think?" 
"STAAARRRRRSCCCRRREEEEAAAAAMMMM!"
:—'''Ghost Starscream''' and '''Octane''' have a less than warm reunion.

[''Autobots shoot at Decepticons in air''.] 
"They've spotted us!" 
[''muttering''] "Whatever would we do without a powerful intellectual like ''you'' around?" 
:—'''Octane''' to '''Cyclonus/Starscream''' who is thrilled by the remark.

"Take THAT, you overgrown tin can, and that, and THAT, and—I didn't WANT this job, I HAD to take it! I've got a wife and kids! I HAVE to deactivate you! Look, a guy's got to make a living, don't you understand?!"
:—'''Skuxxoid''', easy lizard, we don't want to hear your life story!

"He must be hiding in the crypt." 
"Good. Then we won't have to take him anywhere when we're done."
:—'''Cyclonus''' and '''Scourge'''

'''Scourge''': You! Go down that shaft! 
'''Whining Sweep''': How come I gotta do the dirty work? 
'''Scourge''': You! See if the traitor is hiding down there! 
'''Cowardly Sweep''': No way! If you're so fired up to know what's going on, ''you'' go down there! 
'''Scourge''': YOU LEAD! 
'''Politely Declining Sweep''': I wouldn't want anyone thinking that I question you as a leader, but sorry. 
'''Cyclonus''': ''I'' question your leadership skills, Scourge. The last one in there will face ''me''! 
''[The Sweeps jump into the shaft.]'' 
'''Cyclonus''': You have much to learn. 
'''Scourge''': Yes, that is true. 
'''Cyclonus''': Now, ''DIVE!'' 
:—'''Scourge''', the Sweeps and '''Cyclonus''' debate entering the Crypt.

"Come out and die like a warrior! How dare you disgrace your ancestors by cowering like a pocket computer! He's worse than the Sweeps! Come out and face your fate like the powerful Decepticon you once were, not like the miserable excuse for a Decepticon you have become!"
:—'''Cyclonus''', after spotting Octane hiding behind somebody's marker

"Yes...we will interrogate him. Even if it's not informative, it will be ''fun''!"
:—'''Galvatron'''

"I'll never tell! (Hey, you got pretty close that time.)" 
''[Snicker]'' "You'd better before they discover your bad acting!"
:—'''Octane''' and '''Cyclonus/Starscream''' during their faux interrogation

==Notes==
===Animation or technical glitches===
* When Galvatron is speaking in the opening sequence of the episode, only his throne is seen, the character is missing.
* While Octane is walking with Sandstorm outside Autobot City, he trips and falls over a rock. The rock actually jumps in front of Octane's foot causing him to fall down. Can't this guy catch a break?

* After Octane gets up and the pair begin to walk again, the background is of deep space, even though they are on Earth.

* None of the Combaticon lasers sound like traditional Decepticon laser weapons—a common occurrence in Season 3, where the Decepticons regularly have old science fiction stock sound effects for their weapons. One particularly notable instance of this practise can be heard when Cyclonus fires upon Sandstorm. The laser sound accompanying this shot is sampled from a scene in ''[[Star Wars|The Empire Strikes Back]],'' in which C-3PO is shot to pieces by a Stormtrooper. The sample, however, fails to cut out 3PO's cry of "No!", and his voice can heard in this episode and each time the sound effect is used again, in "[[Only Human]]" and "[[The Rebirth, Part 1]]".

* Autobot City's wall is very, very low—low enough for Octane and Sandstorm merely to jump over when the Combaticons fire upon them.

* When the Decepticons attack Octane on Cybertron, some of the laser fire coming towards Octane is coloured gold, like Autobot lasers.

* The back of Starscream's legs are colored light blue as he creeps up behind Cyclonus in the Crypt.

[[Image:G1 StarscreamsGhost BackwardsKup.jpg|right|150px|thumb|"Kup, there's something wrong with your optics!" "They're fine, Magnus, [[Ratchet (G1)|Ratchet]] fixed 'em yesterday." "...Ratchet's dead, Kup."]]
* Silverbolt is drawn with four engines when the Aerialbots go after Cyclonus/Starscream's group.

* When the Autobots counter-attack in an attempt to rescue Octane, Kup is shown arriving at the battle driving ''backwards''.

* When Octane and the possessed Cyclonus are sitting around Decepticon headquarters discussing Galvatron's fate, Starscream/Cyclonus' dialogue is animated as Octane speaking, and vice-versa.

===Continuity errors===
* For some reason Autobot City appears to be deserted, as nobody comes out to investigate the battle with the Combaticons.

* The "energon" served on board the alien space station/space trucker rest stop is drawn and coloured as small orange wedges, rather than the traditional glowing purple cubes.

* The Skuxxoid's laser pistol has a sight as he arms it, but is sightless when he aims it at Octane. The sight reappears in subsequent shots.

* It is unclear what happened after Starscream and Octane delivered Galvatron into Rodimus Prime's trap. Galvatron is surrounded and vastly outnumbered by the Autobots, but appears to escape by the end of the episode, albeit heavily damaged.

===Transformers references===
* The Decepticons have a dark sense of humor. Starscream's marker in the Decepticon crypt consists of nothing but his boots, in apparent "homage" to his death in ''The Transformers: The Movie'', wherein his legs were the only part of him that didn't crumble to ash. Well, it's either that, or the animator forgot to include the cel with the rest of the statue on it.

*The [[Beast Wars (cartoon)|Beast Wars]] episode "[[Bad Spark]]" would explain Starscream's "ghost": The [[spark]] of Starscream possesses a mutation which has rendered it indestructible.

===Trivia===
[[Image:TVMagazineStarscreamsGhost1.jpg|right|150px|thumb|Hey, remember that episode where Blitzwing fought Starscream's ghost? That was awesome.]]
* It is apparent that this episode was originally scripted to feature Blitzwing in Octane's role, following on from the conclusion of "[[Five Faces of Darkness, Part 5]]", in which Blitzwing was banished from the Decepticons (and, in a deleted scene, told Rodimus Prime he would consider his offer of joining up with the Autobots). Indeed, when Octane relates the reasons for his banishment in this episode, he quotes verbatim Galvatron's words to Blitzwing from "Five Faces", that he would "never be welcome in the ranks of the Decepticons again". The events of "[[Thief in the Night]]" are used to provide a reason for Octane's own banishment, but when he recounts them in this episode, actor [[Beau Weaver]]'s lines sound noticeably rushed, as if they were being fitted into a pre-existing framework that did not originally contain them. This suggests that the change may have been a comparably late one, as does a piece of artwork seen in Japan's ''[[TV Magazine]]'', which showed Blitzwing being accosted by the specter of Starscream. The change almost certainly came about [[to sell toys|to promote Octane's toy]], given that he was newer than Blitzwing.
**Additionally, this episode's [[dialogue script]] ascribes all of Sandstorm's dialogue to [[Springer (G1)|Springer]], perhaps suggesting that he was also supposed to be in the episode and was swapped out for a toy that needed more promotion. [http://groups.google.com/group/alt.toys.transformers/msg/38be154a237a9aa3] This particular dialogue script, however, seems to have been written up using the ''finished episode'', rather than the actual recording script, so it ''might'' just have been transcribed by someone who confused Sandstorm for Springer.

* When Octane and Sandstorm transform and go off joyriding, for some reason Sandstorm constantly emits exhaust fumes.

* As Octane stuffs his face with "energon", he makes repeated "gulping" sound effects.

* In the year 2006, the Skuxxoid uses the high-tech explosive dynamite.

* The [[Cheesecake robot|female robot]] Octane ogles on his internets looks surprisingly like [[Arcee (G1)|Arcee]]...but with much larger...shoulder pads. Yes.

[[Image:G1 StarscreamsGhost PRON.jpg|right|150px|thumb|Grab your dipstick and double-click...]]
* When Sandstorm asks if Octane is all right after the latter falls down, he doesn't sound very sincere.

* Sandstorm borrows the same helicopter blade sound effect used for Cop-Tur in ''Challenge of the Go-Bots''.

* Sandstorm's cockpit is evidently large enough for Octane to operate him in robot mode.

* Two of the alien patrons of the diner were originally for the episode "[[Chaos (episode)|Chaos]]", though due to script changes, they were not used until "Starscream's Ghost".

* For some reason, the Decepticon crypt is accessed via a drainage grate.

* The freighter Octane uses at the start of this episode is apparently a common Autobot design, as one is seen entering Cybertron as the Decepticons make their second attempt on Octane's life.

* This episode is the first appearance of Starscream's ghost. He'll reappear in the follow-up episode "[[Ghost in the Machine]]" as well as in [[The Story of Super Robot Lifeforms: The Transformers issue 4|the 4th issue]] of [[The Story of Super Robot Lifeforms: The Transformers|the 2010 manga]] and in the ''[[The Stargate Battles|Star Gate War]]'' manga. He'll then be featured in the ''[[Beast Wars (cartoon)|Beast Wars]]'' episode "[[Possession]]" and his latest appearances have been in issues of the ''[[15 Go! Go!]]'' comics and [[Kiss Players (radio drama)|''Kiss Players'' radio drama]].

* Kup oversees Cybertron's security in [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]]'s old tower.

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

[[Category:Generation 1 episodes]]

Countdown to Extinction (episode)

2010-03-14T20:09:45Z

75.178.40.169: /* Quotes */

{{disambig2|the episode Countdown to Extinction|the comic issue|Countdown to Extinction (issue)}}
{{episode
|series=G1toon
|ep=14
|series2=SRLFtoon
|ep2=9
|prev2=War of the Dinobots
|next2=Heavy Metal War
|image=FHE-CountdownToExtinction.jpg
|caption="Whoa, what, really? My bad, Prime."
|title="Countdown to Extinction"
|production code=#700-11
|airdate=[[December 1]], 1984
|written by=[[Reed Robbins]] and [[Peter Salas]]
|animation studio=[[Toei]]
|production company=[[Sunbow Productions]]
|continuity=[[Generation 1 cartoon continuity]]
}}

'''In the aftermath of Cybertron's catastrophic orbit of Earth, both sides regroup, while Starscream puts into motion a plan to destroy the planet.'''

:''Japanese title:'' 地球消滅計画 (''Chikyū Shōmetsu Keikaku'', "The Earth Obliteration Plan")
:''Latin American title:'' "Cuenta atrás hacia la extinción"
{{TOCclear}}
==Synopsis==
[[Image:Countdown Extinction Autobots repair.JPG|thumb|left|150px|I think my toy had something like this.]]

The previous threat of [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]]'s orbits over [[Earth]] have passed. [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] and the [[Autobot]]s work to help repair cities and do other generous/benevolent type things. After all, [[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Megatron]] is MIA, believed killed in the explosion that moved Cybertron from Earth's orbit. But they are not the only ones to notice Megatron's absence.

[[Starscream (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Starscream]], believing Megatron destroyed, forces [[Doctor Arkeville]] to take him to his secret laboratory. Once there he discovers another of the Doctor's inventions, the [[Exponential Generator]], a power source that, if it overcharges, will detonate with enough energy to destroy the Earth.

[[Image:Countdown Extinction Decepticon badge.JPG|right|thumb|150px|Freeze, this is the DPD!]]

Seeking to gain power for himself, Starscream links the generator to a timer and then takes Doctor Arkeville with him to [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]], which is still nearby. He plans to collect the energy unleashed by Earth's destruction to revitalize Cybertron. He coerces [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]] into serving him, and to help in the restoration of Cybertron.

Meanwhile on Earth, Megatron has returned to the Decepticons, having survived the explosion of his starship. When he learns that Starscream and Doctor Arkeville are apparently working together he sets off in pursuit with the other Decepticons.

The Autobots detect the Decepticon activity and set off after them. After a short battle the Autobots are trapped in quicksand. [[Ironhide (G1)|Ironhide]] freezes the quicksand with his liquid nitrogen allowing them to escape. [[Laserbeak (G1)|Laserbeak]], who was standing guard over them, is captured and [[Jazz (G1)|Jazz]] forces him to play his findings. The Autobots learn that the Decepticons are heading for the Doctor's secret laboratory and they set off to follow them.

[[Image:CountdownDrArkeville.jpg|left|thumb|Stephen Hawking in a rare Transformers cameo.]]

The Doctor, unwilling to let Starscream benefit from the Earth's destruction, attempts to sabotage the energy collectors but the Decepticon security system stuns him with a blast of electricity. Starscream has the badly-injured Doctor 'repaired' by the [[medicroid]]s, leaving him more machine now than man. Of course, he was twisted and evil to start with, so.

The Autobots and Decepticons arrive at the laboratory and battle each other again. Unaware of the danger it represents, Megatron covets the exponential generator and fights Optimus Prime for its possession. During the fight Megatron receives a communication from Shockwave on Cybertron.

Shockwave, unwilling to serve Starscream, warns Megatron about the timer and Starscream's plan. Megatron rips the timer from the wall just in time. On Cybertron, Starscream is baffled that the Earth has not exploded and sets off back to check the timer.

[[Image:CountdownToExtinction.jpg|right|thumb|[[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Prime]] helps [[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Megatron]] to shoot his load.]]

The exponential generator has become volatile and begins to go critical, ready to explode. Prime rips it away from Megatron, but the [[Decepticon leader]] says he needs the Autobot leader's help. [[Transformation|Transforming]], Megatron tells Prime to load the generator into his gun barrel, and then fires it into space. It explodes and the blast sends Starscream crashing to Earth where Megatron is waiting for him.

With the threat ended, the Autobots let the Decepticons go. [[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]] wonders what will happen to Starscream, and the other Autobots are amused at the thought of what Megatron plans to do.
{{-}}

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
*[[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]] (1)
*[[Sludge (G1)|Sludge]] (2)
*[[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]] (3)
*[[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] (4)
*[[Ratchet (G1)|Ratchet]] (5)
*[[Ironhide (G1)|Ironhide]] (6)
*[[Brawn (G1)|Brawn]] (7)
*[[Gears (G1)|Gears]] (8)
*[[Huffer (G1)|Huffer]] (9)
*[[Hound (G1)|Hound]] (10)
*[[Cliffjumper (G1)|Cliffjumper]] (18)
*[[Trailbreaker (G1)|Trailbreaker]] (19)
*[[Prowl (G1)|Prowl]] (22)
*[[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]] (23)
*[[Sideswipe (G1)|Sideswipe]] (24)
*[[Jazz (G1)|Jazz]] (25)
*[[Mirage (G1)|Mirage]] (26)
|c2=
*[[Skywarp (G1)|Skywarp]] (11)
*[[Rumble (G1)|Rumble]] (12)
*[[Thundercracker (G1)|Thundercracker]] (13)
*[[Soundwave (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Soundwave]] (14)
*[[Frenzy (G1)|Frenzy]] (15)
*[[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Megatron]] (16)
*[[Laserbeak (G1)|Laserbeak]] (17)
*[[Starscream (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Starscream]] (20)
*[[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]] (27)
*[[Reflector (G1)|Reflector]] (28)
|c3=
*[[Doctor Arkeville]] (21)
}}

==Quotes==
"Can't you do ''anything'' right, Skywarp?" 
"Watch it you metallic mini-meatball or I'll step on you!"
:—'''Skywarp''' and '''Rumble''' shortly before the latter gets owned.

"Hey, I didn't volunteer for this geeky assignment. I want Skywarp's job." 
"Butt out, Frenzy. Geek work's made for a geek! Like you!"
:—'''Skywarp''' and '''Frenzy''' bickering before resorting to violence.

"I, Doctor Arkeville, genius of science, say... OPEN SESAME!" 
"How original."
:—'''Dr. Arkeville''' shows '''Starscream''' the entrance to his secret lab.

"Hey Optimus, how'd you like to hear the number one on the Decepticon hot cassette charts?" 
"As I believe the Earthlings say...lay it on me, man."
:—'''Jazz''' and '''Optimus Prime'''

"Your destiny is to serve me, my potent beauty."
:—'''Megatron''''s interest in the exponential generator gets a little creepy.

'''Rumble''': Megatron, it's...it's the Autobots! 
'''Megatron''': Impossible! They were doomed! 
'''Skywarp''': Don't worry. We'll make them regret undooming themselves.
:—The Decepticons prepare to kick some exhaust port.

'''Megatron''': Here! Have a ton of fun! 
''[Megatron throws a boulder at Optimus and misses.]'' 
'''Optimus''': Hahaha! Your aim's improving, Megatron!
:—'''Optimus Prime''' is having a blast.

"Welcome home, noble voyager."
:—'''Megatron''' missed Janeway too.

'''Bumblebee''': Hey Prime, what do you think Megatron's gonna do to Starscream?" 
'''Optimus''': Nothing gentle, I would say. 
''[general laughter]'' 
'''Jazz''': I think we seen the last of ol' Starcreep alright! And that's the first thing that's gone right all day.
:—The Autobots muse on Starscream's fate after Megatron is last seen carrying him off screen.

==Notes==
* In the [[Family Home Entertainment]] VHS promotional blurb for this episode, the narrator claims the exponential generator's explosion is powerful enough to destroy ''the entire universe.'' So, uhhh, maybe every bit of TF fiction produced after this actually represents a different [[universal stream]]!

===Technical or animation glitches===
* As the Dinobots push the building back into place, Grimlock has his old head design, and Sludge has that strange yellow mouth interior again.
* As Wheeljack raises his hand to indicate where the Dinobots should stop, the flashing glow of his "ears" is layered on top of his hand.
* Two Brawns are seen repairing the damaged dam, one handing the other a concrete block. In the next shot, one of them has turned into Gears, in time for Huffer to hassle him.
* When Skywarp's hand and arm reach into the frame to slap Rumble, they're in Thundercracker's colors.
* Missing Seeker insignia:
** Skywarp and Thundercracker are both missing the insignia on the back of their wings as Thundercracker steps in to tell them to shape up.
* Soundwave is missing the yellow lines around his tape door as he mocks Thundercracker.
* As the sliding doors start to open to admit Megatron, he disappears for a frame or two.
* As Megatron asks about Arkeville, Skywarp's chest intakes are colored black. Both he and Thundercracker have the bottom segments of their canopies colored orange instead of black/blue respectively.
* Skywarp is drawn delivering Thundercracker's "He's gone!" lines.
* As usual when he's playing back a tape report, Soundwave's tape door suddenly becomes transparent as Laserbeak plays back. Behind him, Thundercracker's canopy is still over-oranged, and his wings aren't symmetrical.
* The Laserbeak tape is blue in the first shot, but during the close-up, its coloring changes to Laserbeak's normal red-and-white.
* As Megatron orders his troops to move out, Soundwave's hand is white, then changes to blue.
* Wheeljack is missing his ears as he watches Megatron & co. on screen.
* Improbable viewpoints:
** How DID Teletraan-1 get that image of the Decepticons flying along?
* Starscream's foot is light gray instead of blue as he comments on the Doctor's originality.
* Bumblebee is tan instead of yellow as the jets fire on the Autobot convoy.
* The area in front of Starscream's neck is dark gray instead of light gray as Dr. Arkeville says he must work under his supervision.
* As Starscream prepares to flip the switch, his wings are missing most of their paint details.
* As Starscream congratulates the Doctor for understanding his intent, the stripes on his wings are white instead of red.
* In the next shot, the bridge of Starscream's nose is dark gray instead of medium gray. In fact, Starscream's nose changes color a lot throughout this episode, too much to mention.
* "Puny flesh creature!" The insignia on Starscream's wing-back is badly out of place.
* Starscream's air intakes are light gray instead of red as Dr. Arkeville boards his jet mode.
* As Starscream talks to Dr. Arkeville in space, his voice is muffled as though coming over a radio. Since Arkeville is ''inside'' him, shouldn't Starscream's voice be normal?
* Brawn's helmet is yellow instead of gray in the big lineup of firing Autobots. Jazz is missing his insignia. Wheeljack's ears flash for a single frame even though he's not speaking, and they're orange; he's missing his missile launcher.
* Thundercracker has no stripes or insignia on his wings as he, Soundwave and Rumble half-heartedly dodge Autobot fire (instead of landing like Megatron just ordered.)
* Starscream's elbow segment is red instead of gray after he threatens Shockwave.
* Optimus's antenna is white instead of blue as he looks up at Megatron perched on the rock peak, and again as he watches the Decepticons fly off.
* As he stands over the generator, the red button on Megatron's waist is colored blue.
* Thundercracker is drawn delivering Skywarp's "undooming themselves" line.
* The end of Megatron's fusion cannon is ''much'' too thin as he aims at Prime in front of the generator.
* As Prime warns Megatron to be careful, his faceplate drops almost all the way to his chin as he speaks.
* The damage caused to Megatron's chest by the exponential generator disappears after he leaves the lab.
* Starscream's tailfins are miscolored as he falls to Earth and impacts.
* The chest segment above Starscream's canopy is colored yellow instead of gray as Megatron looms over him.
* As the Autobots drive past cam, Ironhide and Ratchet's passenger side windows are HUGE.
* Prime's strange half-sloped windscreen design appears in the next shot.

===Shout! Factory DVD release===
* The volume of the sound effects in the Shout! release of this episode are noticeably reduced from the original; the beeping of the timer after the first commercial break, for example, is barely audible.

===Continuity errors===
* Narrator [[Victor Caroli]] claims that Cybertron's orbit of Earth has "left the world in ruins". Yet somehow, after the opening scenes of this episode, we never see any signs of this catastrophic damage - in this episode or any future one.
* Megatron was beat to hell at the end of last episode. When he returns to Decepticon Headquarters, he's brand-spankin' new. Where did he get the resources to repair himself so thoroughly?
* Optimus says that "we can't let [Megatron] and the Decepticons regroup"... but it should be obvious from the screen that they already ''have'' regrouped.
*The timer that Starscream connects to the exponential generator, which starts at 8:00:00, leads to some dubious situations:
**It takes Starscream less than 30 seconds to reach outer space (and have a good bit of distance between him and Earth). He then reaches Cybertron in about 4 hours. For what it's worth, Starscream's toy [[Bio|bio]] states that he can reach Mach 2.8.
**There's a time lapse of around 15 minutes between the moment Megatron finds the exponential generator and when he opens it up. That, of course, could be overlooked seeing how it may take Megatron, who's unfamilar with the lab, that much time to figure out the controls.
**The battle outside Doctor Arkeville's lab goes on for 2 hours. Maybe not so dubious, but it's not the norm for the television series.
*How is it that everyone seems to know where Doctor Arkeville's '''secret''' laboratory is?
* When we last see Laserbeak, he's held prisoner in Jazz's tape deck. We never do learn how he gets free.
* If the generator can melt Megatron's chest, why doesn't it melt his hands?
*The explosion from the exponential generator is supposed to be powerful enough to destroy the Earth, and yet the actual explosion is so small, all it does is knock Starscream out of the air. (See also [[War of the Dinobots]] for another example of an "Earth-destroying" explosion). In fairness, Megatron by this point has spent some time de-wiring and perhaps de-powering the device.
* While this episode is supposed to take place immediately after "[[The Ultimate Doom]]", the Japanese continuity places that three-parter at the end of the series, leaving everyone clueless as to how Starscream and Arkeville know each other and how Arkeville is turned back into a human from a cyborg.

===Continuity notes===
* This episode follows on from "[[The Ultimate Doom, Part 3]]" and includes a narrative recap of that episode's crucial events.
*[[Frenzy (G1)|Frenzy]] first appears in this episode...and [[FIRRIB|he's red]].
* Gadgets and powers:
** A relatively rare instance of Wheeljack firing his missile launcher.
** An even more rare instance of Mirage firing his.
** Ironhide unleashes his old favorite, supercooled nitrogen. It's a whitish-clear gas this time, coming from his retracted wrist.
** Megatron's communication with Shockwave on Cybertron is indicated by his upper-chest rectangles blinking.
*As proof of his leadership, Starscream shows a badge with the Decepticon [[Insignia|symbol]]. [[Megatron (G1)|Every]] [[Soundwave (G1)|other]] [[Shockwave (G1)|leader]] just had Laserbeak perch on his shoulder or arm.
* We never see Arkeville again; Starscream leaves him on Cybertron as an immobilized, half-man, half-machine freak.
* The episode is ''amazingly'' consistent about showing the same 13 Autobots in Prime's strike force.
* '''[[S.O.S. Dinobots|< <]]''' What makes Starscream the leader? Megatron's ship blew up! '''[[The Immobilizer|> >]]'''

===Real-World references===
* ''[[Star Wars]]'' sound effects:
** ''Millennium Falcon'' engine burst as Starscream approaches the secret lab.
** TIE Fighter engine roar and ''Falcon'' whine as Skywarp and Thundercracker open fire on the Autobot convoy.
** More ''Falcon'' rumble as Skywarp is hit by Wheeljack's missile.
** More TIE engine as the Decepticons move to land a second later.
** Death Star firing noise as the Decepticons launch to retreat.
** Diving X-Wings as the Decepticons leave the quicksand pit.
** TIE/''Falcon'' as Laserbeak launches to stop Ironhide.
* A sound effect more commonly used for the Road Runner is repurposed as Skywarp and Thundercracker diving to attack the Autobots.

===Trivia===
*The [[Sunbow Productions]] cast list for this episode lists "Tyrex" and "Bronton" as [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobot]]s appearing with non-speaking roles. Evidence points to these being early names for Grimlock and Sludge coined by writer [[Donald F. Glut]]; in an interview with Glut<ref>[http://web.archive.org/web/20070217131842/http://members.aol.com/tfencyc/interview_glut.html Interview with Donald F. Glut]</ref>, he revealed that, prior to the Dinobots receiving their final names, he had submitted more "dinosaurian" names for them. Why Glut's proposed names were used on a cast list page for an episode he did not write {{m-}} particularly when Grimlock and Sludge had been referred to in prior cast list pages under their proper names {{m-}} is unknown.
*For some reason, this episode was commemorated by an exclusive [[Super_Collection_Figure#Exclusives|Super Collection Figure]] giftset sold at the Wonder Festival 2002 convention in Japan. The set included both a metallic-painted PVC of Optimus Prime holding Megatron in gun mode and a metallic-painted PVC of Prime in truck mode.
*Yes, that is the Heroic Autobots laughing over how Megatron is going to torture Starscream at the very end.

==References==
<references/>

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

[[Category: Generation 1 episodes]]