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Desertion of the Dinobots, Part 1

2010-02-10T23:54:16Z

84.83.38.158: /* Quotes */

{{episode
|series=G1toon
|ep=37
|series2=SRLFtoon
|ep2=28
|image=DesertionDinobots1 resignation.JPG
|caption=Like nobody saw this coming miles away.
|title="Desertion of the Dinobots, Part 1"
|production code=#700-36
|airdate=[[October 21]], 1985
|written by=[[Earl Kress]]
|production company=[[Sunbow Productions]]
|continuity=[[Generation 1 cartoon continuity]]
}}

'''The Dinobots abandon the Autobots as both the Autobots and Decepticons begin to suffer malfunctions'''

:''Japanese title:'' ダイノボットの逃亡 PART I (''Dinobot no Tōbō PART I'', "Desertion of the Dinobots PART I")

==Synopsis==
At a laboratory, [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] and the [[Autobot|Autobots]] are being shown a new drone fighter by a human professor. However, [[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Megatron]] is out to steal the fighter's blueprints from the laboratory. [[Soundwave (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Soundwave]] and [[Ravage (G1)|Ravage]], who are inside [[Ironhide (G1)|Ironhide]], provide a distraction, while [[Starscream (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Starscream]] destroys the drone. Prime orders the Autobots to inspect the wreckage for any clues. Shortly after this, the [[Decepticon]]s attack the lab, but the Autobots arrive and are able to send them packing.

[[Image:G1 Grimlock Megs bite.JPG|left|200px|thumb|Me Grimlock want to munch Megatron!]]

After some fun at the [[Fun A Rama Park]], [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike Witwicky]], [[Carly Witwicky (G1)|Carly]], and [[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]] go to pick [[Sparkplug Witwicky|Sparkplug]] up at the airport. While there, they discover a Decepticon base in an [[Hanger|airplane hangar]]. Bumblebee calls Prime for reinforcements, but the Autobots with Prime are too far away. Contacting the [[Ark (G1)|Autobot base]], [[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]] sends the [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobots]] to assist. The Dinobots quickly trash the Decepticons. In retaliation, Megatron orders the Decepticons to blast the planes, causing a massive explosion that damages the Dinobots and allows the Decepticons to retreat. [[Hoist (G1)|Hoist]], [[Red Alert (G1)|Red Alert]], and [[Inferno (G1)|Inferno]] arrive to put out the fires and take the Dinobots back to base. [[Ratchet (G1)|Ratchet]] and Wheeljack begin repairs on the Dinobots, while the other Autobots rebuild the airport.

[[Image:DesertionDinobots1 Rumble Megs.JPG|right|200px|thumb|What is it, little buddy? Are you lost? Timmy fell down the well?]]

Meanwhile, the Decepticons are flying through the air back to their [[Decepticon Headquarters|base]]. All of a sudden, Ravage ejects from Soundwave, transforms and lands on the ground below. Megatron demands an explanation, but Soundwave says that Ravage initiated the ejection without a reason. Soon, however, the Decepticons fall from the sky, and [[Rumble (G1)|Rumble]] begins attacking Megatron, though he doesn't know why and he can't stop himself. Megatron flicks him away and concludes that they are suffering from bad [[Energon (fuel)|energon]]. The group heads off to get some new [[Energon cube|cubes]] from a powerplant to refuel themselves.

At the Autobot base, the Dinobots are repaired, and Prime, still rebuilding the airport, tries to send them to stop the Decepticons. [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]] angrily refuses, saying he's tired of taking the Autobot leader's orders and saving the Autobots whenever they need help. The Dinobots leave the base, intending to fight whenever they want to. At the power plant, the Autobots arrive to stop the Decepticons, but both factions begin to suffer from debilitating malfunctions. After an indecisive battle, Megatron orders the Decepticons to retreat.

[[Image:DesertionDinobots1 Autobots tired.JPG|left|200px|thumb|Cybertonium chairs seemed like a good idea at the time, but now...]]

Back at the base, the Autobots are suffering power failures now, as well as other problems (Wheeljack can't move, [[Jazz (G1)|Jazz]]'s legs are stuck in [[alternate mode]], and [[Powerglide (G1)|Powerglide]] is holding his own severed head!). [[Perceptor (G1)|Perceptor]] concludes that they are suffering from [[Cybertonium]] depletion. However, Cybertonium only exists on [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]]. Fortunately, [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]] is sending a shipment over the [[space bridge]], but the Autobots are in no condition to retrieve it themselves. Sparkplug, Spike, and Carly decide to track down the Dinobots.

As the three look for the Dinobots, they find that they have been discovered by the Dinobots. Grimlock is less than pleased to have been followed by the humans, and decides to crush them. Sparkplug lays it on thick when he says they need the Dinobots' "brilliant help." [[Swoop (G1)|Swoop]], however, saves the humans from getting smushed because he wants to hear about the "brilliant" part. Sparkplug explains the situation, but Grimlock doesn't care. However, when Spike mentions Cybertonium, Grimlock realizes the Cybertron connection, and decides to help (despite [[Slag (G1)|Slag]]'s refusal and [[Sludge (G1)|Sludge]]'s confusion). The Dinobots attack the [[Constructicon (G1)|Constructicons]], who are retrieving the Cybertonium, but the Dinobots simply get into the space bridge and head for Cybertron. Shockwave attempts to stop them. Guess what happens.

[[Image:DesertionDinobots1 car fly.JPG|right|200px|thumb|WHEEEEE!]]

At the Autobot base, Sparkplug contacts Grimlock, who refuses to return and help the "bossy Autobots". Carly resolves that she and Spike must head for Cybertron themselves. Prime attempts to stop them, but finally succumbs to the effects of Cybertonium depletion. Sparkplug stays to man [[Teletraan I (G1)|Teletraan I]] to help the kids. Spike and Carly manage to drive past [[Devastator (G1)|Devastator]] using Carly's car, but Shockwave is waiting for the two humans on the other side.

[[Desertion of the Dinobots, Part 2|To be continued...]]
{{-}}

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
*[[Jazz (G1)|Jazz]] (1)
*[[Hound (G1)|Hound]] (2)
*[[Mirage (G1)|Mirage]] (3)
*[[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] (4)
*[[Ironhide (G1)|Ironhide]] (6)
*[[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]] (8)
*[[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]] (13)
*[[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]] (18)
*[[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]] (19)
*[[Snarl (G1)|Snarl]] (20)
*[[Slag (G1)|Slag]] (21)
*[[Sludge (G1)|Sludge]] (22)
*[[Swoop (G1)|Swoop]] (23)
*[[Hoist (G1)|Hoist]] (27)
*[[Red Alert (G1)|Red Alert]] (28)
*[[Inferno (G1)|Inferno]] (29)
*[[Ratchet (G1)|Ratchet]] (30)
*[[Powerglide (G1)|Powerglide]] (31)
*[[Grapple]] (32)
*[[Perceptor (G1)|Perceptor]] (33)

|c2=
*[[Soundwave (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Soundwave]] (7)
*[[Ravage (G1)|Ravage]] (9)
*[[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Megatron]] (10)
*[[Starscream (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Starscream]] (11)
*[[Thundercracker (G1)|Thundercracker]] (16)
*[[Thrust (G1)|Thrust]] (17)
*[[Blitzwing (G1)|Blitzwing]] (24)
*[[Rumble (G1)|Rumble]] (25)
*[[Skywarp (G1)|Skywarp]] (26)
*[[Hook (G1)|Hook]] (34)
*[[Long Haul (G1)|Long Haul]] (35)
*[[Scrapper (G1)|Scrapper]] (36)
*[[Scavenger (G1)|Scavenger]] (37)
*[[Mixmaster (G1)|Mixmaster]] (38)
*[[Bonecrusher (G1)|Bonecrusher]] (39)
*[[Devastator (G1)|Devastator]] (40)
*[[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]] (41)

|c3=
*[[Professor Greene]] (5)
*[[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike Witwicky]] (12)
*[[Carly Witwicky (G1)|Carly]] (14)
*[[Sparkplug Witwicky]] (15)
}}

==Quotes==
'''Soundwave''': Megatron is retreating. 
'''Starscream''': So what else is new? 

:—'''Starscream''' thinks Megatron is retreating and talks slag about him. Not a good thing to do with him (or Soundwave for that matter) in earshot.

'''Wheeljack''': Dinobots, we got a job for you. 
'''Grimlock''': Me Grimlock no like orders. 
'''Slag''': Me Slag no like ''anything''. 
'''Wheeljack''': We really need your help. Why won't you give us a hand? 
'''Grimlock''': Me don't know why not. So we help. This time. 
'''Wheeljack''': I've ''got'' to work on their personality circuits. 
:—Wheeljack learns that even the Dinobots don't know why they have a bad attitude.

"So much for your secret hideout, Megatron; even the moronic Dinobots found it!"
:—'''Starscream''' as the Dinobots attack the Decepticons' airbase.

"Decepticons, CHARGE!"
:—'''Megatron''' decides to try a new tactic when losing. Maybe he wanted to surprise Starscream.

"I warned you guys there was trouble!" 
"You always say there's trouble, Red."
:—'''Red Alert''' and '''Hoist'''

"It's the Aurobrroughs... THE AURRROOBBRRURURRUGHRRR!!!!"
:—'''Megatron''' after the effects of Cybertonium depletion busted his vocal circuits

"Hey, I'm stuck! I can't transform! [''Ironhide kicks him; Jazz transforms''] OW! Thanks...I think."
:—'''Jazz'''

'''Sparkplug''': The Autobots are dying, and only you can save them. 
'''Grimlock''': No care about Autobots! Me Grimlock Dinobot! 
'''Spike''': If you don't help, the Decepticons will get all the Cybertonium they need. 
'''Grimlock''': Cybertonium? Cybertron! Okay, us do it! 
'''Slag''': No! Us no want to. 
'''Sludge''': What he say? 
'''Grimlock''': Me Grimlock. Me leader! Me say us do it!
:—Grimlock's unassailable logic convince the Dinobots

[[Image:DesertionDinobots1 Shockwave Dinobots.JPG|right|150px|thumb|You Shockwave not so tough without black sticky stuff.]]
"Stowaways?! Stand back!" 
"WE NO STAND BACK!"
:—'''Shockwave''' and '''Grimlock''', right before the Dinobots kick Shockwave's [[Diode|diodes]].

"It's...too...risky! Ohh..."
:—'''Optimus Prime''' warns Spike and Carly of the danger of traveling to Cybertron alone, right before he nearly crushes them while passing out.

"I feel kinda stupid talking into my thumb."
: —'''Spike''' in agreement with the audience for the first and last time.

==Notes==
===Animation or technical errors===
* Despite the variety of engine sound effects, the experimental plane is just flying in a straight line in the first shot.
* Blaster's forehead is red (like the rest of his helmet) instead of white as Optimus gives the order to [[roll out]].
* Starscream's face is white instead of medium gray as he enters the lab facility.
* The scientist that Starscream tosses aside gets up and runs away, despite having been ''thrown'' a good 15 or 20 feet to the floor.
* Blaster's arm phases through Mirage's box-of-turning-invisible. While not physically impossible, he appears to be standing far enough in front of Mirage that the box should be behind him.
* After grabbing Megatron's cannon, Mirage reappears without his customary energy sound effect.
*The merry-go-round at the fair features horses that are suspended from the roof, rather than attached to floor-to-ceiling posts like a real carousel.
* The outside of the airport, where Bumblebee discharges his passengers and transforms, is ''completely deserted''. They seem to have wandered into the loading docks or something.
* Slag's face and head are gray instead of red as he says his "no like anything" line.
* The top of Starscream's cockpit cowling is yellow instead of gray as he scolds Megatron for retreating.
* Blitzwing's head is purple instead of yellow just before he transforms to attack Bumblebee.
** And again after he falls out of the sky.
*** And again as Soundwave ejects Ravage at the power plant.
**** And ''again'' as the Decepticons try to retreat from the power plant. Was this an alternate color scheme or something?

* Megatron's audio appears to drop out for a second or two as he tosses Rumble aside; he says "Get... ...fool!" with timing that would be just right for the more explicable "Get off me, fool!"
*Thundercracker is miscolored as Starscream when Swoop attacks him.
* Spike, Carly and Sparkplug are inside the terminal when Megatron gets thrown into it. A second later, they're back on the flightline with the Dinobots.
* The sound crew missed the part where Hoist is ''towing'' the derelict airliner carrying the Dinobots; they applied what sounds like an idling jet engine noise over the scene.
* The building that Powerglide and Ironhide construct changes shape between shots, and doesn't appear to have any doors or windows. There's also a parked airplane practically on top of the foundation before they start laying bricks. Ironhide's method of brick-laying fails to put any mortar into the vertical brick joints. The bricks also go from regular bricks to concrete blocks between shots.
* Megatron's Decepticon symbol is missing after he bashes Rumble aside in the desert.
* Slag's head guards are white instead of red as he agrees with Grimlock's refusal of orders. (Should they be white? Yes, yes, no!)
* The energon cubes at the power plant are semi-glowing in a strange purple color, rather than the usual bright pink.
* Prime clips through the concrete fence at the power plant as the Autobots arrive to stop the Decepticons.
*Jazz is colored as Red Alert when the Autobots transform at the power station.
* The first half of Blitzwing's line after blasting Jazz is garbled to incomprehensibility, whether due to an audio failure, bad delivery, or just having been written that way: "Uh - err - uht - shift or be smashed!"
*Megatron's gun mode is entirely white when Starscream is about to shoot Optimus.
[[Image:Dotd1 sparkplug repairs wheeljack.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Just one little vertical line. Supposed to be over there on the right.]]
* Wheeljack is missing the little windshield line on the top/side of his chest as Prime answers Ironhide's question about what is happening to them. It's missing again as Sparkplug repairs him in the next scene.
* Red Alert has white tires on his shoulders in the first pan of the disabled Autobots at Autobot Headquarters.
* As Wheeljack says that Cybertonium is only found on Cybertron, his whole helmet is light gray instead of dark gray, rather than just his three "fins".
* Scrapper's vehicle mode ''bends'' like rubber as he backs away from the Dinobots.
* Scrapper has two eyes instead of his usual single visor as he turns to track Swoop.
* Long Haul's portion of Devastator is shown plopping into place... long after both he and Hook (who forms the part that comes ''after'' Long Haul) have already driven up and transformed.
*When the Dinobots first appear on Cybertron, Shockwave has both his hands. In the next scene, however, his left hand blaster is there. He was last seen with two hands back in "[[More than Meets the Eye, Part 1]]".
* Improbable viewpoints:
** Teletraan I kindly provides Sparkplug with a view of Grimlock ''inside Decepticon Headquarters on Cybertron''!
* So... the sound guys have never seen a car before? They don't know what a car does? 'Cause they put in a flight sound effect as Carly's car vaults over Devastator's foot and into the space bridge ring.
* The animation of Shockwave reacting to and turning toward the space bridge elevator is recycled when Spike and Carly arrive. Not an explicit error by itself, but it creates a continuity disjoint with the next shot, as Shockwave abruptly goes from empty-handed to holding a blaster.
* There's nothing in the space bridge elevator when Shockwave blasts it.

===Continuity errors===
[[Image:Dotd1 sneakiest soundwave.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Seriously, Blaster doesn't recognize this guy by now?]]
[[Image:DesertionDinos1 BlastergrabsRavage.jpg|thumb|right|200px|And yet he doesn't seem surprised at all when this happens.]]
* The opening scene is bizarre. Soundwave is sitting in Ironhide's cargo compartment. Ironhide somehow failed to notice Soundwave climbing into him, and continues to fail to notice him sitting there. Blaster somehow fails to notice Soundwave sitting ''right in front of him''. Of particular note, in "[[Heavy Metal War]]" Ironhide is apparently able to detect the Decepticons by himself, without relying on Teletraan I.
*Considering the ultra plane was in full view of the Autobots and Dr. Green the whole time, how did none of them see Starscream flying over the fighter and dropping a bomb on top of it?
* We never do find out where Sparkplug is coming home from or what he was doing there in his snazzy blue suit.
* Bumblebee and Spike apparently just wander onto the airport's flightline, unquestioned, to investigate the Decepticon hangar.
* Superhuman Spike:
**Neither Spike nor Carly and Sparkplug are harmed by Megatron flying through a huge plate glass window right in front of them. (As noted above, they shouldn't even be there.)
* On a related note, though Bumblebee and the three humans are standing right next to the Dinobots, none of them are harmed by the planes exploding, while the Dinobots get blown to kingdom come.
* For some reason, Blitzwing blasting Jazz in the side causes a huge crevasse to open up beneath Jazz.
* The space bridge must have been seriously fine-tuned since its first appearance. The Dinobots make the trip just fine, despite appearing to flail about randomly as they make the trip. Even an Earthen automobile makes it through (and its human passengers survive, which means the space bridge portal has a pressurized atmosphere.) Previously, an unpiloted test vehicle vanished into the ether because it lacked guidance.
* Shockwave blasts the elevator door as Spike and Carly arrive on Cybertron, creating a huge explosion. They are only saved by power of retcon, as the next episode decides that the immediate firing and huge explosion simply didn't happen.

===Kid Rhino release===
*On the [[Kid Rhino]] DVDs, the visuals drop out completely for a second or so, replaced by a black screen, after Blaster's fight with Ravage. This error is also on the Madman Region 4 DVD.

===Continuity notes===
*This episode throws some confusion on the origin of the newer second-season characters such as Perceptor, Blaster, Blitzwing, etc. Previously it could be assumed they had simply arrived from Cybertron or some other planet. But the fact that their Cybertonium deteriorates in exact sync with the earlier characters suggests that they were also aboard the Ark and went through the same four million year slumber as the 1984 characters. Why we didn't see any of them for the first year is therefore a bit of a mystery within the context of the stories.
* The Dinobots' discontent was previously hinted at in "[[Atlantis, Arise!]]" and "[[Day of the Machines]]". They seemed much happier in the later two-parter "[[Dinobot Island]]".
[[Image:Dotd1 malfunctioning ironhide.jpg|thumb|right|200px|You've got the touch! ]]
[[Image:DesertionDinobots1 Powerglide no head.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Some parts are made to detach if excessive force is applied. ]]
* Gadgets and powers:
** To prepare the viewer for the forthcoming mechanical failures of the Autobots, several of them use their stock powers, such as Jazz's [[sound and light show]] and Mirage's invisibility.
** To inspect the vault door, Soundwave retracts his hand and brings forth a three-pronged wirey sensor thing. It's only [[Soundwave (ROTF)|slightly creepy]].
** Carly switches off Bumblebee's equilibrium circuits by pressing a button inside his chest armor (which sure pops open easily. Bee had better hope the Decepticons don't find out about that feature.)
** Bumblebee uses a wrist communicator to radio Optimus. Though a common device for both sides, this one looks different than the more rectangular ones Bumblebee has used in the past - spheroid and with a little antenna on top.
** Inferno fires [[fire-retardant foam]] (or something like it) from a nozzle that emerges from a hatch on his cab (even though Inferno already sports several ''visible'' nozzles designed to serve the same purpose.)
** The deterioration of the Transformers' [[cybertonium]] leads to a series of mechanical failures:
*** Grapple apparently loses his fine motor control.
*** Soundwave spontaneously ejects Ravage.
*** The Decepticons lose their flight abilities.
*** Rumble can't stop himself from attacking Megatron.
*** Jazz can't transform, and later winds up half-car, half-robot.
*** Ironhide's hand won't retract to fire his liquid nitrogen.
*** Mirage only becomes semi-transparent instead of invisible.
*** Ravage spontaneously returns to cassette mode in mid-battle.
*** Jazz's sound and light show fails to activate.
*** Blitzwing can't stop his own forward motion in tank mode.
*** Powerglide's head... falls off??
*The Constructicons appear to be functioning perfectly well in this episode. What this says about their origin controversy is unknown.
* We get treated to the one-time appearance of a uniquely designed Transformer on Cybertron. He's medium brown and appears to have Snarl's dinosaur tail halves on his back; he transforms to a purple flying saucer-like thing.
[[Image:ShockwaveDesertionOfTheDinobots1.jpg|right|200px|thumb|It is not logical to not have a blaster when you turn into that model of blaster.]]
*In the final scene, Shockwave fires a gun that looks exactly like his own [[alternate mode]]. (Presumably, the animators mistook his weapon mode for a hand-held weapon.) He also is shown with two hands in one shot, just like his very first appearance. Can he retract one and replace it with his familiar gun arm? Or is it just an animation screwup? You be the judge!
*This episode establishes that the Dinobots are better-armored in their beast modes.
* '''[[Dinobot Island, Part 2|< <]]''' What makes Starscream the leader? Megatron's blown his vocal components! '''[[Triple Takeover|> >]]'''

===Real world references===
* EJK, the facility where all the information on the Ultraplane is stored, is named for episode writer Earl J. Kress.
* This episode contains enough ''[[Star Wars]]'' sound effects to make you think you're watching events in a galaxy far, far away:
** The opening shots of the experimental jet are soundtracked with diving X-Wings and the TIE Fighter engine roar.
** After exiting Ironhide's cargo compartment, Soundwave launches with the ''Millennium Falcon'' engine burst.
** Some ''Falcon'' ambient engine noise (flying over the surface of Yavin IV) is heard as Starscream flies toward the ultra plane.
** The ultra plane explosion is soundtracked with the Death Star firing sequence noise.
** ''Falcon'' engine burst as Megatron retreats from the lab.
** Death Star firing/Alderaan exploding again, as Thundercracker and Thrust take off to attack the Dinobots, followed by more X-Wings diving.
** ''Falcon'' engine burst again as the Transformer on Cybertron that Mirage watches on a monitor takes off.
** ''Falcon'' engine roar as Swoop dives to snatch Carly's car out from under Grimlock's foot.

===Trivia===
*The hangar that the Decepticons are hiding in is labeled "hangar" in huge white letters. This is so you know that it is, indeed, a hangar and not a [[Giant Decepticon insignia|well hidden Decepticon base]].
* Mirage totally goes toe-to-toe with Megatron and manages to hold his own for a bit. Impressive!

==External links==
*[http://cybertronchronicle.freewebspace.com/cartoon-dossier/synopses/desertion_of_the_dinobots_part_1.html Dossier at the Cybertron Chronicle]

[[Category:Generation 1 episodes]]

Desertion of the Dinobots, Part 1

2010-02-10T23:52:02Z

84.83.38.158: /* Quotes */

{{episode
|series=G1toon
|ep=37
|series2=SRLFtoon
|ep2=28
|image=DesertionDinobots1 resignation.JPG
|caption=Like nobody saw this coming miles away.
|title="Desertion of the Dinobots, Part 1"
|production code=#700-36
|airdate=[[October 21]], 1985
|written by=[[Earl Kress]]
|production company=[[Sunbow Productions]]
|continuity=[[Generation 1 cartoon continuity]]
}}

'''The Dinobots abandon the Autobots as both the Autobots and Decepticons begin to suffer malfunctions'''

:''Japanese title:'' ダイノボットの逃亡 PART I (''Dinobot no Tōbō PART I'', "Desertion of the Dinobots PART I")

==Synopsis==
At a laboratory, [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] and the [[Autobot|Autobots]] are being shown a new drone fighter by a human professor. However, [[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Megatron]] is out to steal the fighter's blueprints from the laboratory. [[Soundwave (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Soundwave]] and [[Ravage (G1)|Ravage]], who are inside [[Ironhide (G1)|Ironhide]], provide a distraction, while [[Starscream (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Starscream]] destroys the drone. Prime orders the Autobots to inspect the wreckage for any clues. Shortly after this, the [[Decepticon]]s attack the lab, but the Autobots arrive and are able to send them packing.

[[Image:G1 Grimlock Megs bite.JPG|left|200px|thumb|Me Grimlock want to munch Megatron!]]

After some fun at the [[Fun A Rama Park]], [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike Witwicky]], [[Carly Witwicky (G1)|Carly]], and [[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]] go to pick [[Sparkplug Witwicky|Sparkplug]] up at the airport. While there, they discover a Decepticon base in an [[Hanger|airplane hangar]]. Bumblebee calls Prime for reinforcements, but the Autobots with Prime are too far away. Contacting the [[Ark (G1)|Autobot base]], [[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]] sends the [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobots]] to assist. The Dinobots quickly trash the Decepticons. In retaliation, Megatron orders the Decepticons to blast the planes, causing a massive explosion that damages the Dinobots and allows the Decepticons to retreat. [[Hoist (G1)|Hoist]], [[Red Alert (G1)|Red Alert]], and [[Inferno (G1)|Inferno]] arrive to put out the fires and take the Dinobots back to base. [[Ratchet (G1)|Ratchet]] and Wheeljack begin repairs on the Dinobots, while the other Autobots rebuild the airport.

[[Image:DesertionDinobots1 Rumble Megs.JPG|right|200px|thumb|What is it, little buddy? Are you lost? Timmy fell down the well?]]

Meanwhile, the Decepticons are flying through the air back to their [[Decepticon Headquarters|base]]. All of a sudden, Ravage ejects from Soundwave, transforms and lands on the ground below. Megatron demands an explanation, but Soundwave says that Ravage initiated the ejection without a reason. Soon, however, the Decepticons fall from the sky, and [[Rumble (G1)|Rumble]] begins attacking Megatron, though he doesn't know why and he can't stop himself. Megatron flicks him away and concludes that they are suffering from bad [[Energon (fuel)|energon]]. The group heads off to get some new [[Energon cube|cubes]] from a powerplant to refuel themselves.

At the Autobot base, the Dinobots are repaired, and Prime, still rebuilding the airport, tries to send them to stop the Decepticons. [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]] angrily refuses, saying he's tired of taking the Autobot leader's orders and saving the Autobots whenever they need help. The Dinobots leave the base, intending to fight whenever they want to. At the power plant, the Autobots arrive to stop the Decepticons, but both factions begin to suffer from debilitating malfunctions. After an indecisive battle, Megatron orders the Decepticons to retreat.

[[Image:DesertionDinobots1 Autobots tired.JPG|left|200px|thumb|Cybertonium chairs seemed like a good idea at the time, but now...]]

Back at the base, the Autobots are suffering power failures now, as well as other problems (Wheeljack can't move, [[Jazz (G1)|Jazz]]'s legs are stuck in [[alternate mode]], and [[Powerglide (G1)|Powerglide]] is holding his own severed head!). [[Perceptor (G1)|Perceptor]] concludes that they are suffering from [[Cybertonium]] depletion. However, Cybertonium only exists on [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]]. Fortunately, [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]] is sending a shipment over the [[space bridge]], but the Autobots are in no condition to retrieve it themselves. Sparkplug, Spike, and Carly decide to track down the Dinobots.

As the three look for the Dinobots, they find that they have been discovered by the Dinobots. Grimlock is less than pleased to have been followed by the humans, and decides to crush them. Sparkplug lays it on thick when he says they need the Dinobots' "brilliant help." [[Swoop (G1)|Swoop]], however, saves the humans from getting smushed because he wants to hear about the "brilliant" part. Sparkplug explains the situation, but Grimlock doesn't care. However, when Spike mentions Cybertonium, Grimlock realizes the Cybertron connection, and decides to help (despite [[Slag (G1)|Slag]]'s refusal and [[Sludge (G1)|Sludge]]'s confusion). The Dinobots attack the [[Constructicon (G1)|Constructicons]], who are retrieving the Cybertonium, but the Dinobots simply get into the space bridge and head for Cybertron. Shockwave attempts to stop them. Guess what happens.

[[Image:DesertionDinobots1 car fly.JPG|right|200px|thumb|WHEEEEE!]]

At the Autobot base, Sparkplug contacts Grimlock, who refuses to return and help the "bossy Autobots". Carly resolves that she and Spike must head for Cybertron themselves. Prime attempts to stop them, but finally succumbs to the effects of Cybertonium depletion. Sparkplug stays to man [[Teletraan I (G1)|Teletraan I]] to help the kids. Spike and Carly manage to drive past [[Devastator (G1)|Devastator]] using Carly's car, but Shockwave is waiting for the two humans on the other side.

[[Desertion of the Dinobots, Part 2|To be continued...]]
{{-}}

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
*[[Jazz (G1)|Jazz]] (1)
*[[Hound (G1)|Hound]] (2)
*[[Mirage (G1)|Mirage]] (3)
*[[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] (4)
*[[Ironhide (G1)|Ironhide]] (6)
*[[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]] (8)
*[[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]] (13)
*[[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]] (18)
*[[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]] (19)
*[[Snarl (G1)|Snarl]] (20)
*[[Slag (G1)|Slag]] (21)
*[[Sludge (G1)|Sludge]] (22)
*[[Swoop (G1)|Swoop]] (23)
*[[Hoist (G1)|Hoist]] (27)
*[[Red Alert (G1)|Red Alert]] (28)
*[[Inferno (G1)|Inferno]] (29)
*[[Ratchet (G1)|Ratchet]] (30)
*[[Powerglide (G1)|Powerglide]] (31)
*[[Grapple]] (32)
*[[Perceptor (G1)|Perceptor]] (33)

|c2=
*[[Soundwave (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Soundwave]] (7)
*[[Ravage (G1)|Ravage]] (9)
*[[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Megatron]] (10)
*[[Starscream (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Starscream]] (11)
*[[Thundercracker (G1)|Thundercracker]] (16)
*[[Thrust (G1)|Thrust]] (17)
*[[Blitzwing (G1)|Blitzwing]] (24)
*[[Rumble (G1)|Rumble]] (25)
*[[Skywarp (G1)|Skywarp]] (26)
*[[Hook (G1)|Hook]] (34)
*[[Long Haul (G1)|Long Haul]] (35)
*[[Scrapper (G1)|Scrapper]] (36)
*[[Scavenger (G1)|Scavenger]] (37)
*[[Mixmaster (G1)|Mixmaster]] (38)
*[[Bonecrusher (G1)|Bonecrusher]] (39)
*[[Devastator (G1)|Devastator]] (40)
*[[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]] (41)

|c3=
*[[Professor Greene]] (5)
*[[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike Witwicky]] (12)
*[[Carly Witwicky (G1)|Carly]] (14)
*[[Sparkplug Witwicky]] (15)
}}

==Quotes==
'''Soundwave''': Megatron is retreating. 
'''Starscream''': So what else is new? 

:—'''Starscream'''thinks Megatron is retreating and talks slag about him. Not a good thing to do with him (or Soundwave for that matter) in earshot.

'''Wheeljack''': Dinobots, we got a job for you. 
'''Grimlock''': Me Grimlock no like orders. 
'''Slag''': Me Slag no like ''anything''. 
'''Wheeljack''': We really need your help. Why won't you give us a hand? 
'''Grimlock''': Me don't know why not. So we help. This time. 
'''Wheeljack''': I've ''got'' to work on their personality circuits. 
:—Wheeljack learns that even the Dinobots don't know why they have a bad attitude.

"So much for your secret hideout, Megatron; even the moronic Dinobots found it!"
:—'''Starscream''' as the Dinobots attack the Decepticons' airbase.

"Decepticons, CHARGE!"
:—'''Megatron''' decides to try a new tactic when losing. Maybe he wanted to surprise Starscream.

"I warned you guys there was trouble!" 
"You always say there's trouble, Red."
:—'''Red Alert''' and '''Hoist'''

"It's the Aurobrroughs... THE AURRROOBBRRURURRUGHRRR!!!!"
:—'''Megatron''' after the effects of Cybertonium depletion busted his vocal circuits

"Hey, I'm stuck! I can't transform! [''Ironhide kicks him; Jazz transforms''] OW! Thanks...I think."
:—'''Jazz'''

'''Sparkplug''': The Autobots are dying, and only you can save them. 
'''Grimlock''': No care about Autobots! Me Grimlock Dinobot! 
'''Spike''': If you don't help, the Decepticons will get all the Cybertonium they need. 
'''Grimlock''': Cybertonium? Cybertron! Okay, us do it! 
'''Slag''': No! Us no want to. 
'''Sludge''': What he say? 
'''Grimlock''': Me Grimlock. Me leader! Me say us do it!
:—Grimlock's unassailable logic convince the Dinobots

[[Image:DesertionDinobots1 Shockwave Dinobots.JPG|right|150px|thumb|You Shockwave not so tough without black sticky stuff.]]
"Stowaways?! Stand back!" 
"WE NO STAND BACK!"
:—'''Shockwave''' and '''Grimlock''', right before the Dinobots kick Shockwave's [[Diode|diodes]].

"It's...too...risky! Ohh..."
:—'''Optimus Prime''' warns Spike and Carly of the danger of traveling to Cybertron alone, right before he nearly crushes them while passing out.

"I feel kinda stupid talking into my thumb."
: —'''Spike''' in agreement with the audience for the first and last time.

==Notes==
===Animation or technical errors===
* Despite the variety of engine sound effects, the experimental plane is just flying in a straight line in the first shot.
* Blaster's forehead is red (like the rest of his helmet) instead of white as Optimus gives the order to [[roll out]].
* Starscream's face is white instead of medium gray as he enters the lab facility.
* The scientist that Starscream tosses aside gets up and runs away, despite having been ''thrown'' a good 15 or 20 feet to the floor.
* Blaster's arm phases through Mirage's box-of-turning-invisible. While not physically impossible, he appears to be standing far enough in front of Mirage that the box should be behind him.
* After grabbing Megatron's cannon, Mirage reappears without his customary energy sound effect.
*The merry-go-round at the fair features horses that are suspended from the roof, rather than attached to floor-to-ceiling posts like a real carousel.
* The outside of the airport, where Bumblebee discharges his passengers and transforms, is ''completely deserted''. They seem to have wandered into the loading docks or something.
* Slag's face and head are gray instead of red as he says his "no like anything" line.
* The top of Starscream's cockpit cowling is yellow instead of gray as he scolds Megatron for retreating.
* Blitzwing's head is purple instead of yellow just before he transforms to attack Bumblebee.
** And again after he falls out of the sky.
*** And again as Soundwave ejects Ravage at the power plant.
**** And ''again'' as the Decepticons try to retreat from the power plant. Was this an alternate color scheme or something?

* Megatron's audio appears to drop out for a second or two as he tosses Rumble aside; he says "Get... ...fool!" with timing that would be just right for the more explicable "Get off me, fool!"
*Thundercracker is miscolored as Starscream when Swoop attacks him.
* Spike, Carly and Sparkplug are inside the terminal when Megatron gets thrown into it. A second later, they're back on the flightline with the Dinobots.
* The sound crew missed the part where Hoist is ''towing'' the derelict airliner carrying the Dinobots; they applied what sounds like an idling jet engine noise over the scene.
* The building that Powerglide and Ironhide construct changes shape between shots, and doesn't appear to have any doors or windows. There's also a parked airplane practically on top of the foundation before they start laying bricks. Ironhide's method of brick-laying fails to put any mortar into the vertical brick joints. The bricks also go from regular bricks to concrete blocks between shots.
* Megatron's Decepticon symbol is missing after he bashes Rumble aside in the desert.
* Slag's head guards are white instead of red as he agrees with Grimlock's refusal of orders. (Should they be white? Yes, yes, no!)
* The energon cubes at the power plant are semi-glowing in a strange purple color, rather than the usual bright pink.
* Prime clips through the concrete fence at the power plant as the Autobots arrive to stop the Decepticons.
*Jazz is colored as Red Alert when the Autobots transform at the power station.
* The first half of Blitzwing's line after blasting Jazz is garbled to incomprehensibility, whether due to an audio failure, bad delivery, or just having been written that way: "Uh - err - uht - shift or be smashed!"
*Megatron's gun mode is entirely white when Starscream is about to shoot Optimus.
[[Image:Dotd1 sparkplug repairs wheeljack.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Just one little vertical line. Supposed to be over there on the right.]]
* Wheeljack is missing the little windshield line on the top/side of his chest as Prime answers Ironhide's question about what is happening to them. It's missing again as Sparkplug repairs him in the next scene.
* Red Alert has white tires on his shoulders in the first pan of the disabled Autobots at Autobot Headquarters.
* As Wheeljack says that Cybertonium is only found on Cybertron, his whole helmet is light gray instead of dark gray, rather than just his three "fins".
* Scrapper's vehicle mode ''bends'' like rubber as he backs away from the Dinobots.
* Scrapper has two eyes instead of his usual single visor as he turns to track Swoop.
* Long Haul's portion of Devastator is shown plopping into place... long after both he and Hook (who forms the part that comes ''after'' Long Haul) have already driven up and transformed.
*When the Dinobots first appear on Cybertron, Shockwave has both his hands. In the next scene, however, his left hand blaster is there. He was last seen with two hands back in "[[More than Meets the Eye, Part 1]]".
* Improbable viewpoints:
** Teletraan I kindly provides Sparkplug with a view of Grimlock ''inside Decepticon Headquarters on Cybertron''!
* So... the sound guys have never seen a car before? They don't know what a car does? 'Cause they put in a flight sound effect as Carly's car vaults over Devastator's foot and into the space bridge ring.
* The animation of Shockwave reacting to and turning toward the space bridge elevator is recycled when Spike and Carly arrive. Not an explicit error by itself, but it creates a continuity disjoint with the next shot, as Shockwave abruptly goes from empty-handed to holding a blaster.
* There's nothing in the space bridge elevator when Shockwave blasts it.

===Continuity errors===
[[Image:Dotd1 sneakiest soundwave.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Seriously, Blaster doesn't recognize this guy by now?]]
[[Image:DesertionDinos1 BlastergrabsRavage.jpg|thumb|right|200px|And yet he doesn't seem surprised at all when this happens.]]
* The opening scene is bizarre. Soundwave is sitting in Ironhide's cargo compartment. Ironhide somehow failed to notice Soundwave climbing into him, and continues to fail to notice him sitting there. Blaster somehow fails to notice Soundwave sitting ''right in front of him''. Of particular note, in "[[Heavy Metal War]]" Ironhide is apparently able to detect the Decepticons by himself, without relying on Teletraan I.
*Considering the ultra plane was in full view of the Autobots and Dr. Green the whole time, how did none of them see Starscream flying over the fighter and dropping a bomb on top of it?
* We never do find out where Sparkplug is coming home from or what he was doing there in his snazzy blue suit.
* Bumblebee and Spike apparently just wander onto the airport's flightline, unquestioned, to investigate the Decepticon hangar.
* Superhuman Spike:
**Neither Spike nor Carly and Sparkplug are harmed by Megatron flying through a huge plate glass window right in front of them. (As noted above, they shouldn't even be there.)
* On a related note, though Bumblebee and the three humans are standing right next to the Dinobots, none of them are harmed by the planes exploding, while the Dinobots get blown to kingdom come.
* For some reason, Blitzwing blasting Jazz in the side causes a huge crevasse to open up beneath Jazz.
* The space bridge must have been seriously fine-tuned since its first appearance. The Dinobots make the trip just fine, despite appearing to flail about randomly as they make the trip. Even an Earthen automobile makes it through (and its human passengers survive, which means the space bridge portal has a pressurized atmosphere.) Previously, an unpiloted test vehicle vanished into the ether because it lacked guidance.
* Shockwave blasts the elevator door as Spike and Carly arrive on Cybertron, creating a huge explosion. They are only saved by power of retcon, as the next episode decides that the immediate firing and huge explosion simply didn't happen.

===Kid Rhino release===
*On the [[Kid Rhino]] DVDs, the visuals drop out completely for a second or so, replaced by a black screen, after Blaster's fight with Ravage. This error is also on the Madman Region 4 DVD.

===Continuity notes===
*This episode throws some confusion on the origin of the newer second-season characters such as Perceptor, Blaster, Blitzwing, etc. Previously it could be assumed they had simply arrived from Cybertron or some other planet. But the fact that their Cybertonium deteriorates in exact sync with the earlier characters suggests that they were also aboard the Ark and went through the same four million year slumber as the 1984 characters. Why we didn't see any of them for the first year is therefore a bit of a mystery within the context of the stories.
* The Dinobots' discontent was previously hinted at in "[[Atlantis, Arise!]]" and "[[Day of the Machines]]". They seemed much happier in the later two-parter "[[Dinobot Island]]".
[[Image:Dotd1 malfunctioning ironhide.jpg|thumb|right|200px|You've got the touch! ]]
[[Image:DesertionDinobots1 Powerglide no head.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Some parts are made to detach if excessive force is applied. ]]
* Gadgets and powers:
** To prepare the viewer for the forthcoming mechanical failures of the Autobots, several of them use their stock powers, such as Jazz's [[sound and light show]] and Mirage's invisibility.
** To inspect the vault door, Soundwave retracts his hand and brings forth a three-pronged wirey sensor thing. It's only [[Soundwave (ROTF)|slightly creepy]].
** Carly switches off Bumblebee's equilibrium circuits by pressing a button inside his chest armor (which sure pops open easily. Bee had better hope the Decepticons don't find out about that feature.)
** Bumblebee uses a wrist communicator to radio Optimus. Though a common device for both sides, this one looks different than the more rectangular ones Bumblebee has used in the past - spheroid and with a little antenna on top.
** Inferno fires [[fire-retardant foam]] (or something like it) from a nozzle that emerges from a hatch on his cab (even though Inferno already sports several ''visible'' nozzles designed to serve the same purpose.)
** The deterioration of the Transformers' [[cybertonium]] leads to a series of mechanical failures:
*** Grapple apparently loses his fine motor control.
*** Soundwave spontaneously ejects Ravage.
*** The Decepticons lose their flight abilities.
*** Rumble can't stop himself from attacking Megatron.
*** Jazz can't transform, and later winds up half-car, half-robot.
*** Ironhide's hand won't retract to fire his liquid nitrogen.
*** Mirage only becomes semi-transparent instead of invisible.
*** Ravage spontaneously returns to cassette mode in mid-battle.
*** Jazz's sound and light show fails to activate.
*** Blitzwing can't stop his own forward motion in tank mode.
*** Powerglide's head... falls off??
*The Constructicons appear to be functioning perfectly well in this episode. What this says about their origin controversy is unknown.
* We get treated to the one-time appearance of a uniquely designed Transformer on Cybertron. He's medium brown and appears to have Snarl's dinosaur tail halves on his back; he transforms to a purple flying saucer-like thing.
[[Image:ShockwaveDesertionOfTheDinobots1.jpg|right|200px|thumb|It is not logical to not have a blaster when you turn into that model of blaster.]]
*In the final scene, Shockwave fires a gun that looks exactly like his own [[alternate mode]]. (Presumably, the animators mistook his weapon mode for a hand-held weapon.) He also is shown with two hands in one shot, just like his very first appearance. Can he retract one and replace it with his familiar gun arm? Or is it just an animation screwup? You be the judge!
*This episode establishes that the Dinobots are better-armored in their beast modes.
* '''[[Dinobot Island, Part 2|< <]]''' What makes Starscream the leader? Megatron's blown his vocal components! '''[[Triple Takeover|> >]]'''

===Real world references===
* EJK, the facility where all the information on the Ultraplane is stored, is named for episode writer Earl J. Kress.
* This episode contains enough ''[[Star Wars]]'' sound effects to make you think you're watching events in a galaxy far, far away:
** The opening shots of the experimental jet are soundtracked with diving X-Wings and the TIE Fighter engine roar.
** After exiting Ironhide's cargo compartment, Soundwave launches with the ''Millennium Falcon'' engine burst.
** Some ''Falcon'' ambient engine noise (flying over the surface of Yavin IV) is heard as Starscream flies toward the ultra plane.
** The ultra plane explosion is soundtracked with the Death Star firing sequence noise.
** ''Falcon'' engine burst as Megatron retreats from the lab.
** Death Star firing/Alderaan exploding again, as Thundercracker and Thrust take off to attack the Dinobots, followed by more X-Wings diving.
** ''Falcon'' engine burst again as the Transformer on Cybertron that Mirage watches on a monitor takes off.
** ''Falcon'' engine roar as Swoop dives to snatch Carly's car out from under Grimlock's foot.

===Trivia===
*The hangar that the Decepticons are hiding in is labeled "hangar" in huge white letters. This is so you know that it is, indeed, a hangar and not a [[Giant Decepticon insignia|well hidden Decepticon base]].
* Mirage totally goes toe-to-toe with Megatron and manages to hold his own for a bit. Impressive!

==External links==
*[http://cybertronchronicle.freewebspace.com/cartoon-dossier/synopses/desertion_of_the_dinobots_part_1.html Dossier at the Cybertron Chronicle]

[[Category:Generation 1 episodes]]

Desertion of the Dinobots, Part 1

2010-02-10T23:50:30Z

84.83.38.158: /* Quotes */

{{episode
|series=G1toon
|ep=37
|series2=SRLFtoon
|ep2=28
|image=DesertionDinobots1 resignation.JPG
|caption=Like nobody saw this coming miles away.
|title="Desertion of the Dinobots, Part 1"
|production code=#700-36
|airdate=[[October 21]], 1985
|written by=[[Earl Kress]]
|production company=[[Sunbow Productions]]
|continuity=[[Generation 1 cartoon continuity]]
}}

'''The Dinobots abandon the Autobots as both the Autobots and Decepticons begin to suffer malfunctions'''

:''Japanese title:'' ダイノボットの逃亡 PART I (''Dinobot no Tōbō PART I'', "Desertion of the Dinobots PART I")

==Synopsis==
At a laboratory, [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] and the [[Autobot|Autobots]] are being shown a new drone fighter by a human professor. However, [[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Megatron]] is out to steal the fighter's blueprints from the laboratory. [[Soundwave (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Soundwave]] and [[Ravage (G1)|Ravage]], who are inside [[Ironhide (G1)|Ironhide]], provide a distraction, while [[Starscream (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Starscream]] destroys the drone. Prime orders the Autobots to inspect the wreckage for any clues. Shortly after this, the [[Decepticon]]s attack the lab, but the Autobots arrive and are able to send them packing.

[[Image:G1 Grimlock Megs bite.JPG|left|200px|thumb|Me Grimlock want to munch Megatron!]]

After some fun at the [[Fun A Rama Park]], [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike Witwicky]], [[Carly Witwicky (G1)|Carly]], and [[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]] go to pick [[Sparkplug Witwicky|Sparkplug]] up at the airport. While there, they discover a Decepticon base in an [[Hanger|airplane hangar]]. Bumblebee calls Prime for reinforcements, but the Autobots with Prime are too far away. Contacting the [[Ark (G1)|Autobot base]], [[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]] sends the [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobots]] to assist. The Dinobots quickly trash the Decepticons. In retaliation, Megatron orders the Decepticons to blast the planes, causing a massive explosion that damages the Dinobots and allows the Decepticons to retreat. [[Hoist (G1)|Hoist]], [[Red Alert (G1)|Red Alert]], and [[Inferno (G1)|Inferno]] arrive to put out the fires and take the Dinobots back to base. [[Ratchet (G1)|Ratchet]] and Wheeljack begin repairs on the Dinobots, while the other Autobots rebuild the airport.

[[Image:DesertionDinobots1 Rumble Megs.JPG|right|200px|thumb|What is it, little buddy? Are you lost? Timmy fell down the well?]]

Meanwhile, the Decepticons are flying through the air back to their [[Decepticon Headquarters|base]]. All of a sudden, Ravage ejects from Soundwave, transforms and lands on the ground below. Megatron demands an explanation, but Soundwave says that Ravage initiated the ejection without a reason. Soon, however, the Decepticons fall from the sky, and [[Rumble (G1)|Rumble]] begins attacking Megatron, though he doesn't know why and he can't stop himself. Megatron flicks him away and concludes that they are suffering from bad [[Energon (fuel)|energon]]. The group heads off to get some new [[Energon cube|cubes]] from a powerplant to refuel themselves.

At the Autobot base, the Dinobots are repaired, and Prime, still rebuilding the airport, tries to send them to stop the Decepticons. [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]] angrily refuses, saying he's tired of taking the Autobot leader's orders and saving the Autobots whenever they need help. The Dinobots leave the base, intending to fight whenever they want to. At the power plant, the Autobots arrive to stop the Decepticons, but both factions begin to suffer from debilitating malfunctions. After an indecisive battle, Megatron orders the Decepticons to retreat.

[[Image:DesertionDinobots1 Autobots tired.JPG|left|200px|thumb|Cybertonium chairs seemed like a good idea at the time, but now...]]

Back at the base, the Autobots are suffering power failures now, as well as other problems (Wheeljack can't move, [[Jazz (G1)|Jazz]]'s legs are stuck in [[alternate mode]], and [[Powerglide (G1)|Powerglide]] is holding his own severed head!). [[Perceptor (G1)|Perceptor]] concludes that they are suffering from [[Cybertonium]] depletion. However, Cybertonium only exists on [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]]. Fortunately, [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]] is sending a shipment over the [[space bridge]], but the Autobots are in no condition to retrieve it themselves. Sparkplug, Spike, and Carly decide to track down the Dinobots.

As the three look for the Dinobots, they find that they have been discovered by the Dinobots. Grimlock is less than pleased to have been followed by the humans, and decides to crush them. Sparkplug lays it on thick when he says they need the Dinobots' "brilliant help." [[Swoop (G1)|Swoop]], however, saves the humans from getting smushed because he wants to hear about the "brilliant" part. Sparkplug explains the situation, but Grimlock doesn't care. However, when Spike mentions Cybertonium, Grimlock realizes the Cybertron connection, and decides to help (despite [[Slag (G1)|Slag]]'s refusal and [[Sludge (G1)|Sludge]]'s confusion). The Dinobots attack the [[Constructicon (G1)|Constructicons]], who are retrieving the Cybertonium, but the Dinobots simply get into the space bridge and head for Cybertron. Shockwave attempts to stop them. Guess what happens.

[[Image:DesertionDinobots1 car fly.JPG|right|200px|thumb|WHEEEEE!]]

At the Autobot base, Sparkplug contacts Grimlock, who refuses to return and help the "bossy Autobots". Carly resolves that she and Spike must head for Cybertron themselves. Prime attempts to stop them, but finally succumbs to the effects of Cybertonium depletion. Sparkplug stays to man [[Teletraan I (G1)|Teletraan I]] to help the kids. Spike and Carly manage to drive past [[Devastator (G1)|Devastator]] using Carly's car, but Shockwave is waiting for the two humans on the other side.

[[Desertion of the Dinobots, Part 2|To be continued...]]
{{-}}

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
*[[Jazz (G1)|Jazz]] (1)
*[[Hound (G1)|Hound]] (2)
*[[Mirage (G1)|Mirage]] (3)
*[[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] (4)
*[[Ironhide (G1)|Ironhide]] (6)
*[[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]] (8)
*[[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]] (13)
*[[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]] (18)
*[[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]] (19)
*[[Snarl (G1)|Snarl]] (20)
*[[Slag (G1)|Slag]] (21)
*[[Sludge (G1)|Sludge]] (22)
*[[Swoop (G1)|Swoop]] (23)
*[[Hoist (G1)|Hoist]] (27)
*[[Red Alert (G1)|Red Alert]] (28)
*[[Inferno (G1)|Inferno]] (29)
*[[Ratchet (G1)|Ratchet]] (30)
*[[Powerglide (G1)|Powerglide]] (31)
*[[Grapple]] (32)
*[[Perceptor (G1)|Perceptor]] (33)

|c2=
*[[Soundwave (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Soundwave]] (7)
*[[Ravage (G1)|Ravage]] (9)
*[[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Megatron]] (10)
*[[Starscream (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Starscream]] (11)
*[[Thundercracker (G1)|Thundercracker]] (16)
*[[Thrust (G1)|Thrust]] (17)
*[[Blitzwing (G1)|Blitzwing]] (24)
*[[Rumble (G1)|Rumble]] (25)
*[[Skywarp (G1)|Skywarp]] (26)
*[[Hook (G1)|Hook]] (34)
*[[Long Haul (G1)|Long Haul]] (35)
*[[Scrapper (G1)|Scrapper]] (36)
*[[Scavenger (G1)|Scavenger]] (37)
*[[Mixmaster (G1)|Mixmaster]] (38)
*[[Bonecrusher (G1)|Bonecrusher]] (39)
*[[Devastator (G1)|Devastator]] (40)
*[[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]] (41)

|c3=
*[[Professor Greene]] (5)
*[[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike Witwicky]] (12)
*[[Carly Witwicky (G1)|Carly]] (14)
*[[Sparkplug Witwicky]] (15)
}}

==Quotes==
'''Soundwave'''': Megatron is retreating. 
'''Starscream''': So what else is new? 

:—'''Starscream'''thinks Megatron is retreating and talks slag about him. Not a good thing to do with him (or Soundwave) in earshot.

'''Wheeljack''': Dinobots, we got a job for you. 
'''Grimlock''': Me Grimlock no like orders. 
'''Slag''': Me Slag no like ''anything''. 
'''Wheeljack''': We really need your help. Why won't you give us a hand? 
'''Grimlock''': Me don't know why not. So we help. This time. 
'''Wheeljack''': I've ''got'' to work on their personality circuits. 
:—Wheeljack learns that even the Dinobots don't know why they have a bad attitude.

"So much for your secret hideout, Megatron; even the moronic Dinobots found it!"
:—'''Starscream''' as the Dinobots attack the Decepticons' airbase.

"Decepticons, CHARGE!"
:—'''Megatron''' decides to try a new tactic when losing.

"I warned you guys there was trouble!" 
"You always say there's trouble, Red."
:—'''Red Alert''' and '''Hoist'''

"It's the Aurobrroughs... THE AURRROOBBRRURURRUGHRRR!!!!"
:—'''Megatron''' after the effects of Cybertonium depletion busted his vocal circuits

"Hey, I'm stuck! I can't transform! [''Ironhide kicks him; Jazz transforms''] OW! Thanks...I think."
:—'''Jazz'''

'''Sparkplug''': The Autobots are dying, and only you can save them. 
'''Grimlock''': No care about Autobots! Me Grimlock Dinobot! 
'''Spike''': If you don't help, the Decepticons will get all the Cybertonium they need. 
'''Grimlock''': Cybertonium? Cybertron! Okay, us do it! 
'''Slag''': No! Us no want to. 
'''Sludge''': What he say? 
'''Grimlock''': Me Grimlock. Me leader! Me say us do it!
:—Grimlock's unassailable logic convince the Dinobots

[[Image:DesertionDinobots1 Shockwave Dinobots.JPG|right|150px|thumb|You Shockwave not so tough without black sticky stuff.]]
"Stowaways?! Stand back!" 
"WE NO STAND BACK!"
:—'''Shockwave''' and '''Grimlock''', right before the Dinobots kick Shockwave's [[Diode|diodes]].

"It's...too...risky! Ohh..."
:—'''Optimus Prime''' warns Spike and Carly of the danger of traveling to Cybertron alone, right before he nearly crushes them while passing out.

"I feel kinda stupid talking into my thumb."
: —'''Spike''' in agreement with the audience for the first and last time.

==Notes==
===Animation or technical errors===
* Despite the variety of engine sound effects, the experimental plane is just flying in a straight line in the first shot.
* Blaster's forehead is red (like the rest of his helmet) instead of white as Optimus gives the order to [[roll out]].
* Starscream's face is white instead of medium gray as he enters the lab facility.
* The scientist that Starscream tosses aside gets up and runs away, despite having been ''thrown'' a good 15 or 20 feet to the floor.
* Blaster's arm phases through Mirage's box-of-turning-invisible. While not physically impossible, he appears to be standing far enough in front of Mirage that the box should be behind him.
* After grabbing Megatron's cannon, Mirage reappears without his customary energy sound effect.
*The merry-go-round at the fair features horses that are suspended from the roof, rather than attached to floor-to-ceiling posts like a real carousel.
* The outside of the airport, where Bumblebee discharges his passengers and transforms, is ''completely deserted''. They seem to have wandered into the loading docks or something.
* Slag's face and head are gray instead of red as he says his "no like anything" line.
* The top of Starscream's cockpit cowling is yellow instead of gray as he scolds Megatron for retreating.
* Blitzwing's head is purple instead of yellow just before he transforms to attack Bumblebee.
** And again after he falls out of the sky.
*** And again as Soundwave ejects Ravage at the power plant.
**** And ''again'' as the Decepticons try to retreat from the power plant. Was this an alternate color scheme or something?

* Megatron's audio appears to drop out for a second or two as he tosses Rumble aside; he says "Get... ...fool!" with timing that would be just right for the more explicable "Get off me, fool!"
*Thundercracker is miscolored as Starscream when Swoop attacks him.
* Spike, Carly and Sparkplug are inside the terminal when Megatron gets thrown into it. A second later, they're back on the flightline with the Dinobots.
* The sound crew missed the part where Hoist is ''towing'' the derelict airliner carrying the Dinobots; they applied what sounds like an idling jet engine noise over the scene.
* The building that Powerglide and Ironhide construct changes shape between shots, and doesn't appear to have any doors or windows. There's also a parked airplane practically on top of the foundation before they start laying bricks. Ironhide's method of brick-laying fails to put any mortar into the vertical brick joints. The bricks also go from regular bricks to concrete blocks between shots.
* Megatron's Decepticon symbol is missing after he bashes Rumble aside in the desert.
* Slag's head guards are white instead of red as he agrees with Grimlock's refusal of orders. (Should they be white? Yes, yes, no!)
* The energon cubes at the power plant are semi-glowing in a strange purple color, rather than the usual bright pink.
* Prime clips through the concrete fence at the power plant as the Autobots arrive to stop the Decepticons.
*Jazz is colored as Red Alert when the Autobots transform at the power station.
* The first half of Blitzwing's line after blasting Jazz is garbled to incomprehensibility, whether due to an audio failure, bad delivery, or just having been written that way: "Uh - err - uht - shift or be smashed!"
*Megatron's gun mode is entirely white when Starscream is about to shoot Optimus.
[[Image:Dotd1 sparkplug repairs wheeljack.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Just one little vertical line. Supposed to be over there on the right.]]
* Wheeljack is missing the little windshield line on the top/side of his chest as Prime answers Ironhide's question about what is happening to them. It's missing again as Sparkplug repairs him in the next scene.
* Red Alert has white tires on his shoulders in the first pan of the disabled Autobots at Autobot Headquarters.
* As Wheeljack says that Cybertonium is only found on Cybertron, his whole helmet is light gray instead of dark gray, rather than just his three "fins".
* Scrapper's vehicle mode ''bends'' like rubber as he backs away from the Dinobots.
* Scrapper has two eyes instead of his usual single visor as he turns to track Swoop.
* Long Haul's portion of Devastator is shown plopping into place... long after both he and Hook (who forms the part that comes ''after'' Long Haul) have already driven up and transformed.
*When the Dinobots first appear on Cybertron, Shockwave has both his hands. In the next scene, however, his left hand blaster is there. He was last seen with two hands back in "[[More than Meets the Eye, Part 1]]".
* Improbable viewpoints:
** Teletraan I kindly provides Sparkplug with a view of Grimlock ''inside Decepticon Headquarters on Cybertron''!
* So... the sound guys have never seen a car before? They don't know what a car does? 'Cause they put in a flight sound effect as Carly's car vaults over Devastator's foot and into the space bridge ring.
* The animation of Shockwave reacting to and turning toward the space bridge elevator is recycled when Spike and Carly arrive. Not an explicit error by itself, but it creates a continuity disjoint with the next shot, as Shockwave abruptly goes from empty-handed to holding a blaster.
* There's nothing in the space bridge elevator when Shockwave blasts it.

===Continuity errors===
[[Image:Dotd1 sneakiest soundwave.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Seriously, Blaster doesn't recognize this guy by now?]]
[[Image:DesertionDinos1 BlastergrabsRavage.jpg|thumb|right|200px|And yet he doesn't seem surprised at all when this happens.]]
* The opening scene is bizarre. Soundwave is sitting in Ironhide's cargo compartment. Ironhide somehow failed to notice Soundwave climbing into him, and continues to fail to notice him sitting there. Blaster somehow fails to notice Soundwave sitting ''right in front of him''. Of particular note, in "[[Heavy Metal War]]" Ironhide is apparently able to detect the Decepticons by himself, without relying on Teletraan I.
*Considering the ultra plane was in full view of the Autobots and Dr. Green the whole time, how did none of them see Starscream flying over the fighter and dropping a bomb on top of it?
* We never do find out where Sparkplug is coming home from or what he was doing there in his snazzy blue suit.
* Bumblebee and Spike apparently just wander onto the airport's flightline, unquestioned, to investigate the Decepticon hangar.
* Superhuman Spike:
**Neither Spike nor Carly and Sparkplug are harmed by Megatron flying through a huge plate glass window right in front of them. (As noted above, they shouldn't even be there.)
* On a related note, though Bumblebee and the three humans are standing right next to the Dinobots, none of them are harmed by the planes exploding, while the Dinobots get blown to kingdom come.
* For some reason, Blitzwing blasting Jazz in the side causes a huge crevasse to open up beneath Jazz.
* The space bridge must have been seriously fine-tuned since its first appearance. The Dinobots make the trip just fine, despite appearing to flail about randomly as they make the trip. Even an Earthen automobile makes it through (and its human passengers survive, which means the space bridge portal has a pressurized atmosphere.) Previously, an unpiloted test vehicle vanished into the ether because it lacked guidance.
* Shockwave blasts the elevator door as Spike and Carly arrive on Cybertron, creating a huge explosion. They are only saved by power of retcon, as the next episode decides that the immediate firing and huge explosion simply didn't happen.

===Kid Rhino release===
*On the [[Kid Rhino]] DVDs, the visuals drop out completely for a second or so, replaced by a black screen, after Blaster's fight with Ravage. This error is also on the Madman Region 4 DVD.

===Continuity notes===
*This episode throws some confusion on the origin of the newer second-season characters such as Perceptor, Blaster, Blitzwing, etc. Previously it could be assumed they had simply arrived from Cybertron or some other planet. But the fact that their Cybertonium deteriorates in exact sync with the earlier characters suggests that they were also aboard the Ark and went through the same four million year slumber as the 1984 characters. Why we didn't see any of them for the first year is therefore a bit of a mystery within the context of the stories.
* The Dinobots' discontent was previously hinted at in "[[Atlantis, Arise!]]" and "[[Day of the Machines]]". They seemed much happier in the later two-parter "[[Dinobot Island]]".
[[Image:Dotd1 malfunctioning ironhide.jpg|thumb|right|200px|You've got the touch! ]]
[[Image:DesertionDinobots1 Powerglide no head.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Some parts are made to detach if excessive force is applied. ]]
* Gadgets and powers:
** To prepare the viewer for the forthcoming mechanical failures of the Autobots, several of them use their stock powers, such as Jazz's [[sound and light show]] and Mirage's invisibility.
** To inspect the vault door, Soundwave retracts his hand and brings forth a three-pronged wirey sensor thing. It's only [[Soundwave (ROTF)|slightly creepy]].
** Carly switches off Bumblebee's equilibrium circuits by pressing a button inside his chest armor (which sure pops open easily. Bee had better hope the Decepticons don't find out about that feature.)
** Bumblebee uses a wrist communicator to radio Optimus. Though a common device for both sides, this one looks different than the more rectangular ones Bumblebee has used in the past - spheroid and with a little antenna on top.
** Inferno fires [[fire-retardant foam]] (or something like it) from a nozzle that emerges from a hatch on his cab (even though Inferno already sports several ''visible'' nozzles designed to serve the same purpose.)
** The deterioration of the Transformers' [[cybertonium]] leads to a series of mechanical failures:
*** Grapple apparently loses his fine motor control.
*** Soundwave spontaneously ejects Ravage.
*** The Decepticons lose their flight abilities.
*** Rumble can't stop himself from attacking Megatron.
*** Jazz can't transform, and later winds up half-car, half-robot.
*** Ironhide's hand won't retract to fire his liquid nitrogen.
*** Mirage only becomes semi-transparent instead of invisible.
*** Ravage spontaneously returns to cassette mode in mid-battle.
*** Jazz's sound and light show fails to activate.
*** Blitzwing can't stop his own forward motion in tank mode.
*** Powerglide's head... falls off??
*The Constructicons appear to be functioning perfectly well in this episode. What this says about their origin controversy is unknown.
* We get treated to the one-time appearance of a uniquely designed Transformer on Cybertron. He's medium brown and appears to have Snarl's dinosaur tail halves on his back; he transforms to a purple flying saucer-like thing.
[[Image:ShockwaveDesertionOfTheDinobots1.jpg|right|200px|thumb|It is not logical to not have a blaster when you turn into that model of blaster.]]
*In the final scene, Shockwave fires a gun that looks exactly like his own [[alternate mode]]. (Presumably, the animators mistook his weapon mode for a hand-held weapon.) He also is shown with two hands in one shot, just like his very first appearance. Can he retract one and replace it with his familiar gun arm? Or is it just an animation screwup? You be the judge!
*This episode establishes that the Dinobots are better-armored in their beast modes.
* '''[[Dinobot Island, Part 2|< <]]''' What makes Starscream the leader? Megatron's blown his vocal components! '''[[Triple Takeover|> >]]'''

===Real world references===
* EJK, the facility where all the information on the Ultraplane is stored, is named for episode writer Earl J. Kress.
* This episode contains enough ''[[Star Wars]]'' sound effects to make you think you're watching events in a galaxy far, far away:
** The opening shots of the experimental jet are soundtracked with diving X-Wings and the TIE Fighter engine roar.
** After exiting Ironhide's cargo compartment, Soundwave launches with the ''Millennium Falcon'' engine burst.
** Some ''Falcon'' ambient engine noise (flying over the surface of Yavin IV) is heard as Starscream flies toward the ultra plane.
** The ultra plane explosion is soundtracked with the Death Star firing sequence noise.
** ''Falcon'' engine burst as Megatron retreats from the lab.
** Death Star firing/Alderaan exploding again, as Thundercracker and Thrust take off to attack the Dinobots, followed by more X-Wings diving.
** ''Falcon'' engine burst again as the Transformer on Cybertron that Mirage watches on a monitor takes off.
** ''Falcon'' engine roar as Swoop dives to snatch Carly's car out from under Grimlock's foot.

===Trivia===
*The hangar that the Decepticons are hiding in is labeled "hangar" in huge white letters. This is so you know that it is, indeed, a hangar and not a [[Giant Decepticon insignia|well hidden Decepticon base]].
* Mirage totally goes toe-to-toe with Megatron and manages to hold his own for a bit. Impressive!

==External links==
*[http://cybertronchronicle.freewebspace.com/cartoon-dossier/synopses/desertion_of_the_dinobots_part_1.html Dossier at the Cybertron Chronicle]

[[Category:Generation 1 episodes]]

Desertion of the Dinobots, Part 1

2010-02-10T23:47:02Z

84.83.38.158: /* Quotes */

{{episode
|series=G1toon
|ep=37
|series2=SRLFtoon
|ep2=28
|image=DesertionDinobots1 resignation.JPG
|caption=Like nobody saw this coming miles away.
|title="Desertion of the Dinobots, Part 1"
|production code=#700-36
|airdate=[[October 21]], 1985
|written by=[[Earl Kress]]
|production company=[[Sunbow Productions]]
|continuity=[[Generation 1 cartoon continuity]]
}}

'''The Dinobots abandon the Autobots as both the Autobots and Decepticons begin to suffer malfunctions'''

:''Japanese title:'' ダイノボットの逃亡 PART I (''Dinobot no Tōbō PART I'', "Desertion of the Dinobots PART I")

==Synopsis==
At a laboratory, [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] and the [[Autobot|Autobots]] are being shown a new drone fighter by a human professor. However, [[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Megatron]] is out to steal the fighter's blueprints from the laboratory. [[Soundwave (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Soundwave]] and [[Ravage (G1)|Ravage]], who are inside [[Ironhide (G1)|Ironhide]], provide a distraction, while [[Starscream (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Starscream]] destroys the drone. Prime orders the Autobots to inspect the wreckage for any clues. Shortly after this, the [[Decepticon]]s attack the lab, but the Autobots arrive and are able to send them packing.

[[Image:G1 Grimlock Megs bite.JPG|left|200px|thumb|Me Grimlock want to munch Megatron!]]

After some fun at the [[Fun A Rama Park]], [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike Witwicky]], [[Carly Witwicky (G1)|Carly]], and [[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]] go to pick [[Sparkplug Witwicky|Sparkplug]] up at the airport. While there, they discover a Decepticon base in an [[Hanger|airplane hangar]]. Bumblebee calls Prime for reinforcements, but the Autobots with Prime are too far away. Contacting the [[Ark (G1)|Autobot base]], [[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]] sends the [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobots]] to assist. The Dinobots quickly trash the Decepticons. In retaliation, Megatron orders the Decepticons to blast the planes, causing a massive explosion that damages the Dinobots and allows the Decepticons to retreat. [[Hoist (G1)|Hoist]], [[Red Alert (G1)|Red Alert]], and [[Inferno (G1)|Inferno]] arrive to put out the fires and take the Dinobots back to base. [[Ratchet (G1)|Ratchet]] and Wheeljack begin repairs on the Dinobots, while the other Autobots rebuild the airport.

[[Image:DesertionDinobots1 Rumble Megs.JPG|right|200px|thumb|What is it, little buddy? Are you lost? Timmy fell down the well?]]

Meanwhile, the Decepticons are flying through the air back to their [[Decepticon Headquarters|base]]. All of a sudden, Ravage ejects from Soundwave, transforms and lands on the ground below. Megatron demands an explanation, but Soundwave says that Ravage initiated the ejection without a reason. Soon, however, the Decepticons fall from the sky, and [[Rumble (G1)|Rumble]] begins attacking Megatron, though he doesn't know why and he can't stop himself. Megatron flicks him away and concludes that they are suffering from bad [[Energon (fuel)|energon]]. The group heads off to get some new [[Energon cube|cubes]] from a powerplant to refuel themselves.

At the Autobot base, the Dinobots are repaired, and Prime, still rebuilding the airport, tries to send them to stop the Decepticons. [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]] angrily refuses, saying he's tired of taking the Autobot leader's orders and saving the Autobots whenever they need help. The Dinobots leave the base, intending to fight whenever they want to. At the power plant, the Autobots arrive to stop the Decepticons, but both factions begin to suffer from debilitating malfunctions. After an indecisive battle, Megatron orders the Decepticons to retreat.

[[Image:DesertionDinobots1 Autobots tired.JPG|left|200px|thumb|Cybertonium chairs seemed like a good idea at the time, but now...]]

Back at the base, the Autobots are suffering power failures now, as well as other problems (Wheeljack can't move, [[Jazz (G1)|Jazz]]'s legs are stuck in [[alternate mode]], and [[Powerglide (G1)|Powerglide]] is holding his own severed head!). [[Perceptor (G1)|Perceptor]] concludes that they are suffering from [[Cybertonium]] depletion. However, Cybertonium only exists on [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]]. Fortunately, [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]] is sending a shipment over the [[space bridge]], but the Autobots are in no condition to retrieve it themselves. Sparkplug, Spike, and Carly decide to track down the Dinobots.

As the three look for the Dinobots, they find that they have been discovered by the Dinobots. Grimlock is less than pleased to have been followed by the humans, and decides to crush them. Sparkplug lays it on thick when he says they need the Dinobots' "brilliant help." [[Swoop (G1)|Swoop]], however, saves the humans from getting smushed because he wants to hear about the "brilliant" part. Sparkplug explains the situation, but Grimlock doesn't care. However, when Spike mentions Cybertonium, Grimlock realizes the Cybertron connection, and decides to help (despite [[Slag (G1)|Slag]]'s refusal and [[Sludge (G1)|Sludge]]'s confusion). The Dinobots attack the [[Constructicon (G1)|Constructicons]], who are retrieving the Cybertonium, but the Dinobots simply get into the space bridge and head for Cybertron. Shockwave attempts to stop them. Guess what happens.

[[Image:DesertionDinobots1 car fly.JPG|right|200px|thumb|WHEEEEE!]]

At the Autobot base, Sparkplug contacts Grimlock, who refuses to return and help the "bossy Autobots". Carly resolves that she and Spike must head for Cybertron themselves. Prime attempts to stop them, but finally succumbs to the effects of Cybertonium depletion. Sparkplug stays to man [[Teletraan I (G1)|Teletraan I]] to help the kids. Spike and Carly manage to drive past [[Devastator (G1)|Devastator]] using Carly's car, but Shockwave is waiting for the two humans on the other side.

[[Desertion of the Dinobots, Part 2|To be continued...]]
{{-}}

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
*[[Jazz (G1)|Jazz]] (1)
*[[Hound (G1)|Hound]] (2)
*[[Mirage (G1)|Mirage]] (3)
*[[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] (4)
*[[Ironhide (G1)|Ironhide]] (6)
*[[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]] (8)
*[[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]] (13)
*[[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]] (18)
*[[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]] (19)
*[[Snarl (G1)|Snarl]] (20)
*[[Slag (G1)|Slag]] (21)
*[[Sludge (G1)|Sludge]] (22)
*[[Swoop (G1)|Swoop]] (23)
*[[Hoist (G1)|Hoist]] (27)
*[[Red Alert (G1)|Red Alert]] (28)
*[[Inferno (G1)|Inferno]] (29)
*[[Ratchet (G1)|Ratchet]] (30)
*[[Powerglide (G1)|Powerglide]] (31)
*[[Grapple]] (32)
*[[Perceptor (G1)|Perceptor]] (33)

|c2=
*[[Soundwave (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Soundwave]] (7)
*[[Ravage (G1)|Ravage]] (9)
*[[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Megatron]] (10)
*[[Starscream (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Starscream]] (11)
*[[Thundercracker (G1)|Thundercracker]] (16)
*[[Thrust (G1)|Thrust]] (17)
*[[Blitzwing (G1)|Blitzwing]] (24)
*[[Rumble (G1)|Rumble]] (25)
*[[Skywarp (G1)|Skywarp]] (26)
*[[Hook (G1)|Hook]] (34)
*[[Long Haul (G1)|Long Haul]] (35)
*[[Scrapper (G1)|Scrapper]] (36)
*[[Scavenger (G1)|Scavenger]] (37)
*[[Mixmaster (G1)|Mixmaster]] (38)
*[[Bonecrusher (G1)|Bonecrusher]] (39)
*[[Devastator (G1)|Devastator]] (40)
*[[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]] (41)

|c3=
*[[Professor Greene]] (5)
*[[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike Witwicky]] (12)
*[[Carly Witwicky (G1)|Carly]] (14)
*[[Sparkplug Witwicky]] (15)
}}

==Quotes==
'''Soundwave'''': Megatron is retreating. 
'''Starscream''': So what else is new?

:—'''Starscream''' knows what Megatron does if things go even a little wrong.

'''Wheeljack''': Dinobots, we got a job for you. 
'''Grimlock''': Me Grimlock no like orders. 
'''Slag''': Me Slag no like ''anything''. 
'''Wheeljack''': We really need your help. Why won't you give us a hand? 
'''Grimlock''': Me don't know why not. So we help. This time. 
'''Wheeljack''': I've ''got'' to work on their personality circuits. 
:—Wheeljack learns that even the Dinobots don't know why they have a bad attitude.

"So much for your secret hideout, Megatron; even the moronic Dinobots found it!"
:—'''Starscream''' as the Dinobots attack the Decepticons' airbase.

"Decepticons, CHARGE!"
:—'''Megatron''' decides to try a new tactic when losing.

"I warned you guys there was trouble!" 
"You always say there's trouble, Red."
:—'''Red Alert''' and '''Hoist'''

"It's the Aurobrroughs... THE AURRROOBBRRURURRUGHRRR!!!!"
:—'''Megatron''' after the effects of Cybertonium depletion busted his vocal circuits

"Hey, I'm stuck! I can't transform! [''Ironhide kicks him; Jazz transforms''] OW! Thanks...I think."
:—'''Jazz'''

'''Sparkplug''': The Autobots are dying, and only you can save them. 
'''Grimlock''': No care about Autobots! Me Grimlock Dinobot! 
'''Spike''': If you don't help, the Decepticons will get all the Cybertonium they need. 
'''Grimlock''': Cybertonium? Cybertron! Okay, us do it! 
'''Slag''': No! Us no want to. 
'''Sludge''': What he say? 
'''Grimlock''': Me Grimlock. Me leader! Me say us do it!
:—Grimlock's unassailable logic convince the Dinobots

[[Image:DesertionDinobots1 Shockwave Dinobots.JPG|right|150px|thumb|You Shockwave not so tough without black sticky stuff.]]
"Stowaways?! Stand back!" 
"WE NO STAND BACK!"
:—'''Shockwave''' and '''Grimlock''', right before the Dinobots kick Shockwave's [[Diode|diodes]].

"It's...too...risky! Ohh..."
:—'''Optimus Prime''' warns Spike and Carly of the danger of traveling to Cybertron alone, right before he nearly crushes them while passing out.

"I feel kinda stupid talking into my thumb."
: —'''Spike''' in agreement with the audience for the first and last time.

==Notes==
===Animation or technical errors===
* Despite the variety of engine sound effects, the experimental plane is just flying in a straight line in the first shot.
* Blaster's forehead is red (like the rest of his helmet) instead of white as Optimus gives the order to [[roll out]].
* Starscream's face is white instead of medium gray as he enters the lab facility.
* The scientist that Starscream tosses aside gets up and runs away, despite having been ''thrown'' a good 15 or 20 feet to the floor.
* Blaster's arm phases through Mirage's box-of-turning-invisible. While not physically impossible, he appears to be standing far enough in front of Mirage that the box should be behind him.
* After grabbing Megatron's cannon, Mirage reappears without his customary energy sound effect.
*The merry-go-round at the fair features horses that are suspended from the roof, rather than attached to floor-to-ceiling posts like a real carousel.
* The outside of the airport, where Bumblebee discharges his passengers and transforms, is ''completely deserted''. They seem to have wandered into the loading docks or something.
* Slag's face and head are gray instead of red as he says his "no like anything" line.
* The top of Starscream's cockpit cowling is yellow instead of gray as he scolds Megatron for retreating.
* Blitzwing's head is purple instead of yellow just before he transforms to attack Bumblebee.
** And again after he falls out of the sky.
*** And again as Soundwave ejects Ravage at the power plant.
**** And ''again'' as the Decepticons try to retreat from the power plant. Was this an alternate color scheme or something?

* Megatron's audio appears to drop out for a second or two as he tosses Rumble aside; he says "Get... ...fool!" with timing that would be just right for the more explicable "Get off me, fool!"
*Thundercracker is miscolored as Starscream when Swoop attacks him.
* Spike, Carly and Sparkplug are inside the terminal when Megatron gets thrown into it. A second later, they're back on the flightline with the Dinobots.
* The sound crew missed the part where Hoist is ''towing'' the derelict airliner carrying the Dinobots; they applied what sounds like an idling jet engine noise over the scene.
* The building that Powerglide and Ironhide construct changes shape between shots, and doesn't appear to have any doors or windows. There's also a parked airplane practically on top of the foundation before they start laying bricks. Ironhide's method of brick-laying fails to put any mortar into the vertical brick joints. The bricks also go from regular bricks to concrete blocks between shots.
* Megatron's Decepticon symbol is missing after he bashes Rumble aside in the desert.
* Slag's head guards are white instead of red as he agrees with Grimlock's refusal of orders. (Should they be white? Yes, yes, no!)
* The energon cubes at the power plant are semi-glowing in a strange purple color, rather than the usual bright pink.
* Prime clips through the concrete fence at the power plant as the Autobots arrive to stop the Decepticons.
*Jazz is colored as Red Alert when the Autobots transform at the power station.
* The first half of Blitzwing's line after blasting Jazz is garbled to incomprehensibility, whether due to an audio failure, bad delivery, or just having been written that way: "Uh - err - uht - shift or be smashed!"
*Megatron's gun mode is entirely white when Starscream is about to shoot Optimus.
[[Image:Dotd1 sparkplug repairs wheeljack.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Just one little vertical line. Supposed to be over there on the right.]]
* Wheeljack is missing the little windshield line on the top/side of his chest as Prime answers Ironhide's question about what is happening to them. It's missing again as Sparkplug repairs him in the next scene.
* Red Alert has white tires on his shoulders in the first pan of the disabled Autobots at Autobot Headquarters.
* As Wheeljack says that Cybertonium is only found on Cybertron, his whole helmet is light gray instead of dark gray, rather than just his three "fins".
* Scrapper's vehicle mode ''bends'' like rubber as he backs away from the Dinobots.
* Scrapper has two eyes instead of his usual single visor as he turns to track Swoop.
* Long Haul's portion of Devastator is shown plopping into place... long after both he and Hook (who forms the part that comes ''after'' Long Haul) have already driven up and transformed.
*When the Dinobots first appear on Cybertron, Shockwave has both his hands. In the next scene, however, his left hand blaster is there. He was last seen with two hands back in "[[More than Meets the Eye, Part 1]]".
* Improbable viewpoints:
** Teletraan I kindly provides Sparkplug with a view of Grimlock ''inside Decepticon Headquarters on Cybertron''!
* So... the sound guys have never seen a car before? They don't know what a car does? 'Cause they put in a flight sound effect as Carly's car vaults over Devastator's foot and into the space bridge ring.
* The animation of Shockwave reacting to and turning toward the space bridge elevator is recycled when Spike and Carly arrive. Not an explicit error by itself, but it creates a continuity disjoint with the next shot, as Shockwave abruptly goes from empty-handed to holding a blaster.
* There's nothing in the space bridge elevator when Shockwave blasts it.

===Continuity errors===
[[Image:Dotd1 sneakiest soundwave.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Seriously, Blaster doesn't recognize this guy by now?]]
[[Image:DesertionDinos1 BlastergrabsRavage.jpg|thumb|right|200px|And yet he doesn't seem surprised at all when this happens.]]
* The opening scene is bizarre. Soundwave is sitting in Ironhide's cargo compartment. Ironhide somehow failed to notice Soundwave climbing into him, and continues to fail to notice him sitting there. Blaster somehow fails to notice Soundwave sitting ''right in front of him''. Of particular note, in "[[Heavy Metal War]]" Ironhide is apparently able to detect the Decepticons by himself, without relying on Teletraan I.
*Considering the ultra plane was in full view of the Autobots and Dr. Green the whole time, how did none of them see Starscream flying over the fighter and dropping a bomb on top of it?
* We never do find out where Sparkplug is coming home from or what he was doing there in his snazzy blue suit.
* Bumblebee and Spike apparently just wander onto the airport's flightline, unquestioned, to investigate the Decepticon hangar.
* Superhuman Spike:
**Neither Spike nor Carly and Sparkplug are harmed by Megatron flying through a huge plate glass window right in front of them. (As noted above, they shouldn't even be there.)
* On a related note, though Bumblebee and the three humans are standing right next to the Dinobots, none of them are harmed by the planes exploding, while the Dinobots get blown to kingdom come.
* For some reason, Blitzwing blasting Jazz in the side causes a huge crevasse to open up beneath Jazz.
* The space bridge must have been seriously fine-tuned since its first appearance. The Dinobots make the trip just fine, despite appearing to flail about randomly as they make the trip. Even an Earthen automobile makes it through (and its human passengers survive, which means the space bridge portal has a pressurized atmosphere.) Previously, an unpiloted test vehicle vanished into the ether because it lacked guidance.
* Shockwave blasts the elevator door as Spike and Carly arrive on Cybertron, creating a huge explosion. They are only saved by power of retcon, as the next episode decides that the immediate firing and huge explosion simply didn't happen.

===Kid Rhino release===
*On the [[Kid Rhino]] DVDs, the visuals drop out completely for a second or so, replaced by a black screen, after Blaster's fight with Ravage. This error is also on the Madman Region 4 DVD.

===Continuity notes===
*This episode throws some confusion on the origin of the newer second-season characters such as Perceptor, Blaster, Blitzwing, etc. Previously it could be assumed they had simply arrived from Cybertron or some other planet. But the fact that their Cybertonium deteriorates in exact sync with the earlier characters suggests that they were also aboard the Ark and went through the same four million year slumber as the 1984 characters. Why we didn't see any of them for the first year is therefore a bit of a mystery within the context of the stories.
* The Dinobots' discontent was previously hinted at in "[[Atlantis, Arise!]]" and "[[Day of the Machines]]". They seemed much happier in the later two-parter "[[Dinobot Island]]".
[[Image:Dotd1 malfunctioning ironhide.jpg|thumb|right|200px|You've got the touch! ]]
[[Image:DesertionDinobots1 Powerglide no head.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Some parts are made to detach if excessive force is applied. ]]
* Gadgets and powers:
** To prepare the viewer for the forthcoming mechanical failures of the Autobots, several of them use their stock powers, such as Jazz's [[sound and light show]] and Mirage's invisibility.
** To inspect the vault door, Soundwave retracts his hand and brings forth a three-pronged wirey sensor thing. It's only [[Soundwave (ROTF)|slightly creepy]].
** Carly switches off Bumblebee's equilibrium circuits by pressing a button inside his chest armor (which sure pops open easily. Bee had better hope the Decepticons don't find out about that feature.)
** Bumblebee uses a wrist communicator to radio Optimus. Though a common device for both sides, this one looks different than the more rectangular ones Bumblebee has used in the past - spheroid and with a little antenna on top.
** Inferno fires [[fire-retardant foam]] (or something like it) from a nozzle that emerges from a hatch on his cab (even though Inferno already sports several ''visible'' nozzles designed to serve the same purpose.)
** The deterioration of the Transformers' [[cybertonium]] leads to a series of mechanical failures:
*** Grapple apparently loses his fine motor control.
*** Soundwave spontaneously ejects Ravage.
*** The Decepticons lose their flight abilities.
*** Rumble can't stop himself from attacking Megatron.
*** Jazz can't transform, and later winds up half-car, half-robot.
*** Ironhide's hand won't retract to fire his liquid nitrogen.
*** Mirage only becomes semi-transparent instead of invisible.
*** Ravage spontaneously returns to cassette mode in mid-battle.
*** Jazz's sound and light show fails to activate.
*** Blitzwing can't stop his own forward motion in tank mode.
*** Powerglide's head... falls off??
*The Constructicons appear to be functioning perfectly well in this episode. What this says about their origin controversy is unknown.
* We get treated to the one-time appearance of a uniquely designed Transformer on Cybertron. He's medium brown and appears to have Snarl's dinosaur tail halves on his back; he transforms to a purple flying saucer-like thing.
[[Image:ShockwaveDesertionOfTheDinobots1.jpg|right|200px|thumb|It is not logical to not have a blaster when you turn into that model of blaster.]]
*In the final scene, Shockwave fires a gun that looks exactly like his own [[alternate mode]]. (Presumably, the animators mistook his weapon mode for a hand-held weapon.) He also is shown with two hands in one shot, just like his very first appearance. Can he retract one and replace it with his familiar gun arm? Or is it just an animation screwup? You be the judge!
*This episode establishes that the Dinobots are better-armored in their beast modes.
* '''[[Dinobot Island, Part 2|< <]]''' What makes Starscream the leader? Megatron's blown his vocal components! '''[[Triple Takeover|> >]]'''

===Real world references===
* EJK, the facility where all the information on the Ultraplane is stored, is named for episode writer Earl J. Kress.
* This episode contains enough ''[[Star Wars]]'' sound effects to make you think you're watching events in a galaxy far, far away:
** The opening shots of the experimental jet are soundtracked with diving X-Wings and the TIE Fighter engine roar.
** After exiting Ironhide's cargo compartment, Soundwave launches with the ''Millennium Falcon'' engine burst.
** Some ''Falcon'' ambient engine noise (flying over the surface of Yavin IV) is heard as Starscream flies toward the ultra plane.
** The ultra plane explosion is soundtracked with the Death Star firing sequence noise.
** ''Falcon'' engine burst as Megatron retreats from the lab.
** Death Star firing/Alderaan exploding again, as Thundercracker and Thrust take off to attack the Dinobots, followed by more X-Wings diving.
** ''Falcon'' engine burst again as the Transformer on Cybertron that Mirage watches on a monitor takes off.
** ''Falcon'' engine roar as Swoop dives to snatch Carly's car out from under Grimlock's foot.

===Trivia===
*The hangar that the Decepticons are hiding in is labeled "hangar" in huge white letters. This is so you know that it is, indeed, a hangar and not a [[Giant Decepticon insignia|well hidden Decepticon base]].
* Mirage totally goes toe-to-toe with Megatron and manages to hold his own for a bit. Impressive!

==External links==
*[http://cybertronchronicle.freewebspace.com/cartoon-dossier/synopses/desertion_of_the_dinobots_part_1.html Dossier at the Cybertron Chronicle]

[[Category:Generation 1 episodes]]

Five Faces of Darkness, Part 5

2010-02-09T21:49:18Z

84.83.38.158: /* Synopsis */

{{episode
|series=G1toon
|ep=70
|series2=2010
|ep2=5
|title="Five Faces of Darkness, Part 5"
|image=FFOD5_Galvatron_lever.jpg
|caption=How can he possibly resist the diabolical urge to pull the lever that could erase his very existence?
|airdate=[[September 19]], 1986
|written by=[[Flint Dille]]
|production code=700-90
|production company=[[Sunbow Productions]]
|continuity=[[Generation 1 cartoon continuity]]
}}

'''With Earth and Cybertron under joint Decepticon-Quintesson assault, the Autobots raise a last stand against their old enemies...and the race which created them.'''

:''Japanese title:'' クインテッサ星人の陰謀 (''Quintessa Boshi Jin no Inbō'', "Conspiracy of the Quintessons")
:''German title:'' "'''Die fünf Gesichter der Finsternis, Teil 5'''" ("The five Faces of Darkness, Part 5")

==Synopsis==
[[Image:FFOD5 Decepticons attack.JPG|left|150px|thumb|Galvatron, can he join my armada?]]

The [[Decepticon]]s open a sortie against the [[Autobot]]s on [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]], and the initial attack took out the whole defense system. [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]] tells the others to go, while he holds them off. [[Hot Rod (G1)|Rodimus Prime]] says that Magnus's courage will be remembered. Unsaid is the possibility that there will be no one to remember it. From their ship, the [[Quintesson]]s calculate that it will take less than a day to completely defeat the Autobots. After all, they've given [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]] something worth fighting for...

On Earth, the new Decepticon battle station heads for [[Ark (G1)|Autobot headquarters]]. [[Pipes]] and [[Warpath (G1)|Warpath]] lead a counter offensive, but their efforts are stymied when the station [[Transformation|transforms]] into [[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]]. Warpath orders [[Teletraan I (G1)|Teletraan I]] to activate the defense systems, but Trypticon causes [[Mount St. Hilary|the volcano]] to collapse on the ship, destroying it. With his task there complete, Trypticon heads to his next target: [[Autobot City]].

[[Image:FFOD5 Predacons.JPG|right|150px|thumb|Know that there are five Predacons. The other guys are posers!]]

On [[Io]], [[Sky Lynx (G1)|Sky Lynx]] hurries to rescue [[Wheelie (G1)|Wheelie]], [[Blurr (G1)|Blurr]], and [[Marissa Faireborn]] from certain death from the natives. However, the [[Predacon (G1)|Predacons]] arrive to steal the [[Transformation cog|Transformation Cog]] intended for [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]]. Initially, the Predacons turn out to be all bark with no bite. However, they merge into [[Predaking]], and manage to disorient Wheelie, Blurr, and Faireborn. However, Sky Lynx attacks Predaking, and causes him to separate. Sky Lynx orders the others to board him, and Wheelie discovers the cog.

Meanwhile, Galvatron orders [[Blitzwing (G1)|Blitzwing]] to give a status report to the Quintessons. However, Blitzwing overhears that the Quintessons don't have the [[Decepticon Matrix]]. What's worse, they want the [[Sharkticon (G1)|Sharkticons]] to pull a [[large switch]] which will deactivate the [[Transformer]]s all over the galaxy. Blitzwing tries to tell Galvatron, but the psychotic [[Decepticon leader]] merely beats him. Blitzwing realizes that there is one other option...side with the Autobots to stop the Quintessons.

[[Image:FFOD5 Metroplex Trypticon.JPG|left|150px|thumb|Godzilla vs. Megazord!]]

On Earth, Trypticon has arrived at Autobot City, but Wheelie is able to get the cog to Pipes, who installs it in Metroplex. Coming online, Metroplex and Trypticon throw down. Their battle extends into another city (which everyone manages to evacuate from). Finally, Metroplex manages to overwhelm Trypticon, and throws Trypticon a great distance, where he lands in the ocean and sinks.

On Cybertron, Blitzwing, Rodimus Prime, and [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike Witwicky]] manage to stop the Sharkticons, but Galvatron, thinking the switch is the key to the Decepticon Matrix, pulls it. With the Transformers offline, the Quintessons land on Cybertron. As the Quintessons enjoy how great it is to be home, Spike grabs Rodimus' weapon, and destroys the lever. Reactivating, an incredibly angry Galvatron begins chasing the Quintessons, who manage to escape. Galvatron then prepares to fight Rodimus, but Blitzwing pulls his weapon on Galvatron, telling him that this has to end. Galvatron banishes Blitzwing from the Decepticons, and orders the Decepticons to retreat.

[[Image:FFOD5 Rodimus victory speech.JPG|right|150px|thumb|Optimus would have given a more rousing speech. Of course, Optimus Prime would have gotten the job done in one episode rather than five.]

Rodimus notes that the battle is over for now, but the Autobot leader also notes that the Transformers may well have met their greatest enemies...
{{-}}

==Featured Characters==
{{featuredcharacters|c1=
* [[Kup (G1)|Kup]] (5)
* [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]] (6)
* [[Hot Rod (G1)|Rodimus Prime]] (8)
* [[Springer (G1)|Springer]] (9)
* [[Powerglide (G1)|Powerglide]] (12)
* [[Pipes]] (13)
* [[Warpath (G1)|Warpath]] (14)
* [[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]] (15)
* [[Tailgate]] (16)
* [[Outback]] (17)
* [[Beachcomber (G1)|Beachcomber]] (18)
* [[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]] (19)
* [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]] (20)
* [[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]] (21)
* [[Eject]] (22)
* [[Rewind]] (23)
* [[Sky Lynx (G1)|Sky Lynx]] (24)
* [[Blurr (G1)|Blurr]] (26)
* [[Wheelie (G1)|Wheelie]] (27)
* [[Perceptor (G1)|Perceptor]] (30)
* [[First Aid (G1)|First Aid]] (31)
* [[Streetwise (G1)|Streetwise]] (32)
* [[Slingshot]] (33)
* [[Jazz (G1)|Jazz]] (48)
* [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]] (49)

|c2=
* [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]] (1)
* [[Cyclonus (G1)|Cyclonus]] (2)
* [[Scourge (G1)|Scourge]] (3)
* [[Sweep]]s (4)
* [[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]] (11)
* [[Dirge (G1)|Dirge]] (28)
* [[Ramjet (G1)|Ramjet]] (29)
* [[Blitzwing (G1)|Blitzwing]] (34)
* [[Rampage (G1)|Rampage]] (35)
* [[Headstrong]] (36)
* [[Tantrum]] (37)
* [[Razorclaw (G1)|Razorclaw]] (38)
* [[Divebomb (G1)|Divebomb]] (39)
* [[Predaking]] (30)
* [[Scrapper (G1)|Scrapper]] (31)
* [[Hook (G1)|Hook]] (32)
* [[Scavenger (G1)|Scavenger]] (33)
* [[Long Haul (G1)|Long Haul]] (34)
* [[Mixmaster (G1)|Mixmaster]] (35)
* [[Bonecrusher (G1)|Bonecrusher]] (38)
* [[Thrust (G1)|Thrust]] (36)
* [[Laserbeak (G1)|Laserbeak]] (37)
* [[Motormaster]] (39)
* [[Brawl (G1)|Brawl]] (40)
* [[Swindle (G1)|Swindle]] (41)
* [[Vortex (G1)|Vortex]] (42)
* [[Blast Off (G1)|Blast Off]] (43)
* [[Shrapnel (G1)|Shrapnel]] (44)
* [[Kickback (G1)|Kickback]] (45)
* [[Bombshell (G1)|Bombshell]] (46)
* [[Soundwave (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Soundwave]] (47)

|c3=
* [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike Witwicky]] (7)
* [[Marissa Faireborn]] (25)

|c4=
* [[Quintesson]]s (10)
* [[Sharkticon (G1)|Sharkticons]] (35)

}}
==Quotes==
"Olé, sucker!" 
:—'''Wheelie''' the bullfighter!

"Mighty Galvatron, there is no Decepticon Matrix!" 
[''smacks him away''] "Tell it to the Autobots!"
:—'''Blitzwing''' gets some inspiration from '''Galvatron'''

"Faster, Pipes, faster faster faster faster faster! You gotta work faster because if you don't Trypticon's gonna stomp us and that's why we're gonna get..." 
"Blurr...shut up!"
:—'''Pipes''' gives '''Blurr''' an idea.

"This planet's not big enough for the both of us." 
"Me crush Metroplex!"
:—'''Metroplex''', the gung-ho cowboy, meets '''Trypticon''', the ravaging dinosaur.

"We Transformers have looked into the face of our creators...and seen the face of an enemy."
:—'''Rodimus Prime'''

==Notes==
===Animation or technical glitches===
[[Image:Cyclonus oddity armadaesque.jpg|thumb|right|150px| ]]
* During the recap, Galvatron's "Very well, Junkions" line is not flanged.
* In the opening pan, the entire Decepticon army seems to be made up of randomly recoloured Sweeps and Cyclonuses. Among the more visible examples are Sweeps colored like Breakdown and Wildrider.
* Rodimus's spoiler ridge is colored yellow instead of orange as Kup laments the loss of the defense system.
* Springer changes places between shots, going from Magnus's right to directly behind him (and back again when the first shot is recycled.)
* As Magnus turns to open fire, the foreshortening of his arm is bizarrely misdrawn.
* As Galvatron continues to descend and fire, an extra Cyclonus appears in Dirge's colors, alongside the actual Cyclonus.
** A Dirge-colored Cyclonus strafes Cybertron after the first commercial break.

* The click sound of the button pushed by the Quintesson to activate his monitor doesn't coincide with the actual push of the button.
* The Quints' view of Earth initially shows partly cloudy skies... then Trypticon just appears out of nowhere against the same sky. We'll be kind and not count this monitor view under "Improbable Viewpoints".
* Warpath neither moves his faceplate nor flashes his cheek blinkers when he speaks.
[[Image:FFoD5 MiniVehicles.jpg|thumb|right|250px| ]]
* Swerve disappears after the initial shot of the Autobot ambush, and is replaced by Beachcomber.
* The view of Trypticon smoking and damaged is set against a starry night sky, despite the scene occurring during the daytime.
[[Image:Giantscamper.jpg|thumb|right|250px| ]]
* An establishing shot of Metroplex shows him sitting in the desert all by himself, without [[Autobot City]] anywhere in sight. He also has Scamper sitting in his "garage", drawn to toy-based scale... which means he'd be a hundred foot long car.
* Sky Lynx flies behind a smooth, featureless reddish body. If it's supposed to be Io, it's ''waaaaaay'' too small, not more than a couple hundred feet across. In fact it's too small to be a regular round body.
* Io has changed colors; an establishing shot shows it to be red instead of the gray it was last time. Of course, the ''real'' Io actually ''is'' red.
* In the first shot of Blurr, Wheelie, and Marissa fighting the lipoles, none of them is standing on Io's surface.
* Improbable viewpoints:
** How does Blaster get an eye-level view of Marissa fighting on Io?
* When Wheelie loses the transforming cog, three of the next four shots are shown against a blue sky with clouds, rather than the night sky of Io.
* Once again, the animation fails to convey that the lipoles are an actual threat.
* In the second shot of Warpath's team of [[Mini-Vehicle]]s outside Autobot Headquarters, Beachcomber is colored like Wildrider.
* Powerglide gets a descending-pitch transformation sound as he changes to his plane mode and takes off. Launching aerial Transformers normally get the rising-pitch version.
* The Constructicons watching Trypticon on the hill are much larger than they should be.
* Scrapper's faceplate changes from grey to red as he listens to Bonecrusher.
* Five Autobots drive toward Trypticon, but the next shot shows only three getting kicked away.
* Pipes and Swerve seem to be firing lasers right out of their windshields.
* The sound effect for the shot that Trypticon fires at the camera lags behind the shot itself.
[[Image:Cycloni ffod5.jpg|thumb|right|250px| ]]
* Cyclonus and his Armada:
** Four Cyclonuses are shown strafing Cybertron after the first commercial break.
** The next shot shows two Cycloni.
** While retreating from Cybertron, there are five Cyclonuses flying with Galvatron.
* Ultra Magnus punches Ramjet, who spirals out of control. When he hits a wall and explodes, he's colored like Dirge. The error is particular visible since Dirge himself gets the same punch-and-explode treatment a second later.
* When Galvatron transforms to fire on Ultra Magnus, his arm cannon flies off screen, and a new one comes out of his head to take its place in cannon mode. (Again!)
* Magnus and Galvatron's voices are muffled as if they were speaking by radio, even though there's no reason for them to do so. Dirge and Ramjet suffer from a similar though less obvious effect in the same scene.
* Bumblebee and Powerglide are briefly visible fighting alongside Perceptor against the Sweeps on Cybertron, despite being on Earth at the time.
* Streetwise has a red chest (Red Alert's color scheme?) as he stands next to Perceptor and Slingshot, firing.
* Blitzwing's voice isn't properly flanged as he acknowledges Galvatron's command to report to the Quintessons.
* In the establishing shot before Sky Lynx arrives, Marissa and the 'bots aren't even trying to fight off the lipoles! Incidentally, Io's gone back to being gray.
* Sky Lynx's first transformation sequence lacks any transformation sound.
* The squawks that Sky Lynx lets loose after transforming are not by his voice actor! (The whole animal noise shtick for him would be dropped after this episode.)
* The Predacons get some bizarre use of the transformation noise. It plays as they emerge from the balls of fire that carried them to Io (a means of transport that they never used again.)
* Headstrong and Tantrum arrive carrying their guns, but a second later they charge into battle with their swords. They then proceed not to use either weapon.
* Sky Lynx's transporter section transforms to lynx mode, but is back in transporter mode when Blurr and Marissa run away from it.
* Headstrong's beast mode head has a huge swath of black on it in two different shots.
* Blurr lacks a transformation noise as he changes modes to cross the canyon.
* Predaking gets the transformation sound ''every time he moves''.
* Sky Lynx's transporter section lacks the transformation sound as it converts to lynx mode again. Apparently, Predaking sucked up all the transformation noises from the whole scene.
* When Predaking fires his foot weapons, a laser emerges. The weapon's effect, however, is shown as a windstorm.
* Sky Lynx's combining sequence is a little messed up; his lynx legs are shown unfolding, but since his lower half was already in lynx mode, they should be unfolded already.
* Predaking's head is on backwards as Sky Lynx wraps his tail around it.
* As Trypticon approaches Autobot City, the city is shown in a barren desert. It had [[The Transformers: The Movie|previously been shown]] to be located in a lush mountain valley, and is shown that way again at the end of the episode.
* Slingshot is seen running about in Autobot City as it transforms, even though he was last seen on Cybertron with Perceptor.
* As Blaster despairs over Sky Lynx's absence, his helmet is white instead of red.
* Scrapper's mouthplate continues moving even as Mixmaster gives the order to fire. (And why is Mixmaster giving the orders, anyway?)
* As the Autobots exit Sky Lynx, the transforming cog is shown as a large gear wheel, instead of an orb-shaped device. Sky Lynx's windows aren't colored in, either.
* Night sky is shown behind Marissa as she orders Blurr to "stop babbling"...
** And again behind Blurr as he prepares for his "lateral"...
** And again behind the cog as Wheelie throws it to Sky Lynx...
** And again behind Sky Lynx as he flattens the Decepticon lineup...
* As Blurr throws the cog, Thrust flies past in Laserbeak's colors. This was probably intended to be Laserbeak himself, since Thrust just got swatted.
* As the Constructicons try to tackle Wheelie, they're shown on a metal floor, despite the preceeding and following shots being shown in the desert. Motormaster likewise goes from desert to metal floor as he accidentally tackles Bonecrusher.
* When Wheelie faces off against the big line of Decepticon troops, all three Insecticons are present, including two Shrapnels. Bombshell's eyes aren't colored in. Blast-off and Swindle are also in the lineup, despite appearing on Cybertron at the start of the attack there.
* It's an AKOM episode, so watch for Soundwave's white backpack as Sky Lynx flattens him. Soundwave has replaced a duplicate Shrapnel who was in the lineup earlier.
* Sky Lynx clearly throws the cog horizontally, yet it somehow arcs so high that Trypticon can't catch it. As Trypticon lunges for the cog, it's the size of his fist -- the same fist that easily held Outback earlier in the episode.
* When the Autobots are celebrating the safety of the transformation cog after the little game of catch with the Decepticons, two Constructicons and [[Frenzy (G1)|Frenzy]] are seen "raising the roof" along with them. Slingshot shows up again, too, along with a generic model colored like Dead End.
* Metroplex is back in city mode as Trypticon prepares to stomp him.
* The hand that topples Trypticon does not come from the actual location where Metroplex's arms are stored in city mode.
* When Metroplex transforms, Autobot City is nowhere in sight.
* Metroplex's single line is delivered in a different voice than that of his later appearances.
* Who knew Trypticon was so aerodynamic? After Metroplex throws him, he falls ''up'' in the second shot of him sailing over the landscape.
* The late Ratchet is among the Autobots cheering Metroplex's victory, in Blaster's colors. And is that ''another'' Ratchet in the background?
* The [[large switch]] stops glowing after the Sharkticons arrive.
* For some reason, a view of Cybertron is used as an establishing shot for Earth.
[[Image:FFoD Part5 Frozen Metroplex.jpg|thumb|right|250px| ]]
* Spinger and Arcee are shown among the frozen Autobots on Earth, despite being on Cybertron. Sludge is shown in the same shot in Grimlock's colors (and possibly with Grimlock's head.)
* As the Quints venture onto Cybertron, a frozen Sweep is shown with red (pink?) wings.
* The energy beams of the fleeing Quintessons don't line up with their bodies.
* Mixmaster and Scrapper are seen on Cybertron as the Quintessons escape, despite the Constructicons being on Earth.
* Sky Lynx is far too small as he and the others watch Rodimus on screen.
* Although both the [[Kid Rhino]] and [[Shout! Factory]] versions of this episode contain the correct unique opening titles for the story (one of only two parts of "Five Faces of Darkness" on DVD that do), the Shout! version incorrectly uses the soundtrack to the standard season three opening as now found on the broadcast masters to all five parts.

===Continuity errors===
* The opening pan over Cybertron shows it with two moons, even though Unicron ostensibly devoured both of Cybertron's moons during ''[[The Transformers: The Movie]]''. One moon appears again as the Quintessons make their battle projection.
* Kup says that "that blast took out the whole defense system". But it wasn't a ''blast''; it was a crashing space ship.
* Spike retains his superhuman capabilities, surviving a blast that trashes the room he's in and sends his Autobot friends flying.
* So if everyone actually retreated to Level 2, per Rodimus's order, then who are all those Decepticons firing at? How long would it take them to gang up and overpower Magnus, if he's really the only one left?
* The answer comes a moment later, when Perceptor and company are seen to have ignored that order.
[[Image:G1 FFODPart5 UltraMagnus punch Dirge.jpg|thumb|right|250px| ]]
* Dirge and Ramjet both appear to explode rather fatally after Magnus punches them. Both will nevertheless show up alive and well in later episodes. Considering they were already seen eaten by Unicron in the Movie, this is not so surprising.
* Despite the absence of the transforming cog, both Autobot City ''and'' Metroplex are showing transforming to their respective battle station modes. Apparently, Metroplex only needs the cog to change into robot mode.
* Most of the battle on Cybertron is shown happening on the surface, with no ceilings and blue night skies, despite Rodimus's order to retreat below ground. Yet Blitzwing still flies underground to report to Galvatron.
* There appears to be a human city quite close to Autobot city, but previously in the [[The Transformers: The Movie|Movie]], there were no signs or suggestions of a human city being nearby. In addition, this poses the question of why the Autobots or humans built their cities so near to each other despite the fact that Autobot City is often under attack by Decepticons.
* Superhuman Spike has amazingly little trouble hoisting Rodimus's gun onto his shoulder.

===Continuity notes===
* Pipes cites the late Optimus Prime and quotes his catchphrase, "Transform and [[roll out]]!"
* Gadgets and powers:
** Bumblebee is shown with a rooftop cannon in vehicle mode during the first attack run on Trypticon. The weapon appears to be based on that of Outback.
* Galvatron makes reference to his last meeting with Ultra Magnus, on the planet [[Junkion (planet)|Junkion]].
* This episode is the first and only appearance of Tailgate. Swerve would later appear briefly in "[[Forever Is a Long Time Coming]]".

===Real-world references===
* ''Star Wars'' sound effects:
** Laserbeak and Thrust emerge from Trypticon's chest with the sound of the ''Millenium Falcon'''s engine burst.

===Trivia===

* Just from the episode alone, it's impossible to tell who the line "It'll be passing above us soon" is being spoken by, as it doesn't correspond to any of the known voices of the Autobots present. This just left Swerve and Tailgate as possible candidates for the line (since neither was ever seen to speak any other lines, it could have been either of them). The episode's script would later confirm that the line belonged to Tailgate, and was delivered by the eternally overlooked [[Ted Schwartz]].

==External links==
* [http://cybertronchronicle.freewebspace.com/cartoon-dossier/synopses/five_faces_of_darkness_part_5.html Dossier at the Cybertron Chronicle]

[[Category:Generation 1 episodes]]

Five Faces of Darkness, Part 4

2010-02-09T21:42:35Z

84.83.38.158: /* Continuity errors */

{{episode
|series=G1toon
|ep=69
|series2=2010
|ep2=4
|image=FFOD4 Rodimus journey.JPG
|caption=What the hell did [[Beachcomber (G1)|Beachcomber]] give me?
|title="Five Faces of Darkness, Part 4"
|production code=#700-89
|production company=[[Sunbow Productions]]
|airdate=[[September 18]], 1986
|written by=[[Flint Dille]]
|continuity=[[Generation 1 cartoon continuity]]
}}
'''Seeking answers about their mysterious new foes, Rodimus Prime takes a journey through the Matrix to learn the truth about the Quintessons... and the origins of the Transformers.'''

:''Japanese title:'' マトリクスの秘密 (''Matrix no Himitsu'', "The Secrets of the Matrix")
:''German title:'' "'''Die fünf Gesichter der Finsternis, Teil 4'''" ("The five Faces of Darkness, Part 4")

==Synopsis==
[[Image:FFOD4 Autobots no hit.JPG|left|200px|thumb|It's like they're being shot at by Decepticon Targetmasters.]]

On [[Goo]], the [[Decepticon]]s open fire on the [[Autobot]]s (and miss spectacularly). [[Judge Deliberata]] cheers them on, until Grimlock slams him into the goo. As they get closer, Galvatron arrives, intending to punish the Decepticons for their "disloyalty". Upon seeing (and being shot by) their long-lost leader, the Decepticons repledge their loyalty to Galvatron and tell him that they were bribed into following the [[Quintesson]]s for [[Energon (fuel)|energon]]. Galvatron is not happy and decides to punish the Quintessons for their usurpation.

On Goo, the Autobots find the control center, and Rodimus Prime and Ultra Magnus find out that the planet is a garbage collection system for the [[Junkion (species)|Junkions]]. Contacting Wreck-Gar, they request assistance after managing to "talk [[Television|Teevee]]".

On [[Io]], Blurr and Wheelie are under attack by the [[lipole]]s, who are ferociously flapping their wings in the two Autobots' faces. Wheelie is overtaken, but tells Blurr to leave him and take Metroplex's [[transformation cog]]. Instead of leaving his comrade to die, Blurr heads right into the thick of the swarm. [[Marissa Faireborn]] arrives and manages to drive off the lipoles, but a number of them transform into missiles and destroy her ship. The three begin a search through the ship's wreckage, hoping that the communications are still working.

[[Image:FFOD4 Autobots lipoles.JPG|right|200px|thumb|"I'm Batman." "No, I'm Batman." "Hey, I'm Batman!" "I'm Man-bat."]]

Galvatron introduces himself by firing on the Quintesson ship. Realizing that Galvatron must be handled differently, the Quintessons offer an alliance with the Decepticons against the Autobots, but Galvatron says he never asked for their help. They offer Galvatron the [[Decepticon Matrix|Decepticon Matrix of Leadership]], but Galvatron simply demands it in exchange for letting them live. The Quintessons say that their lives are not enough, and that the Autobots must be destroyed.

Galvatron attacks the Autobots, but the Junkions arrive and melt the goo out from under the Autobots, sucking them right through the planet. Judge Deliberata winds up getting ejected in the process. Galvatron destroys Goo, but by the time he's done, the Junkions and Autobots have fled.

Heading back to the ship, Galvatron rants at the Quintessons, who counter that they would be powerful allies. Galvatron demands to know why the Quintessons haven't destroyed the Autobots themselves. They explain that the Autobots have been made unpredictable by their interactions with the [[human]]s. Sneering at the Quintessons' fear of the flesh creatures, Galvatron agrees to an alliance. The Decepticons cry "Hail Galvatron!" to affirm their support of their leader, and even the Quintessons give out a shout.

[[Image:RodimusBack.jpg|left|200px|thumb|No thanks, I can hold down this pile by myself.]]

On [[Junkion (planet)|the Planet of Junk]], Wreck-Gar restores Springer to life. However, Rodimus is not as cheered up as expected. He has questions about the Quintessons—about their hostility towards the Autobots, how they know so much about them, and about their intentions. Rodimus has become convinced that the answers behind the Quintessons lie in the [[Matrix of Leadership|Matrix]], but he still doesn't know how to consult the wisdom of the ages. Springer makes a sarcastic suggestion, saying that he should just come close to death again. Although Arcee says not to do that, Springer assures her that Rodimus is not as stupid as he looks. Wandering off, the [[Supreme Commander|Autobot commander]] short-circuits himself and falls unconscious.

[[Image:Ancientrobot ffod.jpg|thumb|right|200px| ]]

Rodimus enters the Matrix, where he is greeted by the spirits of the [[Ancient Autobots]], who show him the face of the creators of the Transformers...the Quintessons! Eons ago, the Quintessons used [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] as a factory to build two lines of robots: consumer goods and military hardware, who evolved into the Autobots and the Decepticons, respectively. Millennia of torturous abuse led the Autobots to rebel and drive the Quintessons off Cybertron. Afterwards, the Cybertronians warred with each other for control, which was ended when the Autobots developed the art of [[transformation]]. A [[Golden Age]] followed, which was ended when the Decepticons mastered transformation and created a new leader: [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]]. He killed the [[U-Haul Robot|Matrix-bearer]], who passed the Matrix to [[Alpha Trion (G1)|Alpha Trion]], one of the oldest among them. However, Alpha Trion did not take the Matrix for himself, but gave it another who would challenge Megatron. This was [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]], who became the [[Prime (rank)|Autobot leader]] for the [[Great War (G1)|Third Cybertronian War]], which has raged for nine million years and continues to rage even now.

Rodimus reactivates to find Springer and Arcee seriously freaked out. Dismissing their concerns, he tells them that they need to get to Cybertron as soon as possible.

[[Image:FFOD4 Trypticon lives.JPG|left|200px|thumb|When a guy has cannons for a tongue, it's time to panic.]]

Near Cybertron, Galvatron and the Quintessons plot their strategy. They will attack on two fronts: [[Autobot City]] and Cybertron. On [[Earth]], the [[Constructicon (G1)|Constructicons]] are making changes to a human city. At dawn, they activate a transformation sequence, and the city begins to change. As the humans flee, the dust settles to the ground. In the place of the city now stands...Trypticon!

On Cybertron, an [[Earth Defense Command]] ship requests emergency landing clearance. Perceptor warns that it might be a trick, but Kup refuses to allow a ship full of innocents to perish, giving them clearance to land. But the ship instead crashes into Cybertron's central power facility, shutting down the planet's defenses. Storming from the Quintesson ships, Galvatron leads the Decepticons in an attack. Aboard the vessels, the Quintessons are pleased, for soon the Autobots will be destroyed, and then they will deal with the Decepticons.

[[Five Faces of Darkness, Part 5|To be concluded...]]

{{-}}

==Featured Characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
* [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]] (5)
* [[Hot Rod (G1)|Rodimus Prime]] (6)
* [[Arcee (G1)|Arcee]] (7)
* [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]] (8)
* [[Kup (G1)|Kup]] (10)
* [[Slag (G1)|Slag]] (11)
* [[Skydive (G1 Aerialbot)|Skydive]] (18)
* [[Wreck-Gar (G1)|Wreck-Gar]] (19)
* [[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]] (21)
* [[Blurr (G1)|Blurr]] (22)
* [[Wheelie (G1)|Wheelie]] (23)
* [[Air Raid (G1)|Air Raid]] (25)
* [[Springer (G1)|Springer]] (28)
* "[[Ancient Robot]]" (29)
* "[[Powerful Robot]]" (30)
* "[[U-Haul Robot]]" (31)
* "[[Brooding Robot|Brooding Robot ]]" (32)
* "[[Pre-Transformer (character)|Pre-Transformer]]" (35)
* "[[New Narrator]]" (36)
* [[Alpha Trion (G1)|Alpha Trion]] (45)
* [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] (46)
* [[Perceptor (G1)|Perceptor]] (49)
* [[Cosmos (G1)|Cosmos]] (50)

|c2=
* [[Dead End (G1)|Dead End]] (1)
* [[Blast Off (G1)|Blast Off]] (2)
* [[Swindle (G1)|Swindle]] (3)
* [[Ramjet (G1)|Ramjet]] (12)
* [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]] (13)
* [[Scourge (G1)|Scourge]] (14)
* [[Cyclonus (G1)|Cyclonus]] (15)
* [[Sweep]]s (16)
* [[Motormaster]] (17)
* [[Octane]] (26)
* [[Soundwave (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Soundwave]] (27)
* [[Early Decepticon leader]] (33)
* [[Early Decepticons]] (34)
* [[Bonecrusher (G1)|Bonecrusher]] (37)
* [[Long Haul (G1)|Long Haul]] (38)
* [[Mixmaster (G1)|Mixmaster]] (39)
* [[Scrapper (G1)|Scrapper]] (40)
* [[Hook (G1)|Hook]] (41)
* [[Scavenger (G1)|Scavenger]] (42)
* Two nameless [[Constructicon (G1)|Constructicons]] (43)
* [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]] (44)
* [[Vortex (G1)|Vortex]] (47)
* [[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]] (48)

|c3=
* [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike Witwicky]] (4)
* [[Marissa Faireborn]] (20)

|c4=
* [[Judge Deliberata]] (9)
* Various [[Quintesson]]s (24)
}}

==Quotes==
"Last big party of the summer, folks! Let's go out with a bang!" 
"Just once, couldn't your attitude reflect the gravity of the situation?!" 
"Not if I can help it!"
:—'''Rodimus Prime''' and '''Ultra Magnus''' have rather different leadership styles.

"Yes! Yes! Even if it means my life is forfeit, destroy them! Destroy th—ooh!" 
''[Tail smack]'' 
"Me Grimlock say shut your faces!"
:—'''Judge Deliberata''' annoys '''Grimlock'''.

'''Galvatron''': Now, Decepticons, learn the price of your disloyalty! Attack! 
'''Cyclonus''': Attack whom? 
''[Galvatron shoots Cyclonus]'' 
'''Galvatron''': EVERYONE!
:—Galvatron isn't so good with specifics.

'''Wreck-Gar''': Bulletin: You are in danger of being canceled or losing your time slot. 
'''Ultra Magnus''': What's he talking about? 
'''Rodimus Prime''': We're gonna get killed.
:—Rodimus shows the value of knowing a second language.

"He ran right back into the danger! My digital watch is smarter than that!"
:—'''Marissa Faireborn''' isn't impressed with Blurr's tactics

==Notes==
===Animation or technical glitches===
* [[Victor Caroli]]'s opening recap narration says that Quintessa "was detonated by the deadly Quintesson". Maybe a single Quint really did push the button all by himself, but the use of the singular is a bit odd.
* The first two shots, of the Decepticons pouring out of the Quintesson ship and firing at the Autobots, are loaded with too many screwups to count, as a mixture of made-up characters and off-model characters with the wrong color scheme pads out the background. An off-model Blitzwing colored like Air Raid is just one example.
* In the wide shot of the Autobots, Kup, Magnus, Arcee and Rodimus are in front. Grimlock and Deliberata are in back, and behind them are two guys that don't look like any of the Aerialbots (who remain AWOL throughout the sequence.)
* Just before Magnus starts to chastise Rodimus, Rodimus's torso is orange instead of red, and his waistline has climbed half way up his stomach, kinda like an old man being swallowed by his trousers.
* In the closeup shot of Rodimus and Magnus, yellow lasers are flying past them, despite the Decepticon lasers being pink in all the other scenes.
* How long do the Autobots intend to stand there without shooting back at the Decepticons? Why are they just strolling along without defending themselves?
* When Judge Deliberata is celebrating the impending destruction of the Autobots, [[Slag (G1)|Slag]] is shown with them, despite not being part of the group that landed on Goo.
* A subsequent shot gives us a better look at the crowd-filler Decepticons. In addition to Air Raid/Blitzwing, we have Ramjet missing most of his wings, with a black head, and one of his lasers on backwards. Every other character in the shot is entirely made up, though two of them appear to be using Octane's wing design.
[[Image:FFOD4 mass mistakes.JPG|right|200px|thumb|"Dead End, are we the only ones here NOT colored wrong?" "Who cares, Blast Off? We're doomed either way."]]
* In the next shot, as [[Dead End (G1)|Dead End]] and [[Blast Off (G1)|Blast Off]] are discussing how easy it is to destroy the Autobots, [[Motormaster]] is colored like Kup, [[Octane]] is colored like Grimlock, and an off-model [[Snarl (G1)|Snarl]] shows up colored like Rodimus Prime. Also there is an early version of [[Breakdown (G1)|Breakdown]]'s [[character model]] with Cyclonus' color scheme right behind Kup-colored Motormaster. What's more, standing near the miscoloured Snarl is a Decepticon coloured like Wheelie. Yikes.
* Dead End and Blast Off's conversation is screwed up more ways than one:
** "We owe this grand opportunity entirely to our new allies" is about as obvious a statement as one could make, yet Blast Off has to ask for an explanation.
** The explanation seems to come from Swindle, but he's not in the shot.
** The pointless explanation ("He means that what opportunities--") is suddenly truncated by Galvatron's arrival. Maybe he sensed the scene was going nowhere.
* Galvatron's lower helmet rim is gray instead of purple as he first appears. Man, AKOM sure does that a lot.
* More Decepticon generics and off-models after Galvatron arrives. A shot of the tail end of the mob includes Soundwave, Scavenger, Swindle and Onslaught all in white, a generic with Octane's wings, a generic with what looks like Rodimus's spoiler, and several totally made-up generic guys.
* When Motormaster is blasted by Galvatron, a white and red Onslaught is in the background.
* Motormaster has the wrong voice as he reacts to Galvatron's return. He has the right voice in his next line ("Spare me and I'm yours to command!")
* When the Swindle and Motormaster fly up to pledge their allegiance to Galvatron, the Autobot [[Skydive (G1 Aerialbot)|Skydive]] is with them for two different consecutive shots.
* During his "Sloppiness. Disorganization." line, Magnus has much smaller eyes than usual.
* Rodimus's spoiler ridge is so often colored yellow instead of orange that it's almost more noteworthy when they get it ''right''.
* After the Decepticons break off their assault, Rodimus and Magnus once again just walk right out of the inescapable goo.
* As Marissa's ship enters the Jovian system, it passes over what looks like a post-Movie Cybertron!
* Improbable viewpoints:
** Marissa's screen shows Blurr and Wheelie from a surface point of view, even though she's still high above the moon's surface. She reacts to this full-screen image of the two by saying "I think I've spotted them", as if there were some doubt.
* The inside of Blurr's mouth is blue as he frets over saving Wheelie.
* As Blurr charges back into the lipole swarm, most of the creatures aren't animated, despite being in the air.
* No wing-flapping in the shot of the lipoles surrounding Wheelie, either. They just magically bob up and down in the air.
* How does Marissa's jet pack support her in mid-air when she's upside-down?
* The jetpack's flames change from non-existent, to blue, to orange when Marissa lands.
* Galvatron is colored with a gray "goatee" after he blasts the Decepticon ship, and again as he climbs aboard. As he scoffs at the Quintessons, the whole area around his mouth is gray; the gray disappears as he turns and fires. The goatee returns as he rants at the Quintessons after destroying Goo. Then the beard returns as well.
* "Tell me? What?" The Quintesson in this shot is missing his energy beam.
* The Quintessons are pretty clearly mechanical, yet one of them makes a squishy noise when Galvatron slams him into the ship's deck.
* Deliberata is missing his energy beam as Kup takes aim at Galvatron.
* As Kup and company open fire on Galvatron, Bonecrusher is firing with them! In the background are two pipe-cleaner-thin generics.
* Galvatron rises back into the frame after destroying Goo, as if he just returned to robot mode, but there's no transformation noise.
* As Galvatron accepts the Quintessons as allies, his left hand goes from purple to gray and back.
[[Image:Generic palette swap.jpg|thumb|right|200px| ]]
* We see seven Sweeps aboard the Quintesson ship, the most we've seen so far in the whole mini-series. Some previous shots have indicated that there are as few as three.
* As the wimpy-sounding Decepticons hail Galvatron, two [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwaves]] are shown colored like [[Constructicon (G1)|Constructicons]], alongside a [[Seeker (body-type)|Seeker]] colored like [[Onslaught (G1)|Onslaught]].
* Seriously. No combination of known Decepticon voices would result in that chorus of "Hail Galvatron."
* On Junkion, Arcee continues to be without the bridgeline of her nose.
* When Arcee and the repaired Springer speak with Rodimus, the latter is drawn in his [[Hot Rod (G1)|Hot Rod]] form.
* The sprawled, unconscious Rodimus changes positions between the end of Act 2 and the opening of Act 3; specifically, his arms move from eagle-spread to down by his sides.
* The [[U-Haul Robot]]'s barbed mace phases through the foot of the [[Powerful Robot]] after it hits the ground.
* Vehicles based on Hook and Scavenger are used as generic construction vehicles during a shot showing the Transformers' freedom from the Quintessons (prior to inventing transformation). Or maybe all construction vehicles are green and purple on Cybertron.
[[Image:FFODHaul.jpg|thumb|right|200px| ]]
* When the Decepticons assemble Trypticon, [[Vortex (G1)|Vortex]] is colored like Octane and [[Long Haul (G1)|Long Haul]] is colored like [[U-Haul Robot]].
* When the Constructicons celebrate Trypticon's awakening, they're drawn as generics and colored like the core Movie Autobots: Magnus, Kup, Wheelie, and Arcee's color schemes are all visible.
* As Kup, Perceptor and Cosmos watch the incoming ship, Perceptor is colored like Grimlock, and Cosmos's arms are on backwards.
* Cosmos's voice lacks its usual reverberated echo.
* The Aerialbots who fly to intercept the ship are all colored the same light gray and medium blue. Only Silverbolt and Skydive are on-model.
* The horde of miscolored generic Decepticons is recycled for the attack on Cybertron.
* Really makes you wonder how [[AKOM]] actually gets work, doesn't it?

===Continuity errors===
* The lipoles have totally changed size since the last episode. Instead of a deep-throated growl, they now give off high-pitched squeaks. They aren't glowing anymore, either.
* The animation does absolutely nothing to tell us what's so bad about being swarmed by lipoles. From what we see in this episode, it would seem to be little more than a mild annoyance.
* Why doesn't Wheelie transform and drive to escape the lipoles?
* The animators and writers alike seem to have forgotten that Blurr's defining physical trait is that he's ''fast''. In this episode, he runs like a grandmother.
* Marissa's space suit has no visor or anything covering her face.
* Speaking of which, how can these creatures fly by flapping their wings when Io has only the thinnest of atmospheres?
* Marissa's demand that the lipoles "eat null rays" doesn't make much since, as an actual [[null-ray]] affects electronic circuits. Marissa's gun instead causes the lipoles to violently explode.
* On the other hand, her assertion that they are "bags of protoplasm" doesn't make much since either, since they can ''transform'' (complete with the transforming noise) into ''rocket-propelled missiles''.
* There appears to be some missing lines in the [[Ancient Robot]]'s monologue: "Now, the machines could manufacture themselves. And before long, they grew too lazy and greedy even for that. There were simpler ways to wring performance out of their slaves." The "they" in the second sentence clearly refers to the Quintessons, not the machines.
* How does one recycle a robot by dumping it into a molten vat?
* Where did those dancing robots get the cloth sheet things they're waving around?
* The ancient Autobot that gets knocked off of the motorcycle is a recycled character model; he was last seen standing alongside Wreck-Gar on the Junkion ship, just a few scenes ago!
[[Image:Megatronffod.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Ve must have ze brain on ze table! Chop chop!]]
* One of the most famous continuity gaffs of the entire series comes as the Matrix journey wraps up. A scene showing Megatron's creation millions of years ago is illustrated with him surrounded by Constructions. It's problematic because, according to "[[The Secret of Omega Supreme]]", the Constructicons weren't actually ''evil'' until ''Megatron himself'' reprogrammed them to be Decepticons. And according to a one-off line in "[[Heavy Metal War]]", Megatron and the other Decepticons built the Constructicons on Earth in 1984!
* On top of that, there's eight Constructions! None of them are really on-model; three appear to be entirely made up.
[[Image:Alphatrionagesbackwards.jpg|thumb|right|150px|Perhaps is the device that Alpha Trion finds in the first picture a rejuvinator.]]
* Somebody forgot that we'd already seen an 11-million-years-younger Alpha Trion, back in "[[War Dawn]]"... and he looked visibly different than the elderly Trion of 1985! He is shown in his "elderly" design when he receives the matrix from the dying Autobot leader; chronologically, the events of "[[War Dawn]]" happen after this, but in that epiosde he's portrayed with a much younger look.
* The Constructicons build (or rebuild, depending on whether you're watching [[Transformers 2010 (franchise)|2010]]) [[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]] out of a human city overnight. And no one notices.
* The idea of rebuilding a human city into a Transformer only makes any sense if the city was made ''entirely of metal''.
* Trypticon is seemingly brought to life without the use of [[Vector Sigma]], which we were [[The Key to Vector Sigma, Part 1|previously assured]] is the only way to grant life and/or sentience and/or "cybernetic personalities" to new Transformers. Of course, it's not as if he is unique in that respect: the [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobots]] were also made without the use of the computer, and Trypticon wound up being as dim as they are.
* Cybertron appears to have gotten a remodel since we saw it in the Movie. Who had time to patch up all those holes?

===Real-world references===
* ''Star Wars'' sound effects:
** The [[Powerful Robot]] attacks the [[U-Haul Robot]] with the sound of Ben Kenobi and Darth Vader's lightsabers clashing aboard the Death Star, and Luke Skywalker's lightsaber deflecting seeker bolts aboard the ''Millennium Falcon''.
** The Powerful Robot launches against his Quintesson overseers with the same Death Star firing/Alderaan exploding sound effect that Galvatron used in Part 2.
* Wreck-Gar's lines are mostly based on generic sales pitches ("Batteries not included", "for a limited time, your money back," "Doors closing at midnight!" hilariously timed to coincide with Galvatron confronting a closing donut hole of goo). A few lines have more specific origins, though:
** "Glad you used the dial, wish everybody would." parodies the "Aren't you glad you used Dial?" soap ad campaign.
** "Why'd you come on down to Goo?" is based on the famous "Come on down, you're the next contestant on..." catch phrase of ''The Price is Right''.
** "Wreck-Gar will put you in good hands" references the "You're in good hands with Allstate" insurance ad campaign.
** "You'll have Springer back faster than Snap Crackle Pop", the mascots of Rice Krispies cereal.
** "I believe in me" would reoccur as a Junkion mantra in "[[The Big Broadcast of 2006 (episode)|The Big Broadcast of 2006]]".

===Trivia===
* This episode features the second and final instance of Rodimus referring to Springer with the nickname "Springo".
[[Image:Pretransformer ffod.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Some looks never go out of style!]]
* Apart from Optimus Prime and Alpha Trion, the ancient (pre-)Autobots that Rodimus meets in the Matrix are identified in the shooting script as:
** [[Ancient Robot]]
** [[Powerful Robot]]
** [[Brooding Robot]]
** [[Pre-Transformer (character)|Pre-Transformer]]
** [[New Narrator]]
** [[U-Haul Robot]]

* The entire Decepticon army fails to hit a single Autobot when they are all grouped together on Goo. My, how energon depletion affects the [[Sensors|optics]].

* The original video cassette release of this episode featured some odd audio edits to the final scene: all of Cosmos's lines were missing, as were the fake pilot's claim that their "engines have just gone critical", and the Quintesson's declaration that their decoy worked and that Cybertron is helpless. The [[Kid Rhino]] DVD of this episode restores all the missing lines, but they are all once again missing on the subsequent [[Shout! Factory]] release.

==External links==
* [http://cybertronchronicle.freewebspace.com/cartoon-dossier/synopses/five_faces_of_darkness_part_4.html Dossier at the Cybertron Chronicle]

[[Category:Generation 1 episodes]]

Five Faces of Darkness, Part 4

2010-02-09T21:41:16Z

84.83.38.158: /* Continuity errors */

{{episode
|series=G1toon
|ep=69
|series2=2010
|ep2=4
|image=FFOD4 Rodimus journey.JPG
|caption=What the hell did [[Beachcomber (G1)|Beachcomber]] give me?
|title="Five Faces of Darkness, Part 4"
|production code=#700-89
|production company=[[Sunbow Productions]]
|airdate=[[September 18]], 1986
|written by=[[Flint Dille]]
|continuity=[[Generation 1 cartoon continuity]]
}}
'''Seeking answers about their mysterious new foes, Rodimus Prime takes a journey through the Matrix to learn the truth about the Quintessons... and the origins of the Transformers.'''

:''Japanese title:'' マトリクスの秘密 (''Matrix no Himitsu'', "The Secrets of the Matrix")
:''German title:'' "'''Die fünf Gesichter der Finsternis, Teil 4'''" ("The five Faces of Darkness, Part 4")

==Synopsis==
[[Image:FFOD4 Autobots no hit.JPG|left|200px|thumb|It's like they're being shot at by Decepticon Targetmasters.]]

On [[Goo]], the [[Decepticon]]s open fire on the [[Autobot]]s (and miss spectacularly). [[Judge Deliberata]] cheers them on, until Grimlock slams him into the goo. As they get closer, Galvatron arrives, intending to punish the Decepticons for their "disloyalty". Upon seeing (and being shot by) their long-lost leader, the Decepticons repledge their loyalty to Galvatron and tell him that they were bribed into following the [[Quintesson]]s for [[Energon (fuel)|energon]]. Galvatron is not happy and decides to punish the Quintessons for their usurpation.

On Goo, the Autobots find the control center, and Rodimus Prime and Ultra Magnus find out that the planet is a garbage collection system for the [[Junkion (species)|Junkions]]. Contacting Wreck-Gar, they request assistance after managing to "talk [[Television|Teevee]]".

On [[Io]], Blurr and Wheelie are under attack by the [[lipole]]s, who are ferociously flapping their wings in the two Autobots' faces. Wheelie is overtaken, but tells Blurr to leave him and take Metroplex's [[transformation cog]]. Instead of leaving his comrade to die, Blurr heads right into the thick of the swarm. [[Marissa Faireborn]] arrives and manages to drive off the lipoles, but a number of them transform into missiles and destroy her ship. The three begin a search through the ship's wreckage, hoping that the communications are still working.

[[Image:FFOD4 Autobots lipoles.JPG|right|200px|thumb|"I'm Batman." "No, I'm Batman." "Hey, I'm Batman!" "I'm Man-bat."]]

Galvatron introduces himself by firing on the Quintesson ship. Realizing that Galvatron must be handled differently, the Quintessons offer an alliance with the Decepticons against the Autobots, but Galvatron says he never asked for their help. They offer Galvatron the [[Decepticon Matrix|Decepticon Matrix of Leadership]], but Galvatron simply demands it in exchange for letting them live. The Quintessons say that their lives are not enough, and that the Autobots must be destroyed.

Galvatron attacks the Autobots, but the Junkions arrive and melt the goo out from under the Autobots, sucking them right through the planet. Judge Deliberata winds up getting ejected in the process. Galvatron destroys Goo, but by the time he's done, the Junkions and Autobots have fled.

Heading back to the ship, Galvatron rants at the Quintessons, who counter that they would be powerful allies. Galvatron demands to know why the Quintessons haven't destroyed the Autobots themselves. They explain that the Autobots have been made unpredictable by their interactions with the [[human]]s. Sneering at the Quintessons' fear of the flesh creatures, Galvatron agrees to an alliance. The Decepticons cry "Hail Galvatron!" to affirm their support of their leader, and even the Quintessons give out a shout.

[[Image:RodimusBack.jpg|left|200px|thumb|No thanks, I can hold down this pile by myself.]]

On [[Junkion (planet)|the Planet of Junk]], Wreck-Gar restores Springer to life. However, Rodimus is not as cheered up as expected. He has questions about the Quintessons—about their hostility towards the Autobots, how they know so much about them, and about their intentions. Rodimus has become convinced that the answers behind the Quintessons lie in the [[Matrix of Leadership|Matrix]], but he still doesn't know how to consult the wisdom of the ages. Springer makes a sarcastic suggestion, saying that he should just come close to death again. Although Arcee says not to do that, Springer assures her that Rodimus is not as stupid as he looks. Wandering off, the [[Supreme Commander|Autobot commander]] short-circuits himself and falls unconscious.

[[Image:Ancientrobot ffod.jpg|thumb|right|200px| ]]

Rodimus enters the Matrix, where he is greeted by the spirits of the [[Ancient Autobots]], who show him the face of the creators of the Transformers...the Quintessons! Eons ago, the Quintessons used [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] as a factory to build two lines of robots: consumer goods and military hardware, who evolved into the Autobots and the Decepticons, respectively. Millennia of torturous abuse led the Autobots to rebel and drive the Quintessons off Cybertron. Afterwards, the Cybertronians warred with each other for control, which was ended when the Autobots developed the art of [[transformation]]. A [[Golden Age]] followed, which was ended when the Decepticons mastered transformation and created a new leader: [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]]. He killed the [[U-Haul Robot|Matrix-bearer]], who passed the Matrix to [[Alpha Trion (G1)|Alpha Trion]], one of the oldest among them. However, Alpha Trion did not take the Matrix for himself, but gave it another who would challenge Megatron. This was [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]], who became the [[Prime (rank)|Autobot leader]] for the [[Great War (G1)|Third Cybertronian War]], which has raged for nine million years and continues to rage even now.

Rodimus reactivates to find Springer and Arcee seriously freaked out. Dismissing their concerns, he tells them that they need to get to Cybertron as soon as possible.

[[Image:FFOD4 Trypticon lives.JPG|left|200px|thumb|When a guy has cannons for a tongue, it's time to panic.]]

Near Cybertron, Galvatron and the Quintessons plot their strategy. They will attack on two fronts: [[Autobot City]] and Cybertron. On [[Earth]], the [[Constructicon (G1)|Constructicons]] are making changes to a human city. At dawn, they activate a transformation sequence, and the city begins to change. As the humans flee, the dust settles to the ground. In the place of the city now stands...Trypticon!

On Cybertron, an [[Earth Defense Command]] ship requests emergency landing clearance. Perceptor warns that it might be a trick, but Kup refuses to allow a ship full of innocents to perish, giving them clearance to land. But the ship instead crashes into Cybertron's central power facility, shutting down the planet's defenses. Storming from the Quintesson ships, Galvatron leads the Decepticons in an attack. Aboard the vessels, the Quintessons are pleased, for soon the Autobots will be destroyed, and then they will deal with the Decepticons.

[[Five Faces of Darkness, Part 5|To be concluded...]]

{{-}}

==Featured Characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
* [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]] (5)
* [[Hot Rod (G1)|Rodimus Prime]] (6)
* [[Arcee (G1)|Arcee]] (7)
* [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]] (8)
* [[Kup (G1)|Kup]] (10)
* [[Slag (G1)|Slag]] (11)
* [[Skydive (G1 Aerialbot)|Skydive]] (18)
* [[Wreck-Gar (G1)|Wreck-Gar]] (19)
* [[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]] (21)
* [[Blurr (G1)|Blurr]] (22)
* [[Wheelie (G1)|Wheelie]] (23)
* [[Air Raid (G1)|Air Raid]] (25)
* [[Springer (G1)|Springer]] (28)
* "[[Ancient Robot]]" (29)
* "[[Powerful Robot]]" (30)
* "[[U-Haul Robot]]" (31)
* "[[Brooding Robot|Brooding Robot ]]" (32)
* "[[Pre-Transformer (character)|Pre-Transformer]]" (35)
* "[[New Narrator]]" (36)
* [[Alpha Trion (G1)|Alpha Trion]] (45)
* [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] (46)
* [[Perceptor (G1)|Perceptor]] (49)
* [[Cosmos (G1)|Cosmos]] (50)

|c2=
* [[Dead End (G1)|Dead End]] (1)
* [[Blast Off (G1)|Blast Off]] (2)
* [[Swindle (G1)|Swindle]] (3)
* [[Ramjet (G1)|Ramjet]] (12)
* [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]] (13)
* [[Scourge (G1)|Scourge]] (14)
* [[Cyclonus (G1)|Cyclonus]] (15)
* [[Sweep]]s (16)
* [[Motormaster]] (17)
* [[Octane]] (26)
* [[Soundwave (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Soundwave]] (27)
* [[Early Decepticon leader]] (33)
* [[Early Decepticons]] (34)
* [[Bonecrusher (G1)|Bonecrusher]] (37)
* [[Long Haul (G1)|Long Haul]] (38)
* [[Mixmaster (G1)|Mixmaster]] (39)
* [[Scrapper (G1)|Scrapper]] (40)
* [[Hook (G1)|Hook]] (41)
* [[Scavenger (G1)|Scavenger]] (42)
* Two nameless [[Constructicon (G1)|Constructicons]] (43)
* [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]] (44)
* [[Vortex (G1)|Vortex]] (47)
* [[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]] (48)

|c3=
* [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike Witwicky]] (4)
* [[Marissa Faireborn]] (20)

|c4=
* [[Judge Deliberata]] (9)
* Various [[Quintesson]]s (24)
}}

==Quotes==
"Last big party of the summer, folks! Let's go out with a bang!" 
"Just once, couldn't your attitude reflect the gravity of the situation?!" 
"Not if I can help it!"
:—'''Rodimus Prime''' and '''Ultra Magnus''' have rather different leadership styles.

"Yes! Yes! Even if it means my life is forfeit, destroy them! Destroy th—ooh!" 
''[Tail smack]'' 
"Me Grimlock say shut your faces!"
:—'''Judge Deliberata''' annoys '''Grimlock'''.

'''Galvatron''': Now, Decepticons, learn the price of your disloyalty! Attack! 
'''Cyclonus''': Attack whom? 
''[Galvatron shoots Cyclonus]'' 
'''Galvatron''': EVERYONE!
:—Galvatron isn't so good with specifics.

'''Wreck-Gar''': Bulletin: You are in danger of being canceled or losing your time slot. 
'''Ultra Magnus''': What's he talking about? 
'''Rodimus Prime''': We're gonna get killed.
:—Rodimus shows the value of knowing a second language.

"He ran right back into the danger! My digital watch is smarter than that!"
:—'''Marissa Faireborn''' isn't impressed with Blurr's tactics

==Notes==
===Animation or technical glitches===
* [[Victor Caroli]]'s opening recap narration says that Quintessa "was detonated by the deadly Quintesson". Maybe a single Quint really did push the button all by himself, but the use of the singular is a bit odd.
* The first two shots, of the Decepticons pouring out of the Quintesson ship and firing at the Autobots, are loaded with too many screwups to count, as a mixture of made-up characters and off-model characters with the wrong color scheme pads out the background. An off-model Blitzwing colored like Air Raid is just one example.
* In the wide shot of the Autobots, Kup, Magnus, Arcee and Rodimus are in front. Grimlock and Deliberata are in back, and behind them are two guys that don't look like any of the Aerialbots (who remain AWOL throughout the sequence.)
* Just before Magnus starts to chastise Rodimus, Rodimus's torso is orange instead of red, and his waistline has climbed half way up his stomach, kinda like an old man being swallowed by his trousers.
* In the closeup shot of Rodimus and Magnus, yellow lasers are flying past them, despite the Decepticon lasers being pink in all the other scenes.
* How long do the Autobots intend to stand there without shooting back at the Decepticons? Why are they just strolling along without defending themselves?
* When Judge Deliberata is celebrating the impending destruction of the Autobots, [[Slag (G1)|Slag]] is shown with them, despite not being part of the group that landed on Goo.
* A subsequent shot gives us a better look at the crowd-filler Decepticons. In addition to Air Raid/Blitzwing, we have Ramjet missing most of his wings, with a black head, and one of his lasers on backwards. Every other character in the shot is entirely made up, though two of them appear to be using Octane's wing design.
[[Image:FFOD4 mass mistakes.JPG|right|200px|thumb|"Dead End, are we the only ones here NOT colored wrong?" "Who cares, Blast Off? We're doomed either way."]]
* In the next shot, as [[Dead End (G1)|Dead End]] and [[Blast Off (G1)|Blast Off]] are discussing how easy it is to destroy the Autobots, [[Motormaster]] is colored like Kup, [[Octane]] is colored like Grimlock, and an off-model [[Snarl (G1)|Snarl]] shows up colored like Rodimus Prime. Also there is an early version of [[Breakdown (G1)|Breakdown]]'s [[character model]] with Cyclonus' color scheme right behind Kup-colored Motormaster. What's more, standing near the miscoloured Snarl is a Decepticon coloured like Wheelie. Yikes.
* Dead End and Blast Off's conversation is screwed up more ways than one:
** "We owe this grand opportunity entirely to our new allies" is about as obvious a statement as one could make, yet Blast Off has to ask for an explanation.
** The explanation seems to come from Swindle, but he's not in the shot.
** The pointless explanation ("He means that what opportunities--") is suddenly truncated by Galvatron's arrival. Maybe he sensed the scene was going nowhere.
* Galvatron's lower helmet rim is gray instead of purple as he first appears. Man, AKOM sure does that a lot.
* More Decepticon generics and off-models after Galvatron arrives. A shot of the tail end of the mob includes Soundwave, Scavenger, Swindle and Onslaught all in white, a generic with Octane's wings, a generic with what looks like Rodimus's spoiler, and several totally made-up generic guys.
* When Motormaster is blasted by Galvatron, a white and red Onslaught is in the background.
* Motormaster has the wrong voice as he reacts to Galvatron's return. He has the right voice in his next line ("Spare me and I'm yours to command!")
* When the Swindle and Motormaster fly up to pledge their allegiance to Galvatron, the Autobot [[Skydive (G1 Aerialbot)|Skydive]] is with them for two different consecutive shots.
* During his "Sloppiness. Disorganization." line, Magnus has much smaller eyes than usual.
* Rodimus's spoiler ridge is so often colored yellow instead of orange that it's almost more noteworthy when they get it ''right''.
* After the Decepticons break off their assault, Rodimus and Magnus once again just walk right out of the inescapable goo.
* As Marissa's ship enters the Jovian system, it passes over what looks like a post-Movie Cybertron!
* Improbable viewpoints:
** Marissa's screen shows Blurr and Wheelie from a surface point of view, even though she's still high above the moon's surface. She reacts to this full-screen image of the two by saying "I think I've spotted them", as if there were some doubt.
* The inside of Blurr's mouth is blue as he frets over saving Wheelie.
* As Blurr charges back into the lipole swarm, most of the creatures aren't animated, despite being in the air.
* No wing-flapping in the shot of the lipoles surrounding Wheelie, either. They just magically bob up and down in the air.
* How does Marissa's jet pack support her in mid-air when she's upside-down?
* The jetpack's flames change from non-existent, to blue, to orange when Marissa lands.
* Galvatron is colored with a gray "goatee" after he blasts the Decepticon ship, and again as he climbs aboard. As he scoffs at the Quintessons, the whole area around his mouth is gray; the gray disappears as he turns and fires. The goatee returns as he rants at the Quintessons after destroying Goo. Then the beard returns as well.
* "Tell me? What?" The Quintesson in this shot is missing his energy beam.
* The Quintessons are pretty clearly mechanical, yet one of them makes a squishy noise when Galvatron slams him into the ship's deck.
* Deliberata is missing his energy beam as Kup takes aim at Galvatron.
* As Kup and company open fire on Galvatron, Bonecrusher is firing with them! In the background are two pipe-cleaner-thin generics.
* Galvatron rises back into the frame after destroying Goo, as if he just returned to robot mode, but there's no transformation noise.
* As Galvatron accepts the Quintessons as allies, his left hand goes from purple to gray and back.
[[Image:Generic palette swap.jpg|thumb|right|200px| ]]
* We see seven Sweeps aboard the Quintesson ship, the most we've seen so far in the whole mini-series. Some previous shots have indicated that there are as few as three.
* As the wimpy-sounding Decepticons hail Galvatron, two [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwaves]] are shown colored like [[Constructicon (G1)|Constructicons]], alongside a [[Seeker (body-type)|Seeker]] colored like [[Onslaught (G1)|Onslaught]].
* Seriously. No combination of known Decepticon voices would result in that chorus of "Hail Galvatron."
* On Junkion, Arcee continues to be without the bridgeline of her nose.
* When Arcee and the repaired Springer speak with Rodimus, the latter is drawn in his [[Hot Rod (G1)|Hot Rod]] form.
* The sprawled, unconscious Rodimus changes positions between the end of Act 2 and the opening of Act 3; specifically, his arms move from eagle-spread to down by his sides.
* The [[U-Haul Robot]]'s barbed mace phases through the foot of the [[Powerful Robot]] after it hits the ground.
* Vehicles based on Hook and Scavenger are used as generic construction vehicles during a shot showing the Transformers' freedom from the Quintessons (prior to inventing transformation). Or maybe all construction vehicles are green and purple on Cybertron.
[[Image:FFODHaul.jpg|thumb|right|200px| ]]
* When the Decepticons assemble Trypticon, [[Vortex (G1)|Vortex]] is colored like Octane and [[Long Haul (G1)|Long Haul]] is colored like [[U-Haul Robot]].
* When the Constructicons celebrate Trypticon's awakening, they're drawn as generics and colored like the core Movie Autobots: Magnus, Kup, Wheelie, and Arcee's color schemes are all visible.
* As Kup, Perceptor and Cosmos watch the incoming ship, Perceptor is colored like Grimlock, and Cosmos's arms are on backwards.
* Cosmos's voice lacks its usual reverberated echo.
* The Aerialbots who fly to intercept the ship are all colored the same light gray and medium blue. Only Silverbolt and Skydive are on-model.
* The horde of miscolored generic Decepticons is recycled for the attack on Cybertron.
* Really makes you wonder how [[AKOM]] actually gets work, doesn't it?

===Continuity errors===
* The lipoles have totally changed size since the last episode. Instead of a deep-throated growl, they now give off high-pitched squeaks. They aren't glowing anymore, either.
* The animation does absolutely nothing to tell us what's so bad about being swarmed by lipoles. From what we see in this episode, it would seem to be little more than a mild annoyance.
* Why doesn't Wheelie transform and drive to escape the lipoles?
* The animators and writers alike seem to have forgotten that Blurr's defining physical trait is that he's ''fast''. In this episode, he runs like a grandmother.
* Marissa's space suit has no visor or anything covering her face.
* Speaking of which, how can these creatures fly by flapping their wings when Io has only the thinnest of atmospheres?
* Marissa's demand that the lipoles "eat null rays" doesn't make much since, as an actual [[null-ray]] affects electronic circuits. Marissa's gun instead causes the lipoles to violently explode.
* On the other hand, her assertion that they are "bags of protoplasm" doesn't make much since either, since they can ''transform'' (complete with the transforming noise) into ''rocket-propelled missiles''.
* There appears to be some missing lines in the [[Ancient Robot]]'s monologue: "Now, the machines could manufacture themselves. And before long, they grew too lazy and greedy even for that. There were simpler ways to wring performance out of their slaves." The "they" in the second sentence clearly refers to the Quintessons, not the machines.
* How does one recycle a robot by dumping it into a molten vat?
* Where did those dancing robots get the cloth sheet things they're waving around?
* The ancient Autobot that gets knocked off of the motorcycle is a recycled character model; he was last seen standing alongside Wreck-Gar on the Junkion ship, just a few scenes ago!
[[Image:Megatronffod.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Ve must have ze brain on ze table! Chop chop!]]
* One of the most famous continuity gaffs of the entire series comes as the Matrix journey wraps up. A scene showing Megatron's creation millions of years ago is illustrated with him surrounded by Constructions. It's problematic because, according to "[[The Secret of Omega Supreme]]", the Constructicons weren't actually ''evil'' until ''Megatron himself'' reprogrammed them to be Decepticons. And according to a one-off line in "[[Heavy Metal War]]", Megatron and the other Decepticons built the Constructicons on Earth in 1984!
* On top of that, there's eight Constructions! None of them are really on-model; three appear to be entirely made up.
[[Image:Alphatrionagesbackwards.jpg|thumb|right|150px|Maybe the device that Alpha Trion finds in the first picture is a rejuvinator.]]
* Somebody forgot that we'd already seen an 11-million-years-younger Alpha Trion, back in "[[War Dawn]]"... and he looked visibly different than the elderly Trion of 1985! He is shown in his "elderly" design when he receives the matrix from the dying Autobot leader; chronologically, the events of "[[War Dawn]]" happen after this, but in that epiosde he's portrayed with a much younger look.
* The Constructicons build (or rebuild, depending on whether you're watching [[Transformers 2010 (franchise)|2010]]) [[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]] out of a human city overnight. And no one notices.
* The idea of rebuilding a human city into a Transformer only makes any sense if the city was made ''entirely of metal''.
* Trypticon is seemingly brought to life without the use of [[Vector Sigma]], which we were [[The Key to Vector Sigma, Part 1|previously assured]] is the only way to grant life and/or sentience and/or "cybernetic personalities" to new Transformers. Of course, it's not as if he is unique in that respect: the [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobots]] were also made without the use of the computer, and Trypticon wound up being as dim as they are.
* Cybertron appears to have gotten a remodel since we saw it in the Movie. Who had time to patch up all those holes?

===Real-world references===
* ''Star Wars'' sound effects:
** The [[Powerful Robot]] attacks the [[U-Haul Robot]] with the sound of Ben Kenobi and Darth Vader's lightsabers clashing aboard the Death Star, and Luke Skywalker's lightsaber deflecting seeker bolts aboard the ''Millennium Falcon''.
** The Powerful Robot launches against his Quintesson overseers with the same Death Star firing/Alderaan exploding sound effect that Galvatron used in Part 2.
* Wreck-Gar's lines are mostly based on generic sales pitches ("Batteries not included", "for a limited time, your money back," "Doors closing at midnight!" hilariously timed to coincide with Galvatron confronting a closing donut hole of goo). A few lines have more specific origins, though:
** "Glad you used the dial, wish everybody would." parodies the "Aren't you glad you used Dial?" soap ad campaign.
** "Why'd you come on down to Goo?" is based on the famous "Come on down, you're the next contestant on..." catch phrase of ''The Price is Right''.
** "Wreck-Gar will put you in good hands" references the "You're in good hands with Allstate" insurance ad campaign.
** "You'll have Springer back faster than Snap Crackle Pop", the mascots of Rice Krispies cereal.
** "I believe in me" would reoccur as a Junkion mantra in "[[The Big Broadcast of 2006 (episode)|The Big Broadcast of 2006]]".

===Trivia===
* This episode features the second and final instance of Rodimus referring to Springer with the nickname "Springo".
[[Image:Pretransformer ffod.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Some looks never go out of style!]]
* Apart from Optimus Prime and Alpha Trion, the ancient (pre-)Autobots that Rodimus meets in the Matrix are identified in the shooting script as:
** [[Ancient Robot]]
** [[Powerful Robot]]
** [[Brooding Robot]]
** [[Pre-Transformer (character)|Pre-Transformer]]
** [[New Narrator]]
** [[U-Haul Robot]]

* The entire Decepticon army fails to hit a single Autobot when they are all grouped together on Goo. My, how energon depletion affects the [[Sensors|optics]].

* The original video cassette release of this episode featured some odd audio edits to the final scene: all of Cosmos's lines were missing, as were the fake pilot's claim that their "engines have just gone critical", and the Quintesson's declaration that their decoy worked and that Cybertron is helpless. The [[Kid Rhino]] DVD of this episode restores all the missing lines, but they are all once again missing on the subsequent [[Shout! Factory]] release.

==External links==
* [http://cybertronchronicle.freewebspace.com/cartoon-dossier/synopses/five_faces_of_darkness_part_4.html Dossier at the Cybertron Chronicle]

[[Category:Generation 1 episodes]]

Five Faces of Darkness, Part 3

2010-02-09T21:33:50Z

84.83.38.158: /* Continuity errors */

{{episode
|series=G1toon
|ep=68
|series2=2010
|ep2=3
|image=FFOD3 Decepticons Quintesson ship.JPG
|caption=Intimidating, but they can't hit a single 'Bot.
|title="Five Faces of Darkness, Part 3"
|production code=#700-88
|production company=[[Sunbow Productions]]
|airdate=[[September 3]], 1986
|written by=[[Flint Dille]]
|continuity=[[Generation 1 cartoon continuity]]
}}
'''Desperate to destroy the Autobots, the Quintessons make a deal with the Decepticons.'''

:''Japanese title:'' 惑星ゴーの罠 (''Wakusei Goo no Wana'', "The Trap on Planet Goo")
:''German title:'' "'''Die fünf Gesichter der Finsternis, Teil 3'''" ("The five Faces of Darkness, Part 3")

==Synopsis==
[[Image:FFOD3 Autobots vacuum.JPG|left|200px|thumb|"I'm Batman, and I can breathe in space."]]
Detonated by the Quintessons, the planet [[Quintessa]] explodes as the Autobots flee. They escape the planet's destruction, but their ship is smashed by a chunk of debris, sending the group hurtling through space. Eventually, Ultra Magnus calculates that they will soon impact an object, but isn't sure if it's a planet or a ship. Rodimus tells him to relax and enjoy the ride.

[[Image:FFOD3 Autobot shuttle boom.JPG|right|200px|thumb|Remember, Wheelie is on this ship.]]

Meanwhile, Cyclonus briefs Galvatron on the recent developments, including the creation of [[Outpost One|a space platform]] to guard [[Earth]]. Intrigued, Galvatron alters course, deciding to punish the [[human]]s for assuming that they could build something to defend themselves against him. Some of the [[Sweep]]s are unnerved by Galvatron's behavior, but Scourge tells them to shut up.

Blurr and Wheelie, carrying Metroplex's [[transformation cog]], arrive in Earth's [[solar system]], and spot Galvatron. They warn [[Outpost One]], but Galvatron destroys the station with ease, then turns his sights on the [[Autobot]]s. Fleeing to the planet [[Jupiter]], the Autobots are forced to abandon ship with Metroplex's cog and end up falling into the upper atmosphere. Galvatron uses his cannon to electrically charge a nearby storm cell, causing a violent and explosive reaction which disrupts the transformation cogs of both Blurr and Wheelie, and ejects them from the planet. The [[Decepticon]]s then depart for [[Chaar]]. Blaster sends warning to [[Mars (planet)|Mars]], where [[Marissa Faireborn]] of [[Earth Defense Command]] heads out on a rescue mission.

[[Image:FFOD3 junk collector.JPG|left|200px|thumb|Not Springer's finest hour.]]

Meanwhile, the Quintessons are contemplating how best to celebrate the death of the [[Prime (rank)|Autobot leader]], when they learn that Rodimus has survived. They conclude that they have no choice but to make an alliance with the one group who can help them: the Decepticons.

The Autobots crash land on a bizarre planetoid named [[Goo]]. They soon discover that they can walk in the planet's gum-like surface, but cannot get out. [[Kup (G1)|Kup]] points out that even though they're stranded, it could be worse. Predictably, a giant machine arrives and begins sucking up various garbage. Springer is caught and sliced up, and Rodimus is next. Despite Arcee and Kup's pleas, Rodimus stands his ground, letting the machine pull him up; he manages to clog the blades with some of the goo, causing it to crash. [[Judge Deliberata]] is surprised, claiming that the Autobots weren't programmed for self-sacrifice.

On Chaar, the Quintessons approach the Decepticons with an offer of [[Energon (fuel)|energon]]. The battered Decepticons are at first hesitant, but once [[Dead End (G1)|Dead End]] samples some energon and lives, the others dogpile on it. The Quintessons make their proposal: in return for unlimited energon, the Decepticons will destroy the Autobots for them. The Decepticons are nervous, saying that they can't take [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] in their present condition, but the Quintessons tell them that Rodimus Prime is on Goo with only a small number of Autobots to guard him. Although it's an offer the Decepticons are eager to accept, Blitzwing is suspicious of the Quintessons, finding them familiar. Motormaster decides to have a vote. The yays have it, but Blitzwing decides to remain on Chaar. The Quintessons are pleased, saying that the Decepticons will soon be theirs...again?

[[Image:FFOD3 Quintessons attack.JPG|right|200px|thumb|No wonder it can't shoot straight. There isn't a single straight line on it!]]

From her ship, Faireborn detects metal fragments which were blown all the way to Jupiter's moon of [[Io]]. On the surface of the Jovian moon, Wheelie and Blurr wake up, not realizing that [[Lipole|they aren't alone]]...

Arriving at Chaar, Galvatron is incensed when Blitzwing informs him that the Decepticons left following others, though he doesn't much care who. Galvatron vows to reclaim his rightful place as Decepticon leader.

On Goo, the Autobots are searching for a way to shut off whatever equipment is keeping the goo warm and soft, allowing them to smash their way out. Suddenly, the Quintesson ship arrives, and a fleet of Decepticons emerges, firing at the trapped Autobots.

[[Five Faces of Darkness, Part 4|To be continued...]]

{{-}}

==Featured Characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
* [[Hot Rod (G1)|Rodimus Prime]] (1)
* [[Kup (G1)|Kup]] (2)
* [[Arcee (G1)|Arcee]] (3)
* [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]] (4)
* [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]] (5)
* [[Air Raid (G1)|Air Raid]] (7)
* [[Silverbolt (G1)|Silverbolt]] (8)
* [[Blurr (G1)|Blurr]] (13)
* [[Wheelie (G1)|Wheelie]] (14)
* [[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]] (15)
* [[Skydive (G1 Aerialbot)|Skydive]] (17)
* [[Fireflight (G1)|Fireflight]] (18)
* [[Slingshot]] (19)
* [[Springer (G1)|Springer]]

|c2=
* [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]] (9)
* [[Cyclonus (G1)|Cyclonus]] (10)
* [[Scourge (G1)|Scourge]] (11)
* [[Sweep]]s (12)
* [[Motormaster]] (20)
* [[Astrotrain (G1)|Astrotrain]] (21)
* [[Breakdown (G1)|Breakdown]] (22)
* [[Wildrider]] (23)
* [[Dead End (G1)|Dead End]] (24)
* [[Bonecrusher (G1)|Bonecrusher]] (25)
* [[Hook (G1)|Hook]] (26)
* [[Scavenger (G1)|Scavenger]] (27)
* [[Scrapper (G1)|Scrapper]] (28)
* [[Shrapnel (G1)|Shrapnel]] (29)
* [[Kickback (G1)|Kickback]] (30)
* [[Soundwave (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Soundwave]] (31)
* [[Onslaught (G1)|Onslaught]] (32)
* [[Swindle (G1)|Swindle]] (33)
* [[Drag Strip]] (34)
* [[Brawl (G1)|Brawl]] (35)
* [[Vortex (G1)|Vortex]] (36)
* [[Ramjet (G1)|Ramjet]] (37)
* [[Blitzwing (G1)|Blitzwing]] (38)
* [[Rumble (G1)|Rumble]] (39)
* [[Thrust (G1)|Thrust]] (40)
* [[Dirge (G1)|Dirge]] (42)
* [[Mixmaster (G1)|Mixmaster]] (43)

|c3=
* [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike Witwicky]] (6)

|c4=
* [[Judge Deliberata]] (7)
* [[Quintesson]]s (16)
* [[Lipole]] (41)
}}

==Quotes==
"My guidance system is hit! Galvatron, save meeeEEE!" 
"Please meet your end with dignity! I despise whiners!"
:—A '''Sweep''' is left to die by '''Galvatron'''

'''Sweep 1''': This is blowing out my audio sensors. 
'''Sweep 2''': It's torture! 
'''Galvatron''': Hahah, no, no! It's music. The symphony of destruction, and the anthem of agony!
:—Galvatron really needs to see a head doctor.

'''Cyclonus''': Bravo, Galvatron. The Autobots' destruction is assured. 
'''Galvatron''': Assured is not enough. I told you I want their heads, Cyclonus! 
''[moments later]'' 
'''Cyclonus''': Mighty Galvatron... where are the Autobots' heads?! 
'''Galvatron''': ''[whacks him]'' What does it matter? Their destruction is assured!
:—Consistency is not Galvatron's strong suit.

"How pleasant the feeling, to know the Autobots and their Matrix of Leadership have been destroyed." 
"I could watch it over and over again." 
"It is a day so long in coming that I am uncertain how to celebrate it." 
"Perhaps... a quiet chuckle." 
"Very well then. Let us... chuckle."
:—The '''Quintessons''' loved it. It was much better than ''Cats''.

'''Quintesson''': We have not come to kill you. We have come to offer you a proposition. 
'''Dead End''': Uh—Swindle! I think this is your department. 
'''Swindle''': First, see if we can trust 'em. Taste one of the energon cubes.
:—Send the guy named "Swindle" to negotiate. Always a good idea.

"Forget everything I told you about heroism, RUN!"
:—'''Kup''' decides to change his tune when Rodimus Prime nearly faces death by alien garbage truck.

"Well?! Where are they?" 
"You, uh... pose an interesting question, my lord."
:—'''Galvatron''' and '''Cyclonus''' wonder where the Decepticon army went.

"Mark this moment well. For when the Decepticons eliminate the Autobots, they take the first step to their own destruction as well."
:—A '''Quintesson'''

==Notes==
===Animation or technical glitches===
* The inside of Magnus's mouth is red as he announces the Autobots' trajectory.
* As Galvatron exits the warp gate, the gate's energy is shown streaming out of it. The previous scene showed the energy precisely confined within the gate's boundaries; later portrayals of warp gates would remain consistent with this. It looks like the animators might have conflated a view of Galvatron's passage within the warp gate with a view of space outside it.
* As Blurr decides to try and lose Galvatron around Jupiter, his lip flap is far slower than his rate of speech. In the same scene, Wheelie's voice starts getting higher. Just wait, it'll get worse.
* The first shot of this sequence has Blurr and Wheelie standing around and staring at a blank wall for no apparent reason; there were probably supposed to be controls and view screens there.
* The establishing shot of [[Autobot City]] shows some waterfalls that aren't moving at all. (That makes up for the frozen waterfall that [[The Core|spontaneously unfroze]] last season.)
* The EDC base on [[Mars (planet)|Mars]] totally changes shape and size between its two establishing shots.
* When Galvatron transforms to destroy the Autobot shuttle, his arm-mounted cannon flies off of his arm and off-screen... and a new one emerges from his body to replace it in his cannon mode.
* Improbable viewpoints:
** The Quintessons get a tracking pan view of Rodimus and company floating through space. (Four of the five Aerialbots are missing; only Air Raid is shown.)
* The mouth of the Quintesson reporting the Autobots' trajectory turns gray instead of black for several frames.
* All five of the Aerialbots are supposed to be with Rodimus & company, but only Silverbolt and Air Raid are actually shown.
* It's an AKOM episode, so watch for Grimlock's outdated head design.
* When the Autobots land on Goo, only the skull face of Deliberata is shown arriving. A second later, Kup picks up the same skull face before dropping it back into the goo. Did that one face just fall off?
* Rodimus has his early-casting voice when he says "I don't think it's the welcome wagon". In the same scene, the inside of Magnus's mouth is blue.
* Silverbolt doesn't move his mouth when he says "I'll fly over and see."
* The idea is that the erupting storm blasts Wheelie and Blurr out of Jupiter's atmosphere, but the animation makes it look like they just randomly start flying that way.
* Wheelie says he can't control his transformations, but he doesn't actually transform.
* After having a gray gun last episode, Rodimus is back to the red gun he had in [[Five Faces of Darkness, Part 1|Part 1]].
* Rodimus's lower legs are orange instead of red in the second shot of him and the others firing at the garbage scow.
* Springer says "No go!" about his failure to escape from the goo before he's even activated his rotor blades.
* Springer returns to robot mode with no transformation noise.
* Rodimus's spoiler ridge is yellow instead of orange:
** As he leads the others to try and help Springer.
** During the whole sequence of him bringing down the garbage scow.
* When Rodimus reacts to Springer's destruction, his eyes are black instead of blue.
* Not nearly enough Springer parts come out of the machine to make up the complete Springer.
* "They wanna make a deal with us" is spoken in Swindle's voice, but Blitzwing is shown speaking.
* Astrotrain is missing some details on his back as he dives on the energon cube pile.
* Magnus has a red mouth interior again as he reacts to Rodimus stopping the garbage scow; the underside rim of his helmet is also ''huge''. And gray instead of blue.
* Quintesson Deliberata finally pops up again when he's needed to speak a line, after being absent for the entire preceding sequence. His skull face is properly attached, so, we may never know what was up with the skull face that Kup dropped into the goo.
* The establishing shot of Chaar is pretty clearly Goo, which we just left in the previous scene.
* As Swindle denounces the Quints' offer, the top of his torso is purple instead of yellow, and Drag Strip's head is yellow instead of brown.
[[Image:Combaticons bruticus.jpg|right|200px|thumb|The Decepticons are resorting to animation errors to boost their troop numbers.]]
[[Image:Aerilabotindecepticons.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Ah hah, so THAT'S why he isn't on Goo.]]
* The entire next sequence is an infamous continuity and animation FUBAR, as the Decepticons seem to teleport all over the place between shots:
** When the Decepticons react to "Destroy the Autobots", Motormaster is shown with Swindle and Drag Strip. The previous shot ("That means it probably is.) had Wildrider in that spot.
** Onslaught very clearly ''walks'' up to protest the Quintessons' proposal of attacking Cybertron. The next shot is a reaction shot of the [[Combaticon (G1)|Combaticons]], with Onslaught down on his knees, and reacting in protest to his own statement! Swindle is also on his knees behind him, even though he was shown with some Stunticons just a shot before. AKOM cheats some "expressive" motion from the Combaticons by just sliding static drawings of them around on the background. Best of all, [[Bruticus (G1)|Bruticus]] - the combined form of the five Combaticons - is standing right behind them! His legs are switched around, and he's the same size as his components.
** In the next shot of the Decepticons, Onslaught is now sitting next to Soundwave and Astrotrain, and Swindle is now behind Dead End.
** [[Rumble (G1)|Rumble]] is the size of [[Octane]] and [[Soundwave (G1)|Soundwave]].
** The first shot of Blitzwing ("They lie!") shows him behind Rumble and Octane, but when we switch to a view from behind him, he's alone.
** In the wide shot as Dead End agrees with the plan, the Autobot [[Fireflight (G1)|Fireflight]] is shown sitting with the Decepticons. Same shot: Drag Strip's head is yellow again. Amazingly, this shot actually consistently keeps Blitzwing behind Octane and Rumble. Dead End, Soundwave and Onslaught are also still together, but Astrotrain has vanished from between them, and Rumble is in the space behind Dead End where Swindle should be.
** Yeah. It's bad, even for [[AKOM]].
* When the Quintessons say they must act quickly, one Quintesson is missing the lower half of his face and another is missing altogether, with just a telltale beam of energy where he should be.
* Only three Sweeps arrive on Chaar. The number following Galvatron up to now has been five to six. The Sweep in the rear has gray legs and gray back details, even though his siblings on either side are colored correctly. Subsequent shots show several additional Sweeps.
* Shots of Galvatron and his men flying over Chaar have Sweeps colored quite creatively:
** "We have fallen upon hard times": a Dirge-colored Sweep
** Panning shot: Swindle, Soundwave, and Dirge-colored Sweeps
** "Soon I shall raise the Deceptions": Bombshell, Grimlock, and maybe others.
* The top of Blitzwing's head is purple instead of yellow as he struggles to remember the Quints' name.
* Cyclonus's jet windows aren't colored in as Galvatron says "Who cares?"
* Wheelie and Blurr have switched positions from where they crashed; Wheelie was on Blurr's left, but now he's on Blurr's right.
* As he and Blurr awake on Io, Wheelie doesn't have his usual voice. The strained, high-pitched, whiny substitute used instead makes his usual voice sound like sweet music.
* The animation of the [[lipole]]s seems to portray them as giant walking beasts (and ''definitely'' portrays them as glowing and dripping acid from their fangs), with deep-throated snarls and growls. Nothing wrong so far, but next episode they'll be a swarm of tiny, non-glowing, non-acid-dripping, flying, high-pitched-squeaking creatures. Whether the animators misinterpreted the writer's directions in this episode, or the writer himself changed his mind between installments, remains unclear.
* Wheelie's final lines lack its usual processing (which was already not up to snuff in this episode.)
* Right in the middle of the discussion about how to shut off the inescapable goo... Rodimus just walks right out of it!
* Only Air Raid is shown during the final sequence on Goo; the other four Aerialbots are missing (again!)
* Rodimus says "What was that" in reaction to laser fire that hasn't happened yet.
[[Image:Shockwave5Faces.jpg|thumb|right|200px|My coloring scheme is illogical.]]
* Another infamous cluster follows as the Decepticons pour out of the Quintesson ship and fire on the Autobots:
** The first shot features a light gray [[Seeker (body-type)|Seeker]] with a Blurr-like head bobber (maybe someone at AKOM was reading "[[Decepticon Patrol]]"?) and Shockwave colored like Long Haul.
** The second shot features a clearer shot of Shock Haul, as well as [[Shrapnel (G1)|Shrapnel]], who was reformatted into a Sweep during the Movie. Behind them, Dirge is missing his wings.
** If that doesn't seem so bad, wait until the same sequence continues next time!
* Although both the [[Kid Rhino]] and [[Shout! Factory]] versions of this episode contain the correct unique opening titles for the story (one of only two parts of "Five Faces of Darkness" on DVD that do), the Shout! version incorrectly uses the soundtrack to the standard season three opening as now found on the broadcast masters to all five parts.

===Continuity errors===
* The Autobot ship which looks exactly like Broadside is destroyed in the explosion of Quintessa. Broadside himself shows up alive and well later in the series, so... apparently that wasn't Broadside.
* The Aerialbots are clearly capable of at least limited space flight, as seen both in the previous episode, and the later episode "[[Fight or Flee]]". It therefore seems a bit silly for them to be tumbling helplessly through space.
* Spike is in his civilian clothes when he boards the Autobot ship. When it's destroyed a few seconds later, he's got on a space suit. Even if that ''was'' the first thing he did the instant he set foot on the ship, it sure doesn't look like he'd have ''time'' to change into it.
* The animation shows Marissa pushing a button and saying "On my way!" The next shot shows her ship rocketing off of its launching rail. The net effect is that she seems to have just been sitting there in this angled ship, waiting around for a mission.
* Rodimus is shown standing outside the garbage scow after he brings it down. Considering it came down right on top of him, he should really be ''inside'' it. (Or under it.)
* Kup says to Rodimus, "I've seen a lotta brave Autobots do a lotta brave things in my time, but nothing like that." With all Kup's experience, it's a little hard to swallow that that's the ''bravest'' thing he has ever witnessed. Of course that is the kind of thing one would say in a situation like this rather than that is the second bravest thing. Would be kind of a downer.

===ERRORS. OF. ''SCIENCE!''===
* Cyclonus's first line is muffled as if he were communicating by radio to Galvatron. ''Technically'', that's actually correct, since they're in the soundless vacuum of space and should be communicating by radio. But it's inconsistent with every other portrayal of Transformers communicating in space, including the rest of this very scene. Anyway, wouldn't super-advanced space robots have hi-fi communicators that wouldn't sound like walkie-talkies?
* [[Trooper Sullivan]] is shown radioing [[Earth Defense Command]] with a hand-held radio as he's floating through space. The "mouth plate" of his helmet even moves as he does so. Unlike the super-advanced space robots, he does not get a "really talking by radio" pass for this.
* Jupiter's ring appears to be composed of scrap metal (instead of ice.) The planet itself is shown as a dusky orange instead of the banded red, white, brown and tan of the actual planet.
* The Autobot shuttle loops around a gray, homogeneous moon of Jupiter. It's not clear that this ''has'' to be [[Io]], but if it is, it's all wrong. The real moon is orange and red, with black and white splotches, and looks like a pizza. Later, when Wheelie and Blurr are ejected from Jupiter's atmosphere, a distant Io (for sure this time!) is shown looking a lot like post-Movie Cybertron, silvery with spikey buildings poking out into space.
* During the establishing zoom-in toward [[Earth]], two planet-like objects are in the foreground, in close proximity to the other. The smaller one is the [[Moon (moon)|Moon]], but there's no real-world body that could be the other one. The reddish color may mean it's supposed to be [[Mars (planet)|Mars]] (which comes into play in the following scene), but it's waaaaay too close to the Moon for that.
* Wow. Who knew that storms on Jupiter were so... ''flammable''?
* There probably isn't life on Io.

===Trivia===
* The sequence on Goo is the inspiration for the last portion of the ''Five Faces of Darkness'' custom title sequence, though in a clever spoiler-avoiding twist, Springer actually ''does'' get free from the goo in the title animation.
* Rodimus refers to Springer with the nickname "Springo". It recurs only once, in [[Five Faces of Darkness, Part 4|the next episode]].
* [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike]] mentions that the gooey substance on Goo reminds him of stuff he put under his desk in high school. Although this is disgusting, it does raise a valid question: did anyone see Spike actually go to school during the first two seasons?

==External links==
* [http://cybertronchronicle.freewebspace.com/cartoon-dossier/synopses/five_faces_of_darkness_part_3.html Dossier at the Cybertron Chronicle]

[[Category:Generation 1 episodes]]

Five Faces of Darkness, Part 1

2010-02-09T21:20:53Z

84.83.38.158: /* Continuity errors */

{{episode
|series=G1toon
|prev=The Transformers: The Movie
|ep=66
|series2=2010
|ep2=1
|image=FHE-FFoD.jpg
|caption=Boy, I sure did love that part in "Five Faces of Darkness" where [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Powermaster Prime]], [[Mainframe (G1)|Mainframe]], [[Cloudburst]] and [[Rev]] fought a giant floating Quintesson head.
|title="Five Faces of Darkness, Part 1"
|production code=#700-86
|production company=[[Sunbow Productions]]
|airdate=[[September 1]], 1986
|written by=[[Flint Dille]]
|continuity=[[Generation 1 cartoon continuity]]
}}

'''In the wake of Unicron's defeat, the battered Decepticons struggle to survive, and the Autobots enjoy a period of peace and celebration. But peace never lasts...'''

:''Japanese title:'' 新たなる戦い (''Arata Naru Tatakai'', "The New War")
:''German title:'' "'''Die fünf Gesichter der Finsternis, Teil 1'''" ("The five Faces of Darkness, Part 1")
{{TOCclear}}
==Synopsis==
''The closing scenes of [[The Transformers: The Movie]] show us the destruction of Unicron and the Autobots escape, along with their victory celebration on Cybertron.''

It is the year 2005. Autobots have reclaimed [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] while the Decepticons, now squabbling with each other for [[Energon (fuel)|energon]], retreated to the planet [[Chaar]]. Astrotrain returns to the planet with a pitiful number of energon cubes, resulting in a tussle as the Decepticons fight for their share. Cyclonus realizes that to return the Decepticons to fighting form, they need drastic measures.

[[Image:Blurr watching jazz.jpg|left|200px|thumb|Blurr would have that not-Jazz eat his vapor trails... instead he gets a date with rhyming boy.]]

Somewhere else, the first [[Galactic Olympics]] are being held. Blurr is griping about being stuck in a mission with [[Wheelie (G1)|Wheelie]] when he wants to join the events. But [[Perceptor (G1)|Perceptor]] wants them to go to [[Autobot City]] on Earth, to deliver the new [[transformation cog]] for Metroplex, as his old one was damaged during the [[Battle of Autobot City|battle]] the [[The Transformers: The Movie|year before]].

Meanwhile, the Galactic Olympics are being sabotaged. A [[Skuxxoid]] detonates the Olympic flame, raining smoke down on the area and allowing a group of Sharkticons to land. The Autobots fight back, but in the confusion, Spike, Kup and Ultra Magnus are kidnapped. Rodimus Prime immediately suspects Decepticon shenanigans and orders the planet quarantined, but they are unable to prevent the Skuxxoid's spaceship from taking off. [[Arcee (G1)|Arcee]] and [[Springer (G1)|Springer]] set off to find a spacecraft of their own so they can pursue it.

[[Image:FFOD1 Cyclonus in Unicron.jpg|right|200px|thumb|]]

Cyclonus, Scourge and the Sweeps sneak into [[Unicron]]’s head, still orbiting Cybertron. They're able to access Unicron's memory banks and watch footage of Rodimus's battle with Galvatron, culminating in the Decepticon leader being flung into space. Cyclonus then does some fast calculations and works out that Galvatron would eventually have reached the planet [[Thrull]]. There they see their leader soaking in the hot lava pools.

On Earth, Blaster and Outback go to the [[Socialist Democratic Federated Republic of Carbombya|Federated Republic of Carbombya]] to investigate [[Earth Defense Command|EDC]] reports of Decepticons in that country. Despite the country's ruler, Abdul Fakkadi, claiming that they would never harbour such criminals, the Autobots land. Outback, equipped with a “[[Decepticon detector]]”, then flushes out Dirge and Ramjet. The two Autobots get the coordinates of Chaar from them... which they report to Rodimus Prime who wants to go there to investigate.

[[Image:FFOD1 Springer Arcee threaten Skuxxoid.jpg|left|200px|thumb|]]

Arcee and Springer, meanwhile, have pursued the Skuxxoid to an asteroid, which he ducks behind. The Autobots follow, only for their ship to be seized by a huge claw. They evacuate the ship, only to find that the "asteroid" is actually a disguised spacecraft. Springer hijacks it from the Skuxxoid, who escapes in his smaller ship and then calls his benefactor to confirm that the Autobots indeed suspect the Decepticons to be behind the disruption. The [[Quintesson|tentacled, egg-shaped benefactor]] listens to the report and then tunes out as he sees their prisoners, Spike, Kup and Ultra Magnus, being led by a [[Sharkticon (G1)|Sharkticon]].

[[Image:FFOD1 Cyclonus Astrotrain energon.jpg|right|200px|thumb|]]

Cyclonus, Scourge and the [[Sweep|Sweeps]] return to Chaar, where the rest of the Decepticons are convinced that the solution to their problems is to have a strong leader again. They cheer when they hear that Galvatron lives, and are desperate enough that they give their remaining scraps of energon for reviving him. Rodimus Prime and Grimlock are spying nearby. Rodimus almost pities them, while Grimlock finds it funny (giving a rather possessed-sounding chuckle). Rodimus realizes that the Decepticons are too down on their luck to be the ones responsible for the kidnappings. Their cover suddenly gets blown and the Decepticons attack.

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
* [[Hot Rod (G1)|Rodimus Prime]] (1)
* [[Kup (G1)|Kup]] (2)
* [[Arcee (G1)|Arcee]] (3)
* [[Jazz (G1)|Jazz]] (4)
* [[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]] (5)
* [[Cliffjumper (G1)|Cliffjumper]] (6)
* [[Springer (G1)|Springer]] (7)
* [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]] (11)
* [[Sludge (G1)|Sludge]] (12)
* [[Perceptor (G1)|Perceptor]] (13)
* [[Slag (G1)|Slag]] (14)
* [[Wreck-Gar (G1)|Wreck-Gar]] (15)
* [[Warpath (G1)|Warpath]] (24)
* [[Blurr (G1)|Blurr]] (25)
* [[Wheelie (G1)|Wheelie]] (26)
* [[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]] (29)
* [[Outback]] (30)
* [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]] (34)

|c2=
* [[Astrotrain (G1)|Astrotrain]] (16)
* [[Hook (G1)|Hook]] (17)
* [[Scavenger (G1)|Scavenger]] (17)
* [[Scrapper (G1)|Scrapper]] (17)
* [[Long Haul (G1)|Long Haul]] (17)
* [[Bonecrusher (G1)|Bonecrusher]] (17)
* [[Devastator (G1)|Devastator]] (17)
* [[Menasor (G1)|Menasor]] (18)
* [[Shrapnel (G1)|Shrapnel]] (19)
* [[Kickback (G1)|Kickback]] (20)
* [[Cyclonus (G1)|Cyclonus]] (21)
* [[Scourge (G1)|Scourge]] (22)
* [[Sweep|Sweeps]] (23)
* [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]] (28)
* [[Dirge (G1)|Dirge]] (32)
* [[Ramjet (G1)|Ramjet]] (33)
* [[Onslaught (G1)|Onslaught]] (35)
* [[Motormaster]] (36)
* [[Soundwave (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Soundwave]] (37)
* [[Rumble (G1)|Rumble]] (38)
* [[Thrust (G1)|Thrust]] (39)
* [[Blast Off (G1)|Blast Off]] (40)
* [[Drag Strip]] (41)
* [[Breakdown (G1)|Breakdown]] (42)
* [[Wildrider]] (43)
* [[Octane]] (44)
* [[Skywarp (G1)|Skywarp]] / [[Thundercracker (G1)|Thundercracker]] (45)
* [[Tantrum]] (46)
* [[Swindle (G1)|Swindle]] (47)
* [[Dead End (G1)|Dead End]] (48)

|c3=
* [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike Witwicky]] (9)
* [[Daniel Witwicky (G1)|Daniel Witwicky]] (10)
* [[Carly|Carly Witwicky]] (28)
* [[Abdul Fakkadi]] (31)

|c4=
* [[Unicron]] (8)
* [[Skuxxoid]] (27)
* [[Quintesson]]s (34)
}}

==Quotes==
'''Cyclonus''': Once Decepticons nearly held the quadrant through terror. Now we scrap like [[slaarg]]s over a few energon cubes. Is this how you honour the memory of Galvatron?! Is this the fate of the mighty Decepticon Empire?! 
'''Astrotrain''': In the days of Megatron, it was not like this. 
'''Cyclonus''': You mean Galvatron. 
'''Cyclonus and the Sweeps''': Hail Galvatron! Hail Galvatron! Hail Galvatron! 
'''Astrotrain''': ''[Muttering to Menasor]'' Well, they were the same guy.
:—The Decepticons remember the good old days.

"Let's do it!" 
"Didn’t you want to say something about concord and tranquility in the galaxy?" 
"Aww, give me a break. ''Start the games!''"
:—'''Rodimus Prime''' and '''Ultra Magnus''' open the Galactic Olympics

"Ah, Rodimus is missing a few chips." 
"Nah, I was the same way until I got blown apart a few times."
:—'''Ultra Magnus''' and '''Kup'''

[[Image:Grimlock happy.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Perceptor and Rodimus watch as Grimlock does a jaunty jig on the enemies' heads.]]
'''Rodimus Prime''': This planet is quarantined. Nobody comes, nobody goes until we find Kup, Spike and Magnus. 
'''Arcee''': And what if we don't? 
'''Rodimus Prime''': Then we'll trash every Decepticon in the galaxy! 
''[A spaceship escapes]'' 
'''Springer''': So much for quarantine. I need a ship! 
'''Arcee''': And you’ll need a gunner! 
''[They both rush off, leaving Rodimus]'' 
'''Rodimus Prime''': Why’d I have to be the chosen one?
:—Rodimus is stuck with cleanup, while his former girlfriend runs off with his buddy.

'''Cyclonus''': There’s nothing to fear; Unicron is dead. 
''[They hear a groan]'' 
'''Cyclonus''': Must be the wind. 
'''Scourge''': There ''is'' no wind in space. 
'''Cyclonus''': Quiet!
:—Cyclonus and Scourge learn that [[Unicron|daddy]]'s still home.

"Our charts don’t show any planets in that sector—no, wait. Here it is. I thought it was a smudge on the screen. 
"Yeah, that fits the description of Chaar."
:—'''Rodimus Prime''' and '''Outback'''

"I say we pulverowderize the Autobots! I say we powderulverize 'em!"
:—'''Rumble'''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s inspirational rally.

'''Drag Strip''': These guys better have some energon for us. 
'''Dead End''': Or what? 
'''Drag Strip''': Or ... Well, I'll think of somethin'.
:-The Stunticons see the newer Decepticons return to Chaar.

'''Dead End''': If we surrender our energon, we're doomed. 
'''Breakdown''': If we don't, we're doomed, too. 
'''Dead End''': Face it. We're doomed.
:-'''Dead End''' is being as optimistic as ever.

"These guys are hurtin'. I never thought I’d feel sorry for the Decepticons." 
"Me Grimlock, not feel sorry. Me Grimlock laugh!" ''[snickers]''
:—'''Rodimus Prime''' pities the Decepticons, while '''Grimlock''' mocks them with a disturbing chuckle.

==Notes==
===Animation or technical glitches===
"Five Faces of Darkness" is one (five) of the most notoriously error-plagued episodes in the entire series. Brace yourself...
* Quite a few Transformer voices appear to be processed with a very heavy bass end in this episode, including Rodimus, Arcee, Outback, and Springer.
* Chaar's moon and sun are bizarre. If the opening animation is to be believed, the moon takes about 20 seconds to orbit the planet, yet when we see it again later, it's just sitting there. The moon also appears to set with the red dusk sky ''behind'' it. The red dusk sky is a red dusk sky despite the sun having passed overhead in the opposite direction. The red dusk sky is also visible along the horizon in all directions. Maybe Chaar sits in a nebula?
* Long Haul is missing when the Constructicons combine.
* After he knocks Astrotrain away from the energon cube, Devastator's mouth does some lip-flapping, but there's no dialog to go with it.
* Menasor's "hi-yah!" sword grunts aren't in his voice. He sounds more like an unprocessed Astrotrain or Bonecrusher. When he finally speaks a non-grunt line, he suddenly goes to his own voice, right after a generic-voice grunt.
* Devastator goes from his usual eyeband, to two large separate eyes as he grabs the energon cube, to two small separate eyes as Menasor whacks him apart.
* Menasor's first sword strike clearly knocks Devastator into his components (well, ''some'' components, anyway; none of them look like actual pieces of Devastator.) Devastator then re-forms with no transformation noise.
* When Menasor smashes Devastator apart the second time, only Bonecrusher, Scavenger, Hook and Long Haul are shown. Bonecrusher shouldn't be there (he didn't "have the energy to hang on"), and Scrapper and Mixmaster are totally unaccounted for.
* As a shot hits the energon cube next to him, Kickback grunts with the same generic voice that Menasor had earlier.
* Kickback is drawn with the more toy-centric version of his insect mode, wherein his robot face is clearly visible on the bottom of his insect head; he even visibly emotes and looks around with it. Most episodes portray him with his robot face concealed in his insect mode.
* The vehicle-mode Sweeps first show up in their incorrect "early" models, with their robot-mode heads sticking out of the top. This model would appear again and again and again through the series.
* As Cyclonus and company approach, Astrotrain finally completes his transformation to robot mode, but with no transformation noise.
* The first Sweep to transform and land is also missing his transformation sound.
* Jazz is shown winning the first race in the Galactic Olympics, but a few seconds later an announcer declares that "the winner is [[Munka Spanka]]." It's possible a generic character was intended for use in the scene and Jazz was mistakenly picked at random; however, given Jazz's prominent survival of the movie, it seems more likely that an editing mistake failed to portray the passage of time (and other races) after Jazz's win. Fans also have speculated that this was an intentional name change, prompted by the fact that [[Scatman Crothers]], Jazz's voice actor, had recently passed away, though why this would be necessary for a non-speaking part is unclear.
* The Quintesson monitor shows Magnus and company against a blue sky, when they'd been standing against an orange wall a second earlier.
* Improbable viewpoints:
** How did the Quints get that footage of the Autobots, anyway?
** Okay, ''maybe'' Unicron can monitor and record events within his own body. But does he really have a camera ''outside'' himself to show things like Galvatron flying out of him and off into the distance?
* In addition to lighting up, the button that the Quintesson pushes changes shape when pushed.
* One of the scrambling Olympians walks right through a column during the torch attack.
* Arcee and Springer's "cooking my sensors" lines carry an echo that shouldn't be there, as if they were in a soundproof room.
* When Rodimus starts shooting, he gets the second half of Optimus Prime's laser rifle sound effect. A second later, he gets the whole sound effect.
* How are the Sharkticons so consistently in shadow when ''everyone'' else is not?
* Rodimus is missing the "age lines" on his face as he threatens to trash the Decepticons, which basically makes him Hot Rod.
* The center piece of Rodimus's spoiler is yellow instead of orange as he watches Springer and Arcee leave the stadium.
* Cybertron's appearance has changed a LOT since the movie. The first shot shows it looking like one of its own moons, with almost no detailing. The second shows it with much more detailing, but still very different than its previous appearance.
* Cyclonus is far too large as he stands on Unicron's face, taller than Unicron's eyes. He should be a speck at that distance.
* One of Scourge's helmet rims is white instead of blue as he says the "no wind in space" line.
* Unicron's snoozing groan is recycled as Scourge spots Galvatron's hand on Thrall. Is Scourge supposed to be hearing Galvatron snore from across millions of miles of space?
* The helmet rim around Outback's eyes is consistently colored blue instead of light gray. This could be an alternate model sheet, given its consistency. Later episodes would show him with his eyes the same color as the rest of his face.
* Rodimus's "smudge on the screen" is a sharp, glowing, blinking dot.
* The Skuxxoid's ship is white when it leaves the Olympics planetoid, but light orange as Arcee and Springer pursue it through space.
* In an odd moment of [[Humanization|humanizing]], Springer and Arcee clench their eyes shut when their ship is grabbed by the claw.
* A repeat of the establishing shot of Chaar includes its moon (which, by the by, is a recycled Cybertron moon design.) This time, instead of warping around the planet, the moon is hanging in the sky, stationary.
* Two different pans across the assembled Decepticons show quite a few robots that don't correspond to any actual character. The characters are distant enough that the animators probably figured we wouldn't notice.
* Dirge is with the Decepticons on Chaar as they debate leadership. How'd he get back there from Earth? In the same shot, Soundwave's shoulder button is blue instead of white.
* Cyclonus has consistently had three Sweeps up to this point, but as they return to Chaar there's suddenly half a dozen of them.
* Drag Strip has a gray optic visor during the "I'll think of something" line. It should be red.
* The subsequent shots of cheering Decepticons are infamously screwed up. The first one features:
** Tantrum well before the Predacons have actually been introduced to the series. To be fair, the Predacons' later introduction is so ambiguous that it might not be a genuine screwup to have one of them present.
** An off-model non-conehead Seeker in Ramjet's colors
** Octane also makes his inauspicious debut here, without any sort of explanation or introduction, though it doesn't actually contradict anything to have him there.
* The second cheering shot has Soundwave with a malformed, half-colored visor.
* When Motormaster throws down his energon, Hook and Long Haul are standing nearby. When he falls over in the subsequent shot, they've both been replaced by generics in the same pose.
[[Image:Decepticons w galvatron.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Yeah! We're going to save that guy on the left from the deadly lava pools of Thrull!]]
* The third cheering shot ("Giiiiive till it hurrrrts!") features two more made-up Seeker models, a random blue guy, and ''Galvatron himself'' cheering for his own eminent rescue.
* As the Decepticons rally to attack Rodimus and Grimlock, two Motormasters run past the camera.
* When Cyclonus fires on the rock outcrop, some guy in Fireflight's colors is behind him. The subsequent shot of charging Decepticons includes several made-up guys.
* The line of charging Decepticons at the end includes a Seeker in Silverbolt's colors.

===Continuity errors===
* Most of the character screwups on Chaar are probably just cheap/lazy/screwed up animation, but Kickback and Shrapnel have a whole sequence dedicated to them landing, trying to munch an energon cube, and then fleeing, which is far too long and explicit not to be a scripted appearance. Both characters were supposedly reformatted into Sweeps during ''Transformers: The Movie''.
* Why does Astrotrain wait until he's landed to gobble some of the energon he's struggling to reach? Why does he actually take them to Charr when he knows that there are other Decepticons there who will probably fight him for those.
* So why didn't Menasor grab and eat the energon cube he just fought so hard for?
* Perceptor's description of the transforming cog is rather confusing. He introduces it as ''Autobot City's'' transformation cog, but then says "it controls ''Metroplex'''s ability to transform". This begins an ongoing trend of the cartoon dialog treating the two as if they were one and the same, despite the animation showing them as two distinct (though [[:Image:G1 Autobot City.JPG|sometimes related]]) entities.
* "How we gonna find the Decepticons? It's like looking for a needle in a haystack!" It would be, Blaster, except that they conveniently left their Decepticon insignias in place for you to see.
* How do Arcee and Springer hear the Skuxxoid's voice? He's inside a ''space ship'', and they're on the outside. Does the ship have its own external atmosphere?
* Voice consistency for the show's more obscure characters took a nosedive after the movie, starting with this episode:
** Ramjet has nearly the right voice, but it lacks the clipped mannerism that characterized his speech throughout the second season. Instead of sounding like an enforcer, he sounds... cheerful. In fairness, he occasionally lost that mannerism during Season 2.
** Onslaught's lines, beginning with "I admire your passion, my friend...", are provided by [[Terry McGovern]] in this episode, as opposed to his regular actor, [[S. Marc Jordan]]. Jordan would later be replaced again by [[Steve Bulen]] for Onslaught's final line of the series in "[[The Rebirth, Part 3]]".
** Terry McGovern tries on a brand new voice for Wildrider's two lines. He'll also develop a hick accent that he didn't have before in "[[The Burden Hardest to Bear]]".
* We never do find out why Cyclonus is carrying around a big black box. It's not present in the next episode.

===Continuity notes===
* This episode picks up an unspecified amount of time after ''[[The Transformers: The Movie]]'' (which had played in theaters during the summer preceding this episode's debut), and draws directly on many of its events. References include the [[Battle of Autobot City]], Unicron's head orbiting Cybertron, the loss of Optimus Prime, the rise of Galvatron, and more.
* The episode even opens with some of the closing scenes from the movie. The scenes were re-soundtracked with the cartoon's standard background music for television airing. A second movie excerpt, also resoundtracked, is used to show the end of Rodimus's battle with Galvatron.
* First appearances: Outback, Octane, Tantrum (who probably shouldn't be here yet) and Abdul Fakkadi.
* Dirge's "Death comes to he who crosses me," line is a slight paraphrase of a line cut from the original [[The Transformers: The Movie|Transformers The Movie]] script, "[http://www.physics.ohio-state.edu/~sstoneb/tf/tidbits/tftm_script.txt Death comes to anyone who crosses me.]" It was to be delivered aboard [[Astrotrain (G1)| Astrotrain]] as the Decepticons squabbled over leadership. Another iteration comes in the later episode "[[Starscream's Ghost]]" ("I know, I know - 'Death comes to anyone who hides behind my marker!'"), though Dirge is not mentioned by name.

===Real-world references===
* The [[Galactic Olympics]] are, obviously, based on the modern Olympic Games, including the opening parade of "nations" and the Olympic torch presiding over the events.
* Middle East tensions in the 1980s resulted in the poorly made (depending on [[Casey Kasem|whom you ask]]) spoof called [[Socialist Democratic Federated Republic of Carbombya|Carbombya]].
* In one scene, Blurr asks why Metroplex's new [[transformation cog]] wasn't shipped via [[Galactic Express]], an allusion to the fact that [[John Moschitta]] had previously appeared in a series of Federal Express commercials.
* ''Star Wars'' sound effects:
** Kickback and Shrapel fly in with ''Millennium Falcon'' engine whine, and take off with the ship's engine burst noise.
** Ramjet and Thrust get the TIE Fighter engine sound as they lose control amid Outback's explosive. Some ''Millennium Falcon'' engine whine can be heard as well.

===Trivia===
* In an interview with Flint Dille, he said that the Quintesson origin story came from "[[The Secret of Cybertron]]," an aborted script for the movie by him and his fellow writer, [[Jay Bacal]].<ref>[http://cybertronchronicle.freewebspace.com/60-astrominutes/flint_dille_2.html Flint Dille interview on the Cybertron Chronicle]</ref>
* When originally aired, this and the other four parts of the story all had a unique set of opening credits. Unfortunately, the DVD release of the mini-series only includes this opening on parts 3 and 5.

==Home video releases==
* Like "[[More than Meets the Eye (episode)|More than Meets the Eye]]" and "[[The Ultimate Doom, Part 1|The Ultimate Doom]]", [[Family Home Entertainment]] released "Five Faces of Darkness" on VHS, editing all five parts into a single movie-length adventure. However, the box art for this release was notably... '''odd''', being as it showcased four toys who did not exist at the time it was produced, and are thus ''not in it''. This might be explained away by the fact that the compilation came out in 1990—[[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Power Master Prime]], [[Rev]], [[Mainframe (G1)|Mainframe]] and [[Cloudburst]] were arguably [[To sell toys|more current toys]] than anyone actually featured in "Five Faces of Darkness". This does not explain, however, why the back of the box used screenshots from "[[The Rebirth]]" and "[[The Return of Optimus Prime, Part 1]]".

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0482022/ IMDb's page for this episode]
* [http://cybertronchronicle.freewebspace.com/cartoon-dossier/synopses/five_faces_of_darkness_part_1.html Dossier at the Cybertron Chronicle]

[[Category:Generation 1 episodes]]

The Key to Vector Sigma, Part 1

2010-02-09T21:15:56Z

84.83.38.158: /* Continuity errors */

{{episode
|image=Stunticons.jpg
|caption=Megatron's latest addition of troops. He's really going to regret this.
|series=G1toon
|ep=56
|series2=SRLFtoon
|ep2=42
|title="The Key to Vector Sigma, Part 1"
|written by=[[David Wise]]
|production code=700-55
|airdate=[[November 25]], 1985
|production company=[[Sunbow Productions]]
|continuity=[[Generation 1 cartoon continuity]]
}}

'''After being beaten by the Autobots once again, Megatron hatches a plan to create a team of Decepticons that will give him supremacy over the roads.'''

:''Japanese title:'' ベクターシグマの鍵 PART I (''Vector Sigma no Kagi PART I'', "The Key of Vector Sigma PART I")

==Synopsis==
[[Image:KeyVectorSigma1 Rumble carjack.JPG|left|200px|thumb|Rumble makes a good carjacker. Why are we not surprised?]]

The [[Autobot]]s are escorting a convoy of tankers which carry a new [[superfuel]] which the government has given to the Autobots. Things have been quiet so far, but [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] is wary. [[Prowl (G1)|Prowl]] thinks that the [[Decepticon]]s are unaware of the superfuel, when they take that moment to attack. [[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Megatron]] sends the [[Conehead]]s to attack, but they are unable to follow them into the tunnels and canyons on the road. Megatron himself decides to destroy the superfuel, but [[Smokescreen (G1)|Smokescreen]] manages to distract him, while Optimus and Prowl drive Megatron off.

Megatron is furious that the Autobots beat them, and decides to rectify the situation. [[Rumble (G1)|Rumble]] is sent to steal cars of various models, and [[Possum Brown]]'s truck, all of which Megatron alters with Decepticon technology, such as anti-gravity boosters and automatic [[force field]]s. Using a remote control, Megatron tests the cars' abilities. Rumble is amazed with their stunt driving, and Megatron decides that it's a good name. Bringing them about, he has them [[Transformation|transform]] into robot mode, and dubs them the [[Stunticon (G1)|Stunticons]].

[[Image:KeyVectorSigma1 Alpha wall.JPG|right|200px|thumb|"I'm not quite dead."]]

Learning that the Decepticons are making new soldiers, Prime realizes they'll need Cybernetic personalities to truly live, and there is only one way to do that. [[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]] takes a group of Autobots to [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]], where Megatron is informed by [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]] that he has located [[Vector Sigma]], the megacomputer that gave the [[Transformer]]s life. But they will require the [[Key to Vector Sigma|circuit key]] to activate it. The Key is in the possession of [[Alpha Trion (G1)|Alpha Trion]], and the Decepticons head for his lab. After a brief struggle, [[Soundwave (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Soundwave]] locates the Key and gives it to Megatron.

Arriving on Cybertron, the Autobots hurry to Alpha Trion's lab, only to find a dying Alpha Trion. [[Ratchet (G1)|Ratchet]] and [[Hoist (G1)|Hoist]] are able to save his life, and he explains to Optimus what Megatron intends to do. The Autobots head into the tunnels for Vector Sigma.

[[Image:Centurions.jpg|left|200px|thumb|We came, we saw, we kicked some ass.]]

In the tunnels, the Decepticons encounter [[Centurion droid]]s, which Megatron discovers he can control with the Key, and instructs them to attack the Autobots. The Autobots encounter the drones and, unable to destroy their attackers, retreat to a derelict hanger. Heading to Vector Sigma, Megatron activates the super computer, which gives [[Spark|life]] to the Stunticons: [[Motormaster]], [[Dead End (G1)|Dead End]], [[Breakdown (G1)|Breakdown]], [[Drag Strip]], and [[Wildrider]]. The Decepticons return to Earth, where the Stunticons are set loose on human roads.

[[Image:KeyVectorSigma1 Wildrider fly.JPG|right|200px|thumb|This isn't gonna end good.]]
In the hanger, Ratchet and Wheeljack set about repairing the damaged [[maintenance drone]]s which are scattered around, sending them out to fight the Centurions, with little success. Finally a column of maintenance drones marches off a cliff, and the Centurion drones blindly follow them. The Autobots reach Vector Sigma, learning that it already gave the Stunticons life. Optimus plans to use a series of ancient rockets and have them rebuilt as Earth style jets, planning to fight the Decepticons in the air.

At a human base, the Stunticons arrive attempting to make another attempt to steal the superfuel, and the soldiers believe they're being attacked by the Autobots.

[[The Key to Vector Sigma, Part 2|To be continued...]]
{{-}}

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
* [[Alpha Trion (G1)|Alpha Trion]] (19)
* [[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]] (21)
* [[Hoist (G1)|Hoist]] (16)
* [[Ironhide (G1)|Ironhide]] (15)
* [[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]] (17)
* [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] (1)
* [[Prowl (G1)|Prowl]] (3)
* [[Ratchet (G1)|Ratchet]] (12)
* [[Smokescreen (G1)|Smokescreen]] (2)
* [[Warpath (G1)|Warpath]] (4)
* [[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]] (18)

|c2=
* [[Dirge (G1)|Dirge]] (8)
* [[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Megatron]] (5)
* [[Ramjet (G1)|Ramjet]] (6)
* [[Ravage (G1)|Ravage]] (20)
* [[Rumble (G1)|Rumble]] (9)
* [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]] (14)
* [[Soundwave (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Soundwave]] (10)
* [[Thrust (G1)|Thrust]] (7)
* [[Motormaster]]
* [[Dead End (G1)|Dead End]]
* [[Breakdown (G1)|Breakdown]]
* [[Drag Strip]]
* [[Wildrider]]

|c4=
* [[Centurion droid]]s (22)
* [[Teletraan I (G1)|Teletraan I]] (13)
* [[Vector Sigma]] (23)
}}

==Quotes==
[[Image:Vector sigma.jpg|right|180px|thumb|The early concept of the disco mirror ball, which the humans stole, millions of years later.]]

"So much for your security, Prowl."
:—'''Smokescreen''', as the Decepticons attack

"I knew I'd never make it."
:—'''Dirge''', accepting his lot in life.

"No, Megatron, you'll have to blow us all up, and frankly, I don't think you have the guts."
:—'''Optimus Prime''' goads Megatron to shoot at the super fuel.

"Annnnd Mueller takes it! What in the world?" 
"You mean ''Rumble'' takes it!"
:—'''Race track announcer''' and '''Rumble''', who proceeds quite literally to take it

"Incredible! Not even the Autobots can do that kind of stunt driving." 
"Stunt driving...yes! Behold—the ''Stunticons!''"
:—'''Rumble''' gives '''Megatron''' an inspiration.

"This can't be the way those Deceptigoons came." 
"On the contrary, it definitely is." 
"What makes you so sure?" 
"Because who else would have sent ''them'' to kill us?"
:—'''Ratchet''' and '''Alpha Trion''' as the Centurion droids approach

"I am Vector Sigma. Before Cybertron was, I was! Who reactivates me?"
:—'''Vector Sigma'''

'''Megatron''': I am Megatron, your leader. Declare yourselves to me. 
'''Motormaster''': I am Motormaster. I swear loyalty to you! 
'''Dead End''': I am Dead End. I guess I'll have to do what you say. 
'''Breakdown''': I'm... I'm Breakdown. I'll obey too. 
'''Drag Strip''': I am Drag Strip. I ''live'' to obey! 
'''Wildrider''': I'm Wildrider! And I wanna bust something up!
:—The '''Stunticons''' speak their first words.

"Big ''and'' stupid."
:—'''Blaster''' on the Centurion droids who, in their zealousness, ran off a cliff to chase the maintenance robots.

==Notes==
===Animation or technical glitches===
*Megatron's left arm is white instead of grey when he gripes about the Autobots after the first attempt to steal the superfuel.
*Rumble's visor is the same color as his face when he steals the F1 car which will become Drag Strip. Oddly enough, it's red when the Autobots review the same sequence on Teletraan I later on!
*In the scene with the coneheads, when Thrust transforms, it's actually Ramjet's animation model with Thrust's deco.
*In one shot of the Autobots walking through a corridor, Blaster's mouth is jumping up and down independently of his face.
*When the Decepticons are chatting with Shockwave on Cybertron, Rumble's head disappears for a brief moment.

===Continuity errors===
* The central premise of this episode—that bringing new Transformers to life requires the supercomputer Vector Sigma—has already been contradicted by the creation of the [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobots]], and possibly the [[Constructicon (G1)|Constructicons]] as well (though that's [[Constructicon (G1)|a whole can of worms]] in itself.) Later episodes would likewise contradict it, showing [[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]] and the [[Technobot (G1)|Technobot]]s being brought to life without Vector Sigma. Optimus *sort of* explains most of this by saying "There's no place on Earth to give them Cybernetic personalities like we have", the "like we have" part insinuating that personalities from Earth would end up with low intelligence. For Trypticon and the Dinobots at least, this appears to be correct.
* Obviously the key is VERY important. Then why does Alpha Trion just have it hanging in his lab rather than keep it in a safe? Ok, he is old and perhaps a bit senile (given the mess in his lab) but THAT senile?
* Wheeljack comes out with the other autobots when Omega lands on Cybertron. After he delivers his next lines of dialog though, and the Autobots go into Trion's lab, he seems to be deemed useless for the rest of the episode. As a matter of fact, he doesn't do *any* repairs at all in the two-parter - including the maintenance droids, and the repair of Alpha Trion.
* Alpha Trion's lab looks significantly different than from his debut episode, and a lot messier (maybe he went on a drunken bender at some point). Also, if his lab was established as being so hard to find in that episode, how does Megatron instantly know where it is?

===Transformers references===
* Soundwave actually uses that gun on his shoulder while fighting the Centurion drones.
* Apparently, Vector Sigma isn't supposed to give personalities to robots created on other planets. Note how Megatron ensures Vector Sigma that the Stunticons are "Cybernetic Creations" like themselves, not machines created on Earth.

===Miscellaneous trivia===
* According to episode writer [[David Wise]] at various conventions (such as [[BotCon 2009]]), he was instructed to include Vector Sigma when writing this episode as part of the [[Hasbro]] episode mandates. Not knowing what Vector Sigma was, he pressed story editor [[Bryce Malek]], who in turn had to go to Hasbro to learn that Vector Sigma was "the computer that gave all the Transformers personalities". This caused Malek to respond: "Well, it didn't do a very good job, did it!"
*At the script stage, this episode had the uninspired sub-title "Creation of the Stunticons".
*The shooting scripts for both installments of this two-parter contain several "deleted scenes" which expand greatly upon some of the more significant events in the story. In this episode:
**"That blast" mentioned by Prime in the finished episode actually happens.
**While the other Autobots are busy down in the tunnels, Omega Supreme battles Shockwave on the planet's surface throughout the second act of the episode. Shockwave refers to Omega as his "old enemy," and is on the losing end of the fight until he gets his hands on a "cyberbomb," which he uses to defeat Omega, leaving him very badly damaged. There is a vestigial reference to this battle in Part 2, and further scenes relating to its consequences are removed from that episode, altering the nature of its turning point quite a bit.
* The tank vehicles seen at the army base are the M.O.B.A.T. and the Armadillo from the ''[[G.I. Joe (team)|G.I. Joe]]'' animated series.
* Rumble is shown capturing a Tyrrell P34 during a Formula 1 race, the year presumably being 1986. In actuality, the six-wheeler Tyrrell P34 was retired after the 1977 season, and did not appear again on any race circuit until 1999.

==Home video releases==
*''[[The Original Transformers]]'' — Volume 4: The Key to Vector Sigma (VHS, 2000)

==External links==
*[http://cybertronchronicle.freewebspace.com/cartoon-dossier/synopses/the_key_to_vector_sigma_part_1.html Dossier at the Cybertron Chronicle]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Key to Vector Sigma, Part 1}}
[[Category:Generation 1 episodes]]

Five Faces of Darkness, Part 1

2010-02-09T21:09:19Z

84.83.38.158: /* Synopsis */

{{episode
|series=G1toon
|prev=The Transformers: The Movie
|ep=66
|series2=2010
|ep2=1
|image=FHE-FFoD.jpg
|caption=Boy, I sure did love that part in "Five Faces of Darkness" where [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Powermaster Prime]], [[Mainframe (G1)|Mainframe]], [[Cloudburst]] and [[Rev]] fought a giant floating Quintesson head.
|title="Five Faces of Darkness, Part 1"
|production code=#700-86
|production company=[[Sunbow Productions]]
|airdate=[[September 1]], 1986
|written by=[[Flint Dille]]
|continuity=[[Generation 1 cartoon continuity]]
}}

'''In the wake of Unicron's defeat, the battered Decepticons struggle to survive, and the Autobots enjoy a period of peace and celebration. But peace never lasts...'''

:''Japanese title:'' 新たなる戦い (''Arata Naru Tatakai'', "The New War")
:''German title:'' "'''Die fünf Gesichter der Finsternis, Teil 1'''" ("The five Faces of Darkness, Part 1")
{{TOCclear}}
==Synopsis==
''The closing scenes of [[The Transformers: The Movie]] show us the destruction of Unicron and the Autobots escape, along with their victory celebration on Cybertron.''

It is the year 2005. Autobots have reclaimed [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] while the Decepticons, now squabbling with each other for [[Energon (fuel)|energon]], retreated to the planet [[Chaar]]. Astrotrain returns to the planet with a pitiful number of energon cubes, resulting in a tussle as the Decepticons fight for their share. Cyclonus realizes that to return the Decepticons to fighting form, they need drastic measures.

[[Image:Blurr watching jazz.jpg|left|200px|thumb|Blurr would have that not-Jazz eat his vapor trails... instead he gets a date with rhyming boy.]]

Somewhere else, the first [[Galactic Olympics]] are being held. Blurr is griping about being stuck in a mission with [[Wheelie (G1)|Wheelie]] when he wants to join the events. But [[Perceptor (G1)|Perceptor]] wants them to go to [[Autobot City]] on Earth, to deliver the new [[transformation cog]] for Metroplex, as his old one was damaged during the [[Battle of Autobot City|battle]] the [[The Transformers: The Movie|year before]].

Meanwhile, the Galactic Olympics are being sabotaged. A [[Skuxxoid]] detonates the Olympic flame, raining smoke down on the area and allowing a group of Sharkticons to land. The Autobots fight back, but in the confusion, Spike, Kup and Ultra Magnus are kidnapped. Rodimus Prime immediately suspects Decepticon shenanigans and orders the planet quarantined, but they are unable to prevent the Skuxxoid's spaceship from taking off. [[Arcee (G1)|Arcee]] and [[Springer (G1)|Springer]] set off to find a spacecraft of their own so they can pursue it.

[[Image:FFOD1 Cyclonus in Unicron.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Cyclonus has trouble getting Unicron's picture-in-picture mode to work.]]

Cyclonus, Scourge and the Sweeps sneak into [[Unicron]]’s head, still orbiting Cybertron. They're able to access Unicron's memory banks and watch footage of Rodimus's battle with Galvatron, culminating in the Decepticon leader being flung into space. Cyclonus then does some fast calculations and works out that Galvatron would eventually have reached the planet [[Thrull]]. There they see their leader soaking in the hot lava pools.

On Earth, Blaster and Outback go to the [[Socialist Democratic Federated Republic of Carbombya|Federated Republic of Carbombya]] to investigate [[Earth Defense Command|EDC]] reports of Decepticons in that country. Despite the country's ruler, Abdul Fakkadi, claiming that they would never harbour such criminals, the Autobots land. Outback, equipped with a “[[Decepticon detector]]”, then flushes out Dirge and Ramjet. The two Autobots get the coordinates of Chaar from them... which they report to Rodimus Prime who wants to go there to investigate.

[[Image:FFOD1 Springer Arcee threaten Skuxxoid.jpg|left|200px|thumb|]]

Arcee and Springer, meanwhile, have pursued the Skuxxoid to an asteroid, which he ducks behind. The Autobots follow, only for their ship to be seized by a huge claw. They evacuate the ship, only to find that the "asteroid" is actually a disguised spacecraft. Springer hijacks it from the Skuxxoid, who escapes in his smaller ship and then calls his benefactor to confirm that the Autobots indeed suspect the Decepticons to be behind the disruption. The [[Quintesson|tentacled, egg-shaped benefactor]] listens to the report and then tunes out as he sees their prisoners, Spike, Kup and Ultra Magnus, being led by a [[Sharkticon (G1)|Sharkticon]].

[[Image:FFOD1 Cyclonus Astrotrain energon.jpg|right|200px|thumb|]]

Cyclonus, Scourge and the [[Sweep|Sweeps]] return to Chaar, where the rest of the Decepticons are convinced that the solution to their problems is to have a strong leader again. They cheer when they hear that Galvatron lives, and are desperate enough that they give their remaining scraps of energon for reviving him. Rodimus Prime and Grimlock are spying nearby. Rodimus almost pities them, while Grimlock finds it funny (giving a rather possessed-sounding chuckle). Rodimus realizes that the Decepticons are too down on their luck to be the ones responsible for the kidnappings. Their cover suddenly gets blown and the Decepticons attack.

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
* [[Hot Rod (G1)|Rodimus Prime]] (1)
* [[Kup (G1)|Kup]] (2)
* [[Arcee (G1)|Arcee]] (3)
* [[Jazz (G1)|Jazz]] (4)
* [[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]] (5)
* [[Cliffjumper (G1)|Cliffjumper]] (6)
* [[Springer (G1)|Springer]] (7)
* [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]] (11)
* [[Sludge (G1)|Sludge]] (12)
* [[Perceptor (G1)|Perceptor]] (13)
* [[Slag (G1)|Slag]] (14)
* [[Wreck-Gar (G1)|Wreck-Gar]] (15)
* [[Warpath (G1)|Warpath]] (24)
* [[Blurr (G1)|Blurr]] (25)
* [[Wheelie (G1)|Wheelie]] (26)
* [[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]] (29)
* [[Outback]] (30)
* [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]] (34)

|c2=
* [[Astrotrain (G1)|Astrotrain]] (16)
* [[Hook (G1)|Hook]] (17)
* [[Scavenger (G1)|Scavenger]] (17)
* [[Scrapper (G1)|Scrapper]] (17)
* [[Long Haul (G1)|Long Haul]] (17)
* [[Bonecrusher (G1)|Bonecrusher]] (17)
* [[Devastator (G1)|Devastator]] (17)
* [[Menasor (G1)|Menasor]] (18)
* [[Shrapnel (G1)|Shrapnel]] (19)
* [[Kickback (G1)|Kickback]] (20)
* [[Cyclonus (G1)|Cyclonus]] (21)
* [[Scourge (G1)|Scourge]] (22)
* [[Sweep|Sweeps]] (23)
* [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]] (28)
* [[Dirge (G1)|Dirge]] (32)
* [[Ramjet (G1)|Ramjet]] (33)
* [[Onslaught (G1)|Onslaught]] (35)
* [[Motormaster]] (36)
* [[Soundwave (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Soundwave]] (37)
* [[Rumble (G1)|Rumble]] (38)
* [[Thrust (G1)|Thrust]] (39)
* [[Blast Off (G1)|Blast Off]] (40)
* [[Drag Strip]] (41)
* [[Breakdown (G1)|Breakdown]] (42)
* [[Wildrider]] (43)
* [[Octane]] (44)
* [[Skywarp (G1)|Skywarp]] / [[Thundercracker (G1)|Thundercracker]] (45)
* [[Tantrum]] (46)
* [[Swindle (G1)|Swindle]] (47)
* [[Dead End (G1)|Dead End]] (48)

|c3=
* [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike Witwicky]] (9)
* [[Daniel Witwicky (G1)|Daniel Witwicky]] (10)
* [[Carly|Carly Witwicky]] (28)
* [[Abdul Fakkadi]] (31)

|c4=
* [[Unicron]] (8)
* [[Skuxxoid]] (27)
* [[Quintesson]]s (34)
}}

==Quotes==
'''Cyclonus''': Once Decepticons nearly held the quadrant through terror. Now we scrap like [[slaarg]]s over a few energon cubes. Is this how you honour the memory of Galvatron?! Is this the fate of the mighty Decepticon Empire?! 
'''Astrotrain''': In the days of Megatron, it was not like this. 
'''Cyclonus''': You mean Galvatron. 
'''Cyclonus and the Sweeps''': Hail Galvatron! Hail Galvatron! Hail Galvatron! 
'''Astrotrain''': ''[Muttering to Menasor]'' Well, they were the same guy.
:—The Decepticons remember the good old days.

"Let's do it!" 
"Didn’t you want to say something about concord and tranquility in the galaxy?" 
"Aww, give me a break. ''Start the games!''"
:—'''Rodimus Prime''' and '''Ultra Magnus''' open the Galactic Olympics

"Ah, Rodimus is missing a few chips." 
"Nah, I was the same way until I got blown apart a few times."
:—'''Ultra Magnus''' and '''Kup'''

[[Image:Grimlock happy.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Perceptor and Rodimus watch as Grimlock does a jaunty jig on the enemies' heads.]]
'''Rodimus Prime''': This planet is quarantined. Nobody comes, nobody goes until we find Kup, Spike and Magnus. 
'''Arcee''': And what if we don't? 
'''Rodimus Prime''': Then we'll trash every Decepticon in the galaxy! 
''[A spaceship escapes]'' 
'''Springer''': So much for quarantine. I need a ship! 
'''Arcee''': And you’ll need a gunner! 
''[They both rush off, leaving Rodimus]'' 
'''Rodimus Prime''': Why’d I have to be the chosen one?
:—Rodimus is stuck with cleanup, while his former girlfriend runs off with his buddy.

'''Cyclonus''': There’s nothing to fear; Unicron is dead. 
''[They hear a groan]'' 
'''Cyclonus''': Must be the wind. 
'''Scourge''': There ''is'' no wind in space. 
'''Cyclonus''': Quiet!
:—Cyclonus and Scourge learn that [[Unicron|daddy]]'s still home.

"Our charts don’t show any planets in that sector—no, wait. Here it is. I thought it was a smudge on the screen. 
"Yeah, that fits the description of Chaar."
:—'''Rodimus Prime''' and '''Outback'''

"I say we pulverowderize the Autobots! I say we powderulverize 'em!"
:—'''Rumble'''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s inspirational rally.

'''Drag Strip''': These guys better have some energon for us. 
'''Dead End''': Or what? 
'''Drag Strip''': Or ... Well, I'll think of somethin'.
:-The Stunticons see the newer Decepticons return to Chaar.

'''Dead End''': If we surrender our energon, we're doomed. 
'''Breakdown''': If we don't, we're doomed, too. 
'''Dead End''': Face it. We're doomed.
:-'''Dead End''' is being as optimistic as ever.

"These guys are hurtin'. I never thought I’d feel sorry for the Decepticons." 
"Me Grimlock, not feel sorry. Me Grimlock laugh!" ''[snickers]''
:—'''Rodimus Prime''' pities the Decepticons, while '''Grimlock''' mocks them with a disturbing chuckle.

==Notes==
===Animation or technical glitches===
"Five Faces of Darkness" is one (five) of the most notoriously error-plagued episodes in the entire series. Brace yourself...
* Quite a few Transformer voices appear to be processed with a very heavy bass end in this episode, including Rodimus, Arcee, Outback, and Springer.
* Chaar's moon and sun are bizarre. If the opening animation is to be believed, the moon takes about 20 seconds to orbit the planet, yet when we see it again later, it's just sitting there. The moon also appears to set with the red dusk sky ''behind'' it. The red dusk sky is a red dusk sky despite the sun having passed overhead in the opposite direction. The red dusk sky is also visible along the horizon in all directions. Maybe Chaar sits in a nebula?
* Long Haul is missing when the Constructicons combine.
* After he knocks Astrotrain away from the energon cube, Devastator's mouth does some lip-flapping, but there's no dialog to go with it.
* Menasor's "hi-yah!" sword grunts aren't in his voice. He sounds more like an unprocessed Astrotrain or Bonecrusher. When he finally speaks a non-grunt line, he suddenly goes to his own voice, right after a generic-voice grunt.
* Devastator goes from his usual eyeband, to two large separate eyes as he grabs the energon cube, to two small separate eyes as Menasor whacks him apart.
* Menasor's first sword strike clearly knocks Devastator into his components (well, ''some'' components, anyway; none of them look like actual pieces of Devastator.) Devastator then re-forms with no transformation noise.
* When Menasor smashes Devastator apart the second time, only Bonecrusher, Scavenger, Hook and Long Haul are shown. Bonecrusher shouldn't be there (he didn't "have the energy to hang on"), and Scrapper and Mixmaster are totally unaccounted for.
* As a shot hits the energon cube next to him, Kickback grunts with the same generic voice that Menasor had earlier.
* Kickback is drawn with the more toy-centric version of his insect mode, wherein his robot face is clearly visible on the bottom of his insect head; he even visibly emotes and looks around with it. Most episodes portray him with his robot face concealed in his insect mode.
* The vehicle-mode Sweeps first show up in their incorrect "early" models, with their robot-mode heads sticking out of the top. This model would appear again and again and again through the series.
* As Cyclonus and company approach, Astrotrain finally completes his transformation to robot mode, but with no transformation noise.
* The first Sweep to transform and land is also missing his transformation sound.
* Jazz is shown winning the first race in the Galactic Olympics, but a few seconds later an announcer declares that "the winner is [[Munka Spanka]]." It's possible a generic character was intended for use in the scene and Jazz was mistakenly picked at random; however, given Jazz's prominent survival of the movie, it seems more likely that an editing mistake failed to portray the passage of time (and other races) after Jazz's win. Fans also have speculated that this was an intentional name change, prompted by the fact that [[Scatman Crothers]], Jazz's voice actor, had recently passed away, though why this would be necessary for a non-speaking part is unclear.
* The Quintesson monitor shows Magnus and company against a blue sky, when they'd been standing against an orange wall a second earlier.
* Improbable viewpoints:
** How did the Quints get that footage of the Autobots, anyway?
** Okay, ''maybe'' Unicron can monitor and record events within his own body. But does he really have a camera ''outside'' himself to show things like Galvatron flying out of him and off into the distance?
* In addition to lighting up, the button that the Quintesson pushes changes shape when pushed.
* One of the scrambling Olympians walks right through a column during the torch attack.
* Arcee and Springer's "cooking my sensors" lines carry an echo that shouldn't be there, as if they were in a soundproof room.
* When Rodimus starts shooting, he gets the second half of Optimus Prime's laser rifle sound effect. A second later, he gets the whole sound effect.
* How are the Sharkticons so consistently in shadow when ''everyone'' else is not?
* Rodimus is missing the "age lines" on his face as he threatens to trash the Decepticons, which basically makes him Hot Rod.
* The center piece of Rodimus's spoiler is yellow instead of orange as he watches Springer and Arcee leave the stadium.
* Cybertron's appearance has changed a LOT since the movie. The first shot shows it looking like one of its own moons, with almost no detailing. The second shows it with much more detailing, but still very different than its previous appearance.
* Cyclonus is far too large as he stands on Unicron's face, taller than Unicron's eyes. He should be a speck at that distance.
* One of Scourge's helmet rims is white instead of blue as he says the "no wind in space" line.
* Unicron's snoozing groan is recycled as Scourge spots Galvatron's hand on Thrall. Is Scourge supposed to be hearing Galvatron snore from across millions of miles of space?
* The helmet rim around Outback's eyes is consistently colored blue instead of light gray. This could be an alternate model sheet, given its consistency. Later episodes would show him with his eyes the same color as the rest of his face.
* Rodimus's "smudge on the screen" is a sharp, glowing, blinking dot.
* The Skuxxoid's ship is white when it leaves the Olympics planetoid, but light orange as Arcee and Springer pursue it through space.
* In an odd moment of [[Humanization|humanizing]], Springer and Arcee clench their eyes shut when their ship is grabbed by the claw.
* A repeat of the establishing shot of Chaar includes its moon (which, by the by, is a recycled Cybertron moon design.) This time, instead of warping around the planet, the moon is hanging in the sky, stationary.
* Two different pans across the assembled Decepticons show quite a few robots that don't correspond to any actual character. The characters are distant enough that the animators probably figured we wouldn't notice.
* Dirge is with the Decepticons on Chaar as they debate leadership. How'd he get back there from Earth? In the same shot, Soundwave's shoulder button is blue instead of white.
* Cyclonus has consistently had three Sweeps up to this point, but as they return to Chaar there's suddenly half a dozen of them.
* Drag Strip has a gray optic visor during the "I'll think of something" line. It should be red.
* The subsequent shots of cheering Decepticons are infamously screwed up. The first one features:
** Tantrum well before the Predacons have actually been introduced to the series. To be fair, the Predacons' later introduction is so ambiguous that it might not be a genuine screwup to have one of them present.
** An off-model non-conehead Seeker in Ramjet's colors
** Octane also makes his inauspicious debut here, without any sort of explanation or introduction, though it doesn't actually contradict anything to have him there.
* The second cheering shot has Soundwave with a malformed, half-colored visor.
* When Motormaster throws down his energon, Hook and Long Haul are standing nearby. When he falls over in the subsequent shot, they've both been replaced by generics in the same pose.
[[Image:Decepticons w galvatron.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Yeah! We're going to save that guy on the left from the deadly lava pools of Thrull!]]
* The third cheering shot ("Giiiiive till it hurrrrts!") features two more made-up Seeker models, a random blue guy, and ''Galvatron himself'' cheering for his own eminent rescue.
* As the Decepticons rally to attack Rodimus and Grimlock, two Motormasters run past the camera.
* When Cyclonus fires on the rock outcrop, some guy in Fireflight's colors is behind him. The subsequent shot of charging Decepticons includes several made-up guys.
* The line of charging Decepticons at the end includes a Seeker in Silverbolt's colors.

===Continuity errors===
* Most of the character screwups on Chaar are probably just cheap/lazy/screwed up animation, but Kickback and Shrapnel have a whole sequence dedicated to them landing, trying to munch an energon cube, and then fleeing, which is far too long and explicit not to be a scripted appearance. Both characters were supposedly reformatted into Sweeps during ''Transformers: The Movie''.
* Why does Astrotrain wait until he's landed to gobble some of the energon he's struggling to reach?
* So why didn't Menasor grab and eat the energon cube he just fought so hard for?
* Perceptor's description of the transforming cog is rather confusing. He introduces it as ''Autobot City's'' transformation cog, but then says "it controls ''Metroplex'''s ability to transform". This begins an ongoing trend of the cartoon dialog treating the two as if they were one and the same, despite the animation showing them as two distinct (though [[:Image:G1 Autobot City.JPG|sometimes related]]) entities.
* "How we gonna find the Decepticons? It's like looking for a needle in a haystack!" It would be, Blaster, except that they conveniently left their Decepticon insignias in place for you to see.
* How do Arcee and Springer hear the Skuxxoid's voice? He's inside a ''space ship'', and they're on the outside. Does the ship have its own external atmosphere?
* Voice consistency for the show's more obscure characters took a nosedive after the movie, starting with this episode:
** Ramjet has nearly the right voice, but it lacks the clipped mannerism that characterized his speech throughout the second season. Instead of sounding like an enforcer, he sounds... cheerful. In fairness, he occasionally lost that mannerism during Season 2.
** Onslaught's lines, beginning with "I admire your passion, my friend...", are provided by [[Terry McGovern]] in this episode, as opposed to his regular actor, [[S. Marc Jordan]]. Jordan would later be replaced again by [[Steve Bulen]] for Onslaught's final line of the series in "[[The Rebirth, Part 3]]".
** Terry McGovern tries on a brand new voice for Wildrider's two lines. He'll also develop a hick accent that he didn't have before in "[[The Burden Hardest to Bear]]".
* We never do find out why Cyclonus is carrying around a big black box. It's not present in the next episode.

===Continuity notes===
* This episode picks up an unspecified amount of time after ''[[The Transformers: The Movie]]'' (which had played in theaters during the summer preceding this episode's debut), and draws directly on many of its events. References include the [[Battle of Autobot City]], Unicron's head orbiting Cybertron, the loss of Optimus Prime, the rise of Galvatron, and more.
* The episode even opens with some of the closing scenes from the movie. The scenes were re-soundtracked with the cartoon's standard background music for television airing. A second movie excerpt, also resoundtracked, is used to show the end of Rodimus's battle with Galvatron.
* First appearances: Outback, Octane, Tantrum (who probably shouldn't be here yet) and Abdul Fakkadi.
* Dirge's "Death comes to he who crosses me," line is a slight paraphrase of a line cut from the original [[The Transformers: The Movie|Transformers The Movie]] script, "[http://www.physics.ohio-state.edu/~sstoneb/tf/tidbits/tftm_script.txt Death comes to anyone who crosses me.]" It was to be delivered aboard [[Astrotrain (G1)| Astrotrain]] as the Decepticons squabbled over leadership. Another iteration comes in the later episode "[[Starscream's Ghost]]" ("I know, I know - 'Death comes to anyone who hides behind my marker!'"), though Dirge is not mentioned by name.

===Real-world references===
* The [[Galactic Olympics]] are, obviously, based on the modern Olympic Games, including the opening parade of "nations" and the Olympic torch presiding over the events.
* Middle East tensions in the 1980s resulted in the poorly made (depending on [[Casey Kasem|whom you ask]]) spoof called [[Socialist Democratic Federated Republic of Carbombya|Carbombya]].
* In one scene, Blurr asks why Metroplex's new [[transformation cog]] wasn't shipped via [[Galactic Express]], an allusion to the fact that [[John Moschitta]] had previously appeared in a series of Federal Express commercials.
* ''Star Wars'' sound effects:
** Kickback and Shrapel fly in with ''Millennium Falcon'' engine whine, and take off with the ship's engine burst noise.
** Ramjet and Thrust get the TIE Fighter engine sound as they lose control amid Outback's explosive. Some ''Millennium Falcon'' engine whine can be heard as well.

===Trivia===
* In an interview with Flint Dille, he said that the Quintesson origin story came from "[[The Secret of Cybertron]]," an aborted script for the movie by him and his fellow writer, [[Jay Bacal]].<ref>[http://cybertronchronicle.freewebspace.com/60-astrominutes/flint_dille_2.html Flint Dille interview on the Cybertron Chronicle]</ref>
* When originally aired, this and the other four parts of the story all had a unique set of opening credits. Unfortunately, the DVD release of the mini-series only includes this opening on parts 3 and 5.

==Home video releases==
* Like "[[More than Meets the Eye (episode)|More than Meets the Eye]]" and "[[The Ultimate Doom, Part 1|The Ultimate Doom]]", [[Family Home Entertainment]] released "Five Faces of Darkness" on VHS, editing all five parts into a single movie-length adventure. However, the box art for this release was notably... '''odd''', being as it showcased four toys who did not exist at the time it was produced, and are thus ''not in it''. This might be explained away by the fact that the compilation came out in 1990—[[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Power Master Prime]], [[Rev]], [[Mainframe (G1)|Mainframe]] and [[Cloudburst]] were arguably [[To sell toys|more current toys]] than anyone actually featured in "Five Faces of Darkness". This does not explain, however, why the back of the box used screenshots from "[[The Rebirth]]" and "[[The Return of Optimus Prime, Part 1]]".

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0482022/ IMDb's page for this episode]
* [http://cybertronchronicle.freewebspace.com/cartoon-dossier/synopses/five_faces_of_darkness_part_1.html Dossier at the Cybertron Chronicle]

[[Category:Generation 1 episodes]]

The Transformers: The Movie

2010-02-09T20:59:04Z

84.83.38.158: /* Continuity errors */

{{disambig3|Transformers: The Movie}}

{{quote|Conceived in the epic tradition of ''"[[Star Wars]]"''...|[[Victor Caroli]] ain't just whistling Dixie, [[The Transformers: The Movie promo|''The Transformers: The Movie'' promo]]}}

{{episode|
|seriess=[[The Transformers (cartoon)|The Transformers]]
|prev=B.O.T. (episode)
|next=Five Faces of Darkness, Part 1
|seriess2=[[Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers (franchise)|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers]]
|prev2=Scramble City
|title=''The Transformers: The Movie''
|image=Transformersanimatedfilmposter.jpg
|caption=Featuring the deaths of all your favorite Transformers characters.
|production code=
|production company=[[Sunbow Productions]]
|writer=[[Ron Friedman]]
|directed by=[[Nelson Shin]]
|animation studio=[[Toei]]
|release date=[[August 8]], 1986
|continuity=[[Generation 1 cartoon continuity]]
}}

'''''The Transformers: The Movie''''' is an animated feature film based on the original Transformers toyline. It was released in the United States on August 8, 1986.

The film's storyline introduces a [[Scale|planet-sized Transformer]] called [[Unicron]] who eats other planets, and is approaching [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]]. As part of their continuing wars, the Autobots and Decepticons have a [[Battle of Autobot City|fierce battle]] on Earth which sees both Optimus Prime and Megatron mortally wounded. Prime passes the [[Matrix of Leadership]] to Ultra Magnus and dies, and Megatron is transformed by Unicron into [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]]. [[Starscream (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Starscream]] (briefly) assumes leadership of the Decepticons, but is killed when Galvatron arrives at Cybertron. Galvatron then chases the surviving Autobots on Earth across space, splitting them up and taking the Matrix. The Autobots find their way back to each other, and follow Galvatron to Cybertron just as Unicron transforms into robot mode and begins to eat their world. Travelling inside Unicron, [[Hot Rod (G1)|Hot Rod]] recovers the Matrix, transforms into Rodimus Prime, and uses the Matrix to destroy Unicron.

Often referred to by fans simply as "the movie" or "TFTM", the movie was a step up in almost every area from the television series, with a more sophisticated plot, more serious treatment of war and violence, a hugely ambitious scope and a greatly increased animation budget with well-known celebrities providing voice work. For these reasons the film remains very popular with children of the 1980s.

The film opens with characters who had been featured in the first two years of the toyline and associated media (cartoons, comic books, etc.), but quickly introduces new characters and kills many of the old ones to make room. In particular, [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]], [[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Megatron]], and [[Starscream (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Starscream]] are all destroyed during the course of the film.

{{quote|The Japanese have funded a full-length animated cartoon about the doings of these toys, which is all bad outer-space stuff. I play a planet. I menace somebody called Something-or-other. Then I'm destroyed. My plan to destroy Whoever-it-is is thwarted and I tear myself apart on the screen.|Orson Welles<ref>[http://books.google.com/books?id=KlqsYy512WIC&source=gbs_navlinks_s "Orson Wells: A Biography"] page 522</ref>}}

==Synopsis==
[[Image:TFTM_Unicron_Lithone.jpg|left|200px|thumb|That's no moon.]]

A mechanical planet travels through the depths of space, attacking [[Lithone (planet)|a metal planet]] which has [[Lithone (species)|robotic inhabitants]]. Robots, vehicles, buildings, and even large chunks of rock are sucked off the surface and devoured by the monstrous planet.

It is the year 2005, and the [[Decepticon]]s are now in control of Cybertron. The [[Autobot]]s are preparing to launch an assault to retake the planet from hidden bases on two of Cybertron's moons. The Autobots launch a [[Autobot shuttle|shuttle]] to pick up a final shipment of [[Energon (fuel)|energon]] from [[Earth]] before they strike.

[[Image:Tftm1986a.jpg|right|200px|thumb|I have a bad feeling about this.]]

Plans for the attack are overheard by [[Laserbeak (G1)|Laserbeak]], who reports back to [[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Megatron]]. The Decepticons attack the Autobot shuttle en route to Earth, wiping out its crew (including [[Ironhide (G1)|Ironhide]], [[Prowl (G1)|Prowl]], [[Ratchet (G1)|Ratchet]] and the [[Brawn (G1)|guy in the picture over there]]). Using the Autobots' own shuttle, the Decepticons are able to get very close to the Autobots' base on Earth, [[Autobot City]], before they are detected, and begin a devastating surprise attack on the unprepared city.

During the battle at Autobot City, both [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] and Megatron suffer mortal injuries, and a number of other characters are also killed. Eventually the Decepticons retreat, but the damage suffered by the Autobots has been severe.

{{note|For an extensive synopsis of the battle, see [[Battle of Autobot City]].}}

[[Image:Tftm1986b.jpg|left|200px|thumb|If you strike me down, I shall become more powerful than you can possibly imagine.]]

Shortly after the battle, Prime lies on his deathbed. He passes the reins of leadership to [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]] and gives him the [[Matrix of Leadership]]. (Though Hot Rod actually touches the Matrix before Magnus does.) Prime relates a prophecy: "One day, an Autobot shall rise from our ranks, and use the power of the Matrix to light our [[darkest hour]]." He then gives the oath, "[['Til all are one]]", and [[The many deaths of Optimus Prime|dies]]. This sequence of events is observed remotely by Unicron, who appears unusually concerned by the survival of the Matrix.

The Decepticons are making their escape aboard [[Astrotrain (G1)|Astrotrain]], but are too heavy for him to get them all home under his own power. After putting the matter to a fair vote, the Decepticons decide to throw their injured members off the ship to better the chance of survival for the rest. One of the most severely injured Decepticons is Megatron. [[Starscream (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Starscream]] tosses him out and claims leadership of the Decepticon army.

Megatron and the other adrift Decepticons then encounter Unicron in interstellar space. Unicron offers to rebuild Megatron and his minions in exchange for their service. Megatron agrees, and is [[Reformatting|reformatted]] into [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]]. The other Decepticons are turned into [[Cyclonus (G1)|Cyclonus]], [[Scourge (G1)|Scourge]], and the [[Sweep]]s. Unicron provides them with a [[Revenge (G1)|ship]], and sends them to kill Ultra Magnus and destroy the Matrix, stating that the Matrix is the only thing which can stand in his way.

[[Image:Tftm1986c.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Don't be too proud of this technological terror you've constructed.]]
Galvatron first stops at Cybertron to take his revenge by killing Starscream and reclaiming leadership of the Decepticons. Almost immediately afterwards, Unicron arrives in Cybertron's vicinity and devours at least two moons—both of the Autobots' moon bases are destroyed. Under coercion by Unicron, Galvatron finally heads to Earth to kill Ultra Magnus, but Magnus and the other surviving Autobots flee in a pair of shuttles. Eventually Galvatron manages to cause one shuttle to crash on yet another metal planet ([[Quintessa]]), and detonates the other with a volley of missiles. However, the Autobots in the second shuttle escape unnoticed by separating the front portion of their shuttle just before impact.

The Autobots in the crashed shuttle, [[Hot Rod (G1)|Hot Rod]], [[Kup (G1)|Kup]], and the [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobots]], find themselves separated and in a hostile environment. Hot Rod and Kup are captured by a squad of [[Allicon]]s and taken before a [[Quintesson]] [[Quintesson#Judges|judge]] and his court. While being held there, they learn the name and nature of Unicron from [[Kranix]], a survivor of the planet destroyed in the opening of the film, which he calls [[Lithone (planet)|Lithone]]. Meanwhile, the Dinobots encounter and befriend a young, wild Autobot named [[Wheelie (G1)|Wheelie]] who has been living alone on Quintessa. Together, they crash the trial just as Hot Rod and Kup are fighting losing odds against the Quintessons' [[Sharkticon (G1)|Sharkticons]]. The tide is turned, and the Autobots commandeer a [[Quintesson spacecraft#Quintesson_Cruiser|Quintesson Cruiser]].

[[Image:Tftm1986d.jpg|left|200px|thumb|What an incredible smell you've discovered!]]
The other group of Autobots has landed on the planet [[Junkion (planet)|Junkion]] to make repairs, but are attacked yet again by Galvatron, who was tipped off to their survival by Unicron. During the battle, Ultra Magnus tries to open the Matrix to use its power, but is unable to do so, and instead is killed. Galvatron absconds with the Matrix, taking it away to Unicron. The remaining Autobots—[[Perceptor (G1)|Perceptor]], [[Springer (G1)|Springer]], [[Arcee (G1)|Arcee]], and [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike's]] son [[Daniel Witwicky (G1)|Daniel]]—are then ambushed by [[Junkion (species)|Junkions]], the eponymous natives of Junkion, who are also giant transforming robots. This battle is cut short, however, by the arrival of Hot Rod's group in their Quintesson ship. After exchanging the [[universal greeting]] they all make friends, and the Junkions restore Ultra Magnus to life. Together, the whole group travels to Cybertron to try to recover the Matrix.

[[Image:TFTM Unicron smashes cybertron.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Rebel base in range. You may fire when ready.]]
Galvatron attempts to open the Matrix to use its power against Unicron, but is also unable to get it open. Unicron, not pleased with this attempted treachery, shocks Galvatron by transforming from a planet into a [[Scale|planet-sized robot]]. Unicron plucks Galvatron off his chest and swallows him, Matrix and all, and then begins attacking Cybertron itself. [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]] scrambles the Decepticon forces to defend the planet, but they are ineffective against so large an enemy. Shortly the Autobots arrive from Junkion, and fly the Quintesson ship straight through Unicron's eye. This impact destroys the ship, and the Autobots fall out inside Unicron. Hot Rod, separated from the others, eventually runs into Galvatron. During their fight, Hot Rod gets his hands on the Matrix and hears Optimus's voice speak the words, "Arise, Rodimus Prime." Hot Rod grows in stature, adopts a much sterner demeanor, and quickly dispatches Galvatron by tossing him through Unicron's hull out into space. He then opens the Matrix, which fills Unicron with light and begins destroying him.

[[Image:Tftm1986e.jpg|left|200px|thumb|Use the Force, Luke.]]
In the meantime, the other Autobots inside Unicron have located some of their comrades from the moon bases who had been presumed dead, including [[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]] and Daniel's father, Spike. The Autobots, including Rodimus, escape through Unicron's remaining eye just as he begins to fall apart and explode. The scene then immediately shifts to the surface of Cybertron, where—for unclear reasons—the Autobots seem to be in charge again. Rodimus predicts an era of peace and prosperity, and the film closes with a shot of Unicron's severed head still floating in orbit around Cybertron.

[['Til all are one]].
{{-}}

==Quotes==
"Such heroic nonsense."
:—'''Megatron''' coldly finishes off Ironhide. The 'Cons always get the best lines.

"I've got better things to do tonight than die!"
:—'''Springer''', telling it like it is.

"One shall stand. One shall fall."
:—'''Optimus Prime''' uttering the most quoted line of the Movie. An ass kicker cometh.

"Until the day...'til all are one..."
:—'''Optimus Prime''''s final words

"Oh, how it ''pains'' me to do this." 
"Wait! I still function!" 
"Wanna ''bet''?"
:—'''Starscream''' fights back the tears as he throws '''Megatron''' out of Astrotrain.

"I have summoned you here for a purpose." 
"Nobody summons Megatron!" 
"Then it pleases me to be the first."
:—'''Unicron''' shows '''Megatron''' who's the boss.

"Who disrupts my coronation?" 
"Coronation, Starscream? This is bad comedy." 
"Megatron? Is that you?" 
"Here's a hint!"
:—'''Galvatron''' drops "hints" for '''Starscream''' like others drop anvils.

"Did we ''have'' to let them detonate three quarters of the ship?" 
"Seeing as how they would have detonated ''four'' quarters, I think it was a good choice."
:—'''Arcee''' and '''Springer'''

"For a time… I considered ''sparing'' your wretched little planet of Cybertron. But now... you shall witness... its ''dismemberment''!"
:—'''Unicron''' really needs to work on his anger management skills…

"Me Grimlock kick butt!" 
:—'''Grimlock''' isn't speaking figuratively.

"Let this mark the end of the Cybertronian Wars as we march forward into a new era of peace and happiness! 'Til all are one!" 
:—'''Rodimus Prime''' announces the end of the [[Great War (G1)|Great War]]... yeah, right.

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
*[[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] ([[Peter Cullen]])
*[[Hot Rod (G1)|Hot Rod]]/Rodimus Prime ([[Judd Nelson]])
*[[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]] ([[Robert Stack]])
*[[Kup (G1)|Kup]] ([[Lionel Stander]])
*[[Springer (G1)|Springer]] ([[Neil Ross]])
*[[Arcee (G1)|Arcee]] ([[Susan Blu]])
*[[Blurr (G1)|Blurr]] ([[John Moschitta]])
*[[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]] ([[Gregg Berger]])
*[[Perceptor (G1)|Perceptor]] ([[Paul Eiding]])
*[[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]] ([[Buster Jones]])
*[[Swoop (G1)|Swoop]] ([[Michael Bell]])
*[[Slag (G1)|Slag]] ([[Neil Ross]])
*[[Sludge (G1)|Sludge]] ([[Frank Welker]])
*[[Wheelie (G1)|Wheelie]] ([[Frank Welker]])
*[[Ironhide (G1)|Ironhide]] ([[Peter Cullen]])
*[[Prowl (G1)|Prowl]] ([[Michael Bell]])
*[[Jazz (G1)|Jazz]] ([[Scatman Crothers]])
*[[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]] ([[Dan Gilvezan]])
*[[Cliffjumper (G1)|Cliffjumper]] ([[Casey Kasem]])
*[[Brawn (G1)|Brawn]] ([[Corey Burton]])
*[[Gears (G1)|Gears]] ([[Don Messick]])
*[[Auto-combatant]] ([[Frank Welker]])
*[[Eject]]
*[[Rewind]]
*[[Steeljaw (G1)|Steeljaw]]
*[[Ramhorn]]
*[[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]]
*[[Windcharger (G1)|Windcharger]]
*[[Ratchet (G1)|Ratchet]]
*[[Snarl (G1)|Snarl]]
*[[Grapple]]
*[[Huffer (G1)|Huffer]]
*[[Hound (G1)|Hound]]
*[[Sunstreaker (G1)|Sunstreaker]]
*[[Bluestreak]]
*[[Inferno (G1)|Inferno]]* ([[Walker Edmiston]])
|c2=
*[[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]] ([[Frank Welker]])
*[[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]] ([[Leonard Nimoy]])
*[[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]] ([[Chris Latta]])
*[[Cyclonus (G1)|Cyclonus]] ([[Roger C. Carmel]])
*[[Scourge (G1)|Scourge]] ([[Stan Jones]])
*[[Soundwave (G1)|Soundwave]] ([[Frank Welker]])
*[[Devastator (G1)|Devastator]] ([[Arthur Burghardt]])
*[[Scrapper (G1)|Scrapper]] ([[Michael Bell]])
*[[Bonecrusher (G1)|Bonecrusher]] ([[Neil Ross]])
*[[Hook (G1)|Hook]] ([[Neil Ross]])
*[[Scavenger (G1)|Scavenger]]
*[[Mixmaster (G1)|Mixmaster]]
*[[Long Haul (G1)|Long Haul]]
*[[Shrapnel (G1)|Shrapnel]] ([[Hal Rayle]])
*[[Kickback (G1)|Kickback]] ([[Clive Revill]])
*[[Bombshell (G1)|Bombshell]]
*[[Astrotrain (G1)|Astrotrain]] ([[Jack Angel]])
*[[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]] ([[Corey Burton]])
*[[Dirge (G1)|Dirge]] ([[Bud Davis]])
*[[Blitzwing (G1)|Blitzwing]] ([[Ed Gilbert]])
*[[Rumble (G1)|Rumble]] ([[Frank Welker]])
*[[Frenzy (G1)|Frenzy]] ([[Frank Welker]])
*[[Laserbeak (G1)|Laserbeak]] ([[Frank Welker]])
*[[Ravage (G1)|Ravage]] ([[Frank Welker]])
*[[Ratbat (G1)|Ratbat]] ([[Frank Welker]])
*[[Thrust (G1)|Thrust]]
*[[Ramjet (G1)|Ramjet]]
*[[Skywarp (G1)|Skywarp]]
*[[Thundercracker (G1)|Thundercracker]]
*[[Sweep]]s
*[[Cyclonus's Armada]]
|c3=
*[[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike Witwicky]] ([[Corey Burton]])
*[[Daniel Witwicky (G1)|Daniel Witwicky]] ([[David Mendenhall]])
|c4=
*[[Unicron]] ([[Orson Welles]])
*[[Wreck-Gar (G1)|Wreck-Gar]] ([[Eric Idle]])
*[[Kranix]] ([[Norman Alden|Norm Alden]])
*[[Junkion]] ([[Michael Bell]])
*[[Junkion]] ([[Frank Welker]])
*[[Quintesson]] leader ([[Roger C. Carmel]])
*[[Quintesson judge]] ([[Regis Cordic|Rege Cordic]])
*[[Arblus]] ([[Norman Alden|Norm Alden]])
*[[Sharkticon (G1)|Sharkticon]]s
*[[Allicon]]s
|nonumbering=true
}}
<nowiki>*</nowiki>Credited, but did not appear.

==Animation errors==
* When Unicron is approaching Lithone at the start of the movie, at the line "Look, it's Unicron!", a [[Animation error#Sizing errors|cel stacking error]] results in Unicron's ring appearing in front of a building arch, [[Distribution|making Unicron look very tiny]] in that shot. In the next shot, it is clear that Unicron is several times larger than the entire planet of Lithone.
* The inside of one of the Lithonian ships being devoured by Unicron is visible for a couple of frames. The pilot of the ship appears to be Kranix, even though he apparently screams out Kranix's name, and Kranix appears later in the Quintesson prison.
* When the inside of Unicron is shown after he devours Lithone, the "blinking energy" effect of Unicron's innards was apparently achieved by recycling backgrounds from other animated TV shows or movies. A frame by frame viewing reveals what appear to be several images of post-apocalyptic buildings inside Unicron.
* When Optimus Prime asks Jazz to report security status, it shows both Jazz and Cliffjumper. Cliffjumper is seen twiddling knobs above the actual drawn computer, as if a section was supposed to be present.
* When the Decepticons blow a hole through the Autobot shuttle to get in, it is a clean break. However, Megatron is still shown ripping through random ship components to get in.
* When the Decepticons are killing the Autobot shuttle crew, there is one of the common Starscream/Skywarp/Thundercracker miscolors. Megatron transforms into gun mode and Starscream catches him and kills Brawn. When they cut back to the Decepticons, Starscream is in front of the Constructicons without Megatron and is firing one of his arm rifles (this probably should have been Skywarp or Thundercracker). When they cut back to the Decepticons for the third time, Starscream has Megatron again and is finishing off the rest of the Autobots.
* When the Decepticons fly to the shuttle's controls, all of the Autobots have changed positions from when they fell—Brawn is now on his back, for example, while Prowl is now face-down.
* Hot Rod has at least two totally different transformation schemes during the course of the film.
* When Kup and several Autobots at the roadblock react to Hot Rod's attack on the hijacked Autobot shuttle, Bluestreak is represented by Prowl's [[Character model|animation model]], in Bluestreak's grey and black colours.
* Sunstreaker appears with Kup's group on Earth as they observe Hot Rod firing on Ironhide's shuttle. Sunstreaker later appears as Optimus Prime's co-pilot when they arrive on Earth with the Dinobots, and is seen disembarking the shuttle along with Optimus Prime and Hound.
* When [[Soundwave (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Soundwave]] sends out his cassette troops, [[FIRRIB|Rumble is the same color as Frenzy]].
* Blaster first ejects what looks like Eject, who stays blue up until he gets to the edge of the screen. He then turns black like Rewind. Then Blaster ejects another blue cassette, which after about a second turns black. This one gets through half his transformation colored black, then turns blue for a split second then turns black again. Then, when the cassettes are fighting each other, Eject runs in from the left and jumps over Perceptor. And then he runs in from the left ''again'' to shoot Ravage. Suddenly [[Brawl (Movie)|Brawl/Devastator]] doesn't look so bad, does he?
* Swoop's lower leg (with its distinctive red claw/knee) appears for a brief second during the Autobot City battle, long before the rest of him gets there.
* When Devastator forms in Autobot City, his chest plate is the same green as the rest of him. In the next shot, it's the usual purple. However, it promptly turns green again in the next shot.
* In the battle for Autobot City, when Prime drives up behind the Decepticons, Blitzwing turns his head and its color changes to purple for a split second. However, when he turns it back it's tan again.
* When Optimus Prime takes the Matrix out of his chest to give to Ultra Magnus, there is another Matrix beneath it in his chest. (On which note, see also ''[[Matrix of Leadership#Universe|Matrix of Leadership, Universe comic]].'')
* When Ultra Magnus accepts the Matrix, he's seen inserting it into his chest twice, or at best readjusting its "fit".

[[Image:Coronation .jpg|thumb|right|250px| *''trumpet fanfare''* ]]

* Even after the [[Battle of Autobot City]], characters who are supposedly dead continue to appear in crowd shots and battles. Shrapnel's role in the fight on [[Junkion (planet)|Junk]] is the most noticeable, but Thundercracker and Skywarp can be seen at both Starscream's coronation and later flying into Unicron's mouth.
* When Cyclonus is strafing the Autobot shuttle in space, he briefly flies offscreen, and during that time his laser blasts come from a point that in no way matches his flight path.
* When Hot Rod tells the Junkions the universal greeting, the Autobot insignia on his chest is coloured black.
* When Unicron transforms, the first hand we see (his right) is backwards relative to how the arm is shown on screen.

== Continuity errors ==
[[Image:G1TFTM Snarl cameo.JPG|thumb|right|250px|He used to bulls-eye womp-rats in his T16 back home.]]

* The Dinobot [[Snarl (G1)|Snarl]] is mysteriously absent from almost the entire movie, even though the Dinobots as a group are featured prominently. Copies of the script which have come into fans' hands repeatedly list the Dinobots, but never make mention of Snarl by name. In fact, at one point the script refers to "the four Dinobots". Despite this, Snarl does appear in three very brief shots {{m-}} in which ''Swoop'' is entirely absent. Hmm.
* Also curiously absent are the 1985 Autobot cars and Mini-Vehicles, such as Inferno, Smokescreen, Cosmos, Warpath, etc. It would seem that these characters were available at the time of the movie:
** Perceptor and Blaster both debuted at the same time in the cartoon as the 1985 cars, and both play prominent roles in the movie.
** Grapple is [[:Image:BattleAutobotCity.jpg|seen ''very'' briefly]] during the battle for Autobot City.
** The 1985 Decepticons (Astrotrain, Dirge, etc.) appear in the film.
** [[:Image:TFTM-SideswipeRedAlertTracks.jpg|Tracks]], [[:Image:TFTM-RedAlertDown.jpg|Red Alert]] and Smokescreen all appeared in storyboards but not the finished film.
* Devastator is treated as ''the'' ultimate threat, while in the cartoon, his role (and apparent power) was already being [[Starscream's Brigade|severely diminished]], presumably because several other combiners had been introduced. In story terms, the absence of these newer combiners, not to mention the mighty Omega Supreme, is inexplicable. In real-life terms, those characters didn't exist when the film commenced production. (The [[Transformers: The Animated Movie]] adaptation shows Omega Supreme, Superion and Defensor guarding the Ark against an attack by Bruticus and Menasor, attempting to [[retcon]] the problem away.)
[[Image:Cyclonus armada tftf.jpg|thumb|right|250px|We'll be safe enough once we make the jump into lightspeed.]]
* During the Battle of Autobot City, Starscream gets his leg caught. He shoots downward and gets away while screaming "My foot!", but it's his shin that's smoking while his foot looks fine. Later he kicks Megatron with the same foot. Shouldn't that hurt, according to him? Note there is a time lapse between the "foot shooting" and the kicking, leaving the option of a battlefield repair.
* So Ultra Magnus just happens to have a ready-made Matrix chamber installed in his chest cavity? Is this standard issue for all Autobots?
* The cartoon had already established that Astrotrain increases his size when he transforms to shuttle mode, being large enough to carry a pair of Decepticons in his cockpit. However, within the movie itself, his size is [[scale|noticeably inconsistent]]: When he leaves Autobot City, he's just large enough for the Decepticon army to cram themselves in; later, he's so huge that the Constructicons can quite comfortably form Devastator inside him.
* The number of minions created by Unicron changes throughout the film, with more Sweeps appearing as the story progresses. A second Cyclonus ("Cyclonus, the warrior, and [[Cyclonus's Armada|his armada]]") is shown being created but disappears shortly thereafter.

[[Image:SSBQ.jpg|thumb|right|250px|"I've been looking forward to this for a long time." "Yes, I bet you have."]]

* [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]] is capable of reducing [[Starscream (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Starscream]] to ashes with a single shot from his cannon mode. Though in later episodes Galvatron is shown blowing up even small ''[[Thrull|planets]]'' with his cannon, his extraordinary killing power seems to be gone—like when he scores a direct hit in cannon mode on Ultra Magnus in "[[Five Faces of Darkness, Part 5]]" and Magnus isn't especially hurt at all, or how a similar blast against Scourge in "[[The Burden Hardest to Bear]]" only leaves the latter temporarily incapacitated. [[Marvel Comics]] bios explain this by suggesting that Galvatron had nearly limitless power through Unicron... but then again, Galvatron himself claims to be "more powerful than ever" after Unicron is dead. On the other hand, he could be referring to the fact that Unicron can no longer control him. Finally, it could also be his insanity that is speaking here. {{storylink|Five Faces of Darkness, Part 2}} [[To sell toys|Who knows.]]
* Why didn't anyone notice Unicron until he was within devouring distance of Cybertron's moons?
* Despite running out of energon goodies on Quintessa, Hot Rod has at least one to offer to the Junkions. Maybe he got some on the ship. It's also possible that, when he told the Allicons "No more," he meant that he wasn't going to ''feed'' them any more energon goodies, not that he didn't ''have'' anymore.
* Daniel, who was just learning how to use his exo-suit, had to knock down the acid cover inside Unicron to save his loved ones. Why couldn't the more experienced Spike do the same with his suit from above? He had both of his arms free and a clear shot at the cover.
* It's not clear how Rodimus Prime (carrying two humans) and the other Autobots survived their jump out of Unicron's eye and their plunge towards the surface of Cybertron.
* It's also unclear just how the dozen or so Autobots (and one shipload of Junkions) managed to retake the whole planet of Cybertron. Did Unicron really wipe out ''that'' many Decepticons?

===Not Necessarily Errors===
* Fans have noted throughout the years that Astrotrain, in his flight through zero-gravity space, should not have needed to "jettison some weight" in the literal sense. However, since the ejected Decepticons quickly fall behind Astrotrain instead of floating alongside him, he must still have been accelerating and thus would have needed to burn a greater amount of fuel in order to push a larger payload. Perhaps he should have said "jettison some ''mass''", but then again, just being a spaceship doesn't make him a rocket scientist. Then again, in The Revenge Of Bruticus, Starscream is able to fly to Cybertron almost on his own (even with Shockwave on his back) so could he and the other fliers not have done the same here?

==Real-world references and Easter eggs==
* When Sludge gets haymakered by Devastator, his eyes pop out of their sockets in Looney Tunes fashion.
* Kup's storytelling sequence aboard the shuttle is drawn from the novel ''Of Mice and Men'', complete with Grimlock in the Lenny role asking Kup to "tell Grimlock about petrorabbits again".
* The Quintesson jail cell includes robot debris ''strongly'' resembling the RX-178 Gundam MK II and the MSZ-006 Zeta Gundam mobile suits from 1985's ''Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam''.

==Adaptations==
*[[Transformers: The Movie (Marvel Comics)|A comic adaptation of the movie]] was published by [[Marvel Comics]] in 1986, concurrently with the movie's theater run. It was based off a non-finalized version of the script, and differs in many details from the final film. Additionally, most of the major character models (and possibly their unedited original character write-ups) appear in Issue #4 of the ''[[Transformers Universe (Marvel comic)|Transformers Universe]]'' series.
* [[Transformers the Movie (Ladybird adaptation)|A storybook adaptation]] was released in the UK by [[Ladybird Books]].
*A four-part adaptation was released in 2006/2007 by [[IDW Publishing]], as part of the film's 20th anniversary celebration. It was titled ''[[Transformers: The Animated Movie]]'' to differentiate it from the [[Michael Bay]] [[Transformers (2007)|live-action film]]. Unlike its predecessor, it adheres rigidly to the script and plot of the finished movie.

==Soundtrack==
{{main|The Transformers: The Movie - Original Motion Picture Soundtrack}}

==Promotions==
* Early in the movie's production, a [[The Transformers: The Movie promo|promotional trailer]] was made to sell the project to potential investors.
* The movie was advertised on related 1986 toy packages via the [[Decipher the Decepticon]] Sweepstakes, which included a pack-in poster and contest.
* The movie was heavily advertised directly by TV [[commercial]]s, and tail-end segments on Transformer toy ads. Portions of its story were also retold in altered fashion by animation segments of commercials for the movie character toys, such as a spot showing Springer doing battle with Wreck-Gar.

==In the comic continuity==
The [[The Transformers (Marvel comic)|Marvel UK comic]] made extensive use of the Movie as the basis for a series of stories involving the Transformers in the future. However there are several differences between the events seen on screen and those referenced in the comic:

*The comic always dates the move to 2006, following the date given in a treatment that was all [[Simon Furman]] had when he wrote [[Target: 2006]].
*In Target: 2006, [[Cyclonus (G1)|Cyclonus]] states that he was previously "[[Life Spark]]".
*The Matrix is always called the "Creation Matrix" in the comic, a name that predates the "Matrix of Leadership" but which is now used for the same physical object.
*[[Brawn (G1)|Brawn]] and [[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]] both survive the events, both later appearing in [[Space Pirates!]] (set in 2008).

In addition, Shockwave definitely survives the attack by Unicron.

The US comic almost completely ignored the events of the Movie, though later in the run an alternative future is briefly shown in "[[Rhythms of Darkness!]]" and "[[A Savage Circle]]". In this timeline at least some of the events of the Movie took place such as the creation of Galvatron from Megatron, which is dated to 2005, though Prowl's death was overlooked. [[Prowl II|Wouldn't be the first time. Or the last.]]
*The US version of the future story [[The Big Broadcast of 2006 (issue)|The Big Broadcast of 2006]] implicitly has the events of the movie as part of its backstory. However, since the rest of the US series ignored the movie, this issue's place in the continuity is questionable.

==Edits==
Several English-language versions of the film exist, with the following differences in content from the American theatrical run:

* In some versions (notably the European version) the opening credits are replaced with a scrolling text ("''Star Wars'' style") which provides backstory.
* In some versions (notably the European version) the film ends with [[Victor Caroli|a narrator]] reassuring the audience that Optimus Prime will return.
* Instances of swearing in the film (there are two) were edited out; sometimes one, sometimes both. Those instances are: Spike yelling, "Oh shit, what are we gonna do now?" after the self-destructing Moon Base 2 fails to scratch Unicron, and Ultra Magnus growling, "Open, damn it, open!" while trying to open the Matrix to fend off Galvatron and the Sweeps on Junkion. The United Kingdom cinema version had the swearing included but, when it was released on VHS in the United Kingdom, Spike's line was cut ("damn" not being considered offensive in the UK). However it has been restored on all United Kingdom DVD releases.
* In some early FHE video releases, the shot of the Matrix falling out of Optimus Prime's hand and being caught by Hot Rod is edited so that it appears that Ultra Magnus simply takes the Matrix from Prime. Why this was done is not known, and the replay of the Hot Rod catch on Unicron's monitors was left intact.
*Instead of DEG, the Rank Film "gong man" appears before the film, as Rank were the United Kingdom distributors.

None of these edits significantly affect the story. They should not be confused with various other sequences which were changed before the film's final release:

* Originally, Ultra Magnus's "death sequence" on Junkion called for him to be lassoed and drawn and quartered by the Sweeps' energy beams, but this was deemed too graphic for audiences, hence the less disturbing "shot to death" sequence seen instead. There is evidence that the original sequence had been fully animated when the decision was made, however; the Sweeps still kept their solid energy lassos when they fire upon Mags, and Mags is seen visibly straining against what appears to be said lassos (edited out and replaced with laser fire) before exploding.
* A number of other sequences were illustrated as [[storyboard]]s but dropped, presumably without ever being animated. Among them were:
** A short scene showing the Autobot shuttle veering around some meteors, explaining how the Decepticons caught them unawares.
** An extended sequence with Hot Rod and Daniel outside the city.
** A sequence of Mirage blasting Bombshell and being fired on by Megatron.
** The Autobots finally bringing down Devastator with a barrage of missiles (and the Constructicons subsequently shooting Red Alert in the back).
** The Decepticons dogpiling Optimus Prime, explaining why he seems to be standing up just before his fight with Megatron.
:Some of these concepts were in earlier versions of the script, and hence made it into the comic adaptation.
* Rumors have occasionally circulated in the fandom of additional animated footage that was dropped from the film, such as ultra-violent battle scenes. No evidence has ever surfaced to back these claims; the only known edits are those listed in this section.
:{{see|Misconceptions and urban legends about Transformers#The Transformers: The Movie|Urban legends about ''The Transformers: The Movie''}}

==Reception==
''The Transformers: The Movie'' was almost universally panned by professional critics upon its release. Well-known film critic and animation enthusiast, Leonard Maltin, gave it a rating below 1 1/2 stars in his ''1987 Movie & Video Guide'', regarding it as a "bomb". He went on to say, "Obnoxious animated feature about the title good guys, who defend the universe against an evil planet (which has a voice of its own... provided by Orson Welles.) That deafening rock score certainly doesn't help. Little more than a feature-length toy commercial."

Over time, however, the movie has acquired something of a cult following beyond the core base of [[fandom|Transformers fans]], particularly among children of the 80s. It is sometimes screened as a midnight movie at colleges. Online, it is not hard to find amateur reviews lauding everything about it as utterly awesome, from the premise to the soundtrack, and dismissing more critical views out of hand.

To date, the budget of the film has not been disclosed—at least, not in any place the [[fandom]] has found. According to most box office tracking sites,<ref>http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=transformers.htm</ref><ref>http://www.the-numbers.com/movies/1986/0TRTM.php</ref> ''The Transformers: The Movie'' made $5,849,647 in domestic (e.g., United States) theaters. Comparing this with other animated films of 1986, the results are not particularly charitable; while it did better financially than ''[[Tonka GoBots|GoBots: Battle of the Rock Lords]]''<ref>http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=gobots.htm</ref> ($1,338,264) and ''Heathcliff: The Movie''<ref>http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=heathcliff.htm</ref> ($2,610,686), it performed worse than the ''[[My Little Pony]]'' movie<ref>http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=mylittlepony.htm</ref> ($5,958,456) and the '''second''' ''Care Bears'' movie<ref>http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=carebearsmovie2.htm</ref> ($8,540,346). Bringing up ''The Great Mouse Detective''<ref>http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=greatmousedetective.htm</ref> ($25,336,794) and ''An American Tail''<ref>http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=americantail.htm</ref> ($47,483,002) would really just be overkill.

==Significance in Transfandom==
''The Transformers: The Movie'' remains one of the most important elements of the entire Transformers brand, both within the fiction and from the perspective of the brand's popularity and "mindshare".

Fictionally, it established several story concepts that have been used repeatedly in the years since 1986, some of which—such as Unicron and the Matrix—are now central to the entire Transformers mythos. The movie is also the centerpiece of the most well-known Transformers continuity: the Generation 1 animated universe. The ''Transformers'' cartoon is split into "pre-movie" and "post-movie" sections which feature different characters and settings, and even somewhat different visual styles. (Most pre-movie episodes were animated by the studio [[Toei]], while most post-movie episodes were animated by [[AKOM]].)

On a practical note, it was widely available on videotape, and remained so long after the ''The Transformers'' cartoon had gone off the air. Only a [[Family Home Entertainment|handful of series episodes]] were available on video, making ''The Transformers: The Movie'' the logical choice for someone looking to pick up a ''Transformers'' cartoon; this made it far more well-known among fans than any particular cartoon episode.

To an entire generation of young fans, the movie was the most visually spectacular and narratively epic ''Transformers'' experience of their entire youth. Events such as the death of Optimus Prime are widely reported to have reduced many kids to tears. It is hardly a surprise that these emotional experiences embedded themselves deeply in many fans' memories.

==Criticisms==
[[Image:TFTM Ratchet dies.jpg|180px|left|thumb|Only Imperial Stormtroopers are so precise.]]

All this is not all to say that the movie is a "masterpiece", exactly. The film met with extremely harsh critical reviews on its release, and some of those criticisms still ring true today.

The film displays an arguably cynical attitude towards itself as [[To sell toys|a vehicle for advertising toys]], especially in the way beloved characters are killed—sometimes gratuitously—for sake of justifying the story's focus on a new group of toys. (Note that with the exception of Laserbeak and possibly Buzzsaw [http://www.flickr.com/photos/42232106@N06/3893688802] the poster at the top of this article features ''only'' new characters.)

Further, the two primary plot devices—[[Unicron]] and the [[Matrix]]—have no prior establishment in the fiction. Unicron is given no backstory or justification; he simply exists, is very dangerous, and is afraid of the Matrix, all for no adequately explained reason. The introduction of the Matrix itself is a heavy [[retcon]]. The story asks the audience to accept that this cosmically powerful artifact has been in Prime's possession all along (even though an X-ray of Optimus Prime's innards in the second season episode "[[A Prime Problem]]" show absolutely no signs of said Matrix), but has somehow never been relevant before. In fact, this lack of prior establishment is what led [[Simon Furman]] to develop the divinity backstory of Unicron and [[Primus]] in the UK comics run.

[[Image:Megatronlightsaber.jpg|right|180px|thumb|Your powers are weak, old man!]]
The movie bears many similarities to ''[[Star Wars]]'': There are several character-parallels ([[Springer (G1)|Springer]] is a [[Han Solo]]-type and [[Arcee (G1)|Arcee]] even has Princess Leia's hairdo!), the primary threat is similar (it's the [[Death Star]]... [[Unicron|but it transforms!]]), and both feature a climactic battle where the [[Hot Rod (G1)|young hero]] hears the voice of his [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|dead, wise mentor]] one last time before saving the day.

To be a bit more fair to ''The Transformers: The Movie'', however, most of these similarities are either superficial (Arcee's Leia-hair; Megatron's "lightsaber" he briefly uses in his duel against Optimus Prime) or can be seen as elements common to thousands of years worth of epic storytelling through human history, not just common to ''Star Wars''. As a simple example, the phenomenon of two charismatic leaders dealing each other mortal injuries in battle hearkens back to some versions of the "King Arthur" myth; in their final battle, [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Arthur]] and his arch-enemy [[Megatron (G1)|Sir Mordred]] deal one another lethal injuries and both apparently expire—though Arthur according to the legend will [[The Return of Optimus Prime|return]] when [[Cybertron (planet)|England's]] need [[Darkest hour|is greatest]].

==Formatting==
[[Image:Tftm widescreenesque.jpg|right|300px|thumb|The "widescreen" picture (left) actually ''cuts off'' the top and bottom of the fullscreen picture (right).]]
Although it was billed in some advertisements before its theatrical release as being "widescreen", the movie was in fact animated in a 4:3 (fullscreen) aspect ratio. For its theatrical screenings, the film was matted down in the projector by the projectionist to a 16:9 aspect ratio (widescreen), chopping the top and bottom off the picture, but all video transfers of the movie were done without mattes, meaning that there was actually more picture visible in the fullscreen video and DVD releases than there would have been in theaters. Across 2006 and 2007, new editions of the DVD of the film were released by Sony BMG and [[Metrodome]] which applied the mattes in order to replicate the original theatrical presentation of the film for the first time in home entertainment. Some fans, however, didn't realize that the film wasn't actually ''animated'' in widescreen, and, hearing that the DVD was to be in widescreen, expected to see the fullscreen image with additional footage at the sides, causing them to complain that the top and bottom were cut off, thereby totally missing the point.

==International versions==
{{main|The Transformers: The Movie/dubs}}

==Commercial Releases==
* The movie was originally released in North America on home video in 1987 by [[Family Home Entertainment]], minus Spike's swear. Not long after, it was releasd in the UK by [[Video Gems]]. This version featured the opening text crawl and closing narration inherent to the UK version of the film. In Australia, the film was releaed on video by RCA/Columbia Pictures/Hoyts. In Japan, Hillcrane released a Laserdisc version alongside a VHS copy.
*The movie was released spottily in the '90s, beginning with a budget VHS by Avid Home Entertainment in 1991. [[Malofilm]] released a VHS in Canada in 1995, notable for being the first home entertainment version to include Spike's swear. In 1998, Japanese company Pioneer produced another pair of Laserdisc and VHS releases. In 1999, things kicked off when American company [[Kid Rhino]] secured the Transformers license and released the film on VHS once again.
*The 21st century's flirtation with ''The Transformers: The Movie'' started with a UK budget VHS release of that country's version by [[Sony|Sony Wonder]], distributed by [[Maverick Entertainment]]. A Japanese company called CatCo followed this up with a VideoCD, and Malofilm—now Seville—were the first to release a DVD version of the film, though it was just a dump of their VHS version.
*In November 2000, ''The Transformers: The Movie'' got its first, full professional DVD release from Kid Rhino. This edition, labelled a "Special Collector's Edition", is the first to feature remastered video and audio, and several special features, including storyboards and an interview with [[Vince DiCola]]. Rhino concurrently released this version on VHS, sans extras.
*In 2001 in the UK, Sony Wonder released their own much-delayed DVD version of the film. It was the UK version of the film, but included Spike's swear. However, the release was burdened by badly interlaced video, though it notably included the [[Omni Productions]] dub version of the ''[[The Headmasters (cartoon)|Headmasters]]'' episode "[[Four Warriors Come out of the Sky]]" as an extra. This version (including the ''Headmasters'' episode) was simultaneously released on VHS.
*The movie was released on DVD in Australia in 2003 by [[Madman Entertainment]], using the same video as the Maverick version, but distinguished by some nifty new cover art by [[Don Figueroa]], and special features not seen on other editions, such as ''[[Stan Bush|The Touch]]'' music video and 80s TV spots.
[[Image:Tftm uk covers.jpg|right|180px|thumb|The UK poster art (left) has been the most common DVD and VHS cover in its home country, but the Ultimate Edition featured new art by Andy Wildman (right).]]
*After acquiring the license to release ''Transformers'' DVDs in the UK, [[Metrodome]] focused on completing their run of series box sets before turning their attention to the movie properly, releasing only a cheap budget DVD of the UK version through Prism Leisure with no extras, and a UMD of the same version.
*In 2005, Metrodome released ''Transformers: The Movie - Reconstructed'', a new version of the film designed to expose as much of the animated picture as possible. This, however, only resulted in exposing the rough, unfinished edges of the animation, and an overly pale remaster was compounded by excessive interlacing due to an unnecessary NTSC to PAL transfer. This, coupled with a 5.1 remix from [[Magno Sound & Video]], featuring the same extra sound effects that they added to Rhino's season box sets, made this release both controversial and disappointing to many. This was the first time that the US version of the movie was released in the UK, and the first to feature the US poster art as a cover (although a Silverscreen store exclusive version of the disc included a reversible cover with the UK poster art as well). Extras include trailers, TV spots, the character biographies from the Madman release, and a subtitled version of "[[Four Warriors Come out of the Sky]]".
[[Image:Tftm sony covers.jpg|right|180px|thumb|Sony's covers, by Don Figueroa.]]
*For the movie's 20th anniversary in 2006, new license holder [[Sony|Sony BMG]] released a two-disc special edition of the film, featuring both a high-quality widescreen remaster and the original fullscreen version, audio commentaries from crew and fans, several new featurettes interviewing those involved in the movie's production, storyboards, tv spots, American and Japanese commercials and more. Most notably, this version included the first Western release of "[[Scramble City]]", albeit silent and unsubtitled, featuring only audio commentary. This release featured two covers by Don Figueroa: one is of the '84-'85 cast that appear in the movie, and one is of the movie's new characters, available either as a lenticular hologram that switches between the two, or as a reversible sleeve with the images printed on either side.
[[Image:Tftm madman covers.jpg|right|180px|thumb|Madman's 2003 DVD cover (left), and their 2007 Special Edition cover (right).]]
*Delayed a bit to coincide with the hype for the 2007 [[Transformers (2007)|live-action movie]], Metrodome also released a two-disc "Ultimate Edition" with a different widescreen master. Like "Reconstructed", this version used the US edition of the film, but this time, the UK version was also included, in fullscreen, on the second disc. Extras include TV spots, commercials, the Madman biographies, storyboards, commentary, Scramble City (with audio and subtitles), featurettes with [[Flint Dille]] and [[Peter Cullen]], and more. The double-disc edition was sold in a steel case featuring new art by [[Andrew Wildman]], with the UK poster art adorning the standard case inside. Various store exclusives were available, including postcards from Play.Com, a reversible cover with the US poster art from HMV, art cards from Virgin Megastore and [[posters]] from Woolworths and [[Toys"R"Us]]. It was also available in an extra-less single-disc version. This version was premiered at the Mid Ulster Film Festival in Ireland which was the only cinema showing of the remastered version of the film to date.
*The film was released in Full HD 1080p on Blu-ray in the UK in October 2007. The Blu-ray is not region-locked, so it will play anywhere in the world. It features a 2.0 soundtrack, 5.1 Dolby Digital track, and a full bitrate DTS 5.1 track. The master used was the same used by Sony for their US DVD. The picture is quite stunning and the sound very good. Sadly, there are no extras on the DVD. The version of the film on the Blu-ray is the US one, complete with swear word.
*Madman produced their two-disc special edition through some collaboration with Metrodome, and consequently it features much of the same content, with additional extras taking the form of The Touch music video and a bonus episode of ''[[Beast Wars (cartoon)|Beast Wars]]''. This release again features cover artwork by Don Figueroa, specifically the cover of [[IDW Publishing|IDW]]'s ''[[Transformers: The Animated Movie]]'' adaptation.

==Notes==
* This film was one of the last professional performances by [[Orson Welles]], if not the very last. According to production materials shown at [[BotCon 2000]] by Tim Finn, the voice recording sessions for ''The Transformers: The Movie'' were done on September 10 and 11 of 1985. Welles died on October 10 of that same year. It has often been speculated that Unicron's last line ("Destiny… you cannot destroy my destiny!") was recorded by another actor—possibly [[Leonard Nimoy|Nimoy]]—because it sounds different than the other lines. This speculation has been quashed by statements by Transformers voice director [[Wally Burr]].<ref>http://cybertronchronicle.freewebspace.com/60-astrominutes/wally_burr_3.html</ref>
[[Image:Windcharger wheeljack otp.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Uncle Owen! Aunt Beru!!]]

* With the exception of Starscream and possibly Shockwave, only the Autobots suffered fatalities in the movie. All of the other "dead" Decepticons from the Autobot City battle were rebuilt into Galvatron's new troops, and although more Decepticons were shown taking heavy damage and suffering huge casualties while fighting Unicron, their identities and their final condition are uncertain. Additionally, both Starscream and Unicron survived in the post-movie series in some form or another. Shockwave's death in the finished film is highly uncertain, although in the script it is fairly strongly implied. He does make some miscolored appearances in crowd shots in later cartoon episodes, but these are probably examples of the fairly common animation errors in those episodes.

* Somewhat ironically, though only three of the original eighteen Autobots - [[Jazz (G1)|Jazz]], [[Cliffjumper (G1)|Cliffjumper]], and [[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]] - are definitively shown to have survived the movie, two would quite literally never be heard from again: [[Scatman Crothers]] passed away (though this didn't stop Jazz from making any number of background cameos) while Casey Kasem [[Casey Kasem#Trivia|quit the show early in the third season]]. Fate's finger is fickle indeed.

*[[:Image:TFTM-MaybeBeachcomber.jpg|A robot resembling Beachcomber]] appears alongside Spike and the Autobots inside Unicron seconds before Daniel blasts the acid cover. Whether this was actually meant to be Beachcomber or just coincidental coloring is unknown, but regardless, Beachcomber shows up alive and well in "[[Five Faces of Darkness, Part 5]]".

==External links==
* [http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=transformers.htm ''The Transformers: The Movie'''s box office domestic gross.]
* [http://web.archive.org/web/20080426020409/http://www.tftm.net/ ''The Transformers: The Movie'' "Unofficial Fansite", an extremely thorough site about the movie]
* [http://www.wombatking.com/coppermine/thumbnails.php?album=4 ''The Transformers: The Movie'' deleted storyboards]

==Footnotes==
{{Reflist|2}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Transformers: The Movie}}

[[Category:Generation 1]]
[[Category:MSTF]]
[[Category:Real world films]]

B.O.T. (episode)

2010-02-09T20:49:23Z

84.83.38.158: /* Other errors */

{{featured}}
{{disambig2|the worst episode of Transformers ever|the titular character of the worst episode ever|B.O.T. (robot)}}
{{episode
|series=G1toon
|ep=65
|next=The Transformers: The Movie
|series2=SRLFtoon
|ep2=59
|image=B.O.T.jpg
|caption=Smarter than a race of multimillion-year-old robots. ''Using Brawl's brain.''
|title="B.O.T."
|production code=#700-64
|production company=[[Sunbow Productions]]
|airdate=[[January 9]], 1986
|written by=[[Earl Kress]]
|continuity=[[Generation 1 cartoon continuity]]
}}

'''After Swindle sells the components of his fellow Combaticons, three kids get their hands on Brawl's brain, using it to make a robot.'''

Or...

'''Worst. Episode. Ever.'''

:''Japanese title:'' ブルーティカスの復活 (''Bruticus no Fukkatsu'', "The Revival of Bruticus")

==Synopsis==
[[Image:BOT-Road.jpg|left|200px|thumb|Here we come…drivin' down the street…]]
The [[Combaticon (G1)|Combaticons]] enter an unidentifed city for no discernible reason, then all transform to vehicle mode for no discernible reason. While transforming, [[Swindle (G1)|Swindle]] knocks over [[Brawl (G1)|Brawl]] for no discernible reason. Brawl expresses his displeasure for an obvious reason. They then drive (yes, even [[Vortex (G1)|the]] [[Blast Off (G1)|flyers]] ''drive'') about ten feet down the street and form [[Bruticus (G1)|Bruticus]] for no discernible reason. He is immediately destroyed with a single shot by [[Defensor (G1)|Defensor]] (who's there for no discernible reason). Defensor just leaves the pile of parts alone and unsupervised, apparently not bothering to alert the other [[Autobot]]s or anything. This enables Swindle—who has somehow survived ''without a scratch'' the explosion that reduced all the other Combaticons to a pile of parts—to gather up the bits. No human authorities are involved either.

Swindle then visits the generically evil foreign guy "[[El Presidente]]" on his ship filled with weapons in order to buy parts to repair the Combaticons.

Meanwhile, [[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Megatron]] is running a simulation of his new [[orbit disruptor cannon]]. After [[Starscream (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Starscream]] whines, Megatron explains that once the [[Moon (moon)|Moon]] is knocked from orbit, they will use [[Soundwave (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Soundwave]]'s new device to control the tides. They will then use this colossal power to flood a single canyon, creating "a limitless source of power". What?

At the Combaticons' base, El Presidente's men load up the weapons and more advanced computer systems from the wrecked robots, as apparently Swindle forgot about that whole "repair" thing. Swindle then leaves to take the remaining parts to a dump. Shortly after they all leave, [[Skywarp (G1)|Skywarp]] arrives, noting no one seems to be home. He discovers a piece of one of the Combaticons, then notices there's a trail of them. Confused, he asks Megatron what to do.

[[Image:BOT-Luigi.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Giant turtles out to get him, creepy crabs are right behind.]]

Swindle arrives in a junkyard, where he threatens a junkyard worker before he starts to dump the leftovers. Starscream and Skywarp discover him in the act and capture him as he tries to escape. Back at the [[Decepticon]] base, Soundwave installs a bomb in Swindle's head; he has 15 hours to reassemble the Combaticons before it goes off. Swindle takes the parts back from various mid-'80s evil foreign stereotypes and reassembles the team. However, they are unable to combine into Bruticus because Brawl's [[personality component]] is missing. Swindle is charged with getting the component back or the bomb will still go off.

Meanwhile, at [[Benjamin Franklin Pierce High School]], [[Mr. Robbins]]'s demonstration of a laser is sabotaged by two sociopathic students, [[Martin and Roland]], who boost the laser's power output so high it instantly burns a hole through steel. Rather than involve the authorities, Mr. Robbins threatens them with an "F" in his class if they don't win a blue ribbon at the science fair, and assigns [[Elise Presser]] to assist them for no discernible reason.

Outside, the two assholes meet the meek and spineless Elise. They realize a high-rise is on fire across the street, and witness the [[Protectobot (G1)|Protectobots]] coming to the rescue (well, four of them; [[Blades (G1)|Blades]] appears to blow two window-washers off their rig with the wind from his rotors—the bastard). This inspires them to build a robot for their project. The three rummage for parts in the same junkyard where Swindle dumped the Combaticons' leftover remains, and Elise discovers a random piece of machinery. They spend the night in the school's lab assembling their machine, and Martin dubs it "[[B.O.T. (robot)|B.O.T.]]". After several failures, Elise installs the random piece of machinery, which turns out to be Brawl's personality component. Naturally, Brawl-B.O.T. goes postal and starts trashing the place.

[[Image:BOT-CompRoom.jpg|left|200px|thumb|Unbeknownst to all, the school was secretly funded by a hideously gargantuan Richie Rich.]]

Martin grabs the laser and fires, and B.O.T. runs off. The kids run to the school's preposterously-advanced computer lab, and use it to call the Protectobots. [[Teletraan I (G1)|Teletraan I]] gets the SOS, and [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] sends [[Gears (G1)|Gears]], [[Ironhide (G1)|Ironhide]] and [[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]] to investigate.

Swindle re-threatens the junkyard worker, who says that maybe some kids took the part Swindle is after. Swindle mutters "you better hope so"… then proceeds to rummage through the trash, seemingly instantly forgetting that whole "kids" angle.

The [[Autobot]]s arrive at the school. The kids seem disappointed that they didn't get the Protectobots, but quickly lead them to their runaway creation in the school's cafeteria. Brawl-B.O.T. knocks all three Autobots over with a single serving pan of corn on the cob (That high-school food, I tell ya, huh? Huh?), then deflects Gears's blaster-fire with a pot lid. Ironhide shoots molten lead at Brawl-B.O.T., but he leaps to grab a light fixture, avoiding the attack, and the now-weakened floor collapses under Ironhide. Brawl-B.O.T. runs for it, barricading the door out with remarkable speed, and heads for a seemingly abandoned building… as Swindle watches.

The Autobots follow, telling the kids to stay put. They enter the building, and find that Brawl-B.O.T. has taken an elevator thirty floors up. Ironhide wedges a stick into the doors, and the trio run up the stairs. Outside, the future serial killers grow instantly impatient, and drag Elise inside the building. They remove the stick, enter the elevator and head up.

A blast erupts ''behind'' the Autobots, and Ironhide orders them to shoot up. They shoot at absolutely ''nothing'', Ironhide declares they hit whatever it was, and they run right into Swindle. Meanwhile, the elevator has stopped. Roland is lifted up so he can open the emergency hatch, and discovers B.O.T. is trying to break the elevator cables.

Sadly, B.O.T. is prevented from snapping the cables by an energy blast to the back. The Autobots pick themselves up, seemingly having been soundly thrashed by Swindle all by himself. They all run outside to witness Swindle driving away. Back at Decepticon headquarters, Brawl is restored and the bomb removed, and Bruticus is formed again.

At the school, Elise inspects the remnants of B.O.T. to find that the "funny component" is gone. Martin decides to hunt it down by reworking the machine that read B.O.T.'s "brain response" so it can track the signal. The three drive to the ocean, and Elise rewires B.O.T.'s speech synthesizer so it receives and decodes signals rather than creating them, letting them hear what Brawl hears. Megatron insists on a test-run of the cannon, and picks Autobot headquarters as the target. (Because it's in orbit, you see. Wait, no, it isn't.) The kids rush off to warn the Autobots, who send a signal to the Protectobots' base.

The Autobots apparently just sit around and wait for Megatron to set up his giant cannon, get his troops into position just outside their base, and for the Combaticons to assemble Bruticus before starting to defend themselves. Bruticus basically stumbles around until he falls apart. The Protectobots arrive and random fighting ensues.

[[Image:Elisetape.jpg|right|200px|thumb|This is the light-hearted, end-of-episode comedy beat. No, seriously.]]

Inside the base, the kids think they need to help, and Elise has a rare moment of spine. Using Teletraan I, she sends B.O.T. out into the battlefield on a beeline to the disruptor cannon. The Protectobots combine into Defensor and generate a force field, protecting about four other Autobots. The Decepticons wait until the force field wears off, then one shot blasts Defensor to pieces. Bruticus re-forms and tries to fire the cannon, but it turns and blasts Starscream and Soundwave instead. B.O.T. is working the cannon using a conveniently-placed control panel at the base, and causes it to explode by hitting the clearly-marked "overload" button, sending Bruticus flying away and forcing a Decepticon retreat.

Back inside, the Autobots thank the kids for their help and offer their apologies for the loss of their robot. Elise asks if they have any spare parts so they can try again… and Roland and Martin duct-tape her mouth shut and drag her away while the Autobots just watch… ''argh argh argh''…
{{--}}

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
* [[Defensor (G1)|Defensor]] (7)
* [[First Aid (G1)|First Aid]] (18)
* [[Groove (G1)|Groove]] (19)
* [[Hot Spot (G1)|Hot Spot]] (20)
* [[Blades (G1)|Blades]] (21)
* [[Streetwise (G1)|Streetwise]] (22)
* [[Gears (G1)|Gears]] (24)
* [[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]] (25)
* [[Ironhide (G1)|Ironhide]] (26)
* [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] (27)
* [[Prowl (G1)|Prowl]] (28)
* [[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]] (29)
|c2=
* [[Onslaught (G1)|Onslaught]] (1)
* [[Vortex (G1)|Vortex]] (2)
* [[Blast Off (G1)|Blast Off]] (3)
* [[Brawl (G1)|Brawl]] (4)
* [[Swindle (G1)|Swindle]] (5)
* [[Bruticus (G1)|Bruticus]] (6)
* [[Astrotrain (G1)|Astrotrain]] (9)
* [[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Megatron]] (10)
* [[Starscream (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Starscream]] (11)
* [[Skywarp (G1)|Skywarp]] (12)
* [[Soundwave (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Soundwave]] (13)
* [[Thundercracker (G1)|Thundercracker]] (30)
* [[Ramjet (G1)|Ramjet]] (31)
|c3=
* [[El Presidente]] (8)
* [[Mr. Robbins]] (14)
* [[Martin and Roland|Roland]] (15)
* [[Martin and Roland|Martin]] (16)
* [[Elise Presser]] (17)

|c4=
* [[B.O.T. (robot)|B.O.T.]] (23)
}}

==Quotes==
"Call sanitation. There's junk all over the street!"
:—'''Defensor''', leaving his mess for the humans to clean up. He's humanity's defender, not their maid.

"Megatron, I-I-I couldn't find Brawl's personality component! I didn't think it would ''matter''…"
:—'''Swindle'''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s high opinion of his teammate.

"Here, munch a little lead!"
:—'''Ironhide''' just before spraying oil (Or possibly acid, as it makes Ironhide fall through the floor. I don't know, whatever it was, it wasn't lead) at B.O.T.

"This is so degrading."
:—'''Gears''' on being beaten by Brawl-B.O.T. Or he was talking about the episode itself.

"We should've just taken the 'F' in Science."
:—'''Martin'''

"If you ever pull a stunt like that again, I'll melt you down for scrap [[tutonium]]!"
:—'''Megatron''' threatens Swindle with gibberish

==Notes==
{{quote|The episode "B.O.T." was one I always remembered from when I was young. But the thing is, I had just remembered the story focusing on Swindle selling off the other Combaticons, and I had totally mentally blocked out the whole school science project part of the story! Wow was I disappointed when I went back and watched that one!|[[Derrick J. Wyatt]]<ref>[http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/interviews-27/derrick-wyatt-interview-166415/ ''Transformers Animated'' Art Director Derrick Wyatt interview at TFW2005.com]</ref>}}

===Animation or technical glitches===
* Argh.

* The scenery in this episode is always ''huge''. In the opening scene, the five Combaticons are driving down a downtown street in a row (yes, ''even the fliers are driving on the ground'') with plenty of room. Humans are drawn tiny compared to the doors of their own buildings, and the Autobots fit easily inside human structures.

* The Bruticus scrap pile changes between shots; first it's a few scattered parts on the street, then it's a solid pile of them.

* Swindle pops out of the junk pile from beneath a yellow rectangle with wheels. The only yellow component on Bruticus is… Swindle.

* There is no indication as to what jet-mode Starscream uses to capture jeep-mode Swindle.

* When Elise says "Maybe I wired the box in wrong." one of her legs is drawn way too short, almost as if she's missing her right thigh.

* The kids create and lose B.O.T. in the middle of the night. When the Autobots reach the school, it's bright and sunny outside. If this ''isn't'' an animation error, then we are forced to assume that Brawl-B.O.T. spent several hours not doing much at all, staying inside the school the whole time, while the kids waited for the Autobots to arrive.

* The "shooting at nothing upstairs" bit might be attributed to animation/script mismatch. The animation puts the Autobots in a circular staircase so they are plainly shooting at the clearly-lit curved wall directly ahead of them. It's ''possible'' the writer intended them to be shooting up a straight staircase into darkness… but that's pure conjecture.

* During a close-up, Elise's red VW Beetle becomes Swindle-colored (including a purple hood!), then changes back and remains red through the rest of the scene.

* When the Protectobots leave their base, Blades is drawn huge compared to his teammates.

*Wheeljack's Gyro-Inhibitor appears to fire out of his left ear.

* A wall appears behind Megatron and Soundwave as they face down Hot Spot in the middle of the desert.

* When the Combaticons combine during the final battle, Vortex and Blast Off are [[Scramble City|switched]].

===Continuity errors===
* ''Argh''.

* Why didn't the Combaticons just combine into Bruticus during the opening scenes, rather than driving, transforming, transforming back to vehicles, driving '''again''', transforming, and ''then'' combining?

* Swindle goes to El Presidente to ''buy'' parts to repair the other Combaticons. The next time we see them, he's ''sold'' the Combaticon parts— for ''what'', we don't know. There is no explanation as to why he suddenly completely changed his plan.

* Gears describes the high school as a "one-level structure", but it's pretty clearly two stories.

* The kids don't seem to recognize what Transformers are, but by this point in the series, they're internationally recognized, there are holidays and tributes to them, etc. Despite this, they seem to instantly accept the existence of Transformers.

===Other errors===
* '''''Argh'''''.

* Megatron's plan seems… severely overwrought. Build a giant cannon to knock the Moon out of orbit, build a device to control the tides in the Moon's absence, and use all that power to flood a canyon that contains a hydroelectric generator that they ''also'' built. Considering that in "[[More than Meets the Eye, Part 1]]" all they needed was the already-made Sherman Dam and [[Rumble (G1)|Rumble]] shaking up a river…

* Why does Swindle go to a dump to get rid of the parts of his fellow Combaticons? Being a Decepticon he should just dump the parts wherever he wanted to. Granted he was given that "advice" but since when do Decepticons listen to humans?

* Why does Megatron put a bomb in Swindle's head? If it goes off, he loses Bruticus for good.

* Why does Megatron have ''only'' Swindle go looking for the lost personality component? Why risk permanently losing Bruticus that way?

* How did Swindle know ''exactly'' where to find each and every Combaticon component across the globe once he sold them to ''El Presidente''?

* Fifteen hours seems like an impossibly tight deadline to track down dozens or hundreds of parts scattered ''all over the world'', retrieve them, reassemble them into complex high-tech robots, AND still have time left over to track down Brawl-B.O.T.

* Why did the Combaticons suddenly have to form a robot-pyramid to become Bruticus, when earlier and later in the episode they just floated up to their correct spots, like usual?

[[Image:Combaticon pyramid.jpg|right|225px|thumb|The Combaticons unveil their new routine as the Polyhex Cowbots cheerleaders.]]

* The teens completely fail to notice a hundred-story building that is almost completely engulfed in flames and surrounded by emergency vehicles until they hear somebody fifty stories up call for help.

* Groove claims to use liquid nitrogen to put out the fire. Liquid nitrogen boils at -198 °C (-320 °F), so it would basically boil away to a gaseous state almost instantly upon exposure to the air, and with hugely explosive force to boot.<ref>[[wikipedia:Liquid nitrogen|Liquid nitrogen at Wikipedia]]</ref> On top of that, liquid nitrogen is not pink.

* Streetwise catches the two falling window-washers with his ''metal'' arms after they've fallen about fifty stories, and somehow they're not splattered all over him.

* Three high school kids can build a robot out of junk bits and Brawl's brain that is ''stronger'' and ''smarter'' than the Autobots. (The latter would be a little more believable if it weren't for the "Brawl's brain" part.)

* When B.O.T. is first activated, Elise is forcefully flung off the ladder by its arm. Somehow, she lands with only a soft thud and no real injuries.

* The high school's computer is astounding. It is exceedingly and hugely sci-fi in design, plus, how the kids were able to use it to send an SOS to the Autobots over the phone is… [[magic]] or something.

* Autobots are weaker than kitchenware: Gears carries a blaster that was made to injure or kill alien beings made entirely of metal, but it can't shoot through a pot lid.

* Benjamin Franklin Pierce High School packs its hallways with some seriously heavy furniture.

* There is a fully functional elevator within a seemingly condemned building.

* There are 12 floor indicator lights above the elevator. Bumblebee counts at least 30.

* How did Swindle get above the Autobots on the way up? And how'd he get past them on the way down again?

* The speech synthesizer is "rewired" so that instead of "synthesizing and transmitting," it "receives and decrypts". And this somehow lets the kids listen in on a conversation being held in the Decepticon base… yeah, when this can almost be considered one of the episode's ''more'' plausible elements, something is very, very ''wrong''.

[[Image:BOT-Overload.jpg|right|225px|thumb|"I assure you, there is zero chance of this coming back to bite us!"]]

* It's never really specified why Megatron specifically needs Bruticus to fire the cannon. If it's a size thing, he also has [[Devastator (G1)|Devastator]] and [[Menasor (G1)|Menasor]]. Likewise, it isn't specified why Optimus Prime thinks Defensor is the only one who can face Bruticus, when he has the [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobots]] and [[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]] (for sheer size) and even [[Superion (G1)|Superion]] (as a rival combiner) to do the same.

*But to handle the controls of the cannon, the size thing is debatable because the cannon has a human-level control panel on it. Oy.

* On that note, the human-level control panel has a great big button clearly marked "Over Load" in English. Why did he install that?

*No, really, why?

* This episode was made.

===Real-world references===
* "Benjamin Franklin Pierce High School" is a reference to [[wikipedia:Hawkeye Pierce|Benjamin Franklin "Hawkeye" Pierce]], the character from ''[[wikipedia:M*A*S*H*|M*A*S*H*]]'' (who was also the inspiration for the [[Mini-Con]] [[Hawkeye]]'s bio).

===Transformers references===
* Production-wise, it seems a bit odd to have three Season One Autobots respond to the kids' SOS, rather than showcasing the brand-new combiner team who would otherwise seem to be the spotlight buy-my-toy characters of the episode.

* This episode establishes that the Combaticons have their own separate base. As this was the last episode before the jump to 2005, this is never touched on again.

* Starscream says to Megatron "''Your'' stupid warrior" in reference to Bruticus, but Starscream was the one who made him.

===Trivia===
* '''''Argh'''''.

[[Image:BOT-ModelReuse.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Me an' my friends are Jem girls, especially Jimmy "The Legbreaker" Cianciulli!]]

* Mr. Robbins's class is made up of a ''very'' odd collection of students. The ''least'' odd are the two women who are just recolored character models from ''Jem'', [[Hasbro]]'s then-current cartoon-advertised foray into girls' fashion dolls. Towards the back, however, appear to be thugs in business suits.

* The class, by the way, lasts for about two minutes before the bell rings.

* This episode introduces the most loathsome ''Transformers'' characters ever, Roland and Martin. Boosting a laser to a level that could grievously injure or kill someone as a ''prank'', the misogynistic duct-taping of Elise's mouth and constantly dragging her places against her will, and a general smarmy smugness level that makes Starscream seem humble.

* Astrotrain appears in the simulation of the disruptor cannon knocking the Moon from orbit, but is never seen elsewhere.

* The original script's cast list for the episode notes that the "junkyard operator" is a spy, and that the only other thing we learn about him is that he gets taken away by the "Federal Authorities". Oh, and he has no lines.<ref>[[Metrodome]]'s Season 3 & 4 DVD set extras</ref> This bizarre plot twist obviously didn't make it into the final draft, but really, what's one more wad of nonsense at this point?

* The billboard over the Protectobots' urban headquarters seems to be advertising for [[E Cola]]. Mmmmmmm.

* This episode was lampooned at the [[BotCon 2006]] [[MSTF]] presentation, and as far as the writers are concerned, it is the single ''dumbest'' episode in the entirety of ''Transformers'' animation.

* It is also possibly the worst advertisement for the combiner teams possible. Bruticus is destroyed with ''a single shot'' from Defensor, and later stumbles around like a concussed baby as the Autobots shoot at him. Defensor's force field is rendered utterly pointless as the Decepticons just wait for it to run out, then he too is blasted to bits with ease.

* This was the last episode of season two. Can you imagine if this was the last episode of ''The Transformers'' ever?

* Good God, I need a stiff drink.

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Generation 1 episodes]]
[[Category:MSTF]]