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The Gambler

2011-01-08T22:12:32Z

92.3.144.217: /* Trivia */

{{episode
|image=The Gambler title shot.JPG
|caption="On a warm summer's evenin', on a train bound for nowhere..."
|series=G1toon
|ep=47
|series2=SRLFtoon
|ep2=36
|prev2=The Secret of Omega Supreme
|next2=The Girl Who Loved Powerglide
|title="The Gambler"
|written by=[[Michael Charles Hill]]
|production code=700-46
|airdate=[[November 11]], 1985
|production company=[[Sunbow Productions]]
|continuity=[[Generation 1 cartoon continuity]]
}}

'''On the return journey from Aron's world, the Autobots are captured by a gambling-addicted alien and traded away, leaving Smokescreen and the Autobot bounty hunter Devcon to rescue them.'''

:''Japanese title:'' ギャンブル惑星モナカス (''Gamble Wakusei Monacus'', "Monacus, the Planet of Gambling ")
:''Italian title:'' '''Il giocatore''' ("The gambler")

==Synopsis==
{{note|This episode follows the events of "[[Child's Play (episode)|Child's Play]]".}}
[[Image:Gamblerautosintubes.jpg|left|200px|thumb|Every gambler knows that the secret to survivin' is knowin' what to throw away and knowin' what to keep.]]
The Autobots are returning to earth after their adventure on [[Aron]]'s planet, when their "toy rocket" space ship suddenly comes to a halt. They are captured by an alien captain named [[Bosch]]. Bosch deactivates them and intends to sell the Autobots as slaves in exchange for energon. However, [[Smokescreen (G1)|Smokescreen]]'s tube malfunctions and he remains functional, though temporarily immobilized.

Smokescreen learns that Bosch is a gambler. After demonstrating his ability to manipulate a slot machine, he takes Bosch's proposition to go to [[Monacus]], a gambling asteroid, and win enough energon to repower Bosch's ship in exchange for the freedom of the rest of the Autobots.

Bosch and Smokescreen end up at the "Pit of Destruction" arena of [[Gyconi|Lord Gyconi]], a local swindler, where they use the Autobots as collateral for a very high-interest loan of energon chips. At a casino, Smokescreen builds up quite a stack of winnings and lets it all ride on one last bet. But one of the casino workers breaks his link with a slot machine and he loses everything. Unable to buy back his friends, Smokescreen vows that Gyconi hasn't seen the last of him.

[[Image:Gamblersmokescreenbets.jpg|right|200px|thumb|You never count your money when you're sittin' at the table. There'll be time enough for countin' when the dealin's done.]]

Meanwhile, [[Dirge (G1)|Dirge]] and [[Ramjet (G1)|Ramjet]] arrive on the planet in [[Astrotrain (G1)|Astrotrain]] and head towards the city. They are followed by a mysterious blue Autobot.

In a local tavern, Smokescreen meets the mysterious Autobot, who introduces himself as [[Devcon (G1)|Devcon]]; he's a bounty hunter searching for Decepticons.

[[Image:Gamblerdevconslizardo.jpg|left|200px|thumb|For a taste of your whiskey, I'll give you some advice.]]

In Gyconi's lair, Ramjet and Dirge shake down the big green frogman for a share of his profits. He invites the two Decepticon planes to stay and watch the upcoming battle in his arena: the Autobots versus the Animaliens. Before the show, Gyconi fixes the fight by giving the Autobots unstable energon which will wear off and make them defenseless.

The fight begins as [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]], under Gyconi's control, takes on an ugly red lizard animalien. At first the Autobot leader holds his own, prompting a lot of patrons to bet on him, but then his power runs out and he's overcome. [[Inferno (G1)|Inferno]] is forced into the arena for the next match, but before it starts, Smokescreen fills the place with smoke and forces everyone out. Ramjet and Dirge chase him down, but he's saved by Devcon.

[[Image:Gambleranimalianfight.jpg|right|200px|thumb|The best that you can hope for is to die in your sleep.]]

Gyconi and the Decepticons load up Astrotrain with energon cubes in order to make a getaway, but Smokescreen, Devcon and Bosch confront them. During a fierce firefight, Smokescreen uses his smoke again to confuse the Decepticons. They take off aboard Astrotrain and Devcon chases after them.

The Autobots are returned to normal and Bosch offers to take them back to earth, but only after a quick stop at casino row.

{{-}}

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
* [[Perceptor (G1)|Perceptor]] (1)
* [[Smokescreen (G1)|Smokescreen]] (2)
* [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] (3)
* [[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]] (4)
* [[Inferno (G1)|Inferno]] (5)
* [[Devcon (G1)|Devcon]] (14)
|c2=
* [[Astrotrain (G1)|Astrotrain]] (11)
* [[Dirge (G1)|Dirge]] (12)
* [[Ramjet (G1)|Ramjet]] (13)
|c4=
* [[Bosch]] (6)
* Monacan loan shark (7)
* [[Animalien]] (8)
* [[Slizardo]] (9)
* [[Gyconi]] (10)
}}

==Quotes==
"Arrrgh! I can't even beat my own machine anymore, and I had it fixed so I could cheat!"
:—'''Bosch''' has a stroke of bad luck.

"The name is Smokescreen, and I never walk when I can drive."
:—'''Smokescreen'''

"Ladies and gentlemen! Tonight for the first time anywhere in the galaxies, you will witness the pugilistic spectacle of the millennium!"
:—'''Lord Gyconi''' talks up his gladiator show.

"Now, prepare to meet my friend, Mr. Ionic Displacer."
:—'''Astrotrain'''

==Notes==
===Animation or technical glitches===
*When the autobots are captured and Smokescreen's tube breaks, he's miscoloured. He's back to blue and red as he gets paralyzed by the guard.
*The animation of the tubes opening to release the brainwashed Autobots is just the shot of them closing played backwards — unfortunately this means that Smokescreen appears to be in one of the tubes when he shouldn't be.
*The lowering platform in Gyconi's room is left unanimated, making the Autobots seem to lower into a paving stone.
*When Slizardo and Bosch approach Astrotrain, Slizardo's animation cell does not change, resulting in him appearing much smaller than Bosch.
*When Bosch and Smokescreen are walking together, they are about the same height, however, when Smokescreen transforms, Bosch rides inside him. Then again, mass-shifting is nothing new here

===Continuity errors===
*In terms of airdates, this episode is ''definitely'' played out of order, as we've seen several of the characters that are still trying to escape from Aron's planet in "[[Child's Play (episode)|Child's Play]]" on Earth prior to this one.

===Transformers references===
*Slizardo would eventually return in the season 3 episode "[[Grimlock's New Brain]]" alongside the [[Skuxxoid]].
*Devcon would later be featured in the [[Universe (2003 comic)|''Wreckers'' comic]].
*Astrotrain refers to his ionic displacer rifle by that name.

===Real-world references===
*[[wikipedia:Sheol|Sheol]], the name of Lord Gyconi's part of town, is a Hebrew word that means "the grave", and is sometimes used as a synonym or euphemism for Hell.
*When an alien turns down Bosch's offer of the Autobots as collateral, saying he's "got robots up to [his] eyeballs", he advises Bosch to go see someone named Asimov. [[wikipedia:Isaac Asimov|Isaac Asimov]] was a science-fiction writer known for his stories about robots (duh).
*Monacus is named for the real-world sovereign state of Monaco, famous for its casino.

===Trivia===
* This is one of the only two pre-movie episodes in which [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]] does not appear, the other being "[[The God Gambit]]". Both have Astrotrain and two Seekers in them.

==Home video releases==
{{homevidnote}}
;Laserdisc
[[Image:Flag of Japan.png|20px|Japan]] 1994 — ''Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers'' — Convoy Set ([[TakaraTomy|Takara]]) — Japanese audio only. 
[[Image:Flag of Japan.png|20px|Japan]] 1998 — ''The Transformers'' — Autobot Edition ([[Geneon Universal Entertainment|Pioneer LDC]]) — Japanese audio only.
;DVD
[[Image:Flag of Japan.png|20px|Japan]] 2001 — ''The Transformers'' — DVD Box 1 (Pioneer LDC) — Japanese audio only. 
[[Image:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2003 — ''The Original Transformers'' — Season 2 Part 2 ([[The Original Transformers|Rhino Entertainment]]) 
[[Image:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2003 — ''The Original Transformers'' — Season 2 Part 2: Vol. 5 (Rhino Entertainment) 
[[Image:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2004 — ''Transformers'' — Season 2 Part 2 ([[Metrodome]]) 
[[Image:Flag of Australia.png|20px|Australia]] 2004 — ''Transformers'' — Collection 3: Series 2.2 ([[Madman Entertainment]]) 
[[Image:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2006 — ''Transformers'' — The Complete Generation One Collection (Metrodome) 
[[Image:Flag of Australia.png|20px|Australia]] 2007 — ''The Transformers'' — Complete Collection (Madman Entertainment) 
[[Image:Flag of Italy.png|20px|Italy]] 2009 — ''Transformers'' — Volume 05: Stagione Due Parte Terza ([[Medianetwork Communication]]) — English and Italian audio. 
[[Image:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2009 — ''Transformers'' — Season Two: Part Two (Metrodome) 
[[Image:Flag of Australia.png|20px|Australia]] 2009 — ''The Transformers'' — Complete Collection: Decepticon Edition (Madman Entertainment) 
[[Image:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2009 — ''The Transformers'' — The Complete Series: 25th Anniversary "Matrix of Leadership" Collection ([[Shout! Factory]]) 
[[Image:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2009 — ''The Transformers'' — Season Two, Volume Two: 25th Anniversary Edition (Shout! Factory)

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

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gambler}}
[[Category:Generation 1 episodes]]

Personality destabilizer device

2011-01-08T21:41:07Z

92.3.144.217:

:''A personality destabilizer device is a piece of technology from the [[The Transformers (cartoon)|cartoon portion]] of the [[Generation 1 continuity family]].''

[[Image:AttackOfTheAutobots Personality Destabilizer.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Okay, who wants to clean the camera lens?]]

When installed in an [[Autobot]] [[recharging chamber]], the '''personality destabilizer device''' instills evil into any [[Transformer]] which uses it, causing their optics to turn red. It also compells them to start doing things. Evil, evil things.

==Fiction==
===Generation 1 cartoon===
During a diversionary battle, [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]] and [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]] covered themselves with [[invisibility spray]], and sneaked into [[Ark (G1)|Autobot headquarters]] to install the personality destabilizer into the recharging chambers. When the Autobots later recharged, the effects caused them to start destroying jets at a military base.

The only Autobots who weren't affected were [[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]] and [[Jazz (G1)|Jazz]], who discovered what had happened when they returned to base and found [[Bluestreak]] acting strangely. After subduing their comrade, they found and presumably removed the personality destabilizer. Luckily [[Sparkplug Witwicky]] was able to design and build an [[attitude exchanger]], to reverse the device's effects. {{storylink|Attack of the Autobots}}

[[Category:Generation 1]]
[[Category:Technology]]

Electrum

2011-01-08T21:15:15Z

92.3.144.217:

:''Electrum is a substance from the [[Generation 1]] and [[Movie (franchise)|Movie]] [[Continuity family|continuity families]].''

[[Image:Laserrave.gif|right|324px|thumb|Electrum causes Transformers to break out in Dance Fever.]]
'''Electrum''' is a golden liquid with the special property of bonding to metal and rendering it virtually indestructible.

This property is a result of its unique nature; electrum is an ''element'' with a ''molecular structure''.<ref>"Element with a molecular structure"? [[Skyfire (issue)|Dreamwave's ''Generation One'' #3]], you fail at science. This is not unique at all, being seen in elements such as oxygen and chlorine.</ref> It's also considered an alloy<ref>Alloy in [[Transformers (Glu)]]</ref> when in its bonded form.

Liquid electrum is combustible, but it has a considerably higher spark-point than [[Liquid Energon|liquid energon]] — a stray blaster shot will not ignite it, but a direct high-power shot will.

Electrum-augmented Transformers turn a golden color.

{{note|In the real world, electrum is an alloy of gold and silver. See: [[wikipedia:Electrum]] for more information. It is also the ancient Greek word for [[wikipedia:Amber|amber]].}}

==Fiction==
===Generation 1 cartoon continuity===
[[Beachcomber (G1)|Beachcomber]] discovered an isolated 'lagoon' full of electrum in a natural preserve, which was promptly seized by the [[Decepticon|Decepticons]]. [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]] destroyed the electrum rather than let the Autobots have it. {{storylink|The Golden Lagoon}}

Most Transformers were unfamiliar with electrum, and the scientist [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]] was apprehensive about its properties. Electrum seems to possess an almost 'mythical' status.

===Dreamwave comics continuity===
[[Jetfire (G1)|Jetfire]] noted that [[Sunstorm (G1)|Sunstorm's]] body was constructed of a substance ''similar'' to electrum, a by-product of Cybertronian bio-mechanics.<ref>No, we have no idea what this means.</ref>

In this continuity electrum was grafted only onto inanimate material. It's possible that the material of which Sunstorm was constructed is simply the form electrum takes when bonded to living material.

===Transformers (2007) movie continuity===
[[Image:Glu electrum novaspray.jpg|right|180px|thumb|]]
Decepticon drones erected a series of blockades fortified with the Cybertronian alloy electrum.

[[Ironhide (Movie)|Ironhide]] can use [[nova spray]] to turn the blockades brittle and destroy them. {{storylink|Transformers (Glu)|Mobile phone game}}

{{note|The electrum-augmented blockades in this game are not gold, as is typical of electrum, but are instead a warm gray. (The color of real-world electrum.)}}

==Toys==
===Generation 1===
* '''Meister''' (2003)
**''Japanese ID number:'' '''C-06'''
**''Accessories:'' Photon Rifle, Missile launcher, 3 missiles

[[Image:Ehobby Meister.jpg|right|180px|thumb|Has/Tak's rejected submission to the Academy's "Update the Oscars Statue" contest.]]
: This version of reissue [[Jazz (G1)|Jazz]] is almost entirely constructed of [[Vacuum metallizing|vacuum-metallized]] gold plastic, based on Jazz's incredibly brief, non-speaking appearance in "[[The Golden Lagoon]]". This re-issue is a homage to special gold-colored toys 20 years earlier which was declared 'electrum' to give it a stronger tie to Transformers continuity. A silver edition of Bluestreak received no such explanation.

: Mesiter was an [[e-Hobby]] [[exclusive]], sold with [[Bluestreak|Streak (anime version)]].
{{-}}

==Notes==
* When [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] was submerged in [[Liquid Energon|liquid energon]] in the [[Keepers Trilogy]], he was covered with an invulnerable 'silver coat.' This appears completely unrelated to the way electrum works (the [[Matrix of Leadership|matrix]] was involved, to begin with...).

==References==
<references />

[[Category:Generation 1]]
[[Category:Movie]]
[[Category:Substances]]

Nimue

2011-01-08T20:59:37Z

92.3.144.217:

:''Nimue is a [[human]] character from the [[The Transformers (cartoon)|cartoon]] portion of the [[Generation 1 (franchise)|Generation 1]] [[continuity family]].''

[[Image:DecepticonRaider Nimue.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Why would I need saving?]]
Princesss '''Nimue''' is a human who lived in the countryside some distance from the city of [[Camelot]] in the mid-sixth century. The devoted daughter of a feudal lord, [[Sir Aetheling the Red]], she is a bit of a spit-fire and slightly flighty.

She chooses [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike]] as her champion when he time travels with [[Hoist (G1)|Hoist]] and [[Warpath (G1)|Warpath]] back in time, following [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]], [[Rumble (G1)|Rumble]] and [[Ramjet (G1)|Ramjet]] into a "[[Dragon Mound]]".

==Fiction==
===Generation 1 cartoon===
:''Voice actor:'' [[Linda Gary]] (English), [[Masumi Gotō]] (Japanese)

[[Image:Siraetheling%26nimue.jpg|left|200px|thumb|Zelda, Duke Onkled is under attack by the evil forces of Ganon.]]
During a fight between the [[Autobot]]s and [[Decepticon]]s, Starscream, Rumble and Ramjet stumbled upon a cave with an interesting energy signature. The cave took them back in time to 543 A.D. where they were soon spotted by Nimue. She tailed them at a distance and watched as they agreed to help [[Sir Wigend du Blackthorne]] against her father. Fleeing, she was pursued by [[Ravage (G1)|Ravage]], but fortunately stumbled on Spike, Warpath and Hoist, who chased off Ravage and quickly agreed to help fight the Decepticons.

Her father had arranged a jousting tournament at which he hoped to settled his feud with Blackthorne peacefully. Nimue appointed Spike as her champion, although he did not exactly do well in the jousting. After Warpath and Sir Aetheling defeated Rumble and Ramjet in a joust, Starscream kidnapped Nimue, intending to ransom her for her father's kingdom.

[[Image:DecepticonRaider Wigend Nimue Aetheling.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Well, excuuuse me princess]]
Nimue was thrown in a cell, but found an unexpected ally in the form of Sir Wigend. The lord, having found Starscream had relieved him of his castle, became smitten with Nimue and proposed marriage, which she immediately accepted. Spike arrived to rescue her a few minutes later and was told the happy news.

With Spike's aid (Sir Wigend having been thrown into the moat by [[Sir Wulf]]), Nimue was able to escape from the cell as Sir Aetheling's forces assaulted the castle. With a little help from the wizard <strike>Merlin</strike> [[Beorht]], the Autobots were victorious, and Sir Wigend presented Nimue with a makeshift ring. Spike was very depressed.

After a walk to the Dragon Mound and an encounter with an actual [[dragon]], Nimue and her friends gave farwells to the travellers as they returned to their own time. {{storylink|A Decepticon Raider in King Arthur's Court}}

==Notes==
*Nimue is one of the names used for the [[Wikipedia:Lady_of_the_Lake|Lady of the Lake]] in Arthurian legend.

[[Category:Cartoon-only characters]]
[[Category:Generation 1 humans]]
[[Category:Royalty]]