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Operation Bumblebee, Part 2

2012-03-18T12:03:20Z

93.166.17.117: /* Trivia */

{{episode|
|otherseries=''[[Transformers: Prime (cartoon)|Transformers: Prime]]'' ep 31
|prev=Operation Bumblebee, Part 1
|next=Loose Cannons
|image=OperationBumblebee2-Forge.jpg
|caption=Who so ever holds of this hammer, if you be worthy, you posses the power of Thor.

|title="Operation Bumblebee, Part 2"
|airdate=[[March 17]], [[2012]]
|written by=[[Nicole Dubuc]]
|directed by=[[Vinton Heuck]]
|animation studio=[[Polygon Pictures]]
|production company=[[Hasbro Studios]]
}}

'''Bumblebee discovers that MECH and Starscream are responsible for his troubles; Ratchet confronts demons from his Cybertronian past.'''

==Synopsis==
With [[Bumblebee (Prime)|Bumblebee]] on a medical bed, [[Ratchet (Prime)|Ratchet]] tells [[Bulkhead (Prime)|Bulkhead]] off for taking the scout into battle. When Bumblebee comes around, he faces Ratchet's ire as well, and [[Optimus Prime (Prime)|Optimus Prime]] grounds Bumblebee until his [[transformation cog|T cog]] can be recovered. Ratchet has another idea though—he offers to donate his own T cog in a transplant. Though Optimus is uncertain, Ratchet convinces him.

[[Megatron (Prime)|Megatron]] is pleased with the new device [[Knock Out (Prime)|Knock Out]] has secured—a [[force field]] generator—although Megatron's demonstration leaves him startled.

Elsewhere, [[Starscream (Prime)|Starscream]] and [[Silas]] find an [[energon]] deposit, though Silas would appreciate it if Starscream didn't talk so much.

Ratchet selects [[Arcee (Prime)|Arcee]] to do the operation, though she's less than enthusiastic. She starts by putting Ratchet in induced [[stasis lock|stasis]], but before she can do the same for Bumblebee, an alarm signals the appearance of another relic from the [[Vaults of Iacon]]. Optimus calls a halt to the operation so he, Arcee and [[Bulkhead (Prime)|Bulkhead]] can investigate. No sooner have they left than [[William Fowler|Agent Fowler]] contacts the base. He's disappointed only Bumblebee's there to take his call, but passes on the news that he's got the possible coordinates of a [[MECH]] base. Unable to understand Bumblebee, he searches for someone who speaks English, but Ratchet is barely coherent, still recovering from stasis. [[Jack Darby]] volunteers to pass the message on.

Optimus and his team reach the top of a mountain to find Knock Out and [[Breakdown (Prime)|Breakdown]] uncovering the [[Forge of Solus Prime]]. With it, the Autobots could conceivably create a new T cog for Bumblebee.

MECH infuses the newly-found energon into their creation, but as it begins to stir, Bumblebee bursts through the door. Though unarmed, Bumblebee throws an industrial-sized barrel at Starscream, knocking him flat, and proceeds to shrug off the weapons fire from the MECH goons.

As Knock Out and Breakdown free the forge, the Autobots charge them. While Bulkhead tackles Breakdown, Optimus and Arcee find they have a bit of a problem getting past Knock Out's shield generator, and he pushes them back towards the edge of the cliff.

Bumblebee knocks a bunch of MECH troopers flat, jumps on their robot and tears his T cog from its innards. No sooner is this done than he's hit by a blast from Starscream. As MECH withdraw, Starscream grabs the T cog and threatens to destroy it.

Ratchet recovers, only to find Fowler shouting at him about MECH coordinates, and the kids reveal Bumblebee has gone to deal with it.

Meanwhile Bumblebee has had enough of Starscream's gloating and belts the ex-Decepticon, knocking him flat. As the T cog flies up into the air, Bumblebee jumps for it, but a quick blast by Starscream spells the end of that attempt. While Starscream leaves, Bumblebee is left with his shattered T cog. Starscream quickly rendezvous with MECH outside the compound, but Silas is less than impressed with him for losing the T cog, and Starscream is soon surrounded by MECH guys.

Optimus and Arcee are forced back to the cliff edge. While Breakdown is distracted by their predicament, Bulkhead takes the opportunity to grab the Forge of Solus Prime and thwack the Decepticon with it. Breakdown lands on Knock Out and for a few moments Bulkhead stands triumphant, at least until Megatron steps out of the [[GroundBridge]] and blasts him. Collecting the Forge, the Decepticons leave. Ratchet reports the situation with MECH to Optimus.

Starscream comes around to find MECH gone, along with his T cog, and runs off into the woods.

Optimus's team arrives at the MECH base to find Bumblebee looking sadly at his damaged T cog.

On the ''[[Nemesis (Prime)|Nemesis]]'', Megatron attempts to use the Forge, only to discover that it requires the power of a [[Prime (rank)|Prime]] to work.

Ratchet completes surgery, restoring Bumblebee's old cog. Though Bumblebee's first few attempts to transform fail, he eventually manages it, and takes Raf for a drive. Ratchet, for his part, seems happy that it worked.

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
*[[Ratchet (Prime)|Ratchet]] (1)
*[[Bumblebee (Prime)|Bumblebee]] (2)
*[[Arcee (Prime)|Arcee]] (4)
*[[Bulkhead (Prime)|Bulkhead]] (5)
*[[Optimus Prime (Prime)|Optimus Prime]] (6)
|c2=
*[[Megatron (Prime)|Megatron]] (7)
*[[Knock Out (Prime)|Knock Out]] (8)
*[[Vehicon (Prime)|Vehicons]] (9)
*[[Breakdown (Prime)|Breakdown]] (15)
*[[Soundwave (Prime)|Soundwave]] (16)
|c3=
*[[Raf Esquivel]] (3)
*[[Silas]] (10)
*[[Jack Darby]] (12)
*[[Miko Nakadai]] (13)
*[[William Fowler]] (14)
|c4=
*[[Starscream (Prime)|Starscream]] (11)
}}

==Quotes==

"...I think I just leaked some transmission fluid."
:—'''Knock Out''' sums up how intimidating his master truly is.

"I am able! Just ask Bantor... he was all mandrill before I.. put a tiger in his tank!"
:—'''Ratchet''' starts recovering from being put in stasis.. sort of.

"Do you ever not speak?"
:—'''Silas''' says what we're all thinking.

"Time to jet! Because I ''can''!"
:-'''Starscream''', who really should learn to keep his mouth shut.

"For the most creative use of a shield generator in a supporting role, the winner is : Knock Out!"
:—'''Knock Out''' prepares for the Oscars.

"MINE'S BIGGER."
:—'''Bulkhead''' compares hammers with Breakdown.

==Notes==
===Animation and technical errors===
*Once again, Starscream's eyes are completely red for the first half of the episode. It's only after Bumblebee hits him with a barrel that they are only red circles. Maybe hitting him with a heavy object is the key to making them normal.

===Continuity notes===
*Once more, Starscream mentions being the one to "offline" [[Cliffjumper (Prime)|Cliffjumper]].

===Transformers references===
* While delirious, Ratchet refers to [[Fuzor]]s, and even names [[Bantor (Prime)|Bantor]], a reference to [[Bantor (BW)|''Beast Wars'' Bantor]].
* Optimus mentions [[Solus Prime]], one of the [[Thirteen]].
* Knock Out unfavorably compares the results of Megatron's failed forging experiment to a "[[Fortress Maximus (disambiguation)|Fortress-Maximus]] Grade [[Nucleon Shock Cannon]]".
* Megatron once again calls Optimus by his pre-Prime name "Orion Pax" from the previous episodes during his gloating.

===Real-world references===
*Knock Out broadly references award shows such as the Oscars and Emmys.

===Trivia===
* Ratchet's random (and awkward) gibberish while in stasis is similar to Fowler's random sayings in "[[Darkness Rising, Part 4]]", and "[[Darkness Rising, Part 5|Part 5]]".
* When Agent Fowler relays the information on MECH's whereabouts to Bumblebee, he says it really slowly and condescendingly, as if he believes Bumblebee has trouble understanding English, rather than just mute. Agent Fowler's kind of a dick.
* During the fight in the hangar, Bumblebee punches several MECH soldiers, sending them flying through the air with enough force to break the lenses on the prototype. The Autobots aren't even trying to use minimum force on MECH anymore, are they? Then again, Bumblebee might have be holding a small grudge against them.

[[Category:Prime episodes]]

Operation Bumblebee, Part 1

2012-03-17T22:42:49Z

93.166.17.117: /* Trivia */

{{episode|
|otherseries=''[[Transformers: Prime (cartoon)|Transformers: Prime]]'' ep 30
|prev=Orion Pax, Part 3
|next=Operation Bumblebee, Part 2
|image=OperationBumblebee1 Bumblebee's new ride.jpg
|caption=
|title="Operation Bumblebee, Part 1"
|airdate=[[March 10]], [[2012]]
|written by=[[Marty Isenberg]]
|directed by=[[Todd Waterman]]
|animation studio=[[Polygon Pictures]]
|production company=[[Hasbro Studios]]
}}

'''Bumblebee questions his worthiness to his team after he is compromised.'''

==Synopsis==
[[Image:OperationBumblebee1 extractor yoink.jpg|thumb|left|250px|Yoink!]]
[[Optimus Prime (Prime)|Optimus Prime]] and [[Ratchet (Prime)|Ratchet]] stake out a [[Vehicon (Prime)|Vehicon]] mining operation overseen by [[Megatron (Prime)|Megatron]]. Optimus isn't about to let Megatron have whatever gave off the signal that led him and Ratchet here, and he confronts Megatron just as the Vehicons break earth and hand the package to him. Megatron advises Optimus to stow his weapons; the device they've unearthed is a deadly [[spark extractor]], capable of sapping the spark from the body of every Cybertronian in its radius. He takes the opportunity to gloat about how Optimus—ahem, ''Orion''—led him to it before stepping through the [[GroundBridge]], and ordering the Vehicons to hold Ratchet and Optimus off. Close by, [[Bumblebee (Prime)|Bumblebee]] speeds over a cliff and through the attacking Vehicons, before driving into the GroundBridge. He transforms and grabs the package from Megatron's hand, before turning around and bolting. Megatron runs after him, but upon arriving outside the vortex, finds his troops destroyed and all three Autobots gone.

Back at base, Bumblebee brags about his vehicular acrobatics. Ratchet informs Optimus of the reason for the Autobot homing beacon on the device—it was sealed away in Iacon during the war, but was jettisoned offworld when the Decepticons raided the city. [[Arcee (Prime)|Arcee]] asks if Optimus remembers if he transcribed any other coordinates, but Optimus regrets that he does not. Ratchet posits that Megatron said he decrypted multiple targets to play havoc with Optimus' psyche.

On the ''[[Nemesis (Prime)|Nemesis]]'', Megatron laments over the loss of the spark extractor, and regrets that he did no more than destroy Bumblebee's voicebox back on Cybertron. [[Soundwave (Prime)|Soundwave]] reminds Megatron that there are still two contacts on Earth to investigate.

[[Image:OperationBumblebee1 Bumblebee's operation.jpg|thumb|right|250px|'''Doctor''':So what are we transplanting today?<br>'''Silas''': A T-cog--er I mean liver.<br>'''Doctor''':A liver? In a robot?<br>'''Silas''': And?]]
On the road, Bumblebee sounds off to [[Bulkhead (Prime)|Bulkhead]] to rendezvous with him at the coordinates of the new distress beacon. Upon arriving, however, the only device present is an upright beacon. Suddenly, Bumblebee is stunned by a large electrical blast, and he falls unconscious. [[Silas]] and a [[MECH]] team emerge from the shadows, including a [[MECH Surgeon]] who starts work on Bumblebee. Unseen by the troops below, Starscream arrives and transforms on an overlooking cliff. As MECH spots Bulkhead incoming, the surgeon finishes his work, and the team departs in a helicopter. Bulkhead arrives and asks Bumblebee who did it, but Bumblebee doesn't recall. Bulkhead advises pursuit, and transforms to roll—but Bumblebee doesn't. Antsy at the hold-up, Bulkhead asks Bumblebee why he's not transforming, and Bumblebee replies that he can't.

Back at base, Ratchet scans Bumblebee and discovers that his [[transformation cog|T-cog]] is missing. The Autobots quickly work out MECH is behind it, and Optimus tells Bumblebee he's going to have to rely on his friends for a while. Bumblebee is very depressed. Optimus is worried about what Megatron might unearth next.

[[Image:OperationBumblebee1 Silas meets Starscream.jpg|thumb|left|250px|"So, which of us should be called Scarface?"]]
MECH install Bumblebee's T-cog into the robot they've built, but when they power it up and have it scan a helicopter, the robot is unable to transform. Starscream, who has been spying on them, reveals himself and proposes an alliance. He explains the T-cog requires [[energon]] to work. He intends to supply MECH with information on energon so they can work out a way to find energon deposits.

Bumblebee is making a pain of himself bugging Ratchet, who asks [[Raf Esquivel|Raf]] and [[Miko Nakadai|Miko]] to keep him busy. Unfortunately all of their entertainment reminds Bumblebee of his missing vehicle mode. Raf makes another attempt to make Bumblebee feel better, but is undermined by Arcee and [[Jack Darby|Jack]] racing into the base at high speed. Ratchet has to stop Bumblebee from going out for a walk, but feels guilty at his inability to fix his fellow Autobot.
Some time later, Ratchet picks Raf up outside school, much to the boy's discomfort.

[[Image:OperationBumblebee1 Bumblebee runs after Knock Out.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Robots in mirror are closer than they appear.]]
On monitoring duty, Bulkhead detects a signal, and Bumblebee insists on going with him to investigate.

Raf asks how Bumblebee's voice box was damaged, and Ratchet tells how Bumblebee was captured at [[Tyger Pax]] and given a working over by the Decepticons. Though a [[Ratchet (Prime)|field medic]] saved the scout, it wasn't enough to save his voice box.

Bulkhead and Bumblebee track the signal to a cave. [[Knock Out (Prime)|Knock Out]] soon comes barreling out, closely followed by [[Breakdown (Prime)|Breakdown]]. While Bulkhead tackles the latter, Bumblebee attempts to chase Knock Out on foot. He soon finds he can't even transform his arms to deploy his guns, and is forced to continue the pursuit by using an old truck as an impromptu go-kart. Unfortunately it loses a wheel, and as Knock Out speeds off with the pilfered device, Bumblebee is sent flying off a cliff.

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
*[[Ratchet (Prime)|Ratchet]] (3)
*[[Optimus Prime (Prime)|Optimus Prime]] (4)
*[[Bumblebee (Prime)|Bumblebee]] (5)
*[[Arcee (Prime)|Arcee]] (7)
*[[Bulkhead (Prime)|Bulkhead]] (9)
|c2=
*[[Megatron (Prime)|Megatron]] (1)
*[[Vehicon (Prime)|Vehicons]] (2)
*[[Soundwave (Prime)|Soundwave]] (10)
*[[Knock Out (Prime)|Knock Out]] (17)
*[[Breakdown (Prime)|Breakdown]] (18)
|c3=
*[[Jack Darby]] (6)
*[[Miko Nakadai]] (7)
*[[Raf Esquivel]] (8)
*[[Silas]] (11)
*[[MECH Surgeon]] (12)
*[[Sierra]] (14)
*[[Sierra's friend]] (15)
*[[Vince]] (16)

|c4=
*[[Starscream (Prime)|Starscream]] (13)
}}

==Quotes==
"The new Urbana 500. It won't just rock your world. It will transform it."
:—The '''commercial narrator''' hates Bumblebee.

"You want to ride with the siren on?"<br>
"No, thank you."
:—'''Ratchet''' attempts to cheer up '''Raf'''.

"Still don't know how you talked me into this. You're worse than Miko."
:—'''Bulkhead''' on Bumblebee's persuasiveness.

"Bumblebee, where's your famous horsepower? Show me some ''speed''!"
:—'''Knock Out''', unintentionally striking a nerve.

==Notes==
===Animation and technical errors===
* Though Ratchet has standard vehicle instrumentation, the needles don't move, at least while they're in shot. His speedometer is showing a higher reading as they slowly move away from the school than later when they're driving down the street.

===Continuity notes===
*This marks the first mention of Megatron being responsible for destroying Bumblebee's capacity to speak at [[Tyger Pax]], having been established in ''[[Transformers: Exodus]]'' for the Aligned continuity.
*Megatron calls Optimus by his pre-Prime name "Orion Pax" from the previous episodes. The three sets of coordinates the Decepticons are investigating here are likewise the fruits of [[Project Iacon]].
*We first heard about [[Project Chimera]] in "[[Operation: Breakdown]]", the events of which Starscream makes mention of. Here we finally see what the project is—an attempt to create a MECH-designed Transformer.
*The old pickup truck Bumblebee uses to chase Knock Out was first seen in "[[Convoy (episode)|Convoy]]", and again in "[[Metal Attraction]]".
*MECH's attacks on Breakdown and Arcee are brought up, which happened in "[[Operation: Breakdown]]" and "[[Crisscross]]", respectively.
*Starscream compares facial scars with Silas, having gotten his from Arcee in "[[Partners]]".

===Transformers references===
[[Image:OperationBumblebee1 spark extractor.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Behold, the latest handheld gaming system: THE SEGA MATRIX, with the ability to transform into any gaming system in the world, even those NOT made by SEGA!]]
*The ''device dú jour'' today is the spark extractor, courtesy of ancient Decepticons. However, unlike the [[spark extractor|original]], this one seems to be more of a bomb-like device, sapping the sparks of everyone in its radius. It might not be a coincidence that the device showed up in an episode written by [[Marty Isenberg]], given that he was one of the two showrunners of the [[Beast Machines: Transformers (cartoon)|series]] it originated from.
*The T-cog is a reference to the [[transformation cog]] of G1 lore. It was first referred to in the ''[[The Transformers (cartoon)|The Transformers]]'' episode "[[Five Faces of Darkness, Part 1]]", in which the lack of a transformation cog meant that [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]] was stuck in city mode.
*Ratchet also has to explain to Bumblebee that the Autobots are "Robots In Disguise", which is why he can't leave the base while his T-Cog is missing.
* The reason behind the loss of Bumblebee's voice is near identical to the explanation given for [[Bumblebee (Movie)|another Bumblebee]].

===Real-world references===
*Megatron uses the term "mutually assured destruction", a longtime slogan for the effect of nuclear war.
*Knock Out references Rent-A-Car, a real-world car rental service.

===Trivia===
*In a first for the series, Bumblebee's car mode is revealed as the [[Urbana 500]].
*This is the first time a fight has happened ''inside'' the GroundBridge. Seeing as it's quite long, this may explain how in other episodes, characters sometimes exit the GroundBridge in a different order than they entered it.
*Bumblebee, Ratchet and Starscream's Cybertronian modes, again, have Earth vehicle kibble.
*The title is a nod to a Season 1 episode "[[Operation: Breakdown]]".
*It was revealed that several artifacts were jettisoned into space during the war, explaining why [[Energon Harvester|earlier]] [[polarity gauntlet|devices]] were found on Earth.
*Bumblebee's door wings move with his emotions just like with Starscream.
*Optimus has finally been repaired from the damage he got in his battle with Megatron in [[One Shall Fall]].
[[Category:Prime episodes]]

Operation Bumblebee, Part 1

2012-03-17T22:42:31Z

93.166.17.117: /* Trivia */