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Five Faces of Darkness, Part 2

2009-08-29T04:55:46Z

96.251.150.110: /* Synopsis */

{{episode
|series=G1toon
|ep=67
|series2=2010
|ep2=2
|image=FFOD2 Galvatron sparks.JPG
|caption=Only Galvatron can see the Energon Fairies
|title="Five Faces of Darkness, Part 2"
|production code=#700-87
|production company=[[Sunbow Productions]]
|airdate=[[September 2]], 1986
|written by=[[Flint Dille]]
|continuity=[[Generation 1 cartoon continuity]]
}}

'''As a near death experience on Chaar allows Rodimus Prime to discover who kidnapped the Autobots, Cyclonus and Scourge head to rescue Galvatron...only to find that something is very wrong with their leader.'''

:''Japanese title:'' ルビークリスタルの秘密 (''Yomaigaeru Shin Hakai Taitei'', "The Revived New Emperor of Destruction")
:''German title:'' "'''Die fünf Gesichter der Finsternis, Teil 2'''" ("The five Faces of Darkness, Part 2")

==Synopsis==
[[Image:FFOD2 Rodimus Grimlock asteroid ship.jpg|left|200px|thumb|If he dead, me Grimlock eat him.]]

On [[Chaar]], the [[Decepticon]]s have discovered the snooping [[Hot Rod (G1)|Rodimus Prime]] and [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]]. However, the Decepticons cannot muster enough energy to power their weapons, so they opt to beat the two [[Autobot]]s to death. They overwhelm Rodimus and Grimlock, but scatter at the sight of a meteor...which turns out to be a [[Skuxxoid]] ship commandeered by [[Springer (G1)|Springer]] and [[Arcee (G1)|Arcee]]. They grab Rodimus and Grimlock, but Rodimus is non-responsive. [[Cyclonus (G1)|Cyclonus]] allows them to leave, as he has more pressing matters...such as finding [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]].

[[Image:FFOD2 Quintesson court.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Who left that camera on?!]]

On [[Quintessa]], the [[Quintesson]]s are interrogating [[Kup (G1)|Kup]], who is Cybertron's [[Chief of Security]]. They seem to know the true answers to their questions, even though he lies. They learn that [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] is militarily secure, but that Kup is worried about [[Earth]]'s security. [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]] and [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike]] are surprised that the Quintessons seem to know so much, but the Quintessons end their discussion by trying their hand at interrogating Spike.

Elsewhere, Springer sets the Skuxxoid ship down. A badly injured Rodimus is mumbling Springer's name and that of the [[Matrix of Leadership|Matrix]], and Arcee believes that Rodimus is naming Springer as the new [[Prime (rank)|Autobot leader]]. Suddenly, Rodimus's [[Spark|life force]] disappears. Arcee assumes the worst, but Grimlock points out that the Matrix didn't appear, so he is still alive. As for Rodimus Prime's life force, it's going on a very trippy (yet poorly animated) journey through the Matrix, seeing [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]], [[It|a skull-like thing]], a few robots...and the Quintessons. Coming back online, Rodimus realizes that it was the Quintessons who kidnapped the others, not the Decepticons.

On Quintessa, Spike, Magnus, and Kup overpower their guards, taking a Quintesson judge named [[Judge Deliberata|Deliberata]] hostage. When they confront the court, however, the Quintessons merely sentence him to die in the [[Sharkticon (G1)|Sharkticon]] tanks as well. The pit opens, plunging Spike and the Autobots into the pit along with Deliberata. The side of the pit opens, allowing the other Quintessons to watch. They like to watch.

[[Image:FFOD2 Scourge rescuing Galvatron.jpg|left|200px|thumb|The Genesis of a mad robot as if Unicron's tortures weren't enough!]]

Heading to [[Thrull]], Cyclonus sends [[Scourge (G1)|Scourge]] to pull Galvatron from the plasma pool. Cyclonus and the [[Sweep]]s greet their leader, only to discover that he has been driven insane by the plasma baths. Galvatron immediately proceeds to lay the smackdown on his would-be rescuers, but Scourge, who speaks crazy, manages to talk him down. Galvatron declares that they have an empire to regain, and they depart, but not before Galvatron destroys Thrull.

[[Image:FFOD2 Sharkticon pit.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Sharkticon infested custard.]]

On Quintessa, as the Sharkticons begin to swarm in, Spike asks why they're being executed, and the Quintessons say that Spike is guilty of associating with the Autobots, who are guilty of theft. Magnus assumes that they are talking about the Decepticons, but the Quintessons point out that the Autobots inhabit Cybertron. Above, the Skuxxoid ship flies through the sky, only to be destroyed by the Quintessons' defense systems. However, the Autobots were not on board, instead arriving in Springer's [[Alternate mode|copter mode]]. The Quintesson tribunal flees Grimlock's would-be assault, while Springer pulls the others out of the Sharkticon tank. The [[Aerialbot (G1)|Aerialbots]] arrive with their escape ship. However, the Quintessons, obsessed with destroying the Matrix, detonate a [[core bomb]] on Quintessa. Safely in the distance, they watch their homeworld explode.

[[Five Faces of Darkness, Part 3|To be continued...]]

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
*[[Hot Rod (G1)|Rodimus Prime]] (1)
*[[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]] (2)
*[[Springer (G1)|Springer]] (13)
*[[Arcee (G1)|Arcee]] (14)
*[[Kup (G1)|Kup]] (18)
*[[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]] (19)
*[[Silverbolt (G1)| Silverbolt]] (24)
*[[Air Raid (G1)|Air Raid]] (25)
*[[Skydive (G1 Aerialbot)|Skydive]] (26)
*[[Fireflight (G1)|Fireflight]] (27)
*[[Slingshot]] (28)

|c2=
*[[Cyclonus (G1)|Cyclonus]] (3)
*[[Swindle (G1)|Swindle]] (4)
*[[Dead End (G1)|Dead End]] (5)
*[[Onslaught (G1)|Onslaught]] (6)
*[[Breakdown (G1)|Breakdown]] (7)
*[[Wildrider]] (8)
*[[Soundwave (G1)|Soundwave]] (9)
*[[Thrust (G1)|Thrust]] (10)
*[[Motormaster]] (11)
*[[Rumble (G1)|Rumble]] (12)
*[[Scourge (G1)|Scourge]] (15)
*[[Sweep|Sweeps]] (16)
*[[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]] (23)

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

|c4=
*[[Quintesson]]s (17)
*[[Judge Deliberata]] (21)
*[[Sharkticon (G1)|Sharkticons]] (22)
}}

== Quotes ==
"It just don't pack the wallop it used to!" 
"Yeah, because we're out of energy, dummy!"
:—'''Vortex''' and '''Swindle''' exposit for the audience.

'''Cyclonus''': Those miserable Skuxxoids! 
'''Scourge''': They can't be working with the Autobots. 
'''Swindle''': Ehh, they'd sell out to anybody for the right price. 
'''Cyclonus''': If anyone would know, Swindle...
:—It takes one to know one, Swindle.

'''Quintesson 1''': You are the Autobot Kup. You are Cybertron's chief of security. 
'''Kup''': Naw, my name's Teaspoon! And I'm Cybertron's chief dishwasher. 
'''Quintesson 2''': Zero percent probability of truth. Identification positive. 
'''Quintesson 1''': Tell us the status of Cybertron's defenses. 
'''Kup''': Total shambles after the last war. Three kids and a dog could take the planet. 
'''Quintesson 2''': Four percent probability of truth. Defenses at optimum levels. Direct assault not viable.
:—The Quintessons interrogate Kup. They apparently lack a sense of humor.

"Release us, or I turn your buddy here into bluey juice!"
:—'''Spike'''

'''Ultra Magnus''': Where are you taking us? 
'''Quintesson''': To your judgement. 
'''Kup''': Right. We're gonna get a fair trial, and then they're gonna kill us.
:—Kup already knows how the Quintesson's justice system works.

"Pay us no mind. We just...like to watch.
:—The '''Quintessons''' creepily enjoy Sharkticons attacking Ultra Magnus, Kup and Spike.

'''Galvatron''': ''Who'' disturbs my plasma bath? 
'''Cyclonus''': Mighty Galvatron, we have come to deliver you from— 
'''Galvatron''': My empire of ash?! 
''[Galvatron hits Cyclonus on the head.]'' 
'''Galvatron''': My bastion of brimstone?! Rih! 
''[Galvatron hits Cyclonus on the head. Again.]'' 
'''Galvatron''': My kingdom of desolation?! Nnah! 
''[Galvatron hits Cyclonus on the head yet again, and then punches him into the plasma pool.]'' 
'''Galvatron''': Did I ask you for deliverance? Nnah! DID I?! 
''[Galvatron kicks Cyclonus, who attempts to get out, back into the plasma pool. Then he proceeds to blow up a rock in the pool.]'' 
'''Galvatron''': Hahahahahahahaha! Hahahahahahahaha! Ah, Cyclonus! How wonderful to see you again!
:—'''Galvatron''' shows '''Cyclonus''' the true definition of craziness.

"Mighty Galvatron, I have learned your lesson! I now know not only that you are the leader, but also why." 
"Such insight is rare! Watch out for this one, Cyclonus. One day, he might take your place."
:—'''Scourge''' and '''Galvatron''' speak crazy.

==Notes==
===Animation or technical glitches===
[[Image:Bigrumle.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Eat more and grow bigger.]]
* While walking with his fellow Decepticons, [[Rumble (G1)|Rumble]] is as tall as [[Soundwave (G1)|Soundwave]].
* When Kup sasses the Quintessons by referring to himself as 'Cybertron's chief dishwasher', observe the Quintesson on the throne (the one closest to the screen). One of the faces is mouthing Kup, word for word! This seems to persist for the rest of the scene.
* Even ''after'' being savagely beaten by the Decepticons to the point of death, Rodimus' character model shows absolutely no signs of damage. This is even more unusual when you consider the ''extremely'' damaged condition of the Decepticons earlier in the episode.
* When Rodimus confirms that Grimlock saved his life on Quintessa, his helmet is drawn very...oddly.
* At one point Kup says "You're confusing us with Decepticons." in Ultra Magnus's voice.
* Silverbolt is really big when escaping from Quintessa. The Autobots could board him with no problem. Now '''''THAT'S''''' [[Size changing|mass shifting]].

===Continuity errors===
* Before his life force temporarily enters the Matrix, Rodimus says "My time in the light is short..." Arcee claims that's what Optimus Prime said when he was dying. It's ''possible'' this happened off-screen, but it certainly wasn't shown in [[The Transformers: The Movie|the movie]]. About the closest thing he did say is "Do not grieve. Soon, I shall be one with the Matrix..."
* In the previous episode, when [[Cyclonus (G1)|Cyclonus]] first learns of Galvatron's location, the lava pool where Galvatron was submerged appeared in a small crater. When Cyclonus actually does find Galvatron, the location not only seem different, but the crater has gotten larger as well. Finally, when [[Scourge (G1)|Scourge]] pulls Galvatron out, the lava pool is the size of a small lake.
* The Quintesson that was sentenced along with Spike, Kup and Ultra Magnus apparently vanishes after they take the plunge, at least until Rodimus makes an attempt to rescue them, where he is once again seen with them.

==External links==
* [http://cybertronchronicle.freewebspace.com/cartoon-dossier/synopses/five_faces_of_darkness_part_2.html Dossier at the Cybertron Chronicle]

[[Category:Generation 1 episodes]]

Five Faces of Darkness, Part 4

2009-08-29T04:51:00Z

96.251.150.110: /* Synopsis */

{{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]]s. 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|The Autobots finally discover what Bruce Wayne went through to not be afraid of the bats and the outside world.]]

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.

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)|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|right|200px|thumb|When a guy has cannons for a tongue, it's time to panic.]]

Meanwhile, Blaster sends help to the Autobots and Faireborn in the form of Sky Lynx, who is en route. 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)|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)|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==
"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===
[[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."]]
* When Judge Deliberata is celebrating the impending destruction of the Autobots, [[Slag (G1)|Slag]] is walking with them. You can tell it's an error because he's in robot mode, and the [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobots]] seem to suffer from [[mode attachment]] during Season 3.
* When [[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 [[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.
* When the Decepticons pledge their allegiance to Galvatron, [[Skydive (G1 Aerialbot)|Skydive]] is shown amongst them.
* Later on, two [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwaves]] are shown colored like [[Constructicon (G1)|Constructicons]], alongside a [[Seeker (body-type)|Seeker]] colored like [[Onslaught (G1)|Onslaught]].
* When Arcee and the repaired Springer speak with Rodimus, the latter is drawn in his [[Hot Rod (G1)|Hot Rod]] form.
* Two Constructicons 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.
* 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 all colored rather randomly.
* Really makes you wonder how [[AKOM]] actually gets work, doesn't it?

===Continuity errors===
* The Constructicons (eight of them...) build Megatron. [[The Secret of Omega Supreme|Who later made them evil.]] [[Heavy Metal War|And who later built them.]]
* 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.

===Trivia===
* 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]].

==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 5

2009-08-29T04:49:41Z

96.251.150.110: /* 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|Tryptizilla vs. Metrozord!]]

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.]]

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)|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===
* In the first shot of the Decepticons about to attack Cybertron, the entire Decepticon army seems to be made up of randomly recoloured Sweeps and Cyclonuses.
* During the attack on Cybertron, a Decepticon similar in form to Cyclonus with Dirge's paint job is shown twice. One in robot mode, and once in flight mode. Perhaps 'Armada' ''does'' exist...
* Ultra Magnus punches Ramjet. As Ramjet spirals out of control, he's shown with Dirge's colors.
* While retreating from Cybertron, there are five Cyclonuses flying with Galvatron. Considering that this is part five of Five Faces of Darkness, that just seems right. That or Armada can clone like an Insecticon.
* The skylines on Earth and Io seem to change between shots. Sometimes on Earth they become star-filled nights, while on Io they become blue days with a few clouds.
* During the scene when Trypticon attacks the Autobot headquarters, there are a couple shots that show Jazz along with Warpath and the other Autobots, but later he is seen fighting on Cybertron with the Autobots.
* Bumblebee and Powerglide are shown fighting Trypticon on Earth, but are then shown later fighting alongside Perceptor against the Sweeps on Cybertron.
* As the Autobots exit Sky Lynx, the transforming cog is shown as a large gear wheel, instead of an orb-shaped device.
* When Wheelie narrowly misses Motormaster when running towards Metroplex to deliver the transforming cog, he comes across a whole line of Decepticon troops which includes the Insecticons, who were killed off in the Movie. Shrapnel is shown twice in this scene, standing directly next to his clone, but you can only see half of him. This scene also shows Blast-off and Swindle, which were also seen (at the beginning of) the Cybertron attack.
* 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.

===Continuity errors===
* 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.
* 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 would be shown that way at the end of the episode.
* Also, 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.
* Both Dirge and Ramjet seem to die at the hands of Ultra Magnus on Cybertron, but they both show up in later episodes. Considering they were already seen eaten by Unicron in the Movie, this is not so surprising.

===Trivia===
* It's sort of strange that Pipes has to explain that they have to install the transformation cog. Granted, this is not the [[Energon (cartoon)|only time]] this happens.

==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]]

The Killing Jar (episode)

2009-08-29T04:48:08Z

96.251.150.110: /* Synopsis */

{{episode
|series=G1toon
|ep=71
|series2=2010
|ep2=10
|title="The Killing Jar"
|image=Captured KillingJar.jpg
|caption=When I hear that lonesome whistle, I hang my head and cry.
|airdate=[[September 15]], 1986
|written by=[[Michael Charles Hill]] [[Joey Kurihara Piedra]]
|production code=700-91
|production company=[[Sunbow Productions]]
|continuity=[[Generation 1 cartoon continuity]]
}}

'''Ultra Magnus, Cyclonus, Marissa Faireborn, and Wreck-Gar are captured by a Quintesson scientist for experiments, but are sucked into a more dangerous problem—a black hole.'''

:''Japanese title:'' 4人の捕虜 (''Yonnin no Horyo'', "Four Captives")
:''German title:'' "'''Der Sog des schwarzen Loches'''" ("The Maelstrom of the Black Hole")

==Synopsis==
[[Image:Killing Jar Fakegalvatron.jpg|left|200px|thumb|Cyclonus doesn't know his own strength apparently, see what he does to Galvatron!]]

As [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]] stargazes, he's being spied on by a [[Quintesson]] scientist and his [[Allicon]] guard. Disguising their ship as [[Sky Lynx (G1)|Sky Lynx]], the pair lure Magnus on board where he's attacked by a fake [[Hot Rod (G1)|Rodimus Prime]]. The scientist correctly predicts Magnus's actions as the [[Autobot]] attempts to restrain his leader without harming him. With Magnus safely imprisoned, the scientist sets course for [[Chaar]]. Once there, the ship is again disguised, this time as [[Broadside (G1)|Broadside]], and [[Cyclonus (G1)|Cyclonus]] lured on board. Again, the scientist predicts that Cyclonus will behave in a similar manner to Magnus when confronted with a hostile illusion of his leader. On [[Junkion (planet)|Junkion]] , [[Wreck-Gar (G1)|Wreck-Gar]] is enjoying [[Lippo the Clown]]'s TV show when the clown himself turns up in a spacecraft and lures Wreck-Gar on board. Naturally it is soon revealed to be the Quintesson ship. The scientist predicts that placing a [[Junkion]] in a clean, uncluttered room will cause him to go catatonic. Instead Wreck-Gar proceeds to tear up the walls to make the chamber more like "home sweet home".

Disguised as a shuttle, the Quintesson ship docks with an [[Earth Defense Command|EDC]] space station, and [[Marissa Faireborn]] is lured on board by an illusion of her father. Once the ship leaves the space station, Marissa is shocked when her father's face changes into the Quintesson "death" face. She strikes the illusion to the ground and it disappears — the Quintesson scientist observes that violence is always the human way. Finally the bars on Marissa's cell appear and all four captives are able to communicate.

[[Image:Killing Jar Allicon storm.jpg|right|200px|thumb|]]

The scientist visits the cell area, instructing his guard to activate a [[submission field]], pinning Marissa to the floor. As the pair move in, Wreck-Gar fires his fist, deactivating the field and allowing Marissa to attack the Quintesson and attempt to free Ultra Magnus. Before she can free him, the room begins crackling with electrical energy — the ship has flown into an [[electron storm]].

As the captives are assaulted by the energy, the Quintesson and his guard head for the control room and attempt to steer the ship through the storm. After a wrong move, the guard manages to guide the ship out of the storm. In the cell area, Magnus grabs hold of the electron bars, short-circuiting the bars on all four cells and freeing everyone. When the scientist and guard return to the cell area, they're jumped by Marissa and Wreck-Gar while Magnus and Cyclonus fight over what they're going to do with the ship. Marissa gets the better of the Quintesson and begins to plot a course back to Earth, but discovers that the ship has fallen into the gravity field of a [[black hole]].

[[Image:Killing Jar Black hole viewer.jpg|left|200px|thumb|In, through, ... AND BEYOND!]]

She interrupts the fighting to let everyone know they've got bigger problems, but while the Allicon guard activates a distress signal, the Quintesson slips away to the rear of the ship where the escape pods are located. The others follow him, only to find that most of the pods have been rendered useless by the electron storm and only one remains operational. Magnus yanks the scientist from the escape pod, but the launch sequence has already started. Though Cyclonus intends to use it himself, Wreck-Gar tackles him so that Magnus can help Marissa into the pod. While they're fighting, the pod launches with no one aboard and Magnus is pulled out as the whole room begins to depressurise.

To Magnus's surprise, Cyclonus saves him with a tractor beam. The scientist explodes angrily at them for allowing the escape pod to launch unmanned but during the ensuing discussion, they begin to receive a transmission and spy a ship coming up behind them. Although they believe rescue is imminent, it turns out merely to be a derelict ship, which is dragged into the black hole ahead of them. Finally the Quintesson ship's engines overload, and the ship follows the derelict into the black hole...

[[Image:Newcolors KillingJar.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Get on it, e-Hobby.]]

...only to emerge into a [[negative universe]] where the color spectrum is drastically altered. While the Quintesson works on a plan to return them to their own universe, the others set about repairing the overloaded engines. Once repairs are complete, the Quintesson slingshots the ship through the white hole, re-emerging from the black hole into the middle of a battle. Magnus radios for help from Sky Lynx, who docks with the ship. The group goes their separate ways, Ultra Magnus, Wreck-Gar and Marissa returning to [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] in Sky Lynx.

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
*[[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]] (1)
*[[Wreck-Gar (G1)|Wreck-Gar]] (8)
*[[Sky Lynx (G1)|Sky Lynx]] (12)

|c2=
*[[Cyclonus (G1)|Cyclonus]] (5)
*[[Astrotrain (G1)|Astrotrain]] (13)

|c3=
*[[Marissa Faireborn]] (10)

|c4=
*[[Quintesson]] Scientist (2)
*[[Quintesson]] Guard (3)
*Fake [[Sky Lynx (G1)|Sky Lynx]] (3)
*Fake [[Rodimus Prime (G1)|Rodimus Prime]] (4)
*Fake [[Broadside (G1)|Broadside]] (6)
*Fake [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]] (7)
*Fake [[Lippo the Clown]] (9)
*Fake [[Flint (G.I. Joe)|Flint]] (11)
}}

==Quotes==
"This Ultra Magnus is a soldier first and foremost." 
"This Decepticon and the Autobot are two of a kind. One is good and one is evil, but to me that is no difference at all." 
"As an Autobot, this Junkion should have reacted as I predicted. Remarkable." 
"Humans are disgusting creatures, but worthy of study, if only to find a better way of destroying them." 
"Violence is always the humans' way of solving problems." 
:—Various observations made by the '''Quintesson scientist''' after capturing his test subjects.

"Galvatron! Why would you attack me, your most loyal soldier?"
:—'''Cyclonus''' asks an almost rhetorical question.

"We wouldn't be in this situation at all…" 
"…If you had not captured us." 
"Cyclonus, I can finish my own thoughts. I don't need you to do it for me." 
"Maybe the thought was not yours to begin with, Ultra Magnus."
:—'''Ultra Magnus''' and '''Cyclonus'''

"Cyclonus, you saved me? But why?" 
"Warriors such as you and I should meet their end in battle."
:—'''Ultra Magnus''' and '''Cyclonus'''

"Sky Lynx! Disengage and take a reverse heading!" 
"Ultra Magnus, where are you?" 
"Behind you! What do you think reverse means?!"
:—'''Ultra Magnus''' and '''Sky Lynx'''

==Notes==
* Although he is not named, Marissa's father has the same voice actor and sounds the same as [[G.I. Joe (team)|G.I. Joe]]'s [[Flint (G.I. Joe)|Flint]], all indicating that Marissa is Flint's daughter. Additionally, the file name presented on the back of Flint's G.I. Joe toy packaging is "Dashiell R. Faireborn." This connection was later confirmed by ''Transformers'' writer and story editor [[Flint Dille]].

*The Japanese version of the episode would appear to have missed the ''G.I. Joe'' reference. In the Japanese dub of the ''G.I. Joe'' cartoon, Flint was voiced by ''Transformers'' regular [[Hōchū Ōtsuka]]. However, in this episode, Marissa's father is voiced by another ''Transformers'' regular, [[Takurō Kitagawa]]. The reference would eventually be embraced by future Japanese ''Transformers'' authors, such as [[Hirofumi Ichikawa]] and [[Yūki Ōshima]].

===Animation or technical glitches===
[[Image:Fakebroadside KillingJar.jpg|right|150px|thumb|The Quints have bad intel on Broadside—and so has Cyclonus.]]
* When the Quintesson announces they're going to test Ultra Magnus's reactions, his mouth doesn't move.

*In most shots, the [[Knockoff|fake]] Rodimus is missing his yellow wings and his Autobot insignia is in the wrong place. Also, he's got Hot Rod's color scheme.

* The illusion that the Quintessons used to trick Cyclonus is of the [[Triple Changer]] [[Broadside (G1)|Broadside]], which is really weird, since Broadside is an Autobot. He even speaks in Broadside's correct voice.

* [[Wreck-Gar (G1)|Wreck-Gar]] fires his hand like a rocket to free Marissa, but he is incorrectly shown with both hands for two scenes before we see him picking up the lost hand and re-attaching it.

* As the ship is buffeted by the electron storm, letters and numbers are visible in the clouds at the bottom of the screen.

* During the first shot of the Quintesson preparing to use the escape pod, the escape pod is missing from the launch tube.

* [[Cyclonus (G1)|Cyclonus]] is seen mouthing the second half of the Quintesson scientist's line, "You all realize if the ship enters the white hole at the incorrect trajectory, we will all be crushed or torn to pieces," although the Quintesson's voice speaks the entire time.

* After they arrive in the negative universe and Magnus throws the scientist at the Allicon, the Allicon's right forearm goes missing. It reappears after this scene so that Marissa can remove it and use it to repair the engines, but appears and disappears again over the course of the rest of the episode.

===Continuity errors===
* Cyclonus requires an escape pod to escape from the Quintesson ship, even though he turns into a spaceship.
* The Quintesson says he knows the Transformers' programming because he helped build them. However, how does he know Cyclonus's programming, since Cyclonus was built by Unicron?

===Transformers references===
* The Quintesson scientist refers to his guard's transformed mode as his [[alternate mode]], the first use of that term in official fiction.

===Real-world references===
* A [[wikipedia:Killing_jar|killing jar]] is an [[wikipedia:Entomology|entomological]] tool for killing insect specimens, usually with gas.
* As usual, most of Wreck-Gar's lines are drawn from television, film and radio:
** When lured into the Quintesson ship, Wreck-Gar says, "No candid camera insta-clicks me!" This refers to the TV series ''[[wikipedia: Candid Camera| Candid Camera]]'', one of the earliest (if not THE earliest) prank/practical joke shows on television.
** When Marissa remarks she's in a zoo or a jail, Wreck-Gar responds with "Book me, Danno, I have the right to remain silent!" "Book 'em, Danno," is a catch phrase of Jack Lord's character from the '70s action-detective series ''[[wikipedia: Hawaii Five-O| Hawaii Five-O]]''.
** As the ship gets struck by the electron storm, Wreck-Gar remarks, "What a revoltin' development!" This catchphrase originated on the 1940s radio show, ''[[Wikipedia:The Life of Riley|The Life of Riley]]''; in geek circles, it's probably better known as one of the trademark lines of the [[Thing]], the powerful member of the superhero team the [[Fantastic Four]].
** Shortly afterward, Wreck-Gar exclaims, "We've gotta get out of this place!", a likely reference to the song of the same name by [[wikipedia: The Animals| The Animals]].
** As Wreck-Gar takes the guard's arm, he mentions "Hugh is in good hands," referring to the slogan for [[wikipedia: Allstate|Allstate Insurance]].
** When Magnus dismisses the potential rescue ship as not being a "Decepticon junk", Wreck-Gar says, "Junk? Wreck-Gar phoned home!" This plays on the famous "E.T. phone home." quote from ''[[Wikipedia: E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial| E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial]]''.
** When the Quintesson ship is about to go back through the white hole, Wreck-Gar says that they can "go back, Jack, and do it again," quoting the [[wikipedia: Steely Dan| Steely Dan]] song "Do It Again".

===Miscellaneous trivia===
* The background music which plays during the "working together" montage in the final act is the first piece of new music composed for season three (besides the opening theme), and would appear to have been created specifically for the scene in question, as it is not re-used anywhere else in the series.
* At one point, it appears that the Allicon's mouth is located at the bottom of his faceplate instead of the top.
* Ultra Magnus smashes the cockpit of the escape pod to get the Quintesson out. How does he expect Marissa to use it when she doesn't have a space suit?
* Cybertron seems unusually spiky in the epilogue.

==External links==
* [http://imdb.com/title/tt0733024/ IMDb's page for this episode]
*[http://cybertronchronicle.freewebspace.com/cartoon-dossier/synopses/the_killing_jar.html Dossier at the Cybertron Chronicle]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Killing Jar}}
[[Category:Generation 1 episodes]]
[[Category:MSTF]]

Starscream's Ghost

2009-08-29T04:13:33Z

96.251.150.110: /* Trivia */

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

[[Image:G1 StarscreamsGhost Cyclonuswrecked.jpg|left|150px|thumb|"I'm going to have a field day when I get out of the med bay. Not to mention the searing pain in my chest. Oh well as long as Galvatron is happy so am I!"]]

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

===Trivia===
[[Image:TVMagazineStarscreamsGhost1.jpg|right|150px|thumb|Hey, remember that episode where Blitzwing fought Starscream's ghost? That was awesome.]]
* Japanese artwork seen in ''[[TV Magazine]]'' showed [[Blitzwing (G1)|Blitzwing]] rather than Octane as the Decepticon being accosted by the specter of Starscream. This appears to have been the original direction of the storyline, as at that point, Blitzwing had been banished from the Decepticons after his selfless actions in "[[Five Faces of Darkness, Part 5]]" and was on friendly relations with the Autobots and the Junkions. The Sandstorm role also seems to have been originally written for [[Springer (G1)|Springer]].[http://groups.google.com/group/alt.toys.transformers/msg/38be154a237a9aa3] The change was likely related to the fact that [[To sell toys|Octane was the newer toy]].

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

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

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

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

[[Image:G1 StarscreamsGhost PRON.jpg|right|150px|thumb|Looks like Galvatron forgot to limit Octane on the pornographic websites]]
* When Sandstorm asks if Octane is all right after the latter falls down, he doesn't sound very sincere.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

[[Category:Generation 1 episodes]]

Starscream's Ghost

2009-08-29T04:12:24Z

96.251.150.110: /* Synopsis */

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

[[Image:G1 StarscreamsGhost Cyclonuswrecked.jpg|left|150px|thumb|"I'm going to have a field day when I get out of the med bay. Not to mention the searing pain in my chest. Oh well as long as Galvatron is happy so am I!"]]

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

===Trivia===
[[Image:TVMagazineStarscreamsGhost1.jpg|right|150px|thumb|Hey, remember that episode where Blitzwing fought Starscream's ghost? That was awesome.]]
* Japanese artwork seen in ''[[TV Magazine]]'' showed [[Blitzwing (G1)|Blitzwing]] rather than Octane as the Decepticon being accosted by the specter of Starscream. This appears to have been the original direction of the storyline, as at that point, Blitzwing had been banished from the Decepticons after his selfless actions in "[[Five Faces of Darkness, Part 5]]" and was on friendly relations with the Autobots and the Junkions. The Sandstorm role also seems to have been originally written for [[Springer (G1)|Springer]].[http://groups.google.com/group/alt.toys.transformers/msg/38be154a237a9aa3] The change was likely related to the fact that [[To sell toys|Octane was the newer toy]].

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

[[Category:Generation 1 episodes]]

Nightmare Planet

2009-08-29T04:09:29Z

96.251.150.110: /* Synopsis */

{{episode|
|series=G1toon
|series2=2010
|ep=79
|ep2=24
|image=NightmarePlanet Quintessons watch Daniel.jpg
|caption=
|title="Nightmare Planet"
|production code=700-99
|airdate=[[October 31]], 1986
|written by=[[Beth Bornstein]]
|production company=[[Sunbow Productions]]
|continuity=[[Generation 1 cartoon continuity]]
}}

'''A recurring nightmare of Daniel's turns out to be an experiment by the Quintessons.'''

:''Japanese title:'' 悪夢の惑星 (''Akumu no Wakusei'', "Nightmare Planet")
:''German title:'' "'''Der Alptraum Planet'''" ("The Nightmare Planet")

==Synopsis==
[[Daniel Witwicky (G1)|Daniel]] has been having nightmares involving a giant [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]]. Worried, [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike]] and [[Carly]] ask [[Hot Rod (G1)|Rodimus Prime]] to come visit him. Rodimus manages to calm Daniel, but then has to leave. After he falls back asleep, a tentacle grabs Daniel...

[[Image:NightmarePlanet Dragon drop.jpg|left|200px|thumb|Rule Two: No make-believe things like, oh, pink dragons and stuff.]]

Meanwhile, Rodimus, [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]], and [[Springer (G1)|Springer]] are driving through some thick fog, when the [[Predacon (G1)|Predacons]] attack the [[Autobot|Autobots]]. However, both factions of [[Transformer|Transformers]] are suddenly attacked by monsters, on which their weapons have no effect. It turns out that the [[Quintesson]]s are using Daniel's nightmares to create chaotic monsters which will destroy the unpredictable Autobots and [[Decepticon]]s.

Springer and [[Razorclaw (G1)|Razorclaw]] are captured by a [[dragon]] and taken to a castle. While there, they meet a princess chained in a dungeon, whom Springer unbinds. She tells them of a magic lance which can kill the dragon and claims that her father will give them [[gold]] if they free her. Springer agrees to free the Princess and slay the dragon regardless of the reward, while Razorclaw acts like he's on the verge of coughing up a hairball.

[[Image:Nightmare Planet snake monster.JPG|right|200px|thumb|This scene would probably have played out much differently in ''Kiss Players''.]]

Back at the battle, Rodimus, Magnus, and the Predacons are being threatened by a witch and giant. They manage to dodge a blast from the witch that turns the giant into a toad, and Magnus finds a bucket of water which destroys the witch. However, a giant snake monster appears from the ground and nearly swallows the Transformers, before a plane, piloted by a familiar face, rescues them. The Quintessons realize that Daniel's subconscious mind is assisting the Autobots, so they increase the power to suppress his help. At the castle, Springer is trying to find way out, while Razorclaw has decided to wait until the guards come. Suddenly, Springer thinks of a plan, but requires Razorclaw's help.

[[Image:NightmarePlanetSteed.jpg|left|200px|thumb|Why is it that I have to play the hero?]]

Elsewhere, Rodimus, Magnus, and the Predacons find an abandoned amusement park. Heading into the fun house, [[Rampage (G1)|Rampage]] and [[Tantrum]] are attacked by the mirrors, while [[Divebomb (G1)|Divebomb]] falls down a large hole. Rodimus and [[Headstrong]] are attacked by a giant Galvatron, which is then defeated by a giant Rodimus Prime. Rodimus realizes that they are somehow in Daniel's dream. At the castle, Springer is fighting the dragon, but needs help. Razorclaw refuses to help, but the Princess reminds Razorclaw that the dragon will kill him as well. Razorclaw serves as Springer's mount, and he stabs the dragon, killing it. The castle also disappears, and a yellow brick road appears.

[[Image:NightmarePlanet Rodimus Daniel in bed.jpg|right|200px|thumb|"You won't tell anyone I wet the bed, will you, Hot Rod?"]]

Meanwhile, Rodimus is calling out to Daniel. Shocked, the Quintessons set the machine on its highest level, which will kill Daniel. The dream world begins to deteriorate, but the Princess guides them through the storm. Daniel is able to draw the Quintessons in subconsciously, and the Autobots rescue him. Razorclaw wants to scrap the Autobots, but Headstrong cannot [[Transformation|transform]], preventing them from becoming [[Predaking]]. Razorclaw orders the Predacons to retreat.

Back at home, Daniel wakes up, not remembering what happened, and tells Rodimus that he took control of the dream. Rodimus tells Daniel that he won't have any more nightmares involving Galvatron or snake monsters. Daniel, confused, asks how Rodimus knew about the snakes.
{{-}}

==Featured Characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
* [[Hot Rod (G1)|Rodimus Prime]] (3)
* [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]] (6)
* [[Springer (G1)|Springer]] (7)

|c2=
* [[Razorclaw (G1)|Razorclaw]] (8)
* [[Tantrum]] (9)
* [[Divebomb (G1)|Divebomb]] (10)
* [[Headstrong]] (11)
* [[Rampage (G1)|Rampage]] (12)
* [[Predaking]] (13)

|c3=
* [[Daniel Witwicky (G1)|Daniel Witwicky]] (1)
* [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike Witwicky]] (4)
* [[Carly|Carly Witwicky]] (5)

|c4=
* Dream giant [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]] (2)
* [[Quintesson]]s (14)
* Dream witch (15)
* Dream giant (16)
* Dream [[dragon]] (17)
* Dream damsel in distress (18)
* Dream giant [[Hot Rod (G1)|Rodimus]] (19)
}}

==Quotes==
"Well, I guess we're cell mates." 
"Just keep your distance."
:— '''Springer''' and '''Razorclaw'''

"I spent time talking TV with Wreck-Gar."
:—'''Rodimus''' reveals he's been warping his mind.

"Hold up, Headstrong! It's not the real thing! Look at how big he is!" 
"FOOL! Galvatron can be any size he wants!"
:— '''Rodimus Prime''' and '''"Galvatron"''' debate the [[mass-shifting]] issue.

==Notes==
===Animation or technical glitches===
* Rodimus Prime's optics change from blue to red and back again several times.
* When Rodimus Prime remarks the giant Rodimus fighting the giant Galvatron is like in Daniel's nightmare, his voice is enhanced to sound like the giant Rodimus.
* There's evidence to suggest this episode had a troubled production, as the finished animation is missing in-between cels in several scenes (leaving the keyframes only). Additionally, the episode under-runs to such an extent that ''two'' [[Secret Files of Teletraan II|secret files]] are tagged onto the end rather than one.
* In one shot, a Quintesson's body is missing, leaving his face floating in air as he talks.

===Continuity errors===
* It's never explained exactly where everyone is during the episode. The opening scene at the Witwicky house implies that it's Earth, yet the ending scenes appear to be on Cybertron. It's never made clear, and it begs the question of how the Predacons are able to run around unhindered on the Autobot-controlled planet. Ditto for the Quintessons, who appear to be operating on the same planet.
* Likewise, just how the Quintessons' magical machine works is never given any explanation. If it can project a real-life version of anything at all, wouldn't it make more sense to just hook it up to one of the Quintessons and have them imagine a really big Transformer-eating Sharkticon?
* What happened to Springer's daring escape plan?

===Real-world references===
* The yellow brick road and the witch being defeated with a bucket of water are both references to ''[[wikipedia:The_Wizard_of_Oz|The Wizard of Oz]]''.

===Trivia===
* Apparently, the Witwicky residence can accommodate giant futuristic Winnebagos comfortably. Considering the fact that Spike's best friend is [[Bumblebee (G1)|a bug]], and that [[Optimus Prime (G1)|a truck]] was among the friends of the family, the house may have been built to allow the Autobots to be able to walk around inside it.
* Razorclaw appears to find gold valuable. Whether this means it has actual value among the Decepticons, or he just likes shiny things, is unknown.
* This episode is the first to use the new, more heavily synthesized Season 3 background music.
* It's a coincidence that this episode is horror themed and it aired on ''Halloween''.

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

[[Category:Generation 1 episodes]]

Ghost in the Machine (G1)

2009-08-29T04:07:59Z

96.251.150.110: /* Synopsis */

{{episode|
|series=G1toon
|series2=2010
|ep=80
|ep2=16
|image=GhostMachine Starscream Scourge Unicron.JPG
|caption=Screw you guys, I'm going home.
|title="Ghost in the Machine"
|production code=700-100
|airdate=[[October 21]], 1986
|written by=[[Joey Kurihara Piedra]] [[Michael Charles Hill]]
|production company=[[Sunbow Productions]]
|continuity=[[Generation 1 cartoon continuity]]
}}

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

:''Japanese title:'' スタースクリームの復活 (''Starscream no Fukkatsu'', "Starscream's Revival")
:''German title:'' "'''Der Geist im Roboter'''" ("The Ghost inside the Robot")
:''German'' Generation 2 ''title:'' "'''Starscream kehrt zurück'''" ("Starscream Returns")

==Synopsis==
[[Image:GhostMachine Scourge approaches Unicron.jpg|left|200px|thumb| Don't you think we should watch out for the big menacing head IN FRONT OF US!!!!]]

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
* [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]] (with [[Scamper]]) (9)
* [[Sky Lynx (G1)|Sky Lynx]] (10)
* [[Kup (G1)|Kup]] (11)
* [[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]] (12)
* [[Powerglide (G1)|Powerglide]] (13)
* [[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]] (14)
* [[Warpath (G1)|Warpath]] (15)
* [[Silverbolt (G1)|Silverbolt]] (16)
* [[Skydive (G1 Aerialbot)|Skydive]] (17)
* [[Slingshot]] (18)
* [[Hot Rod (G1)|Rodimus Prime]] (26)
* [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]] (27)
* [[Blurr (G1)|Blurr]] (28)
* [[Springer (G1)|Springer]] (29)
* [[Hot Spot (G1)|Hot Spot]] (30)
* [[Groove (G1)|Groove]] (31)
* [[Arcee (G1)|Arcee]] (cameo) (32)

|c2=
* [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]] (1)
* [[Scourge (G1)|Scourge]] (2)
* [[Sweep|Sweeps]] (3)
* [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]] (4)
* [[Cyclonus (G1)|Cyclonus]] (5)
* [[Headstrong]] (6)
* [[Razorclaw (G1)|Razorclaw]] (7)
* [[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]] (9)
* [[Runabout]] (10)
* [[Runamuck (G1)|Runamuck]] (11)
* [[Thrust (G1)|Thrust]] (12)
* [[Dirge (G1)|Dirge]] (13)
* [[Astrotrain (G1)|Astrotrain]] (14)
* [[Divebomb (G1)|Divebomb]] (32)

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

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

==Quotes==
"DESTROY HIM! HE'S LOST HIS MIND!"
:—'''Galvatron''', calling [[Scourge (G1)|the kettle]] black.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"Now make the connection!" 
"Do it yourself!"
:—'''Unicron''' bet on the wrong pony, and '''Starscream''' just loves being a prick.

==Notes==
===Animation or technical glitches===
* After Rodimus jokes about recovering Metroplex's eyes from Unicron, Hot Spot is shown with Ultra Magnus's color scheme.
* When Bumblebee and Spike discover Scourge stealing Metroplex's eyes, Bumblebee has enormous wheels.
* In a few scenes Hot Spot has a mouth on his faceplate.
* During Scourge's attack on him, Sky Lynx has a Decepticon symbol on his nose.
* Groove has a totally different voice for his one line ("locked and loaded!"), sounding somewhat like Beachcomber. Usually he sounds more like a higher-pitched Trailbreaker.

===Continuity errors===
*Although undoubtedly big, Metroplex and Trypticon's eyes should be ''way'' too small for Unicron to use as like-for-like replacements.
*When Scourge approaches Galvatron he says, "Galvatron, don't shoot!" Galvatron states he couldn't even if he wanted to, because Trypticon neutralized their weapons. Yet, when Starscream's out of control body flies past him, he begins firing on him.

===Transformers references===
*First appearance of [[Runabout]].
*This episode marks the last appearances of [[Dirge (G1)|Dirge]], [[Thrust (G1)|Thrust]], [[Warpath (G1)|Warpath]] and [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]] in the series.
*This episode is the second appearance of Starscream's ghost. His first appearance was in the G1 episode "[[Starscream's Ghost]]". His ghost makes a third appearance in the ''[[Beast Wars (cartoon)|Beast Wars]]'' episode "[[Possession]]" in which he takes over [[Waspinator (BW)|Waspinator]].

===Real-world references===
* The title's literal meaning obviously applies to the events of the episode, but the phrase has a history in philosophical discourse. It was [[Wikipedia:Ghost in the machine|coined as a pejorative]] against the [[Wikipedia:Mind-body dichotomy|mind-body split]] of [[wikipedia:René Descartes|Cartesian]] dualism, and by the time this episode was made, it had also been used as the title of [[wikipedia:The Ghost in the Machine|a book]] and [[wikipedia:Ghost in the Machine (album)|a rock album]].

===Trivia===
* Unicron displays the ability to electrocute the Autobots inside his head and expel them through his neck.
* Starscream is last seen tumbling away through space in his new body, possibly damaged from Galvatron's attacks but still very much alive. This is sometimes seen as a point of conflict with his appearance as a ghost in the ''Beast Wars'' episode "[[Possession]]". Fans have reconciled this by speculating that he died again off-screen, or else traveled through time to the ''Beast Wars'' era (and back) before this episode took place chronologically. Alternatively, the ''Beast Wars'' cartoon does not follow strictly from any specific Generation 1 continuity, allowing the "error" to be dismissed entirely.

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

[[Category:Generation 1 episodes]]

Transport to Oblivion (episode)

2009-08-29T04:00:18Z

96.251.150.110: /* Synopsis */

{{episode
|series=G1toon
|ep=4
|series2=SRLFtoon
|ep2=4
|image=FHE-TransportToOblivion.jpg
|caption="What a fool Megatron is, Ratchet!" "Yeah, we won't have anyone '''to''' pray to until [[Yesterday's Heroes!|1989!]]"
|title="Transport to Oblivion"
|production code=#700-01
|airdate=[[October 6]], 1984
|written by=[[Bryce Malek]] [[Dick Robbins]]
|animation studio=[[Toei]]
|production company=[[Sunbow Productions]]
|continuity=[[Generation 1 cartoon continuity]]
}}

'''After months in hiding, the Decepticons return and have a new method for moving energon cubes to Cybertron.'''

:''Japanese title:'' スペースブリッジ作戦 (''Space Bridge Sakusen'', "Operation: Space Bridge")
:''German title:'' Die Weltraumbrücke (''The Spacebridge'')
:''German Generation 2 title:'' Reise nach Cybertron (''Journey to Cybertron'')

==Synopsis==
[[Image:TransporttoOblivion Decepticon-shaped rock.jpg|left|150px|thumb|Watch out it's Batman!!]]

The [[Decepticon]]s have not been seen in months and are presumed dead by the [[Autobot]]s. That doesn't stop a twitchy [[Cliffjumper (G1)|Cliffjumper]] from blasting a rock that vaguely resembles a Decepticon. [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] is also not completely convinced of the Decepticons' demise. Unknown to the Autobots, the Decepticons are in fact still alive and have constructed an [[Decepticon Headquarters|undersea fortress]] out of their [[Victory (ship)|crashed ship]] under the ocean.

Meanwhile, on Cybertron, an energy-depleted [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]] attempts to make contact with [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]]. Shockwave succeeds in his attempt and informs Megatron that the [[Energon (fuel)|energon]] reserves on [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] are almost depleted. He also tells him of the newly-constructed [[Space Bridge]].

The Decepticons head out again to collect more energy. Their first target is a solar power plant. [[Soundwave (G1)|Soundwave]] and [[Laserbeak (G1)|Laserbeak]] scare off the workers and secure the generators for energon creation.

[[Image:TransporttoOblivion Cliffjumper attacks Megatron.jpg|right|150px|thumb|If Megatron were human, that'd be really painful.]]

While cruising the city, [[Jazz (G1)|Jazz]] and [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike Witwicky]] encounter a traffic jam—the cause of which is a city-wide blackout. Both decide they need to head back to base to check in. [[Teletraan I (G1)|Teletraan I]] shows that the blackout has spread across the city. Optimus has Teletraan survey the surrounding power stations. At the solar plant, Optimus sees Megatron.

Optimus puts together a small strike team consisting of [[Ironhide (G1)|Ironhide]], [[Ratchet (G1)|Ratchet]], [[Prowl (G1)|Prowl]], Cliffjumper, [[Gears (G1)|Gears]], and [[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]] to take care of the Decepticon raid (the rest of the force are out on patrol). The Autobots arrive and drive off the Decepticons, but not before they manage to steal a large amount of energy. During the battle, Ironhide is injured while saving Optimus from an attack.

[[Image:TransporttoOblivion Spacebridge theory.jpg|left|150px|thumb|The rebel base will be in firing range in 4 minutes...]]

Back at base, Ironhide is worked on by Ratchet and [[Sparkplug Witwicky]], but his pride is more wounded then his chassis. Wanting to know how they plan to get the energon to Cybertron, Optimus sends Bumblebee out on recon to search for signs of the Decepticons in the surrounding area; Spike offers to go with him.

The two stumble upon the location of the Space Bridge and witness the Decepticons' first failed attempt to transport a small vehicle across space. Bumblebee and Spike attempt to leave, but are captured before they can report back. Megatron decides to use his two captives as pilots for the shuttle to help keep it on its course to Cybertron.

[[Image:TransporttoOblivion Bumblebee escapes.jpg|right|150px|thumb|That's what happens when you drive your car too close to Area 51.]]

Bumblebee and Spike are placed in the second test vehicle and sent toward the Space Bridge portal, but the Decepticons run out of time and the alignment between Cybertron and [[Earth]] passes. The Bridge can't be reactivated for 3,000 astro-seconds. While the Decepticons grouse about the delay, Bumblebee transforms into his car mode and smashes free of the transport vehicle. Spike is recaptured immediately. Bumblebee manages to evade them for a short time but is also recaptured. Megatron alters Bumblebee's memory chips so he can lead the Autobots into a trap.

Bumblebee returns to the [[Ark (G1)|Ark]] and tells the gathered Autobots that Spike has been captured. They head for the Space Bridge, but Bumblebee has given them an incorrect location. The false location leads them to a cave where the Decepticons, tipped off by Laserbeak, have been waiting in ambush.

[[Image:TransporttoOblivion Bumblebee rescues Spike.jpg|left|150px|thumb|Spike performed his own stunts.]]

The battle is cut short as the dimensional alignment between Cybertron and Earth recurs, allowing for Space Bridge transport. The Decepticons leave, but not before Megatron blasts the cave, sealing the Autobots within. During the battle, Bumblebee is injured and Ratchet discovers that a bank of Bumblebee's memory chips have been altered. The Autobots soon learn the true location of the Space Bridge and once free of the cave, roll out.

The Autobots engage the Decepticons once more at the true location of the Space Bridge, managing to rescue Spike and destroy the shipment of energon. As the battle nears its conclusion, Megatron is knocked into the active Space Bridge and is presumed destroyed. [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]] assumes command and orders a retreat. But within [[Decepticon Headquarters (Cybertron)|the Decepticon base]] on Cybertron, Megatron emerges intact from the Space Bridge, and swears vengeance on his enemies.

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
*[[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] (1)
*[[Ironhide (G1)|Ironhide]] (2)
*[[Cliffjumper (G1)|Cliffjumper]] (3)
*[[Jazz (G1)|Jazz]] (10)
*[[Ratchet (G1)|Ratchet]] (12)
*[[Prowl (G1)|Prowl]] (13)
*[[Gears (G1)|Gears]] (14)
*[[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]] (15)
*[[Brawn (G1)|Brawn]] (19)
*[[Sideswipe (G1)|Sideswipe]] (21)
*[[Trailbreaker (G1)|Trailbreaker]] (22)
*[[Sunstreaker (G1)|Sunstreaker]] (23)

|c2=
*[[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]] (4)
*[[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]] (5)
*[[Soundwave (G1)|Soundwave]] (6)
*[[Laserbeak (G1)|Laserbeak]] (7)
*[[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]] (8)
*[[Skywarp (G1)|Skywarp]] (9)
*[[Ravage (G1)|Ravage]] (16)
*[[Reflector (G1)|Reflector]] (18)
*[[Thundercracker (G1)|Thundercracker]] (20)

|c3=
*[[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike Witwicky]] (11)
*[[Sparkplug Witwicky]] (17)
}}

==Quotes==
'''Cliffjumper:''' "Don't worry, Megatron. I'll get them after I've taken care of YOU!" 
(Cliffjumper punches Megs downstairs; this has no effect and he is brushed aside like a rag-doll) 
'''Megatron:''' "WHO will take care of me?" 
'''Optimus Prime:''' "I will, Megatron."
:—Megatron gets put in his place for picking on the short one.

'''Skywarp:''' "Starscream! Behind you!" 
(Starscream turns to see Cliffjumper and Gears running towards him) 
'''Cliffjumper:''' "Too late, Starscream!" 
'''Starscream:''' "It's never too late, Autobot." 
[''calmly raises his left arm and fires'']

"No more backtalk, or I'll short your mouth circuit."
:—'''Ratchet'''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s bedside-manner to Ironhide.

"How're we gonna get out of this?" 
"By the skin of our teeth!" 
"I didn't know human teeth had skin!"
:—'''Bumblebee''' and '''Spike'''

"The Autobots robbed me of my victory, but they have not seen the last of Megatron. I shall be avenged!"
:—'''Megatron''', for the first time, but not the last.

==Notes==
===Animation or technical glitches===
* In the establishing shot meant to convey the transition of an Earth-bound scene to one set on Cybertron, Saturn is inexplicably near the planet Earth.

[[Image:TransporttoOblivion colourchanging Ed.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Black-White-Black]]

* The animated glow behind Shockwave when he is communicating to Megatron is mis-aligned with his body.
* Ed, a solar power plant worker, has his skin change color from one shot to the next. He's first seen as an African-American, and in the next shot, he's white, and in the following shot, he's black again, possibly suffering from a rapid (but intermittent) form of [[wikipedia:Vitiligo|Vitiligo]].
* As the Decepticons start filling energon cubes, the background cubes filled by Skywarp are mistakenly in front of the foreground cubes filled by Starscream.
* Teletraan's readout screen have a number of lost-in-translation typographical errors. It reads: SOLOR POWE STATION #001; CAPACITY: 80 %; PURRENT PRODUCTION: 0%.
* As Megatron gloats over Optimus Prime's defeat and prepares to transform into gun mode, he says "Soundwave—Prime is target, Soundwave! FIRE!", an awkward-sounding line that appears to have been hastily-edited to remove some dialog. Additionally, Megatron orders Soundwave to fire him before he even finishes transforming.
* After Ironhide is shot protecting Optimus Prime, Prowl's gun is black.
* When Shockwave says, "Test run number two aborted." the animation is of Megatron speaking.
* In several shots involving the Space Bridge, particularly those showing the entrance closing, the outlines and edges of the Bridge ring do not line up correctly, resulting in [http://www.blifaloo.com/illusions/impossible.php impossible shapes].
* When the Autobots jump through the skylight, Cliffjumper is colored like Bumblebee.
* In the scene after Megatron alters Bumblebee's memory chips, the Autobots are shown waiting for Bumblebee and Spike's return home. In the shot in which Sparkplug comments that they must have been captured, Cliffjumper is colored as Bumblebee.
* Additionally, in the same scene, Bumblebee says,"''Pike'' was taken by the Decepticons!"
* As the Decepticons prepare to retreat from the [[space bridge]], Skywarp is shown in Starscream's color scheme, resulting in two Starscreams appearing on screen at once.

===Continuity errors===
* At the end of the previous episode, the Ark was being refueled and repaired in preparation for the imminent return of the Autobots to Cybertron. At the beginning of this episode, their journey home seems to have been all but forgotten. Apparently they left the lights on and the battery died, and there wasn't another interstellar spaceship available for a jump start.
* This is the only time the Ark is ever depicted as being near a cliffside overlooking the ocean.
* When the Decepticons are leaving the power station, Skywarp is seen flying away twice.
* Brawn, Sideswipe, Sunstreaker, and Trailbreaker—who are never shown heading to the cave—are present once the battle erupts inside.

===Trivia===
* Given that Starscream is a highly sophisticated living machine, it seems unlikely that he would have to look at his wrist to accurately count down five seconds.
* Jazz is somehow able to use a stalagmite as a bat to knock back a null ray blast at Starscream.
* When Cliffjumper appears at the start of the episode, he is carrying Jazz's gun.
* The signage in the city includes odd phrases that look suspiciously like [[Engrish]]: Par, Led Bulue, SpuRashu, Fee, Mascot, IOU, April, AGF, Bell.
* When Optimus Prime is using Teletraan I to survey nearby power stations, the map on the screen is labeled "EVE ISLAND".
* A number of Transformers are depicted with unique built-in weapons and features, such as Megatron's chest-mounted hose-like memory scrambler, Ratchet's wrist-based net launcher, and Megatron's gauntlet-launched saw blade and wrist laser.
* Optimus Prime's laser rifle has a variable focus barrel that allows him to shoot a needle-beam blast.
* Bumblebee is confused when conversing with Spike about "human teeth" having skin, despite very few G1 Transformers sporting teeth.

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

[[Category:Generation 1 episodes]]

More than Meets the Eye, Part 3

2009-08-29T03:57:27Z

96.251.150.110: /* Synopsis */

{{episode
|series=G1toon
|ep=3
|series2=SRLFtoon
|ep2=3
|image=More Than Meets Part 3.jpg
|caption= NOW ENTERING AREA 51 - ACCESS RESTRICTED! NO TRESPASSING, NO PHOTOGRAPHY PERMITTED
|title="More than Meets the Eye, Part 3"
|production code=4025
|airdate=[[September 19]], 1984
|written by=[[George Arthur Bloom]]
|animation studio=[[Toei]]
|production company=[[Sunbow Productions]]
|continuity=[[Generation 1 cartoon continuity]]
}}

'''When an Autobot attempt to lure the Decepticons into a holographic trap fails, the villains succeed in gathering the energy they need, leaving the Autobots with only one chance to stop them returning to Cybertron.'''

:''Japanese title:'' 地球脱出! (''Chikyū Dasshutsu!'', "Escape from Earth!")
:''German ''Generation 2'' title:'' "'''Die letzte Schlacht'''" ("The Last Battle")

==Synopsis==
[[Image:MTMtE Part3 PushingPrimeupright.jpg|left|200px|thumb|"I'm one of the greatest actors ever why am I lifting him?]]

Caught in the blast of [[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack's]] explosive, [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] tumbles down the mountainside. Shaken but not defeated, he musters the energy to transform into robot mode. The [[Autobot|Autobots]] begin digging through the rubble and [[Jazz (G1)|Jazz]] finds [[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]] and [[Sparkplug Witwicky|Sparkplug]] alive and unharmed. Before the Autobots can begin celebrating what they presume to be the end of their enemies, there's a blast from the rubble. The [[Decepticon|Decepticons]] have survived their burial and have blasted their way out. With their [[Energon (fuel)|Energon]] haul unscathed, the Decepticons take to the air.

[[Ironhide (G1)|Ironhide]] is tired of this string of defeats, and he soon takes to the air to follow. [[Bluestreak]] takes off to try to rein him in. Ironhide takes a few pot-shots at the fleeing Decepticons, and [[Skywarp (G1)|Skywarp]] breaks formation to teleport behind their pursuers. He lands a rocket square in Ironhide's back, knocking the old Autobot out of the chase. Ironhide crashes into a lake, and the Autobots catch up with him to pull him out of the water and into [[Ratchet (G1)|Ratchet's]] waiting repair bay. The Autobots return to base.

Back at the [[Ark (G1)|Autobot base]], [[Hound (G1)|Hound]] taunts the captive [[Ravage (G1)|Ravage]] and discusses the Decepticon spy's apparent abandonment by his comrades. In using a hologram of [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]] to goad Ravage, Hound and [[Mirage (G1)|Mirage]] brainstorm an idea: to use an enormous hologram to trick the Decepticons into a trap. He pitches the idea to Optimus Prime, and the [[Prime (rank)|Autobot leader]] agrees.

Soon after, Hound talks to Mirage about a report from Teletraan-1 of a secret supply of rocket fuel. He says all this quite within earshot of Ravage, explaining how there's enough fuel there to make "four trips back to [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]]." As Mirage and Hound walk away, Hound "accidentally" drops the key to Ravage's cage. The Decepticon retrieves it and escapes captivity.

[[Image:MTMtE Part3 Starscreambegs.jpg|right|200px|thumb|The genesis of a whole lot of slashfic.]]

Back at the Decepticon camp, Ravage reports in to Megatron about the rocket base. Megatron is delighted; it's the last energy source they'll need before they can return to Cybertron. As Megatron gloats, [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]] grouses about the need for a change in leadership. In a foolish move, Starscream tries to blast Megatron in the back. [[Soundwave (G1)|Soundwave]] warns his leader, who deflects the blast with a built-in energy shield. Starscream has spent all his ammunition in this single shot, and he is left defenseless. Megatron returns the sentiment by blasting Starscream in the arm, knocking his disloyal lieutenant to the ground. Groveling, Starscream huddles to Megatron's feet, who answers his pleas only by issuing the command: "We attack the rocket base at sunrise!"

In a flat stretch of desert, Hound creates the rocket base hologram. The Decepticons move into position, and Megatron orders them to attack.

[[Image:MTMtE Part3 Jazz ScrapDecepticon.jpg|left|200px|thumb|Jazz soon regrets buying from eBay.]]

The Autobots spring their trap, running out from hiding to ambush the attacking Decepticons. However, when they engage in hand-to-hand combat, the Decepticons break apart like poorly made machines. Optimus Prime realizes they've been had. These aren't the Decepticons, but are instead decoys. Megatron, the only real Decepticon present, laughs at Prime's misstep. He saw through the phony release of Ravage. Megatron reveals to his defeated enemy that the real Decepticon army has been attacking the real rocket base.

Cut to [[Cape Carlson]], the real rocket base, where the Decepticon jets arrive. They transform and neutralize the human army's attempt to stop them. In short time, Megatron rejoins them, and they soon return to their launch base with all the fuel they need. Soundwave reports the space cruiser's readiness, and Megatron orders the Decepticons to prepare to blast off.

[[Image:MTMtE Part3 Optimus overacting.jpg|right|200px|thumb|MEGAN FOOOOOOX!]]

Back at the Autobot ship, Optimus Prime briefs his soldiers on the grim situation. He tells them that Megatron is on the verge of returning to Cybertron, where he could become unstoppable with the energon he has tapped from [[Earth]]. The Autobots have no choice but to directly attack the Decepticons. Prime asks for volunteers, and all the Autobots—and their human allies [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike]] and Sparkplug—step forward. The Autobots transform into vehicle mode and roll out.

As the Decepticons begin to board the [[Victory (ship)|cruiser]], the Autobots encircle the base. Prime's forces transform into robot form and begin the attack. The Autobots grapple with the Decepticons, but the battle is brief. Megatron and his forces get aboard their ship and blast off into the sky.

[[Image:MTMtE Part3 ExtinctiontoallTraitors.jpg|left|200px|thumb|Naturally, Megatron is firm advocate of the Second Amendment.]]

Optimus Prime refuses to concede defeat. He orders [[Sideswipe (G1)|Sideswipe]] to hand over his rocket pack. Donning the pack, Prime takes off to personally pursue the Decepticon cruiser. Starscream spots Prime in pursuit. The cruiser opens fire, blasting Prime who falls out of the sky and hits the ground hard.

The Autobots gather to see if Prime is okay, and the tough Autobot shrugs off their help. It's then that he notices that Mirage is missing from their ranks.

Aboard the cruiser, Starscream makes his move to usurp Megatron. Waiting for the Decepticon leader to lower his guard and remove his arm-cannon, Starscream raises his weapon to Megatron. Just then, Mirage drops his invisibility power to fire a few shots in the cruiser's controls. Starscream turns to blast Mirage, and Megatron takes advantage of the distraction to retrieve his cannon and fire on Starscream. Chaos erupts aboard the cruiser as Mirage's sabotage begins spreading and Soundwave loses control of the ship.

[[Image:MTMtE Part3 Mirage HALOjump.jpg|right|200px|thumb|WHEEEEEE!]]

Mirage scrambles to his feet and jumps from the doomed ship as it crashes into the ocean. The Autobots on the ground stare incredulously as the Decepticons are suddenly and mysteriously defeated. They then spot Mirage, the unlikely hero, floating to the ground in a parachute rig. The Autobots celebrate their victory.

Spike writes in his journal that because the Autobots stopped the Decepticons from stealing Earth's resources, the governments of the world have decided to give Optimus Prime the energy he needs to revitalize Cybertron. The Autobot ship is being refurbished, and Spike and Sparkplug eagerly await their trip to the Transformers' home world.

Meanwhile, at the bottom of the ocean, the Decepticon space cruiser rests. Bubbles emerge from a hatch that is pulled free from the inside by massive metal hands. Megatron lives.

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
*[[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] (1)
*[[Ironhide (G1)|Ironhide]] (2)
*[[Ratchet (G1)|Ratchet]] (3)
*[[Jazz (G1)|Jazz]] (4)
*[[Prowl (G1)|Prowl]] (5)
*[[Bluestreak]] (6)
*[[Mirage (G1)|Mirage]] (7)
*[[Cliffjumper (G1)|Cliffjumper]] (8)
*[[Hound (G1)|Hound]] (9)
*[[Roller]] (10)
*[[Gears (G1)|Gears]] (11)
*[[Huffer (G1)|Huffer]] (12)
*[[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]] (13)
*[[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]] (14)
*[[Trailbreaker (G1)|Trailbreaker]] (23)
*[[Windcharger (G1)|Windcharger]] (24)
*[[Sideswipe (G1)|Sideswipe]] (25)
*[[Sunstreaker (G1)|Sunstreaker]] (26)
*[[Brawn (G1)|Brawn]] (28)

|c2=
*[[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]] (17)
*[[Soundwave (G1)|Soundwave]] (18)
*[[Skywarp (G1)|Skywarp]] (19)
*[[Thundercracker (G1)|Thundercracker]] (20)
*[[Reflector (G1)|Reflector]] (21)
*[[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]] (22)
*[[Ravage (G1)|Ravage]] (27)
*[[Rumble (G1)|Rumble]] (29)
*[[Laserbeak (G1)|Laserbeak]] (30)

|c3=
*[[Sparkplug Witwicky]] (15)
*[[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike Witwicky]] (16)
}}

==Quotes==
"You gave us all a pretty good scare." 
"It's been worse. I remember the time on Cybertron—" 
"Save the war stories, hot shot. Just remember, there's a thin line between being a hero, and being a memory."
:—'''Optimus Prime''' and '''Ironhide'''

"The rocket base is one hundred and forty kilometers due west of the Autobot camp."
:—'''Ravage'''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s sole line of dialog in the entire series.

"I am the leader of the future!" 
"You couldn't lead ant-droids to a picnic. How can you pretend to lead the Decepticons?"
:—'''Starscream''' and '''Megatron''' arguing over Starscream's competence... again.

"We knew you were anxious to get back to Cybertron, but at least you could have waited for us." 
"Sorry, Prime. The ship was... full."
:—'''Optimus Prime''' and '''Mirage''' uttering a classic line.

==Other notes==
[[Image:MTMtE Part3 ExaggeratedPrime.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Apparently Pat Lee had this as a poster in his office.]]

* There is a nice touch by the animators during the scene where the Autobots assist Optimus Prime after he rolls down the hill at the start of this episode. After Mirage, Prowl and Ratchet have pushed Optimus Prime's truck mode upright, he bounces as his suspension compensates for the weight of the truck landing on its wheels.

* After Ironhide assures that he'll be right back in action, Optimus Prime is depicted with rather exaggerated 'puffy' proportions for a brief sequence before he transforms into vehicle mode, which is similarly exaggerated with large wheels in comparison to the rest of the truck, followed by an exaggerated Ratchet in vehicle mode. Part of this animation is later reused near the end of the episode after the Decepticon space cruiser crashes, with the rest of the Autobots having similar proportions in both robot and vehicle mode.

===Animation or technical glitches===
[[Image:Autobot Soundwave.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Autobots superior, Decepticons inferior.]]

* As the Autobots gather around Optimus Prime's fallen form and Mirage and Cliffjumper fly in, Cliffjumper is colored yellow like Bumblebee, who is currently buried under tons of rubble.

* Inside the mines, Soundwave is shown with a [[Shattered Glass (franchise)|purple Autobot insignia]].

* After the Decepticons fly out of the mines, Skywarp and two generic purple Decepticon jets are drawn with the silhouettes of pilots sitting inside their cockpits.

* Ironhide's back-mounted rocket launcher is shown in firing position before it emerges from his back.

* The energon cubes that Megatron holds when giving Skywarp permission to teleport are uncolored.

*In the Japanese dub of the scene where Ironhide chases after Megatron and Skywarp, it is ''Thundercracker'' who requests permission to teleport.

* Skywarp's damaged tailfin isn't damaged when he teleports back into the scene.

* A mislayering of animation cells when Hound creates a hologram of Megatron to taunt Ravage causes it to appear as if Hound is standing in the prison cage with Ravage.

* After Ravage escapes, Hound explains to Optimus what happened, but it is Mirage's voice.

* In the reaction shot of the Autobots when Optimus Prime is pleased at Ravage's escape, the tips of Prowl's doors are colored as parts of Jazz and Mirage's heads.

* As the Decepticons move into position to attack the holographic rocket base, one shot has two Starscreams. However, given that these Decepticons are all junky decoys, this may not necessarily be an error.

* When Hound and Rumble struggle at the final battle, bubbles are rising up in the close-up of Hound. Either the animators got this confused with last episode's underwater fight, or Rumble is doing something really gross.

* In the original broadcast version of the episode—and in Rhino's DVD release—the establishing shot at the start of the third act uses a flubbed take: A major piece of artwork—the Decepticon starship blasting off into the sky—is missing, meaning the Autobots on the ground are reacting to nothing. (The completed shot does appear in the teaser for the episode at the end of Part 2, however.) Oddly enough, the bonus disc in this DVD set calls out the error in a collection of bloopers and oddities.

* This episode features a curious sound oddity as presented on the More than Meets the Eye 25th Anniversary Special Edition disc (included as a pack-in with Transformers Universe 25th Anniversary Optimus Prime). When the edited-together film reaches the point covered by the third episode, the viewer will notice strange, random mechanical sound effects popping up that have no on-screen source. The sound effects usually appear at scene transitions, and indeed seem to be the sound effects for the [[Cybernet Space Cube]] used in the [[Generation 2]] broadcast of this episode. Note however, that Cybernet Space Cube visual effects are ''not'' present, as the episode is presented more in terms of its original broadcast. How and why the Cybernet Space Cube sound effects were included in this presentation of the episode (and why the problem only afflicts the third part and not parts one and two) are currently unknown.

===Continuity errors===
[[Image:MTMtE Part3 Dullsurprise.jpg|right|200px|thumb|DULL SURPRISE!]]

* Mirage, Hound, Jazz and Prowl all react with shock at Optimus' statement that Ravage's escape was a good thing. Yet they were all in on the plan to let Ravage get away to tell the Decepticons about the secret hologram rocket base that is most certainly not a trap. Did they just forget?

* The [[Mini Vehicle]] Autobots are shown disguised as lab-coat-wearing scientists to complete the holographic illusion of a rocket base, though it's a pretty poor disguise when you realize these scientists are big enough to turn into trucks and cars. Also, where'd they get the lab coats? (For that matter, why not just make holographic scientists?)

* Spike can throw a rock with enough force to knock Starscream's Null Ray off his arm. To be fair, it was the arm that Megatron blasted in an earlier scene. Of course, when we next see Starscream a few seconds later, it's been magically repaired and reattached, so it all works out.

* Mirage is clearly visible (prominent, in fact) during the Autobots' final, desperate assault on the space cruiser, despite later being shown to have snuck aboard it. This is either a major continuity error or the one time that Mirage's electro-disruptor works in the cartoon in the way his [[bio]] says it does.

[[Image:OptimusCDeckMTMTE3.jpg|right|200px|thumb|"Look away from the animation errors!"]]

* During the final showdown between the Autobots and Decepticons, there is a scene in which Optimus Prime uses his [[Combat Deck]] to shoot the fusion cannon off Megatron's arm. This allows them to fight hand to hand. However, only a scene change or two later, Prime throws Megatron to the ground, his cannon perfectly visible in place.

* Also, in the shot of Optimus telling his Combat Deck to fire, there is a mountain visible in the background. When the exact same shot of Prime and the Deck appears again, there's a clear sky behind them.

* Prime is nearly knocked out of commission by the explosion that collapses [[Ruby Crystal Mines of Burma|a Burmese ruby mine]], yet he simply seems to shrug off the effects of getting hit by a cruiser cannon and falling to Earth from the very edge of the atmosphere.

* Despite the heights the space cruiser certainly reached before the sabotage, Mirage parachutes down to exactly the spot where the Autobots were assembled.

* The space cruiser is shown crashing into the ocean near the coast. However, later episodes show the cruiser is well far away from any coast line.

===Real-world references===
* Rocket base Cape Carlson may be a reference to Cape Canaveral, Florida.

===Trivia===
* This is the only time in the original series that Ravage speaks, relaying the information on the rocket base with his own voice instead of merely replaying Hound and Mirage's conversation about it. When he reappeared in ''[[Beast Wars (cartoon)|Beast Wars]],'' he was similarly growly, but he had gained an [[Accents|Eastern European accent]].

* During the aforementioned final showdown between Optimus Prime and Megatron, an animation oddity results in what a few fans have taken as evidence of an obscure, little-used ability of Optimus: the Finger of Doom. As described, Optimus deploys Combat Deck to shoot Megatron's cannon off of his arm. Simultaneously, Megatron fires his arm cannon and destroys Combat Deck. However, during the shot of Combat Deck exploding, the animation of Prime pointing at Megatron is ''re-used''. The next immediate shot is Megatron being disarmed by an energy blast, which would seem to have come not from Combat Deck, whose blast should have already arrived, but from Prime's immediately prior pointing finger. Thus, Optimus Prime's Finger of Doom.

* In a continuing trend during the Generation 1 cartoon, Prime's Combat Deck looks nothing like its toy counterpart or like it will appear in any future episodes. Not really an error since it's blown up here and could've been rebuilt differently.

==Home video releases==
* In 1984, this episode was edited together with "Parts 1" and "2" to create a "feature-length movie", which was sold on videocassette as Volume 1 of [[Family Home Entertainment]]'s ''Transformers'' collection. The release had the (now somewhat quaint) honor of being available in both VHS and Betamax formats.

==External links==
* [http://cybertronchronicle.freewebspace.com/cartoon-dossier/synopses/more_than_meets_the_eye_part_3.html Dossier at the Cybertron Chronicle]

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

More than Meets the Eye, Part 3

2009-08-29T03:55:21Z

96.251.150.110: /* Synopsis */

{{episode
|series=G1toon
|ep=3
|series2=SRLFtoon
|ep2=3
|image=More Than Meets Part 3.jpg
|caption= NOW ENTERING AREA 51 - ACCESS RESTRICTED! NO TRESPASSING, NO PHOTOGRAPHY PERMITTED
|title="More than Meets the Eye, Part 3"
|production code=4025
|airdate=[[September 19]], 1984
|written by=[[George Arthur Bloom]]
|animation studio=[[Toei]]
|production company=[[Sunbow Productions]]
|continuity=[[Generation 1 cartoon continuity]]
}}

'''When an Autobot attempt to lure the Decepticons into a holographic trap fails, the villains succeed in gathering the energy they need, leaving the Autobots with only one chance to stop them returning to Cybertron.'''

:''Japanese title:'' 地球脱出! (''Chikyū Dasshutsu!'', "Escape from Earth!")
:''German ''Generation 2'' title:'' "'''Die letzte Schlacht'''" ("The Last Battle")

==Synopsis==
[[Image:MTMtE Part3 PushingPrimeupright.jpg|left|200px|thumb|"I'm one of the greatest actors ever why am I lifting him?]]

Caught in the blast of [[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack's]] explosive, [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] tumbles down the mountainside. Shaken but not defeated, he musters the energy to transform into robot mode. The [[Autobot|Autobots]] begin digging through the rubble and [[Jazz (G1)|Jazz]] finds [[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]] and [[Sparkplug Witwicky|Sparkplug]] alive and unharmed. Before the Autobots can begin celebrating what they presume to be the end of their enemies, there's a blast from the rubble. The [[Decepticon|Decepticons]] have survived their burial and have blasted their way out. With their [[Energon (fuel)|Energon]] haul unscathed, the Decepticons take to the air.

[[Ironhide (G1)|Ironhide]] is tired of this string of defeats, and he soon takes to the air to follow. [[Bluestreak]] takes off to try to rein him in. Ironhide takes a few pot-shots at the fleeing Decepticons, and [[Skywarp (G1)|Skywarp]] breaks formation to teleport behind their pursuers. He lands a rocket square in Ironhide's back, knocking the old Autobot out of the chase. Ironhide crashes into a lake, and the Autobots catch up with him to pull him out of the water and into [[Ratchet (G1)|Ratchet's]] waiting repair bay. The Autobots return to base.

Back at the [[Ark (G1)|Autobot base]], [[Hound (G1)|Hound]] taunts the captive [[Ravage (G1)|Ravage]] and discusses the Decepticon spy's apparent abandonment by his comrades. In using a hologram of [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]] to goad Ravage, Hound and [[Mirage (G1)|Mirage]] brainstorm an idea: to use an enormous hologram to trick the Decepticons into a trap. He pitches the idea to Optimus Prime, and the [[Prime (rank)|Autobot leader]] agrees.

Soon after, Hound talks to Mirage about a report from Teletraan-1 of a secret supply of rocket fuel. He says all this quite within earshot of Ravage, explaining how there's enough fuel there to make "four trips back to [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]]." As Mirage and Hound walk away, Hound "accidentally" drops the key to Ravage's cage. The Decepticon retrieves it and escapes captivity.

[[Image:MTMtE Part3 Starscreambegs.jpg|right|200px|thumb|The genesis of a whole lot of slashfic.]]

Back at the Decepticon camp, Ravage reports in to Megatron about the rocket base. Megatron is delighted; it's the last energy source they'll need before they can return to Cybertron. As Megatron gloats, [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]] grouses about the need for a change in leadership. In a foolish move, Starscream tries to blast Megatron in the back. [[Soundwave (G1)|Soundwave]] warns his leader, who deflects the blast with a built-in energy shield. Starscream has spent all his ammunition in this single shot, and he is left defenseless. Megatron returns the sentiment by blasting Starscream in the arm, knocking his disloyal lieutenant to the ground. Groveling, Starscream huddles to Megatron's feet, who answers his pleas only by issuing the command: "We attack the rocket base at sunrise!"

In a flat stretch of desert, Hound creates the rocket base hologram. The Decepticons move into position, and Megatron orders them to attack.

[[Image:MTMtE Part3 Jazz ScrapDecepticon.jpg|left|200px|thumb|Jazz soon regrets buying from eBay.]]

The Autobots spring their trap, running out from hiding to ambush the attacking Decepticons. However, when they engage in hand-to-hand combat, the Decepticons break apart like poorly made machines. Optimus Prime realizes they've been had. These aren't the Decepticons, but are instead decoys. Megatron, the only real Decepticon present, laughs at Prime's misstep. He saw through the phony release of Ravage. Megatron reveals to his defeated enemy that the real Decepticon army has been attacking the real rocket base.

Cut to [[Cape Carlson]], the real rocket base, where the Decepticon jets arrive. They transform and neutralize the human army's attempt to stop them. In short time, Megatron rejoins them, and they soon return to their launch base with all the fuel they need. Soundwave reports the space cruiser's readiness, and Megatron orders the Decepticons to prepare to blast off.

[[Image:MTMtE Part3 Optimus overacting.jpg|right|200px|thumb|KHAAAAAAAAAN!]]

Back at the Autobot ship, Optimus Prime briefs his soldiers on the grim situation. He tells them that Megatron is on the verge of returning to Cybertron, where he could become unstoppable with the energon he has tapped from [[Earth]]. The Autobots have no choice but to directly attack the Decepticons. Prime asks for volunteers, and all the Autobots—and their human allies [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike]] and Sparkplug—step forward. The Autobots transform into vehicle mode and roll out.

As the Decepticons begin to board the [[Victory (ship)|cruiser]], the Autobots encircle the base. Prime's forces transform into robot form and begin the attack. The Autobots grapple with the Decepticons, but the battle is brief. Megatron and his forces get aboard their ship and blast off into the sky.

[[Image:MTMtE Part3 ExtinctiontoallTraitors.jpg|left|200px|thumb|Naturally, Megatron is firm advocate of the Second Amendment.]]

Optimus Prime refuses to concede defeat. He orders [[Sideswipe (G1)|Sideswipe]] to hand over his rocket pack. Donning the pack, Prime takes off to personally pursue the Decepticon cruiser. Starscream spots Prime in pursuit. The cruiser opens fire, blasting Prime who falls out of the sky and hits the ground hard.

The Autobots gather to see if Prime is okay, and the tough Autobot shrugs off their help. It's then that he notices that Mirage is missing from their ranks.

Aboard the cruiser, Starscream makes his move to usurp Megatron. Waiting for the Decepticon leader to lower his guard and remove his arm-cannon, Starscream raises his weapon to Megatron. Just then, Mirage drops his invisibility power to fire a few shots in the cruiser's controls. Starscream turns to blast Mirage, and Megatron takes advantage of the distraction to retrieve his cannon and fire on Starscream. Chaos erupts aboard the cruiser as Mirage's sabotage begins spreading and Soundwave loses control of the ship.

[[Image:MTMtE Part3 Mirage HALOjump.jpg|right|200px|thumb|WHEEEEEE!]]

Mirage scrambles to his feet and jumps from the doomed ship as it crashes into the ocean. The Autobots on the ground stare incredulously as the Decepticons are suddenly and mysteriously defeated. They then spot Mirage, the unlikely hero, floating to the ground in a parachute rig. The Autobots celebrate their victory.

Spike writes in his journal that because the Autobots stopped the Decepticons from stealing Earth's resources, the governments of the world have decided to give Optimus Prime the energy he needs to revitalize Cybertron. The Autobot ship is being refurbished, and Spike and Sparkplug eagerly await their trip to the Transformers' home world.

Meanwhile, at the bottom of the ocean, the Decepticon space cruiser rests. Bubbles emerge from a hatch that is pulled free from the inside by massive metal hands. Megatron lives.

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
*[[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] (1)
*[[Ironhide (G1)|Ironhide]] (2)
*[[Ratchet (G1)|Ratchet]] (3)
*[[Jazz (G1)|Jazz]] (4)
*[[Prowl (G1)|Prowl]] (5)
*[[Bluestreak]] (6)
*[[Mirage (G1)|Mirage]] (7)
*[[Cliffjumper (G1)|Cliffjumper]] (8)
*[[Hound (G1)|Hound]] (9)
*[[Roller]] (10)
*[[Gears (G1)|Gears]] (11)
*[[Huffer (G1)|Huffer]] (12)
*[[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]] (13)
*[[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]] (14)
*[[Trailbreaker (G1)|Trailbreaker]] (23)
*[[Windcharger (G1)|Windcharger]] (24)
*[[Sideswipe (G1)|Sideswipe]] (25)
*[[Sunstreaker (G1)|Sunstreaker]] (26)
*[[Brawn (G1)|Brawn]] (28)

|c2=
*[[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]] (17)
*[[Soundwave (G1)|Soundwave]] (18)
*[[Skywarp (G1)|Skywarp]] (19)
*[[Thundercracker (G1)|Thundercracker]] (20)
*[[Reflector (G1)|Reflector]] (21)
*[[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]] (22)
*[[Ravage (G1)|Ravage]] (27)
*[[Rumble (G1)|Rumble]] (29)
*[[Laserbeak (G1)|Laserbeak]] (30)

|c3=
*[[Sparkplug Witwicky]] (15)
*[[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike Witwicky]] (16)
}}

==Quotes==
"You gave us all a pretty good scare." 
"It's been worse. I remember the time on Cybertron—" 
"Save the war stories, hot shot. Just remember, there's a thin line between being a hero, and being a memory."
:—'''Optimus Prime''' and '''Ironhide'''

"The rocket base is one hundred and forty kilometers due west of the Autobot camp."
:—'''Ravage'''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s sole line of dialog in the entire series.

"I am the leader of the future!" 
"You couldn't lead ant-droids to a picnic. How can you pretend to lead the Decepticons?"
:—'''Starscream''' and '''Megatron''' arguing over Starscream's competence... again.

"We knew you were anxious to get back to Cybertron, but at least you could have waited for us." 
"Sorry, Prime. The ship was... full."
:—'''Optimus Prime''' and '''Mirage''' uttering a classic line.

==Other notes==
[[Image:MTMtE Part3 ExaggeratedPrime.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Apparently Pat Lee had this as a poster in his office.]]

* There is a nice touch by the animators during the scene where the Autobots assist Optimus Prime after he rolls down the hill at the start of this episode. After Mirage, Prowl and Ratchet have pushed Optimus Prime's truck mode upright, he bounces as his suspension compensates for the weight of the truck landing on its wheels.

* After Ironhide assures that he'll be right back in action, Optimus Prime is depicted with rather exaggerated 'puffy' proportions for a brief sequence before he transforms into vehicle mode, which is similarly exaggerated with large wheels in comparison to the rest of the truck, followed by an exaggerated Ratchet in vehicle mode. Part of this animation is later reused near the end of the episode after the Decepticon space cruiser crashes, with the rest of the Autobots having similar proportions in both robot and vehicle mode.

===Animation or technical glitches===
[[Image:Autobot Soundwave.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Autobots superior, Decepticons inferior.]]

* As the Autobots gather around Optimus Prime's fallen form and Mirage and Cliffjumper fly in, Cliffjumper is colored yellow like Bumblebee, who is currently buried under tons of rubble.

* Inside the mines, Soundwave is shown with a [[Shattered Glass (franchise)|purple Autobot insignia]].

* After the Decepticons fly out of the mines, Skywarp and two generic purple Decepticon jets are drawn with the silhouettes of pilots sitting inside their cockpits.

* Ironhide's back-mounted rocket launcher is shown in firing position before it emerges from his back.

* The energon cubes that Megatron holds when giving Skywarp permission to teleport are uncolored.

*In the Japanese dub of the scene where Ironhide chases after Megatron and Skywarp, it is ''Thundercracker'' who requests permission to teleport.

* Skywarp's damaged tailfin isn't damaged when he teleports back into the scene.

* A mislayering of animation cells when Hound creates a hologram of Megatron to taunt Ravage causes it to appear as if Hound is standing in the prison cage with Ravage.

* After Ravage escapes, Hound explains to Optimus what happened, but it is Mirage's voice.

* In the reaction shot of the Autobots when Optimus Prime is pleased at Ravage's escape, the tips of Prowl's doors are colored as parts of Jazz and Mirage's heads.

* As the Decepticons move into position to attack the holographic rocket base, one shot has two Starscreams. However, given that these Decepticons are all junky decoys, this may not necessarily be an error.

* When Hound and Rumble struggle at the final battle, bubbles are rising up in the close-up of Hound. Either the animators got this confused with last episode's underwater fight, or Rumble is doing something really gross.

* In the original broadcast version of the episode—and in Rhino's DVD release—the establishing shot at the start of the third act uses a flubbed take: A major piece of artwork—the Decepticon starship blasting off into the sky—is missing, meaning the Autobots on the ground are reacting to nothing. (The completed shot does appear in the teaser for the episode at the end of Part 2, however.) Oddly enough, the bonus disc in this DVD set calls out the error in a collection of bloopers and oddities.

* This episode features a curious sound oddity as presented on the More than Meets the Eye 25th Anniversary Special Edition disc (included as a pack-in with Transformers Universe 25th Anniversary Optimus Prime). When the edited-together film reaches the point covered by the third episode, the viewer will notice strange, random mechanical sound effects popping up that have no on-screen source. The sound effects usually appear at scene transitions, and indeed seem to be the sound effects for the [[Cybernet Space Cube]] used in the [[Generation 2]] broadcast of this episode. Note however, that Cybernet Space Cube visual effects are ''not'' present, as the episode is presented more in terms of its original broadcast. How and why the Cybernet Space Cube sound effects were included in this presentation of the episode (and why the problem only afflicts the third part and not parts one and two) are currently unknown.

===Continuity errors===
[[Image:MTMtE Part3 Dullsurprise.jpg|right|200px|thumb|DULL SURPRISE!]]

* Mirage, Hound, Jazz and Prowl all react with shock at Optimus' statement that Ravage's escape was a good thing. Yet they were all in on the plan to let Ravage get away to tell the Decepticons about the secret hologram rocket base that is most certainly not a trap. Did they just forget?

* The [[Mini Vehicle]] Autobots are shown disguised as lab-coat-wearing scientists to complete the holographic illusion of a rocket base, though it's a pretty poor disguise when you realize these scientists are big enough to turn into trucks and cars. Also, where'd they get the lab coats? (For that matter, why not just make holographic scientists?)

* Spike can throw a rock with enough force to knock Starscream's Null Ray off his arm. To be fair, it was the arm that Megatron blasted in an earlier scene. Of course, when we next see Starscream a few seconds later, it's been magically repaired and reattached, so it all works out.

* Mirage is clearly visible (prominent, in fact) during the Autobots' final, desperate assault on the space cruiser, despite later being shown to have snuck aboard it. This is either a major continuity error or the one time that Mirage's electro-disruptor works in the cartoon in the way his [[bio]] says it does.

[[Image:OptimusCDeckMTMTE3.jpg|right|200px|thumb|"Look away from the animation errors!"]]

* During the final showdown between the Autobots and Decepticons, there is a scene in which Optimus Prime uses his [[Combat Deck]] to shoot the fusion cannon off Megatron's arm. This allows them to fight hand to hand. However, only a scene change or two later, Prime throws Megatron to the ground, his cannon perfectly visible in place.

* Also, in the shot of Optimus telling his Combat Deck to fire, there is a mountain visible in the background. When the exact same shot of Prime and the Deck appears again, there's a clear sky behind them.

* Prime is nearly knocked out of commission by the explosion that collapses [[Ruby Crystal Mines of Burma|a Burmese ruby mine]], yet he simply seems to shrug off the effects of getting hit by a cruiser cannon and falling to Earth from the very edge of the atmosphere.

* Despite the heights the space cruiser certainly reached before the sabotage, Mirage parachutes down to exactly the spot where the Autobots were assembled.

* The space cruiser is shown crashing into the ocean near the coast. However, later episodes show the cruiser is well far away from any coast line.

===Real-world references===
* Rocket base Cape Carlson may be a reference to Cape Canaveral, Florida.

===Trivia===
* This is the only time in the original series that Ravage speaks, relaying the information on the rocket base with his own voice instead of merely replaying Hound and Mirage's conversation about it. When he reappeared in ''[[Beast Wars (cartoon)|Beast Wars]],'' he was similarly growly, but he had gained an [[Accents|Eastern European accent]].

* During the aforementioned final showdown between Optimus Prime and Megatron, an animation oddity results in what a few fans have taken as evidence of an obscure, little-used ability of Optimus: the Finger of Doom. As described, Optimus deploys Combat Deck to shoot Megatron's cannon off of his arm. Simultaneously, Megatron fires his arm cannon and destroys Combat Deck. However, during the shot of Combat Deck exploding, the animation of Prime pointing at Megatron is ''re-used''. The next immediate shot is Megatron being disarmed by an energy blast, which would seem to have come not from Combat Deck, whose blast should have already arrived, but from Prime's immediately prior pointing finger. Thus, Optimus Prime's Finger of Doom.

* In a continuing trend during the Generation 1 cartoon, Prime's Combat Deck looks nothing like its toy counterpart or like it will appear in any future episodes. Not really an error since it's blown up here and could've been rebuilt differently.

==Home video releases==
* In 1984, this episode was edited together with "Parts 1" and "2" to create a "feature-length movie", which was sold on videocassette as Volume 1 of [[Family Home Entertainment]]'s ''Transformers'' collection. The release had the (now somewhat quaint) honor of being available in both VHS and Betamax formats.

==External links==
* [http://cybertronchronicle.freewebspace.com/cartoon-dossier/synopses/more_than_meets_the_eye_part_3.html Dossier at the Cybertron Chronicle]

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

More than Meets the Eye, Part 2

2009-08-29T03:51:38Z

96.251.150.110: /* Synopsis */

{{episode
|series=G1toon
|ep=2
|series2=SRLFtoon
|ep2=2
|image=More Than Meets Part 2.jpg
|caption=Love is a burnin' thing, and it makes a fiery ring.
|title="More than Meets the Eye, Part 2"
|production code=4024
|airdate=[[September 18]], 1984
|written by=[[George Arthur Bloom]]
|animation studio=[[Toei]]
|production company=[[Sunbow Productions]]
|continuity=[[Generation 1 cartoon continuity]]
}}

'''The Decepticons continue raiding Earth's energy sources, including Sherman Dam and the Ruby Crystal Mines of Burma.'''

:''Japanese title:'' ルビークリスタルの秘密 (''Ruby Crystal no Himitsu'', "Secret of the Ruby Crystals")
:''German ''Generation 2'' title:'' "'''Die Rückkehr'''" ("The Return")

==Synopsis==
[[Image:MTMtE Part2 Greetings.jpg|left|150px|thumb|"Are you Samuel James Witwicky, descendant of Archibald Witwicky?" "No." "Oops, sorry, my bad." [Throws him back in the water]]]

The fire at the off-shore oil rig continues to grow. Poor [[Huffer (G1)|Huffer]] is caught in some girders, but is freed by [[Brawn (G1)|Brawn]]. Not so easy to extricate are the humans [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike]] and [[Sparkplug Witwicky]]. As [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] grapples with the debris trapping the workers, [[Trailbreaker (G1)|Trailbreaker]] and [[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]] put out the fire. Rescued by Prime, Spike and Sparkplug introduce themselves to the [[Autobot]]s, offering their terrestrial knowledge to help them.

[[Image:MTMtE Part2 Spike Soundwave.jpg|right|150px|thumb|A legacy of Stupid Human Tricks begins here.]]

Their newfound human friends return with the Autobots to their headquarters. As Spike explores the [[Ark (G1)|Ark]], he finds a small cassette player and brings it in with him, setting it aside. Little does he realize he has brought [[Soundwave (G1)|Soundwave]] into Autobot Headquarters. Soundwave and his minion [[Ravage (G1)|Ravage]] begin using [[Teletraan I (G1)|Teletraan I]] to locate [[Earth]]'s most plentiful energy resources. Meanwhile Spike enjoys a tour of the headquarters and some sunset joyriding with [[Hound (G1)|Hound]]. Returning to the base, Spike spots Soundwave's intrusion and sounds the alarm. Soundwave escapes, but the Autobots catch Ravage, thanks to [[Gears (G1)|Gears]]' infrared light.

Soundwave briefs [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]] on his findings. Megatron decides to attack [[Sherman Dam]], causing a tidal wave to increase the dam's output. The next day, the [[Decepticon|Decepticons]] arrive at the dam. [[Rumble (G1)|Rumble]] dives into the river and activates his piledrivers to whip the river into dangerous rapids. The energy output is detected by Teletraan I, and the Autobots rush there to stop the Decepticons.

[[Image:MTMte Part2 Autobotsrally.jpg|left|150px|thumb|Let's see if we can fly now!]]

With the river at its peak, the Decepticons begin producing [[Energon cube|energon cubes]]. The Autobots arrive, and a battle ensues. Hound dives into the river to stop Rumble's quaking, and the two scuffle in the depths, with the Autobot coming off worse. [[Ironhide (G1)|Ironhide]] and [[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]] help divert the course of the river to save a nearby neighborhood from being flooded. Megatron and Optimus Prime duel with [[Energy weapon|energy melee weapons]] atop Sherman Dam while exchanging insults. Megatron knocks Prime into the rapids (the latter was distracted by Spike's shouts for help) and he and his Decepticons escape with their spoils.

[[Jazz (G1)|Jazz]] helps pull Prime from the river. The Autobots regroup and vow to stop the Decepticons as they continue their activities across the land... but apparently don't do a very good job of it at ''all''. The space cruiser they are developing is almost complete, and they are one more energy raid away from having enough fuel to return to [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]]. Unfortunately, the impudent [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]] feels the need to test some of the energon cubes. His wasteful experimenting forces the Decepticons to now make two trips. Their first destination, the [[Ruby Crystal Mines of Burma]]. These plans are overheard by Trailbreaker, Spike and Sparkplug, who are eavesdropping on the Decepticons.

[[Image:MTMtE Part2 TeaParty.jpg|right|150px|thumb|Trailbreaker deploys his combat bird bath.]]

As Trailbreaker returns to Autobot headquarters to relay the news, the trio are attacked by a pair of generic [[Seeker (body-type)|Seekers]]. Sparkplug radios for help, which comes in the form of [[Sunstreaker (G1)|Sunstreaker]] and [[Sideswipe (G1)|Sideswipe]]. Sunstreaker uses a vehicle-mode cannon to give one of the Seekers a small scratch on its wing, prompting the two jets to retreat.

The Decepticons are soon in Burma, pulling energetic rubies from the Earth's crust. The Autobots wait for them outside the mine. Wheeljack has developed a powerful and compact explosive. Bumblebee and Sparkplug volunteer to plant the charge in the mine. They do so, but are caught by [[Thundercracker (G1)|Thundercracker]] and [[Skywarp (G1)|Skywarp]] as they make their escape.

Concerned that Sparkplug and Bumblebee haven't returned, Optimus Prime drives up the mine's entrance and dispatches [[Roller]] into the mine. The explosive detonates, and the blast knocks Prime off his wheels, sending him tumbling down the mountainside.

'''[[More than Meets the Eye, Part 3|To be continued...]]'''

{{-}}

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
* [[Huffer (G1)|Huffer]] (1)
* [[Brawn (G1)|Brawn]] (2)
* [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] (3)
* [[Trailbreaker (G1)|Trailbreaker]] (6)
* [[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]] (7)
* [[Jazz (G1)|Jazz]] (8)
* [[Ratchet (G1)|Ratchet]] (10)
* [[Sunstreaker (G1)|Sunstreaker]] (11)
* [[Cliffjumper (G1)|Cliffjumper]] (12)
* [[Mirage (G1)|Mirage]] (13)
* [[Hound (G1)|Hound]] (14)
* [[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]] (16)
* [[Sideswipe (G1)|Sideswipe]] (17)
* [[Gears (G1)|Gears]] (18)
* [[Prowl (G1)|Prowl]] (19)
* [[Windcharger (G1)|Windcharger]] (20)
* [[Ironhide (G1)|Ironhide]] (27)
* [[Bluestreak]] (28)
* [[Roller]] (29)

|c2=
* [[Soundwave (G1)|Soundwave]] (9)
* [[Ravage (G1)|Ravage]] (15)
* [[Thundercracker (G1)|Thundercracker]] (21)
* [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]] (22)
* [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]] (23)
* [[Skywarp (G1)|Skywarp]] (24)
* [[Reflector (G1)|Reflector]] (25)
* [[Rumble (G1)|Rumble]] (26)

|c3=
*[[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike Witwicky]] (4)
*[[Sparkplug Witwicky]] (5)
}}

==Quotes==
"For someone who doesn't like to fight, heh, you're not bad, Mirage!"
:—'''Cliffjumper''' complimenting Mirage after he helped fight off Skywarp and Thundercracker

"You destroy everything you touch, Megatron!" 
"Because everything I touch is food for my hunger, my hunger for power!"
:—'''Optimus Prime''' and '''Megatron''' banter while fighting on top of Sherman Dam

"You're old, Megatron. Yesterday's model—ready for the scrap heap!" 
"We'll see who's ready for the scrap heap!" 
"Junk! That's what you are, ''junk''!" 
"''Silence''!"
:—'''Optimus Prime''' insults '''Megatron''' during their battle

"Don't push me, Megatron, my desire for power is as great as yours!" 
"Power flows to the one who knows ''how''. Desire alone is not enough." 
"Time makes all things possible. I can wait."
:—'''Starscream''' and '''Megatron''', foreshadowing several repetitive scenes in the future

"Let's give Megatron a little present." 
"Heh. Maybe we oughtta wrap him up and put a little bow on him."
:—'''Skywarp''' and '''Thundercracker''' on capturing Bumblebee. Not seen: Bumblebee's humiliated weeping.

==Notes==
===Animation or technical glitches===
[[Image:Reflector in red.jpg|right|150px|thumb|Hey! That's my color scheme!]]
[[Image:Weirdstreak.jpg|right|150px|thumb|Ratchet and Bluestreak just came back from the hair salon.]]
* In the recap of "Part 1" at the beginning of the episode, a scene is shown in which Optimus Prime is trying to lift a grate trapping Spike and Sparkplug. However, in "Part 1", the grate was orange, while in the recap that same grate is shown as gray.

* Huffer's trapped arm does not appear to actually connect to his torso.

* As Huffer and Brawn converse, Brawn's lips move for Huffer's line, "Let's take off."

* After picking up Soundwave, Spike runs into the Ark carrying his rucksack slung over his shoulder. In the next shot, the rucksack has vanished.

* When Gears transforms, his blue parts change to red, but in the subsequent shot, they are the correct shade of blue. He and Hound are also extremely tiny in their vehicle modes.

* It's supposedly "too dark" to spot Ravage on the cliffs without the use of Gears's infrared, but the visuals of the scene make it look like it's happening in mid-day...even though Hound was taking Spike on an early-evening joyride just before.

* When arriving at the dam, Optimus Prime speaks the line "We've got to work fast", but it is Prowl shown talking.

* One of the neighbors that Ironhide and Bumblebee rescue appears to be a woman in a pink dress...with a man's voice as she says, "Thanks, neighbor!" (Then again, you never know.)

* Rumble is in two places at once during the battle at Sherman Dam. He is underwater struggling against Hound but is also fighting against Jazz and Bluestreak inside the turbine room of the power generators. ([[FIRRIB|Then again...]])

* During the scene in which Sparkplug radios the Autobots for assistance while riding inside Trailbreaker, when he supposedly passes the radio to Spike, the radio has vanished from his hand.

* In one scene of Decepticons filling energon cubes, there is a registration error that causes Soundwave's legs to vanish several frames before the foreground content is meant to block them.

* When the strike force is present, there are two Skywarps, two Thundercrackers and ''seven'' Reflectors.

* One of the shots of filling energon cubes appears to take place in a forest, with no machinery of any type in sight. Are they stealing energy from trees?

* In the establishing shot of the Autobots outside the Burma ruby mines, Ratchet's head is black and gray. The next time the shot is repeated, Bluestreak's head is yellow, making his head resemble Bumblebee's.

===Continuity errors===
[[Image:G1 cartoon Autobot letters.JPG|right|200px|thumb|"Okay, Spike, here's your next Cybertronian lesson!" "Uh...for a...good...time...call..." "Whoops! Wrong screen!"]]
* Large numbers of [[generic]] Decepticons appear in this episode, primarily [[Seeker (body-type)|Seekers]] and [[Reflector (G1)|Reflector]]-types as usual, but also has numerous, oddly colored clones of Rumble, a "generic" type that would not appear after this mini-series.

* When Spike tells Jazz that there's trouble at Sherman Dam, the screen shows what is presumably Cybertronian text. Spike shouldn't be able to read this. Then again, the language on the screen differs significantly from the Ancient Autobot language the Decepticons find in "[[Cosmic Rust (episode)|Cosmic Rust]]". It's also rather different from the Ancient Cybrertronian that [[Cerebros (G1)|Cerebros]] finds on the control panel of the [[Plasma Energy Chamber]] in "[[The Rebirth, Part 1]]". It's possible that Jazz is reading the modern version of these languages...or it's just an extremely poor rendering of English.

* Why does Megatron need to make like a helicopter and whirl his morning star around just to fly?

* In the scene when Spike goes into the river to rescue Hound, he's able to lift the rock pinning the Autobot down. Wasn't that supposedly doubly-heavy?

* The episode begins with a recap of "Part 1" and ends with a preview of "Part 3". As with the preview at the end of "Part 1", this preview refers to the next episode simply as ''The Transformers''.

===Real-world references===
* [[Burma]] is a country in southeast Asia, currently known to the United Nations as Myanmar.

===Trivia===
* When Hound submerges to pursue Rumble, he drops a face shield into place, implying he may be susceptible to water.

* Gears is called by name and gets to display a special power in this episode, but he has no dialogue.

* The likelihood of rubies being a viable power source is questionable. But given the explosive evidence provided in this episode, it's probably best never to purchase rubies for your spouse.

* Early in the episode, the scene is shown changing from the Ark to a similar-looking shack nearby. This shack appears to have the same construction as the Ark itself, but is not a part of the ship. This shack is almost never seen again, except in the episodes "[[The Ultimate Doom, Part 2]]" and "[[The Autobot Run]]".

* How can Sparkplug survive being punched directly in the ribcage and into a stone wall by Thundercracker? He should be wall-pizza after that. Fortunately for Thundercracker, if he's pulling his punches, Skywarp is probably too stupid to notice.

* The dam sequence was adapted for the UK comic story "[[Decepticon Dam-Busters!]]" in issues #29-30, and also released as a set of [[View-Master]] reels.

* Brawn uses a blow torch to free Huffer's oil-soaked arm, and somehow, it doesn't catch fire.

* Sparkplug claims to have previously worked in the ruby mine, which, while not thoroughly implausible, seems unlikely for an American oil rig worker/mechanic.

==Home video releases==
* In 1984, this episode was edited together with parts 1 and 3 to create a "feature-length movie", which was sold on videocassette as Volume 1 of [[Family Home Entertainment]]'s ''Transformers'' collection. The release had the (now somewhat quaint) honor of being available in both VHS and Betamax formats.

==External links==
*[http://cybertronchronicle.freewebspace.com/cartoon-dossier/synopses/more_than_meets_the_eye_part_2.html Dossier at the Cybertron Chronicle]

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

The Thrill of the Hunt

2009-08-29T03:27:19Z

96.251.150.110: /* Quotes */

{{episode|
|series=Anitoon
|image=TFA Thrill Hunt Ratchet Lockdown reunion.JPG
|caption=Sadly, no tumbleweeds.
|ep=7
|title="The Thrill of the Hunt"
|airdate=[[January 19]], 2008
|written by=[[Andrew Robinson]]
|directed by=[[Ben Jones]] [[Shunji Ōga|Shunji Oga]]
|animation studio= [[The Answer Studio]]}}

'''While Autobots encounter a mysterious muscle car creating havoc in Detroit, Ratchet keeps flashing back to his "tour of duty" in the Great Autobot-Decepticon Wars.'''

:''German title:'' "'''Der Kopfgeldjäger'''" ("The Bounty Hunter")
:''Polish title:'' "'''Gorączka polowania'''" ("The Thrill of the Hunt")

==Synopsis==
While debating the ethical dilemma of an auto parts store with [[Optimus Prime (Animated)|Optimus Prime]] and [[Bumblebee (Animated)|Bumblebee]], [[Ratchet (Animated)|Ratchet]]'s old war wound tingles, making him think that trouble's ahead. Just then, the lights in the city go out, and the trio is confronted by a spiked muscle car with red headlamps. Thinking it's a human out for a joyride, the [[Autobot|Autobots]] go after the car. At a critical moment in the chase, Ratchet experiences a flashback to his days in the [[Great War (Animated)|Great War]]….

[[Image:Ratchetanimatedthrill.jpg|left|170px|thumb|PTSD-bait in the making.]]

''Field tech Ratchet is in the middle of a war zone with a Decepticon barrage falling down around him. Communicating with [[Supreme Commander]] [[Ultra Magnus (Animated)|Ultra Magnus]], he says he found the object of his mission, an Autobot intelligence officer named [[Arcee (Animated)|Arcee]]. She is badly damaged and in need of immediate repair. Ratchet uses his [[EMP]] generator to deactivate her temporarily, allowing him to replace her leg, despite Arcee's concern that the EMP could wipe her [[memory core]].''

Ratchet flashes back into the present and is nearly run over by the muscle car, but is pushed out of the way by Bumblebee. The Autobots regroup at headquarters and Optimus inquires of Ratchet's well-being, but the crusty old bot doesn't want to talk. Meanwhile, the [[Television|TV]] news is broadcasting a live, high-speed chase between the police and the strange car, and Ratchet experiences another flashback.

[[Image:Lockdown both hands.jpg|right|170px|thumb|FALCON PUNCH!]]

''In the middle of the repair to Arcee, Ratchet loads her up and starts to evacuate the area, only to be caught and smacked down by a bounty hunter.''

Ratchet's thoughts are snapped back into the present as the Autobots begin the chase after the muscle car anew. Ratchet finally recognizes the muscle car as an old nemesis, [[Lockdown (Animated)|Lockdown]]. The past haunts him again….

''Ratchet and Arcee are now prisoners of Lockdown, who explains his work as a bounty hunter and his lack of allegiance to either side in the war. He also says he has a fondness for taking weapons and parts from his quarry as trophies and upgrades. This time, he's taken Ratchet's EMP generator.''

Flash forward to the present, and Prime finally forces Lockdown to stop. The bounty hunter incapacitates Prime with the EMP weapon, and they both disappear. In his hideout, Lockdown explains to a tied-up Optimus Prime about the bounty on his head for killing [[Megatron (Animated)|Megatron]]. Optimus explains that he didn't kill him, but Lock responds by saying that he doesn't care as long as he gets his bounty. Then he gets to work on removing Prime’s grapplers and installing them in his own body.

The Autobots scan the city for Prime, but don't have much luck until [[Prowl (Animated)|Prowl]] finds that Lockdown's [[Death's Head (Animated)|ship]] is sitting in the middle of the old downtown area, cloaked as an ordinary warehouse. Before they roll out, Ratchet refuses to join the rescue mission, though without explanation.

[[Image:TFA Thrill Hunt Prowl Lockdown.JPG|left|170px|thumb|Everybody was kung-fu fighting! Those cats were fast as lightning.]]

Finished with his chop job on Optimus, Lockdown converses with [[Blitzwing (Animated)|Blitzwing]], who is evidently the one who put the price on Prime's head. Lockdown requests payment first, but Blitzwing promises that he will be most satisfied with his upgrades—provided the [[Decepticon|Decepticons]] are satisfied with the results. The Autobots arrive at Lockdown's ship and attack. Lockdown dispatches [[Bulkhead (Animated)|Bulkhead]] and Bumblebee without much trouble. However, Prowl is a bit harder for Lockdown to handle until the bounty hunter drops him with an EMP blast. Before he can take any more trophies, Ratchet arrives and confronts Lockdown, but the medic too falls to the EMP. When Lockdown thinks he's beaten the doc-bot, Ratchet reveals he was playing dead, being immune to the effects of his own weapon, and throws Lockdown around with his magnetic powers, knocking him unconscious. Inside Lockdown’s ship, Ratchet finds Prime and frees him, but Lockdown—himself "playing possum" after Ratchet's attack—stops them from leaving. Ratchet takes him out again, and when he’s pinned down, Ratchet forcibly removes the parts Lockdown stole from Prime. He remarks that he would have used his EMP generator to remove it before, but he no longer has them. Lockdown offers the generator if Ratchet will use. The act brings on another flashback.

''In order to avoid interrogation from Megatron, Arcee asks Ratchet to use his EMP generator on her to wipe her memory core, which contains critical access codes for the Autobots. When Ratchet and Lockdown struggle for the device, it overloads and goes off. Ratchet and Arcee leave Lockdown's ship just before some part of it detonates, but when Ratchet inquires of her condition, Arcee doesn't know who she is or where they are, a result of the EMP blast.''

[[Image:TFA Thrill Hunt Ratchet EMP Generator ship.JPG|right|170px|thumb|She cannae take the pressure!]]

In the present, Ratchet mockingly asks Lockdown if he wants the generator to ease his pain, while Lockdown tightens his grip on a rod. As Ratchet moves to take the EMP generator back, Lockdown prepares to strike, but Ratchet hits Lockdown with a magnetic blast before he can strike. Ratchet denounces Lockdown for turning a medical tool into a weapon, and zaps Lockdown's ship. He escapes with Optimus as the ship crashes into a river.

Back at headquarters, Ratchet repairs Prime’s grapplers and then finally opens up to Optimus about his war experiences.
{{--}}

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
*[[Ratchet (Animated)|Ratchet]] (1)
*[[Optimus Prime (Animated)|Optimus Prime]] (2)
*[[Bumblebee (Animated)|Bumblebee]] (3)
*[[Ultra Magnus (Animated)|Ultra Magnus]] (5)
*[[Arcee (Animated)|Arcee]] (6)
*[[Bulkhead (Animated)|Bulkhead]] (7)
*[[Prowl (Animated)|Prowl]] (8)

|c2=
*[[Lockdown (Animated)|Lockdown]] (4)
*[[Blitzwing (Animated)|Blitzwing]] (9)
*[[Megatron (Animated)|Megatron]] (10)
}}

==Quotes==
'''Ratchet''': Augh, it's primitive. It's barbaric. There ought to be a law against it! 
'''Optimus Prime''': It's just an auto supply store, Ratchet. 
'''Ratchet''': You mean they actually sell spare parts on the open market? What kind of malfunction would be crass enough to buy this stuff? 
'''Bumblebee''': Hey, guys, check out my new horn!
:—Anywhere but the butt Bumblebee.

'''Hothead Blitzwing''': You have Optimus Prime? Hand him over at once! That Autobot will pay for what he did to our leader! 
'''Lockdown''': Yeah, speaking of payment, I'm gonna need mine first. 
'''Icy Blitzwing''': Patience, my bounty-hunting friend. You will not be disappointed with your upgrades, provided I am not disappointed with your results. 
'''Random Blitzwing''': Ooooh! I wanna see him turn into a fire truck! Can I? Can I, ha-ha, can I? Ahahahahahahahaha!
:—The Blitzwings negotiate with Lockdown.

"I'm impressed. It's been eons since the last time anyone got the drop on me." 
"Next time will be much sooner!"
:—'''Lockdown''' and '''Prowl''' engage in some [[A Fistful of Energon|foreshadowing]].

"I'm not good with names and faces, but I never forget a trophy."
:—'''Lockdown''', your friendly neighborhood bounty hunter.

"Time was I'd use my EMP generator to do this painlessly. Too bad I don't have it anymore."
:—'''Ratchet''', right before ripping Prime's grapplers out of Lockdown's arm showing him who's boss.

"How're you healing?" 
"Arm's as good as new, thanks to you." 
"That wasn't what I meant." 
"Let's just say I have a much better appreciation for what you went through back in the day and why you don't wanna remember it." 
"It's not that I don't want to remember. I have to remember… for those who can't." 
"Still, I don't suppose it hurts to talk about it sometimes… with a trusted friend." 
"So, what do you wanna know?"
:—'''Ratchet''' and '''Optimus Prime'''

==Notes==
===Continuity errors===
* During the news broadcast sequence, if the EMP is enough to shut off the lights in Lockdown's wake, how are the pursuing police vehicles not affected? Is he just projecting the EMP out to both sides?

===Animation errors===
* After Bulkhead says "Hey no fair!", Ratchet transforms into robot mode and skids on the ground. Ratchet's pupils are black but when he stops skidding, his pupils turn white.
* Blitzwing changes from Hothead to Icy personality abruptly and without either a transition animation or a sound effect .

===Transformers references===
* Bumblebee's new horn plays the traditional melody of the phrase "Ro-bots in Dis-guise"!

===Real-world References===
* The TV anchorman seen in this episode appears to be an ''Animated'' version of [[wikipedia:Ron_Burgundy|Ron Burgundy]]. Stay classy, Cybertron.
* Ratchet's line, "Don't call me sir. I work for a living," is a common sentiment of sergeants and other non-commissioned officers in the armed forces.
* Ratchet's other line, "I'm a medi-bot, not a field commander!" is based on Dr. McCoy's oft-repeated line from [[wikipedia:Star_Trek|''Star Trek'']], "I'm a doctor not a…".

===Trivia===
* This episode reveals how the right half of Ratchet's chevron got broken and why his left arm has a missing piece. Both were caused by Lockdown. However, it would seem that it [['Bots of Science|wasn't the first time his chevron snapped off]].
* [[Susan Blu]] reprises her role of Arcee from the Generation 1 cartoon series.
* This is the first episode in which we see ''Animated'' Cybertron, albeit in a flashback.
* This is also the first episode to not feature any of the main [[human]] cast.
* This episode seems to refute [[Fandom|fans]] who had worried the series would be too kid-oriented, as it features a heavy atmosphere, post-traumatic shock, guilt, suggested torture, and quite obvious pain being inflicted by a good guy on a villain, pretty much for no other reason but revenge.
*As Prime and Ratchet talk at the end, you hear the saddest rendition of "More than Meets The Eye" ever.
*Prowl's wheels make the same noise as Lockdown's chainsaw.
*Blitzwing's face-swapping feature makes a different noise in this episode than in other episodes.

{{DEFAULTSORT:Thrill of the Hunt}}
[[Category:Animated episodes]]
[[Category:MSTF]]

The Thrill of the Hunt

2009-08-29T03:25:33Z

96.251.150.110: /* Quotes */

{{episode|
|series=Anitoon
|image=TFA Thrill Hunt Ratchet Lockdown reunion.JPG
|caption=Sadly, no tumbleweeds.
|ep=7
|title="The Thrill of the Hunt"
|airdate=[[January 19]], 2008
|written by=[[Andrew Robinson]]
|directed by=[[Ben Jones]] [[Shunji Ōga|Shunji Oga]]
|animation studio= [[The Answer Studio]]}}

'''While Autobots encounter a mysterious muscle car creating havoc in Detroit, Ratchet keeps flashing back to his "tour of duty" in the Great Autobot-Decepticon Wars.'''

:''German title:'' "'''Der Kopfgeldjäger'''" ("The Bounty Hunter")
:''Polish title:'' "'''Gorączka polowania'''" ("The Thrill of the Hunt")

==Synopsis==
While debating the ethical dilemma of an auto parts store with [[Optimus Prime (Animated)|Optimus Prime]] and [[Bumblebee (Animated)|Bumblebee]], [[Ratchet (Animated)|Ratchet]]'s old war wound tingles, making him think that trouble's ahead. Just then, the lights in the city go out, and the trio is confronted by a spiked muscle car with red headlamps. Thinking it's a human out for a joyride, the [[Autobot|Autobots]] go after the car. At a critical moment in the chase, Ratchet experiences a flashback to his days in the [[Great War (Animated)|Great War]]….

[[Image:Ratchetanimatedthrill.jpg|left|170px|thumb|PTSD-bait in the making.]]

''Field tech Ratchet is in the middle of a war zone with a Decepticon barrage falling down around him. Communicating with [[Supreme Commander]] [[Ultra Magnus (Animated)|Ultra Magnus]], he says he found the object of his mission, an Autobot intelligence officer named [[Arcee (Animated)|Arcee]]. She is badly damaged and in need of immediate repair. Ratchet uses his [[EMP]] generator to deactivate her temporarily, allowing him to replace her leg, despite Arcee's concern that the EMP could wipe her [[memory core]].''

Ratchet flashes back into the present and is nearly run over by the muscle car, but is pushed out of the way by Bumblebee. The Autobots regroup at headquarters and Optimus inquires of Ratchet's well-being, but the crusty old bot doesn't want to talk. Meanwhile, the [[Television|TV]] news is broadcasting a live, high-speed chase between the police and the strange car, and Ratchet experiences another flashback.

[[Image:Lockdown both hands.jpg|right|170px|thumb|FALCON PUNCH!]]

''In the middle of the repair to Arcee, Ratchet loads her up and starts to evacuate the area, only to be caught and smacked down by a bounty hunter.''

Ratchet's thoughts are snapped back into the present as the Autobots begin the chase after the muscle car anew. Ratchet finally recognizes the muscle car as an old nemesis, [[Lockdown (Animated)|Lockdown]]. The past haunts him again….

''Ratchet and Arcee are now prisoners of Lockdown, who explains his work as a bounty hunter and his lack of allegiance to either side in the war. He also says he has a fondness for taking weapons and parts from his quarry as trophies and upgrades. This time, he's taken Ratchet's EMP generator.''

Flash forward to the present, and Prime finally forces Lockdown to stop. The bounty hunter incapacitates Prime with the EMP weapon, and they both disappear. In his hideout, Lockdown explains to a tied-up Optimus Prime about the bounty on his head for killing [[Megatron (Animated)|Megatron]]. Optimus explains that he didn't kill him, but Lock responds by saying that he doesn't care as long as he gets his bounty. Then he gets to work on removing Prime’s grapplers and installing them in his own body.

The Autobots scan the city for Prime, but don't have much luck until [[Prowl (Animated)|Prowl]] finds that Lockdown's [[Death's Head (Animated)|ship]] is sitting in the middle of the old downtown area, cloaked as an ordinary warehouse. Before they roll out, Ratchet refuses to join the rescue mission, though without explanation.

[[Image:TFA Thrill Hunt Prowl Lockdown.JPG|left|170px|thumb|Everybody was kung-fu fighting! Those cats were fast as lightning.]]

Finished with his chop job on Optimus, Lockdown converses with [[Blitzwing (Animated)|Blitzwing]], who is evidently the one who put the price on Prime's head. Lockdown requests payment first, but Blitzwing promises that he will be most satisfied with his upgrades—provided the [[Decepticon|Decepticons]] are satisfied with the results. The Autobots arrive at Lockdown's ship and attack. Lockdown dispatches [[Bulkhead (Animated)|Bulkhead]] and Bumblebee without much trouble. However, Prowl is a bit harder for Lockdown to handle until the bounty hunter drops him with an EMP blast. Before he can take any more trophies, Ratchet arrives and confronts Lockdown, but the medic too falls to the EMP. When Lockdown thinks he's beaten the doc-bot, Ratchet reveals he was playing dead, being immune to the effects of his own weapon, and throws Lockdown around with his magnetic powers, knocking him unconscious. Inside Lockdown’s ship, Ratchet finds Prime and frees him, but Lockdown—himself "playing possum" after Ratchet's attack—stops them from leaving. Ratchet takes him out again, and when he’s pinned down, Ratchet forcibly removes the parts Lockdown stole from Prime. He remarks that he would have used his EMP generator to remove it before, but he no longer has them. Lockdown offers the generator if Ratchet will use. The act brings on another flashback.

''In order to avoid interrogation from Megatron, Arcee asks Ratchet to use his EMP generator on her to wipe her memory core, which contains critical access codes for the Autobots. When Ratchet and Lockdown struggle for the device, it overloads and goes off. Ratchet and Arcee leave Lockdown's ship just before some part of it detonates, but when Ratchet inquires of her condition, Arcee doesn't know who she is or where they are, a result of the EMP blast.''

[[Image:TFA Thrill Hunt Ratchet EMP Generator ship.JPG|right|170px|thumb|She cannae take the pressure!]]

In the present, Ratchet mockingly asks Lockdown if he wants the generator to ease his pain, while Lockdown tightens his grip on a rod. As Ratchet moves to take the EMP generator back, Lockdown prepares to strike, but Ratchet hits Lockdown with a magnetic blast before he can strike. Ratchet denounces Lockdown for turning a medical tool into a weapon, and zaps Lockdown's ship. He escapes with Optimus as the ship crashes into a river.

Back at headquarters, Ratchet repairs Prime’s grapplers and then finally opens up to Optimus about his war experiences.
{{--}}

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
*[[Ratchet (Animated)|Ratchet]] (1)
*[[Optimus Prime (Animated)|Optimus Prime]] (2)
*[[Bumblebee (Animated)|Bumblebee]] (3)
*[[Ultra Magnus (Animated)|Ultra Magnus]] (5)
*[[Arcee (Animated)|Arcee]] (6)
*[[Bulkhead (Animated)|Bulkhead]] (7)
*[[Prowl (Animated)|Prowl]] (8)

|c2=
*[[Lockdown (Animated)|Lockdown]] (4)
*[[Blitzwing (Animated)|Blitzwing]] (9)
*[[Megatron (Animated)|Megatron]] (10)
}}

==Quotes==
'''Ratchet''': Augh, it's primitive. It's barbaric. There ought to be a law against it! 
'''Optimus Prime''': It's just an auto supply store, Ratchet. 
'''Ratchet''': You mean they actually sell spare parts on the open market? What kind of malfunction would be crass enough to buy this stuff? 
'''Bumblebee''': Hey, guys, check out my new horn!
:—Anywhere but the butt Bumblebee.

'''Hothead Blitzwing''': You have Optimus Prime? Hand him over at once! That Autobot will pay for what he did to our leader! 
'''Lockdown''': Yeah, speaking of payment, I'm gonna need mine first. 
'''Icy Blitzwing''': Patience, my bounty-hunting friend. You will not be disappointed with your upgrades, provided I am not disappointed with your results. 
'''Random Blitzwing''': Ooooh! I wanna see him turn into a fire truck! Can I? Can I, ha-ha, can I? Ahahahahahahahaha!
:—Blitzwing, Blitzwing and Blitzwing negotiate with Lockdown.

"I'm impressed. It's been eons since the last time anyone got the drop on me." 
"Next time will be much sooner!"
:—'''Lockdown''' and '''Prowl''' engage in some [[A Fistful of Energon|foreshadowing]].

"I'm not good with names and faces, but I never forget a trophy."
:—'''Lockdown''', best buddy of Kraven and the Predator.

"Time was I'd use my EMP generator to do this painlessly. Too bad I don't have it anymore."
:—'''Ratchet''', right before ripping Prime's grapplers out of Lockdown's arm, forgetting children are watching.

"How're you healing?" 
"Arm's as good as new, thanks to you." 
"That wasn't what I meant." 
"Let's just say I have a much better appreciation for what you went through back in the day and why you don't wanna remember it." 
"It's not that I don't want to remember. I have to remember… for those who can't." 
"Still, I don't suppose it hurts to talk about it sometimes… with a trusted friend." 
"So, what do you wanna know?"
:—'''Ratchet''' and '''Optimus Prime'''

==Notes==
===Continuity errors===
* During the news broadcast sequence, if the EMP is enough to shut off the lights in Lockdown's wake, how are the pursuing police vehicles not affected? Is he just projecting the EMP out to both sides?

===Animation errors===
* After Bulkhead says "Hey no fair!", Ratchet transforms into robot mode and skids on the ground. Ratchet's pupils are black but when he stops skidding, his pupils turn white.
* Blitzwing changes from Hothead to Icy personality abruptly and without either a transition animation or a sound effect .

===Transformers references===
* Bumblebee's new horn plays the traditional melody of the phrase "Ro-bots in Dis-guise"!

===Real-world References===
* The TV anchorman seen in this episode appears to be an ''Animated'' version of [[wikipedia:Ron_Burgundy|Ron Burgundy]]. Stay classy, Cybertron.
* Ratchet's line, "Don't call me sir. I work for a living," is a common sentiment of sergeants and other non-commissioned officers in the armed forces.
* Ratchet's other line, "I'm a medi-bot, not a field commander!" is based on Dr. McCoy's oft-repeated line from [[wikipedia:Star_Trek|''Star Trek'']], "I'm a doctor not a…".

===Trivia===
* This episode reveals how the right half of Ratchet's chevron got broken and why his left arm has a missing piece. Both were caused by Lockdown. However, it would seem that it [['Bots of Science|wasn't the first time his chevron snapped off]].
* [[Susan Blu]] reprises her role of Arcee from the Generation 1 cartoon series.
* This is the first episode in which we see ''Animated'' Cybertron, albeit in a flashback.
* This is also the first episode to not feature any of the main [[human]] cast.
* This episode seems to refute [[Fandom|fans]] who had worried the series would be too kid-oriented, as it features a heavy atmosphere, post-traumatic shock, guilt, suggested torture, and quite obvious pain being inflicted by a good guy on a villain, pretty much for no other reason but revenge.
*As Prime and Ratchet talk at the end, you hear the saddest rendition of "More than Meets The Eye" ever.
*Prowl's wheels make the same noise as Lockdown's chainsaw.
*Blitzwing's face-swapping feature makes a different noise in this episode than in other episodes.

{{DEFAULTSORT:Thrill of the Hunt}}
[[Category:Animated episodes]]
[[Category:MSTF]]

The Thrill of the Hunt

2009-08-29T03:24:37Z

96.251.150.110: /* Synopsis */

{{episode|
|series=Anitoon
|image=TFA Thrill Hunt Ratchet Lockdown reunion.JPG
|caption=Sadly, no tumbleweeds.
|ep=7
|title="The Thrill of the Hunt"
|airdate=[[January 19]], 2008
|written by=[[Andrew Robinson]]
|directed by=[[Ben Jones]] [[Shunji Ōga|Shunji Oga]]
|animation studio= [[The Answer Studio]]}}

'''While Autobots encounter a mysterious muscle car creating havoc in Detroit, Ratchet keeps flashing back to his "tour of duty" in the Great Autobot-Decepticon Wars.'''

:''German title:'' "'''Der Kopfgeldjäger'''" ("The Bounty Hunter")
:''Polish title:'' "'''Gorączka polowania'''" ("The Thrill of the Hunt")

==Synopsis==
While debating the ethical dilemma of an auto parts store with [[Optimus Prime (Animated)|Optimus Prime]] and [[Bumblebee (Animated)|Bumblebee]], [[Ratchet (Animated)|Ratchet]]'s old war wound tingles, making him think that trouble's ahead. Just then, the lights in the city go out, and the trio is confronted by a spiked muscle car with red headlamps. Thinking it's a human out for a joyride, the [[Autobot|Autobots]] go after the car. At a critical moment in the chase, Ratchet experiences a flashback to his days in the [[Great War (Animated)|Great War]]….

[[Image:Ratchetanimatedthrill.jpg|left|170px|thumb|PTSD-bait in the making.]]

''Field tech Ratchet is in the middle of a war zone with a Decepticon barrage falling down around him. Communicating with [[Supreme Commander]] [[Ultra Magnus (Animated)|Ultra Magnus]], he says he found the object of his mission, an Autobot intelligence officer named [[Arcee (Animated)|Arcee]]. She is badly damaged and in need of immediate repair. Ratchet uses his [[EMP]] generator to deactivate her temporarily, allowing him to replace her leg, despite Arcee's concern that the EMP could wipe her [[memory core]].''

Ratchet flashes back into the present and is nearly run over by the muscle car, but is pushed out of the way by Bumblebee. The Autobots regroup at headquarters and Optimus inquires of Ratchet's well-being, but the crusty old bot doesn't want to talk. Meanwhile, the [[Television|TV]] news is broadcasting a live, high-speed chase between the police and the strange car, and Ratchet experiences another flashback.

[[Image:Lockdown both hands.jpg|right|170px|thumb|FALCON PUNCH!]]

''In the middle of the repair to Arcee, Ratchet loads her up and starts to evacuate the area, only to be caught and smacked down by a bounty hunter.''

Ratchet's thoughts are snapped back into the present as the Autobots begin the chase after the muscle car anew. Ratchet finally recognizes the muscle car as an old nemesis, [[Lockdown (Animated)|Lockdown]]. The past haunts him again….

''Ratchet and Arcee are now prisoners of Lockdown, who explains his work as a bounty hunter and his lack of allegiance to either side in the war. He also says he has a fondness for taking weapons and parts from his quarry as trophies and upgrades. This time, he's taken Ratchet's EMP generator.''

Flash forward to the present, and Prime finally forces Lockdown to stop. The bounty hunter incapacitates Prime with the EMP weapon, and they both disappear. In his hideout, Lockdown explains to a tied-up Optimus Prime about the bounty on his head for killing [[Megatron (Animated)|Megatron]]. Optimus explains that he didn't kill him, but Lock responds by saying that he doesn't care as long as he gets his bounty. Then he gets to work on removing Prime’s grapplers and installing them in his own body.

The Autobots scan the city for Prime, but don't have much luck until [[Prowl (Animated)|Prowl]] finds that Lockdown's [[Death's Head (Animated)|ship]] is sitting in the middle of the old downtown area, cloaked as an ordinary warehouse. Before they roll out, Ratchet refuses to join the rescue mission, though without explanation.

[[Image:TFA Thrill Hunt Prowl Lockdown.JPG|left|170px|thumb|Everybody was kung-fu fighting! Those cats were fast as lightning.]]

Finished with his chop job on Optimus, Lockdown converses with [[Blitzwing (Animated)|Blitzwing]], who is evidently the one who put the price on Prime's head. Lockdown requests payment first, but Blitzwing promises that he will be most satisfied with his upgrades—provided the [[Decepticon|Decepticons]] are satisfied with the results. The Autobots arrive at Lockdown's ship and attack. Lockdown dispatches [[Bulkhead (Animated)|Bulkhead]] and Bumblebee without much trouble. However, Prowl is a bit harder for Lockdown to handle until the bounty hunter drops him with an EMP blast. Before he can take any more trophies, Ratchet arrives and confronts Lockdown, but the medic too falls to the EMP. When Lockdown thinks he's beaten the doc-bot, Ratchet reveals he was playing dead, being immune to the effects of his own weapon, and throws Lockdown around with his magnetic powers, knocking him unconscious. Inside Lockdown’s ship, Ratchet finds Prime and frees him, but Lockdown—himself "playing possum" after Ratchet's attack—stops them from leaving. Ratchet takes him out again, and when he’s pinned down, Ratchet forcibly removes the parts Lockdown stole from Prime. He remarks that he would have used his EMP generator to remove it before, but he no longer has them. Lockdown offers the generator if Ratchet will use. The act brings on another flashback.

''In order to avoid interrogation from Megatron, Arcee asks Ratchet to use his EMP generator on her to wipe her memory core, which contains critical access codes for the Autobots. When Ratchet and Lockdown struggle for the device, it overloads and goes off. Ratchet and Arcee leave Lockdown's ship just before some part of it detonates, but when Ratchet inquires of her condition, Arcee doesn't know who she is or where they are, a result of the EMP blast.''

[[Image:TFA Thrill Hunt Ratchet EMP Generator ship.JPG|right|170px|thumb|She cannae take the pressure!]]

In the present, Ratchet mockingly asks Lockdown if he wants the generator to ease his pain, while Lockdown tightens his grip on a rod. As Ratchet moves to take the EMP generator back, Lockdown prepares to strike, but Ratchet hits Lockdown with a magnetic blast before he can strike. Ratchet denounces Lockdown for turning a medical tool into a weapon, and zaps Lockdown's ship. He escapes with Optimus as the ship crashes into a river.

Back at headquarters, Ratchet repairs Prime’s grapplers and then finally opens up to Optimus about his war experiences.
{{--}}

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
*[[Ratchet (Animated)|Ratchet]] (1)
*[[Optimus Prime (Animated)|Optimus Prime]] (2)
*[[Bumblebee (Animated)|Bumblebee]] (3)
*[[Ultra Magnus (Animated)|Ultra Magnus]] (5)
*[[Arcee (Animated)|Arcee]] (6)
*[[Bulkhead (Animated)|Bulkhead]] (7)
*[[Prowl (Animated)|Prowl]] (8)

|c2=
*[[Lockdown (Animated)|Lockdown]] (4)
*[[Blitzwing (Animated)|Blitzwing]] (9)
*[[Megatron (Animated)|Megatron]] (10)
}}

==Quotes==
'''Ratchet''': Augh, it's primitive. It's barbaric. There ought to be a law against it! 
'''Optimus Prime''': It's just an auto supply store, Ratchet. 
'''Ratchet''': You mean they actually sell spare parts on the open market? What kind of malfunction would be crass enough to buy this stuff? 
'''Bumblebee''': Hey, guys, check out my new horn!
:—Evidently, Bumblebee is crass enough.

'''Hothead Blitzwing''': You have Optimus Prime? Hand him over at once! That Autobot will pay for what he did to our leader! 
'''Lockdown''': Yeah, speaking of payment, I'm gonna need mine first. 
'''Icy Blitzwing''': Patience, my bounty-hunting friend. You will not be disappointed with your upgrades, provided I am not disappointed with your results. 
'''Random Blitzwing''': Ooooh! I wanna see him turn into a fire truck! Can I? Can I, ha-ha, can I? Ahahahahahahahaha!
:—Blitzwing, Blitzwing and Blitzwing negotiate with Lockdown.

"I'm impressed. It's been eons since the last time anyone got the drop on me." 
"Next time will be much sooner!"
:—'''Lockdown''' and '''Prowl''' engage in some [[A Fistful of Energon|foreshadowing]].

"I'm not good with names and faces, but I never forget a trophy."
:—'''Lockdown''', best buddy of Kraven and the Predator.

"Time was I'd use my EMP generator to do this painlessly. Too bad I don't have it anymore."
:—'''Ratchet''', right before ripping Prime's grapplers out of Lockdown's arm, forgetting children are watching.

"How're you healing?" 
"Arm's as good as new, thanks to you." 
"That wasn't what I meant." 
"Let's just say I have a much better appreciation for what you went through back in the day and why you don't wanna remember it." 
"It's not that I don't want to remember. I have to remember… for those who can't." 
"Still, I don't suppose it hurts to talk about it sometimes… with a trusted friend." 
"So, what do you wanna know?"
:—'''Ratchet''' and '''Optimus Prime'''

==Notes==
===Continuity errors===
* During the news broadcast sequence, if the EMP is enough to shut off the lights in Lockdown's wake, how are the pursuing police vehicles not affected? Is he just projecting the EMP out to both sides?

===Animation errors===
* After Bulkhead says "Hey no fair!", Ratchet transforms into robot mode and skids on the ground. Ratchet's pupils are black but when he stops skidding, his pupils turn white.
* Blitzwing changes from Hothead to Icy personality abruptly and without either a transition animation or a sound effect .

===Transformers references===
* Bumblebee's new horn plays the traditional melody of the phrase "Ro-bots in Dis-guise"!

===Real-world References===
* The TV anchorman seen in this episode appears to be an ''Animated'' version of [[wikipedia:Ron_Burgundy|Ron Burgundy]]. Stay classy, Cybertron.
* Ratchet's line, "Don't call me sir. I work for a living," is a common sentiment of sergeants and other non-commissioned officers in the armed forces.
* Ratchet's other line, "I'm a medi-bot, not a field commander!" is based on Dr. McCoy's oft-repeated line from [[wikipedia:Star_Trek|''Star Trek'']], "I'm a doctor not a…".

===Trivia===
* This episode reveals how the right half of Ratchet's chevron got broken and why his left arm has a missing piece. Both were caused by Lockdown. However, it would seem that it [['Bots of Science|wasn't the first time his chevron snapped off]].
* [[Susan Blu]] reprises her role of Arcee from the Generation 1 cartoon series.
* This is the first episode in which we see ''Animated'' Cybertron, albeit in a flashback.
* This is also the first episode to not feature any of the main [[human]] cast.
* This episode seems to refute [[Fandom|fans]] who had worried the series would be too kid-oriented, as it features a heavy atmosphere, post-traumatic shock, guilt, suggested torture, and quite obvious pain being inflicted by a good guy on a villain, pretty much for no other reason but revenge.
*As Prime and Ratchet talk at the end, you hear the saddest rendition of "More than Meets The Eye" ever.
*Prowl's wheels make the same noise as Lockdown's chainsaw.
*Blitzwing's face-swapping feature makes a different noise in this episode than in other episodes.

{{DEFAULTSORT:Thrill of the Hunt}}
[[Category:Animated episodes]]
[[Category:MSTF]]

Blast from the Past

2009-08-29T03:23:36Z

96.251.150.110: /* Synopsis */

{{disambig2|the 2008 Transformers Animated episode|the 2003 Armada comic|Panini Armada issue 6}}
{{episode|
|series=Anitoon
|image=TFA Blast Past Dinobots burn.JPG
|caption="When they opened Disneyland in 1955, nothing worked." "Yes, but, John, when Pirates of the Caribbean breaks down, the pirates don't eat the tourists."
|ep=6
|title="Blast from the Past"
|airdate=[[January 12]], 2008
|written by=[[Kevin Hopps]]
|directed by=[[Irineo Maramba]] [[Ben Jones]] [[Kentaro Mizuno]]
|animation studio= [[Mook]]}}

'''Professor Sumdac upgrades a trio of animatronic dinosaurs from a local theme park, but the creatures develop minds of their own and become rampaging Dinobots, bent on destroying the Autobots.'''

:''German title:'' "'''Drachenkämpfer'''" ("Dragon Fighters")
:''Polish title:'' "'''Cios z przeszłości'''" ("Blast from the Past")

==Synopsis==
[[Image:TFA Blast Past Bulkhead Tutor Bot.JPG|left|200px|thumb|"Did you find him?" "Just the parts they didn't like."]]

[[Sari Sumdac|Sari]] takes the [[Autobot|Autobots]] to "[[Dino Drive]]", a [[dinosaur]]-based theme park, in order to teach them about [[Earth]]'s history. On the way, [[Bulkhead (Animated)|Bulkhead]] accidentally destroys every car in the parking lot. Once inside, [[Tutor Bot]] gives an impromptu lesson on dinosaurs. The Autobots see the animatronic dinosaurs and become amazed by the replicas, especially Bulkhead, who becomes so fascinated that he tries to get the robot ''Pteranodon'' to fly. This only succeeds in having the robot fall and cause a ''Triceratops'' and ''Tyrannosaurus'' robot to collide and break each other, crushing Tutor Bot in the process. The Autobot take the broken animatronics to [[Isaac Sumdac|Professor Sumdac]] for repair.

[[Image:TFA Blast Past Sumdac Megatron meet.JPG|right|200px|thumb|"The voice you hear is Richard Kiley. We spared no expense."]]

At the lab, [[Megatron (Animated)|Megatron]] views the power of dinosaurs through the damaged Tutor Bot and seems very impressed by their destructive potential. Sumdac enters the lab and berates himself for programming the Tutor Bot with such simple information that everyone already knows. Megatron reveals his consciousness by saying ''he'' never knew these things. Sumdac is shocked, and Megatron, pretending that he has just come back online, asks where he is. Professor Sumdac rambles a bit, then says it's a long story. Megatron reassures him that he can listen, as he is not going anywhere. After Sumdac gives a brief history of Megatron's discovery and how he relates to modern technology, Megatron convinces Sumdac that he is an old friend of the Autobots and that they'll be more forgiving of Sumdac keeping his secrets if he helps repair their old comrade. However, it would be best to keep it quiet for now. As a sign of good faith, he offers to help Sumdac repair the dinosaur displays and provide information on how to upgrade their technology so they'll be even more convincing. He conveniently forgets to tell Sumdac that he plans on using them for prototype attack drones.

Meanwhile, at the Autobot base, [[Prowl (Animated)|Prowl]] is trying to teach Bulkhead how to control his strength. This, of course, ends with Bulkhead falling on Prowl. He then tries a new tactic and moves the training to an island in Lake Erie. This results in Bulkhead causing some trees to drop on Prowl.

[[Image:TFA Blast Past pulse.JPG|left|200px|thumb|"Think they'll have that on the tour?"]]

At Dino Drive, Sumdac reveals his and Megatron's creations to the gathered press and Autobots—the [[Dinobot (Animated)|Dinobots]]! After a short display, Megatron takes control, and the Dinobots go on a rampage. As the Autobots fight them, Bulkhead tries to recreate Prowl's teaching, but to no effect other than falling into Prowl and knocking him flat on his back. [[Ratchet (Animated)|Ratchet]] and [[Bumblebee (Animated)|Bumblebee]] then combine their powers to create an electromagnetic pulse to shut down the Dinobots, but her [[AllSpark Key]] is somehow drawn to the creatures. She decides to help and plugs the Key into Bumblebee. The blast intensifies, blowing the dinosaurs' skins off and revealing the robot bodies beneath. Professor Sumdac is confused as to why they malfunctioned and brings them back to his lab for maintenance.

At Sumdac's lab, Megatron becomes perplexed as to why the AllSpark Key activated, thinking it sensed something Cybertronian about the Dinobots. He dismisses this idea and curses the drones for being useless. Their failure also forces Megatron to reassess his plans. Given the primitive level of technology available on the planet, it could take years not only to create adequate attack drones, but even longer for his own new body. Megatron laments the grim situation of being locked away in Sumdac's lab, then something very surprising happens—the ''Tyrannosaurus'' starts to talk, and the other dinosaurs begin to move. On top of that, Megatron finds he can't control them!

Megatron then surmises that the Autobots must have done something to them, declaring that, somehow, they have [[Spark|sparks]] of their own. The ''Tyrannosaurus'' then dubs himself "[[Grimlock (Animated)|Grimlock]]" and, without fail, Megatron declares that he is the Dinobots' leader. Grimlock doesn't approve of this concept and announces that ''he'' is the leader, and [[Swoop (Animated)|Swoop]] and [[Snarl (Animated)|Snarl]] seem to agree. The Tutor Bot activates, much to Megatron's annoyance, and explains how dinosaur fossils create fossil fuel, which powers cars and trucks. Grimlock takes this to mean cars and trucks "eat" dinosaurs and announces that cars and trucks are bad. Megatron takes advantage of their low intelligence and tells them to destroy the "fossil feeders", and, of course, that the only things worse than cars and trucks are "car robots". He shows them how to use one of their more destructive powers, [[fire-breath]], and they use it to destroy the Tutor Bot. Grimlock is pleased with this, but does not know how he did it. Megatron explains how he designed them, then tells them that the fossil feeders want them dead, so the Dinobots go to defend themselves.

[[Image:Fanzone.jpg|right|200px|thumb|"Somewhere on this island is the greatest hunter that ever lived. And the second greatest hunter must take him down."]]

As they start on their rampage, [[Captain Fanzone]] and assembled emergency crews try to stop them. Suddenly, Snarl whips a car with his tail, and [[Captain Fanzone's car]] becomes the first casualty of the Dinobots' war on the fossil feeders as the thrown car lands on it. Fanzone, not missing a beat, takes a bazooka and shoots Snarl in the face, but he just swallows the incoming missile.

The Autobots arrive and, at Bulkhead's suggestion, lure the Dinobots to a park in order to avoid any more collateral damage. As Grimlock sees them transform, he remembers something he'd forgotten: Car robots are worse than cars and trucks. Furious, he orders the Dinobots to attack. As the battle goes on, the Autobots are seriously outmatched, especially since Bulkhead is trying to "access the situation" before acting, as Prowl tried to teach him to do. Prowl, realizing their disadvantage, hollers for Bulkhead not to try and be like Prowl, but to be like ''Bulkhead''. Reassured, Bulkhead quickly drops Snarl and Swoop.

At the lab, Sumdac and Megatron are watching the events unfold on the news, and Sumdac is unable to comprehend why the Dinobots malfunctioned again. Suddenly, the professor realizes that the fire-breath was part of Megatron's design specifications. Megatron feigns shame, claiming that he wanted a body again, so he experimented with the Dinobots by adding "features". Sumdac sympathizes with Megatron, promising not to tell the Autobots and to restore Megatron one day.

[[Image:TFA Blast Past Dinobots stuck.JPG|left|200px|thumb|"You're sure they're contained?" "Yes. Unless they figure out how to open doors."]]

Meanwhile, Bumblebee and Ratchet are pinned down by Grimlock's fire-breath. Snarl and Swoop get up and join in, the heat melting the parking lot behind the two Autobots. [[Optimus Prime (Animated)|Optimus]] remembers the tar lesson from Dino Drive, and Bulkhead throws all three Dinobots into the newly formed pool. The Dinobots use their flames in an attempt to free themselves from the "black, sticky stuff", but only make things worse for themselves.

The Dinobots are trapped with only their heads sticking out. Professor Sumdac promises to melt them down due to their unpredictableness and the danger they therefore pose. Optimus approves of this, but Prowl does not, feeling that they have shown they have minds and sparks of their own. When Sumdac returns the next morning, he finds the Dinobots have escaped from their tar prison.

On the [[Dinobot Island (Animated)|deserted island]] where Prowl and Bulkhead trained, the Dinobots are freed into a large crater which houses a beautiful natural environment. Prowl and Bulkhead see how happy they are and decide to keep it their little secret. With that, Prowl sets a hologram up to keep them hidden and safe from the world.

[[Image:Animated cartoon Grimlock energo-sword.jpg|right|200px|thumb|"I have the POWER!!!!!!"]]

After they leave, Grimlock dubs cars and trucks bad, but Nature good. Two birds promptly defecate on him, which makes him rethink his claim and dub Nature stupid. He orders the birds to come down and "fight like Dinobot" and spits out a flame at them, but they simply fly away. Furious, Grimlock suddenly activates another of Megatron's "features" and transforms! Snarl and Swoop stare in amazement as Grimlock draws a [[Energo-sword|giant, flaming sword]]. Grimlock like….
{{--}}

==Featured characters==
{{Featuredcharacters
|c1=
* [[Optimus Prime (Animated)|Optimus Prime]] (2)
* [[Bumblebee (Animated)|Bumblebee]] (3)
* [[Ratchet (Animated)|Ratchet]] (4)
* [[Prowl (Animated)|Prowl]] (5)
* [[Bulkhead (Animated)|Bulkhead]] (6)
*[[Grimlock (Animated)|Grimlock]] (9)
*[[Snarl (Animated)|Snarl]] (10)
*[[Swoop (Animated)|Swoop]] (11)

|c2=
* [[Megatron (Animated)|Megatron]] (7)

|c3=
* [[Sari Sumdac]] (1)
* [[Isaac Sumdac]] (8)
* [[Captain Fanzone]] (12)

|c4=
*[[Tutor Bot]] ()
}}

==Quotes==
"Sorry I'm late, guys. Uh, did I miss anything?" 
"No, I'd say you hit just about every car in the lot."
:—'''Bulkhead''' can't seem to catch a break, certainly not from '''Bumblebee'''. At first I thought Bulky was as destructive as Patrick Star but now, I think he's worse!

'''Tutor Bot''': Besides the valuable information dinosaurs' bones can tell us, fossils also gave way to fossil fuels, which today power our automobiles. 
'''Sumdac''': Oh, I cannot believe that I programmed you with such simplistic information. Everyone knows this. 
'''Megatron''': Oh, but I did not. 
'''Sumdac''': Well, everyone but you. ''[gasps loudly]'' You—you ''spoke!''
:—Isaac Sumdac learns that his guest is awake.

"Nice, Prowl. Maybe next you can teach an engine block to float."
:—'''Ratchet''' being a crotchety old goat

"The primitive materials available on this planet are useless. It will take countless solar cycles to create attack drones capable of ''my'' needs, and without more substantial robotics for my own body, my prospects are grim, locked in this prison of a lab." 
"Grim—lock…Grim—lock."
:—'''Megatron''' learns why '''Grimlock''''s name doesn't start with an "S".

"Cars and trucks bad! [[Car Robots|Car robots]]…worse!"
:—'''Grimlock''', to the dismay of ''[[Robots in Disguise (cartoon)|Robots in Disguise]]'' fans everywhere.

'''Bulkhead''': Wait! Uh, I was thinking. Maybe we should lead them some place safer first. 
'''Optimus''': Good thinking, Bulkhead! 
'''Bulkhead''': He said "good thinking". 
'''Bumblebee''': And "''Bulkhead''".
:—Optimus gives Bulkhead kudos, much to his and Bumblebee's shock.

"You call breathing fire a glitch?!?"
:—'''Ratchet''', saying what we're all thinking.

"Just because something is big and lumbering and destructive doesn't mean you give up on it."
:—'''Prowl''' delivering the most backhanded compliment ever

==Notes==
===Animation errors===
*In one scene, Snarl's head is coloured grey instead of gold.

*Prowl removes his Autobot symbol because of its hologram emitter. However, in the next shot, he still has it.
** In [[Five Servos Of Doom]], Master Yoketron is shown removing Prowl's projector, too. A new insignia, implied to be his true one, slides in from right behind it.

*During the final fight, when Bulkhead tries to use Prowl's training properly, his mouth doesn't move.

===Transformers references===
*A far-off island that becomes a training ground for a lumbering warrior to hone his skills without causing collateral damage to the Autobots' base? Gee, [[Dinobot Island (G1)|that sure sounds familiar]].

*After smashing into Snarl, Bulkhead cheerfully apologizes with "Excuse me!" in much the same way that ''Generation 1'' [[Slag (G1)|Slag]] did after stomping on a [[Quintesson]] in ''[[The Transformers: The Movie]]''.

* Grimlock's line "Cars and trucks bad! Car Robots worse!!!" may be taken as a subtle jab at ''[[Robots in Disguise (franchise)|Robots in Disguise]]'', which was called ''Car Robots'' in Japan. Interestingly enough, that was also the only post-Generation 1 show that did not feature [[David Kaye]], Grimlock's voice actor.

* Megatron tries to convince Grimlock that Autobots are bad. [[War of the Dinobots| Familiar indeed]].

* At the end of the episode, Prime suggests that the Dinobots are too dangerous to be kept around. Again, [[S.O.S. Dinobots| familiar]].

*Only two other animatronic dinosaurs are seen in Dino Drive, a ''Stegosaurus'' and an unidentified sauropod. These may be references to [[Sludge (G1)|Sludge]] and the original [[Snarl (G1)|Snarl]]. And/or potential future Dinobots.

*Grimlock's robot mode resembles his look in the Generation 1 series. However, in this series, he wields a flaming sword just like his G1 toy and depiction in several comic series including Transformers War Within.

*This is not the first series to use a tar pit to entrap the Dinobots. In the Generation 1 cartoon episode "[[Dinobot Island, Part 1|Dinobot Island]]", Megatron used the island's residents to drive the Dinobots into a tar pit to get them out of the Decepticon's way. In the G1 Marvel comic series, the Decepticon [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]] defeated the Dinobots by entombing them in tar (before falling in himself).

===Real-world references===
* The gate of Dino Drive is remarkably similar to the gate of Jurassic Park in the movie of the same name (and thus, by extension, to the gate from ''King Kong'', to which Jurassic Park's design was an [[homage]]). Music reminiscent of the ''Jurassic Park'' theme can be heard during some of the Dino Drive scenes.

===Trivia===
* This marks the first time the Dinobots have been used in a ''Transformers'' television series since Generation 1. There is much joy. Grimlock is particularly happy.

* Snarl was obviously designed to be the ''Animated'' incarnation of the [[Generation 1]] [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobot]] named [[Slag (G1)|Slag]], and preproduction shots even bore that name. Hasbro [http://tarr.uspto.gov/servlet/tarr?regser=serial&entry=76674442 holds the United States trademark for "Slag" unopposed, and renewed it as recently as Xmas 2007]. They aren't using "Slag" as a product name because, as acknowledged by the Hasbro representatives at [[BotCon 2008]], it is a negative slang term in the United Kingdom (specifically, a reference to prostitution), and might have affected toy sales. Grimlock was the only Dinobot to be named in the show itself until "[[Human Error, Part II]]", when [[Scrapper (Animated)|Scrapper]] gave Snarl his name. "Swoop" still remains unnamed..

* The Dinobots' color schemes are lifted directly from the Generation 1 cartoon, with some minor variations. This is most obvious in Swoop's torso being blue, rather then the red featured in Generation 1 Swoop's comic and toy incarnations. The ''[[Diaclone]]'' version of [[Swoop (G1)|Generation 1 Swoop]]'s toy likewise had a blue chest, so this is possibly an homage, but is more likely coincidence.

* For the first time, the Dinobots' alt modes match closely with how dinosaurs are depicted in the fossil record (no sluggishness, more mammal/bird-like, Grimlock bent over horizontally, no bowleggedness, etc.). There was still a lack of feathers before they were de-skinned, though. (However, since it's doubtful ''T. Rex''es had a feather covering like smaller therapods, and large pterosaurs had short, bristly fur, if at all, it's not really an issue)

*In this episode, Tutor Bot actually teaches Sari and the Autobots about dinosaurs and fossil fuels. He's back on form, however, when the pre-Transformer Grimlock squashes him.

* It seems somewhat odd (but not terribly surprising) that humanity has developed advanced robotics and such, but still uses fossil fuels in cars.

* According to Ratchet, the Transformer race is over 10 billion years old.

*Tutor Bot makes statements of questionable factual accuracy in this episode:
**Despite what Tutor Bot says, fossil fuels are ''not'' made from dinosaur fossils. Fossil fuels are made from various [[wikipedia:Hydrocarbon|hydrocarbons]], which are mostly formed from plant matter that has long since settled in the Earth's crust. For more, see [[wikipedia:Fossil_fuel|this]].
**Tutor Bot claims that the [[wikipedia:Jurassic|Jurassic]] era is over 200 million years old. It lasted from circa 199.6 million years ago to 145.4 million years ago. Yes, the show takes place in the future, but not '''that''' far in the future.
**Tutor Bot claims that many of the creatures lived during the Jurassic period, but ''Tyrannosaurus'', ''Triceratops'' and the pterosaur ''Pteranodon'' hail from the Late [[wikipedia:Cretaceous|Cretaceous]], not the Jurassic. The only dinosaurs actually from that time period are the ''Stegosaurus'' and the sauropod mentioned above. This makes Tutor Bot blind, vague, or incapable of teaching about dinosaurs, fossil fuels, and (depending on how literally you take him) basic math. The fact that Professor Sumdac continues to fix him is almost amazing.

*Michigan does not have volcanoes. (Although, this ''is'' the future.)

[[Category:Animated episodes]]

Transform and Roll Out

2009-08-29T03:18:07Z

96.251.150.110: /* Part 3 */

{{episode|
|series=Anitoon
|image=TFA_TFandRollout_AutobotHeroes.jpg
|caption=''Epic''
|next=Home Is Where the Spark Is
|ep=1, 2 and 3
|next=Home Is Where the Spark Is
|title="Transform and Roll Out"
|airdate=[[December 26]], 2007
|written by=[[Marty Isenberg]]
|directed by= [[Matt Youngberg]] [[Yutaka Kagawa]] [[Minoru Yamaoka]] [[Makoto Fuchigami]]
|animation studio= [[Mook]]}}
'''When a small crew of maintenance Autobots comes into possession of the powerful AllSpark, a battle with their long-forgotten enemies sends them crashing toward a strange, distant planet known as... ''Earth.'''''

:''German Title:'' "'''Transformieren und Abfahrt'''"
:''Polish Title:'' "'''Transformacja i jazda'''"

==Synopsis==
===Part 1===
In deep, deep space, [[Optimus Prime (Animated)|Optimus Prime]] watches some old history videos, prompting [[Ratchet (Animated)|Ratchet]] to complain about him watching that "junk" when the other members of the crew need assistance. Prime wonders if they were designed for more than repairing [[Space bridge|space bridges]]. The two 'Bots transform into their vehicle modes and head out into the asteroid field.

[[Image:TFA TFandRollout TheAllsparkdiscovered.jpg|left|150px|thumb|Well... at least there's no mass-shifting.]]
Outside, [[Bulkhead (Animated)|Bulkhead]], dangling from a high rock by his wrecking ball (and becoming quite queasy in the process), is freed by [[Bumblebee (Animated)|Bumblebee]], who also ends up taking a tumble. Bumblebee complains about the sheer amount of rocks blocking the space bridge node, and one is shattered unexpectedly by [[Prowl (Animated)|Prowl]]'s throwing star. Prime gives his troops a speech about teamwork (which Prowl moans at theatrically), but at that point the space bridge lights up, sending rocks and Autobots flying. Fancy footwork by Optimus saves each of his teammates from the debris, and a well-aimed grappling line shuts down the bridge. With his subordinates stunned at their leader's skills, Prime is forced to admit he trained at [[Autobot Academy|Cybertron's military academy]]. Bumblebee's query as to what the hell he's doing on a nowhere maintenance assignment is left unanswered as they notice something glowing in the rubble.

Prime clears away the debris to reveal a large, chest-like object. Ratchet is horrified and immediately demands they throw it back into the space bridge, but an alert from [[Teletran 1]] announces the arrival of a signature consistent with the long-lost [[Decepticon|Decepticons]]. Ratchet then insists they take the object and just get out of there post-haste.

[[Image:TFA TFandRollout Decepticonship.jpg|right|150px|thumb|Yes, this is a scout ship. Way to go, Magnanimous.]]
On board [[Autobot ship (Animated)|their ship]], Ratchet finally reveals what they've found: the [[AllSpark (Animated)|AllSpark]], the source of all Transformer life that was lost centuries ago. Optimus, worried about the oncoming Decepticon signal, contacts the [[Cybertron Elite Guard]] for help. After taking a bit of snark from [[Sentinel Prime (Animated)|Sentinel Prime]], Optimus reveals what they found, which shuts Sentinel up fast. Sentinel then puts the crew through to [[Ultra Magnus (Animated)|Ultra Magnus]], who tells Optimus Prime to stay put while they send reinforcements... and not to worry about that Decepticon thing. Optimus, considering this to be a really stupid move, orders the crew to start booking it out of there.

[[Image:Ani crew.JPG|left|200px|thumb|Scotty, engage!]]
This proves wise, as the signal is indeed a Decepticon ship—a [[Nemesis (Animated)|command ship]], in fact. The identification markings are ones that Optimus and Ratchet recognize, meaning its commander can only be one person: [[Megatron (Animated)|Megatron]], leader of the Decepticons. On board the Decepticon ship, [[Starscream (Animated)|Starscream]] doubts the AllSpark is aboard the Autobot ship and declares Megatron a fool. [[Lugnut]] denounces Starscream as a traitor, while [[Blackarachnia (Animated)|Blackarachnia]] calls Lugnut an idiot for his blind loyalty and [[Blitzwing (Animated)|Blitzwing]] just acts... well, crazy. The Decepticons continue to bicker at each other until Megatron enters, shutting up all of them. The Decepticons chase the Autobot ship, and Starscream volunteers to board them. Megatron quickly shoots that idea down. Just before he leaves, Starscream wishes his commander "luck" with a pat on the back... affixing a bomb to Megatron in the process.

Megatron makes his way to the Autobots' ship and begins to melt his way through its hull. Optimus uses external manipulator arms to grapple with Megatron, until the bomb detonates, sending the ship careening uncontrollably into a space bridge node, which explodes after they go through the gate. Starscream begins to make a speech declaring himself the new Decepticon leader, but the other three have abandoned ship, noting that the fireball from the space bridge explosion is only getting larger. Too late, Starscream realizes the trouble he's in...

An unknown distance away, the Autobot ship reappears above a [[Earth|small blue and green planet]]. Prime checks on his troops, but Megatron has gotten aboard, having survived the explosion, but at the cost of his right arm. Prime uses his grappling line to shut off the gravity, making it more difficult for Megatron to fight. All five Autobots face off against the Decepticon, but he's too strong (though Prowl does manage to cut off Megatron's damaged arm). Prime and Megatron both end up in the storage bay where the AllSpark is... and as the ship enters the atmosphere, Prime is able to blow the hatch and kick the screaming Megatron out of the ship.

[[Image:TFA TFandRollout Arkatmosphere.jpg|right|150px|thumb|Oddly familiar.]]
On a small farm, a young boy hears a thud and runs to where something has landed in a not-too-distant field. He is shocked to find a robotic head staring lifelessly up at him.

Meanwhile, Prime orders his team into emergency stasis pods to prepare for a crash-landing. He manages to steer the ship away from the city below and gets to a stasis pod just before the ship plunges into [[Lake Erie]].

Fifty years later, [[Detroit]] is once again a thriving city, but instead of manufacturing automobiles, robots are the city's stock-in-trade. [[Isaac Sumdac]] is talking to a public school class taking a tour of his facilities, which gets interrupted by Isaac's daughter, [[Sari Sumdac]], and her robot dog, [[Sparkplug (robot dog)|Sparkplug]]. As Sari is carted off to her lessons by a [[Tutorbot|robot tutor]], Isaac shows the school kids a nanotech lab, just in time to witness a roach infused with microbots grow out of control and start consuming everything in sight. Isaac tries to keep things calm, but the monster bursts out of the lab...

===Part 2===
[[Image:TFA TFandRollout Firefighters monster.jpg|left|150px|thumb|Yeah, watering it will surely stop the beast.]]
The monster continues to grow, absorbing just about everything it touches to increase its size and power. In the process, it destroys a lot of the factory. [[Captain Fanzone]], the S.W.A.T team, the fire department, ambulances, and robot drones arrive, but the creature absorbs several of the responding vehicles, too. Fanzone uses a bazooka-type weapon and destroys the beast, despite Sumdac's objection. This protest proves well-founded, as the remnants of the creature start flowing back together again, save for one piece that drops into the nearby lake and works its way down to the Autobots' ship, its nanites seeking the absorbable technology there. It infiltrates via a small breach in the outer hull, but thankfully, the ship's intruder alert systems are functional and awaken the Autobots before any damage is done. Examining the situation, they decide to have Teletran 1 give them Earth forms so they can blend in and help out. A probe is launched into the chaos and scans various vehicles, including an [[Ratchet (Animated)|ambulance]], a [[Prowl (Animated)|police motorbike]], an [[Bulkhead (Animated)|armored personnel carrier]], a [[Optimus Prime (Animated)|fire truck]], and [[Bumblebee (Animated)|Captain Fanzone's car]]. Everyone deploys except Ratchet, who remains behind to analyze the sample of alien material.

[[Image:TFA TFandRollout Autobots.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Avengers, ASSEMBLE!]]
During the fight, Bulkhead and Bumblebee spot Sari trying to wrest her security key from Sparkplug's mouth. Mistaking which is owner and which is pet, they approach her, but Bulkhead's greeting only scares her away. She quickly gets nabbed by the monster, but Bumblebee saves her, earning her trust and friendship. Prowl attempts to take on the bug-slug by himself, against Prime's orders, and gets absorbed. Prime orders Ratchet to join them in battle to save Prowl, but the old veteran insists that finding a "cure" code to neutralize the nanites' programming makes more sense than coming out and getting trashed. A somewhat chastened Prime agrees, and Ratchet soon delivers the goods. However, the new program must be uploaded by direct contact—meaning from inside the monster. This means the smallest, fastest one of them has to do it. Bumblebee reluctantly takes on the task. The beast has been using some of Prowl's absorbed intelligence and comm link tech, though, so it knows what they're planning and is now smart enough to fight back. Despite this, Bumblebee succeeds in delivering the code, and the bug dissolves into a dusty shower of deactivated nanites. Prowl is soon uncovered, but he's suffered grave wounds and must be taken back to the Autobots' ship for repairs. Sari pesters Bumblebee to be taken along, and her new friend reluctantly agrees, since there's no time to make her go away quietly.

[[Image:TFA TFandRollout Sari followedmehome.jpg|left|150px|thumb|Bumblebee, having a child is a big responsibility.]]
Once on board, Sari's refusal to stay still and quiet causes 'Bee some embarrassment. He quickly and discreetly ejects her into a ventilation port and joins the others. However, the port opens onto a shaft that takes Sari right to the chamber where the AllSpark is being kept. Curious, she touches it, and it reacts to her, sending its energies into her security card key and reconfiguring it into [[AllSpark Key|a key of another sort entirely]]. Prime finds her almost immediately thereafter, but with no time left to spare away from Prowl, he has to bring her back with him to the repair table. Ratchet's prognosis is bleak, but the [[AllSpark Key]] abruptly reacts, glowing and tugging her toward Prowl. Bumblebee, seeming to grasp what's happening, helps her onto the table, and as she approaches, her Key reshapes itself to fit into a slot on Prowl's chest. She inserts it, and with a burst of energy, the Autobot ninja is whole again. The Autobots then take Sari home and, after a brief misunderstanding, are made heroes and are even invited to a ceremony.

In outer space, Starscream sits aboard the damaged but functional Decepticon ship, babbling that he will find the AllSpark, even though he's been attempting it on his own for the last fifty solar cycles. The ship's computers then detect the traces of AllSpark-like energy in action, and Starscream learns where the Autobots are...

===Part 3===
[[Image:Sariprime.jpg|right|150px|thumb|Optimus was never the same after hearing this]]
The Autobots are later seen trying to fit in. Bulkhead gets firsthand experience in traffic jams, some birds mistake Prowl for the statue of the [[wikipedia:Hazen_S._Pingree|bald guy]] next to him, Bumblebee learns how organics fuel up, and Ratchet can't get a stasis nap without getting a dozen or so parking tickets. Optimus Prime remarks that the Autobots are programmed to respect life, which they always understood to stem from the AllSpark, but as organics are life, they must respect and protect them too. Optimus also expresses curiosity about how little organics are made. Sari's whispered explanation leaves him rather... shocked. The Autobots make a new home base out of a building Sari's dad got out of a merger, an abandoned auto factory that Bumblebee describes as a real fixer-upper—a REAL fixer-upper. All of a sudden, they get alerted to a fire. The Autobots proceed to douse the blaze and save its victims, no problem, unaware they are being watched by Starscream.

The next day, during the inauguration ceremony for the Sumdac [[Fully Automated Rapid Transit System]] (F.A.R.T.S., for short), Starscream enters Earth's atmosphere and takes on a group of fighter jets. He destroys all but one, which he scans. As the civilians and Autobots watch the aerial display of the Crimson Angels, Isaac Sumdac notices there is an extra jet present that he didn't hire. That one jet then leaves the formation and streaks toward the ceremony platform, where it transforms into Starscream, who fires his null-ray cannons at the Autobots.

After a short fight, which the Autobots lose, Starscream knocks out Bumblebee and takes him, Isaac, the mayor, and Capt. Fanzone hostage in the F.A.R.T.S. train, flying it to the top of a very tall tower. He demands that the Autobots deliver the AllSpark if they want him to release the train car. The Autobots don't trust him, but don't want to risk human lives, so Sari offers a plan, but they ignore her. She continues to tell a sob story until the Autobots listen. The Autobots proceed with her plan, and Prowl and Sari fly up to the transit pod to rescue the hostages while the other Autobots keep Starscream busy. Once Starscream realizes what's happening, he takes a brief beating but recovers quickly. Starscream then throws the train—thus keeping his end of the deal—with Sari, Prowl, and Bumblebee on top of/in it. Between Bumblebee's agility and Prowl's thrusters, Sari is rescued and the train lands without much damage. The Autobots then challenge Starscream to a friendly game of Keep Away, during which Starscream almost gets the AllSpark, but Bulkhead gets it instead, because he said he got it. A furious Starscream unleashes a devastating, prolonged (as in nearly 12 seconds) null-ray blast on the Autobots, briefly knocking them all senseless.

[[Image:TFA TFandRollout Prime SS Allsparkactivates.jpg|left|150px|thumb|In the old days, The Touch would have started playing now.]]
With the Autobots down, Starscream takes the AllSpark from Optimus and blows a couple of blocks of Detroit right off the map. Not ready to give up, Optimus climbs all the way up a building to get it back from Starscream, which Starscream doesn't see coming because he was too busy gloating. After a quick back-and-forth exchange of possessing it, both grab it at the same time. As they struggle, the AllSpark opens and emits a strange energy wave that blasts Starscream away.

The explosion has left Prime dangling precariously, and he takes a tremendous plummet to the pavement. He notes weakly that he now knows what it feels like to be a hero, then dies, but Sari uses the AllSpark Key to revive him.<ref>[[The many deaths of Optimus Prime|This is something of an Optimus Prime record]]: Dead after only three episodes, revived a mere 75 seconds later. Way to go.</ref> The Autobots later go about fixing up Detroit, earning the enduring gratitude of the citizenry. Professor Sumdac is also grateful, for the Autobots saved him and Sari, but he fears what will happen if the Autobots—not to mention the rest of the world—were to discover the source of his robotic empire.

Unseen by Sumdac, one of the [[Sensors|optics]] of his source of technology glows in a darkened room. Megatron still functions...

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters|
c1=
*[[Optimus Prime (Animated)|Optimus Prime]] (1)
*[[Ratchet (Animated)|Ratchet]] (2)
*[[Bulkhead (Animated)|Bulkhead]] (3)
*[[Bumblebee (Animated)|Bumblebee]] (4)
*[[Prowl (Animated)|Prowl]] (5)
*[[Sentinel Prime (Animated)|Sentinel Prime]] (6)
*[[Ultra Magnus (Animated)|Ultra Magnus]] (7)

|c2=
*[[Starscream (Animated)|Starscream]] (8)
*[[Lugnut]] (9)
*[[Blackarachnia (Animated)|Blackarachnia]] (10)
*[[Blitzwing (Animated)|Blitzwing]] (11)
*[[Megatron (Animated)|Megatron]] (12)

|c3=
*[[Isaac Sumdac]] (13)
*[[Daniel Witwicky (Animated)|Daniel]] (14)
*[[Spike Witwicky (Animated)|Spike]] (15)
*[[Carly Witwicky (Animated)|Carly]] (16)
*[[Sari Sumdac]] (17)
*[[Captain Fanzone]] (18)

|c4=
*[[Teletran-1]] ()
*[[Sparkplug (robot dog)|Sparkplug]] ()
*[[Tutor Bot]] ()
*[[Burger Bot]] ()}}

==Quotes==
"Do you ever get the feeling that you were programmed for something more than just repairing space bridges?" 
"I got a diagnostics program that can delete that feeling like a bad line of code."
:—'''Optimus Prime''''s dreams are crushed to a fine powder by '''Ratchet'''

"Wow, Megatron, you're even uglier at this angle!"
:—'''Bumblebee''' is about to realize there are some things you should never, EVER, say to a Decepticon.

"Hi, I'm Bumblebee!" 
"I'm Sari." 
''(thinking she said I'm sorry)'' "Oh, don't be, I like my name."
:—'''Bumblebee''' and '''Sari''' are off to an awkward start.

"Y'know, all things considered, fixin' space bridges wasn't such a bad gig."
:—'''Bumblebee''', just before embarking on the plan to dissolve the bug monster

"Uh...am I going to be able to ''breathe'' down there?" 
"Oh, sure! ...What's 'breathe'?"
:—'''Sari''' is in good hands with '''Bumblebee'''

"And to think, Ultra Magnus told me not to be a hero. Is this what it was like in your day?" 
"The Decepticons didn't leave us very much to cheer about."
:—'''Optimus Prime''' and '''Ratchet''' at the ceremony

"Enjoy it while you can, 'heroes.' You're about to take a fall."
:—'''Starscream''', watching a news report on the Autobots

"Give up the AllSpark or give up the Earth. How am I supposed to decide?" 
"Heroes are the ones who make the hard choices."
:—'''Optimus Prime''' and '''Ratchet''' after Starscream makes his ultimatum

"Let go, Autobot!" 
"Never! The AllSpark is life!" 
"Then, let it end yours!"
:—'''Starscream''' and '''Optimus Prime''', fighting over the AllSpark

"So, this... is what it feels like... to be a hero."
:—'''Optimus Prime''', just before dying

"Fixing bridges? Isn't this where we started out?"
:—'''Bumblebee''', as the Autobots clean-up the city

==Home releases==
[[Image:Animatedshort01.jpg|left|200px|thumb|Meet the Press lives on through our young ones.]]
"Transform and Roll Out" was released to DVD by Paramount Home Entertainment on June 17, 2008. The DVD includes all three episodes of the pilot movie and two all-new animated shorts. [[Career Day|The first short]] features Optimus Prime attempting to give a speech at [[Black River Elementary School]]'s career day, but being repeatedly interrupted by nagging questions from [[Daniel Witwicky (Animated)|some little kid]] and overwhelming cheers for him to transform. [[Evel Knievel Jump|The second]] features Bumblebee messing up one of Prowl's cool stunts. Together, the two shorts run just under three minutes.

Target sold an [[exclusive]] version of the DVD with a special bonus disc that included the episode "[[Home Is Where the Spark Is]]."

All three episodes were also condensed and re-told in the [[IDW]] paperback "cine-manga" style book ''[[Transformers Animated Volume 1]]''.
{{-}}

==Notes==
===Animation or technical glitches===
* Megatron's vehicle mode was depicted flying upside-down, or backwards, or possibly both. To be fair, in space, there is no up and down (and to be even fairer, it's really hard to tell from the toys exactly what ''is'' the front of Megatron's Cybertronic spaceship mode), but that does not excuse the fact that any propulsion system used would be in the ''back'' of the mode.

*When the Autobot get into the stasis pods, Prime, Bulkhead, and Ratchet are on the left side, with Bumblebee, Prowl, and an empty pod on the right, in that order. Yet when they get out later in the episode, Prime, Bumblebee, and Bulkhead are on the left, and the empty one, Prowl, and Ratchet on the right.

* As pre-Earth Prime enters the chamber which will re-format his body into his Earth mode, he walks past Ratchet, who is drawn mostly in his pre-Earth mode, except for the fact that his Cybertronian gut is replaced with his ambulance gut. In the next scene, Ratchet is properly drawn, pre-Earth gut and all.

* When Sari says to the Autobots it is okay to put down their hands, Bulkhead's face is black.

* When Starscream tackles Optimus Prime through a building as the Autobot tries to escape with the AllSpark, Optimus's axe is missing from Starscream's left wing. It reappears moments later for Optimus to retrieve it.

* In at least one scene, Starscream's Earth-form wing is shown with a spike, in the same manner as his Cybertronian body.

===Continuity errors===
* The train Starscream blasts from the tower falls toward the ground very, very slowly.

* Megatron's pre-earth vehicle mode seems to have two fusion cannons on it or under it. But in robot mode he's only got one on him.

* When we first meet Starscream, he states that he has been searching for the AllSpark for fifty ''solar'' cycles. In later episodes, a solar cycle is equivalent to a day and a ''stellar'' cycle is used for years. This is the only time a solar cycle has been used to reference years, so either Starscream entered some sort of temporal anomaly or someone messed up. For more <s>confusion</s> information, See [[Cycle|this page]].

* Sumdac is using Megatron's hand as a chair. However, he seems to be using the right hand, which was blown up by Starscream. (It ''could'' have fallen off the Autobots' ship, as it was still clinging to the hull when last seen, but that seems unlikely.)

===Transformers references===
* The title of the episode itself is a [[Roll out|reference to past Transformers lore]].

* Footage from the [[Generation 1 (cartoon)|G1 cartoon]] episodes "[[War Dawn]]" and "[[More than Meets the Eye, Part 1|More than Meets the Eye, Part 1]]" is used as history tapes detailing the events of the first [[Great War (Animated)|Great War]], millions of years prior. [[Canon|This]] has been confirmed as purely an in-joke, and should not be taken as linking ''Animated'' to G1, continuity wise.

* The [[Autobot ship (Animated)|Autobot ship]] here bears a distinct resemblance to the [[Ark (G1)|Ark]], albeit with a colour scheme more reminiscent of [[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]]. (As we learn [[A Bridge Too Close, Part II|much later]], there is [[Omega Supreme (Animated)|a very good reason for that]].)

* Sari's robotic dog [[Sparkplug (robot dog)|Sparkplug]] is likely named after either [[Sparkplug Witwicky]] from G1, the ''Armada'' Mini-Con [[Sparkplug (Armada)|Sparkplug]], or both.

[[Image:Spikecarlydanielanimated.jpg|right|150px|thumb|Twenty years later, and they're still overdressed.]]
* Characters resembling [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike]], [[Carly Witwicky (G1)|Carly]], and [[Daniel Witwicky (G1)|Daniel Witwicky]] are seen at a hot dog stand, purchasing some sort of futuristic bunless wieners-on-a-stick. The characters went on to become recurring figures in the background cast of the show.

* When Optimus Prime dies, his body fades to grays, just as [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Generation 1 Optimus Prime]] did in ''[[The Transformers: The Movie]]''. His spark chamber opens in much the same manner as well.

* Teletran 1 (spelled with only one "a" in this universe) dispatches a small satellite very similar to the [[Sky Spy]] satellite used on occasion by the Autobots in the ''Generation 1'' cartoon. The glowing energy "boxes" with which it scans vehicles for the Autobots to transform into are lifted wholesale out of "[[More than Meets the Eye, Part 1]]".

* At one point, Bulkhead refers to Optimus as "Boss-bot", echoing an epithet used for ''[[Beast Wars (franchise)|Beast Wars]]'' [[Megatron (BW)|Megatron]] by the [[Fuzor]] [[Quickstrike (BW)|Quickstrike]].

===Trivia===
* In this episode, [[Tutor Bot]] tries to teach Sari about the [[wikipedia:Smoot-Hawley_Tariff_Act|Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act]], a major economic blunder of the 1930s.
* Bumblebee's voice is slightly different in this episode from how it sounds later, as is Lugnut's voice, which seems very metallic.
* When Prowl gets birdpooped on, he is standing next to a statue of [[wikipedia:Hazen_S._Pingree|Hazen S. Pingree]], four-term mayor of Detroit and one-time governor of Michigan. In real life, the statue is located in Detroit's Grand Circus Park.
* A refurbished Michigan Central Station makes an appearance as the site for the dedication of Detroit's rapid transit system. The real-life station (abandoned since the '80s) was featured in the [[Transformers (2007)|2007 live-action movie]].
* When mocking the Autobots, Starscream actually calls Megatron "the great Megatron" without any sarcasm. Apparently, he'll only give a sincere compliment to his leader when he's insulting something else. Either that or he's just trying to make ''himself'' sound more impressive by building up the reputation of the one he's defeated.
* When Optimus comes back to life, he asks, "Is this the [[Well of All Sparks]]?" and Sari answers, "No, it's Detroit." This is an allusion to the movie ''Field of Dreams'', in which Shoeless Joe Jackson (Ray Liotta) asks Ray Kinsella (Kevin Costner), "Is this Heaven?" and Ray answers, "No, it's Iowa."
* According to responses at a panel at BotCon 2008, the unfortunate acronym for Fully Automated Rapid Transit System was totally unintentional...which makes it that much funnier.
* Ratchet is able to use his front windshield as a video screen.
* Several elements present in this opener were changed/dropped in the main series, including expressive vehicle modes, the replacement of solar cycles with stellar cycles in terminology and the recolouring of Ratchet's magnetism from yellow to pink. However, the expressions on vehicle mode were briefly used again by [[Wasp]] in the episode [[Predacons Rising]].
* During [[Sari Sumdac|Sari's]] "conversation" with the [[AllSpark (Animated)|AllSpark]], it shows her the faces of Ultra Magnus, Optimus Prime, Megatron, and Starscream, then the Cybertronian [[Alternate mode|vehicle modes]] for Optimus and Ratchet, the AllSpark's case and the [[Autobot ship (Animated)|Autobots' ship]]. Then Sari unknowingly shows the AllSpark a man in a suit, a woman, a boy, the planet [[Earth]], pyramids, purple flowers, a horse, an aircraft with a giant cloud coming from the back, a cell and a DNA strand. The woman has dark skin and red hair like Sari.
* This movie was (lovingly) lampooned at the [[MSTF]] panel for [[BotCon 2008]], along with "[[War Dawn]]", the episode from which most of the "history vid" footage was taken.
* It's Detroit. There are guns everywhere. Why are the humans using ''water'' to take down the monster?

== Footnote ==
<references/>

[[Category:Animated episodes]]
[[Category:MSTF]]

Transform and Roll Out

2009-08-29T03:17:10Z

96.251.150.110: /* Part 2 */

{{episode|
|series=Anitoon
|image=TFA_TFandRollout_AutobotHeroes.jpg
|caption=''Epic''
|next=Home Is Where the Spark Is
|ep=1, 2 and 3
|next=Home Is Where the Spark Is
|title="Transform and Roll Out"
|airdate=[[December 26]], 2007
|written by=[[Marty Isenberg]]
|directed by= [[Matt Youngberg]] [[Yutaka Kagawa]] [[Minoru Yamaoka]] [[Makoto Fuchigami]]
|animation studio= [[Mook]]}}
'''When a small crew of maintenance Autobots comes into possession of the powerful AllSpark, a battle with their long-forgotten enemies sends them crashing toward a strange, distant planet known as... ''Earth.'''''

:''German Title:'' "'''Transformieren und Abfahrt'''"
:''Polish Title:'' "'''Transformacja i jazda'''"

==Synopsis==
===Part 1===
In deep, deep space, [[Optimus Prime (Animated)|Optimus Prime]] watches some old history videos, prompting [[Ratchet (Animated)|Ratchet]] to complain about him watching that "junk" when the other members of the crew need assistance. Prime wonders if they were designed for more than repairing [[Space bridge|space bridges]]. The two 'Bots transform into their vehicle modes and head out into the asteroid field.

[[Image:TFA TFandRollout TheAllsparkdiscovered.jpg|left|150px|thumb|Well... at least there's no mass-shifting.]]
Outside, [[Bulkhead (Animated)|Bulkhead]], dangling from a high rock by his wrecking ball (and becoming quite queasy in the process), is freed by [[Bumblebee (Animated)|Bumblebee]], who also ends up taking a tumble. Bumblebee complains about the sheer amount of rocks blocking the space bridge node, and one is shattered unexpectedly by [[Prowl (Animated)|Prowl]]'s throwing star. Prime gives his troops a speech about teamwork (which Prowl moans at theatrically), but at that point the space bridge lights up, sending rocks and Autobots flying. Fancy footwork by Optimus saves each of his teammates from the debris, and a well-aimed grappling line shuts down the bridge. With his subordinates stunned at their leader's skills, Prime is forced to admit he trained at [[Autobot Academy|Cybertron's military academy]]. Bumblebee's query as to what the hell he's doing on a nowhere maintenance assignment is left unanswered as they notice something glowing in the rubble.

Prime clears away the debris to reveal a large, chest-like object. Ratchet is horrified and immediately demands they throw it back into the space bridge, but an alert from [[Teletran 1]] announces the arrival of a signature consistent with the long-lost [[Decepticon|Decepticons]]. Ratchet then insists they take the object and just get out of there post-haste.

[[Image:TFA TFandRollout Decepticonship.jpg|right|150px|thumb|Yes, this is a scout ship. Way to go, Magnanimous.]]
On board [[Autobot ship (Animated)|their ship]], Ratchet finally reveals what they've found: the [[AllSpark (Animated)|AllSpark]], the source of all Transformer life that was lost centuries ago. Optimus, worried about the oncoming Decepticon signal, contacts the [[Cybertron Elite Guard]] for help. After taking a bit of snark from [[Sentinel Prime (Animated)|Sentinel Prime]], Optimus reveals what they found, which shuts Sentinel up fast. Sentinel then puts the crew through to [[Ultra Magnus (Animated)|Ultra Magnus]], who tells Optimus Prime to stay put while they send reinforcements... and not to worry about that Decepticon thing. Optimus, considering this to be a really stupid move, orders the crew to start booking it out of there.

[[Image:Ani crew.JPG|left|200px|thumb|Scotty, engage!]]
This proves wise, as the signal is indeed a Decepticon ship—a [[Nemesis (Animated)|command ship]], in fact. The identification markings are ones that Optimus and Ratchet recognize, meaning its commander can only be one person: [[Megatron (Animated)|Megatron]], leader of the Decepticons. On board the Decepticon ship, [[Starscream (Animated)|Starscream]] doubts the AllSpark is aboard the Autobot ship and declares Megatron a fool. [[Lugnut]] denounces Starscream as a traitor, while [[Blackarachnia (Animated)|Blackarachnia]] calls Lugnut an idiot for his blind loyalty and [[Blitzwing (Animated)|Blitzwing]] just acts... well, crazy. The Decepticons continue to bicker at each other until Megatron enters, shutting up all of them. The Decepticons chase the Autobot ship, and Starscream volunteers to board them. Megatron quickly shoots that idea down. Just before he leaves, Starscream wishes his commander "luck" with a pat on the back... affixing a bomb to Megatron in the process.

Megatron makes his way to the Autobots' ship and begins to melt his way through its hull. Optimus uses external manipulator arms to grapple with Megatron, until the bomb detonates, sending the ship careening uncontrollably into a space bridge node, which explodes after they go through the gate. Starscream begins to make a speech declaring himself the new Decepticon leader, but the other three have abandoned ship, noting that the fireball from the space bridge explosion is only getting larger. Too late, Starscream realizes the trouble he's in...

An unknown distance away, the Autobot ship reappears above a [[Earth|small blue and green planet]]. Prime checks on his troops, but Megatron has gotten aboard, having survived the explosion, but at the cost of his right arm. Prime uses his grappling line to shut off the gravity, making it more difficult for Megatron to fight. All five Autobots face off against the Decepticon, but he's too strong (though Prowl does manage to cut off Megatron's damaged arm). Prime and Megatron both end up in the storage bay where the AllSpark is... and as the ship enters the atmosphere, Prime is able to blow the hatch and kick the screaming Megatron out of the ship.

[[Image:TFA TFandRollout Arkatmosphere.jpg|right|150px|thumb|Oddly familiar.]]
On a small farm, a young boy hears a thud and runs to where something has landed in a not-too-distant field. He is shocked to find a robotic head staring lifelessly up at him.

Meanwhile, Prime orders his team into emergency stasis pods to prepare for a crash-landing. He manages to steer the ship away from the city below and gets to a stasis pod just before the ship plunges into [[Lake Erie]].

Fifty years later, [[Detroit]] is once again a thriving city, but instead of manufacturing automobiles, robots are the city's stock-in-trade. [[Isaac Sumdac]] is talking to a public school class taking a tour of his facilities, which gets interrupted by Isaac's daughter, [[Sari Sumdac]], and her robot dog, [[Sparkplug (robot dog)|Sparkplug]]. As Sari is carted off to her lessons by a [[Tutorbot|robot tutor]], Isaac shows the school kids a nanotech lab, just in time to witness a roach infused with microbots grow out of control and start consuming everything in sight. Isaac tries to keep things calm, but the monster bursts out of the lab...

===Part 2===
[[Image:TFA TFandRollout Firefighters monster.jpg|left|150px|thumb|Yeah, watering it will surely stop the beast.]]
The monster continues to grow, absorbing just about everything it touches to increase its size and power. In the process, it destroys a lot of the factory. [[Captain Fanzone]], the S.W.A.T team, the fire department, ambulances, and robot drones arrive, but the creature absorbs several of the responding vehicles, too. Fanzone uses a bazooka-type weapon and destroys the beast, despite Sumdac's objection. This protest proves well-founded, as the remnants of the creature start flowing back together again, save for one piece that drops into the nearby lake and works its way down to the Autobots' ship, its nanites seeking the absorbable technology there. It infiltrates via a small breach in the outer hull, but thankfully, the ship's intruder alert systems are functional and awaken the Autobots before any damage is done. Examining the situation, they decide to have Teletran 1 give them Earth forms so they can blend in and help out. A probe is launched into the chaos and scans various vehicles, including an [[Ratchet (Animated)|ambulance]], a [[Prowl (Animated)|police motorbike]], an [[Bulkhead (Animated)|armored personnel carrier]], a [[Optimus Prime (Animated)|fire truck]], and [[Bumblebee (Animated)|Captain Fanzone's car]]. Everyone deploys except Ratchet, who remains behind to analyze the sample of alien material.

[[Image:TFA TFandRollout Autobots.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Avengers, ASSEMBLE!]]
During the fight, Bulkhead and Bumblebee spot Sari trying to wrest her security key from Sparkplug's mouth. Mistaking which is owner and which is pet, they approach her, but Bulkhead's greeting only scares her away. She quickly gets nabbed by the monster, but Bumblebee saves her, earning her trust and friendship. Prowl attempts to take on the bug-slug by himself, against Prime's orders, and gets absorbed. Prime orders Ratchet to join them in battle to save Prowl, but the old veteran insists that finding a "cure" code to neutralize the nanites' programming makes more sense than coming out and getting trashed. A somewhat chastened Prime agrees, and Ratchet soon delivers the goods. However, the new program must be uploaded by direct contact—meaning from inside the monster. This means the smallest, fastest one of them has to do it. Bumblebee reluctantly takes on the task. The beast has been using some of Prowl's absorbed intelligence and comm link tech, though, so it knows what they're planning and is now smart enough to fight back. Despite this, Bumblebee succeeds in delivering the code, and the bug dissolves into a dusty shower of deactivated nanites. Prowl is soon uncovered, but he's suffered grave wounds and must be taken back to the Autobots' ship for repairs. Sari pesters Bumblebee to be taken along, and her new friend reluctantly agrees, since there's no time to make her go away quietly.

[[Image:TFA TFandRollout Sari followedmehome.jpg|left|150px|thumb|Bumblebee, having a child is a big responsibility.]]
Once on board, Sari's refusal to stay still and quiet causes 'Bee some embarrassment. He quickly and discreetly ejects her into a ventilation port and joins the others. However, the port opens onto a shaft that takes Sari right to the chamber where the AllSpark is being kept. Curious, she touches it, and it reacts to her, sending its energies into her security card key and reconfiguring it into [[AllSpark Key|a key of another sort entirely]]. Prime finds her almost immediately thereafter, but with no time left to spare away from Prowl, he has to bring her back with him to the repair table. Ratchet's prognosis is bleak, but the [[AllSpark Key]] abruptly reacts, glowing and tugging her toward Prowl. Bumblebee, seeming to grasp what's happening, helps her onto the table, and as she approaches, her Key reshapes itself to fit into a slot on Prowl's chest. She inserts it, and with a burst of energy, the Autobot ninja is whole again. The Autobots then take Sari home and, after a brief misunderstanding, are made heroes and are even invited to a ceremony.

In outer space, Starscream sits aboard the damaged but functional Decepticon ship, babbling that he will find the AllSpark, even though he's been attempting it on his own for the last fifty solar cycles. The ship's computers then detect the traces of AllSpark-like energy in action, and Starscream learns where the Autobots are...

===Part 3===
[[Image:Sariprime.jpg|right|150px|thumb|INSERT WHAT WHERE?!]]
The Autobots are later seen trying to fit in. Bulkhead gets firsthand experience in traffic jams, some birds mistake Prowl for the statue of the [[wikipedia:Hazen_S._Pingree|bald guy]] next to him, Bumblebee learns how organics fuel up, and Ratchet can't get a stasis nap without getting a dozen or so parking tickets. Optimus Prime remarks that the Autobots are programmed to respect life, which they always understood to stem from the AllSpark, but as organics are life, they must respect and protect them too. Optimus also expresses curiosity about how little organics are made. Sari's whispered explanation leaves him rather... shocked. The Autobots make a new home base out of a building Sari's dad got out of a merger, an abandoned auto factory that Bumblebee describes as a real fixer-upper—a REAL fixer-upper. All of a sudden, they get alerted to a fire. The Autobots proceed to douse the blaze and save its victims, no problem, unaware they are being watched by Starscream.

The next day, during the inauguration ceremony for the Sumdac [[Fully Automated Rapid Transit System]] (F.A.R.T.S., for short), Starscream enters Earth's atmosphere and takes on a group of fighter jets. He destroys all but one, which he scans. As the civilians and Autobots watch the aerial display of the Crimson Angels, Isaac Sumdac notices there is an extra jet present that he didn't hire. That one jet then leaves the formation and streaks toward the ceremony platform, where it transforms into Starscream, who fires his null-ray cannons at the Autobots.

After a short fight, which the Autobots lose, Starscream knocks out Bumblebee and takes him, Isaac, the mayor, and Capt. Fanzone hostage in the F.A.R.T.S. train, flying it to the top of a very tall tower. He demands that the Autobots deliver the AllSpark if they want him to release the train car. The Autobots don't trust him, but don't want to risk human lives, so Sari offers a plan, but they ignore her. She continues to tell a sob story until the Autobots listen. The Autobots proceed with her plan, and Prowl and Sari fly up to the transit pod to rescue the hostages while the other Autobots keep Starscream busy. Once Starscream realizes what's happening, he takes a brief beating but recovers quickly. Starscream then throws the train—thus keeping his end of the deal—with Sari, Prowl, and Bumblebee on top of/in it. Between Bumblebee's agility and Prowl's thrusters, Sari is rescued and the train lands without much damage. The Autobots then challenge Starscream to a friendly game of Keep Away, during which Starscream almost gets the AllSpark, but Bulkhead gets it instead, because he said he got it. A furious Starscream unleashes a devastating, prolonged (as in nearly 12 seconds) null-ray blast on the Autobots, briefly knocking them all senseless.

[[Image:TFA TFandRollout Prime SS Allsparkactivates.jpg|left|150px|thumb|In the old days, The Touch would have started playing now.]]
With the Autobots down, Starscream takes the AllSpark from Optimus and blows a couple of blocks of Detroit right off the map. Not ready to give up, Optimus climbs all the way up a building to get it back from Starscream, which Starscream doesn't see coming because he was too busy gloating. After a quick back-and-forth exchange of possessing it, both grab it at the same time. As they struggle, the AllSpark opens and emits a strange energy wave that blasts Starscream away.

The explosion has left Prime dangling precariously, and he takes a tremendous plummet to the pavement. He notes weakly that he now knows what it feels like to be a hero, then dies, but Sari uses the AllSpark Key to revive him.<ref>[[The many deaths of Optimus Prime|This is something of an Optimus Prime record]]: Dead after only three episodes, revived a mere 75 seconds later. Way to go.</ref> The Autobots later go about fixing up Detroit, earning the enduring gratitude of the citizenry. Professor Sumdac is also grateful, for the Autobots saved him and Sari, but he fears what will happen if the Autobots—not to mention the rest of the world—were to discover the source of his robotic empire.

Unseen by Sumdac, one of the [[Sensors|optics]] of his source of technology glows in a darkened room. Megatron still functions...

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters|
c1=
*[[Optimus Prime (Animated)|Optimus Prime]] (1)
*[[Ratchet (Animated)|Ratchet]] (2)
*[[Bulkhead (Animated)|Bulkhead]] (3)
*[[Bumblebee (Animated)|Bumblebee]] (4)
*[[Prowl (Animated)|Prowl]] (5)
*[[Sentinel Prime (Animated)|Sentinel Prime]] (6)
*[[Ultra Magnus (Animated)|Ultra Magnus]] (7)

|c2=
*[[Starscream (Animated)|Starscream]] (8)
*[[Lugnut]] (9)
*[[Blackarachnia (Animated)|Blackarachnia]] (10)
*[[Blitzwing (Animated)|Blitzwing]] (11)
*[[Megatron (Animated)|Megatron]] (12)

|c3=
*[[Isaac Sumdac]] (13)
*[[Daniel Witwicky (Animated)|Daniel]] (14)
*[[Spike Witwicky (Animated)|Spike]] (15)
*[[Carly Witwicky (Animated)|Carly]] (16)
*[[Sari Sumdac]] (17)
*[[Captain Fanzone]] (18)

|c4=
*[[Teletran-1]] ()
*[[Sparkplug (robot dog)|Sparkplug]] ()
*[[Tutor Bot]] ()
*[[Burger Bot]] ()}}

==Quotes==
"Do you ever get the feeling that you were programmed for something more than just repairing space bridges?" 
"I got a diagnostics program that can delete that feeling like a bad line of code."
:—'''Optimus Prime''''s dreams are crushed to a fine powder by '''Ratchet'''

"Wow, Megatron, you're even uglier at this angle!"
:—'''Bumblebee''' is about to realize there are some things you should never, EVER, say to a Decepticon.

"Hi, I'm Bumblebee!" 
"I'm Sari." 
''(thinking she said I'm sorry)'' "Oh, don't be, I like my name."
:—'''Bumblebee''' and '''Sari''' are off to an awkward start.

"Y'know, all things considered, fixin' space bridges wasn't such a bad gig."
:—'''Bumblebee''', just before embarking on the plan to dissolve the bug monster

"Uh...am I going to be able to ''breathe'' down there?" 
"Oh, sure! ...What's 'breathe'?"
:—'''Sari''' is in good hands with '''Bumblebee'''

"And to think, Ultra Magnus told me not to be a hero. Is this what it was like in your day?" 
"The Decepticons didn't leave us very much to cheer about."
:—'''Optimus Prime''' and '''Ratchet''' at the ceremony

"Enjoy it while you can, 'heroes.' You're about to take a fall."
:—'''Starscream''', watching a news report on the Autobots

"Give up the AllSpark or give up the Earth. How am I supposed to decide?" 
"Heroes are the ones who make the hard choices."
:—'''Optimus Prime''' and '''Ratchet''' after Starscream makes his ultimatum

"Let go, Autobot!" 
"Never! The AllSpark is life!" 
"Then, let it end yours!"
:—'''Starscream''' and '''Optimus Prime''', fighting over the AllSpark

"So, this... is what it feels like... to be a hero."
:—'''Optimus Prime''', just before dying

"Fixing bridges? Isn't this where we started out?"
:—'''Bumblebee''', as the Autobots clean-up the city

==Home releases==
[[Image:Animatedshort01.jpg|left|200px|thumb|Meet the Press lives on through our young ones.]]
"Transform and Roll Out" was released to DVD by Paramount Home Entertainment on June 17, 2008. The DVD includes all three episodes of the pilot movie and two all-new animated shorts. [[Career Day|The first short]] features Optimus Prime attempting to give a speech at [[Black River Elementary School]]'s career day, but being repeatedly interrupted by nagging questions from [[Daniel Witwicky (Animated)|some little kid]] and overwhelming cheers for him to transform. [[Evel Knievel Jump|The second]] features Bumblebee messing up one of Prowl's cool stunts. Together, the two shorts run just under three minutes.

Target sold an [[exclusive]] version of the DVD with a special bonus disc that included the episode "[[Home Is Where the Spark Is]]."

All three episodes were also condensed and re-told in the [[IDW]] paperback "cine-manga" style book ''[[Transformers Animated Volume 1]]''.
{{-}}

==Notes==
===Animation or technical glitches===
* Megatron's vehicle mode was depicted flying upside-down, or backwards, or possibly both. To be fair, in space, there is no up and down (and to be even fairer, it's really hard to tell from the toys exactly what ''is'' the front of Megatron's Cybertronic spaceship mode), but that does not excuse the fact that any propulsion system used would be in the ''back'' of the mode.

*When the Autobot get into the stasis pods, Prime, Bulkhead, and Ratchet are on the left side, with Bumblebee, Prowl, and an empty pod on the right, in that order. Yet when they get out later in the episode, Prime, Bumblebee, and Bulkhead are on the left, and the empty one, Prowl, and Ratchet on the right.

* As pre-Earth Prime enters the chamber which will re-format his body into his Earth mode, he walks past Ratchet, who is drawn mostly in his pre-Earth mode, except for the fact that his Cybertronian gut is replaced with his ambulance gut. In the next scene, Ratchet is properly drawn, pre-Earth gut and all.

* When Sari says to the Autobots it is okay to put down their hands, Bulkhead's face is black.

* When Starscream tackles Optimus Prime through a building as the Autobot tries to escape with the AllSpark, Optimus's axe is missing from Starscream's left wing. It reappears moments later for Optimus to retrieve it.

* In at least one scene, Starscream's Earth-form wing is shown with a spike, in the same manner as his Cybertronian body.

===Continuity errors===
* The train Starscream blasts from the tower falls toward the ground very, very slowly.

* Megatron's pre-earth vehicle mode seems to have two fusion cannons on it or under it. But in robot mode he's only got one on him.

* When we first meet Starscream, he states that he has been searching for the AllSpark for fifty ''solar'' cycles. In later episodes, a solar cycle is equivalent to a day and a ''stellar'' cycle is used for years. This is the only time a solar cycle has been used to reference years, so either Starscream entered some sort of temporal anomaly or someone messed up. For more <s>confusion</s> information, See [[Cycle|this page]].

* Sumdac is using Megatron's hand as a chair. However, he seems to be using the right hand, which was blown up by Starscream. (It ''could'' have fallen off the Autobots' ship, as it was still clinging to the hull when last seen, but that seems unlikely.)

===Transformers references===
* The title of the episode itself is a [[Roll out|reference to past Transformers lore]].

* Footage from the [[Generation 1 (cartoon)|G1 cartoon]] episodes "[[War Dawn]]" and "[[More than Meets the Eye, Part 1|More than Meets the Eye, Part 1]]" is used as history tapes detailing the events of the first [[Great War (Animated)|Great War]], millions of years prior. [[Canon|This]] has been confirmed as purely an in-joke, and should not be taken as linking ''Animated'' to G1, continuity wise.

* The [[Autobot ship (Animated)|Autobot ship]] here bears a distinct resemblance to the [[Ark (G1)|Ark]], albeit with a colour scheme more reminiscent of [[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]]. (As we learn [[A Bridge Too Close, Part II|much later]], there is [[Omega Supreme (Animated)|a very good reason for that]].)

* Sari's robotic dog [[Sparkplug (robot dog)|Sparkplug]] is likely named after either [[Sparkplug Witwicky]] from G1, the ''Armada'' Mini-Con [[Sparkplug (Armada)|Sparkplug]], or both.

[[Image:Spikecarlydanielanimated.jpg|right|150px|thumb|Twenty years later, and they're still overdressed.]]
* Characters resembling [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike]], [[Carly Witwicky (G1)|Carly]], and [[Daniel Witwicky (G1)|Daniel Witwicky]] are seen at a hot dog stand, purchasing some sort of futuristic bunless wieners-on-a-stick. The characters went on to become recurring figures in the background cast of the show.

* When Optimus Prime dies, his body fades to grays, just as [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Generation 1 Optimus Prime]] did in ''[[The Transformers: The Movie]]''. His spark chamber opens in much the same manner as well.

* Teletran 1 (spelled with only one "a" in this universe) dispatches a small satellite very similar to the [[Sky Spy]] satellite used on occasion by the Autobots in the ''Generation 1'' cartoon. The glowing energy "boxes" with which it scans vehicles for the Autobots to transform into are lifted wholesale out of "[[More than Meets the Eye, Part 1]]".

* At one point, Bulkhead refers to Optimus as "Boss-bot", echoing an epithet used for ''[[Beast Wars (franchise)|Beast Wars]]'' [[Megatron (BW)|Megatron]] by the [[Fuzor]] [[Quickstrike (BW)|Quickstrike]].

===Trivia===
* In this episode, [[Tutor Bot]] tries to teach Sari about the [[wikipedia:Smoot-Hawley_Tariff_Act|Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act]], a major economic blunder of the 1930s.
* Bumblebee's voice is slightly different in this episode from how it sounds later, as is Lugnut's voice, which seems very metallic.
* When Prowl gets birdpooped on, he is standing next to a statue of [[wikipedia:Hazen_S._Pingree|Hazen S. Pingree]], four-term mayor of Detroit and one-time governor of Michigan. In real life, the statue is located in Detroit's Grand Circus Park.
* A refurbished Michigan Central Station makes an appearance as the site for the dedication of Detroit's rapid transit system. The real-life station (abandoned since the '80s) was featured in the [[Transformers (2007)|2007 live-action movie]].
* When mocking the Autobots, Starscream actually calls Megatron "the great Megatron" without any sarcasm. Apparently, he'll only give a sincere compliment to his leader when he's insulting something else. Either that or he's just trying to make ''himself'' sound more impressive by building up the reputation of the one he's defeated.
* When Optimus comes back to life, he asks, "Is this the [[Well of All Sparks]]?" and Sari answers, "No, it's Detroit." This is an allusion to the movie ''Field of Dreams'', in which Shoeless Joe Jackson (Ray Liotta) asks Ray Kinsella (Kevin Costner), "Is this Heaven?" and Ray answers, "No, it's Iowa."
* According to responses at a panel at BotCon 2008, the unfortunate acronym for Fully Automated Rapid Transit System was totally unintentional...which makes it that much funnier.
* Ratchet is able to use his front windshield as a video screen.
* Several elements present in this opener were changed/dropped in the main series, including expressive vehicle modes, the replacement of solar cycles with stellar cycles in terminology and the recolouring of Ratchet's magnetism from yellow to pink. However, the expressions on vehicle mode were briefly used again by [[Wasp]] in the episode [[Predacons Rising]].
* During [[Sari Sumdac|Sari's]] "conversation" with the [[AllSpark (Animated)|AllSpark]], it shows her the faces of Ultra Magnus, Optimus Prime, Megatron, and Starscream, then the Cybertronian [[Alternate mode|vehicle modes]] for Optimus and Ratchet, the AllSpark's case and the [[Autobot ship (Animated)|Autobots' ship]]. Then Sari unknowingly shows the AllSpark a man in a suit, a woman, a boy, the planet [[Earth]], pyramids, purple flowers, a horse, an aircraft with a giant cloud coming from the back, a cell and a DNA strand. The woman has dark skin and red hair like Sari.
* This movie was (lovingly) lampooned at the [[MSTF]] panel for [[BotCon 2008]], along with "[[War Dawn]]", the episode from which most of the "history vid" footage was taken.
* It's Detroit. There are guns everywhere. Why are the humans using ''water'' to take down the monster?

== Footnote ==
<references/>

[[Category:Animated episodes]]
[[Category:MSTF]]

Home Is Where the Spark Is

2009-08-29T03:14:09Z

96.251.150.110: /* Synopsis */

{{episode|
|series=Anitoon
|image=TFA Home Spark Megatron lives.JPG
|caption="Now you will feel the true power of the Dark Side!"
|ep=4
|title="Home Is Where the Spark Is"
|airdate=[[January 5]], 2008
|written by=[[Michael Ryan]]
|directed by= [[Matt Youngberg]] [[Shunji Oga]]
|animation studio= [[The Answer Studio]]
}}

'''The Autobots settle into their new home base, an abandoned automobile manufacturing plant, but the ancient assembly line machinery seems to have developed a mind of its own—or someone else's...'''

:''German title:'' "'''Megatrons Rückkehr'''" ("Megatron's Return")
:''Polish title:'' "'''Dom jest tam gdzie iskra'''" ("Home Is Where the Spark Is")

==Synopsis==
[[Image:Duelingbanjos.jpg|left|150px|thumb|"Cover your shame, Mon!"]]
As an armored car leaves a bank in the dead of night, the [[Angry Archer]] robs it and makes his escape from the cops by snagging onto a fire engine, thinking the police won’t stop a firetruck heading to a fire. It’s the Archer’s mistake, however, because he's hitched a ride on the back of [[Optimus Prime (Animated)|Optimus Prime]]. Prime, playing hero, subdues the thief easily and smiles for evening news cameras.

The next day, in a local park, [[Prowl (Animated)|Prowl]] observes a [[Skippy|cat]] stalking a bird and finds it amazing, only to have his nature watch cut short by awestruck humans and camera-bots. He heads back huffily to the new Autobot headquarters, an abandoned car factory. The other [[Autobot|Autobots]] are in the middle of installing the world’s largest flat-panel TV in their new home and sharing their views on their newfound stardom. Prowl returns, upset with the constant interruptions, and goes to his Japanese-decorated room. In his room, Prowl lectures Optimus on his fascination with the Earth's animals, only to have that cut short by [[Bumblebee (Animated)|Bumblebee]]'s antics. Annoyed again, Prowl leaps off into a tree.

[[Image:Megsawakened.jpg|right|150px|thumb|I think, therefore I—where the hell is my body?!]]

Meanwhile, [[Sari Sumdac|Sari]] tries to enter her father's private lab. She uses her [[AllSpark Key]] to open the door, but [[Isaac Sumdac|Professor Sumdac]] leaves with her before she can enter more than a step or two, reminding her no one but he is allowed in there. As they depart, residual energy from the Key floats over and reactivates the head of [[Megatron (Animated)|Megatron]]. Once his higher functions take control, Megatron is horrified to discover that he is without a body and is hardwired into some sort of primitive computer. As he searches for answers, he brings up video footage of the last battle between the Autobots and [[Starscream (Animated)|Starscream]], including the latter’s confession of sabotaging his leader. Megatron is understandably ticked, and not just at Starscream's betrayal, but on the sheer helplessness of his situation. Not only do the [[Decepticon|Decepticons]] believe that he is dead, meaning there is no hope of rescue, but the AllSpark is finally within his reach, and he lacks the hands to take it! While lamenting his lack of a body, he discovers his new power to control machines around him. Picking up a discarded, miniature robot, Megatron decides that it's time to get...proactive.

After trashing her [[Tutor Bot]] using the AllSpark Key, Sari tells Professor Sumdac she is leaving to the Autobot base for a slumber party. Overhearing this, Megatron sends one of Isaac's [[pocketbot]]s to hide in her backpack so he can search the base for the AllSpark.

At the Autobot base, Prowl watches a nature show about caterpillars evolving into butterflies, which he finds fascinating. Bumblebee, of course, isn't interested and changes the channel on him. Annoyed yet again, Prowl pounces on Bumblebee like a cat to prove what he has learned from animals before leaping to a high point to meditate. Later, Bumblebee and [[Bulkhead (Animated)|Bulkhead]] play high-tech Twister™ with much difficulty; Bumblebee then challenges Prowl to try. Prowl jumps in and easily touches all the spots Sari announces. Having won the game, he leaves to his room. Disgusted that the Autobots could ever get their hands on the AllSpark, Megatron uses the pocketbot to begin searching.

[[Image:TFA Home Spark assembly attack.JPG|left|170px|thumb|It's one thing to rage against the machine, but what do you do when the machine rages back?]]

Sari then tells ghost stories to the rest of the Autobots and, with a little help from the AllSpark Key, succeeds in scaring Bumblebee. Meanwhile, since the pocketbot's search for the AllSpark has proven fruitless, Megatron decides to kill the Autobots and extract info on its location from their lifeless shells. He takes control of the assembly line robots and uses pincers, riveters, a big electromagnet and a die press to pummel the Autobots. Prowl shows up and realizes that the machines are detecting the Autobots by use of motion sensors. He instructs everyone to be still, then strike in order to get to the control panel. However, while the motion sensors can't see him, Megatron can, so he gets caught by the machines as well. With [[Ratchet (Animated)|Ratchet]] injured, the only bot left free to move is Bumblebee, who manages to listen to Prowl long enough to outrace the machines and destroy the control panel.

[[Image:TFA Home Spark plant ruined.JPG|right|170px|thumb|Housewarming parties are one of the leading causes of death among Autobots. Right after "Decepticons attack" and rust.]]

In a parting gesture, Megatron cuts open a fuel tank perilously close to a fire, but the Autobots team up and launch it into the sky, where it explodes harmlessly. As they wonder who tried to kill them, they discover the pocketbot under Megatron's control, but Bulkhead accidentally smashes it after catching it before they can study it.

Back at the lab, Megatron has a fit over his loss and decides to reveal more Cybertronian technology to Sumdac in order to get a new body.

At the end, Prowl again coaches Bumblebee in the art of stillness while both play a game of high-tech Twister™.
{{--}}

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
*[[Optimus Prime (Animated)|Optimus Prime]] (2)
*[[Prowl (Animated)|Prowl]] (3)
*[[Ratchet (Animated)|Ratchet]] (4)
*[[Bulkhead (Animated)|Bulkhead]] (6)
*[[Bumblebee (Animated)|Bumblebee]] (5)
|c2=
*[[Megatron (Animated)|Megatron]] (9)
*[[Starscream (Animated)|Starscream]] (10, video footage)
|c3=
*[[Angry Archer]] (1)
*[[Isaac Sumdac]] (7)
*[[Sari Sumdac]] (8)
|c4=
*[[Skippy]] ()
*[[Tutor Bot]] ()
}}

==Quotes==
"HAHAHA!!! Victory is ''mine''! Yon police would ''ne'er'' stop a firetruck from speeding to an emergency!" 
"Only one problem with that theory: ''You're'' the emergency."
:—The '''Angry Archer''''s escape is cut short by '''Optimus Prime'''

"No way, being a star rocks! If the titanium alloy plating fits, ''wear it''. And...I make it look ''good''."
:—'''Bumblebee''', being himself.

"Auut-oh-bot-MegaMegaMega-Meg-Meeeegaaa-Mega-[[Megatron (Movie)|I am Megatron]]!"
:—'''Megatron''' awakening after his fifty-year slumber

"Whoa. Looks like ''somebody'' forgot to defrag his hard drive."
:—'''Bulkhead''', using a dubious computer analogy to describe Prowl's bad mood

"You Autobot fools are the keepers of the [[AllSpark (Animated)|AllSpark]]? This must be some cosmic joke..."
:—'''Megatron''', disgusted at the Autobots' merry-making.

"What's the matter? We're not ''still'' enough for you? Ynnh—fine! Have a great time in there watching the ''grass grow''!"
:—'''Bumblebee''' to Prowl as the latter heads off to his private quarters (presumably to have a great time watching the grass grow).

"Stillness...then strike."
:—'''Prowl''', as he sneaks past the Megatron-possessed machinery

==Notes==
===Continuity errors===
* When the Angry Archer turns around to notice he's being followed by police cars, the bags of money he'd just tied to his waist are nowhere to be seen. They're back in other shots, though.

* Sari says "Right foot on green." during the Twister™ game. The only problem is there are no green spaces in the next shot, just purple, orange and yellow. (After that shot, they seem to appear as normal.) At the end of the episode, the problem is reversed--there are no yellow spaces, but there are green ones.

* During the assembly line's rampage, Ratchet is injured after the explosion of some airborne gas tanks. He remains in a damaged state until the very end of the episode, when, in the close-up group shot of the Autobots, he can be seen completely undamaged before the camera focuses on Bulkhead attempting to grab the pocketbot as it runs out the door.

===Transformers references===
* In a different kind of Transformers reference, the Angry Archer is designed to resemble [[Hasbro]]'s [[Aaron Archer]].

* Similarly, the bank shown in the opening sequence is the Izzo National Bank, named for Hasbro executive and series co-producer Joshua Izzo.

* When Megatron comes online, his first coherent words are "I am Megatron!", the same thing [[Megatron (Movie)|his movie counterpart]] said.

===Real-world references===
[[Image:Twister.jpg|right|150px|thumb|Image courtesy of the Hasbro Holiday 2106 catalog.]]
* Bumblebee's line "I make it look ''good''!" is paraphrased from Will Smith in [[wikipedia:Men_in_Black_(film)|''Men in Black'']]

* A high-tech, Transformer-[[Scale|scaled]] version of [[wikipedia:Twister_(game)|Twister™]] is repeatedly played in this episode.

===Trivia===
* In this episode, Tutor Bot fails to teach Sari about the [[wikipedia:Quadratic_equation|quadratic equation]]. It leads a thankless life.
* According to the ''Animated'' production staff at [[BotCon 2008]], the "b-list" villain of this episode was originally meant to be a humanized version of [[Octopunch]] instead of the Angry Archer. Reportedly, Octopunch would have looked exactly like his G1 counterpart, except with the addition of boxing gloves.
* When Prowl jumps on Bumblebee, Bumblebee, seemingly, blushes.

[[Category:Animated episodes]]

Megatron Rising - Part 1

2009-07-22T06:08:03Z

96.251.150.110: /* Quotes */

{{episode|
|series=Anitoon
|image=MegRisingHeadKey.jpg
|caption=Cyber Key power!
|ep=15
|title="Megatron Rising - Part 1"
|airdate=[[March 29]], 2008
|written by=[[Marsha Griffin]]
|directed by=[[Irineo Maramba]] [[Ciro Nieli]] [[Kentaro Mizuno]]
|animation studio=[[Mook]]
}}

'''Prime begins to doubt his leadership abilities as the Decepticons mobilize for a big invasion of Earth.'''

:''German title:'' "'''Megatrons Auferstehung, Teil 1'''" ("Megatron's Resurrection, Part 1")
:''Polish title:'' "'''Powrót Megatrona, Część 1'''" ("The Megatron Rising, Part 1")

==Synopsis==
[[Image:MegRisingBodyLab.jpg|left|200px|thumb|This is what happens when you don't have proper rust-proofing.]]

[[Detroit]] is in the midst of a blizzard, and as Isaac Sumdac starts to repair Megatron's body he comments that they were fortunate to have found it beforehand, while at the same time praising it for being well-constructed enough to withstand 50 years of exposure to the elements. Megatron silently gloats that Cybertronian technology is more powerful than any force on Earth. The bad weather causes a blackout and forces [[Sumdac Tower]] onto its backup generator; when Sumdac decides this will force a delay in the repairs, Megatron alternates between bluster and sweet-talk to try to get his way, but it's no use. Megatron attempts to call Lugnut again for assistance.

Lugnut and Blitzwing have just finished rebuilding themselves (after some squabbling over the last piece) in a distant forest. Starscream mocks them for in-fighting and reminds them that he is their new chosen and sworn sovereign; his two subjects retort that they serve him only under threat, not by choice. At that moment, Megatron successfully contacts Lugnut, whose newly reverential and respectful attitude both pleases and confuses (''but mostly pleases'') Starscream. When Starscream finds out Lugnut "thinks" he's hearing Megatron, the new leader is infuriated, and in his anger almost exposes that fact that it was himself, and not the Autobots, who defeated Megatron in the first place. Megatron orders Lugnut to retrieve the [[Key]] and bring it to him; Starscream then notices that, regardless of the source, Lugnut is indeed being contacted by someone. He orders Lugnut and Blitzwing to obey the strange orders for now, while he himself will track the transmissions to their source and see who is trying to undermine his authority.

As the Decepticons move out, the Autobots' hedquarters computer notices their increased activity. The Autobots are worried about a possible full-scale Decepticon invasion. As if Optimus Prime wasn't stressed enough, Bulkhead and Prowl then take the opportunity to finally tell him about the continued survival of the [[Dinobot (Animated)|Dinobots]] on [[Dinobot Island (Animated)|Dinobot Island]]. Prime is furious that his orders were disobeyed, but decides that given the circumstances they should try to use all resources available—but insists that he will lead the new mission to contact the Dinobots.

[[Image:Megatron Rising Sari key taken.JPG|right|200px|thumb|Try all you want kid, Captain Planet ain't coming.]]

Optimus Prime is especially worried about the Key, both because Sari can't protect it, and because she once again is using it as a toy (this time for model-plane dogfighting). When he orders her to turn it over, Sari angrily reminds him that she was chosen for this role by the [[AllSpark (Animated)|AllSpark]] itself. Prime then orders Ratchet to magnetically take the Key from her, and, reluctantly, Ratchet obeys. Sari feels heartbroken and betrayed, and flees the base. An upset Bumblebee defends Sari's role as part of the team, to which Optimus responds that since Bumblebee has been such a poor team performer who makes so many mistakes, he isn't a good character witness. Bumblebee retorts that the Autobots' desperate, seemingly hopeless situation means Optimus isn't a good leader—then he leaves in pursuit of Sari. Prime orders Ratchet to take the Key to the [[Autobot ship (Animated)|Autobot spaceship]] beneath Lake Erie, and they all depart.

Sari walks down the street, dejected and pouting about how untrustworthy the Autobots turned out to be. But she's being watched—by Blackarachnia, who abducts the girl and mockingly praises her for seeing the light. Still hoping to cure herself of her techno-organic body, Blackarachnia attempts to bargain with Sari to hand over the Key. They exchange "snappy banter" for a while, which leaves Blackarachnia bored. When Sari again mentions how the Autobots no longer trust her, Blackarachnia tells her more about her own sad past and how only the power of the AllSpark can give her back a normal life. Sari seems moved....

[[Image:Megatron Rising 1 Ratchet Blitzwing Key.jpg|left|200px|thumb|YOINK! AHAHAHAHAHA!]]

En route to the Autobot ship, Ratchet is ambushed by Blitzwing and Lugnut, in a battle about as one-sided as Bambi vs. Godzilla. He seems to challenge Blitzwing to a battle to the finish—but the three-faced robot simply freezes Ratchet solid and cracks off his crystallized arm, taking the Key with it.

On Dinobot Island, the Autobots are confronted by the Dinobots who—again—are hostile to trespassers. Prime seemingly worsens the situation, as a stranger with a heavy-handed attitude. When their familiar protector Prowl reveals himself and tries to speak, the Dinobots calm down slightly (though Prime is further frustrated to learn the [[Meltdown (Animated)|extent of his troops' misadventures]] on Dinobot Island). But in the end, the Dinobots refuse to help against the Decepticons, saying they don't want to help any robots—they ''fight'' robots. Optimus points out that the Dinobots are robots themselves, prompting them to begin fighting each other. When Ratchet calls and informs Prime of the Key's theft, the Autobots return to the mainland. Bulkhead asks what their next course of action is, and Prime admits he doesn't know, thinking that Bumblebee was right about Prime being unfit for command.

[[Image:Megatron rising 1 Starscream freakout.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Bumblebee violated rule number 37 of the good guy code: never interrupt the villain during the monologue.]]

Starscream traces the source of Lugnut's messages back to Sumdac Tower. Blasting his way in, he is shocked to find Megatron alive—but regains his composure at the sight of his former leader dismantled and helpless. The two have an elaborately deceptive conversation about loyalty: Megatron knows Starscream betrayed him, but Starscream doesn't know he knows and wants to [[wikipedia:The Incredibles|monologue]] a bit before delivering the final blow. Meanwhile, Bumblebee's search for Sari leads him to the tower; when he spots Starscream through the wrecked wall, he squeezes himself into an elevator and prepares for a one-on-one battle (after using the classic "cellphone interference" ploy to avoid talking to Optimus). Right when Starscream is finally about to finish Megatron off, Bumblebee charges in, stingers blasting wildly—striking Starscream at full force and causing no damage at all. Starscream effortlessly thrashes Bumblebee, more angry at having his monologue interrupted than anything else. During this diversion, Megatron activates some of the lab machinery, propelling both Starscream and Bumblebee out of the lab and onto the tower roof.

[[Image:Megatron Rising head body connect.JPG|left|200px|thumb|Yep. We're boned.]]

Dr. Sumdac rushes in, hearing the disturbance. At first Megatron keeps up his usual act, warning that the Decepticons will be back soon and that he needs his new body immediately. The doctor agrees, trying to repair it as quickly as possible, while Megatron observes the rooftop action on a viewscreen and tries to electrocute Starscream through a spotlight. Lugnut and Blitzwing arrive, with Lugnut praising his leader, belatedly noticing his damaged state. Seeing Megatron, Blitzwing finally understands that Lugnut wasn't crazy. As Sumdac demands to know who they are, Lugnut forces Sumdac to genuflect to Megatron, revealing that Megatron is a Decepticon, who in turn gloats at the sight and how easily he was able to lie to his captor. Before Sumdac can contemplate the seriousness of what he has done, Lugnut drops him into Megatron's hand to witness what will happen. Blitzwing inserts the Key into Megatron's head; its power is now his to command. Megatron quickly (''and beautifully'') repairs himself, using metal from the lab as patch-up material when necessary; in the process he steals Sumdac away to an as-yet-undisclosed location.

[[Image:Megatron Rising Megs entrance.JPG|right|200px|thumb|Sheer awesomeness.]]

Up on the roof, Starscream is about to finish off Bumblebee, and down on the street the Autobots are just arriving to try to help, but all are reduced to staring in horror and disbelief as Megatron blasts up into the sky, an armored colossus.

To be continued...
{{-}}

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
* [[Optimus Prime (Animated)|Optimus Prime]] (7)
* [[Prowl (Animated)|Prowl]] (8)
* [[Ratchet (Animated)|Ratchet]] (9)
* [[Bulkhead (Animated)|Bulkhead]] (10)
* [[Bumblebee (Animated)|Bumblebee]] (11)
* [[Grimlock (Animated)|Grimlock]] (13)
* [[Snarl (Animated)|Snarl]] (14)
* [[Swoop (Animated)|Swoop]] (15)

|c2=
* [[Megatron (Animated)|Megatron]] (2)
* [[Blitzwing (Animated)|Blitzwing]] (4)
* [[Lugnut]] (5)
* [[Starscream (Animated)|Starscream]] (6)
* [[Blackarachnia (Animated)|Blackarachnia]] (12)

|c3=
* [[Isaac Sumdac]] (1)
* [[Sari Sumdac]] (3)

|c4=
*[[Teletran 1]] ()
}}

==Quotes==
'''Lugnut''': And the universe will rejoice! All hail your grand and glorious return! 
'''Starscream''': Okaaay, what's ''his'' malfunction? 
'''Icy Blitzwing''': Technical glitch. It happens. 
'''Random Blitzwing''': A lot, actually! Ahahahaha! 
'''Lugnut''': It is ''not'' a glitch! It is Megatron, and he commands us to deliver him the Key! 
'''Starscream''': Megatron...?! Did you just say Megatron?! Did he just say ''MEGATRON''?! ''THERE IS NO MEGATRON!'' MEGATRON IS OFFLINE! TERMINATED! I DID IT MYSEL—''saw'' it myself.
:—Oh Starscream maybe you should not have said that while Megatron was watching and now his is plotting your demise.

"The fate of the Earth and Cybertron hang in the balance and all I've got in my command are a bunch of undisciplined, insubordinate MALFUNCTIONS!"
:—'''Optimus Prime''' has quite the bad temper when he's dissatisfied with his troops.

"What's your damage, Prime? Sari has been helping us since the day we got here. She is a part of this team!" 
"Considering your own history of mistakes, Bumblebee, I wouldn't exactly call you a great character witness." 
"Is that right?! Well let me tell ''you'' something, ''Boss-Bot'': Considering the fact that we're stuck on this planet, outnumbered, with no idea on how we're gonna beat an army of Decepticons ready to fry our circuits at any second, I wouldn't exactly call '''you''' a great leader."
:—'''Bumblebee''' and '''Optimus Prime''' exchange harsh words. Ouch.

'''Hothead Blitzwing''': The Key, Autobot! 
'''Ratchet''': You'll have to pry it from my cold, offline servo. 
''[Blitzwing switches to his icy face, freezes Ratchet, then switches to his random face]'' 
'''Random Blitzwing''': Well, it's not exactly offline, but— ''[Rips off Ratchet's arm]'' —it's certainly cold. Ahahahaha! 
:—Blitzwing cheats by stealing the Key from Ratchet instead of fighting for it.

"Look what the capacitor dragged in." 
"Megatron?! Alive? And looking... magnificent, as always." 
"Starscream. How good it is to be reunited with such a ''devoted'' and ''faithful'' subject in my time of need." 
"I would have come sooner, o grand and illustrious leader, but naturally we all assumed you perished at the hands of the Autobot scum. What... great... joy to discover you did not." 
"Yes. Delight is written all over your face."
:—'''Megatron''' and '''Starscream''' exchange, ''ahem'', warm and heartfelt pleasantries.

"'''YOU INTERRUPTED MY SPEECH!'''"
:—'''Starscream''' seriously freaks out when Bumblebee shoots him.

"We have come for our glorious leader, Megatron!" 
"I am here, Lugnut." 
"Oh, Master, I am not worthy! I am not worthy... What happened to your body?" 
"Long story."
:—'''Lugnut''' and '''Megatron''', reunited at last.

"''Decepticons?'' But, you told me you were an Autobot." 
"And I hated every moment of that humiliating charade. But no more..."
:—'''Isaac Sumdac''' finally learns the truth, and from '''Megatron''' himself.

==Notes==
===Continuity errors===
* When Bulkhead brings up the Dinobots, Optimus says that they were destroyed, "weren't they?" However, the last time the Dinobots were mentioned was in "[[Survival of the Fittest]]", when Optimus thought the Dinobots were ''missing,'' and also suspected they were involved in the kidnapping of Sari. He has no known reason to think they were ''destroyed.''

* Not so much an error as just an oddity: When Starscream stands over a dangling Bumblebee on the Sumdac Tower rooftop, Megatron sends a power surge through a roof fixture and zaps Starscream. When the scene cuts back to the roof a few minutes later, Bumblebee's back on the roof, which he likely managed while Starscream was stunned, and Screamer's confronting him again. However, with no time given for them to talk or react about the transition, the previous roof scene may as well not have happened.

===Animation errors===
[[Image:Sari's leg.jpg|right|200px|thumb|It's a new fashion trend.]]
* The [[Scale|size of Megatron's head]] fluctuates greatly between scenes, often appearing gigantic even compared to large characters.

* While Prime is shouting at the other 'Bots his insignia starts where it should be, on his shoulder. But as he gestures it seems to rotate around to the underside of his arm.

* When Sari is telling Blackarachnia about the Autobots taking away the Key, her right leg is drawn awkwardly... almost as if it's growing out of her skirt. Though this is very likely in order to prevent a [[Teletraan 15|pre-teen panty shot]].

* After Ratchet reports to Prime that he lost the Key, his EMP blaster wound briefly disappears as he lowers his arm.

* Starscream's Decepticon insignia is occasionally upside-down.

* Optimus has two lights on each shoulder, when he admits he was out of line and says about repairing friendships, he raises his fist hiding one of these lights, but when his fist goes down, the light he is hiding has vanished.

===Transformers references===
* Prime finally refers to [[Dinobot Island (Animated)|Dinobot Island]] by that name.

===Real-world references===
* Ratchet's remark to Blitzwing about prying the Key "from his cold, offline servo" is a reference to an [[wikipedia:I'll give you my gun when you take it from my cold, dead hands"|NRA slogan]] made famous in a speech by [[wikipedia:Charlton Heston|Charlton Heston]]. Coincidentally, exactly one week after this episode aired, Heston went up to that grand old shooting range in the sky.

===Trivia===
* The Decepticon symbol on Megatron's body that was so clear [[Nature Calls|last episode]] is nowhere to be seen now. Of course, neither is the chestplate it resided on.

* The R/C Plane Sari was flying resembles a MiG-15 Fighter.

* We learn that Prowl and Bulkhead not only didn't tell Prime that the Dinobots were still around, but also didn't tell him that [[Meltdown (Animated)|Meltdown]] was the one behind Sari's kidnapping in "[[Survival of the Fittest]]". So, when they returned with Sari after the events of that episode, they apparently told him ''none'' of the truth. What ''did'' they tell him?

* Apparently, when Optimus is '''really''' ticked off and breathing heavy, his engine audibly revs.

* This is the first episode in which we see an extended transformation sequence for Starscream.

* When Megatron's energized body sends out cables to its detached hand, in which Prof. Sumdac is sitting, the hand grips around Sumdac, then is yanked under the flooring and over to the body, where it opens back up—with Sumdac no longer within it. (Nothing up Megatron's sleeve!)

* At one point during Starscream's transformation, he strongly resembles the Gerwalk mode of the [http://www.new-un-spacy.com/macrossplus/yf-19.htm YF-19 Alpha One] from the anime ''[[wikipedia:Macross Plus|Macross Plus]],'' one of the apparent influences for his alternate mode.

* It appears that Grimlock has gotten over his hatred of [[Car Robots]], but [[Grimlock (G1)|he still hates Optimus Prime]].

*Being in the Great War must have really toughened Ratchet up, as he expresses no pain or shock at the fact that he gets his servo ripped off by [[Blitzwing (Animated)|some mad Decepticon]]. Hardcore.

==External links==
* [http://www.cartoonnetwork.com/video/dlink/index.html?episodeID=8a25c3921fc6a295011fc9874cd600ef "Megatron Rising - Part 1" streaming video at Cartoon Network] (link functional until 3/03/10)

[[Category:Animated episodes]]