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Powerglide (G1)

2009-06-21T10:39:12Z

Dcty2:

{{factions|autobot}}
{{disambig2|the Generation 1 Autobot|the ''Animated'' Autobot|Powerglide (Animated)}}
:''Powerglide is an [[Autobot]] from the [[Generation 1 (franchise)|Generation 1]] [[continuity family]].''

[[Image:MTMTEPowerglide.jpg|right|350px|thumb|He's sick of getting the bronze medal in the Ego Olympics. Sunstreaker and Tracks never let him live it down.]]
'''Powerglide''', unlike most Autobots, can fly under his own power, and it goes straight to his pointy head. Give him any excuse and awaa-aa-aay he goes, dashing off into the stratosphere at 500 mph—but not in a straight line. No, Powerglide is an aerial acrobat, able to perform stunts other Transformer planes would never dream of. Barrel rolls, tail stands, death spirals, screaming 3200-mph powerdives: none of these are too tough for this Autobot barnstormer, and if he has an audience, be they friendly or enemy, he is guaranteed to put on the air show of their lives.

Yet this seeming frivolity has saved his life countless times in combat. Powerglide is lightly armed with small concussion bombs and a nose-mounted thermal beam, and the former is practically useless in the air. Furthermore, his speed and power, impressive as they are, are vastly outclassed by most [[Seeker|aerial Decepticons]]. Like the flying aces of World War I, Powerglide resorts to dogfighting maneuvers, using his flying skills to confuse and evade the enemy. This tactic works very well.

In fact, Powerglide's skill only aggravates his greatest weakness. He is good, and he knows it, and he misses no chance to show it. If this means he will seek out ever tougher foes to prove his mettle—then he'll do that, even if it kills him. Some day, it might.

{{quote|And awaa-aa-aay we go!|Powerglide, pretty much all the time|"[[The Girl Who Loved Powerglide]]"}}

:''Italian name:'' '''Jumbo'''
:''Greek name:'' '''Keravnos''' (Κεραυνός)
:''Hungarian name'': '''Motorszárny''' (Motorwing)
:''Portuguese name (Brazil comics):'' '''Planador'''
:''Portuguese name (Portugal comics):'' '''Planador'''
:''French-Canadian name:'' '''Survolo'''

==Fiction==
===Cartoon continuity===
:''Voice actor:'' [[Michael Chain]] (English), [[Hirotaka Suzuoki]] (Japanese)

[[Image:Hoist goes hollywood1.jpg|left|250px|thumb|"Hey, human, when I'm in jet mode, you fit in my head."]]
Powerglide was a brash barnstormer with a penchant for spouting gung-ho sayings like "And awaaa-aaa-aay we go!". He literally appeared out of ''nowhere'' to save [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike Witwicky]] when the boy had been thrown overboard [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]]'s spaceship, after the latter's plan to use a clone of [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] to destroy the Autobots failed. {{storylink|A Prime Problem}}

[[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]] and Powerglide were sent on reconnaissance mission to investigate some strange energy readings out at sea. Inside the temporal anomaly, they discovered a prehistoric island inhabited by dinosaurs. Powerglide had to save Bumblebee from an aggressive pterodactyl, then attempted to repair Bumblebee's damaged jetpack, before abandoning it and flying Bumblebee off the island. Later, after it was decided that the [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobots]] should be relocated to the island, Powerglide led the large brutes and Spike to the island. After Spike unwittingly got himself into several dangerous situations, Powerglide flew him back home. {{storylink|Dinobot Island, Part 1}}

{{charstubfiction}}

{{storylink|The Master Builders}} {{storylink|Microbots}} {{storylink|Megatron's Master Plan, Part 2}} {{storylink|Desertion of the Dinobots, Part 1}} {{storylink|Blaster Blues}} {{storylink|The Golden Lagoon}} {{storylink|Make Tracks}} {{storylink|The Secret of Omega Supreme}} {{storylink|Triple Takeover}}

After Megatron demanded Optimus Prime's surrender in exchange for [[Elita One]], Powerglide was among the Autobots who followed him to Cybertron. Once there, he was disbelieving of Starscream's claim that Optimus Prime had been destroyed. During their vengeful attack on the Decepticons, Powerglide met up with his old friend [[Moonracer]]. {{storylink|The Search for Alpha Trion}}

[[Image:Pgalove.jpg|right|150px|thumb|"Don't worry, I won't hug her too hard."]]
Soon after hooking up with Moonracer, he was somewhat smitten with the fleshling female [[Astoria Carlton-Ritz]] after saving her from the Decepticons. They went on a date or two, but (fortunately) the only lasting result was a series of flashing lights under his chestplate in the form of a stylized heart. What purpose this served (other than being disturbing) is not immediately clear. {{storylink|The Girl Who Loved Powerglide}}

After thoroughly embarrassing himself by accidentally destroying several sets and props in an attempt to show off, Powerglide was among [[Sunstreaker (G1)|several]] [[Tracks (G1)|egotistical]] [[Warpath (G1)|Autobots]] who demanded to be given a role in a movie that [[Hoist (G1)|Hoist]] was starring in. Initially, his "role" amounted to crashing into a STORE while in jet mode (supposedly to stop "the crooks"). Soon afterwards, Powerglide and the other would-be-actor Autobots asked Hoist to talk to the [[Director]] to get them some "real" acting roles. After reworking the movie into ''Attack of the Evil Alien Robots'', the Director had the Autobots given cheesy alien face masks. Powerglide remarked that the role was "the pits", and that he would rather do the stunt crashes. In a later scene, Powerglide demonstrated his rather wooden acting "skills". Guess he was better suited for stunts. {{storylink|Hoist Goes Hollywood}}

{{storylink|Cosmic Rust (episode)|Cosmic Rust}} {{storylink|Starscream's Brigade}} {{storylink|The Revenge of Bruticus}} {{storylink|B.O.T. (episode)|B.O.T.}}

{{storylink|Five Faces of Darkness, Part 5}}

Powerglide appeared to have been destroyed during a disastrous Autobot attack on the [[Quintesson|Quintessons]] led by a resurrected, reprogrammed Optimus Prime. {{storylink|Dark Awakening}} However, he was later among the Autobots who attempted to stop [[Scourge (G1)|Scourge]] and [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]]'s [[Spark|ghost]] from stealing [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]]'s [[Sensors|eyes]], so he must have gotten better. Unfortunately, a blind Metroplex accidentally shot him down, but [[Warpath (G1)|Warpath]] saved him. {{storylink|Ghost in the Machine}}

{{note|The above appearance in "Dark Awakening" is likely a result of a careless animation team using the animation model of Powerglide to represent an Autobot spaceship rather than Powerglide himself, as the footage of "his" destruction is used twice during the battle sequence.}}

====''Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers'' manga====
Arriving in Tokyo, [[Japan]], Powerglide intervened on [[Ravage (G1)|Ravage]]'s attack on Bumblebee and the Autobots' human friend, [[Kenji]]. Instead of shooting the Decepticon from the air, Powerglide zoomed in close and decked Ravage with a partially transformed hand. PG then grabbed Kenji and flew off, leaving Bumblebee alone to face [[Soundwave (G1)|Soundwave]] and his cassettes. For some reason. {{storylink|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers issue 2}} Later, Powerglide was also present when Optimus Prime was showing Kenji around the Autobots' base in Japan.{{storylink|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers issue 4}}

While surveying the desert, Powerglide came across the [[Combaticon (G1)|Combaticons]] hunting down an innocent [[Murdered puppy|puppy]]. He interfered with their mission, but took heavy firepower shielding the animal with his own body. Seriously injured, Powerglide transformed in a desperate attempt to keep the dog alive just a little longer inside his cockpit. Surprisingly, the puppy managed to hotwire his control console and keep Powerglide moving long enough for a [[Minibot]] patrol to respond to his SOS. It seemed that Megatron had incorporated powerful Decepticon technology inside the puppy as an experiment. In order to avoid being used by the Decepticons, the puppy sacrifice himself to channel massive amounts of [[Scramble Power]] into Powerglide. United as one, Powerglide and the Minibots used Scramble Power to deliver a mighty blow on [[Bruticus (G1)|Bruticus]], defeating the Combaticons. {{storylink|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers issue 8}} Powerglide was also present with the massive Autobot reinforcements called in against Megatron's [[Omega Whip]]. {{storylink|Full Throttle Scramble Power!}}

===Marvel Comics continuity===
{{noteukonly}}
[[Image:Powerglidereadytoblastoffrightnow.jpg|left|250px|thumb|We bet you are. Don't be crude, Powerglide.]]
Powerglide was a member of [[Perceptor (G1)|Perceptor]]'s resistance cell on [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] during the reign of [[Straxus (G1)|Straxus]]. Like most of his comrades, he found more inspiration in [[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]]'s bravado than the calculated caution of Perceptor. When their untrustworthy scout, [[Scrounge]] went missing, Powerglide and his peers fell in line with Blaster's plan to find and rescue him, overruling Perceptor. After much searching, all but Blaster had given up on Scrounge, but Powerglide had stayed to secretly shadow Blaster, allowing the air-capable Autobot to deliver him to safety out of the [[smelting pool]] (regrettably leaving Scrounge behind). This act gave Perceptor's small group of Autobots the first good news they had heard in eons, for Scrounge had handed them evidence that [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] lived. {{storylink|The Smelting Pool!}}

[[Image:Powerglideblastercybertronic.jpg|right|180px|thumb|Cybertronic altmode: paper airplane]]
Further reconnaissance by Blaster and Powerglide revealed startling news—the Decepticons were building a [[Space Bridge]]! As this would spell certain doom for both Cybertron and [[Earth]], a desperate raid on Straxus's [[Darkmount]] fortress was launched. This attack was mostly successful, as it leveled Darkmount and ended in Straxus's destruction, but he and the rest of his Autobot comrades had to retreat to Earth over the Space Bridge as it self-destructed. Here they were greeted immediately by a group of humans. {{storylink|The Bridge to Nowhere!}}

However, the humans, belonging to the anti-robot attack team, [[RAAT]], captured Powerglide and the others with the help of [[Circuit Breaker]]. Disassembled, the Autobots were only released after Circuit Breaker was forced to elicit their aid to defeat the [[Battlecharger|Battlechargers]]. {{storylink|Decepticon Graffiti!}}

''Following [[Skids (G1)|Skids]] back to the [[Ark (G1)|Ark]], Powerglide and the others got lost after their guide spontaneously vanished into [[limbo]]. Even worse was the reason for the disappearance—[[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]] had returned to the present. Unlike most of his fellows, Powerglide actually managed to get a good shot in before Galvatron knocked the circuits out of him. {{storylink|Fallen Angel (issue)|Fallen Angel}} After Galvatron was forced into retreat by the vagrant [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobots]], Perceptor's team finally managed to reach the Ark, where they learned of Optimus Prime's apparent demise at the hands of the [[Predacon (G1)|Predacons]]. Powerglide attended Prime's funeral and assimilated into Earth's depleted Autobot forces, though it was soon revealed that Prime's death was a ruse. {{storylink|Resurrection!}} ''

[[Image:Blasterbeourleaderplease.jpg|left|300px|thumb|"Is this the line for the mutiny?"]]
When Optimus Prime died ''(for real)'' after a digital battle with [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]], Powerglide observed with the other Autobots as [[Ratchet (G1)|Ratchet]] failed to successfully repair their fallen leader. After attending Prime's ''(real)'' funeral, a criminal known as the [[Mechanic]] turned the Ark's new security systems on the mourning Autobots, with devastating results. {{storylink|Funeral for a Friend!}} [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]], Prime's successor, turned out to be a self-interested tyrant, but he did help get the Ark repaired and off of Earth, a large process that Powerglide contributed to by feeding [[Energon cube|Energon cubes]] to their new [[geothermal generator]]. {{storylink|Child's Play (issue)|Child's Play}} Nevertheless, Powerglide was among the Autobots who begged Blaster to overthrow him, but the mutiny didn't pan out. {{storylink|Spacehikers!}} Later, Blaster and Grimlock battled for supremacy on Earth's [[Moon (moon)|Moon]], as Powerglide and the other Autobots cheered Blaster on. {{storylink|Totaled!}}

Some time after Optimus Prime's return, Powerglide was among several Autobots who responded to [[Buster Witwicky]]'s distress call near the Decepticons' [[Club Con|arctic base]]. However, this was a trap, and Powerglide was shot down in battle by some Decepticon aerial aces, including [[Slugslinger (G1)|Slugslinger]] and the ever-frightening [[Buzzsaw (G1)|Buzzsaw]]. {{storylink|Dark Star (issue)|Dark Star}} He was identified as deactivated several weeks later. {{storylink|Yesterday's Heroes!}}

===Dreamwave comics continuity===
[[Image:Powerglideoutbackwarwithin.jpg|right|100px|thumb|The paper-airplaneness of his Dreamwave Cybertronic altmode is unknown.]]
Powerglide was operational during the early days of the war, and was seen in [[Iacon]] shortly after [[Sentinel Prime (G1)|Sentinel Prime]]'s demise. {{storylink|The War Within issue 2}}

[[Image:Powerglidenightofthecombaticons.jpg|left|220px|thumb|Bumblebee needs a smaller command chair.]]
In the modern era, Powerglide was a member of one of the later-formed Autobot resistance cells on Cybertron, in communication with [[Smokescreen (G1)|Smokescreen]] and [[Tracks (G1)|Tracks]] along with several other [[Mini Vehicle|Minibots]]. {{storylink|Countdown to Extinction (issue)|Countdown to Extinction}} He participated in the final insurrection which threw [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]] and his Decepticons out of power on Cybertron. Afterwards, he was assigned to [[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]]'s command and traveled to Earth on a supply run aboard the starship ''[[Orion]]''. {{storylink|Night of the Combaticons}} Their simple supply mission ended with heavy combat against the amazingly-powerful clone, [[Sunstorm (G1)|Sunstorm]]. The Autobots, in a fit of temporary insanity, decided to ally themselves with [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]] in order to deal with this threat. Powerglide might have raised a complaint to being assigned to guard their new "partner", but Starscream betrayed them and deactivated Powerglide's unit so fast, it's hard to be sure he even had a chance to speak up. {{storylink|The Omega Effect}}

[[Ratchet (G1)|Ratchet]] presumably got him back online in time to help with the construction of [[Autobot City]]. {{storylink|The Route of All Evil}}

{{-}}
==Toys==
===Generation 1===
[[Image:G1Powerglide toy.jpg|right|300px|thumb|The first Transformers toy that can stand with his arms akimbo. Appropriate!]]
*'''Powerglide''' (Mini-Vehicle, 1985)
**''Japanese ID number:'' '''C-62'''

: Powerglide transforms into an [[Popular Earth vehicle alternate modes#A-10 Thunderbolt|A-10 Thunderbolt]] ground-strike plane. He is notable for being one of the earliest Autobots with an aerial alt-mode. Due to his transformation, Powerglide has more robot-mode articulation than any other [[Mini Vehicle]]. His head can turn, his shoulders have what amounts to universal joints, and his elbows bend.

{{anchor|TFC}}
*'''Minibot Team''' (Multi-pack, 2004)
**''Japanese ID number:'' '''TFC-12'''

: Powerglide was reissued in a "[[Transformers Collection]]" six-pack with [[Bumblebee (G1)/toys|Bumblebee]], [[Cosmos (G1)|Cosmos]], [[Gears]], [[Huffer (G1)|Huffer]] and [[Warpath (G1)|Warpath]]. With the exception of an added factory-applied [[insignia]] sticker, there are no notable differences between the original and the reissue versions.

: This entire set was redecoed to make the "[[GoBots (G1)|G1 GoBots]]" set: Powerglide was used to make [[Bad Boy]].

===Universe (2008)===
====Classic Series====
[[Image:Powerglideuniversetoy.jpg|right|300px|thumb|Someone's been eating their Wheaties.]]
*'''Powerglide''' (Ultra, 2008)
**''Accessories:'' Chaingun/missile launcher, "thermal beam" missile

:Although now upsized to an Ultra class toy with electronics, ''[[Universe (2008 toyline)|Universe]]'' Powerglide still transforms into an A-10 (though the nose looks more like that of its canceled counterpart, the Northrop YA-9, probably for licensing reasons). In order to preserve some semblance of realism in his [[alt mode]], however, he is mostly off-white in color, with red trim. His noggin, at least, is still entirely red, and even has an off-center cannon barrel sculpted into it in homage to his original toy, even though here, his head ''doesn't'' become the nosecone.

:In vehicle mode, pressing the prominent orange button on the jet's fuselage triggers three electronic sound effects (an engine ignition, a swooping noise and a barrage of machine-gun fire that persists for as long as you hold down the button, the same ones are used for Universe [[Silverbolt (G1)|Silverbolt]]), accompanied by red LEDs in the turbines and cockpit. During transformation to robot mode, the classic transformation sound effect is triggered as the torso is moved into place; it plays in reverse as he is transformed back to vehicle mode. In robot mode, pressing the orange button triggers the machine-gun sound effect only, with newly-exposed lights illuminating Powerglide's eyes as well as those seen in jet mode.

:In robot mode, Powerglide features a wide range of articulation, and can wield in his hand the thermal missile launcher which mounts under his jet-mode nosecone. In what can only be described as one of the most hilarious homages in Transformers history, Powerglide's chestplate can flip up to reveal the raised [[:Image:Powerglide heart.jpg|image]] of [[The Girl Who Loved Powerglide|a heart]].

:The Japanese "USA Edition" release for Powerglide is colored in mostly red with white detailing, essentially reversing most of the colour layouts. He retains the same [[tampograph]]ed unit-markings as the Hasbro version.

: This mold was also used to make ''Universe'' [[Storm Cloud (G1)|Storm Cloud]].

====Generation 1 Series====
*'''Powerglide''' (Ultra Class, 2009)
**''Accessories:'' Chaingun/missile launcher, "thermal beam" missile

: The second version of ''Universe'' Powerglide is a red redeco (similar to TakaraTomy's Japanese release of this mold), but with some significant differences in colour layout. In an effort to make the toy more accurate to the cartoon, the arms are cast in light grey plastic, unlike all-red arms on the Japanese version.

{{comingsoontoy}}
{{-}}

{{-}}
==Trivia==
[[Image:NowIKnow.jpg|right|150px|thumb|We need an adult!]]
* ''[[Classics (2006)|Classics]]'' [[Fireflight (G1)|Fireflight]], a [[redeco]] of ''[[Legends Class|Legends of Cybertron]]'' [[Jetfire (Armada)|Jetfire]], was originally intended to be Powerglide, but Hasbro apparently could not secure the name at the time.
* Powerglide makes an appearance in one of the five Transformers [[public service announcements]], speaking out against gender discrimination.
* 3200 miles per hour is Mach 4.16, MUCH faster than any real [[wikipedia:A-10_Thunderbolt_II|A-10 Thunderbolt II]], let alone ANY modern combat jet... not that jet-based alt modes are known for realism.
*He is the only Generation One transformer with 4 digits on each hand.

==External links==
*[http://www.tfu.info/1985/Autobot/Powerglide/powerglide.htm Powerglide at TFU.info]
*[http://ntfa.net/universe/english/index.php?act=view&char=Powerglide Powerglide's Universe profile at NTFA.net]

[[Category:Autobots]]
[[Category:Classics characters]]
[[Category:Generation 1 characters]]
[[Category:Mini Vehicles]]
[[Category:Toys with sound]]
[[Category:Universe (2008)]]

A Prime Problem

2009-06-21T10:36:12Z

Dcty2:

{{episode
|series=G1toon
|ep=27
|series2=SRLFtoon
|ep2=22
|image=Primedeux.jpg
|caption=Double your pleasure...
|title="A Prime Problem"
|production code=#700-26
|airdate=[[October 2]], 1985
|written by=[[Dick Robbins]] [[Bryce Malek]]
|production company=[[Sunbow Productions]]
|continuity=[[Generation 1 cartoon continuity]]
}}

'''Megatron creates a clone of Optimus Prime to lure the Autobots to their doom.'''

:''Japanese title:'' 二人のコンボイ (''Ninin no Convoy'', "Two Convoys")

==Synopsis==
[[Image:PrimeProblem Decepticons at crevasse.jpg|left|200px|thumb|All right, who wants to dive first?]]

The Decepticons discover a crevasse in the [[Earth]] from which is emanating strange energy readings. [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]] stops [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]] from diving straight in, and orders [[Soundwave (G1)|Soundwave]] to send in an [[autoscout]]. They quickly determine that the crevasse is full of dangerous [[Corlonium crystal]]s, which destroy anything with electronic [[circuits|circuitry]] on contact, and decide to try to trick the [[Autobot]]s into entering the crevasse. To that end they retire to their nearby [[Incredibly tall rocket|temporary operations base]].

[[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] and the Autobots show up at the scene shortly, but before they can learn more about the lights, they are attacked by a Decepticon squad led by Starscream. Megatron dispatches [[Laserbeak (G1)|Laserbeak]], who knocks Prime over a cliff with a few well-aimed shots and puts him out of commission. The Decepticon then beams holographic pictures of the Autobot leader back to Megatron, who uses them to create a [[Optimus Prime clone|remote-controlled clone]].

[[Image:PrimeProblem Megatron prime splitscreen.jpg|right|200px|thumb]]

While the real Optimus is still clambering out of the pit he fell into, the clone leads the Autobots back to base. There are some awkward moments when the clone addresses [[Ironhide (G1)|Ironhide]] as "[[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]]", fails to work [[Teletraan I (G1)|Teletraan I]], and doesn't even remember giving Teletraan a check up earlier that day, but the Autobots are distracted by the perimeter alarm sounding — the real Optimus Prime has arrived back at base. Under the clone's leadership, the Autobots prepare shoot the real Prime as an impostor, but [[Ironhide (G1)|Ironhide]] stops them, announcing that no one's shooting anyone until they determine who's really Optimus Prime.

[[Image:PrimeProblem Twin primes rev up.jpg|left|200px|thumb]]
Teletraan scans both Primes, but is unable to determine which of them is fake. The clone excels at sharp-shooting, and when it's the real Prime's turn, the rocky outcrop they're using as a target falls on him. Fortunately Optimus shrugs the rubble off. A race to the end of the flats and back is even less conclusive. Any further tests are interrupted by Teletraan I reporting an increase in activity from the crevasse — in reality the work of Megatron's [[energy amplifier]]s. Ironhide announces he's taking command while Optimus Prime's identity is uncertain and the Autobots set out for the crevasse.

Naturally, they soon run into a Decepticon ambush. From the Decepticon base, Megatron and Starscream watch the fight. Megatron has decided that to win the Autobots' trust completely, the false Prime will have to destroy a Decepticon. Furthermore he's picked Starscream to take the fall. Starscream isn't too enthusiastic about this plan, and makes a run for it. He's seen leaving the base by [[Windcharger (G1)|Windcharger]] and [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike Witwicky]], who then watch Laserbeak drag the protesting Decepticon back to base, enabling the pair to slip in unnoticed. Megatron explains the part of his plan that he neglected to mention earlier: that the Prime clone will only be destroying a clone of Starscream. Windcharger and Spike watch the production of Starscream's clone, and start back to warn the Autobots, but are spotted — Spike is captured by Laserbeak while Windcharger falls into the crevasse.

[[Image:PrimeProblem Windcharger scrap.jpg|right|200px|thumb]]
Out on the battlefield, both Autobots and Decepticons alike are surprised when the Starscream clone joins in and immediately challenges one of the Optimus Primes to a duel to the death. The Decepticon at first gets the upper hand, but is blown apart when he stops to gloat. The rest of the Decepticons flee. Now convinced that the clone is the real thing after the battle, the Autobots follow the clone to the crevasse, ignoring the warnings from the real Optimus. But before they are led to their doom, Windcharger pulls up from the crevasse and reveals the truth, letting them know that the Decepticons have Spike captive.

[[Image:PrimeProblem Prime pats Spike.jpg|left|200px|thumb|Prime rubs Spike's head for good luck.]]

The clone says to disregard Windcharger's report and Spike's plight, and orders the Autobots forward into the crevasse. Ironhide declares the clone to be the fake, because the real Prime would save Spike. The Autobots shoot the fake Optimus into oblivion and follow Prime on a rescue mission. The Decepticon rocket base quickly launches, dropping Spike in mid-air, but fortunately [[Powerglide (G1)|Powerglide]] is able to execute a mid-air rescue. Optimus assures Spike that he's the real thing, and pets the boy like a puppy.
{{--}}

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
*[[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] (5)
*[[Ironhide (G1)|Ironhide]] (6)
*[[Cliffjumper (G1)|Cliffjumper]] (7)
*[[Jazz (G1)|Jazz]] (8)
*[[Trailbreaker (G1)|Trailbreaker]] (9)
*[[Windcharger (G1)|Windcharger]] (10)
*[[Teletraan I (G1)|Teletraan I]] (18)
*[[Ratchet (G1)|Ratchet]] (19)
*[[Bluestreak]] (20)
*[[Sideswipe (G1)|Sideswipe]] (21)
*[[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]] (22)
*[[Sunstreaker (G1)|Sunstreaker]] (23)
*[[Gears]] (24)
*[[Brawn (G1)|Brawn]] (25)
*[[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]] (26)
*[[Mirage (G1)|Mirage]] (27)
*[[Huffer (G1)|Huffer]] (28)
*[[Hound (G1)|Hound]] (30)
*[[Warpath (G1)|Warpath]] (31)
*[[Prowl (G1)|Prowl]] (32)
*[[Powerglide (G1)|Powerglide]] (33)
|c2=
*[[Soundwave (G1)|Soundwave]] (1)
*[[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]] (2)
*[[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]] (3)
*[[Autoscout]] (4)
*[[Reflector (G1)|Reflector]] (12)
*[[Skywarp (G1)|Skywarp]] (13)
*[[Thundercracker (G1)|Thundercracker]] (14)
*[[Rumble (G1)|Rumble]] (15)
*[[Laserbeak (G1)|Laserbeak]] (16)
*[[Optimus Prime clone]] (17)
*[[Starscream (G1)|Starscream clone]] (29)
|c3=
*[[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike Witwicky]] (11)
}}

==Quotes==
"It's just such ignorance which forever relegates you to the ranks of underlings, Starscream!"
:—'''Megatron'''

"All the danger you can handle is already here, Floptimus Prime!"
:—'''Starscream''' comes up with a clever insult.

"I'm sorry there are only three of you. Clobbering less than four Decepticons at a time is boring."
:—'''Optimus Prime'''

''"Laserbeak... you tin-foil turkey!"''
:—'''Optimus Prime''' dishes out the trash talk like a pro.

'''Optimus Prime clone''': Bumblebee, come over here. The computer's not responding to my input.... Bumblebee, I'm speaking to you. 
'''Ironhide''': You talking to me? 
'''Optimus Prime clone''': Of course. 
'''Ironhide''': But I'm not Bumblebee, I'm Ironhide, Prime. 
'''Optimus Prime clone''': I meant Ironhide, naturally.
:—The fake Optimus Prime totally flubs Ironhide's name, even though Ironhide's the only other one there, and the Southern-fried lug still doesn't get it...

"I don't mind hitting the dirt, but I don't enjoy eating it!"
:—'''Gears'''

"No, DO NOT! ARGH, my magnificent creation, vaporized! With Prime's replica destroyed, we must escape, now!"
:—'''Megatron''', not being at all melodramatic.

"Is it really you, Optimus Prime? I mean ''really?''" 
"Yes, Spike. This time I am definitely me. Or I. Myself. Oh, whoever I am. Put 'er there, partner."
:—A cautious but hopeful '''Spike''' questions '''Optimus Prime''', who doesn't do the best job of keeping a sentence together.

==Notes==
===Animation or technical glitches===
* Soundwave's optics turn white a couple of times, first when ejecting the autoscout, and then when ejecting Laserbeak for the first time.
* When Optimus is throwing Thundercracker, his colors change to Starscream's.
* After the clone announces that they'll spring any traps that need to be spring, the real Prime's mouthplate disappears.
* In a dialogue flub, Optimus calls Trailbreaker "Trailblazer". Later he calls Spike "Splik". Makes you wonder if the Autobots destroyed the right one.
* As he and Spike climb the mountain and spot Laserbeak, Windcharger is sporting [[Shattered Glass|a red Decepticon insignia]].
* After the fake Starscream is destroyed by the fake Optimus, Starscream is seen standing next to the other Decepticons (it's not even a coloring error as Thundercracker and Skywarp are both standing next to him).
*Starscream sports a red Decepticon [[insignia]] when he objects to Megatron's plan.

===Continuity errors===
* Anyone else notice that Powerglide isn't seen until the very end? Shows up right after the fake Prime kills the fake Starscream.

* If the clones are completely remote controlled then what is Clone Optimus Prime doing while Megatron is not wearing his control helmet?

===Trivia===
* This episode marks the first and last appearance of the [[Autoscout]], a cassette drone launched by Soundwave.

* This episode has the first appearances of [[Powerglide (G1)|Powerglide]] and [[Warpath (G1)|Warpath]]. However, no explanation of their origins is made. Warpath gets no lines at all.

* The cloning machine also somehow manages to clone Prime's trailer even though Prime was scanned in his robot mode. Did it simultaneously scan the trailer in [[subspace]] and then have it produced by a cloning machine also in subspace? Weird.

* Notice that when both Primes get X-rayed, neither one possesses an [[Matrix of Leadership]] in his chest cavity. Mind you, this was before the Matrix was introduced in the cartoon.

* Testing to see which Prime is fake by road races and sharpshooting contests (instead of, say, quizzing them on the names and histories of the Autobots) is fairly dumb.

* Megatron's knowledge of Autobot names is a bit dodgy. Here, he mistakenly calls Ironhide "Bumblebee". This is particularly strange since he knew Brawn's name in "[[Fire on the Mountain]]", yet couldn't identify Ironhide, someone much higher on the Autobot totem pole. He was able to identify Ironhide by name in "[[The Autobot Run]]" when he told [[Long Haul (G1)|Long Haul]] and [[Scrapper (G1)|Scrapper]] to load Ironhide into the crusher.

* Laserbeak is pretty hardcore. Optimus is easily able to overpower Starscream, Thundercracker, and Skywarp with his bare hands, yet a few blasts from Laserbeak take him down. Laserbeak also manages to open a pretty nice can of whoop-ass on Starscream when Starscream tries to run away.

==Home video releases==
* [[The Original Transformers Volume 1: Prime Threat]] (1999)

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

{{DEFAULTSORT:Prime Problem}}
[[Category:Generation 1 episodes]]