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The Golden Lagoon (episode)

2019-12-23T15:55:13Z

Dvegaj: /* Continuity errors */

{{disambig2|the cartoon episode|the ''Legends'' event|The Golden Lagoon (Legends)}}
{{episode
|image=GoldenLagoon Beachcomber in lagoon.jpg
|caption=Beachcomber is into watersports.
|series=G1toon
|ep=41
|series2=SRLFtoon
|ep2=31
|prev2=A Decepticon Raider in King Arthur's Court (episode)
|next2=The God Gambit
|series3=''[[Transformers: Generation 2 (cartoon)|Transformers: Generation 2]]''
|ep3=12
|prev3=A Decepticon Raider in King Arthur's Court (episode)
|next3=Prime Target (episode)
|title="The Golden Lagoon"
|airdate=[[November 4]], 1985
|written by=[[Dennis Marks]]
|production code=#700-40
|production company=[[Sunbow Productions]]
|animation studio=[[Toei]]
|continuity=[[Generation 1 cartoon continuity]]
}}

'''Beachcomber finds a pool of golden liquid that renders his hand invulnerable. Unfortunately, the Decepticons do too, and decide to take a dip.'''

==Synopsis==
[[File:Goldenlagoonbeachcomber1.jpg|left|thumb|Friend of all God's creatures.]]

[[Beachcomber (G1)|Beachcomber]], [[Powerglide (G1)|Powerglide]], [[Seaspray (G1)|Seaspray]], [[Perceptor (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Perceptor]] and [[Warpath (G1)|Warpath]] are taking a walk along the beach when they are attacked by [[Blitzwing (G1)|Blitzwing]], [[Ramjet (G1)|Ramjet]] and [[Thrust (G1)|Thrust]]. In the middle of the battle, pacifist Beachcomber takes cover and finds a secluded glen full of flora and fauna right out of a Disney cartoon. In the middle of enjoying this impromptu petting zoo, the glint of gold catches his eye. In the middle of the glen is a pool of golden liquid he dips his hand into and identifies as "[[electrum]]". A rockslide sends him back to where he came from, just as Thrust flies over the glen and makes the same discovery. Thrust jumps into the pool and comes out completely covered in the gold liquid.

Beachcomber arrives back at the battle as the tide is turning against the Decepticons. Just then, Thrust appears and survives a powerful Autobot barrage without sustaining a scratch, thanks to his electrum coating. Warpath shoots an opening into the cliff face that he, Powerglide and Beachcomber hide in, while Thrust kidnaps Perceptor and Seaspray.

At Decepticon headquarters, the Autobots are imprisoned while Thrust notifies [[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Megatron]] of the electrum pool. They hurry off to the glen and Megatron orders [[Starscream (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Starscream]] to jump in. When he emerges, Megatron shoots him, but the blast bounces off. The rest of the Decepticons jump into the pool and emerge, then have fun shooting each other. Megatron declares the Autobots are finished as the glen around them burns and the animals cower.

[[File:Goldenlagoonstarscreamjump.jpg|right|thumb|Normally, Skywarp would be the one to kick Starscream into the giant pool of urine.]]

Powerglide, Beachcomber, Warpath, [[Mirage (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Mirage]] and [[Smokescreen (G1)|Smokescreen]] regroup and prepare to go after the Decepticons again. Beachcomber hasn't told anyone about his discovery yet. The group rushes off and meets up with the electrum-plated Decepticons, and are quickly dispatched because their weapons have no effect. More Autobots join the battle, but their weapons are useless. Beachcomber realizes that they've found the electrum and drives off.

The Decepticons return to headquarters and Starscream forces Seaspray and Perceptor to fight each other. [[Soundwave (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Soundwave]] rushes off to tell Megatron as Starscream gives the Autobots weapons.

Smokescreen, damaged from the battle, asks [[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]] to help and the giant Autobot declares (a bit prematurely) that failure is impossible.

[[File:GoldenlagoonOSdown.jpg|left|215px|thumb|Gulliver's Travels on acid.]]

Meanwhile, Beachcomber arrives back at the glen and finds the Decepticons have burnt it nearly to the ground. He is captured by Blitzwing while Soundwave tattles on Starscream. Megatron orders everyone to fight Omega Supreme. When they attack Omega fires, but even his weapons have no effect and he falls under enemy fire. Megatron sets his sights on [[Ark (G1)|Autobot headquarters]] next.

At Autobot headquarters, Mirage reports on Omega's defeat and [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] can hardly believe it. [[Teletraan I]] reports a single word to them—electrum. Prime recognizes its significance and sends out teams to try to find it.

Powerglide discreetly follows the Decepticons and sees them swimming in the electrum. He flies off to report the discovery to Optimus.

Megatron gives the task of dispatching Beachcomber, Perceptor and Seaspray to Starscream. When [[Skywarp (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Skywarp]] and [[Thundercracker (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Thundercracker]] come to take the prisoners to Starscream, Beachcomber forgoes his pacifist ways and overcomes both of them. He frees Perceptor and Seaspray and they swim back to the surface and head toward the golden lagoon. With Dirge left alone as guard while all of the others head to the fight, the trio takes him out, just as Prime and the rest of the Autobots arrive. Beachcomber invites them to jump into the electrum with him.

[[File:Goldenlagoonautobotline.jpg|right|215px|thumb|Lucky Draw Roll Call!]]

Back at Autobot headquarters, Megatron and company attack but they discover the base is empty. Megatron orders everyone back to the lagoon, where the electrum-coated Autobots are waiting for them, including Omega Supreme. The two sides fight, but since their weapons are useless the blasts bounce off and destroy the countryside around them. As the battle continues, the electrum on the Decepticons wears off. His advantage lost and seriously out-gunned, Megatron destroys the lagoon and orders a retreat. The Autobots cheer their victory, but Beachcomber laments the destruction of the glen.
{{-}}

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
*[[Warpath (G1)|Warpath]] (1)
*[[Perceptor (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Perceptor]] (2)
*[[Seaspray (G1)|Seaspray]] (3)
*[[Powerglide (G1)|Powerglide]] (4)
*[[Beachcomber (G1)|Beachcomber]] (5)
*[[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]] (8)
*[[Smokescreen (G1)|Smokescreen]] (9)
*[[Mirage (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Mirage]] (10)
*[[Gears (G1)|Gears]] (15)
*[[Wheeljack (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Wheeljack]] (16)
*[[Bluestreak (G1)|Bluestreak]] (17)
*[[Hound (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Hound]] (18)
*[[Brawn (G1)|Brawn]] (19)
*[[Sunstreaker (G1)|Sunstreaker]] (20)
*[[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] (22)
*[[Ironhide (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ironhide]] (23)
*[[Bumblebee (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Bumblebee]] (25)
*[[Jazz (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Jazz]] (26)
*[[Sideswipe (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Sideswipe]] (27)
*[[Ratchet (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ratchet]] (28)
*[[Trailbreaker (G1)|Trailbreaker]] (29)
*[[Windcharger (G1)|Windcharger]] (30)
|c2=
*[[Blitzwing (G1)|Blitzwing]] (1)
*[[Thrust (G1)|Thrust]] (2)
*[[Ramjet (G1)|Ramjet]] (3)
*[[Skywarp (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Skywarp]] (4)
*[[Thundercracker (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Thundercracker]] (5)
*[[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Megatron]] (6)
*[[Starscream (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Starscream]] (7)
*[[Soundwave (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Soundwave]] (11)
*[[Skywarp (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Skywarp]] (12)
*[[Reflector (G1)|Reflector]] (13)
*[[Dirge (G1)|Dirge]] (14)
*[[Rumble (G1)|Rumble]] (21)
*[[Long Haul (G1)|Long Haul]] (24)
}}

==Quotes==
"Thrust, my man, you are about to become number-one Decepticon."
:—'''Thrust''', anticipating a promotion

"Personally, I need proof!" 
"''Personally'', I don't care ''what'' you need!"
:—'''Megatron''' puts '''Starscream''' in his place, again.

[[File:Laserrave.gif|right|324px|thumb|You're right, Megatron, this ''is'' enjoyable.]]

"Just shoot up the whole cloud! He's in there somewhere!"
:—'''Megatron''' uses a rather sound tactic to foil Smokescreen's camouflage.

"Sunstreaker, our weapons don't seem to have any effect on them." 
"I'll blast a few big D's for ya, and you’ll see what a difference a pro makes."
:—'''Mirage''' and '''Sunstreaker'''

"Show no mercy!" 
"Did we ever?"
:—'''Megatron''' and '''Starscream'''

"Results: disappointing."
:—'''Omega Supreme''' after three rounds of fire have no effect on the Decepticons.

'''Megatron''': Victory over the Autobots is here. 
'''Starscream''': Cut the oration, Megatron. We already heard it. 
'''Skywarp''': Yeah, let's talk about victory after we’ve got it.
:—the troops sass back to Megatron now that they're invulnerable.

"We won..."
:—'''Beachcomber'''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s bitter statement as he surveys the wreckage of the lagoon.

==Notes==
===Continuity notes===
[[File:Beachcomber with bird.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.1|"Gee Beachcomber, I didn't know you spoke bird." "No, that's Italian."]]
*Gadgets and powers:
**Beachcomber is shown to have a [[universal translator|translator that lets him understand animals]]. Assuming all Transformers have this, it would explain how they manage to communicate with every species they come across.
**A glowing sensor in Beachcomber's chest reacts to the presence of the electrum.
**Seaspray has a large top-mounted cannon and two smaller cannons that can deploy from his superstructure.
**[[Furmanism|Like some vast, predatory bird]] Thrust deploys talons to capture Perceptor and Seaspray.
**Perceptor can retract his wrist and fire a missile from it.
**Warpath can likewise fire cryogenic shells from his retracted wrist. At the same time, Powerglide is shown using his forehead-mounted thermal ray.
**Smokescreen can deploy his shoulder missile launchers from the hood of his car mode.
**Smokescreen deploys his smoke from pipes that emerge from his trunk, rather than the usual tailpipe location.
**Sunstreaker uses a rooftop cannon in car mode.
**Blitzwing's laser gun can act as a magnetic tractor beam.
[[File:GoldenLagoon-PowerglideSmokescreenWarpath.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.1]]
*Beachcomber reacts to the electrum with a cry of "[[Great Maximus]]!"
*Warpath speaks with glowing cheek blinkers in this episode.
*In a nice touch of continuity, Perceptor's shoulder cannon is not present when he's held captive. Somehow he's got it back after the escape, however.

===Real-world references===
*At the beginning of the episode, Perceptor stops to examine a rock on the beach with "traces of gold and silver". It's not just a random aside, but foreshadowing: in the real world, electrum is an alloy of gold and silver.
*When Warpath voices his excitement about KAZOWYing Decepticons, Powerglide reminds him that it's a rescue mission and not "the {{w|Charge of the Light Brigade}}", a catastrophic cavalry charge during the Crimean War.
*''[[Star Wars (franchise)|Star Wars]]'' sound effects:
**[[Obi-Wan Kenobi]] and [[Darth Vader]] slashing some equipment with their [[lightsaber]]s is used as the sound of Seaspray's laser fruitlessly hitting a Decepticon in the undersea base.
**[[TIE Fighter]] engine as the Decepticons fly through Omega's initial blasts.
**Lightsaber ignition as Megatron's blast hits Omega Supreme.
**''[[Millennium Falcon]]'' engine noise and Death Star super laser as the Decepticons take off after defeating Omega.
**[[X-wing Fighter|X-Wing]] whine as Powerglide takes off to follow the Decepticons, and again as the 'cons take off inside their headquarters.

===Animation and technical errors===
*Wrong weapon sounds:
**As he trades shots with Ramjet, Seaspray's cannon steals Optimus Prime's laser sound effect. A moment later, it changes to the standard Autobot laser sound.
**The Decepticons' guns use the sound effects of Cobra's guns (from G.I.Joe) during the attack on Sunstreaker's team. Powerglide and the other Autobots likewise get a GI Joe laser noise as they fire.
*Coloring errors:
**Blitzwing's helmet is purple instead of yellow as he stands to join the attack on the beach.
**Perceptor's chest rim is dark gray instead of silver as he turns to fire on the newly electrum-coated Thrust.
**The sides of Skywarp's helmet are colored white when he and Thundercracker present Perceptor and Seaspray to Megatron. It makes him look like he has chubby cheeks!
**Smokescreen's forehead crest is blue instead of yellow as he ponders what Beachcomber is thinking.
**Bluestreak is colored like Prowl as the Decepticons dive to attack.
**Brawn's helmet is olive green instead of gray-silver as he transforms to fire on the Decepticons with Sunstreaker's squad.
*Warpath seems to have lost most of a line; as he's trading shots with him, he says "Blitzwing." for no clear reason.
*One gun, many lasers:
**Thrust's lasers split in two on leaving his guns, giving him 4 lasers. But as he strafes the cliff from off-screen, nearly a dozen lasers are shown streaking in.
**Thrust throws one piece of ice at Powerglide and Warpath, who are hit by dozens of pieces of ice.
*Starscream's missing one of his wing insignia after he lands at the electrum pool.
*Thundercracker likewise has only one wing insignia as Starscream dives into the pool.
*As he drives toward the Decepticons, Smokescreen's smoke camouflage has somehow gotten in front of him.
[[File:GoldenLagoon Mirage reports to Autobots.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.1]]
*When Mirage reports, Bluestreak's head crest is drawn as a pair of squared boxes on his head.
*Sunstreaker's squad gets the wrong transforming sound (ascending pitch) as they transform and roll out.
*Skywarp and Thundercracker are shown listening to Starscream pontificate... yet a second later they walk in from another room with the Autobot prisoners.
*The first syllable of Soundwave's report to Megatron is cut off, leaving him saying "Port on Starscream's activity completed."
*In the big lineup of golden Autobots, Windcharger is a bit deformed and off-model.
*All of this said? We think this episode probably deserves some kind of award for never once accidentally colouring Beachcomber's golden hand its normal blue.

===Continuity errors===
*It's never made clear if the Autobots in the opening scene were looking for rare minerals, or if Perceptor just ''happened'' to get lucky on patrol near a ''beach''.
*Seaspray is somehow able to ''fly'' in hovercraft mode. While it's consistent with his other appearances, hovercrafts do '''NOT''' work that way!
*Thrust dives into the electrum and says he's about to become "number one Decepticon," implying he's planning a coup or something, but later simply reports the find to Megatron. Did he just change his mind on the way back or did he expect Megatron to reward him?
*When Starscream dives into the pool of electrum, he holds his nose, despite the fact that robots normally don't need to breathe. One may chalk it up to a cute little joke inserted by the animators.
*Powerglide's chronological appearances in this episode are completely messed up. First, he participates in the first battle against the Decepticon forces after they're all coated in electrum, in which he dogfights them in the air and tries to shoot down one of them, only to discover his weapons don't work thanks to their electrum coating (and this AFTER fighting Thrust, who was already invulnerable to his and the other Autobot's weapons), and he's swiftly shot down into the sea. Next, Powerglide appears alongside Omega Supreme, telling him of the "Decepticon armada dead ahead" right before the Autobot giant is attacked and defeated by Megatron and his forces. AFTER that, Powerglide reappears from the sea, seemingly wounded and covered in some seaweed, which he takes off himself upon reaching the beach, right before following the Decepticons back to the electrum pool. Evidently, it seems the previous scene with Powerglide and Omega was added later in the production (or this scene was originally intended to feature another Autobot in place of Powerglide).
*So...why ''was'' Mirage hanging around (invisible) for 10 minutes?
*Later in the show, Mirage turns invisible in [[alternate mode|vehicle mode]]. Smokescreen is kicking up dust behind him (before he engages his smoke trail), so wouldn't Mirage's dust trail be noticeable as well?
*For some reason, no one seems to notice that the Decepticons are gold and invincible - nor do any of the Autobots seem to notice Beachcomber's golden hand. Yet when they discover the pond full of electrum, the Autobots know exactly what the chemical is and what it does.
[[File:G1toon starscream electrum.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.1|"I told you. Your weapons have no effect on me!" "It is my considered advice that you discontinue your use of said weapon!"]]
*Despite knowing that lasers are useless against electrum-coated opponents, both sides keep vainly shooting at each other in the big fight at the end, rather than coming to fisticuffs.
*Is the pool of electrum really deep enough to entirely coat Omega Supreme?
*After shooting down some Decepticons when their electrum begins to wear off, Omega Supreme completely vanishes from the battlefield. This is particularly noticeable in the wide shot when the lagoon is being destroyed.
*Megatron and the Decepticons are all rather surprised when the electrum coating wears off, but if they didn't know it was temporary, why were they bothering to stockpile it?
*Long Haul says he's going off to join the main force, but neither he nor the rest of the Constructicons are seen later.
*It's a bit absurd that the electrum, a substance that makes Transformers invulnerable to laser fire, was detonated by a barrage of laser fire.
*Though the ending is supposed to be sad, the usual "heroic Autobot victory music" is used for the scene (though this may have been an intentional bit of irony).

===Trivia===
*This is the first episode since the premiere to have new [[commercial bumper]]s. They're all new and feature: Omega Supreme, Thrust, Devastator, Astrotrain and Cosmos.
*This is a rare human-free episode (though there are plenty of Disney-esque animals).
*Man, Skywarp sure didn't mention letting the prisoners get away, huh?

===Foreign localization===
'''Brazilian'''
:*''Title:'' "'''A Lagoa Dourada'''" ("The Golden Lagoon")
:*''Original airdate:''

'''German'''
:*''Title (Generation 2 dub):'' "'''Die goldene Lagune'''" ("The Golden Lagoon")
:*''Original airdate:'' [[July 16]], [[1994]]

'''Italian'''
:*''Title (dub 2):'' "'''Il lago dorato'''" ("The Golden Lake")
:*''Original airdate:'' ?
:*This episode was never broadcast in Italy in the '80s and, as such, it only got dubbed in Italian with the 2008 full G1 redubbing.

'''Japanese'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Golden Lagoon no Himitsu'''" (ゴールデンラグーンの秘密, "Secret of the Golden Lagoon")
:*''Original airdate:'' [[March 21]], [[1986]] (''see note below'')
:*In Japan, this episode only aired in the Kansai region (on March 21) and was never given a proper nationwide broadcast. Due to this, official episode guides, including those printed in ''[[Transformers Generations]]'', offer no proper airdate for the episode. Oddly, its official Japanese episode number is 31, which places it between [[February 7]] and [[February 14]], [[1986]] rather than among the March-broadcast episodes. Incidentally, "[[The Girl Who Loved Powerglide]]" aired in all other regions on March 21.

'''Mandarin'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Jīn Jiāohú'''" (金礁湖, "The Golden Lagoon")
:*''Original airdate:'' ?

'''Russian'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Zolotaya lagoona'''" (Золотая лагуна, "The Golden Lagoon")
:*''Original airdate:'' ?

===Toys inspired by this episode===
{{Stub|Lucky draws, possibly?}}
====Transformers Golden Lagoon====
A series of figures was released by [[Takara Tomy]] under the ''Golden Lagoon'' banner in reference to this episode, as well as in celebration of 2019's 35th Anniversary of the ''Transformers'' franchise.
[[File:TF 35th Golden Lagoon Convoy.jpg|upright=1.0|thumb]]
*'''Golden Lagoon [[Optimus Prime (G1)/toys#Golden Lagoon|Convoy]]''' ([[July 29]], [[2018]])
:A gold and gold chrome redeco of MP-10. Part of TakaraTomy's 35th anniversary celebration, he was initially released at Summer Wonder Festival 2018, and later through [[Cybertron Satellite]] stores across Japan and [[TakaraTomy Mall]].
{{-}}

[[File:TF-GoldenLagoon-3Pack.jpg|upright=1.0|thumb]]
*'''Golden Lagoon [[Beachcomber (G1)#Golden Lagoon|Beachcomber]] / [[Perceptor (G1)/toys#Golden Lagoon|Perceptor]] / [[Seaspray (G1)#Golden Lagoon|Seaspray]]''' (November 2018)
:Gold and gold chrome redecos of ''[[Power of the Primes (toyline)|Power of the Primes]]'' [[Beachcomber (G1)#Golden Lagoon|Beachcomber]], ''Titans Return'' [[Perceptor (G1)/toys#Golden Lagoon|Perceptor]] and ''Titans Return'' [[Seaspray (G1)#Golden Lagoon|Seaspray]]. This set was released exclusively at [[TakaraTomy Mall]] as part of TakaraTomy's celebration of the franchise's 35th anniversary.
{{-}}

[[File:TF 35th Golden Lagoon Starscream.jpg|upright=1.0|May also be repurposed as the now identical looking Skywarp and Thundercracker.|thumb]]
*'''Golden Lagoon [[Starscream (G1)/toys#Golden Lagoon|Starscream]]''' (October 2018)
:A gold and gold chrome redeco of ''Unite Warriors'' Starscream in homage of this episode of the [[The Transformers (cartoon)|original cartoon]]. He was released in [[TakaraTomy Mall]] and in [[Cybertron Satellite]] stores as part of TakaraTomy's celebration of the franchise's 35th anniversary.
{{-}}

[[File:35th-Golden-Lagoon-Soundwave.jpg|upright=1.0|thumb]]
*'''Golden Lagoon Soundwave''' (February 10, 2019)
:''Golden Lagoon'' [[Soundwave (G1)/toys#Golden Lagoon|Soundwave]] is a redeco of his ''[[Titans Return (toyline)|Titans Return]]'' figure, in gold end gold-chromed color scheme, based on this episode, although his tape door remains clear, rather than gold opaque. He retains his previous base mode and comes with a Titan Master partner for his head.
{{-}}

==Home video releases==
{{homevidnote}}
;{{w|LaserDisc}}
[[File:Flag of Japan.png|20px|Japan]] 1994 — ''Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers'' — Convoy Set ([[TakaraTomy|Takara]]) — Japanese audio only. 
[[File:Flag of Japan.png|20px|Japan]] 1998 — ''The Transformers'' — Autobot Edition ([[Geneon Universal Entertainment|Pioneer LDC]]) — Japanese audio only.
;DVD
[[File:Flag of Japan.png|20px|Japan]] 2001 — ''The Transformers'' — DVD Box 1 (Pioneer LDC) — Japanese audio only. 
[[File:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2003 — ''The Original Transformers'' — Season 2 Part 2 ([[The Original Transformers|Rhino Entertainment]]) 
[[File:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2003 — ''The Original Transformers'' — Season 2 Part 2: Vol. 5 (Rhino Entertainment) 
[[File:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2004 — ''Transformers'' — Season 2 Part 2 ([[Metrodome]]) 
[[File:Flag of Australia.png|20px|Australia]] 2004 — ''Transformers'' — Collection 3: Series 2.2 ([[Madman Entertainment]]) 
[[File:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2006 — ''Transformers'' — The Complete Generation One Collection (Metrodome) 
[[File:Flag of Australia.png|20px|Australia]] 2006 — The Best of ''The Transformers'' (Madman Entertainment) 
[[File:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2007 — ''Transformers'' — The Classic Episodes (Metrodome) 
[[File:Flag of Australia.png|20px|Australia]] 2007 — ''The Transformers'' — Complete Collection (Madman Entertainment) 
[[File:Flag of Italy.png|20px|Italy]] 2008 — ''Transformers'' — Volume 04: Stagione Due Parte Seconda ([[Medianetwork Communication]]) — English and Italian audio. 
[[File:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2009 — ''Transformers'' — Season Two: Part Two (Metrodome) 
[[File:Flag of Australia.png|20px|Australia]] 2009 — ''The Transformers'' — Complete Collection: Decepticon Edition (Madman Entertainment) 
[[File:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2009 — ''The Transformers'' — Season Two, Volume One: 25th Anniversary Edition ([[Shout! Factory]]) 
[[File:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2009 — ''The Transformers'' — The Complete Series: 25th Anniversary "Matrix of Leadership" Collection (Shout! Factory) 
[[File:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2011 — ''The Transformers'' — The Complete Original Series (Shout! Factory) 
[[File:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2014 — ''The Transformers'' — Season Two, Volume One: 30th Anniversary Edition (Shout! Factory) 
[[File:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2014 — ''Transformers'' — The Classic Animated Series (Metrodome)

==External links==
*[http://cybertronchronicle.freewebspace.com/cartoon-dossier/season-2/synopses/700-40.html Episode Dossier at The Cybertron Chronicle]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Golden Lagoon}}
[[Category:The Transformers episodes]]
[[Category:Generation 2 episodes]]

The Golden Lagoon (episode)

2019-12-23T15:35:56Z

Dvegaj: /* added details on Powerglide's appearances */

{{disambig2|the cartoon episode|the ''Legends'' event|The Golden Lagoon (Legends)}}
{{episode
|image=GoldenLagoon Beachcomber in lagoon.jpg
|caption=Beachcomber is into watersports.
|series=G1toon
|ep=41
|series2=SRLFtoon
|ep2=31
|prev2=A Decepticon Raider in King Arthur's Court (episode)
|next2=The God Gambit
|series3=''[[Transformers: Generation 2 (cartoon)|Transformers: Generation 2]]''
|ep3=12
|prev3=A Decepticon Raider in King Arthur's Court (episode)
|next3=Prime Target (episode)
|title="The Golden Lagoon"
|airdate=[[November 4]], 1985
|written by=[[Dennis Marks]]
|production code=#700-40
|production company=[[Sunbow Productions]]
|animation studio=[[Toei]]
|continuity=[[Generation 1 cartoon continuity]]
}}

'''Beachcomber finds a pool of golden liquid that renders his hand invulnerable. Unfortunately, the Decepticons do too, and decide to take a dip.'''

==Synopsis==
[[File:Goldenlagoonbeachcomber1.jpg|left|thumb|Friend of all God's creatures.]]

[[Beachcomber (G1)|Beachcomber]], [[Powerglide (G1)|Powerglide]], [[Seaspray (G1)|Seaspray]], [[Perceptor (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Perceptor]] and [[Warpath (G1)|Warpath]] are taking a walk along the beach when they are attacked by [[Blitzwing (G1)|Blitzwing]], [[Ramjet (G1)|Ramjet]] and [[Thrust (G1)|Thrust]]. In the middle of the battle, pacifist Beachcomber takes cover and finds a secluded glen full of flora and fauna right out of a Disney cartoon. In the middle of enjoying this impromptu petting zoo, the glint of gold catches his eye. In the middle of the glen is a pool of golden liquid he dips his hand into and identifies as "[[electrum]]". A rockslide sends him back to where he came from, just as Thrust flies over the glen and makes the same discovery. Thrust jumps into the pool and comes out completely covered in the gold liquid.

Beachcomber arrives back at the battle as the tide is turning against the Decepticons. Just then, Thrust appears and survives a powerful Autobot barrage without sustaining a scratch, thanks to his electrum coating. Warpath shoots an opening into the cliff face that he, Powerglide and Beachcomber hide in, while Thrust kidnaps Perceptor and Seaspray.

At Decepticon headquarters, the Autobots are imprisoned while Thrust notifies [[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Megatron]] of the electrum pool. They hurry off to the glen and Megatron orders [[Starscream (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Starscream]] to jump in. When he emerges, Megatron shoots him, but the blast bounces off. The rest of the Decepticons jump into the pool and emerge, then have fun shooting each other. Megatron declares the Autobots are finished as the glen around them burns and the animals cower.

[[File:Goldenlagoonstarscreamjump.jpg|right|thumb|Normally, Skywarp would be the one to kick Starscream into the giant pool of urine.]]

Powerglide, Beachcomber, Warpath, [[Mirage (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Mirage]] and [[Smokescreen (G1)|Smokescreen]] regroup and prepare to go after the Decepticons again. Beachcomber hasn't told anyone about his discovery yet. The group rushes off and meets up with the electrum-plated Decepticons, and are quickly dispatched because their weapons have no effect. More Autobots join the battle, but their weapons are useless. Beachcomber realizes that they've found the electrum and drives off.

The Decepticons return to headquarters and Starscream forces Seaspray and Perceptor to fight each other. [[Soundwave (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Soundwave]] rushes off to tell Megatron as Starscream gives the Autobots weapons.

Smokescreen, damaged from the battle, asks [[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]] to help and the giant Autobot declares (a bit prematurely) that failure is impossible.

[[File:GoldenlagoonOSdown.jpg|left|215px|thumb|Gulliver's Travels on acid.]]

Meanwhile, Beachcomber arrives back at the glen and finds the Decepticons have burnt it nearly to the ground. He is captured by Blitzwing while Soundwave tattles on Starscream. Megatron orders everyone to fight Omega Supreme. When they attack Omega fires, but even his weapons have no effect and he falls under enemy fire. Megatron sets his sights on [[Ark (G1)|Autobot headquarters]] next.

At Autobot headquarters, Mirage reports on Omega's defeat and [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] can hardly believe it. [[Teletraan I]] reports a single word to them—electrum. Prime recognizes its significance and sends out teams to try to find it.

Powerglide discreetly follows the Decepticons and sees them swimming in the electrum. He flies off to report the discovery to Optimus.

Megatron gives the task of dispatching Beachcomber, Perceptor and Seaspray to Starscream. When [[Skywarp (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Skywarp]] and [[Thundercracker (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Thundercracker]] come to take the prisoners to Starscream, Beachcomber forgoes his pacifist ways and overcomes both of them. He frees Perceptor and Seaspray and they swim back to the surface and head toward the golden lagoon. With Dirge left alone as guard while all of the others head to the fight, the trio takes him out, just as Prime and the rest of the Autobots arrive. Beachcomber invites them to jump into the electrum with him.

[[File:Goldenlagoonautobotline.jpg|right|215px|thumb|Lucky Draw Roll Call!]]

Back at Autobot headquarters, Megatron and company attack but they discover the base is empty. Megatron orders everyone back to the lagoon, where the electrum-coated Autobots are waiting for them, including Omega Supreme. The two sides fight, but since their weapons are useless the blasts bounce off and destroy the countryside around them. As the battle continues, the electrum on the Decepticons wears off. His advantage lost and seriously out-gunned, Megatron destroys the lagoon and orders a retreat. The Autobots cheer their victory, but Beachcomber laments the destruction of the glen.
{{-}}

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
*[[Warpath (G1)|Warpath]] (1)
*[[Perceptor (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Perceptor]] (2)
*[[Seaspray (G1)|Seaspray]] (3)
*[[Powerglide (G1)|Powerglide]] (4)
*[[Beachcomber (G1)|Beachcomber]] (5)
*[[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]] (8)
*[[Smokescreen (G1)|Smokescreen]] (9)
*[[Mirage (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Mirage]] (10)
*[[Gears (G1)|Gears]] (15)
*[[Wheeljack (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Wheeljack]] (16)
*[[Bluestreak (G1)|Bluestreak]] (17)
*[[Hound (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Hound]] (18)
*[[Brawn (G1)|Brawn]] (19)
*[[Sunstreaker (G1)|Sunstreaker]] (20)
*[[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] (22)
*[[Ironhide (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ironhide]] (23)
*[[Bumblebee (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Bumblebee]] (25)
*[[Jazz (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Jazz]] (26)
*[[Sideswipe (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Sideswipe]] (27)
*[[Ratchet (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ratchet]] (28)
*[[Trailbreaker (G1)|Trailbreaker]] (29)
*[[Windcharger (G1)|Windcharger]] (30)
|c2=
*[[Blitzwing (G1)|Blitzwing]] (1)
*[[Thrust (G1)|Thrust]] (2)
*[[Ramjet (G1)|Ramjet]] (3)
*[[Skywarp (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Skywarp]] (4)
*[[Thundercracker (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Thundercracker]] (5)
*[[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Megatron]] (6)
*[[Starscream (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Starscream]] (7)
*[[Soundwave (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Soundwave]] (11)
*[[Skywarp (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Skywarp]] (12)
*[[Reflector (G1)|Reflector]] (13)
*[[Dirge (G1)|Dirge]] (14)
*[[Rumble (G1)|Rumble]] (21)
*[[Long Haul (G1)|Long Haul]] (24)
}}

==Quotes==
"Thrust, my man, you are about to become number-one Decepticon."
:—'''Thrust''', anticipating a promotion

"Personally, I need proof!" 
"''Personally'', I don't care ''what'' you need!"
:—'''Megatron''' puts '''Starscream''' in his place, again.

[[File:Laserrave.gif|right|324px|thumb|You're right, Megatron, this ''is'' enjoyable.]]

"Just shoot up the whole cloud! He's in there somewhere!"
:—'''Megatron''' uses a rather sound tactic to foil Smokescreen's camouflage.

"Sunstreaker, our weapons don't seem to have any effect on them." 
"I'll blast a few big D's for ya, and you’ll see what a difference a pro makes."
:—'''Mirage''' and '''Sunstreaker'''

"Show no mercy!" 
"Did we ever?"
:—'''Megatron''' and '''Starscream'''

"Results: disappointing."
:—'''Omega Supreme''' after three rounds of fire have no effect on the Decepticons.

'''Megatron''': Victory over the Autobots is here. 
'''Starscream''': Cut the oration, Megatron. We already heard it. 
'''Skywarp''': Yeah, let's talk about victory after we’ve got it.
:—the troops sass back to Megatron now that they're invulnerable.

"We won..."
:—'''Beachcomber'''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s bitter statement as he surveys the wreckage of the lagoon.

==Notes==
===Continuity notes===
[[File:Beachcomber with bird.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.1|"Gee Beachcomber, I didn't know you spoke bird." "No, that's Italian."]]
*Gadgets and powers:
**Beachcomber is shown to have a [[universal translator|translator that lets him understand animals]]. Assuming all Transformers have this, it would explain how they manage to communicate with every species they come across.
**A glowing sensor in Beachcomber's chest reacts to the presence of the electrum.
**Seaspray has a large top-mounted cannon and two smaller cannons that can deploy from his superstructure.
**[[Furmanism|Like some vast, predatory bird]] Thrust deploys talons to capture Perceptor and Seaspray.
**Perceptor can retract his wrist and fire a missile from it.
**Warpath can likewise fire cryogenic shells from his retracted wrist. At the same time, Powerglide is shown using his forehead-mounted thermal ray.
**Smokescreen can deploy his shoulder missile launchers from the hood of his car mode.
**Smokescreen deploys his smoke from pipes that emerge from his trunk, rather than the usual tailpipe location.
**Sunstreaker uses a rooftop cannon in car mode.
**Blitzwing's laser gun can act as a magnetic tractor beam.
[[File:GoldenLagoon-PowerglideSmokescreenWarpath.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.1]]
*Beachcomber reacts to the electrum with a cry of "[[Great Maximus]]!"
*Warpath speaks with glowing cheek blinkers in this episode.
*In a nice touch of continuity, Perceptor's shoulder cannon is not present when he's held captive. Somehow he's got it back after the escape, however.

===Real-world references===
*At the beginning of the episode, Perceptor stops to examine a rock on the beach with "traces of gold and silver". It's not just a random aside, but foreshadowing: in the real world, electrum is an alloy of gold and silver.
*When Warpath voices his excitement about KAZOWYing Decepticons, Powerglide reminds him that it's a rescue mission and not "the {{w|Charge of the Light Brigade}}", a catastrophic cavalry charge during the Crimean War.
*''[[Star Wars (franchise)|Star Wars]]'' sound effects:
**[[Obi-Wan Kenobi]] and [[Darth Vader]] slashing some equipment with their [[lightsaber]]s is used as the sound of Seaspray's laser fruitlessly hitting a Decepticon in the undersea base.
**[[TIE Fighter]] engine as the Decepticons fly through Omega's initial blasts.
**Lightsaber ignition as Megatron's blast hits Omega Supreme.
**''[[Millennium Falcon]]'' engine noise and Death Star super laser as the Decepticons take off after defeating Omega.
**[[X-wing Fighter|X-Wing]] whine as Powerglide takes off to follow the Decepticons, and again as the 'cons take off inside their headquarters.

===Animation and technical errors===
*Wrong weapon sounds:
**As he trades shots with Ramjet, Seaspray's cannon steals Optimus Prime's laser sound effect. A moment later, it changes to the standard Autobot laser sound.
**The Decepticons' guns use the sound effects of Cobra's guns (from G.I.Joe) during the attack on Sunstreaker's team. Powerglide and the other Autobots likewise get a GI Joe laser noise as they fire.
*Coloring errors:
**Blitzwing's helmet is purple instead of yellow as he stands to join the attack on the beach.
**Perceptor's chest rim is dark gray instead of silver as he turns to fire on the newly electrum-coated Thrust.
**The sides of Skywarp's helmet are colored white when he and Thundercracker present Perceptor and Seaspray to Megatron. It makes him look like he has chubby cheeks!
**Smokescreen's forehead crest is blue instead of yellow as he ponders what Beachcomber is thinking.
**Bluestreak is colored like Prowl as the Decepticons dive to attack.
**Brawn's helmet is olive green instead of gray-silver as he transforms to fire on the Decepticons with Sunstreaker's squad.
*Warpath seems to have lost most of a line; as he's trading shots with him, he says "Blitzwing." for no clear reason.
*One gun, many lasers:
**Thrust's lasers split in two on leaving his guns, giving him 4 lasers. But as he strafes the cliff from off-screen, nearly a dozen lasers are shown streaking in.
**Thrust throws one piece of ice at Powerglide and Warpath, who are hit by dozens of pieces of ice.
*Starscream's missing one of his wing insignia after he lands at the electrum pool.
*Thundercracker likewise has only one wing insignia as Starscream dives into the pool.
*As he drives toward the Decepticons, Smokescreen's smoke camouflage has somehow gotten in front of him.
[[File:GoldenLagoon Mirage reports to Autobots.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.1]]
*When Mirage reports, Bluestreak's head crest is drawn as a pair of squared boxes on his head.
*Sunstreaker's squad gets the wrong transforming sound (ascending pitch) as they transform and roll out.
*Skywarp and Thundercracker are shown listening to Starscream pontificate... yet a second later they walk in from another room with the Autobot prisoners.
*The first syllable of Soundwave's report to Megatron is cut off, leaving him saying "Port on Starscream's activity completed."
*In the big lineup of golden Autobots, Windcharger is a bit deformed and off-model.
*All of this said? We think this episode probably deserves some kind of award for never once accidentally colouring Beachcomber's golden hand its normal blue.

===Continuity errors===
*It's never made clear if the Autobots in the opening scene were looking for rare minerals, or if Perceptor just ''happened'' to get lucky on patrol near a ''beach''.
*Seaspray is somehow able to ''fly'' in hovercraft mode. While it's consistent with his other appearances, hovercrafts do '''NOT''' work that way!
*Thrust dives into the electrum and says he's about to become "number one Decepticon," implying he's planning a coup or something, but later simply reports the find to Megatron. Did he just change his mind on the way back or did he expect Megatron to reward him?
*When Starscream dives into the pool of electrum, he holds his nose, despite the fact that robots normally don't need to breathe. One may chalk it up to a cute little joke inserted by the animators.
*Powerglide's chronological appearances in this episode are completely messed up. First, he participates in the first battle against the Decepticon forces after they're all coated in electrum, in which he dogfights them in the air and tries to shoot down one of them, only to discover his weapons don't work thanks to their electrum coating (and this AFTER fighting Thrust, who was already invulnerable to his and the other Autobot's weapons), and he's swiftly shot down into the sea. Next, Powerglide appears alongside Omega Supreme, telling him of the "Decepticon armada dead ahead" right before the Autobot giant is attacked and defeated by Megatron and his forces. THEN, Powerglide reappears from the sea, seemingly wounded and covered in some seaweed, which he takes off himself upon reaching the beach, right before following the Decepticons back to the electrum pool. Evidently, it seems the previous scene with Powerglide and Omega was added later in the production.
*So...why ''was'' Mirage hanging around (invisible) for 10 minutes?
*Later in the show, Mirage turns invisible in [[alternate mode|vehicle mode]]. Smokescreen is kicking up dust behind him (before he engages his smoke trail), so wouldn't Mirage's dust trail be noticeable as well?
*For some reason, no one seems to notice that the Decepticons are gold and invincible - nor do any of the Autobots seem to notice Beachcomber's golden hand. Yet when they discover the pond full of electrum, the Autobots know exactly what the chemical is and what it does.
[[File:G1toon starscream electrum.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.1|"I told you. Your weapons have no effect on me!" "It is my considered advice that you discontinue your use of said weapon!"]]
*Despite knowing that lasers are useless against electrum-coated opponents, both sides keep vainly shooting at each other in the big fight at the end, rather than coming to fisticuffs.
*Is the pool of electrum really deep enough to entirely coat Omega Supreme?
*After shooting down some Decepticons when their electrum begins to wear off, Omega Supreme completely vanishes from the battlefield. This is particularly noticeable in the wide shot when the lagoon is being destroyed.
*Megatron and the Decepticons are all rather surprised when the electrum coating wears off, but if they didn't know it was temporary, why were they bothering to stockpile it?
*Long Haul says he's going off to join the main force, but neither he nor the rest of the Constructicons are seen later.
*It's a bit absurd that the electrum, a substance that makes Transformers invulnerable to laser fire, was detonated by a barrage of laser fire.
*Though the ending is supposed to be sad, the usual "heroic Autobot victory music" is used for the scene (though this may have been an intentional bit of irony).

===Trivia===
*This is the first episode since the premiere to have new [[commercial bumper]]s. They're all new and feature: Omega Supreme, Thrust, Devastator, Astrotrain and Cosmos.
*This is a rare human-free episode (though there are plenty of Disney-esque animals).
*Man, Skywarp sure didn't mention letting the prisoners get away, huh?

===Foreign localization===
'''Brazilian'''
:*''Title:'' "'''A Lagoa Dourada'''" ("The Golden Lagoon")
:*''Original airdate:''

'''German'''
:*''Title (Generation 2 dub):'' "'''Die goldene Lagune'''" ("The Golden Lagoon")
:*''Original airdate:'' [[July 16]], [[1994]]

'''Italian'''
:*''Title (dub 2):'' "'''Il lago dorato'''" ("The Golden Lake")
:*''Original airdate:'' ?
:*This episode was never broadcast in Italy in the '80s and, as such, it only got dubbed in Italian with the 2008 full G1 redubbing.

'''Japanese'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Golden Lagoon no Himitsu'''" (ゴールデンラグーンの秘密, "Secret of the Golden Lagoon")
:*''Original airdate:'' [[March 21]], [[1986]] (''see note below'')
:*In Japan, this episode only aired in the Kansai region (on March 21) and was never given a proper nationwide broadcast. Due to this, official episode guides, including those printed in ''[[Transformers Generations]]'', offer no proper airdate for the episode. Oddly, its official Japanese episode number is 31, which places it between [[February 7]] and [[February 14]], [[1986]] rather than among the March-broadcast episodes. Incidentally, "[[The Girl Who Loved Powerglide]]" aired in all other regions on March 21.

'''Mandarin'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Jīn Jiāohú'''" (金礁湖, "The Golden Lagoon")
:*''Original airdate:'' ?

'''Russian'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Zolotaya lagoona'''" (Золотая лагуна, "The Golden Lagoon")
:*''Original airdate:'' ?

===Toys inspired by this episode===
{{Stub|Lucky draws, possibly?}}
====Transformers Golden Lagoon====
A series of figures was released by [[Takara Tomy]] under the ''Golden Lagoon'' banner in reference to this episode, as well as in celebration of 2019's 35th Anniversary of the ''Transformers'' franchise.
[[File:TF 35th Golden Lagoon Convoy.jpg|upright=1.0|thumb]]
*'''Golden Lagoon [[Optimus Prime (G1)/toys#Golden Lagoon|Convoy]]''' ([[July 29]], [[2018]])
:A gold and gold chrome redeco of MP-10. Part of TakaraTomy's 35th anniversary celebration, he was initially released at Summer Wonder Festival 2018, and later through [[Cybertron Satellite]] stores across Japan and [[TakaraTomy Mall]].
{{-}}

[[File:TF-GoldenLagoon-3Pack.jpg|upright=1.0|thumb]]
*'''Golden Lagoon [[Beachcomber (G1)#Golden Lagoon|Beachcomber]] / [[Perceptor (G1)/toys#Golden Lagoon|Perceptor]] / [[Seaspray (G1)#Golden Lagoon|Seaspray]]''' (November 2018)
:Gold and gold chrome redecos of ''[[Power of the Primes (toyline)|Power of the Primes]]'' [[Beachcomber (G1)#Golden Lagoon|Beachcomber]], ''Titans Return'' [[Perceptor (G1)/toys#Golden Lagoon|Perceptor]] and ''Titans Return'' [[Seaspray (G1)#Golden Lagoon|Seaspray]]. This set was released exclusively at [[TakaraTomy Mall]] as part of TakaraTomy's celebration of the franchise's 35th anniversary.
{{-}}

[[File:TF 35th Golden Lagoon Starscream.jpg|upright=1.0|May also be repurposed as the now identical looking Skywarp and Thundercracker.|thumb]]
*'''Golden Lagoon [[Starscream (G1)/toys#Golden Lagoon|Starscream]]''' (October 2018)
:A gold and gold chrome redeco of ''Unite Warriors'' Starscream in homage of this episode of the [[The Transformers (cartoon)|original cartoon]]. He was released in [[TakaraTomy Mall]] and in [[Cybertron Satellite]] stores as part of TakaraTomy's celebration of the franchise's 35th anniversary.
{{-}}

[[File:35th-Golden-Lagoon-Soundwave.jpg|upright=1.0|thumb]]
*'''Golden Lagoon Soundwave''' (February 10, 2019)
:''Golden Lagoon'' [[Soundwave (G1)/toys#Golden Lagoon|Soundwave]] is a redeco of his ''[[Titans Return (toyline)|Titans Return]]'' figure, in gold end gold-chromed color scheme, based on this episode, although his tape door remains clear, rather than gold opaque. He retains his previous base mode and comes with a Titan Master partner for his head.
{{-}}

==Home video releases==
{{homevidnote}}
;{{w|LaserDisc}}
[[File:Flag of Japan.png|20px|Japan]] 1994 — ''Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers'' — Convoy Set ([[TakaraTomy|Takara]]) — Japanese audio only. 
[[File:Flag of Japan.png|20px|Japan]] 1998 — ''The Transformers'' — Autobot Edition ([[Geneon Universal Entertainment|Pioneer LDC]]) — Japanese audio only.
;DVD
[[File:Flag of Japan.png|20px|Japan]] 2001 — ''The Transformers'' — DVD Box 1 (Pioneer LDC) — Japanese audio only. 
[[File:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2003 — ''The Original Transformers'' — Season 2 Part 2 ([[The Original Transformers|Rhino Entertainment]]) 
[[File:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2003 — ''The Original Transformers'' — Season 2 Part 2: Vol. 5 (Rhino Entertainment) 
[[File:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2004 — ''Transformers'' — Season 2 Part 2 ([[Metrodome]]) 
[[File:Flag of Australia.png|20px|Australia]] 2004 — ''Transformers'' — Collection 3: Series 2.2 ([[Madman Entertainment]]) 
[[File:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2006 — ''Transformers'' — The Complete Generation One Collection (Metrodome) 
[[File:Flag of Australia.png|20px|Australia]] 2006 — The Best of ''The Transformers'' (Madman Entertainment) 
[[File:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2007 — ''Transformers'' — The Classic Episodes (Metrodome) 
[[File:Flag of Australia.png|20px|Australia]] 2007 — ''The Transformers'' — Complete Collection (Madman Entertainment) 
[[File:Flag of Italy.png|20px|Italy]] 2008 — ''Transformers'' — Volume 04: Stagione Due Parte Seconda ([[Medianetwork Communication]]) — English and Italian audio. 
[[File:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2009 — ''Transformers'' — Season Two: Part Two (Metrodome) 
[[File:Flag of Australia.png|20px|Australia]] 2009 — ''The Transformers'' — Complete Collection: Decepticon Edition (Madman Entertainment) 
[[File:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2009 — ''The Transformers'' — Season Two, Volume One: 25th Anniversary Edition ([[Shout! Factory]]) 
[[File:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2009 — ''The Transformers'' — The Complete Series: 25th Anniversary "Matrix of Leadership" Collection (Shout! Factory) 
[[File:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2011 — ''The Transformers'' — The Complete Original Series (Shout! Factory) 
[[File:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2014 — ''The Transformers'' — Season Two, Volume One: 30th Anniversary Edition (Shout! Factory) 
[[File:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2014 — ''Transformers'' — The Classic Animated Series (Metrodome)

==External links==
*[http://cybertronchronicle.freewebspace.com/cartoon-dossier/season-2/synopses/700-40.html Episode Dossier at The Cybertron Chronicle]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Golden Lagoon}}
[[Category:The Transformers episodes]]
[[Category:Generation 2 episodes]]

The Golden Lagoon (episode)

2019-03-07T00:32:23Z

Dvegaj: /* Continuity errors */

{{disambig2|the cartoon episode|the ''Legends'' event|The Golden Lagoon (Legends)}}
{{episode
|image=GoldenLagoon Beachcomber in lagoon.jpg
|caption=Beachcomber is into watersports.
|series=G1toon
|ep=41
|series2=SRLFtoon
|ep2=31
|prev2=A Decepticon Raider in King Arthur's Court (episode)
|next2=The God Gambit
|series3=''[[Transformers: Generation 2 (cartoon)|Transformers: Generation 2]]''
|ep3=12
|prev3=A Decepticon Raider in King Arthur's Court (episode)
|next3=Prime Target (episode)
|title="The Golden Lagoon"
|airdate=[[November 4]], 1985
|written by=[[Dennis Marks]]
|production code=#700-40
|production company=[[Sunbow Productions]]
|animation studio=[[Toei]]
|continuity=[[Generation 1 cartoon continuity]]
}}

'''Beachcomber finds a pool of golden liquid that renders his hand invulnerable. Unfortunately, the Decepticons do too, and decide to take a dip.'''

==Synopsis==
[[File:Goldenlagoonbeachcomber1.jpg|left|thumb|Friend of all God's creatures.]]

[[Beachcomber (G1)|Beachcomber]], [[Powerglide (G1)|Powerglide]], [[Seaspray (G1)|Seaspray]], [[Perceptor (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Perceptor]] and [[Warpath (G1)|Warpath]] are taking a walk along the beach when they are attacked by [[Blitzwing (G1)|Blitzwing]], [[Ramjet (G1)|Ramjet]] and [[Thrust (G1)|Thrust]]. In the middle of the battle, pacifist Beachcomber takes cover and finds a secluded glen full of flora and fauna right out of a Disney cartoon. In the middle of enjoying this impromptu petting zoo, the glint of gold catches his eye. In the middle of the glen is a pool of golden liquid he dips his hand into and identifies as "[[electrum]]". A rockslide sends him back to where he came from, just as Thrust flies over the glen and makes the same discovery. Thrust jumps into the pool and comes out completely covered in the gold liquid.

Beachcomber arrives back at the battle as the tide is turning against the Decepticons. Just then, Thrust appears and survives a powerful Autobot barrage without sustaining a scratch, thanks to his electrum coating. Warpath shoots an opening into the cliff face that he, Powerglide and Beachcomber hide in, while Thrust kidnaps Perceptor and Seaspray.

At Decepticon headquarters, the Autobots are imprisoned while Thrust notifies [[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Megatron]] of the electrum pool. They hurry off to the glen and Megatron orders [[Starscream (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Starscream]] to jump in. When he emerges, Megatron shoots him, but the blast bounces off. The rest of the Decepticons jump into the pool and emerge, then have fun shooting each other. Megatron declares the Autobots are finished as the glen around them burns and the animals cower.

[[File:Goldenlagoonstarscreamjump.jpg|right|thumb|Normally, Skywarp would be the one to kick Starscream into the giant pool of urine.]]

Powerglide, Beachcomber, Warpath, [[Mirage (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Mirage]] and [[Smokescreen (G1)|Smokescreen]] regroup and prepare to go after the Decepticons again. Beachcomber hasn't told anyone about his discovery yet. The group rushes off and meets up with the electrum-plated Decepticons, and are quickly dispatched because their weapons have no effect. More Autobots join the battle, but their weapons are useless. Beachcomber realizes that they've found the electrum and drives off.

The Decepticons return to headquarters and Starscream forces Seaspray and Perceptor to fight each other. [[Soundwave (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Soundwave]] rushes off to tell Megatron as Starscream gives the Autobots weapons.

Smokescreen, damaged from the battle, asks [[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]] to help and the giant Autobot declares (a bit prematurely) that failure is impossible.

[[File:GoldenlagoonOSdown.jpg|left|215px|thumb|Gulliver's Travels on acid.]]

Meanwhile, Beachcomber arrives back at the glen and finds the Decepticons have burnt it nearly to the ground. He is captured by Blitzwing while Soundwave tattles on Starscream. Megatron orders everyone to fight Omega Supreme. When they attack Omega fires, but even his weapons have no effect and he falls under enemy fire. Megatron sets his sights on [[Ark (G1)|Autobot headquarters]] next.

At Autobot headquarters, Mirage reports on Omega's defeat and [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] can hardly believe it. [[Teletraan I]] reports a single word to them—electrum. Prime recognizes its significance and sends out teams to try to find it.

Powerglide discreetly follows the Decepticons and sees them swimming in the electrum. He flies off to report the discovery to Optimus.

Megatron gives the task of dispatching Beachcomber, Perceptor and Seaspray to Starscream. When [[Skywarp (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Skywarp]] and [[Thundercracker (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Thundercracker]] come to take the prisoners to Starscream, Beachcomber forgoes his pacifist ways and overcomes both of them. He frees Perceptor and Seaspray and they swim back to the surface and head toward the golden lagoon. With Dirge left alone as guard while all of the others head to the fight, the trio takes him out, just as Prime and the rest of the Autobots arrive. Beachcomber invites them to jump into the electrum with him.

[[File:Goldenlagoonautobotline.jpg|right|215px|thumb|Lucky Draw Roll Call!]]

Back at Autobot headquarters, Megatron and company attack but they discover the base is empty. Megatron orders everyone back to the lagoon, where the electrum-coated Autobots are waiting for them, including Omega Supreme. The two sides fight, but since their weapons are useless the blasts bounce off and destroy the countryside around them. As the battle continues, the electrum on the Decepticons wears off. His advantage lost and seriously out-gunned, Megatron destroys the lagoon and orders a retreat. The Autobots cheer their victory, but Beachcomber laments the destruction of the glen.
{{-}}

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
*[[Warpath (G1)|Warpath]] (1)
*[[Perceptor (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Perceptor]] (2)
*[[Seaspray (G1)|Seaspray]] (3)
*[[Powerglide (G1)|Powerglide]] (4)
*[[Beachcomber (G1)|Beachcomber]] (5)
*[[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]] (8)
*[[Smokescreen (G1)|Smokescreen]] (9)
*[[Mirage (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Mirage]] (10)
*[[Gears (G1)|Gears]] (15)
*[[Wheeljack (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Wheeljack]] (16)
*[[Bluestreak (G1)|Bluestreak]] (17)
*[[Hound (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Hound]] (18)
*[[Brawn (G1)|Brawn]] (19)
*[[Sunstreaker (G1)|Sunstreaker]] (20)
*[[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] (22)
*[[Ironhide (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ironhide]] (23)
*[[Bumblebee (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Bumblebee]] (25)
*[[Jazz (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Jazz]] (26)
*[[Sideswipe (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Sideswipe]] (27)
*[[Ratchet (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ratchet]] (28)
*[[Trailbreaker (G1)|Trailbreaker]] (29)
*[[Windcharger (G1)|Windcharger]] (30)
|c2=
*[[Blitzwing (G1)|Blitzwing]] (1)
*[[Thrust (G1)|Thrust]] (2)
*[[Ramjet (G1)|Ramjet]] (3)
*[[Skywarp (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Skywarp]] (4)
*[[Thundercracker (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Thundercracker]] (5)
*[[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Megatron]] (6)
*[[Starscream (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Starscream]] (7)
*[[Soundwave (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Soundwave]] (11)
*[[Skywarp (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Skywarp]] (12)
*[[Reflector (G1)|Reflector]] (13)
*[[Dirge (G1)|Dirge]] (14)
*[[Rumble (G1)|Rumble]] (21)
*[[Long Haul (G1)|Long Haul]] (24)
}}

==Quotes==
"Thrust, my man, you are about to become number-one Decepticon."
:—'''Thrust''', anticipating a promotion

"Personally, I need proof!" 
"''Personally'', I don't care ''what'' you need!"
:—'''Megatron''' puts '''Starscream''' in his place, again.

[[File:Laserrave.gif|right|324px|thumb|You're right, Megatron, this ''is'' enjoyable.]]

"Just shoot up the whole cloud! He's in there somewhere!"
:—'''Megatron''' uses a rather sound tactic to foil Smokescreen's camouflage.

"Sunstreaker, our weapons don't seem to have any effect on them." 
"I'll blast a few big D's for ya, and you’ll see what a difference a pro makes."
:—'''Mirage''' and '''Sunstreaker'''

"Show no mercy!" 
"Did we ever?"
:—'''Megatron''' and '''Starscream'''

"Results: disappointing."
:—'''Omega Supreme''' after three rounds of fire have no effect on the Decepticons.

'''Megatron''': Victory over the Autobots is here. 
'''Starscream''': Cut the oration, Megatron. We already heard it. 
'''Skywarp''': Yeah, let's talk about victory after we’ve got it.
:—the troops sass back to Megatron now that they're invulnerable.

"We won..."
:—'''Beachcomber'''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s bitter statement as he surveys the wreckage of the lagoon.

==Notes==
===Continuity notes===
[[File:Beachcomber with bird.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.1|"Gee Beachcomber, I didn't know you spoke bird." "No, that's Italian."]]
*Gadgets and powers:
**Beachcomber is shown to have a [[universal translator|translator that lets him understand animals]]. Assuming all Transformers have this, it would explain how they manage to communicate with every species they come across.
**A glowing sensor in Beachcomber's chest reacts to the presence of the electrum.
**Seaspray has a large top-mounted cannon and two smaller cannons that can deploy from his superstructure.
**[[Furmanism|Like some vast, predatory bird]] Thrust deploys talons to capture Perceptor and Seaspray.
**Perceptor can retract his wrist and fire a missile from it.
**Warpath can likewise fire cryogenic shells from his retracted wrist. At the same time, Powerglide is shown using his forehead-mounted thermal ray.
**Smokescreen can deploy his shoulder missile launchers from the hood of his car mode.
**Smokescreen deploys his smoke from pipes that emerge from his trunk, rather than the usual tailpipe location.
**Sunstreaker uses a rooftop cannon in car mode.
**Blitzwing's laser gun can act as a magnetic tractor beam.
[[File:GoldenLagoon-PowerglideSmokescreenWarpath.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.1]]
*Beachcomber reacts to the electrum with a cry of "[[Great Maximus]]!"
*Warpath speaks with glowing cheek blinkers in this episode.
*In a nice touch of continuity, Perceptor's shoulder cannon is not present when he's held captive. Somehow he's got it back after the escape, however.

===Real-world references===
*At the beginning of the episode, Perceptor stops to examine a rock on the beach with "traces of gold and silver". It's not just a random aside, but foreshadowing: in the real world, electrum is an alloy of gold and silver.
*When Warpath voices his excitement about KAZOWYing Decepticons, Powerglide reminds him that it's a rescue mission and not "the {{w|Charge of the Light Brigade}}", a catastrophic cavalry charge during the Crimean War.
*''[[Star Wars (franchise)|Star Wars]]'' sound effects:
**[[Obi-Wan Kenobi]] and [[Darth Vader]] slashing some equipment with their [[lightsaber]]s is used as the sound of Seaspray's laser fruitlessly hitting a Decepticon in the undersea base.
**[[TIE Fighter]] engine as the Decepticons fly through Omega's initial blasts.
**Lightsaber ignition as Megatron's blast hits Omega Supreme.
**''[[Millennium Falcon]]'' engine noise and Death Star super laser as the Decepticons take off after defeating Omega.
**[[X-wing Fighter|X-Wing]] whine as Powerglide takes off to follow the Decepticons, and again as the 'cons take off inside their headquarters.

===Animation and technical errors===
*Wrong weapon sounds:
**As he trades shots with Ramjet, Seaspray's cannon steals Optimus Prime's laser sound effect. A moment later, it changes to the standard Autobot laser sound.
**The Decepticons' guns use the sound effects of Cobra's guns (from G.I.Joe) during the attack on Sunstreaker's team. Powerglide and the other Autobots likewise get a GI Joe laser noise as they fire.
*Coloring errors:
**Blitzwing's helmet is purple instead of yellow as he stands to join the attack on the beach.
**Perceptor's chest rim is dark gray instead of silver as he turns to fire on the newly electrum-coated Thrust.
**The sides of Skywarp's helmet are colored white when he and Thundercracker present Perceptor and Seaspray to Megatron. It makes him look like he has chubby cheeks!
**Smokescreen's forehead crest is blue instead of yellow as he ponders what Beachcomber is thinking.
**Bluestreak is colored like Prowl as the Decepticons dive to attack.
**Brawn's helmet is olive green instead of gray-silver as he transforms to fire on the Decepticons with Sunstreaker's squad.
*Warpath seems to have lost most of a line; as he's trading shots with him, he says "Blitzwing." for no clear reason.
*One gun, many lasers:
**Thrust's lasers split in two on leaving his guns, giving him 4 lasers. But as he strafes the cliff from off-screen, nearly a dozen lasers are shown streaking in.
**Thrust throws one piece of ice at Powerglide and Warpath, who are hit by dozens of pieces of ice.
*Starscream's missing one of his wing insignia after he lands at the electrum pool.
*Thundercracker likewise has only one wing insignia as Starscream dives into the pool.
*As he drives toward the Decepticons, Smokescreen's smoke camouflage has somehow gotten in front of him.
[[File:GoldenLagoon Mirage reports to Autobots.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.1]]
*When Mirage reports, Bluestreak's head crest is drawn as a pair of squared boxes on his head.
*Sunstreaker's squad gets the wrong transforming sound (ascending pitch) as they transform and roll out.
*Skywarp and Thundercracker are shown listening to Starscream pontificate... yet a second later they walk in from another room with the Autobot prisoners.
*The first syllable of Soundwave's report to Megatron is cut off, leaving him saying "Port on Starscream's activity completed."
*In the big lineup of golden Autobots, Windcharger is a bit deformed and off-model.
*All of this said? We think this episode probably deserves some kind of award for never once accidentally colouring Beachcomber's golden hand its normal blue.

===Continuity errors===
*It's never made clear if the Autobots in the opening scene were looking for rare minerals, or if Perceptor just ''happened'' to get lucky on patrol near a ''beach''.
*Seaspray is somehow able to ''fly'' in hovercraft mode. While it's consistent with his other appearances, hovercrafts do '''NOT''' work that way!
*Thrust dives into the electrum and says he's about to become "number one Decepticon," implying he's planning a coup or something, but later simply reports the find to Megatron. Did he just change his mind on the way back or did he expect Megatron to reward him?
*When Starscream dives into the pool of electrum, he holds his nose, despite the fact that robots normally don't need to breathe. One may chalk it up to a cute little joke inserted by the animators.
*So...why ''was'' Mirage hanging around (invisible) for 10 minutes?
*Later in the show, Mirage turns invisible in [[alternate mode|vehicle mode]]. Smokescreen is kicking up dust behind him (before he engages his smoke trail), so wouldn't Mirage's dust trail be noticeable as well?
*For some reason, no one seems to notice that the Decepticons are gold and invincible - nor do any of the Autobots seem to notice Beachcomber's golden hand. Yet when they discover the pond full of electrum, the Autobots know exactly what the chemical is and what it does.
[[File:G1toon starscream electrum.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.1|"I told you. Your weapons have no effect on me!" "It is my considered advice that you discontinue your use of said weapon!"]]
*Despite knowing that lasers are useless against electrum-coated opponents, both sides keep vainly shooting at each other in the big fight at the end, rather than coming to fisticuffs.
*Is the pool of electrum really deep enough to entirely coat Omega Supreme?
*Speaking of Omega Supreme, his inclusion in the final battle, right after he was defeated by the Decepticons some time ago, seems extremely murky. Although we can assume Omega did not suffer fatal damage even after being blasted by a direct shot from Megatron's gun mode, and that he was repaired off-screen soon afterwards, either by himself or by the other Autobots, the fact that he only appears a mere three times in the final battle (in the one scene where he suddenly emerges from the electrum lagoon, then a few seconds after that, when Megatron orders his troops to attack and Omega fights back, thus beginning the said final battle, and his third and final appearance when he shoots and hits some Seekers after their electrum coating wore off), and he is not seen afterwards, neither when the Decepticons obliterate the lagoon (which was shown to be empty at that moment) nor among the Autobots when they celebrate their victory, makes it all seem like those aforementioned scenes were a rather late addition to the story; or in other words, it seems like originally Omega simply wasn't going to appear there. Which seems likely, considering he was supposed to have been defeated and disabled some hours before the final, decisive engagement.
*Megatron and the Decepticons are all rather surprised when the electrum coating wears off, but if they didn't know it was temporary, why were they bothering to stockpile it?
*Long Haul says he's going off to join the main force, but neither he nor the rest of the Constructicons are seen later.
*It's a bit absurd that the electrum, a substance that makes Transformers invulnerable to laser fire, was detonated by a barrage of laser fire.
*Though the ending is supposed to be sad, the usual "heroic Autobot victory music" is used for the scene (Though this may have been an intentional bit of irony.).

===Trivia===
*This is the first episode since the premiere to have new [[commercial bumper]]s. They're all new and feature: Omega Supreme, Thrust, Devastator, Astrotrain and Cosmos.
*This is a rare human-free episode (though there are plenty of Disney-esque animals).
*Man, Skywarp sure didn't mention letting the prisoners get away, huh?

===Foreign localization===
'''Brazilian'''
:*''Title:'' "'''A Lagoa Dourada'''" ("The Golden Lagoon")
:*''Original airdate:''

'''German'''
:*''Title (Generation 2 dub):'' "'''Die goldene Lagune'''" ("The Golden Lagoon")
:*''Original airdate:'' [[July 16]], [[1994]]

'''Italian'''
:*''Title (dub 2):'' "'''Il lago dorato'''" ("The Golden Lake")
:*''Original airdate:'' ?
:*This episode was never broadcast in Italy in the '80s and, as such, it only got dubbed in Italian with the 2008 full G1 redubbing.

'''Japanese'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Golden Lagoon no Himitsu'''" (ゴールデンラグーンの秘密, "Secret of the Golden Lagoon")
:*''Original airdate:'' [[March 21]], [[1986]] (''see note below'')
:*In Japan, this episode only aired in the Kansai region (on March 21) and was never given a proper nationwide broadcast. Due to this, official episode guides, including those printed in ''[[Transformers Generations]]'', offer no proper airdate for the episode. Oddly, its official Japanese episode number is 31, which places it between [[February 7]] and [[February 14]], [[1986]] rather than among the March-broadcast episodes. Incidentally, "[[The Girl Who Loved Powerglide]]" aired in all other regions on March 21.

'''Mandarin'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Jīn Jiāohú'''" (金礁湖, "The Golden Lagoon")
:*''Original airdate:'' ?

'''Russian'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Zolotaya lagoona'''" (Золотая лагуна, "The Golden Lagoon")
:*''Original airdate:'' ?

===Toys inspired by this episode===
{{Stub|Lucky draws, possibly?}}
====Transformers Golden Lagoon====
A series of figures was released by [[Takara Tomy]] under the ''Golden Lagoon'' banner in reference to this episode, as well as in celebration of 2019's 35th Anniversary of the ''Transformers'' franchise.
[[File:TF 35th Golden Lagoon Convoy.jpg|upright=1.0|thumb]]
*'''Golden Lagoon [[Optimus Prime (G1)/toys#Golden Lagoon|Convoy]]''' ([[July 29]], [[2018]])
:A gold and gold chrome redeco of MP-10. Part of TakaraTomy's 35th anniversary celebration, he was initially released at Summer Wonder Festival 2018, and later through [[Cybertron Satellite]] stores across Japan and [[TakaraTomy Mall]].
{{-}}

[[File:TF-GoldenLagoon-3Pack.jpg|upright=1.0|thumb]]
*'''Golden Lagoon [[Beachcomber (G1)#Golden Lagoon|Beachcomber]] / [[Perceptor (G1)/toys#Golden Lagoon|Perceptor]] / [[Seaspray (G1)#Golden Lagoon|Seaspray]]''' (November 2018)
:Gold and gold chrome redecos of ''[[Power of the Primes (toyline)|Power of the Primes]]'' [[Beachcomber (G1)#Golden Lagoon|Beachcomber]], ''Titans Return'' [[Perceptor (G1)/toys#Golden Lagoon|Perceptor]] and ''Titans Return'' [[Seaspray (G1)#Golden Lagoon|Seaspray]]. This set was released exclusively at [[TakaraTomy Mall]] as part of TakaraTomy's celebration of the franchise's 35th anniversary.
{{-}}

[[File:TF 35th Golden Lagoon Starscream.jpg|upright=1.0|thumb]]
*'''Golden Lagoon [[Starscream (G1)/toys#Golden Lagoon|Starscream]]''' (October 2018)
:A gold and gold chrome redeco of ''Unite Warriors'' Starscream in homage of this episode of the [[The Transformers (cartoon)|original cartoon]]. He was released in [[TakaraTomy Mall]] and in [[Cybertron Satellite]] stores as part of TakaraTomy's celebration of the franchise's 35th anniversary.
{{-}}

[[File:35th-Golden-Lagoon-Soundwave.jpg|upright=1.0|thumb]]
*'''Golden Lagoon Soundwave''' (February 10, 2019)
:''Golden Lagoon'' [[Soundwave (G1)/toys#Golden Lagoon|Soundwave]] is a redeco of his ''[[Titans Return (toyline)|Titans Return]]'' figure, in gold end gold-chromed color scheme, based on this episode, although his tape door remains clear, rather than gold opaque. He retains his previous base mode and comes with a Titan Master partner for his head.

{{comingsoontoy}}
{{-}}

==Home video releases==
{{homevidnote}}
;{{w|LaserDisc}}
[[File:Flag of Japan.png|20px|Japan]] 1994 — ''Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers'' — Convoy Set ([[TakaraTomy|Takara]]) — Japanese audio only. 
[[File:Flag of Japan.png|20px|Japan]] 1998 — ''The Transformers'' — Autobot Edition ([[Geneon Universal Entertainment|Pioneer LDC]]) — Japanese audio only.
;DVD
[[File:Flag of Japan.png|20px|Japan]] 2001 — ''The Transformers'' — DVD Box 1 (Pioneer LDC) — Japanese audio only. 
[[File:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2003 — ''The Original Transformers'' — Season 2 Part 2 ([[The Original Transformers|Rhino Entertainment]]) 
[[File:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2003 — ''The Original Transformers'' — Season 2 Part 2: Vol. 5 (Rhino Entertainment) 
[[File:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2004 — ''Transformers'' — Season 2 Part 2 ([[Metrodome]]) 
[[File:Flag of Australia.png|20px|Australia]] 2004 — ''Transformers'' — Collection 3: Series 2.2 ([[Madman Entertainment]]) 
[[File:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2006 — ''Transformers'' — The Complete Generation One Collection (Metrodome) 
[[File:Flag of Australia.png|20px|Australia]] 2006 — The Best of ''The Transformers'' (Madman Entertainment) 
[[File:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2007 — ''Transformers'' — The Classic Episodes (Metrodome) 
[[File:Flag of Australia.png|20px|Australia]] 2007 — ''The Transformers'' — Complete Collection (Madman Entertainment) 
[[File:Flag of Italy.png|20px|Italy]] 2008 — ''Transformers'' — Volume 04: Stagione Due Parte Seconda ([[Medianetwork Communication]]) — English and Italian audio. 
[[File:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2009 — ''Transformers'' — Season Two: Part Two (Metrodome) 
[[File:Flag of Australia.png|20px|Australia]] 2009 — ''The Transformers'' — Complete Collection: Decepticon Edition (Madman Entertainment) 
[[File:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2009 — ''The Transformers'' — Season Two, Volume One: 25th Anniversary Edition ([[Shout! Factory]]) 
[[File:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2009 — ''The Transformers'' — The Complete Series: 25th Anniversary "Matrix of Leadership" Collection (Shout! Factory) 
[[File:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2011 — ''The Transformers'' — The Complete Original Series (Shout! Factory) 
[[File:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2014 — ''The Transformers'' — Season Two, Volume One: 30th Anniversary Edition (Shout! Factory) 
[[File:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2014 — ''Transformers'' — The Classic Animated Series (Metrodome)

==External links==
*[http://cybertronchronicle.freewebspace.com/cartoon-dossier/season-2/synopses/700-40.html Episode Dossier at The Cybertron Chronicle]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Golden Lagoon}}
[[Category:The Transformers episodes]]
[[Category:Generation 2 episodes]]

The Golden Lagoon (episode)

2019-03-07T00:29:19Z

Dvegaj: /* Continuity errors */

{{disambig2|the cartoon episode|the ''Legends'' event|The Golden Lagoon (Legends)}}
{{episode
|image=GoldenLagoon Beachcomber in lagoon.jpg
|caption=Beachcomber is into watersports.
|series=G1toon
|ep=41
|series2=SRLFtoon
|ep2=31
|prev2=A Decepticon Raider in King Arthur's Court (episode)
|next2=The God Gambit
|series3=''[[Transformers: Generation 2 (cartoon)|Transformers: Generation 2]]''
|ep3=12
|prev3=A Decepticon Raider in King Arthur's Court (episode)
|next3=Prime Target (episode)
|title="The Golden Lagoon"
|airdate=[[November 4]], 1985
|written by=[[Dennis Marks]]
|production code=#700-40
|production company=[[Sunbow Productions]]
|animation studio=[[Toei]]
|continuity=[[Generation 1 cartoon continuity]]
}}

'''Beachcomber finds a pool of golden liquid that renders his hand invulnerable. Unfortunately, the Decepticons do too, and decide to take a dip.'''

==Synopsis==
[[File:Goldenlagoonbeachcomber1.jpg|left|thumb|Friend of all God's creatures.]]

[[Beachcomber (G1)|Beachcomber]], [[Powerglide (G1)|Powerglide]], [[Seaspray (G1)|Seaspray]], [[Perceptor (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Perceptor]] and [[Warpath (G1)|Warpath]] are taking a walk along the beach when they are attacked by [[Blitzwing (G1)|Blitzwing]], [[Ramjet (G1)|Ramjet]] and [[Thrust (G1)|Thrust]]. In the middle of the battle, pacifist Beachcomber takes cover and finds a secluded glen full of flora and fauna right out of a Disney cartoon. In the middle of enjoying this impromptu petting zoo, the glint of gold catches his eye. In the middle of the glen is a pool of golden liquid he dips his hand into and identifies as "[[electrum]]". A rockslide sends him back to where he came from, just as Thrust flies over the glen and makes the same discovery. Thrust jumps into the pool and comes out completely covered in the gold liquid.

Beachcomber arrives back at the battle as the tide is turning against the Decepticons. Just then, Thrust appears and survives a powerful Autobot barrage without sustaining a scratch, thanks to his electrum coating. Warpath shoots an opening into the cliff face that he, Powerglide and Beachcomber hide in, while Thrust kidnaps Perceptor and Seaspray.

At Decepticon headquarters, the Autobots are imprisoned while Thrust notifies [[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Megatron]] of the electrum pool. They hurry off to the glen and Megatron orders [[Starscream (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Starscream]] to jump in. When he emerges, Megatron shoots him, but the blast bounces off. The rest of the Decepticons jump into the pool and emerge, then have fun shooting each other. Megatron declares the Autobots are finished as the glen around them burns and the animals cower.

[[File:Goldenlagoonstarscreamjump.jpg|right|thumb|Normally, Skywarp would be the one to kick Starscream into the giant pool of urine.]]

Powerglide, Beachcomber, Warpath, [[Mirage (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Mirage]] and [[Smokescreen (G1)|Smokescreen]] regroup and prepare to go after the Decepticons again. Beachcomber hasn't told anyone about his discovery yet. The group rushes off and meets up with the electrum-plated Decepticons, and are quickly dispatched because their weapons have no effect. More Autobots join the battle, but their weapons are useless. Beachcomber realizes that they've found the electrum and drives off.

The Decepticons return to headquarters and Starscream forces Seaspray and Perceptor to fight each other. [[Soundwave (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Soundwave]] rushes off to tell Megatron as Starscream gives the Autobots weapons.

Smokescreen, damaged from the battle, asks [[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]] to help and the giant Autobot declares (a bit prematurely) that failure is impossible.

[[File:GoldenlagoonOSdown.jpg|left|215px|thumb|Gulliver's Travels on acid.]]

Meanwhile, Beachcomber arrives back at the glen and finds the Decepticons have burnt it nearly to the ground. He is captured by Blitzwing while Soundwave tattles on Starscream. Megatron orders everyone to fight Omega Supreme. When they attack Omega fires, but even his weapons have no effect and he falls under enemy fire. Megatron sets his sights on [[Ark (G1)|Autobot headquarters]] next.

At Autobot headquarters, Mirage reports on Omega's defeat and [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] can hardly believe it. [[Teletraan I]] reports a single word to them—electrum. Prime recognizes its significance and sends out teams to try to find it.

Powerglide discreetly follows the Decepticons and sees them swimming in the electrum. He flies off to report the discovery to Optimus.

Megatron gives the task of dispatching Beachcomber, Perceptor and Seaspray to Starscream. When [[Skywarp (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Skywarp]] and [[Thundercracker (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Thundercracker]] come to take the prisoners to Starscream, Beachcomber forgoes his pacifist ways and overcomes both of them. He frees Perceptor and Seaspray and they swim back to the surface and head toward the golden lagoon. With Dirge left alone as guard while all of the others head to the fight, the trio takes him out, just as Prime and the rest of the Autobots arrive. Beachcomber invites them to jump into the electrum with him.

[[File:Goldenlagoonautobotline.jpg|right|215px|thumb|Lucky Draw Roll Call!]]

Back at Autobot headquarters, Megatron and company attack but they discover the base is empty. Megatron orders everyone back to the lagoon, where the electrum-coated Autobots are waiting for them, including Omega Supreme. The two sides fight, but since their weapons are useless the blasts bounce off and destroy the countryside around them. As the battle continues, the electrum on the Decepticons wears off. His advantage lost and seriously out-gunned, Megatron destroys the lagoon and orders a retreat. The Autobots cheer their victory, but Beachcomber laments the destruction of the glen.
{{-}}

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
*[[Warpath (G1)|Warpath]] (1)
*[[Perceptor (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Perceptor]] (2)
*[[Seaspray (G1)|Seaspray]] (3)
*[[Powerglide (G1)|Powerglide]] (4)
*[[Beachcomber (G1)|Beachcomber]] (5)
*[[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]] (8)
*[[Smokescreen (G1)|Smokescreen]] (9)
*[[Mirage (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Mirage]] (10)
*[[Gears (G1)|Gears]] (15)
*[[Wheeljack (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Wheeljack]] (16)
*[[Bluestreak (G1)|Bluestreak]] (17)
*[[Hound (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Hound]] (18)
*[[Brawn (G1)|Brawn]] (19)
*[[Sunstreaker (G1)|Sunstreaker]] (20)
*[[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] (22)
*[[Ironhide (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ironhide]] (23)
*[[Bumblebee (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Bumblebee]] (25)
*[[Jazz (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Jazz]] (26)
*[[Sideswipe (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Sideswipe]] (27)
*[[Ratchet (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ratchet]] (28)
*[[Trailbreaker (G1)|Trailbreaker]] (29)
*[[Windcharger (G1)|Windcharger]] (30)
|c2=
*[[Blitzwing (G1)|Blitzwing]] (1)
*[[Thrust (G1)|Thrust]] (2)
*[[Ramjet (G1)|Ramjet]] (3)
*[[Skywarp (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Skywarp]] (4)
*[[Thundercracker (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Thundercracker]] (5)
*[[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Megatron]] (6)
*[[Starscream (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Starscream]] (7)
*[[Soundwave (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Soundwave]] (11)
*[[Skywarp (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Skywarp]] (12)
*[[Reflector (G1)|Reflector]] (13)
*[[Dirge (G1)|Dirge]] (14)
*[[Rumble (G1)|Rumble]] (21)
*[[Long Haul (G1)|Long Haul]] (24)
}}

==Quotes==
"Thrust, my man, you are about to become number-one Decepticon."
:—'''Thrust''', anticipating a promotion

"Personally, I need proof!" 
"''Personally'', I don't care ''what'' you need!"
:—'''Megatron''' puts '''Starscream''' in his place, again.

[[File:Laserrave.gif|right|324px|thumb|You're right, Megatron, this ''is'' enjoyable.]]

"Just shoot up the whole cloud! He's in there somewhere!"
:—'''Megatron''' uses a rather sound tactic to foil Smokescreen's camouflage.

"Sunstreaker, our weapons don't seem to have any effect on them." 
"I'll blast a few big D's for ya, and you’ll see what a difference a pro makes."
:—'''Mirage''' and '''Sunstreaker'''

"Show no mercy!" 
"Did we ever?"
:—'''Megatron''' and '''Starscream'''

"Results: disappointing."
:—'''Omega Supreme''' after three rounds of fire have no effect on the Decepticons.

'''Megatron''': Victory over the Autobots is here. 
'''Starscream''': Cut the oration, Megatron. We already heard it. 
'''Skywarp''': Yeah, let's talk about victory after we’ve got it.
:—the troops sass back to Megatron now that they're invulnerable.

"We won..."
:—'''Beachcomber'''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s bitter statement as he surveys the wreckage of the lagoon.

==Notes==
===Continuity notes===
[[File:Beachcomber with bird.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.1|"Gee Beachcomber, I didn't know you spoke bird." "No, that's Italian."]]
*Gadgets and powers:
**Beachcomber is shown to have a [[universal translator|translator that lets him understand animals]]. Assuming all Transformers have this, it would explain how they manage to communicate with every species they come across.
**A glowing sensor in Beachcomber's chest reacts to the presence of the electrum.
**Seaspray has a large top-mounted cannon and two smaller cannons that can deploy from his superstructure.
**[[Furmanism|Like some vast, predatory bird]] Thrust deploys talons to capture Perceptor and Seaspray.
**Perceptor can retract his wrist and fire a missile from it.
**Warpath can likewise fire cryogenic shells from his retracted wrist. At the same time, Powerglide is shown using his forehead-mounted thermal ray.
**Smokescreen can deploy his shoulder missile launchers from the hood of his car mode.
**Smokescreen deploys his smoke from pipes that emerge from his trunk, rather than the usual tailpipe location.
**Sunstreaker uses a rooftop cannon in car mode.
**Blitzwing's laser gun can act as a magnetic tractor beam.
[[File:GoldenLagoon-PowerglideSmokescreenWarpath.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.1]]
*Beachcomber reacts to the electrum with a cry of "[[Great Maximus]]!"
*Warpath speaks with glowing cheek blinkers in this episode.
*In a nice touch of continuity, Perceptor's shoulder cannon is not present when he's held captive. Somehow he's got it back after the escape, however.

===Real-world references===
*At the beginning of the episode, Perceptor stops to examine a rock on the beach with "traces of gold and silver". It's not just a random aside, but foreshadowing: in the real world, electrum is an alloy of gold and silver.
*When Warpath voices his excitement about KAZOWYing Decepticons, Powerglide reminds him that it's a rescue mission and not "the {{w|Charge of the Light Brigade}}", a catastrophic cavalry charge during the Crimean War.
*''[[Star Wars (franchise)|Star Wars]]'' sound effects:
**[[Obi-Wan Kenobi]] and [[Darth Vader]] slashing some equipment with their [[lightsaber]]s is used as the sound of Seaspray's laser fruitlessly hitting a Decepticon in the undersea base.
**[[TIE Fighter]] engine as the Decepticons fly through Omega's initial blasts.
**Lightsaber ignition as Megatron's blast hits Omega Supreme.
**''[[Millennium Falcon]]'' engine noise and Death Star super laser as the Decepticons take off after defeating Omega.
**[[X-wing Fighter|X-Wing]] whine as Powerglide takes off to follow the Decepticons, and again as the 'cons take off inside their headquarters.

===Animation and technical errors===
*Wrong weapon sounds:
**As he trades shots with Ramjet, Seaspray's cannon steals Optimus Prime's laser sound effect. A moment later, it changes to the standard Autobot laser sound.
**The Decepticons' guns use the sound effects of Cobra's guns (from G.I.Joe) during the attack on Sunstreaker's team. Powerglide and the other Autobots likewise get a GI Joe laser noise as they fire.
*Coloring errors:
**Blitzwing's helmet is purple instead of yellow as he stands to join the attack on the beach.
**Perceptor's chest rim is dark gray instead of silver as he turns to fire on the newly electrum-coated Thrust.
**The sides of Skywarp's helmet are colored white when he and Thundercracker present Perceptor and Seaspray to Megatron. It makes him look like he has chubby cheeks!
**Smokescreen's forehead crest is blue instead of yellow as he ponders what Beachcomber is thinking.
**Bluestreak is colored like Prowl as the Decepticons dive to attack.
**Brawn's helmet is olive green instead of gray-silver as he transforms to fire on the Decepticons with Sunstreaker's squad.
*Warpath seems to have lost most of a line; as he's trading shots with him, he says "Blitzwing." for no clear reason.
*One gun, many lasers:
**Thrust's lasers split in two on leaving his guns, giving him 4 lasers. But as he strafes the cliff from off-screen, nearly a dozen lasers are shown streaking in.
**Thrust throws one piece of ice at Powerglide and Warpath, who are hit by dozens of pieces of ice.
*Starscream's missing one of his wing insignia after he lands at the electrum pool.
*Thundercracker likewise has only one wing insignia as Starscream dives into the pool.
*As he drives toward the Decepticons, Smokescreen's smoke camouflage has somehow gotten in front of him.
[[File:GoldenLagoon Mirage reports to Autobots.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.1]]
*When Mirage reports, Bluestreak's head crest is drawn as a pair of squared boxes on his head.
*Sunstreaker's squad gets the wrong transforming sound (ascending pitch) as they transform and roll out.
*Skywarp and Thundercracker are shown listening to Starscream pontificate... yet a second later they walk in from another room with the Autobot prisoners.
*The first syllable of Soundwave's report to Megatron is cut off, leaving him saying "Port on Starscream's activity completed."
*In the big lineup of golden Autobots, Windcharger is a bit deformed and off-model.
*All of this said? We think this episode probably deserves some kind of award for never once accidentally colouring Beachcomber's golden hand its normal blue.

===Continuity errors===
*It's never made clear if the Autobots in the opening scene were looking for rare minerals, or if Perceptor just ''happened'' to get lucky on patrol near a ''beach''.
*Seaspray is somehow able to ''fly'' in hovercraft mode. While it's consistent with his other appearances, hovercrafts do '''NOT''' work that way!
*Thrust dives into the electrum and says he's about to become "number one Decepticon," implying he's planning a coup or something, but later simply reports the find to Megatron. Did he just change his mind on the way back or did he expect Megatron to reward him?
*When Starscream dives into the pool of electrum, he holds his nose, despite the fact that robots normally don't need to breathe. One may chalk it up to a cute little joke inserted by the animators.
*So...why ''was'' Mirage hanging around (invisible) for 10 minutes?
*Later in the show, Mirage turns invisible in [[alternate mode|vehicle mode]]. Smokescreen is kicking up dust behind him (before he engages his smoke trail), so wouldn't Mirage's dust trail be noticeable as well?
*For some reason, no one seems to notice that the Decepticons are gold and invincible - nor do any of the Autobots seem to notice Beachcomber's golden hand. Yet when they discover the pond full of electrum, the Autobots know exactly what the chemical is and what it does.
[[File:G1toon starscream electrum.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.1|"I told you. Your weapons have no effect on me!" "It is my considered advice that you discontinue your use of said weapon!"]]
*Despite knowing that lasers are useless against electrum-coated opponents, both sides keep vainly shooting at each other in the big fight at the end, rather than coming to fisticuffs.
*Is the pool of electrum really deep enough to entirely coat Omega Supreme?
*Speaking of Omega Supreme, his inclusion in the final battle, right after he was defeated by the Decepticons some time ago, seems extremely murky. Although we can assume Omega did not suffer fatal damage even after being blasted by a direct shot from Megatron's gun mode, and that he was repaired off-screen soon afterwards, either by himself or by the other Autobots, the fact that he only appears a mere three times in the final battle (in the one scene where he suddenly emerges from the electrum lagoon, then a few seconds after that, when Megatron orders his troops to attack and Omega fights back, thus beginning the said final battle, and his third and final appearance when he shoots and hits some Seekers after their electrum coating wore off), and he is not seen afterwards, neither when the Decepticons obliterate the lagoon (which was shown to be empty at that moment) nor among the Autobots when they celebrate their victory, makes it all seem like those aforementioned scenes were a rather late addition to the story; or in other words, it seems like originally Omega simply wasn't going to appear there.
*Megatron and the Decepticons are all rather surprised when the electrum coating wears off, but if they didn't know it was temporary, why were they bothering to stockpile it?
*Long Haul says he's going off to join the main force, but neither he nor the rest of the Constructicons are seen later.
*It's a bit absurd that the electrum, a substance that makes Transformers invulnerable to laser fire, was detonated by a barrage of laser fire.
*Though the ending is supposed to be sad, the usual "heroic Autobot victory music" is used for the scene (Though this may have been an intentional bit of irony.).

===Trivia===
*This is the first episode since the premiere to have new [[commercial bumper]]s. They're all new and feature: Omega Supreme, Thrust, Devastator, Astrotrain and Cosmos.
*This is a rare human-free episode (though there are plenty of Disney-esque animals).
*Man, Skywarp sure didn't mention letting the prisoners get away, huh?

===Foreign localization===
'''Brazilian'''
:*''Title:'' "'''A Lagoa Dourada'''" ("The Golden Lagoon")
:*''Original airdate:''

'''German'''
:*''Title (Generation 2 dub):'' "'''Die goldene Lagune'''" ("The Golden Lagoon")
:*''Original airdate:'' [[July 16]], [[1994]]

'''Italian'''
:*''Title (dub 2):'' "'''Il lago dorato'''" ("The Golden Lake")
:*''Original airdate:'' ?
:*This episode was never broadcast in Italy in the '80s and, as such, it only got dubbed in Italian with the 2008 full G1 redubbing.

'''Japanese'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Golden Lagoon no Himitsu'''" (ゴールデンラグーンの秘密, "Secret of the Golden Lagoon")
:*''Original airdate:'' [[March 21]], [[1986]] (''see note below'')
:*In Japan, this episode only aired in the Kansai region (on March 21) and was never given a proper nationwide broadcast. Due to this, official episode guides, including those printed in ''[[Transformers Generations]]'', offer no proper airdate for the episode. Oddly, its official Japanese episode number is 31, which places it between [[February 7]] and [[February 14]], [[1986]] rather than among the March-broadcast episodes. Incidentally, "[[The Girl Who Loved Powerglide]]" aired in all other regions on March 21.

'''Mandarin'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Jīn Jiāohú'''" (金礁湖, "The Golden Lagoon")
:*''Original airdate:'' ?

'''Russian'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Zolotaya lagoona'''" (Золотая лагуна, "The Golden Lagoon")
:*''Original airdate:'' ?

===Toys inspired by this episode===
{{Stub|Lucky draws, possibly?}}
====Transformers Golden Lagoon====
A series of figures was released by [[Takara Tomy]] under the ''Golden Lagoon'' banner in reference to this episode, as well as in celebration of 2019's 35th Anniversary of the ''Transformers'' franchise.
[[File:TF 35th Golden Lagoon Convoy.jpg|upright=1.0|thumb]]
*'''Golden Lagoon [[Optimus Prime (G1)/toys#Golden Lagoon|Convoy]]''' ([[July 29]], [[2018]])
:A gold and gold chrome redeco of MP-10. Part of TakaraTomy's 35th anniversary celebration, he was initially released at Summer Wonder Festival 2018, and later through [[Cybertron Satellite]] stores across Japan and [[TakaraTomy Mall]].
{{-}}

[[File:TF-GoldenLagoon-3Pack.jpg|upright=1.0|thumb]]
*'''Golden Lagoon [[Beachcomber (G1)#Golden Lagoon|Beachcomber]] / [[Perceptor (G1)/toys#Golden Lagoon|Perceptor]] / [[Seaspray (G1)#Golden Lagoon|Seaspray]]''' (November 2018)
:Gold and gold chrome redecos of ''[[Power of the Primes (toyline)|Power of the Primes]]'' [[Beachcomber (G1)#Golden Lagoon|Beachcomber]], ''Titans Return'' [[Perceptor (G1)/toys#Golden Lagoon|Perceptor]] and ''Titans Return'' [[Seaspray (G1)#Golden Lagoon|Seaspray]]. This set was released exclusively at [[TakaraTomy Mall]] as part of TakaraTomy's celebration of the franchise's 35th anniversary.
{{-}}

[[File:TF 35th Golden Lagoon Starscream.jpg|upright=1.0|thumb]]
*'''Golden Lagoon [[Starscream (G1)/toys#Golden Lagoon|Starscream]]''' (October 2018)
:A gold and gold chrome redeco of ''Unite Warriors'' Starscream in homage of this episode of the [[The Transformers (cartoon)|original cartoon]]. He was released in [[TakaraTomy Mall]] and in [[Cybertron Satellite]] stores as part of TakaraTomy's celebration of the franchise's 35th anniversary.
{{-}}

[[File:35th-Golden-Lagoon-Soundwave.jpg|upright=1.0|thumb]]
*'''Golden Lagoon Soundwave''' (February 10, 2019)
:''Golden Lagoon'' [[Soundwave (G1)/toys#Golden Lagoon|Soundwave]] is a redeco of his ''[[Titans Return (toyline)|Titans Return]]'' figure, in gold end gold-chromed color scheme, based on this episode, although his tape door remains clear, rather than gold opaque. He retains his previous base mode and comes with a Titan Master partner for his head.

{{comingsoontoy}}
{{-}}

==Home video releases==
{{homevidnote}}
;{{w|LaserDisc}}
[[File:Flag of Japan.png|20px|Japan]] 1994 — ''Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers'' — Convoy Set ([[TakaraTomy|Takara]]) — Japanese audio only. 
[[File:Flag of Japan.png|20px|Japan]] 1998 — ''The Transformers'' — Autobot Edition ([[Geneon Universal Entertainment|Pioneer LDC]]) — Japanese audio only.
;DVD
[[File:Flag of Japan.png|20px|Japan]] 2001 — ''The Transformers'' — DVD Box 1 (Pioneer LDC) — Japanese audio only. 
[[File:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2003 — ''The Original Transformers'' — Season 2 Part 2 ([[The Original Transformers|Rhino Entertainment]]) 
[[File:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2003 — ''The Original Transformers'' — Season 2 Part 2: Vol. 5 (Rhino Entertainment) 
[[File:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2004 — ''Transformers'' — Season 2 Part 2 ([[Metrodome]]) 
[[File:Flag of Australia.png|20px|Australia]] 2004 — ''Transformers'' — Collection 3: Series 2.2 ([[Madman Entertainment]]) 
[[File:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2006 — ''Transformers'' — The Complete Generation One Collection (Metrodome) 
[[File:Flag of Australia.png|20px|Australia]] 2006 — The Best of ''The Transformers'' (Madman Entertainment) 
[[File:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2007 — ''Transformers'' — The Classic Episodes (Metrodome) 
[[File:Flag of Australia.png|20px|Australia]] 2007 — ''The Transformers'' — Complete Collection (Madman Entertainment) 
[[File:Flag of Italy.png|20px|Italy]] 2008 — ''Transformers'' — Volume 04: Stagione Due Parte Seconda ([[Medianetwork Communication]]) — English and Italian audio. 
[[File:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2009 — ''Transformers'' — Season Two: Part Two (Metrodome) 
[[File:Flag of Australia.png|20px|Australia]] 2009 — ''The Transformers'' — Complete Collection: Decepticon Edition (Madman Entertainment) 
[[File:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2009 — ''The Transformers'' — Season Two, Volume One: 25th Anniversary Edition ([[Shout! Factory]]) 
[[File:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2009 — ''The Transformers'' — The Complete Series: 25th Anniversary "Matrix of Leadership" Collection (Shout! Factory) 
[[File:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2011 — ''The Transformers'' — The Complete Original Series (Shout! Factory) 
[[File:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2014 — ''The Transformers'' — Season Two, Volume One: 30th Anniversary Edition (Shout! Factory) 
[[File:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2014 — ''Transformers'' — The Classic Animated Series (Metrodome)

==External links==
*[http://cybertronchronicle.freewebspace.com/cartoon-dossier/season-2/synopses/700-40.html Episode Dossier at The Cybertron Chronicle]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Golden Lagoon}}
[[Category:The Transformers episodes]]
[[Category:Generation 2 episodes]]

The Golden Lagoon (episode)

2019-03-07T00:17:53Z

Dvegaj: /* Continuity errors */

{{disambig2|the cartoon episode|the ''Legends'' event|The Golden Lagoon (Legends)}}
{{episode
|image=GoldenLagoon Beachcomber in lagoon.jpg
|caption=Beachcomber is into watersports.
|series=G1toon
|ep=41
|series2=SRLFtoon
|ep2=31
|prev2=A Decepticon Raider in King Arthur's Court (episode)
|next2=The God Gambit
|series3=''[[Transformers: Generation 2 (cartoon)|Transformers: Generation 2]]''
|ep3=12
|prev3=A Decepticon Raider in King Arthur's Court (episode)
|next3=Prime Target (episode)
|title="The Golden Lagoon"
|airdate=[[November 4]], 1985
|written by=[[Dennis Marks]]
|production code=#700-40
|production company=[[Sunbow Productions]]
|animation studio=[[Toei]]
|continuity=[[Generation 1 cartoon continuity]]
}}

'''Beachcomber finds a pool of golden liquid that renders his hand invulnerable. Unfortunately, the Decepticons do too, and decide to take a dip.'''

==Synopsis==
[[File:Goldenlagoonbeachcomber1.jpg|left|thumb|Friend of all God's creatures.]]

[[Beachcomber (G1)|Beachcomber]], [[Powerglide (G1)|Powerglide]], [[Seaspray (G1)|Seaspray]], [[Perceptor (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Perceptor]] and [[Warpath (G1)|Warpath]] are taking a walk along the beach when they are attacked by [[Blitzwing (G1)|Blitzwing]], [[Ramjet (G1)|Ramjet]] and [[Thrust (G1)|Thrust]]. In the middle of the battle, pacifist Beachcomber takes cover and finds a secluded glen full of flora and fauna right out of a Disney cartoon. In the middle of enjoying this impromptu petting zoo, the glint of gold catches his eye. In the middle of the glen is a pool of golden liquid he dips his hand into and identifies as "[[electrum]]". A rockslide sends him back to where he came from, just as Thrust flies over the glen and makes the same discovery. Thrust jumps into the pool and comes out completely covered in the gold liquid.

Beachcomber arrives back at the battle as the tide is turning against the Decepticons. Just then, Thrust appears and survives a powerful Autobot barrage without sustaining a scratch, thanks to his electrum coating. Warpath shoots an opening into the cliff face that he, Powerglide and Beachcomber hide in, while Thrust kidnaps Perceptor and Seaspray.

At Decepticon headquarters, the Autobots are imprisoned while Thrust notifies [[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Megatron]] of the electrum pool. They hurry off to the glen and Megatron orders [[Starscream (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Starscream]] to jump in. When he emerges, Megatron shoots him, but the blast bounces off. The rest of the Decepticons jump into the pool and emerge, then have fun shooting each other. Megatron declares the Autobots are finished as the glen around them burns and the animals cower.

[[File:Goldenlagoonstarscreamjump.jpg|right|thumb|Normally, Skywarp would be the one to kick Starscream into the giant pool of urine.]]

Powerglide, Beachcomber, Warpath, [[Mirage (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Mirage]] and [[Smokescreen (G1)|Smokescreen]] regroup and prepare to go after the Decepticons again. Beachcomber hasn't told anyone about his discovery yet. The group rushes off and meets up with the electrum-plated Decepticons, and are quickly dispatched because their weapons have no effect. More Autobots join the battle, but their weapons are useless. Beachcomber realizes that they've found the electrum and drives off.

The Decepticons return to headquarters and Starscream forces Seaspray and Perceptor to fight each other. [[Soundwave (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Soundwave]] rushes off to tell Megatron as Starscream gives the Autobots weapons.

Smokescreen, damaged from the battle, asks [[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]] to help and the giant Autobot declares (a bit prematurely) that failure is impossible.

[[File:GoldenlagoonOSdown.jpg|left|215px|thumb|Gulliver's Travels on acid.]]

Meanwhile, Beachcomber arrives back at the glen and finds the Decepticons have burnt it nearly to the ground. He is captured by Blitzwing while Soundwave tattles on Starscream. Megatron orders everyone to fight Omega Supreme. When they attack Omega fires, but even his weapons have no effect and he falls under enemy fire. Megatron sets his sights on [[Ark (G1)|Autobot headquarters]] next.

At Autobot headquarters, Mirage reports on Omega's defeat and [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] can hardly believe it. [[Teletraan I]] reports a single word to them—electrum. Prime recognizes its significance and sends out teams to try to find it.

Powerglide discreetly follows the Decepticons and sees them swimming in the electrum. He flies off to report the discovery to Optimus.

Megatron gives the task of dispatching Beachcomber, Perceptor and Seaspray to Starscream. When [[Skywarp (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Skywarp]] and [[Thundercracker (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Thundercracker]] come to take the prisoners to Starscream, Beachcomber forgoes his pacifist ways and overcomes both of them. He frees Perceptor and Seaspray and they swim back to the surface and head toward the golden lagoon. With Dirge left alone as guard while all of the others head to the fight, the trio takes him out, just as Prime and the rest of the Autobots arrive. Beachcomber invites them to jump into the electrum with him.

[[File:Goldenlagoonautobotline.jpg|right|215px|thumb|Lucky Draw Roll Call!]]

Back at Autobot headquarters, Megatron and company attack but they discover the base is empty. Megatron orders everyone back to the lagoon, where the electrum-coated Autobots are waiting for them, including Omega Supreme. The two sides fight, but since their weapons are useless the blasts bounce off and destroy the countryside around them. As the battle continues, the electrum on the Decepticons wears off. His advantage lost and seriously out-gunned, Megatron destroys the lagoon and orders a retreat. The Autobots cheer their victory, but Beachcomber laments the destruction of the glen.
{{-}}

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
*[[Warpath (G1)|Warpath]] (1)
*[[Perceptor (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Perceptor]] (2)
*[[Seaspray (G1)|Seaspray]] (3)
*[[Powerglide (G1)|Powerglide]] (4)
*[[Beachcomber (G1)|Beachcomber]] (5)
*[[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]] (8)
*[[Smokescreen (G1)|Smokescreen]] (9)
*[[Mirage (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Mirage]] (10)
*[[Gears (G1)|Gears]] (15)
*[[Wheeljack (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Wheeljack]] (16)
*[[Bluestreak (G1)|Bluestreak]] (17)
*[[Hound (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Hound]] (18)
*[[Brawn (G1)|Brawn]] (19)
*[[Sunstreaker (G1)|Sunstreaker]] (20)
*[[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] (22)
*[[Ironhide (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ironhide]] (23)
*[[Bumblebee (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Bumblebee]] (25)
*[[Jazz (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Jazz]] (26)
*[[Sideswipe (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Sideswipe]] (27)
*[[Ratchet (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ratchet]] (28)
*[[Trailbreaker (G1)|Trailbreaker]] (29)
*[[Windcharger (G1)|Windcharger]] (30)
|c2=
*[[Blitzwing (G1)|Blitzwing]] (1)
*[[Thrust (G1)|Thrust]] (2)
*[[Ramjet (G1)|Ramjet]] (3)
*[[Skywarp (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Skywarp]] (4)
*[[Thundercracker (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Thundercracker]] (5)
*[[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Megatron]] (6)
*[[Starscream (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Starscream]] (7)
*[[Soundwave (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Soundwave]] (11)
*[[Skywarp (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Skywarp]] (12)
*[[Reflector (G1)|Reflector]] (13)
*[[Dirge (G1)|Dirge]] (14)
*[[Rumble (G1)|Rumble]] (21)
*[[Long Haul (G1)|Long Haul]] (24)
}}

==Quotes==
"Thrust, my man, you are about to become number-one Decepticon."
:—'''Thrust''', anticipating a promotion

"Personally, I need proof!" 
"''Personally'', I don't care ''what'' you need!"
:—'''Megatron''' puts '''Starscream''' in his place, again.

[[File:Laserrave.gif|right|324px|thumb|You're right, Megatron, this ''is'' enjoyable.]]

"Just shoot up the whole cloud! He's in there somewhere!"
:—'''Megatron''' uses a rather sound tactic to foil Smokescreen's camouflage.

"Sunstreaker, our weapons don't seem to have any effect on them." 
"I'll blast a few big D's for ya, and you’ll see what a difference a pro makes."
:—'''Mirage''' and '''Sunstreaker'''

"Show no mercy!" 
"Did we ever?"
:—'''Megatron''' and '''Starscream'''

"Results: disappointing."
:—'''Omega Supreme''' after three rounds of fire have no effect on the Decepticons.

'''Megatron''': Victory over the Autobots is here. 
'''Starscream''': Cut the oration, Megatron. We already heard it. 
'''Skywarp''': Yeah, let's talk about victory after we’ve got it.
:—the troops sass back to Megatron now that they're invulnerable.

"We won..."
:—'''Beachcomber'''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s bitter statement as he surveys the wreckage of the lagoon.

==Notes==
===Continuity notes===
[[File:Beachcomber with bird.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.1|"Gee Beachcomber, I didn't know you spoke bird." "No, that's Italian."]]
*Gadgets and powers:
**Beachcomber is shown to have a [[universal translator|translator that lets him understand animals]]. Assuming all Transformers have this, it would explain how they manage to communicate with every species they come across.
**A glowing sensor in Beachcomber's chest reacts to the presence of the electrum.
**Seaspray has a large top-mounted cannon and two smaller cannons that can deploy from his superstructure.
**[[Furmanism|Like some vast, predatory bird]] Thrust deploys talons to capture Perceptor and Seaspray.
**Perceptor can retract his wrist and fire a missile from it.
**Warpath can likewise fire cryogenic shells from his retracted wrist. At the same time, Powerglide is shown using his forehead-mounted thermal ray.
**Smokescreen can deploy his shoulder missile launchers from the hood of his car mode.
**Smokescreen deploys his smoke from pipes that emerge from his trunk, rather than the usual tailpipe location.
**Sunstreaker uses a rooftop cannon in car mode.
**Blitzwing's laser gun can act as a magnetic tractor beam.
[[File:GoldenLagoon-PowerglideSmokescreenWarpath.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.1]]
*Beachcomber reacts to the electrum with a cry of "[[Great Maximus]]!"
*Warpath speaks with glowing cheek blinkers in this episode.
*In a nice touch of continuity, Perceptor's shoulder cannon is not present when he's held captive. Somehow he's got it back after the escape, however.

===Real-world references===
*At the beginning of the episode, Perceptor stops to examine a rock on the beach with "traces of gold and silver". It's not just a random aside, but foreshadowing: in the real world, electrum is an alloy of gold and silver.
*When Warpath voices his excitement about KAZOWYing Decepticons, Powerglide reminds him that it's a rescue mission and not "the {{w|Charge of the Light Brigade}}", a catastrophic cavalry charge during the Crimean War.
*''[[Star Wars (franchise)|Star Wars]]'' sound effects:
**[[Obi-Wan Kenobi]] and [[Darth Vader]] slashing some equipment with their [[lightsaber]]s is used as the sound of Seaspray's laser fruitlessly hitting a Decepticon in the undersea base.
**[[TIE Fighter]] engine as the Decepticons fly through Omega's initial blasts.
**Lightsaber ignition as Megatron's blast hits Omega Supreme.
**''[[Millennium Falcon]]'' engine noise and Death Star super laser as the Decepticons take off after defeating Omega.
**[[X-wing Fighter|X-Wing]] whine as Powerglide takes off to follow the Decepticons, and again as the 'cons take off inside their headquarters.

===Animation and technical errors===
*Wrong weapon sounds:
**As he trades shots with Ramjet, Seaspray's cannon steals Optimus Prime's laser sound effect. A moment later, it changes to the standard Autobot laser sound.
**The Decepticons' guns use the sound effects of Cobra's guns (from G.I.Joe) during the attack on Sunstreaker's team. Powerglide and the other Autobots likewise get a GI Joe laser noise as they fire.
*Coloring errors:
**Blitzwing's helmet is purple instead of yellow as he stands to join the attack on the beach.
**Perceptor's chest rim is dark gray instead of silver as he turns to fire on the newly electrum-coated Thrust.
**The sides of Skywarp's helmet are colored white when he and Thundercracker present Perceptor and Seaspray to Megatron. It makes him look like he has chubby cheeks!
**Smokescreen's forehead crest is blue instead of yellow as he ponders what Beachcomber is thinking.
**Bluestreak is colored like Prowl as the Decepticons dive to attack.
**Brawn's helmet is olive green instead of gray-silver as he transforms to fire on the Decepticons with Sunstreaker's squad.
*Warpath seems to have lost most of a line; as he's trading shots with him, he says "Blitzwing." for no clear reason.
*One gun, many lasers:
**Thrust's lasers split in two on leaving his guns, giving him 4 lasers. But as he strafes the cliff from off-screen, nearly a dozen lasers are shown streaking in.
**Thrust throws one piece of ice at Powerglide and Warpath, who are hit by dozens of pieces of ice.
*Starscream's missing one of his wing insignia after he lands at the electrum pool.
*Thundercracker likewise has only one wing insignia as Starscream dives into the pool.
*As he drives toward the Decepticons, Smokescreen's smoke camouflage has somehow gotten in front of him.
[[File:GoldenLagoon Mirage reports to Autobots.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.1]]
*When Mirage reports, Bluestreak's head crest is drawn as a pair of squared boxes on his head.
*Sunstreaker's squad gets the wrong transforming sound (ascending pitch) as they transform and roll out.
*Skywarp and Thundercracker are shown listening to Starscream pontificate... yet a second later they walk in from another room with the Autobot prisoners.
*The first syllable of Soundwave's report to Megatron is cut off, leaving him saying "Port on Starscream's activity completed."
*In the big lineup of golden Autobots, Windcharger is a bit deformed and off-model.
*All of this said? We think this episode probably deserves some kind of award for never once accidentally colouring Beachcomber's golden hand its normal blue.

===Continuity errors===
*It's never made clear if the Autobots in the opening scene were looking for rare minerals, or if Perceptor just ''happened'' to get lucky on patrol near a ''beach''.
*Seaspray is somehow able to ''fly'' in hovercraft mode. While it's consistent with his other appearances, hovercrafts do '''NOT''' work that way!
*Thrust dives into the electrum and says he's about to become "number one Decepticon," implying he's planning a coup or something, but later simply reports the find to Megatron. Did he just change his mind on the way back or did he expect Megatron to reward him?
*When Starscream dives into the pool of electrum, he holds his nose, despite the fact that robots normally don't need to breathe. One may chalk it up to a cute little joke inserted by the animators.
*So...why ''was'' Mirage hanging around (invisible) for 10 minutes?
*Later in the show, Mirage turns invisible in [[alternate mode|vehicle mode]]. Smokescreen is kicking up dust behind him (before he engages his smoke trail), so wouldn't Mirage's dust trail be noticeable as well?
*For some reason, no one seems to notice that the Decepticons are gold and invincible - nor do any of the Autobots seem to notice Beachcomber's golden hand. Yet when they discover the pond full of electrum, the Autobots know exactly what the chemical is and what it does.
[[File:G1toon starscream electrum.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.1|"I told you. Your weapons have no effect on me!" "It is my considered advice that you discontinue your use of said weapon!"]]
*Despite knowing that lasers are useless against electrum-coated opponents, both sides keep vainly shooting at each other in the big fight at the end, rather than coming to fisticuffs.
*Is the pool of electrum really deep enough to entirely coat Omega Supreme?
*Speaking of Omega Supreme, his inclusion in the final battle, right after he was defeated by the Decepticons some time ago, seems extremely murky. Although we can assume Omega did not suffer fatal damage even after being blasted by a direct shot from Megatron's gun mode, and that he was repaired off-screen soon afterwards, either by himself or by the other Autobots, the fact that he only appears twice in the final battle (in the one scene where he suddenly emerges from the electrum lagoon, and then mere seconds after that, when Megatron orders his troops to attack and Omega fights back, thus beginning the said final battle), and he is never seen afterwards, neither when the Decepticons obliterate the lagoon (which was shown to be empty at that moment) nor among the Autobots when they celebrate their victory, makes it all seem like those two aforementioned scenes were a rather late addition to the story; or in other words, it seems like originally Omega simply wasn't going to appear there.
*Megatron and the Decepticons are all rather surprised when the electrum coating wears off, but if they didn't know it was temporary, why were they bothering to stockpile it?
*Long Haul says he's going off to join the main force, but neither he nor the rest of the Constructicons are seen later.
*It's a bit absurd that the electrum, a substance that makes Transformers invulnerable to laser fire, was detonated by a barrage of laser fire.
*Though the ending is supposed to be sad, the usual "heroic Autobot victory music" is used for the scene (Though this may have been an intentional bit of irony.).

===Trivia===
*This is the first episode since the premiere to have new [[commercial bumper]]s. They're all new and feature: Omega Supreme, Thrust, Devastator, Astrotrain and Cosmos.
*This is a rare human-free episode (though there are plenty of Disney-esque animals).
*Man, Skywarp sure didn't mention letting the prisoners get away, huh?

===Foreign localization===
'''Brazilian'''
:*''Title:'' "'''A Lagoa Dourada'''" ("The Golden Lagoon")
:*''Original airdate:''

'''German'''
:*''Title (Generation 2 dub):'' "'''Die goldene Lagune'''" ("The Golden Lagoon")
:*''Original airdate:'' [[July 16]], [[1994]]

'''Italian'''
:*''Title (dub 2):'' "'''Il lago dorato'''" ("The Golden Lake")
:*''Original airdate:'' ?
:*This episode was never broadcast in Italy in the '80s and, as such, it only got dubbed in Italian with the 2008 full G1 redubbing.

'''Japanese'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Golden Lagoon no Himitsu'''" (ゴールデンラグーンの秘密, "Secret of the Golden Lagoon")
:*''Original airdate:'' [[March 21]], [[1986]] (''see note below'')
:*In Japan, this episode only aired in the Kansai region (on March 21) and was never given a proper nationwide broadcast. Due to this, official episode guides, including those printed in ''[[Transformers Generations]]'', offer no proper airdate for the episode. Oddly, its official Japanese episode number is 31, which places it between [[February 7]] and [[February 14]], [[1986]] rather than among the March-broadcast episodes. Incidentally, "[[The Girl Who Loved Powerglide]]" aired in all other regions on March 21.

'''Mandarin'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Jīn Jiāohú'''" (金礁湖, "The Golden Lagoon")
:*''Original airdate:'' ?

'''Russian'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Zolotaya lagoona'''" (Золотая лагуна, "The Golden Lagoon")
:*''Original airdate:'' ?

===Toys inspired by this episode===
{{Stub|Lucky draws, possibly?}}
====Transformers Golden Lagoon====
A series of figures was released by [[Takara Tomy]] under the ''Golden Lagoon'' banner in reference to this episode, as well as in celebration of 2019's 35th Anniversary of the ''Transformers'' franchise.
[[File:TF 35th Golden Lagoon Convoy.jpg|upright=1.0|thumb]]
*'''Golden Lagoon [[Optimus Prime (G1)/toys#Golden Lagoon|Convoy]]''' ([[July 29]], [[2018]])
:A gold and gold chrome redeco of MP-10. Part of TakaraTomy's 35th anniversary celebration, he was initially released at Summer Wonder Festival 2018, and later through [[Cybertron Satellite]] stores across Japan and [[TakaraTomy Mall]].
{{-}}

[[File:TF-GoldenLagoon-3Pack.jpg|upright=1.0|thumb]]
*'''Golden Lagoon [[Beachcomber (G1)#Golden Lagoon|Beachcomber]] / [[Perceptor (G1)/toys#Golden Lagoon|Perceptor]] / [[Seaspray (G1)#Golden Lagoon|Seaspray]]''' (November 2018)
:Gold and gold chrome redecos of ''[[Power of the Primes (toyline)|Power of the Primes]]'' [[Beachcomber (G1)#Golden Lagoon|Beachcomber]], ''Titans Return'' [[Perceptor (G1)/toys#Golden Lagoon|Perceptor]] and ''Titans Return'' [[Seaspray (G1)#Golden Lagoon|Seaspray]]. This set was released exclusively at [[TakaraTomy Mall]] as part of TakaraTomy's celebration of the franchise's 35th anniversary.
{{-}}

[[File:TF 35th Golden Lagoon Starscream.jpg|upright=1.0|thumb]]
*'''Golden Lagoon [[Starscream (G1)/toys#Golden Lagoon|Starscream]]''' (October 2018)
:A gold and gold chrome redeco of ''Unite Warriors'' Starscream in homage of this episode of the [[The Transformers (cartoon)|original cartoon]]. He was released in [[TakaraTomy Mall]] and in [[Cybertron Satellite]] stores as part of TakaraTomy's celebration of the franchise's 35th anniversary.
{{-}}

[[File:35th-Golden-Lagoon-Soundwave.jpg|upright=1.0|thumb]]
*'''Golden Lagoon Soundwave''' (February 10, 2019)
:''Golden Lagoon'' [[Soundwave (G1)/toys#Golden Lagoon|Soundwave]] is a redeco of his ''[[Titans Return (toyline)|Titans Return]]'' figure, in gold end gold-chromed color scheme, based on this episode, although his tape door remains clear, rather than gold opaque. He retains his previous base mode and comes with a Titan Master partner for his head.

{{comingsoontoy}}
{{-}}

==Home video releases==
{{homevidnote}}
;{{w|LaserDisc}}
[[File:Flag of Japan.png|20px|Japan]] 1994 — ''Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers'' — Convoy Set ([[TakaraTomy|Takara]]) — Japanese audio only. 
[[File:Flag of Japan.png|20px|Japan]] 1998 — ''The Transformers'' — Autobot Edition ([[Geneon Universal Entertainment|Pioneer LDC]]) — Japanese audio only.
;DVD
[[File:Flag of Japan.png|20px|Japan]] 2001 — ''The Transformers'' — DVD Box 1 (Pioneer LDC) — Japanese audio only. 
[[File:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2003 — ''The Original Transformers'' — Season 2 Part 2 ([[The Original Transformers|Rhino Entertainment]]) 
[[File:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2003 — ''The Original Transformers'' — Season 2 Part 2: Vol. 5 (Rhino Entertainment) 
[[File:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2004 — ''Transformers'' — Season 2 Part 2 ([[Metrodome]]) 
[[File:Flag of Australia.png|20px|Australia]] 2004 — ''Transformers'' — Collection 3: Series 2.2 ([[Madman Entertainment]]) 
[[File:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2006 — ''Transformers'' — The Complete Generation One Collection (Metrodome) 
[[File:Flag of Australia.png|20px|Australia]] 2006 — The Best of ''The Transformers'' (Madman Entertainment) 
[[File:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2007 — ''Transformers'' — The Classic Episodes (Metrodome) 
[[File:Flag of Australia.png|20px|Australia]] 2007 — ''The Transformers'' — Complete Collection (Madman Entertainment) 
[[File:Flag of Italy.png|20px|Italy]] 2008 — ''Transformers'' — Volume 04: Stagione Due Parte Seconda ([[Medianetwork Communication]]) — English and Italian audio. 
[[File:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2009 — ''Transformers'' — Season Two: Part Two (Metrodome) 
[[File:Flag of Australia.png|20px|Australia]] 2009 — ''The Transformers'' — Complete Collection: Decepticon Edition (Madman Entertainment) 
[[File:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2009 — ''The Transformers'' — Season Two, Volume One: 25th Anniversary Edition ([[Shout! Factory]]) 
[[File:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2009 — ''The Transformers'' — The Complete Series: 25th Anniversary "Matrix of Leadership" Collection (Shout! Factory) 
[[File:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2011 — ''The Transformers'' — The Complete Original Series (Shout! Factory) 
[[File:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2014 — ''The Transformers'' — Season Two, Volume One: 30th Anniversary Edition (Shout! Factory) 
[[File:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2014 — ''Transformers'' — The Classic Animated Series (Metrodome)

==External links==
*[http://cybertronchronicle.freewebspace.com/cartoon-dossier/season-2/synopses/700-40.html Episode Dossier at The Cybertron Chronicle]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Golden Lagoon}}
[[Category:The Transformers episodes]]
[[Category:Generation 2 episodes]]

The Golden Lagoon (episode)

2019-03-07T00:16:35Z

Dvegaj: /* Continuity errors */

{{disambig2|the cartoon episode|the ''Legends'' event|The Golden Lagoon (Legends)}}
{{episode
|image=GoldenLagoon Beachcomber in lagoon.jpg
|caption=Beachcomber is into watersports.
|series=G1toon
|ep=41
|series2=SRLFtoon
|ep2=31
|prev2=A Decepticon Raider in King Arthur's Court (episode)
|next2=The God Gambit
|series3=''[[Transformers: Generation 2 (cartoon)|Transformers: Generation 2]]''
|ep3=12
|prev3=A Decepticon Raider in King Arthur's Court (episode)
|next3=Prime Target (episode)
|title="The Golden Lagoon"
|airdate=[[November 4]], 1985
|written by=[[Dennis Marks]]
|production code=#700-40
|production company=[[Sunbow Productions]]
|animation studio=[[Toei]]
|continuity=[[Generation 1 cartoon continuity]]
}}

'''Beachcomber finds a pool of golden liquid that renders his hand invulnerable. Unfortunately, the Decepticons do too, and decide to take a dip.'''

==Synopsis==
[[File:Goldenlagoonbeachcomber1.jpg|left|thumb|Friend of all God's creatures.]]

[[Beachcomber (G1)|Beachcomber]], [[Powerglide (G1)|Powerglide]], [[Seaspray (G1)|Seaspray]], [[Perceptor (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Perceptor]] and [[Warpath (G1)|Warpath]] are taking a walk along the beach when they are attacked by [[Blitzwing (G1)|Blitzwing]], [[Ramjet (G1)|Ramjet]] and [[Thrust (G1)|Thrust]]. In the middle of the battle, pacifist Beachcomber takes cover and finds a secluded glen full of flora and fauna right out of a Disney cartoon. In the middle of enjoying this impromptu petting zoo, the glint of gold catches his eye. In the middle of the glen is a pool of golden liquid he dips his hand into and identifies as "[[electrum]]". A rockslide sends him back to where he came from, just as Thrust flies over the glen and makes the same discovery. Thrust jumps into the pool and comes out completely covered in the gold liquid.

Beachcomber arrives back at the battle as the tide is turning against the Decepticons. Just then, Thrust appears and survives a powerful Autobot barrage without sustaining a scratch, thanks to his electrum coating. Warpath shoots an opening into the cliff face that he, Powerglide and Beachcomber hide in, while Thrust kidnaps Perceptor and Seaspray.

At Decepticon headquarters, the Autobots are imprisoned while Thrust notifies [[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Megatron]] of the electrum pool. They hurry off to the glen and Megatron orders [[Starscream (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Starscream]] to jump in. When he emerges, Megatron shoots him, but the blast bounces off. The rest of the Decepticons jump into the pool and emerge, then have fun shooting each other. Megatron declares the Autobots are finished as the glen around them burns and the animals cower.

[[File:Goldenlagoonstarscreamjump.jpg|right|thumb|Normally, Skywarp would be the one to kick Starscream into the giant pool of urine.]]

Powerglide, Beachcomber, Warpath, [[Mirage (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Mirage]] and [[Smokescreen (G1)|Smokescreen]] regroup and prepare to go after the Decepticons again. Beachcomber hasn't told anyone about his discovery yet. The group rushes off and meets up with the electrum-plated Decepticons, and are quickly dispatched because their weapons have no effect. More Autobots join the battle, but their weapons are useless. Beachcomber realizes that they've found the electrum and drives off.

The Decepticons return to headquarters and Starscream forces Seaspray and Perceptor to fight each other. [[Soundwave (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Soundwave]] rushes off to tell Megatron as Starscream gives the Autobots weapons.

Smokescreen, damaged from the battle, asks [[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]] to help and the giant Autobot declares (a bit prematurely) that failure is impossible.

[[File:GoldenlagoonOSdown.jpg|left|215px|thumb|Gulliver's Travels on acid.]]

Meanwhile, Beachcomber arrives back at the glen and finds the Decepticons have burnt it nearly to the ground. He is captured by Blitzwing while Soundwave tattles on Starscream. Megatron orders everyone to fight Omega Supreme. When they attack Omega fires, but even his weapons have no effect and he falls under enemy fire. Megatron sets his sights on [[Ark (G1)|Autobot headquarters]] next.

At Autobot headquarters, Mirage reports on Omega's defeat and [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] can hardly believe it. [[Teletraan I]] reports a single word to them—electrum. Prime recognizes its significance and sends out teams to try to find it.

Powerglide discreetly follows the Decepticons and sees them swimming in the electrum. He flies off to report the discovery to Optimus.

Megatron gives the task of dispatching Beachcomber, Perceptor and Seaspray to Starscream. When [[Skywarp (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Skywarp]] and [[Thundercracker (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Thundercracker]] come to take the prisoners to Starscream, Beachcomber forgoes his pacifist ways and overcomes both of them. He frees Perceptor and Seaspray and they swim back to the surface and head toward the golden lagoon. With Dirge left alone as guard while all of the others head to the fight, the trio takes him out, just as Prime and the rest of the Autobots arrive. Beachcomber invites them to jump into the electrum with him.

[[File:Goldenlagoonautobotline.jpg|right|215px|thumb|Lucky Draw Roll Call!]]

Back at Autobot headquarters, Megatron and company attack but they discover the base is empty. Megatron orders everyone back to the lagoon, where the electrum-coated Autobots are waiting for them, including Omega Supreme. The two sides fight, but since their weapons are useless the blasts bounce off and destroy the countryside around them. As the battle continues, the electrum on the Decepticons wears off. His advantage lost and seriously out-gunned, Megatron destroys the lagoon and orders a retreat. The Autobots cheer their victory, but Beachcomber laments the destruction of the glen.
{{-}}

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
*[[Warpath (G1)|Warpath]] (1)
*[[Perceptor (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Perceptor]] (2)
*[[Seaspray (G1)|Seaspray]] (3)
*[[Powerglide (G1)|Powerglide]] (4)
*[[Beachcomber (G1)|Beachcomber]] (5)
*[[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]] (8)
*[[Smokescreen (G1)|Smokescreen]] (9)
*[[Mirage (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Mirage]] (10)
*[[Gears (G1)|Gears]] (15)
*[[Wheeljack (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Wheeljack]] (16)
*[[Bluestreak (G1)|Bluestreak]] (17)
*[[Hound (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Hound]] (18)
*[[Brawn (G1)|Brawn]] (19)
*[[Sunstreaker (G1)|Sunstreaker]] (20)
*[[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] (22)
*[[Ironhide (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ironhide]] (23)
*[[Bumblebee (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Bumblebee]] (25)
*[[Jazz (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Jazz]] (26)
*[[Sideswipe (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Sideswipe]] (27)
*[[Ratchet (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ratchet]] (28)
*[[Trailbreaker (G1)|Trailbreaker]] (29)
*[[Windcharger (G1)|Windcharger]] (30)
|c2=
*[[Blitzwing (G1)|Blitzwing]] (1)
*[[Thrust (G1)|Thrust]] (2)
*[[Ramjet (G1)|Ramjet]] (3)
*[[Skywarp (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Skywarp]] (4)
*[[Thundercracker (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Thundercracker]] (5)
*[[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Megatron]] (6)
*[[Starscream (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Starscream]] (7)
*[[Soundwave (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Soundwave]] (11)
*[[Skywarp (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Skywarp]] (12)
*[[Reflector (G1)|Reflector]] (13)
*[[Dirge (G1)|Dirge]] (14)
*[[Rumble (G1)|Rumble]] (21)
*[[Long Haul (G1)|Long Haul]] (24)
}}

==Quotes==
"Thrust, my man, you are about to become number-one Decepticon."
:—'''Thrust''', anticipating a promotion

"Personally, I need proof!" 
"''Personally'', I don't care ''what'' you need!"
:—'''Megatron''' puts '''Starscream''' in his place, again.

[[File:Laserrave.gif|right|324px|thumb|You're right, Megatron, this ''is'' enjoyable.]]

"Just shoot up the whole cloud! He's in there somewhere!"
:—'''Megatron''' uses a rather sound tactic to foil Smokescreen's camouflage.

"Sunstreaker, our weapons don't seem to have any effect on them." 
"I'll blast a few big D's for ya, and you’ll see what a difference a pro makes."
:—'''Mirage''' and '''Sunstreaker'''

"Show no mercy!" 
"Did we ever?"
:—'''Megatron''' and '''Starscream'''

"Results: disappointing."
:—'''Omega Supreme''' after three rounds of fire have no effect on the Decepticons.

'''Megatron''': Victory over the Autobots is here. 
'''Starscream''': Cut the oration, Megatron. We already heard it. 
'''Skywarp''': Yeah, let's talk about victory after we’ve got it.
:—the troops sass back to Megatron now that they're invulnerable.

"We won..."
:—'''Beachcomber'''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s bitter statement as he surveys the wreckage of the lagoon.

==Notes==
===Continuity notes===
[[File:Beachcomber with bird.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.1|"Gee Beachcomber, I didn't know you spoke bird." "No, that's Italian."]]
*Gadgets and powers:
**Beachcomber is shown to have a [[universal translator|translator that lets him understand animals]]. Assuming all Transformers have this, it would explain how they manage to communicate with every species they come across.
**A glowing sensor in Beachcomber's chest reacts to the presence of the electrum.
**Seaspray has a large top-mounted cannon and two smaller cannons that can deploy from his superstructure.
**[[Furmanism|Like some vast, predatory bird]] Thrust deploys talons to capture Perceptor and Seaspray.
**Perceptor can retract his wrist and fire a missile from it.
**Warpath can likewise fire cryogenic shells from his retracted wrist. At the same time, Powerglide is shown using his forehead-mounted thermal ray.
**Smokescreen can deploy his shoulder missile launchers from the hood of his car mode.
**Smokescreen deploys his smoke from pipes that emerge from his trunk, rather than the usual tailpipe location.
**Sunstreaker uses a rooftop cannon in car mode.
**Blitzwing's laser gun can act as a magnetic tractor beam.
[[File:GoldenLagoon-PowerglideSmokescreenWarpath.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.1]]
*Beachcomber reacts to the electrum with a cry of "[[Great Maximus]]!"
*Warpath speaks with glowing cheek blinkers in this episode.
*In a nice touch of continuity, Perceptor's shoulder cannon is not present when he's held captive. Somehow he's got it back after the escape, however.

===Real-world references===
*At the beginning of the episode, Perceptor stops to examine a rock on the beach with "traces of gold and silver". It's not just a random aside, but foreshadowing: in the real world, electrum is an alloy of gold and silver.
*When Warpath voices his excitement about KAZOWYing Decepticons, Powerglide reminds him that it's a rescue mission and not "the {{w|Charge of the Light Brigade}}", a catastrophic cavalry charge during the Crimean War.
*''[[Star Wars (franchise)|Star Wars]]'' sound effects:
**[[Obi-Wan Kenobi]] and [[Darth Vader]] slashing some equipment with their [[lightsaber]]s is used as the sound of Seaspray's laser fruitlessly hitting a Decepticon in the undersea base.
**[[TIE Fighter]] engine as the Decepticons fly through Omega's initial blasts.
**Lightsaber ignition as Megatron's blast hits Omega Supreme.
**''[[Millennium Falcon]]'' engine noise and Death Star super laser as the Decepticons take off after defeating Omega.
**[[X-wing Fighter|X-Wing]] whine as Powerglide takes off to follow the Decepticons, and again as the 'cons take off inside their headquarters.

===Animation and technical errors===
*Wrong weapon sounds:
**As he trades shots with Ramjet, Seaspray's cannon steals Optimus Prime's laser sound effect. A moment later, it changes to the standard Autobot laser sound.
**The Decepticons' guns use the sound effects of Cobra's guns (from G.I.Joe) during the attack on Sunstreaker's team. Powerglide and the other Autobots likewise get a GI Joe laser noise as they fire.
*Coloring errors:
**Blitzwing's helmet is purple instead of yellow as he stands to join the attack on the beach.
**Perceptor's chest rim is dark gray instead of silver as he turns to fire on the newly electrum-coated Thrust.
**The sides of Skywarp's helmet are colored white when he and Thundercracker present Perceptor and Seaspray to Megatron. It makes him look like he has chubby cheeks!
**Smokescreen's forehead crest is blue instead of yellow as he ponders what Beachcomber is thinking.
**Bluestreak is colored like Prowl as the Decepticons dive to attack.
**Brawn's helmet is olive green instead of gray-silver as he transforms to fire on the Decepticons with Sunstreaker's squad.
*Warpath seems to have lost most of a line; as he's trading shots with him, he says "Blitzwing." for no clear reason.
*One gun, many lasers:
**Thrust's lasers split in two on leaving his guns, giving him 4 lasers. But as he strafes the cliff from off-screen, nearly a dozen lasers are shown streaking in.
**Thrust throws one piece of ice at Powerglide and Warpath, who are hit by dozens of pieces of ice.
*Starscream's missing one of his wing insignia after he lands at the electrum pool.
*Thundercracker likewise has only one wing insignia as Starscream dives into the pool.
*As he drives toward the Decepticons, Smokescreen's smoke camouflage has somehow gotten in front of him.
[[File:GoldenLagoon Mirage reports to Autobots.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.1]]
*When Mirage reports, Bluestreak's head crest is drawn as a pair of squared boxes on his head.
*Sunstreaker's squad gets the wrong transforming sound (ascending pitch) as they transform and roll out.
*Skywarp and Thundercracker are shown listening to Starscream pontificate... yet a second later they walk in from another room with the Autobot prisoners.
*The first syllable of Soundwave's report to Megatron is cut off, leaving him saying "Port on Starscream's activity completed."
*In the big lineup of golden Autobots, Windcharger is a bit deformed and off-model.
*All of this said? We think this episode probably deserves some kind of award for never once accidentally colouring Beachcomber's golden hand its normal blue.

===Continuity errors===
*It's never made clear if the Autobots in the opening scene were looking for rare minerals, or if Perceptor just ''happened'' to get lucky on patrol near a ''beach''.
*Seaspray is somehow able to ''fly'' in hovercraft mode. While it's consistent with his other appearances, hovercrafts do '''NOT''' work that way!
*Thrust dives into the electrum and says he's about to become "number one Decepticon," implying he's planning a coup or something, but later simply reports the find to Megatron. Did he just change his mind on the way back or did he expect Megatron to reward him?
*When Starscream dives into the pool of electrum, he holds his nose, despite the fact that robots normally don't need to breathe. One may chalk it up to a cute little joke inserted by the animators.
*So...why ''was'' Mirage hanging around (invisible) for 10 minutes?
*Later in the show, Mirage turns invisible in [[alternate mode|vehicle mode]]. Smokescreen is kicking up dust behind him (before he engages his smoke trail), so wouldn't Mirage's dust trail be noticeable as well?
*For some reason, no one seems to notice that the Decepticons are gold and invincible - nor do any of the Autobots seem to notice Beachcomber's golden hand. Yet when they discover the pond full of electrum, the Autobots know exactly what the chemical is and what it does.
[[File:G1toon starscream electrum.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.1|"I told you. Your weapons have no effect on me!" "It is my considered advice that you discontinue your use of said weapon!"]]
*Despite knowing that lasers are useless against electrum-coated opponents, both sides keep vainly shooting at each other in the big fight at the end, rather than coming to fisticuffs.
*Is the pool of electrum really deep enough to entirely coat Omega Supreme?
*Speaking of Omega Supreme, his inclusion in the final battle, right after he was defeated by the Decepticons some time ago, seems extremely murky. Although we can assume Omega did not suffer fatal damage even after being blasted by a direct shot from Megatron's gun mode, and that he was repaired off-screen soon afterwards, either by himself or by the other Autobots, the fact that he only appears twice in the final battle (in the one scene where he suddenly emerges from the electrum lagoon, and then mere seconds after that, when Megatron orders his troops to attack and Omega fights back, thus beginning the said final battle), and he is never seen afterwards, neither when the Decepticons obliterate the lagoon (which was shown to be empty at that moment) nor among the Autobots when they celebrate their victory, makes it all seem like those two aformentioned scenes were a rather late addition to the story; or in other words, it seems like originally Omega simply wasn't going to appear there.
*Megatron and the Decepticons are all rather surprised when the electrum coating wears off, but if they didn't know it was temporary, why were they bothering to stockpile it?
*Long Haul says he's going off to join the main force, but neither he nor the rest of the Constructicons are seen later.
*It's a bit absurd that the electrum, a substance that makes Transformers invulnerable to laser fire, was detonated by a barrage of laser fire.
*Though the ending is supposed to be sad, the usual "heroic Autobot victory music" is used for the scene (Though this may have been an intentional bit of irony.).

===Trivia===
*This is the first episode since the premiere to have new [[commercial bumper]]s. They're all new and feature: Omega Supreme, Thrust, Devastator, Astrotrain and Cosmos.
*This is a rare human-free episode (though there are plenty of Disney-esque animals).
*Man, Skywarp sure didn't mention letting the prisoners get away, huh?

===Foreign localization===
'''Brazilian'''
:*''Title:'' "'''A Lagoa Dourada'''" ("The Golden Lagoon")
:*''Original airdate:''

'''German'''
:*''Title (Generation 2 dub):'' "'''Die goldene Lagune'''" ("The Golden Lagoon")
:*''Original airdate:'' [[July 16]], [[1994]]

'''Italian'''
:*''Title (dub 2):'' "'''Il lago dorato'''" ("The Golden Lake")
:*''Original airdate:'' ?
:*This episode was never broadcast in Italy in the '80s and, as such, it only got dubbed in Italian with the 2008 full G1 redubbing.

'''Japanese'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Golden Lagoon no Himitsu'''" (ゴールデンラグーンの秘密, "Secret of the Golden Lagoon")
:*''Original airdate:'' [[March 21]], [[1986]] (''see note below'')
:*In Japan, this episode only aired in the Kansai region (on March 21) and was never given a proper nationwide broadcast. Due to this, official episode guides, including those printed in ''[[Transformers Generations]]'', offer no proper airdate for the episode. Oddly, its official Japanese episode number is 31, which places it between [[February 7]] and [[February 14]], [[1986]] rather than among the March-broadcast episodes. Incidentally, "[[The Girl Who Loved Powerglide]]" aired in all other regions on March 21.

'''Mandarin'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Jīn Jiāohú'''" (金礁湖, "The Golden Lagoon")
:*''Original airdate:'' ?

'''Russian'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Zolotaya lagoona'''" (Золотая лагуна, "The Golden Lagoon")
:*''Original airdate:'' ?

===Toys inspired by this episode===
{{Stub|Lucky draws, possibly?}}
====Transformers Golden Lagoon====
A series of figures was released by [[Takara Tomy]] under the ''Golden Lagoon'' banner in reference to this episode, as well as in celebration of 2019's 35th Anniversary of the ''Transformers'' franchise.
[[File:TF 35th Golden Lagoon Convoy.jpg|upright=1.0|thumb]]
*'''Golden Lagoon [[Optimus Prime (G1)/toys#Golden Lagoon|Convoy]]''' ([[July 29]], [[2018]])
:A gold and gold chrome redeco of MP-10. Part of TakaraTomy's 35th anniversary celebration, he was initially released at Summer Wonder Festival 2018, and later through [[Cybertron Satellite]] stores across Japan and [[TakaraTomy Mall]].
{{-}}

[[File:TF-GoldenLagoon-3Pack.jpg|upright=1.0|thumb]]
*'''Golden Lagoon [[Beachcomber (G1)#Golden Lagoon|Beachcomber]] / [[Perceptor (G1)/toys#Golden Lagoon|Perceptor]] / [[Seaspray (G1)#Golden Lagoon|Seaspray]]''' (November 2018)
:Gold and gold chrome redecos of ''[[Power of the Primes (toyline)|Power of the Primes]]'' [[Beachcomber (G1)#Golden Lagoon|Beachcomber]], ''Titans Return'' [[Perceptor (G1)/toys#Golden Lagoon|Perceptor]] and ''Titans Return'' [[Seaspray (G1)#Golden Lagoon|Seaspray]]. This set was released exclusively at [[TakaraTomy Mall]] as part of TakaraTomy's celebration of the franchise's 35th anniversary.
{{-}}

[[File:TF 35th Golden Lagoon Starscream.jpg|upright=1.0|thumb]]
*'''Golden Lagoon [[Starscream (G1)/toys#Golden Lagoon|Starscream]]''' (October 2018)
:A gold and gold chrome redeco of ''Unite Warriors'' Starscream in homage of this episode of the [[The Transformers (cartoon)|original cartoon]]. He was released in [[TakaraTomy Mall]] and in [[Cybertron Satellite]] stores as part of TakaraTomy's celebration of the franchise's 35th anniversary.
{{-}}

[[File:35th-Golden-Lagoon-Soundwave.jpg|upright=1.0|thumb]]
*'''Golden Lagoon Soundwave''' (February 10, 2019)
:''Golden Lagoon'' [[Soundwave (G1)/toys#Golden Lagoon|Soundwave]] is a redeco of his ''[[Titans Return (toyline)|Titans Return]]'' figure, in gold end gold-chromed color scheme, based on this episode, although his tape door remains clear, rather than gold opaque. He retains his previous base mode and comes with a Titan Master partner for his head.

{{comingsoontoy}}
{{-}}

==Home video releases==
{{homevidnote}}
;{{w|LaserDisc}}
[[File:Flag of Japan.png|20px|Japan]] 1994 — ''Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers'' — Convoy Set ([[TakaraTomy|Takara]]) — Japanese audio only. 
[[File:Flag of Japan.png|20px|Japan]] 1998 — ''The Transformers'' — Autobot Edition ([[Geneon Universal Entertainment|Pioneer LDC]]) — Japanese audio only.
;DVD
[[File:Flag of Japan.png|20px|Japan]] 2001 — ''The Transformers'' — DVD Box 1 (Pioneer LDC) — Japanese audio only. 
[[File:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2003 — ''The Original Transformers'' — Season 2 Part 2 ([[The Original Transformers|Rhino Entertainment]]) 
[[File:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2003 — ''The Original Transformers'' — Season 2 Part 2: Vol. 5 (Rhino Entertainment) 
[[File:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2004 — ''Transformers'' — Season 2 Part 2 ([[Metrodome]]) 
[[File:Flag of Australia.png|20px|Australia]] 2004 — ''Transformers'' — Collection 3: Series 2.2 ([[Madman Entertainment]]) 
[[File:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2006 — ''Transformers'' — The Complete Generation One Collection (Metrodome) 
[[File:Flag of Australia.png|20px|Australia]] 2006 — The Best of ''The Transformers'' (Madman Entertainment) 
[[File:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2007 — ''Transformers'' — The Classic Episodes (Metrodome) 
[[File:Flag of Australia.png|20px|Australia]] 2007 — ''The Transformers'' — Complete Collection (Madman Entertainment) 
[[File:Flag of Italy.png|20px|Italy]] 2008 — ''Transformers'' — Volume 04: Stagione Due Parte Seconda ([[Medianetwork Communication]]) — English and Italian audio. 
[[File:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2009 — ''Transformers'' — Season Two: Part Two (Metrodome) 
[[File:Flag of Australia.png|20px|Australia]] 2009 — ''The Transformers'' — Complete Collection: Decepticon Edition (Madman Entertainment) 
[[File:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2009 — ''The Transformers'' — Season Two, Volume One: 25th Anniversary Edition ([[Shout! Factory]]) 
[[File:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2009 — ''The Transformers'' — The Complete Series: 25th Anniversary "Matrix of Leadership" Collection (Shout! Factory) 
[[File:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2011 — ''The Transformers'' — The Complete Original Series (Shout! Factory) 
[[File:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2014 — ''The Transformers'' — Season Two, Volume One: 30th Anniversary Edition (Shout! Factory) 
[[File:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2014 — ''Transformers'' — The Classic Animated Series (Metrodome)

==External links==
*[http://cybertronchronicle.freewebspace.com/cartoon-dossier/season-2/synopses/700-40.html Episode Dossier at The Cybertron Chronicle]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Golden Lagoon}}
[[Category:The Transformers episodes]]
[[Category:Generation 2 episodes]]

The Golden Lagoon (episode)

2019-03-07T00:13:13Z

Dvegaj: /* Continuity errors */

{{disambig2|the cartoon episode|the ''Legends'' event|The Golden Lagoon (Legends)}}
{{episode
|image=GoldenLagoon Beachcomber in lagoon.jpg
|caption=Beachcomber is into watersports.
|series=G1toon
|ep=41
|series2=SRLFtoon
|ep2=31
|prev2=A Decepticon Raider in King Arthur's Court (episode)
|next2=The God Gambit
|series3=''[[Transformers: Generation 2 (cartoon)|Transformers: Generation 2]]''
|ep3=12
|prev3=A Decepticon Raider in King Arthur's Court (episode)
|next3=Prime Target (episode)
|title="The Golden Lagoon"
|airdate=[[November 4]], 1985
|written by=[[Dennis Marks]]
|production code=#700-40
|production company=[[Sunbow Productions]]
|animation studio=[[Toei]]
|continuity=[[Generation 1 cartoon continuity]]
}}

'''Beachcomber finds a pool of golden liquid that renders his hand invulnerable. Unfortunately, the Decepticons do too, and decide to take a dip.'''

==Synopsis==
[[File:Goldenlagoonbeachcomber1.jpg|left|thumb|Friend of all God's creatures.]]

[[Beachcomber (G1)|Beachcomber]], [[Powerglide (G1)|Powerglide]], [[Seaspray (G1)|Seaspray]], [[Perceptor (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Perceptor]] and [[Warpath (G1)|Warpath]] are taking a walk along the beach when they are attacked by [[Blitzwing (G1)|Blitzwing]], [[Ramjet (G1)|Ramjet]] and [[Thrust (G1)|Thrust]]. In the middle of the battle, pacifist Beachcomber takes cover and finds a secluded glen full of flora and fauna right out of a Disney cartoon. In the middle of enjoying this impromptu petting zoo, the glint of gold catches his eye. In the middle of the glen is a pool of golden liquid he dips his hand into and identifies as "[[electrum]]". A rockslide sends him back to where he came from, just as Thrust flies over the glen and makes the same discovery. Thrust jumps into the pool and comes out completely covered in the gold liquid.

Beachcomber arrives back at the battle as the tide is turning against the Decepticons. Just then, Thrust appears and survives a powerful Autobot barrage without sustaining a scratch, thanks to his electrum coating. Warpath shoots an opening into the cliff face that he, Powerglide and Beachcomber hide in, while Thrust kidnaps Perceptor and Seaspray.

At Decepticon headquarters, the Autobots are imprisoned while Thrust notifies [[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Megatron]] of the electrum pool. They hurry off to the glen and Megatron orders [[Starscream (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Starscream]] to jump in. When he emerges, Megatron shoots him, but the blast bounces off. The rest of the Decepticons jump into the pool and emerge, then have fun shooting each other. Megatron declares the Autobots are finished as the glen around them burns and the animals cower.

[[File:Goldenlagoonstarscreamjump.jpg|right|thumb|Normally, Skywarp would be the one to kick Starscream into the giant pool of urine.]]

Powerglide, Beachcomber, Warpath, [[Mirage (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Mirage]] and [[Smokescreen (G1)|Smokescreen]] regroup and prepare to go after the Decepticons again. Beachcomber hasn't told anyone about his discovery yet. The group rushes off and meets up with the electrum-plated Decepticons, and are quickly dispatched because their weapons have no effect. More Autobots join the battle, but their weapons are useless. Beachcomber realizes that they've found the electrum and drives off.

The Decepticons return to headquarters and Starscream forces Seaspray and Perceptor to fight each other. [[Soundwave (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Soundwave]] rushes off to tell Megatron as Starscream gives the Autobots weapons.

Smokescreen, damaged from the battle, asks [[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]] to help and the giant Autobot declares (a bit prematurely) that failure is impossible.

[[File:GoldenlagoonOSdown.jpg|left|215px|thumb|Gulliver's Travels on acid.]]

Meanwhile, Beachcomber arrives back at the glen and finds the Decepticons have burnt it nearly to the ground. He is captured by Blitzwing while Soundwave tattles on Starscream. Megatron orders everyone to fight Omega Supreme. When they attack Omega fires, but even his weapons have no effect and he falls under enemy fire. Megatron sets his sights on [[Ark (G1)|Autobot headquarters]] next.

At Autobot headquarters, Mirage reports on Omega's defeat and [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] can hardly believe it. [[Teletraan I]] reports a single word to them—electrum. Prime recognizes its significance and sends out teams to try to find it.

Powerglide discreetly follows the Decepticons and sees them swimming in the electrum. He flies off to report the discovery to Optimus.

Megatron gives the task of dispatching Beachcomber, Perceptor and Seaspray to Starscream. When [[Skywarp (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Skywarp]] and [[Thundercracker (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Thundercracker]] come to take the prisoners to Starscream, Beachcomber forgoes his pacifist ways and overcomes both of them. He frees Perceptor and Seaspray and they swim back to the surface and head toward the golden lagoon. With Dirge left alone as guard while all of the others head to the fight, the trio takes him out, just as Prime and the rest of the Autobots arrive. Beachcomber invites them to jump into the electrum with him.

[[File:Goldenlagoonautobotline.jpg|right|215px|thumb|Lucky Draw Roll Call!]]

Back at Autobot headquarters, Megatron and company attack but they discover the base is empty. Megatron orders everyone back to the lagoon, where the electrum-coated Autobots are waiting for them, including Omega Supreme. The two sides fight, but since their weapons are useless the blasts bounce off and destroy the countryside around them. As the battle continues, the electrum on the Decepticons wears off. His advantage lost and seriously out-gunned, Megatron destroys the lagoon and orders a retreat. The Autobots cheer their victory, but Beachcomber laments the destruction of the glen.
{{-}}

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
*[[Warpath (G1)|Warpath]] (1)
*[[Perceptor (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Perceptor]] (2)
*[[Seaspray (G1)|Seaspray]] (3)
*[[Powerglide (G1)|Powerglide]] (4)
*[[Beachcomber (G1)|Beachcomber]] (5)
*[[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]] (8)
*[[Smokescreen (G1)|Smokescreen]] (9)
*[[Mirage (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Mirage]] (10)
*[[Gears (G1)|Gears]] (15)
*[[Wheeljack (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Wheeljack]] (16)
*[[Bluestreak (G1)|Bluestreak]] (17)
*[[Hound (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Hound]] (18)
*[[Brawn (G1)|Brawn]] (19)
*[[Sunstreaker (G1)|Sunstreaker]] (20)
*[[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] (22)
*[[Ironhide (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ironhide]] (23)
*[[Bumblebee (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Bumblebee]] (25)
*[[Jazz (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Jazz]] (26)
*[[Sideswipe (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Sideswipe]] (27)
*[[Ratchet (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ratchet]] (28)
*[[Trailbreaker (G1)|Trailbreaker]] (29)
*[[Windcharger (G1)|Windcharger]] (30)
|c2=
*[[Blitzwing (G1)|Blitzwing]] (1)
*[[Thrust (G1)|Thrust]] (2)
*[[Ramjet (G1)|Ramjet]] (3)
*[[Skywarp (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Skywarp]] (4)
*[[Thundercracker (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Thundercracker]] (5)
*[[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Megatron]] (6)
*[[Starscream (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Starscream]] (7)
*[[Soundwave (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Soundwave]] (11)
*[[Skywarp (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Skywarp]] (12)
*[[Reflector (G1)|Reflector]] (13)
*[[Dirge (G1)|Dirge]] (14)
*[[Rumble (G1)|Rumble]] (21)
*[[Long Haul (G1)|Long Haul]] (24)
}}

==Quotes==
"Thrust, my man, you are about to become number-one Decepticon."
:—'''Thrust''', anticipating a promotion

"Personally, I need proof!" 
"''Personally'', I don't care ''what'' you need!"
:—'''Megatron''' puts '''Starscream''' in his place, again.

[[File:Laserrave.gif|right|324px|thumb|You're right, Megatron, this ''is'' enjoyable.]]

"Just shoot up the whole cloud! He's in there somewhere!"
:—'''Megatron''' uses a rather sound tactic to foil Smokescreen's camouflage.

"Sunstreaker, our weapons don't seem to have any effect on them." 
"I'll blast a few big D's for ya, and you’ll see what a difference a pro makes."
:—'''Mirage''' and '''Sunstreaker'''

"Show no mercy!" 
"Did we ever?"
:—'''Megatron''' and '''Starscream'''

"Results: disappointing."
:—'''Omega Supreme''' after three rounds of fire have no effect on the Decepticons.

'''Megatron''': Victory over the Autobots is here. 
'''Starscream''': Cut the oration, Megatron. We already heard it. 
'''Skywarp''': Yeah, let's talk about victory after we’ve got it.
:—the troops sass back to Megatron now that they're invulnerable.

"We won..."
:—'''Beachcomber'''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s bitter statement as he surveys the wreckage of the lagoon.

==Notes==
===Continuity notes===
[[File:Beachcomber with bird.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.1|"Gee Beachcomber, I didn't know you spoke bird." "No, that's Italian."]]
*Gadgets and powers:
**Beachcomber is shown to have a [[universal translator|translator that lets him understand animals]]. Assuming all Transformers have this, it would explain how they manage to communicate with every species they come across.
**A glowing sensor in Beachcomber's chest reacts to the presence of the electrum.
**Seaspray has a large top-mounted cannon and two smaller cannons that can deploy from his superstructure.
**[[Furmanism|Like some vast, predatory bird]] Thrust deploys talons to capture Perceptor and Seaspray.
**Perceptor can retract his wrist and fire a missile from it.
**Warpath can likewise fire cryogenic shells from his retracted wrist. At the same time, Powerglide is shown using his forehead-mounted thermal ray.
**Smokescreen can deploy his shoulder missile launchers from the hood of his car mode.
**Smokescreen deploys his smoke from pipes that emerge from his trunk, rather than the usual tailpipe location.
**Sunstreaker uses a rooftop cannon in car mode.
**Blitzwing's laser gun can act as a magnetic tractor beam.
[[File:GoldenLagoon-PowerglideSmokescreenWarpath.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.1]]
*Beachcomber reacts to the electrum with a cry of "[[Great Maximus]]!"
*Warpath speaks with glowing cheek blinkers in this episode.
*In a nice touch of continuity, Perceptor's shoulder cannon is not present when he's held captive. Somehow he's got it back after the escape, however.

===Real-world references===
*At the beginning of the episode, Perceptor stops to examine a rock on the beach with "traces of gold and silver". It's not just a random aside, but foreshadowing: in the real world, electrum is an alloy of gold and silver.
*When Warpath voices his excitement about KAZOWYing Decepticons, Powerglide reminds him that it's a rescue mission and not "the {{w|Charge of the Light Brigade}}", a catastrophic cavalry charge during the Crimean War.
*''[[Star Wars (franchise)|Star Wars]]'' sound effects:
**[[Obi-Wan Kenobi]] and [[Darth Vader]] slashing some equipment with their [[lightsaber]]s is used as the sound of Seaspray's laser fruitlessly hitting a Decepticon in the undersea base.
**[[TIE Fighter]] engine as the Decepticons fly through Omega's initial blasts.
**Lightsaber ignition as Megatron's blast hits Omega Supreme.
**''[[Millennium Falcon]]'' engine noise and Death Star super laser as the Decepticons take off after defeating Omega.
**[[X-wing Fighter|X-Wing]] whine as Powerglide takes off to follow the Decepticons, and again as the 'cons take off inside their headquarters.

===Animation and technical errors===
*Wrong weapon sounds:
**As he trades shots with Ramjet, Seaspray's cannon steals Optimus Prime's laser sound effect. A moment later, it changes to the standard Autobot laser sound.
**The Decepticons' guns use the sound effects of Cobra's guns (from G.I.Joe) during the attack on Sunstreaker's team. Powerglide and the other Autobots likewise get a GI Joe laser noise as they fire.
*Coloring errors:
**Blitzwing's helmet is purple instead of yellow as he stands to join the attack on the beach.
**Perceptor's chest rim is dark gray instead of silver as he turns to fire on the newly electrum-coated Thrust.
**The sides of Skywarp's helmet are colored white when he and Thundercracker present Perceptor and Seaspray to Megatron. It makes him look like he has chubby cheeks!
**Smokescreen's forehead crest is blue instead of yellow as he ponders what Beachcomber is thinking.
**Bluestreak is colored like Prowl as the Decepticons dive to attack.
**Brawn's helmet is olive green instead of gray-silver as he transforms to fire on the Decepticons with Sunstreaker's squad.
*Warpath seems to have lost most of a line; as he's trading shots with him, he says "Blitzwing." for no clear reason.
*One gun, many lasers:
**Thrust's lasers split in two on leaving his guns, giving him 4 lasers. But as he strafes the cliff from off-screen, nearly a dozen lasers are shown streaking in.
**Thrust throws one piece of ice at Powerglide and Warpath, who are hit by dozens of pieces of ice.
*Starscream's missing one of his wing insignia after he lands at the electrum pool.
*Thundercracker likewise has only one wing insignia as Starscream dives into the pool.
*As he drives toward the Decepticons, Smokescreen's smoke camouflage has somehow gotten in front of him.
[[File:GoldenLagoon Mirage reports to Autobots.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.1]]
*When Mirage reports, Bluestreak's head crest is drawn as a pair of squared boxes on his head.
*Sunstreaker's squad gets the wrong transforming sound (ascending pitch) as they transform and roll out.
*Skywarp and Thundercracker are shown listening to Starscream pontificate... yet a second later they walk in from another room with the Autobot prisoners.
*The first syllable of Soundwave's report to Megatron is cut off, leaving him saying "Port on Starscream's activity completed."
*In the big lineup of golden Autobots, Windcharger is a bit deformed and off-model.
*All of this said? We think this episode probably deserves some kind of award for never once accidentally colouring Beachcomber's golden hand its normal blue.

===Continuity errors===
*It's never made clear if the Autobots in the opening scene were looking for rare minerals, or if Perceptor just ''happened'' to get lucky on patrol near a ''beach''.
*Seaspray is somehow able to ''fly'' in hovercraft mode. While it's consistent with his other appearances, hovercrafts do '''NOT''' work that way!
*Thrust dives into the electrum and says he's about to become "number one Decepticon," implying he's planning a coup or something, but later simply reports the find to Megatron. Did he just change his mind on the way back or did he expect Megatron to reward him?
*When Starscream dives into the pool of electrum, he holds his nose, despite the fact that robots normally don't need to breathe. One may chalk it up to a cute little joke inserted by the animators.
*So...why ''was'' Mirage hanging around (invisible) for 10 minutes?
*Later in the show, Mirage turns invisible in [[alternate mode|vehicle mode]]. Smokescreen is kicking up dust behind him (before he engages his smoke trail), so wouldn't Mirage's dust trail be noticeable as well?
*For some reason, no one seems to notice that the Decepticons are gold and invincible - nor do any of the Autobots seem to notice Beachcomber's golden hand. Yet when they discover the pond full of electrum, the Autobots know exactly what the chemical is and what it does.
[[File:G1toon starscream electrum.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.1|"I told you. Your weapons have no effect on me!" "It is my considered advice that you discontinue your use of said weapon!"]]
*Despite knowing that lasers are useless against electrum-coated opponents, both sides keep vainly shooting at each other in the big fight at the end, rather than coming to fisticuffs.
*Is the pool of electrum really deep enough to entirely coat Omega Supreme?
*Speaking of Omega Supreme, his inclusion in the final battle, right after he was defeated by the Decepticons some time ago, seems extremely murky. Although we can assume Omega did not suffer fatal damage even after being blasted by a direct shot from Megatron's gun mode, and that he was repaired off-screen soon afterwards, either by himself or by the other Autobots, the fact that he only appears twice in the final battle (in the one scene where he suddenly emerges from the electrum lagoon, and then mere seconds after that, when Megatron orders his troops to attack and Omega fights back, thus beginning the said final battle), and is never seen afterwards, nor when Megatron and his troops obliterate the lagoon (which was shown to be empty at that moment) nor among the Autobots when they celebrate their victory, makes it seem like those two scenes were a rather late addition to the story; or in other words, it seems like originally Omega simply wasn't going to appear there.
*Megatron and the Decepticons are all rather surprised when the electrum coating wears off, but if they didn't know it was temporary, why were they bothering to stockpile it?
*Long Haul says he's going off to join the main force, but neither he nor the rest of the Constructicons are seen later.
*It's a bit absurd that the electrum, a substance that makes Transformers invulnerable to laser fire, was detonated by a barrage of laser fire.
*Though the ending is supposed to be sad, the usual "heroic Autobot victory music" is used for the scene (Though this may have been an intentional bit of irony.).

===Trivia===
*This is the first episode since the premiere to have new [[commercial bumper]]s. They're all new and feature: Omega Supreme, Thrust, Devastator, Astrotrain and Cosmos.
*This is a rare human-free episode (though there are plenty of Disney-esque animals).
*Man, Skywarp sure didn't mention letting the prisoners get away, huh?

===Foreign localization===
'''Brazilian'''
:*''Title:'' "'''A Lagoa Dourada'''" ("The Golden Lagoon")
:*''Original airdate:''

'''German'''
:*''Title (Generation 2 dub):'' "'''Die goldene Lagune'''" ("The Golden Lagoon")
:*''Original airdate:'' [[July 16]], [[1994]]

'''Italian'''
:*''Title (dub 2):'' "'''Il lago dorato'''" ("The Golden Lake")
:*''Original airdate:'' ?
:*This episode was never broadcast in Italy in the '80s and, as such, it only got dubbed in Italian with the 2008 full G1 redubbing.

'''Japanese'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Golden Lagoon no Himitsu'''" (ゴールデンラグーンの秘密, "Secret of the Golden Lagoon")
:*''Original airdate:'' [[March 21]], [[1986]] (''see note below'')
:*In Japan, this episode only aired in the Kansai region (on March 21) and was never given a proper nationwide broadcast. Due to this, official episode guides, including those printed in ''[[Transformers Generations]]'', offer no proper airdate for the episode. Oddly, its official Japanese episode number is 31, which places it between [[February 7]] and [[February 14]], [[1986]] rather than among the March-broadcast episodes. Incidentally, "[[The Girl Who Loved Powerglide]]" aired in all other regions on March 21.

'''Mandarin'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Jīn Jiāohú'''" (金礁湖, "The Golden Lagoon")
:*''Original airdate:'' ?

'''Russian'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Zolotaya lagoona'''" (Золотая лагуна, "The Golden Lagoon")
:*''Original airdate:'' ?

===Toys inspired by this episode===
{{Stub|Lucky draws, possibly?}}
====Transformers Golden Lagoon====
A series of figures was released by [[Takara Tomy]] under the ''Golden Lagoon'' banner in reference to this episode, as well as in celebration of 2019's 35th Anniversary of the ''Transformers'' franchise.
[[File:TF 35th Golden Lagoon Convoy.jpg|upright=1.0|thumb]]
*'''Golden Lagoon [[Optimus Prime (G1)/toys#Golden Lagoon|Convoy]]''' ([[July 29]], [[2018]])
:A gold and gold chrome redeco of MP-10. Part of TakaraTomy's 35th anniversary celebration, he was initially released at Summer Wonder Festival 2018, and later through [[Cybertron Satellite]] stores across Japan and [[TakaraTomy Mall]].
{{-}}

[[File:TF-GoldenLagoon-3Pack.jpg|upright=1.0|thumb]]
*'''Golden Lagoon [[Beachcomber (G1)#Golden Lagoon|Beachcomber]] / [[Perceptor (G1)/toys#Golden Lagoon|Perceptor]] / [[Seaspray (G1)#Golden Lagoon|Seaspray]]''' (November 2018)
:Gold and gold chrome redecos of ''[[Power of the Primes (toyline)|Power of the Primes]]'' [[Beachcomber (G1)#Golden Lagoon|Beachcomber]], ''Titans Return'' [[Perceptor (G1)/toys#Golden Lagoon|Perceptor]] and ''Titans Return'' [[Seaspray (G1)#Golden Lagoon|Seaspray]]. This set was released exclusively at [[TakaraTomy Mall]] as part of TakaraTomy's celebration of the franchise's 35th anniversary.
{{-}}

[[File:TF 35th Golden Lagoon Starscream.jpg|upright=1.0|thumb]]
*'''Golden Lagoon [[Starscream (G1)/toys#Golden Lagoon|Starscream]]''' (October 2018)
:A gold and gold chrome redeco of ''Unite Warriors'' Starscream in homage of this episode of the [[The Transformers (cartoon)|original cartoon]]. He was released in [[TakaraTomy Mall]] and in [[Cybertron Satellite]] stores as part of TakaraTomy's celebration of the franchise's 35th anniversary.
{{-}}

[[File:35th-Golden-Lagoon-Soundwave.jpg|upright=1.0|thumb]]
*'''Golden Lagoon Soundwave''' (February 10, 2019)
:''Golden Lagoon'' [[Soundwave (G1)/toys#Golden Lagoon|Soundwave]] is a redeco of his ''[[Titans Return (toyline)|Titans Return]]'' figure, in gold end gold-chromed color scheme, based on this episode, although his tape door remains clear, rather than gold opaque. He retains his previous base mode and comes with a Titan Master partner for his head.

{{comingsoontoy}}
{{-}}

==Home video releases==
{{homevidnote}}
;{{w|LaserDisc}}
[[File:Flag of Japan.png|20px|Japan]] 1994 — ''Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers'' — Convoy Set ([[TakaraTomy|Takara]]) — Japanese audio only. 
[[File:Flag of Japan.png|20px|Japan]] 1998 — ''The Transformers'' — Autobot Edition ([[Geneon Universal Entertainment|Pioneer LDC]]) — Japanese audio only.
;DVD
[[File:Flag of Japan.png|20px|Japan]] 2001 — ''The Transformers'' — DVD Box 1 (Pioneer LDC) — Japanese audio only. 
[[File:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2003 — ''The Original Transformers'' — Season 2 Part 2 ([[The Original Transformers|Rhino Entertainment]]) 
[[File:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2003 — ''The Original Transformers'' — Season 2 Part 2: Vol. 5 (Rhino Entertainment) 
[[File:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2004 — ''Transformers'' — Season 2 Part 2 ([[Metrodome]]) 
[[File:Flag of Australia.png|20px|Australia]] 2004 — ''Transformers'' — Collection 3: Series 2.2 ([[Madman Entertainment]]) 
[[File:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2006 — ''Transformers'' — The Complete Generation One Collection (Metrodome) 
[[File:Flag of Australia.png|20px|Australia]] 2006 — The Best of ''The Transformers'' (Madman Entertainment) 
[[File:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2007 — ''Transformers'' — The Classic Episodes (Metrodome) 
[[File:Flag of Australia.png|20px|Australia]] 2007 — ''The Transformers'' — Complete Collection (Madman Entertainment) 
[[File:Flag of Italy.png|20px|Italy]] 2008 — ''Transformers'' — Volume 04: Stagione Due Parte Seconda ([[Medianetwork Communication]]) — English and Italian audio. 
[[File:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2009 — ''Transformers'' — Season Two: Part Two (Metrodome) 
[[File:Flag of Australia.png|20px|Australia]] 2009 — ''The Transformers'' — Complete Collection: Decepticon Edition (Madman Entertainment) 
[[File:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2009 — ''The Transformers'' — Season Two, Volume One: 25th Anniversary Edition ([[Shout! Factory]]) 
[[File:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2009 — ''The Transformers'' — The Complete Series: 25th Anniversary "Matrix of Leadership" Collection (Shout! Factory) 
[[File:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2011 — ''The Transformers'' — The Complete Original Series (Shout! Factory) 
[[File:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2014 — ''The Transformers'' — Season Two, Volume One: 30th Anniversary Edition (Shout! Factory) 
[[File:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2014 — ''Transformers'' — The Classic Animated Series (Metrodome)

==External links==
*[http://cybertronchronicle.freewebspace.com/cartoon-dossier/season-2/synopses/700-40.html Episode Dossier at The Cybertron Chronicle]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Golden Lagoon}}
[[Category:The Transformers episodes]]
[[Category:Generation 2 episodes]]

The Golden Lagoon (episode)

2019-03-06T23:30:10Z

Dvegaj: /* Continuity errors */

{{disambig2|the cartoon episode|the ''Legends'' event|The Golden Lagoon (Legends)}}
{{episode
|image=GoldenLagoon Beachcomber in lagoon.jpg
|caption=Beachcomber is into watersports.
|series=G1toon
|ep=41
|series2=SRLFtoon
|ep2=31
|prev2=A Decepticon Raider in King Arthur's Court (episode)
|next2=The God Gambit
|series3=''[[Transformers: Generation 2 (cartoon)|Transformers: Generation 2]]''
|ep3=12
|prev3=A Decepticon Raider in King Arthur's Court (episode)
|next3=Prime Target (episode)
|title="The Golden Lagoon"
|airdate=[[November 4]], 1985
|written by=[[Dennis Marks]]
|production code=#700-40
|production company=[[Sunbow Productions]]
|animation studio=[[Toei]]
|continuity=[[Generation 1 cartoon continuity]]
}}

'''Beachcomber finds a pool of golden liquid that renders his hand invulnerable. Unfortunately, the Decepticons do too, and decide to take a dip.'''

==Synopsis==
[[File:Goldenlagoonbeachcomber1.jpg|left|thumb|Friend of all God's creatures.]]

[[Beachcomber (G1)|Beachcomber]], [[Powerglide (G1)|Powerglide]], [[Seaspray (G1)|Seaspray]], [[Perceptor (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Perceptor]] and [[Warpath (G1)|Warpath]] are taking a walk along the beach when they are attacked by [[Blitzwing (G1)|Blitzwing]], [[Ramjet (G1)|Ramjet]] and [[Thrust (G1)|Thrust]]. In the middle of the battle, pacifist Beachcomber takes cover and finds a secluded glen full of flora and fauna right out of a Disney cartoon. In the middle of enjoying this impromptu petting zoo, the glint of gold catches his eye. In the middle of the glen is a pool of golden liquid he dips his hand into and identifies as "[[electrum]]". A rockslide sends him back to where he came from, just as Thrust flies over the glen and makes the same discovery. Thrust jumps into the pool and comes out completely covered in the gold liquid.

Beachcomber arrives back at the battle as the tide is turning against the Decepticons. Just then, Thrust appears and survives a powerful Autobot barrage without sustaining a scratch, thanks to his electrum coating. Warpath shoots an opening into the cliff face that he, Powerglide and Beachcomber hide in, while Thrust kidnaps Perceptor and Seaspray.

At Decepticon headquarters, the Autobots are imprisoned while Thrust notifies [[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Megatron]] of the electrum pool. They hurry off to the glen and Megatron orders [[Starscream (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Starscream]] to jump in. When he emerges, Megatron shoots him, but the blast bounces off. The rest of the Decepticons jump into the pool and emerge, then have fun shooting each other. Megatron declares the Autobots are finished as the glen around them burns and the animals cower.

[[File:Goldenlagoonstarscreamjump.jpg|right|thumb|Normally, Skywarp would be the one to kick Starscream into the giant pool of urine.]]

Powerglide, Beachcomber, Warpath, [[Mirage (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Mirage]] and [[Smokescreen (G1)|Smokescreen]] regroup and prepare to go after the Decepticons again. Beachcomber hasn't told anyone about his discovery yet. The group rushes off and meets up with the electrum-plated Decepticons, and are quickly dispatched because their weapons have no effect. More Autobots join the battle, but their weapons are useless. Beachcomber realizes that they've found the electrum and drives off.

The Decepticons return to headquarters and Starscream forces Seaspray and Perceptor to fight each other. [[Soundwave (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Soundwave]] rushes off to tell Megatron as Starscream gives the Autobots weapons.

Smokescreen, damaged from the battle, asks [[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]] to help and the giant Autobot declares (a bit prematurely) that failure is impossible.

[[File:GoldenlagoonOSdown.jpg|left|215px|thumb|Gulliver's Travels on acid.]]

Meanwhile, Beachcomber arrives back at the glen and finds the Decepticons have burnt it nearly to the ground. He is captured by Blitzwing while Soundwave tattles on Starscream. Megatron orders everyone to fight Omega Supreme. When they attack Omega fires, but even his weapons have no effect and he falls under enemy fire. Megatron sets his sights on [[Ark (G1)|Autobot headquarters]] next.

At Autobot headquarters, Mirage reports on Omega's defeat and [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] can hardly believe it. [[Teletraan I]] reports a single word to them—electrum. Prime recognizes its significance and sends out teams to try to find it.

Powerglide discreetly follows the Decepticons and sees them swimming in the electrum. He flies off to report the discovery to Optimus.

Megatron gives the task of dispatching Beachcomber, Perceptor and Seaspray to Starscream. When [[Skywarp (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Skywarp]] and [[Thundercracker (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Thundercracker]] come to take the prisoners to Starscream, Beachcomber forgoes his pacifist ways and overcomes both of them. He frees Perceptor and Seaspray and they swim back to the surface and head toward the golden lagoon. With Dirge left alone as guard while all of the others head to the fight, the trio takes him out, just as Prime and the rest of the Autobots arrive. Beachcomber invites them to jump into the electrum with him.

[[File:Goldenlagoonautobotline.jpg|right|215px|thumb|Lucky Draw Roll Call!]]

Back at Autobot headquarters, Megatron and company attack but they discover the base is empty. Megatron orders everyone back to the lagoon, where the electrum-coated Autobots are waiting for them, including Omega Supreme. The two sides fight, but since their weapons are useless the blasts bounce off and destroy the countryside around them. As the battle continues, the electrum on the Decepticons wears off. His advantage lost and seriously out-gunned, Megatron destroys the lagoon and orders a retreat. The Autobots cheer their victory, but Beachcomber laments the destruction of the glen.
{{-}}

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
*[[Warpath (G1)|Warpath]] (1)
*[[Perceptor (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Perceptor]] (2)
*[[Seaspray (G1)|Seaspray]] (3)
*[[Powerglide (G1)|Powerglide]] (4)
*[[Beachcomber (G1)|Beachcomber]] (5)
*[[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]] (8)
*[[Smokescreen (G1)|Smokescreen]] (9)
*[[Mirage (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Mirage]] (10)
*[[Gears (G1)|Gears]] (15)
*[[Wheeljack (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Wheeljack]] (16)
*[[Bluestreak (G1)|Bluestreak]] (17)
*[[Hound (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Hound]] (18)
*[[Brawn (G1)|Brawn]] (19)
*[[Sunstreaker (G1)|Sunstreaker]] (20)
*[[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] (22)
*[[Ironhide (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ironhide]] (23)
*[[Bumblebee (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Bumblebee]] (25)
*[[Jazz (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Jazz]] (26)
*[[Sideswipe (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Sideswipe]] (27)
*[[Ratchet (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ratchet]] (28)
*[[Trailbreaker (G1)|Trailbreaker]] (29)
*[[Windcharger (G1)|Windcharger]] (30)
|c2=
*[[Blitzwing (G1)|Blitzwing]] (1)
*[[Thrust (G1)|Thrust]] (2)
*[[Ramjet (G1)|Ramjet]] (3)
*[[Skywarp (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Skywarp]] (4)
*[[Thundercracker (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Thundercracker]] (5)
*[[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Megatron]] (6)
*[[Starscream (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Starscream]] (7)
*[[Soundwave (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Soundwave]] (11)
*[[Skywarp (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Skywarp]] (12)
*[[Reflector (G1)|Reflector]] (13)
*[[Dirge (G1)|Dirge]] (14)
*[[Rumble (G1)|Rumble]] (21)
*[[Long Haul (G1)|Long Haul]] (24)
}}

==Quotes==
"Thrust, my man, you are about to become number-one Decepticon."
:—'''Thrust''', anticipating a promotion

"Personally, I need proof!" 
"''Personally'', I don't care ''what'' you need!"
:—'''Megatron''' puts '''Starscream''' in his place, again.

[[File:Laserrave.gif|right|324px|thumb|You're right, Megatron, this ''is'' enjoyable.]]

"Just shoot up the whole cloud! He's in there somewhere!"
:—'''Megatron''' uses a rather sound tactic to foil Smokescreen's camouflage.

"Sunstreaker, our weapons don't seem to have any effect on them." 
"I'll blast a few big D's for ya, and you’ll see what a difference a pro makes."
:—'''Mirage''' and '''Sunstreaker'''

"Show no mercy!" 
"Did we ever?"
:—'''Megatron''' and '''Starscream'''

"Results: disappointing."
:—'''Omega Supreme''' after three rounds of fire have no effect on the Decepticons.

'''Megatron''': Victory over the Autobots is here. 
'''Starscream''': Cut the oration, Megatron. We already heard it. 
'''Skywarp''': Yeah, let's talk about victory after we’ve got it.
:—the troops sass back to Megatron now that they're invulnerable.

"We won..."
:—'''Beachcomber'''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s bitter statement as he surveys the wreckage of the lagoon.

==Notes==
===Continuity notes===
[[File:Beachcomber with bird.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.1|"Gee Beachcomber, I didn't know you spoke bird." "No, that's Italian."]]
*Gadgets and powers:
**Beachcomber is shown to have a [[universal translator|translator that lets him understand animals]]. Assuming all Transformers have this, it would explain how they manage to communicate with every species they come across.
**A glowing sensor in Beachcomber's chest reacts to the presence of the electrum.
**Seaspray has a large top-mounted cannon and two smaller cannons that can deploy from his superstructure.
**[[Furmanism|Like some vast, predatory bird]] Thrust deploys talons to capture Perceptor and Seaspray.
**Perceptor can retract his wrist and fire a missile from it.
**Warpath can likewise fire cryogenic shells from his retracted wrist. At the same time, Powerglide is shown using his forehead-mounted thermal ray.
**Smokescreen can deploy his shoulder missile launchers from the hood of his car mode.
**Smokescreen deploys his smoke from pipes that emerge from his trunk, rather than the usual tailpipe location.
**Sunstreaker uses a rooftop cannon in car mode.
**Blitzwing's laser gun can act as a magnetic tractor beam.
[[File:GoldenLagoon-PowerglideSmokescreenWarpath.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.1]]
*Beachcomber reacts to the electrum with a cry of "[[Great Maximus]]!"
*Warpath speaks with glowing cheek blinkers in this episode.
*In a nice touch of continuity, Perceptor's shoulder cannon is not present when he's held captive. Somehow he's got it back after the escape, however.

===Real-world references===
*At the beginning of the episode, Perceptor stops to examine a rock on the beach with "traces of gold and silver". It's not just a random aside, but foreshadowing: in the real world, electrum is an alloy of gold and silver.
*When Warpath voices his excitement about KAZOWYing Decepticons, Powerglide reminds him that it's a rescue mission and not "the {{w|Charge of the Light Brigade}}", a catastrophic cavalry charge during the Crimean War.
*''[[Star Wars (franchise)|Star Wars]]'' sound effects:
**[[Obi-Wan Kenobi]] and [[Darth Vader]] slashing some equipment with their [[lightsaber]]s is used as the sound of Seaspray's laser fruitlessly hitting a Decepticon in the undersea base.
**[[TIE Fighter]] engine as the Decepticons fly through Omega's initial blasts.
**Lightsaber ignition as Megatron's blast hits Omega Supreme.
**''[[Millennium Falcon]]'' engine noise and Death Star super laser as the Decepticons take off after defeating Omega.
**[[X-wing Fighter|X-Wing]] whine as Powerglide takes off to follow the Decepticons, and again as the 'cons take off inside their headquarters.

===Animation and technical errors===
*Wrong weapon sounds:
**As he trades shots with Ramjet, Seaspray's cannon steals Optimus Prime's laser sound effect. A moment later, it changes to the standard Autobot laser sound.
**The Decepticons' guns use the sound effects of Cobra's guns (from G.I.Joe) during the attack on Sunstreaker's team. Powerglide and the other Autobots likewise get a GI Joe laser noise as they fire.
*Coloring errors:
**Blitzwing's helmet is purple instead of yellow as he stands to join the attack on the beach.
**Perceptor's chest rim is dark gray instead of silver as he turns to fire on the newly electrum-coated Thrust.
**The sides of Skywarp's helmet are colored white when he and Thundercracker present Perceptor and Seaspray to Megatron. It makes him look like he has chubby cheeks!
**Smokescreen's forehead crest is blue instead of yellow as he ponders what Beachcomber is thinking.
**Bluestreak is colored like Prowl as the Decepticons dive to attack.
**Brawn's helmet is olive green instead of gray-silver as he transforms to fire on the Decepticons with Sunstreaker's squad.
*Warpath seems to have lost most of a line; as he's trading shots with him, he says "Blitzwing." for no clear reason.
*One gun, many lasers:
**Thrust's lasers split in two on leaving his guns, giving him 4 lasers. But as he strafes the cliff from off-screen, nearly a dozen lasers are shown streaking in.
**Thrust throws one piece of ice at Powerglide and Warpath, who are hit by dozens of pieces of ice.
*Starscream's missing one of his wing insignia after he lands at the electrum pool.
*Thundercracker likewise has only one wing insignia as Starscream dives into the pool.
*As he drives toward the Decepticons, Smokescreen's smoke camouflage has somehow gotten in front of him.
[[File:GoldenLagoon Mirage reports to Autobots.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.1]]
*When Mirage reports, Bluestreak's head crest is drawn as a pair of squared boxes on his head.
*Sunstreaker's squad gets the wrong transforming sound (ascending pitch) as they transform and roll out.
*Skywarp and Thundercracker are shown listening to Starscream pontificate... yet a second later they walk in from another room with the Autobot prisoners.
*The first syllable of Soundwave's report to Megatron is cut off, leaving him saying "Port on Starscream's activity completed."
*In the big lineup of golden Autobots, Windcharger is a bit deformed and off-model.
*All of this said? We think this episode probably deserves some kind of award for never once accidentally colouring Beachcomber's golden hand its normal blue.

===Continuity errors===
*It's never made clear if the Autobots in the opening scene were looking for rare minerals, or if Perceptor just ''happened'' to get lucky on patrol near a ''beach''.
*Seaspray is somehow able to ''fly'' in hovercraft mode. While it's consistent with his other appearances, hovercrafts do '''NOT''' work that way!
*Thrust dives into the electrum and says he's about to become "number one Decepticon," implying he's planning a coup or something, but later simply reports the find to Megatron. Did he just change his mind on the way back or did he expect Megatron to reward him?
*When Starscream dives into the pool of electrum, he holds his nose, despite the fact that robots normally don't need to breathe. One may chalk it up to a cute little joke inserted by the animators.
*So...why ''was'' Mirage hanging around (invisible) for 10 minutes?
*Later in the show, Mirage turns invisible in [[alternate mode|vehicle mode]]. Smokescreen is kicking up dust behind him (before he engages his smoke trail), so wouldn't Mirage's dust trail be noticeable as well?
*For some reason, no one seems to notice that the Decepticons are gold and invincible - nor do any of the Autobots seem to notice Beachcomber's golden hand. Yet when they discover the pond full of electrum, the Autobots know exactly what the chemical is and what it does.
[[File:G1toon starscream electrum.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.1|"I told you. Your weapons have no effect on me!" "It is my considered advice that you discontinue your use of said weapon!"]]
*Despite knowing that lasers are useless against electrum-coated opponents, both sides keep vainly shooting at each other in the big fight at the end, rather than coming to fisticuffs.
*Is the pool of electrum really deep enough to entirely coat Omega Supreme?
*Speaking of Omega Supreme, his inclusion in the final battle, right after he was defeated by the Decepticons some time ago, seems extremely murky. Although we can assume Omega did not suffer fatal damage even after being blasted by a direct shot from Megatron's gun mode, and that he was soon repaired afterwards, either by himself or by the other Autobots, the fact that he only appears once in the final battle (in the one brief scene where he suddenly emerges from the electrum lagoon), and is never seen afterwards, nor when Megatron and his troops obliterate the lagoon (which was empty at that moment) nor among the Autobots when they celebrate their victory, makes it seem like this scene was a rather late addition to the story.
*Megatron and the Decepticons are all rather surprised when the electrum coating wears off, but if they didn't know it was temporary, why were they bothering to stockpile it?
*Long Haul says he's going off to join the main force, but neither he nor the rest of the Constructicons are seen later.
*It's a bit absurd that the electrum, a substance that makes Transformers invulnerable to laser fire, was detonated by a barrage of laser fire.
*Though the ending is supposed to be sad, the usual "heroic Autobot victory music" is used for the scene (Though this may have been an intentional bit of irony.).

===Trivia===
*This is the first episode since the premiere to have new [[commercial bumper]]s. They're all new and feature: Omega Supreme, Thrust, Devastator, Astrotrain and Cosmos.
*This is a rare human-free episode (though there are plenty of Disney-esque animals).
*Man, Skywarp sure didn't mention letting the prisoners get away, huh?

===Foreign localization===
'''Brazilian'''
:*''Title:'' "'''A Lagoa Dourada'''" ("The Golden Lagoon")
:*''Original airdate:''

'''German'''
:*''Title (Generation 2 dub):'' "'''Die goldene Lagune'''" ("The Golden Lagoon")
:*''Original airdate:'' [[July 16]], [[1994]]

'''Italian'''
:*''Title (dub 2):'' "'''Il lago dorato'''" ("The Golden Lake")
:*''Original airdate:'' ?
:*This episode was never broadcast in Italy in the '80s and, as such, it only got dubbed in Italian with the 2008 full G1 redubbing.

'''Japanese'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Golden Lagoon no Himitsu'''" (ゴールデンラグーンの秘密, "Secret of the Golden Lagoon")
:*''Original airdate:'' [[March 21]], [[1986]] (''see note below'')
:*In Japan, this episode only aired in the Kansai region (on March 21) and was never given a proper nationwide broadcast. Due to this, official episode guides, including those printed in ''[[Transformers Generations]]'', offer no proper airdate for the episode. Oddly, its official Japanese episode number is 31, which places it between [[February 7]] and [[February 14]], [[1986]] rather than among the March-broadcast episodes. Incidentally, "[[The Girl Who Loved Powerglide]]" aired in all other regions on March 21.

'''Mandarin'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Jīn Jiāohú'''" (金礁湖, "The Golden Lagoon")
:*''Original airdate:'' ?

'''Russian'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Zolotaya lagoona'''" (Золотая лагуна, "The Golden Lagoon")
:*''Original airdate:'' ?

===Toys inspired by this episode===
{{Stub|Lucky draws, possibly?}}
====Transformers Golden Lagoon====
A series of figures was released by [[Takara Tomy]] under the ''Golden Lagoon'' banner in reference to this episode, as well as in celebration of 2019's 35th Anniversary of the ''Transformers'' franchise.
[[File:TF 35th Golden Lagoon Convoy.jpg|upright=1.0|thumb]]
*'''Golden Lagoon [[Optimus Prime (G1)/toys#Golden Lagoon|Convoy]]''' ([[July 29]], [[2018]])
:A gold and gold chrome redeco of MP-10. Part of TakaraTomy's 35th anniversary celebration, he was initially released at Summer Wonder Festival 2018, and later through [[Cybertron Satellite]] stores across Japan and [[TakaraTomy Mall]].
{{-}}

[[File:TF-GoldenLagoon-3Pack.jpg|upright=1.0|thumb]]
*'''Golden Lagoon [[Beachcomber (G1)#Golden Lagoon|Beachcomber]] / [[Perceptor (G1)/toys#Golden Lagoon|Perceptor]] / [[Seaspray (G1)#Golden Lagoon|Seaspray]]''' (November 2018)
:Gold and gold chrome redecos of ''[[Power of the Primes (toyline)|Power of the Primes]]'' [[Beachcomber (G1)#Golden Lagoon|Beachcomber]], ''Titans Return'' [[Perceptor (G1)/toys#Golden Lagoon|Perceptor]] and ''Titans Return'' [[Seaspray (G1)#Golden Lagoon|Seaspray]]. This set was released exclusively at [[TakaraTomy Mall]] as part of TakaraTomy's celebration of the franchise's 35th anniversary.
{{-}}

[[File:TF 35th Golden Lagoon Starscream.jpg|upright=1.0|thumb]]
*'''Golden Lagoon [[Starscream (G1)/toys#Golden Lagoon|Starscream]]''' (October 2018)
:A gold and gold chrome redeco of ''Unite Warriors'' Starscream in homage of this episode of the [[The Transformers (cartoon)|original cartoon]]. He was released in [[TakaraTomy Mall]] and in [[Cybertron Satellite]] stores as part of TakaraTomy's celebration of the franchise's 35th anniversary.
{{-}}

[[File:35th-Golden-Lagoon-Soundwave.jpg|upright=1.0|thumb]]
*'''Golden Lagoon Soundwave''' (February 10, 2019)
:''Golden Lagoon'' [[Soundwave (G1)/toys#Golden Lagoon|Soundwave]] is a redeco of his ''[[Titans Return (toyline)|Titans Return]]'' figure, in gold end gold-chromed color scheme, based on this episode, although his tape door remains clear, rather than gold opaque. He retains his previous base mode and comes with a Titan Master partner for his head.

{{comingsoontoy}}
{{-}}

==Home video releases==
{{homevidnote}}
;{{w|LaserDisc}}
[[File:Flag of Japan.png|20px|Japan]] 1994 — ''Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers'' — Convoy Set ([[TakaraTomy|Takara]]) — Japanese audio only. 
[[File:Flag of Japan.png|20px|Japan]] 1998 — ''The Transformers'' — Autobot Edition ([[Geneon Universal Entertainment|Pioneer LDC]]) — Japanese audio only.
;DVD
[[File:Flag of Japan.png|20px|Japan]] 2001 — ''The Transformers'' — DVD Box 1 (Pioneer LDC) — Japanese audio only. 
[[File:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2003 — ''The Original Transformers'' — Season 2 Part 2 ([[The Original Transformers|Rhino Entertainment]]) 
[[File:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2003 — ''The Original Transformers'' — Season 2 Part 2: Vol. 5 (Rhino Entertainment) 
[[File:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2004 — ''Transformers'' — Season 2 Part 2 ([[Metrodome]]) 
[[File:Flag of Australia.png|20px|Australia]] 2004 — ''Transformers'' — Collection 3: Series 2.2 ([[Madman Entertainment]]) 
[[File:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2006 — ''Transformers'' — The Complete Generation One Collection (Metrodome) 
[[File:Flag of Australia.png|20px|Australia]] 2006 — The Best of ''The Transformers'' (Madman Entertainment) 
[[File:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2007 — ''Transformers'' — The Classic Episodes (Metrodome) 
[[File:Flag of Australia.png|20px|Australia]] 2007 — ''The Transformers'' — Complete Collection (Madman Entertainment) 
[[File:Flag of Italy.png|20px|Italy]] 2008 — ''Transformers'' — Volume 04: Stagione Due Parte Seconda ([[Medianetwork Communication]]) — English and Italian audio. 
[[File:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2009 — ''Transformers'' — Season Two: Part Two (Metrodome) 
[[File:Flag of Australia.png|20px|Australia]] 2009 — ''The Transformers'' — Complete Collection: Decepticon Edition (Madman Entertainment) 
[[File:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2009 — ''The Transformers'' — Season Two, Volume One: 25th Anniversary Edition ([[Shout! Factory]]) 
[[File:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2009 — ''The Transformers'' — The Complete Series: 25th Anniversary "Matrix of Leadership" Collection (Shout! Factory) 
[[File:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2011 — ''The Transformers'' — The Complete Original Series (Shout! Factory) 
[[File:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2014 — ''The Transformers'' — Season Two, Volume One: 30th Anniversary Edition (Shout! Factory) 
[[File:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2014 — ''Transformers'' — The Classic Animated Series (Metrodome)

==External links==
*[http://cybertronchronicle.freewebspace.com/cartoon-dossier/season-2/synopses/700-40.html Episode Dossier at The Cybertron Chronicle]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Golden Lagoon}}
[[Category:The Transformers episodes]]
[[Category:Generation 2 episodes]]

Scorponok (G1)

2019-02-20T11:38:16Z

Dvegaj: /* The Transformers cartoon */ added caption text to "Scorponok vs Fortress Maximus" image

{{factions|decepticon|machination|starseeker|autobot|adaptus}}
{{disambig3|Scorponok}}
{{suite}}
:''Scorponok is a [[Decepticon]] [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmaster]] from the [[Generation 1 continuity family|Generation 1]] [[continuity family]].''
[[File:Scorponok-Annual.jpg|upright=1.4|thumb|Scorponok's American design, taken from a British publication, based on a Japanese toy, manufactured in China.]]
Dangerous, wily, and cunning, '''Scorponok''' (aka '''MegaZarak''' and '''BlackZarak''') possesses both a keen mind and a great deal of raw, savage power. He is equally comfortable with maverick stratagems and brute force, though he's built more for the latter: his animalistic alternate form bristles with weapons, from multiple paired cannons and the dreaded electro-stinger in his tail, to the crushing grip of his mighty claws. These traits combine to make him both a terrifying foe on the battlefield and a serious contender for leadership of the Decepticons. Often, only his arch-foe [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress Maximus]] is capable of standing against him.

He is often partnered in some way with a being named [[Zarak (G1)|Zarak]].

{{bigquote|I'll rip you to pieces with my bare claws, tear your circuits out with my teeth and spit your diodes back at you!|Scorponok|"[[On the Edge of Extinction!]]"}}

{{note|Much about Scorponok differs by continuity; from personality to [[scale|size]]. See separate character notes in the sections below.}}

==Fiction==
===Marvel Comics continuity===
[[File:MarvelHeadmasters-2.jpg|upright=1.3|thumb|And he'll form the head(master).]]
{{main|Scorponok (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity}}
Leader of a contingent of Decepticons on war-torn Cybertron, Scorponok was the arch enemy of Autobot commander Fortress Maximus. After many clashes on Cybertron, their respective armies carried their fight to the peaceful organic world of Nebulos, where Scorponok and many of his troops physically joined with that world's inhabitants to became Headmasters. Binary bonded with the Nebulan leader Lord Zarak, Scorponok pursued the Autobots across Nebulos and then across the stars to Earth.

In the wake of the Underbase catastrophe, Scorponok became leader of Earth's surviving Decepticons. The binary-bond with Zarak had unexpected consequences, and Scorponok often saw himself simply as an extension of Zarak's own self. With the coming of Unicron, Scorponok accepted an alliance with Optimus Prime's Autobots, while Zarak came to terms with his role as a powerful Decepticon leader. Scorponok led his troops in a doomed final stand against the Chaos Bringer, ultimately falling before Unicron's might.
{{-}}

===American Generation 1 cartoon continuity===
====''The Transformers'' cartoon====
[[File:Rebirth 3 FortMax Scorponok.JPG|thumb|left|250px|A Tale Of Two Cities]]
{{voiceactor|[[Stephen Keener]] (English), [[Eiji Itō]] (Japanese)|[[Fang Shuqiao]] (Chinese), [[Hans-Rainer Müller]] (German)}}
Scorponok was a gigantic Headmaster robot built from scratch by Lord Zarak, the secret ruler of Nebulos, upon learning of the Transformers. Working from the Headmaster process designed by the Autobot [[Brainstorm (G1)|Brainstorm]] and later applied to his allies in the [[Hive (G1)|Hive]] and the Decepticons, Zarak used his mental powers to reconstruct the Hive's entire city into a robotic body for him to binary bond with. {{storylink|The Rebirth, Part 2}} With Scorponok under his command, Zarak was able to retrieve the key to the Plasma Energy Chamber from the Autobots and carry the Decepticon forces back to Cybertron to reunite with Galvatron. In the end, a bolt of [[plasma energy]] zapped Scorponok in his city mode, launching the massive Headmaster (and the collected Decepticons inside) far out into space. {{storylink|The Rebirth, Part 3}}

{{Note|Like Fortress Maximus, it is unclear if Scorponok has a life of his own or is simply a large machine that Zarak can control. There is no explanation of how Zarak could've brought him to life and his one line of "Autobot Die!" isn't exactly the most sophisticated of expressions.}}

====''Legends'' comic====
Zarak brought Scorponok to the [[Legends World]], where he disguised his city mode as a shopping center known as the Hive. After recruiting [[Flywheels]], he rampaged through the city as Scorponok until he was confronted by the Double-Headmasters, a combination of his Nebulon enemies and the local Autobots. He refused to become a Double-Headmaster himself by allowing Flywheels to form Scorponok's head, and ended up blasted through a portal back to where he came from. {{storylink|LGEX Headmaster Set Chapter}}

====''Wings Universe''====
{{Wingsnote}}
[[File:HtF-ZarakbecomesScorponokhead.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.1]]

Under the control of the elder Zarak, Scorponok fought countless battles against Galvatron in the hope to seize power. He eventually passed away, leaving Scorponok to his son, [[Olin Zarak]]. As the new Scorponok, Olin eventually found himself under [[Cannonball (G1)|Cannonball]]’s employ. He worked as a manual laborer aboard the ''[[Tidal Wave (G1)|Tidal Wave]]'', but continued to long for glory. Worried that he suffered mental instability due to Scorponok still being attuned to his father’s brainwaves rather than his own, Olin planned to have Dr. [[Vez]] recalibrate the machine… but not until he could be sure he could fully trust the doctor. Olin insisted that the Scorponok exo-suit was not an intelligent being in its own right, [[Tornado]] expressed doubts about this statement, swearing a malign intelligence was silently observing him from within the mechanical scorpion, even when Olin was separated from it.

After the creature from "[[Demon's Maw]]" caused serious damage to the ''Tidal Wave'', Scorponok and his band of laborers were tasked with rebuilding the ship under [[Ferak]]’s supervision.

Scorponok was absent from the Star Seekers’ attack on [[Ventax II]], having instead been tasked in procuring a large energy production device from a building.

Scorponok later helped Ferak upgrade the Tidal Wave’s transwarp engines in anticipation for Cannonball’s greatest heist; robbing Cybertron of all of its energy... in the distant future! {{storylink|Tornado - Decepticon Saboteur}}

After using advanced transwarp mathematics to travel through time, Cannonball led Scorponok and the Star Seekers on a raid of the future Autobot outpost Galadria to access its space bridge nexus. Warping into the heart of Unicron's severed head, Cannonball intended to use the planet-eater's systems to drain Cybertron dry of energon. During the raid, Olin discovered the Cybertronian Knight [[Devcon (G1)|Devcon]] spying on them, and combined with Scorponok to detain him. As more Cybertronian Knights came to oppose the Star Seekers, Brimstone lent his rail gun mode to Scorponok to ward them off. During the fight, Scorponok was knocked out by [[Flareup (G1)|Flareup]] and captured alongside the rest of the crew. {{storylink|Hoist the Flag}}

Tornado's log indicated that Scorponok escaped capture by the Knights and made it back to the Tidal Wave, but Tornado opined that Scorponok may have taken that opportunity to mutiny. Although Cannonball eventually escaped and was back in control of the Tidal Wave, later logs referred to Scorponok's "former quarters". {{storylink|Tornado - Decepticon Saboteur}}

===Japanese Generation 1 cartoon continuity===
{{note|In this continuity, in a reverse of the standard western naming, Scorponok is the name of the being who becomes the ''head'' of the giant robot, taking the place of Lord Zarak in Japanese fiction. The giant robot's name is '''MegaZarak''', but it's simply a lifeless [[Transtector]] that serves as a larger body for Scorponok. Scorponok's size varies over the series, from human-sized to full Transformer-sized.}}
====''The Headmasters'' cartoon====
{{voiceactor|[[Banjō Ginga]] (Japanese)|[[Jack Murphy]] (English), [[Fang Shuqiao]] (Chinese)}}

[[File:Scorponok headmasters shadows.jpg|225px|thumb|Well-manicured eeeeevil.]]
Scorponok was one of a group of diminutive Transformers who left Cybertron four million years ago to escape the Great War and took up residence on the planet [[Master (planet)|Master]]. To survive the harsh environmental conditions on Master, the Transformers built large, lifeless robotic bodies called [[Transtector]]s, to which they could connect as heads, increasing their size and power. Scorponok underwent the training to become one of these "Headmasters," but he chafed under the leadership of [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress]], and he led several like-minded Headmaster warriors in a rebellion that ultimately ended with their defeat and exile from Master. {{storylink|The Mystery of Planet Master}}

By the year [[2011]], Scorponok had teamed up with Galvatron and the Decepticons, and his three minions, [[Weirdwolf (G1)|Weirdwolf]], Mindwipe, and [[Skullcruncher (G1)|Skullcruncher]], joined Galvatron's forces in an attack on Cybertron in 2011. {{storylink|Four Warriors Come out of the Sky}} Scorponok himself, on the other hand, refrained from making appearances on the battlefield, sticking to the shadows (in the most preposterously literal way imaginable) and emerging only to lure the Autobot Headmasters into a trap on the planet [[Praum]]. {{storylink|The Four-Million-Year-Old Veil of Mystery}} Not long thereafter, when Galvatron discovered that [[Vector Sigma]] was in the midst of developing a powerful [[Cybertonuron|new alloy]], Scorponok advised against attacking the planet, suggesting instead that they destroy the alloy, rather than risk the Autobots gaining control of it. {{storylink|Cybertron Is in Grave Danger, Part 1}} In truth, Scorponok was more concerned about ''Galvatron'' obtaining the alloy's power, and determined to stop anyone from acquiring it by taking out Cybertron itself. He had Mindwipe plant powerful bombs in Vector Sigma's chamber, which went off and devastated the planet, ostensibly taking Galvatron with it. {{storylink|Cybertron Is in Grave Danger, Part 2}}

[[File:Scorponok headmasters smallrobot.jpg|left|225px|thumb|"Mine is an evil laugh! Moo hoo ha ha!"]]
Scorponok subsequently took control of the Decepticons, falsely claiming that Galvatron was alive and commanding him from afar. He immediately put a series of far-reaching plans into action, starting with the creation of a massive Transtector for himself, which would put him on equal footing with Fortress and his Transtector-scum-battleship, the ''Maximus''. Enslaved [[Beastformer]]s were put to work on the planet [[Zarak (planet)|Zarak]] to construct this Transtector, and to provide it with power, Scorponok had the Decepticons steal [[Sol 1]], a human solar-energy-gathering satellite, which beamed its power reserves to Zarak. {{storylink|The Shadow Emperor, Scorponok}} To distract the Autobots from his plans, he ordered Sixshot to attack Earth, so the heroes would focus their efforts on defending the planet. While the construction was going on, meanwhile, Scorponok focused his attention on harnessing the power of the [[plasma energy]] released in the destruction of Cybertron. {{storylink|The Dormant Volcano Mysteriously Erupts}} As part of his efforts to distract the Autobots, Scorponok sent the [[buridanka]] to Earth and [[Athenia]], but was shocked when Fortress revealed his mighty transtector's robot mode to defeat it. {{Storylink|Head On!! Fortress Maximus}}

Seeking to generate even more of plasma energy for his plans of universal conquest, Scorponok used the energy he had already obtained to create bombs that were planted beneath the surface of [[Mars (planet)|Mars]], which would rip the planet apart. {{storylink|Explosion on Mars!! Maximus Is in Danger}} While the Autobots were busy fighting the Decepticon contingent on Mars to prevent the planet's destruction, Scorponok unveiled his completed MegaZarak transtector to the rest of the Decepticons on [[Chaar]], stepping from the shadows for the first time as he brought all his troops aboard his new battleship-body and flew to Mars. Once there, MegaZarak transformed into [[robot mode]] and spitefully attacked the immobile Fortress Maximus before fleeing into space just before his plasma bombs detonated and blew Mars to cosmic rubble. The Maximus was able to absorb some of the energy released in the initial stages of the explosion, and Fortress was able to transform into Fortress Maximus and escape the blast. Fortress Maximus cleaved MegaZarak shoulder with his [[Master Sword]], forcing the Decepticons to retreat. {{storylink|Explosion on Mars!! MegaZarak Appears}}

[[File:Scorponok headmasters megazarak.jpg|225px|thumb|"Hello? My visor seems to have fallen down over my face. Little help?"]]
Believing that his deeds had cemented his position of power, Scorponok arranged to be coronated the new Decepticon emperor on Earth's moon, but in the midst of the ceremony, Galvatron returned alive and well and retook leadership. {{storylink|Return of the Immortal Emperor}} Subservient to Galvatron for the moment, MegaZarak and the other Decepticons once attempted to stop Autobot assistance to [[Sandra (planet)|Sandra]], but failed. {{storylink|SOS from Planet Sandra}} On MegaZarak's suggestion, Galvatron had the Decepticons distract the Autobots with a trap before departing to plunder other planets for their energy. {{storylink|Daniel Faces His Biggest Crisis Ever!!}} MegaZarak transformed to robot mode to battle Fortress Maximus on [[Hive (planet)|Hive]], but the Decepticons were still forced off-planet. {{storylink|Fight to the Death on Planet Hive!!}} MegaZarak then took the Decepticons to [[Twin Star|Sperity]], but they were fooled into thinking the planet was bereft of energy and left. {{storylink|Battle for Defense of the False Planet}} They next went to [[Daros]], where they entered an alliance with the planet's decadent ruling class for energy, leaving when the Autobots and the oppressed populace joined forces to overthrow the corrupt government. It was on Daros that the Autobots met a Beastformer named [[Tekna]] who gave them valuable data about MegaZarak's weak spot at the cost of his life. {{storylink|Find MegaZarak's Weak Spot!!}} The Decepticons made final stops at [[Paradise]] {{storylink|Head Formation of Friendship}} and the [[Pirate Planet]], but were nevertheless again and again repelled by Fortress and his Autobots. {{storylink|Mystery of the Space Pirate Ship}} When the Decepticons returned to Earth, diminishing MegaZarak's immediate usefulness to Galvatron, the wicked Headmaster returned to this own schemes, ignoring Galvatron's orders {{storylink|Ultra Magnus Dies!!}} and planting more plasma energy bombs along the [[Pacific Ring of Fire]].

Everything turned around for Scorponok when Galvatron faced the Autobot Headmasters alone in a battle in Alaska, and was finally destroyed when they collapsed an iceberg on top of him. {{storylink|The Emperor of Destruction Vanishes on an Iceberg}} This allowed Scorponok to once again seize leadership of the Decepticons, appointing himself the "Emperor of Terror" and resuming his plan for the destruction of Earth by attempting the detonation of his plasma bombs. After [[Chromedome (G1)|Chromedome]] decoded Tekna's data, he raced to Earth where a battle was already in progress and gave Fortress Maximus the information, allowing the Autobot leader to perforate MegaZarak's weak spot, and send the critically wounded Decepticon fleeing off into space. {{storylink|I Risk My Life for Earth}}

[[File:Scorponok headmasters scorpionmode.jpg|left|225px|thumb|Claws...check. Stinger...check. Multiple gun turrets...check. Giant, vulnerable weak spot dead center on the chest...check mate.]]
Moving his attentions away from Earth for the time being, Scorponok led the Decepticons back to planet Master in search of a weapon to counter the power of Fortress's Master Sword. {{storylink|Miraculous Warriors, Targetmasters (Part 2)}} The Autobots pursued them, which unfortunately resulted in [[Wheelie (G1)|Wheelie]] being captured by the villains and ransomed for the secrets of the Master Sword. {{storylink|The Master Sword Is in Danger!!}} Using this information, Scorponok forged the [[Zarak Shield]] out of [[G-Metal]], {{storylink|The Zarak Shield Turns the Tide}} and when the two weapons clashed, the Zarak Shield emerged triumphant. {{storylink|Operation: Destroy the Decepticons}} Emboldened by this victory, Scorponok led the charge back to Earth, {{storylink|My Friend Sixshot!}} intending to finally destroy it, pausing only in the asteroid belt to effect repairs on his Transtector, and to betray and dispose of [[Sixshot]], whom he had never trusted. {{storylink|Duel on the Asteroid}}

Upon his return to Earth, Scorponok promptly had the Decepticon launch an energy-gathering satellite into orbit, and then withdrew to the sunken continent of [[Lemuria (myth)|Lemuria]], where already had numerous Decepticons working to mine the legendary [[crysmagnetal]]. Scorponok raised "Death Towers" of this metal in five strategic location all over Earth all, which proceeded to generate waves of energy that were gathered by the satellite. {{storylink|The Final Showdown on Earth (Part 1)}} For the final part of his plan, MegaZarak lured the Autobots to the North Pole, where he clashed with Fortress Maximus for the last time atop a sixth dais of crysmagnetal. As soon as the two combatants were upon the dais, MegaZarak had the satellite beam its stored energy down into his Transtector, and through it into the dais, creating an exponential loop that threatened to tear the Earth apart. Scorponok disconnected from his Transtector and retreated into space with the Decepticons to watch the Earth's destruction, only for Fortress Maximus—supercharged with the combined energy of the Autobot army united in a [[Head Formation]]—to destroy his Transtector, breaking the circuit and saving the Earth. {{storylink|The Final Showdown on Earth (Part 2)}}
{{-}}

====Ask Vector Prime====
Vector Prime stated that when Scorponok arranged for the plasma bombing and [[Cybertron Is in Grave Danger, Part 2|devastation of Cybertron]], he also damaged the stable axis of [[OG World|the core reality]]. Several divergent universal streams and contradictory timelines emerged as a result of [[Japanese Generation 1 cartoon continuity|the network]] being based upon this unstable reality. {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime#Facebook|Ask Vector Prime, 2015/06/11}}

In [[Primax 304.25-P3 Zeta|one segment]] of the system, Scorponok dispatched [[Fenris]]'s team of [[Pretender]]s to acquire the [[Ultra Matrix]] from [[Beast (planet)|Beast]]. They were foiled, however, by a team of Autobot Pretenders led by [[Marduk]]. {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime#Facebook|Ask Vector Prime, 2015/09/30}}

====''Super-God Masterforce Master File''====
With the Decepticons at last forced off of Earth, the Autobots also left the planet, and Transformers' war transitioned into a series of space-based exchanges between Chaar and [[Athenia]], which became known as the [[Master Wars]]. To rejoin the fight, Scorponok had a new Transtector constructed, much smaller than his old one (comparatively speaking – it was still taller than a [[combiner]]), but outfitted with hyper-dense armor. Before he could connect with this new body, Scorponok was captured by the mysterious alien entity [[Devil Z]], who had been in hibernation on Earth until recently, and saw a use for Scorponok in his plan to create the ultimate lifeform. Devil Z brainwashed Scorponok, placing him, and by extension the entire Decepticon army, under his control, and then allowed him to link up with his new Transtector. Rather than forming the head for his Transtector, however, Scorponok controlled it from within its chest cavity, wired directly into its systems from there, with a new "decoy" head placed between its shoulders. Now, Scorponok was '''BlackZarak'''.

The former Decepticon ninja, [[Sixshot]], learned what had befallen Scorponok, and alerted the Autobots to the existence of Devil Z on Earth. The news of this shadowy controller reached the Autobots just as the [[Trainbot]]s reported the first sighting of BlackZarak in the shadows of a meteor cluster, and the concerned Autobots decided to send a collection of Transtectors to the small Autobot group under the command of [[Metalhawk (Masterforce)|Metalhawk]] that was still on Earth, which he used to transform human beings into Autobot warriors to aid in the battle against Devil Z's forces. {{storylink|Master File No, 1}}

{{note|Following ''The Headmasters'', Japanese continuity branches off in two similar but distinct directions: one is depicted in the ''Super-God Masterforce'' animated series, leading into the ''Zone'' cartoon, while the other is told through the ''Super-God Masterforce'' manga, which leads into the ''Zone'' manga and story pages. However, Scorponok's activities ''between'' the end of ''The Headmasters'' and the beginning of ''Super-God Masterforce'', told through his own packaging [[bio]] and [[TV Magazine]] articles, apply to both continuities.}}

====''Super-God Masterforce'' cartoon continuity====
=====''Super-God Masterforce'' cartoon=====
{{voiceactor|[[Banjō Ginga]] (Japanese), [[Hidekatsu Shibata]] (Japanese, when merged with Devil Z)}}

[[File:Blackzarak robotmode.jpg|upright=1.4|thumb|Also known as "African-Alien" Zarak.]]
Archive footage of Fortress Maximus destroying the MegaZarak transtector was used to educate the future [[Headmaster Junior]]s about the [[Master Wars]]. {{storylink|Birth! Headmaster Jrs}}

After numerous failures by Devil Z's forces on Earth resulted in multiple [[Godmaster (lifeform)|Godmaster]] warriors joining the Autobot ranks instead of the Decepticons, the incensed alien summoned BlackZarak to Earth. Observing BlackZarak's activities, Fortress Maximus's younger brother, [[Grand Maximus]], raced to Earth ahead of him and warned the Autobots of his coming. In preparation for BlackZarak's arrival, the Autobots worked to construct a power-up drone named [[Godbomber]] for their most powerful member, [[Ginrai (human)|Ginrai]]. {{storylink|Life? Death? The Desperate Lightfoot}} While they worked, the approaching BlackZarak bombarded the Earth with meteors as part of a complicated scheme by Devil Z's ambassadors, [[Giga]] and [[Mega]] to publicly discredit the Autobots, which was ultimately foiled. {{storylink|Expose the Decepticons' Dark Trap!}}

BlackZarak's threat loomed for a while {{storylink|Super Ginrai Gets Blown Away in the Desert!?}} and when he made his way to Earth's orbit, Giga and Mega combined into their robot form of [[Overlord (Masterforce)|Overlord]] and headed to Earth's moon to rendezvous with BlackZarak. {{storylink|Will the Bomber Project Be Destroyed!?}} But before BlackZarak arrived, Ginrai merged with the completed Godbomber, and pursued him into space. BlackZarak showed up in the midst of their battle, and promptly impaled Ginrai with his Tyrant Spear, sending him crashing to the moon's surface. {{storylink|God Ginrai - Into the Sky!!}} BlackZarak and Overlord followed him down to the moon, and hunted the wounded Autobot, who was in dire straits until the timely arrival of Grand Maximus. With the sides now more evenly matched, the two Decepticons attempted to break off the battle and head for Earth, but Ginrai and Grand brought them back down to the moon with a bump. BlackZarak instructed the damaged Overlord to flee the battle, and although he was furious at being ordered around by this newcomer, Overlord could do little to argue, and left BlackZarak to face the two Autobots alone. Grand and Ginrai double-teamed BlackZarak, and eventually, Ginrai was able to decapitate the Decepticon with his God Fire Guts attack. Although Ginrai thought his opponent was done for, BlackZarak's headless body hauled itself back up, and retreated off into space, with Grand Maximus hot on his tail. {{storylink|God Ginrai - Showdown on the Surface of the Moon}} The defeat of both Overlord and BlackZarak upset the Earth-bound Decepticons, who swore vengeance on Ginrai. {{storylink|Overlord - Terror of the Chōkon Tornado}} Footage of BlackZarak's battle on the Moon eventually made its way to [[Clouder]]'s hands, who used it as impetus to join the conflict. {{Storylink|Appearance!! The Final Godmaster}}

[[File:Blackzarak scorpion mode.jpg|left|215px|thumb|The scorched remains of two fans who wouldn't stop asking why Devil Z made so many Autobot Transtectors.]]
During this extended stay in space, BlackZarak mastered localized gravity manipulation and gained the ability to open black holes, which he could use to teleport himself across the galaxy at will. After trapping Grand Maximus inside one of these singularities in order to keep him out of the way, BlackZarak teleported directly to Earth and immediately tore through [[New York City]] as part of Devil Z's "Operation M-1". He proceeded to attack [[Tokyo]] alongside Overlord, but was foiled when Ginrai freed Grand Maximus, and the two Autobots stopped the villains by tricking them into blasting each other. {{storylink|BlackZarak - Destroyer from Space}} With the failure of this scheme, Devil Z initiated "Operation M-2" and had BlackZarak withdraw to the far side of the moon, where he would unleash the atmosphere-destroying [[Death Para-Machine]] against the Earth. Thankfully, BlackZarak was only able to get off one shot from the deadly weapon before Ginrai destroyed it with his God Fire Guts attack. {{storylink|Crisis! The Day of Human Extinction}}

[[File:Blackzarak dakatsu mode.jpg|215px|thumb|A dog chasing its own tail has nothing on Hydra Mode.]]
BlackZarak returned to attacking cities around the globe, and soon struck in a city where [[Cancer (Masterforce)|Cancer]] went to, with a trio of [[Sparkdash]] drones to back him up. Luckily, Autobot Godmaster [[Road King]] was on patrol in the area, and soon called him Ginrai to help him take BlackZarak down. {{storylink|God Ginrai - Save Cancer!?}} When the Decepticons formulated a trap, BlackZarak was sent to [[Moscow]] as part of a divide and conquer strategy. {{storylink|God Ginrai: Showdown at the Decepticon Base}} After battling Grand Maximus there, BlackZarak returned to the Decepticon base when the Autobots attacked it. During this clash, Devil Z took his brainwashing to the next level, and actually merged his consciousness with BlackZarak, entering his body and taking control of it himself. For his first act in BlackZarak's body, Devil Z collapsed the Decepticon base in a failed attempt to destroy the Autobots {{storylink|The Ultimate Combination!! BlackZarak, the New Lifeform}} and then led the Decepticons in an attack on North America, bombarding the country with his [[Devil Power]] from a strategic staging point in the heart of the [[Grand Canyon]], {{storylink|Battle to the Death!! God Ginrai VS Darkwings Reborn}} continuing till Devil Z ordered the Decepticons to move to Europe. {{storylink|Autobots! Desperate Attack!!}}

Devil Z took the Decepticons to the peak of the Matterhorn, where he unleashed his Devil Power upon the continent until God Ginrai arrived to challenge him. {{storylink|Malevolent and Inhuman! The True Form of Devil Z}} The battle was fierce, and Ginrai thought he had won when he once again cleaved BlackZarak's head from his shoulders, but the decapitation of his host meant little to Devil Z, who simply transformed BlackZarak's body into a new, twin-headed serpent form, and kept the fight going. Uniting his Chōkon Power with that of the [[Headmaster Junior]]s, Ginrai unleashed his most powerful God Fire Guts yet and dove through BlackZarak's body, finally destroying the giant Decepticon in a huge explosion that left only ash and shrapnel. Although Devil Z survived the blast, he now no longer had BlackZarak's body to enclose him, and was wide open for Ginrai's finishing move: the Final Fire Guts, which utterly obliterated the evil alien. {{storylink|A Battle... and Then...}}
{{-}}

=====''Legends'' comic=====
Years prior to his departure from Master, Scorponok kidnapped six of his fellow 'bots and exposed them to a sample of plasma energy in search of a method to use the energy to power himself up. The experiment was interrupted by Fortress, marking the beginning of Scorponok's open rebellion against him. He tried to recapture his test subjects on his return to Master, prompting them to flee and end up becoming Targetmasters. {{storylink|Mutant Targetmaster Birth Chapter}}

[[Brainstorm (G1)|Brainstorm]] told [[Rattrap (BW)|Rattrap]], visiting from the [[Legends World]], the story about how he and other diminutive Transformers, including Scorponok, left Cybertron to escape the war and settled on Master. He then destroyed a returned Scorponok's Transtector with a powerful blast as proof that despite their size, life on the inhospitable planet had only made them stronger. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 9|Bonus Edition Vol. 9}} Reflecting on his easy victory over such a mighty opponent, Brainstorm would later realize he had been temporarily powered up by Rattrap's presence. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 39|Bonus Edition Vol. 39}} [[Highbrow (G1)|Highbrow]] would later mention that the Autobot Headmasters needed to train in case recent rumors that Scorponok had returned again were true. {{storylink|Transformers 2015 Brainstorm Chapter#Part 1|Brainstorm Chapter Part 1}}

By [[2021]], Scorponok did indeed reveal himself to have the battle with Brainstorm and continued his feud with the Autobots. Consumed by his lust for revenge against Fortress, he detonated a [[black hole]] in order to both destroy the Autobots and produce plasma energy for himself, indifferent to the fact that his own troops were in range of the explosion. His plan failed as the Autobots were able to recover much of the explosives, causing the black hole to instead divide into "[[blackball]]s" that infested the bodies of everyone present. {{storylink|Headmaster Chapter Prologue}} While his troops traveled to the [[Legends World]], Scorponok remained in the [[OG World|G1 World]] and wandered space. Devil Z, resurrected in the Legends World, remotely brainwashed him and had him return to Beast and enslave Beastformers to build two new transtectors. This resulted in a new BlackZarak as well as the gigantic [[Majin Zarak]], a beast so gigantic Scorponok didn't even form part of it but piloted it like a vehicle. {{storylink|Targetmaster Chapter Finale: Legends World in Imminent Danger! Part One|Legends World in Imminent Danger! Part One}}

When Devil Z was resurrected, Weirdwolf recalled with resentment how they'd lost BlackZarak to him. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 35|Bonus Edition Vol. 35}} Devil Z also remembered how he had taken control of BlackZarak, and repeated the trick by wiring [[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Megatron]] into the chest of the [[Galvatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Galvatron]] Transtector while he himself controlled it from the head. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 36|Bonus Edition Vol. 36}} When Devil Z broke free from his restraints in the Legends World, he brought the brainwashed Scorponok and BlackZarak transtector to the Legends World and reformed the hybrid Devil Z/BlackZarak being. Devil Z attempted to kill every living thing in the Legends World so that he could use its native energies all for himself, but he was stopped in his tracks by [[Grand Maximus]] and the [[Masterforce]] users residing in the Legends World. Devil Z and the BlackZarak transtector were destroyed at the battle's conclusion, although Scorponok was spared. {{Storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. EX (Grand Maximus)|Bonus Edition Vol. EX}}

Freed from Devil Z's influence, Scorponok immediately thought of a plan to produce energy by using the plasma-infused [[Targetmaster (technology)|Targetmaster]] partners as bombs to blow up the Legends World. In order to keep the world's defenders busy, he brought over Majin Zarak and began causing chaos while his troops abducted the Targetmasters. {{storylink|Targetmaster Chapter Finale: Legends World in Imminent Danger! Part One|Legends World in Imminent Danger! Part One}} While his creation seemed unbeatable, sabotage at the hands of Beastformers allowed the defenders of the Legends World to force Majin Zarak and Scorponok through a dimensional portal, causing them both to disappear to some unknown location. {{storylink|Targetmaster Chapter Finale: Legends World in Imminent Danger! Part One|Legends World in Imminent Danger! Part Two}}

=====''Zone'' cartoon=====
{{voiceactor|[[Hirohiko Kakegawa]] (Japanese)}}

[[File:ZarakZone1.jpg|left|thumb|Aye aye aye—sharpen your boot, and bludgeon your eye]]
Several years after the conclusion of the [[Masterforce War]], when the supernatural entity [[Violen Jiger]] seized control of the Decepticons, one of his first actions was to recruit "[[Nine Great Demon Generals]]" from Decepticon history. Violen Jiger assigned BlackZarak to serve as his "Evil Spirit General", and outfitted him with new armor and weapons to make him more deadly than ever before.

[[File:Zone blackzarak.jpg|upright=0.85|thumb|Aye aye aye—the blarney stone brings a tear to me eye]]
BlackZarak was part of the team of generals who attacked planet [[Micro|Zone]] in order to steal its precious [[Energon Z]] for Violen Jiger's schemes, but BlackZarak refrained from participating in the assault, hanging back on the fringes of the planet's atmosphere to cover his allies' rear. As his fellow generals made good their escape with the Energon Z in hand, BlackZarak barred the way of the [[Super Car Patrol Team]] and [[Battle Patrol]] as they attempted to pursue in the [[Rocket Base|Galaxy Rocket]]. The Demon General managed to trap the rocket in a crackling field of electricity, and then departed to rejoin his fellow Decepticons, leaving the electric net to slowly destroy the rocket. Luckily for the Autobots, the [[Jet Patrol Team]] arrived to destroy the net, and [[Sunrunner (G1)|Sunrunner]] proceeded to use his radar to track BlackZarak back to the other Decepticons. {{storylink|Enter the New Supreme Commander, Dai Atlas!}}
{{-}}

====''Super-God Masterforce'' manga continuity====
=====''Super-God Masterforce'' manga=====
[[File:Blackzarak manga.jpg|left|thumb|Black-and-WhiteZarak]]
When it became apparent that the small force under his command on Earth lacked the manpower to handle the Autobots, Devil Z chose to unite them with the Decepticons in space, and ordered the combined army to attack Athenia. Ginrai (who was on the planet at the time to be appointed Supreme Commander of the Autobots) was able to win the battle by defeating [[Scramble 7]], but after the fight, BlackZarak made his first appearance before the Autobots, carrying Hydra, Buster and the Decepticon Headmasters, who announced that they were returning to Earth. {{storylink|The Battle Begins! The United Earth-Space Troops}}

BlackZarak joined the Decepticons in travelling to Earth, battling [[Raiden]] and the Autobot Headmasters outside the planet's atmosphere while Ginrai confronted Overlord for the first time down on its surface. After defeating his opponents, BlackZarak turned towards Earth, only to find Ginrai streaking towards him, with Overlord in close pursuit. At the last moment, Ginrai spun out of the way, causing the two Decepticons to accidentally strike each other, and damage one another quite badly. While the wounded Overlord returned to Earth, BlackZarak limped back off into space. {{storylink|God Ginrai's Amazing Super-God Combination!}}

BlackZarak later battled Grand Maximus and the Autobot Godmasters in space, with the aid of [[Darkwings]], {{storylink|The Earth Family of Good and Evil}} after which Devil Z spirited him away to carry out some upgrades. {{storylink|Decepticons' Great Counterattack!}} These upgrades complete, BlackZarak was soon returned to Earth, and joined Overlord in attacking another city, where he wound up battling Grand Maximus and the Autobots Godmasters once more. {{storylink|Live? Die?! The Desperate Super-God Combination}} Later, BlackZarak attacked China with a trio of [[Sparkdash|Sparkdash drones]]. Decepticon Headmaster Junior [[Cancer (Masterforce)|Cancer]] happened to be in the city at the time, and when the Autobots arrived to battle BlackZarak, he displayed his disdain for humans—even comrades—by seizing Cancer and using him as a shield to keep the Autobots at bay. It was then that Overlord arrived, and surprised everyone by viciously attacking BlackZarak, disgusted by his treatment of Cancer. While the two Decepticons were fighting, the Autobots exploited their conflict to attack and force them to retreat. {{storylink|Great Turn-Around! Autobots}}

[[File:Devilz head on!.jpg|thumb|Head? I don't need a head. Heads are for wimps!]]
Overlord's betrayal proved to be the last straw for Devil Z, and he took matters into his own hands by connecting himself to BlackZarak's Transtector as a new head of sorts. Now in control of the Decepticon's body and mind, he transformed BlackZarak into a new serpentine form, and attacked Overlord, the Headmaster Juniors and Ginrai, intending to absorb their [[Chōkon Power|Jinchōkon]], in order to transform himself into the ultimate lifeform. His Jinchōkon-absorbing beam was blocked by the wholly-robotic Autobot [[Pretender]]s, and the Autobots and Decepticons united to destroy Devil Z and BlackZarak for good. Uniting their powers in the "Perfect Transform Attack", all the Autobots and Decepticons boarded Grand Maximus, who collided with BlackZarak, destroying the Decepticon and his alien passenger in an explosion of pure Chōkon Power. {{storylink|The Birth of the Super Lifeforms}}
{{-}}

=====''Zone'' manga and story pages=====
[[File:Blackzarak zone manga.jpg|left|thumb]]
Years after the end of the Masterforce War on Earth, the creature known as [[Violen Jiger]] took control of the Decepticon forces and created an elite fighting force by recruiting "[[Nine Great Demon Generals]]" from throughout Transformer history. BlackZarak was selected to be one of these generals, and Violen Jiger used his strange, supernatural powers to bring the Decepticon back from the dead, dubbing him his "Evil Spirit General" and increasing his strength with new armor and weaponry. {{storylink|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers: Zone (story page)|Zone Part 1}}

BlackZarak was part of the contingent of generals sent to planet Zone to steal its super-energy, Energon Z, for Violen Jiger. After his fellow Decepticons succeeded in purloining the Energon Z, BlackZarak covered their escape, seizing the Galaxy Rocket carrying the pursuing Autobots in an unbreakable grip. He proceeded to coat the rocket in a cocoon of strange energy webbing and then departed to join his fellow generals, but fortunately for the Autobots, the Jet Patrol Team arrived to cut them free before they lost BlackZarak's trail. {{storylink|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers: Zone (manga)|Transformers: Zone}}

BlackZarak later attacked Earth, and met resistance in the form of [[Landshaker]] and [[Sky Hyper]]. BlackZarak seized Landshaker, easily shrugging off Skyhyper's blasts, but was suddenly stunned by a barrage from [[Sonic Bomber]], as he and Dai Atlas came swooping onto the battlefield. Exploiting the opening, Dai Atlas fired on BlackZarak, proving once again that the Autobots' desire to save their comrades would always best the Decepticons' evil. {{storylink|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers: Zone (story page)|Zone Part 5}}

Along with the other Generals, BlackZarak schooled [[Metrotitan (Zone)|Metrotitan]] and the [[Metrosquad]] in the ways of evil, making them formidable opponents for the [[Powered Master]]s. {{storylink|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers: Zone (story page)|Zone Part 7}}

===Ladybird Books continuity===
[[File:Decepticonsatthepole.jpg|upright=0.85|thumb|"Put me on the Naughty List, will you?!"]]
Scorponok was originally a large, mobile Decepticon base on [[Nebulos]]. {{storylink|Decepticons at the Pole}} Through means unknown, he became a Transformer, as well as smaller and sentient, and took command of the Decepticon forces from [[Cyclonus (G1)|Cyclonus]].

He matched wits with Optimus Prime himself, at one point trying to lure him into surrendering in exchange for a hostage's life. {{storylink|Autobot Hostage}} Eventually, the Autobots became too big a nuisance, and Scorponok had the Decepticons move en masse to a secret underground city in the Nebulos Triangle, but this backfired when the Autobots sealed him and his army underground for good. {{storylink|Decepticons Underground}}
{{-}}

===Swamp of the Scorpion===
{{notemultipath}}
The mighty city Scorponok lay dormant deep within Nebulos's vast jungle-swamp. In this mode, he served as Lord Zarak's base of operation while Zarak plotted to steal Nebulos's oil supply to further his dreams of conquest. Opposing him were [[you|a young Nebulan]] and the Autobot Highbrow. Whether or not Scorponok and the other Decepticons succeeded in their plot depended on the decisions you made! {{storylink|Swamp of the Scorpion}}
{{-}}

===''Transformers in 3-D''===
Seeking a new [[Energon]] source, the Decepticons flew Scorponok to an out-of-the-way asteroid, where he served as a base of operations. When a fight inevitably broke out, Scorponok flew to the battle scene. After he pucked up [[Blurr (G1)|Blurr]] and tossed the Autobot into the distance, [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress Maximus]] angrily bodyslammed him, and the pair began grappling. {{storylink|The Test (issue)|The Test}}

Scorponok, accompanied by [[Cyclonus (G1)|Cyclonus]] and [[Octane]], intercepted [[Cosmos (G1)|Cosmos]], as the Autobot was heading for [[Andellor]]. Scorponok threatened to destroy the Autobot unless he revealed where he was headed. Cosmos complied, but Scorponok was keen on destroying him anyway. Cyclonus insisted they investigate, and recalled the history of Andellor. Scorponok realised that the [[Prism of Power]] which Cosmos sought was the only thing that could stop the Decepticon's new weapon, the [[suspension-ray beam]]. Down on the planet, the three Decepticons ventured into a cave and were attacked, first by some tentacles from a pool, and finally by [[Ironhide (G1)|Ironhide]]. Ironhide shrugged off Scorponok's mightiest blast, and defeated both him and Cyclonus. {{storylink|Transformers in 3-D issue 2|Transformers in 3-D #2}}

After the [[Clone (subgroup)|Clone]]s failed to obtain the coordinates to [[Metascan Alpha]], Zarak mocked Galvatron's skills and, combining with Scorponok, reasserted that he was leader of the Decepticons now. While the pair were still in disagreement, [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] broke into their base with the intention of destroying Galvatron's [[Nullification Cannon]]. During the battle, Scorponok took a swing at Prime which accidentally connected with the Cannon, causing it to explode. {{storylink|The War Against the Destructons, Chapter 1 of 3}}

===Transformers PD Type===
Scorponok and Fortress Maximus met in battle, with Scorponok vowing to crush Maximus with his bare hands. Unfortunately the two giant Transformers, engrossed in their fight, began to topple over, sending their smaller comrades fleeing for their lives. {{storylink|Transformers PD Type##14 "Watch Out! Mega Zarak!"|Watch Out! Mega Zarak!}}

===Dreamwave ''Generation One'' continuity===
[[File:DestinedforNothing Scorponok.jpg|left|upright=1.1|thumb|[[Universal greeting|Bah-weep-Graaaaagnah wheep ni ni bong]], you have reached Decepticon Headquarters, your call is important to us, please hold.]]
Shortly before the [[Great Shutdown]], Scorponok attended a teleconference with [[Ratbat (G1)|Ratbat]] and [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]], where he criticized the latter for "thinking like a calculator instead of a warrior". {{storylink|Destined for Nothing}}
{{-}}

===IDW Generation 1 continuity===
[[File:SpotlightUltraMagnus Scorponok.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|]]
{{main|Scorponok (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity}}
{{-}}

===''Kre-O'' cartoon===
[[Image:Kreon Scorponok wallpaper.jpg|right|thumb|300px|]]
[[Spinister (G1)|Spinister]], [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]], and Scorponok were sent by [[Megatron (Kre-O)|Megatron]] to rob the [[Autobot City Bank]]. In heavy disguise, they went in and got the drop on the bank tellers, only for [[Optimus Prime (Kre-O)|Optimus Prime]], [[Bumblebee (Kre-O)|Bumblebee]] and [[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]] to turn up. The Decepticons called in [[Devastator (Kre-O)|Devastator]], who ripped the roof off the bank and disposed of the three Autobots. Scorponok subsequently cracked open the safe and passed the [[energon]] inside to Spinister for delivery to Megatron. {{storylink|Quest for Energon, Part 1}} Scorponok and Barricade carried the completed weapon over to [[Hightower (Kre-O)|Hightower]] to be set up. When Wheeljack and [[Cliffjumper (Kre-O)|Cliffjumper]] invaded the work site, Scorponok helped in their capture, only to be pelted with molten cheese when they turned out to be a diversion. He and the other Decepticons were subsequently strung up in a net. {{storylink|Quest for Energon, Part 2}}

===''Kre-O'' online manga===
Scorponok was among [[Bludgeon (Kre-O)|Bludgeon]]'s forces when they uncovered the [[Red Bucket]], and fled the scene when Bludgeon was defeated by [[Jazz (Kre-O)|Jazz]] and [[Bluestreak (Kre-O)|Bluestreak]]. {{storylink|Treasure Competition! Defeat with Block Power!}}
{{-}}

===''Transformers vs. G.I. Joe''===
A city on Megatron-dominated Cybertron, {{storylink|Funeral for a Friend}} Scorponok was known as a "city of madness" where unspeakable things took place. When several Autobots and [[G.I. Joe (team)|Joes]] were captured by the Decepticons, the [[Astrotrain (G1)|Astrotrain]] carried them to Scorponok for punishment. {{storylink|Expelled from the Garden}} [[Billy (G.I. Joe)|Billy]] and [[Snake-Eyes|Snake Eyes]] battled atop Scorponok's claws, resulting in the former losing his right arm and leg. {{storylink|FCBD Funnies}} Within Scorponok, Decepticobra constructed the artificial town of [[Springfield (G.I. Joe)|Springfield]] where [[Doctor Mindbender]] brainwashed the captured Joes into thinking they were just ordinary citizens. As Scorponok was facing off against [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]], [[Scarlett]] was able to fight off the influence and kill Scorponok's [[Nebulos|Neb'los]] Headmaster, Mo Zarak, after which she herself took control of the scorpion-city. {{storylink|Headmasters (issue)|Headmasters}} Optimus Prime stood atop of Scorponok when he repaired Bumblebee back to working order, leading to word spreading that Optimus had "tamed" the Decepticon war machine. {{storylink|Pax Megatronus}}

When [[Primus]] began transforming, Scorponok fled with the rest of the Autobots to avoid getting crushed. {{storylink|Escape from Primus}} Scarlett, now going by "Zkarlett", then had Scorponok meet up with Fortress Maximus so that she could share a moment with [[Snake-Eyes]], who was similarly in control of Maximus. Together, they then used their city-bot bodies to help convince [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]] to transform into robot mode and join them in fighting the Decepticon army. {{storylink|Transformers vs. G.I. Joe issue 12|Transformers vs. G.I. Joe #12}} During the final battle, Scorponok and Maximus took on Megatron's "Mega-Megatron" combiner form, which dwarfed even them. After the Autobots and Joes were victorious, Scarlett brought Scorponok with her to Earth and positioned the city on the new continent, where it became home to victims of the Springfield incident and other displaced peoples and refugees. She and Snake-Eyes lived in a log cabin built on the tip of its tail. {{storylink|The War Never Ends}}

===Ask Vector Prime===
In [[Primax 1086.0 Kappa]], Scorponok and Fortress Maximus were both killed by Nebulans during the Transformers' battle on Nebulos, and their remains were fused together by Mortilus Zarak into a giant robot body under his control. After he binary bonded with the body, however, the faint traces of Scorponok and Maximus's sparks began affecting his mind, eventually driving him mad and turning him into "[[Zarak Maximus]]". {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime#Facebook|Ask Vector Prime, 2015/06/11}}

===''Of Masters and Mayhem''===
According to reports by [[Punch (G1)|Punch]], his alter-ego Counterpunch had worked his way into being a trusted advisor to Scorponok. Whether or not this actually happened is uncertain given the conflict between the two personas. {{storylink|The Truth We Make}}

===''Beast Wars: Uprising''===
When the devastating Transformer war spread to Nebulos, the Decepticon saboteur [[Zarak (G1)|Zarak]] and the Nebulan genius [[Borx|Fausto Borx]] colluded to transform the city of [[Kinodia]] into the towering superweapon MegaZarak: the first "double-Headmaster", jointly piloted by their binary-bonded intellects. Bolstered by this new addition, the Decepticons briefly enjoyed the upper hand during the Nebulan campaign - but their joy would short-lived, as the Autobots retaliated by binary-bonding [[Cerebros (G1)|Cerebros]] and [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike Witwicky]] into Fortress Maximus. The battle between these two titans devastated the already ravaged world. Though MegaZarak was the stronger of the two city-bots, the Autobots used [[Llyra]]—daughter of Fausto and mate of their human ally [[Daniel Witwicky (G1)|Daniel Witwicky]]—as a distraction, and MegaZarak's brief hesitation cost him the fight. {{storylink|A Brush With Infamy–Prologue}}

Though Fortress Maximus emerged triumphant, Nebulos would never again support life, and races across the galaxy would forever immortalize the tragedy as the "[[Scouring of Nebulos]]." {{storylink|Head Games}} MegaZarak saw action again several years later on the planet [[Master (planet)|Rebirth]]; by that point, Zarak had replaced Borx with the [[Cyberdroid]]s [[Abraham Dante|Dante]] and [[Caliburn (BW)|Caliburn]]. When the Autobots arrived to liberate the world from Decepticon control, the Decepticons deployed MegaZarak against Fortress Maximus. This time, MegaZarak succeeded in toppling his old foe and the Autobots were forced to retreat. {{storylink|A Brush With Infamy–Prologue}} {{storylink|Derailment}}

At some point after this, Dante was unwillingly replaced by [[Olin Zarak|the grandson]] of Fausto Borx. MegaZarak was later destroyed under unspecified circumstances in another battle with Fortress Maximus at the very end of the Great War, presumably taking Zarak with him. {{storylink|Derailment}}

==Commercial appearances==
[[File:Scorponok-Rebirth.jpg|thumb|"Not [[Elton John]]."]]
Scorponok has an odd history of [[Commercial|television commercial]] appearances:
*Scorponok grappled with [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress Maximus]] on [[Nebulos|Nebulon]], while other [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmasterss]] and [[Targetmaster (technology)|Targemasters]] scuffled around them. Scorponok was lifted into the air by his tail, and tossed about like a ragdoll by his opponent. {{storylink|Commercial/Generation 1#Headmaster comic book|Headmaster comic book commercial}}
*When the Technobots attacked his base mode, Scorponok transformed to scorpion mode and retaliated under Galvatron's orders. Galvatron then ordered his "[[Triple Changer]] Headmaster base" to transform to robot mode and deal with the enemy when the Technobots combined. Scorponok ripped a boulder out the nearby ground and bashed Computron with it. {{storylink|Commercial/Generation 1#Computron and Scorponok|Technobots and Scorponok commercial}}
*In [[1990]], a Scorponok toy painted white and gray appeared in the stop-motion animated toy segment of a commercial advertising the [[Hot Rod Patrol]] and [[Construction Patrol]]. Like his cel animated counterpart, he gets overwhelmed by his smaller foes, who blow up a bridge beneath him, sending him tumbling into a ravine with an amusingly unthreatening cry of "RAWRRR." {{storylink|Commercial/Generation 1#Micromaster Patrols|Micromaster Patrols commercial}}
{{--}}

==Games==
===''Transformers: The Headmasters''===
As the Decepticons rampaged over Earth, Cybertron, and Chaar, Scorponok waited on planet "[[Last]]" for Fortress Maximus to show up and challenge him. And Fortress did. And he won. {{storylink|Transformers: The Headmasters (video game)|Transformers: The Headmasters}}

===''Transformers Legends''===
{{Note|Although Scorponok was not included in a storyline for the Transformers Legends game, he was featured as a playable character.}} {{storylink|Signature Series featuring Marcelo Matere|Signature Series}}

===''Transformers Ultimate Allstars''===
{{Charstubgames}}

==Toys==
{{main|Scorponok (G1)/toys}}

==Merchandise==
{{main|Scorponok (G1)/toys#Merchandise}}

==Notes==
*Scorponok's colors are distributed differently in [http://www.botchthecrab.com/gallery/catalog_1988_b.jpg the 1987 and 1988 toy catalogs] as compared to the finished product.
[[File:Rebirth3-legdoor.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|Have fun crawling through the joints.]]
*Both Scorponok and Fortress Maximus suffer from the writers struggling to reconcile the characters' high rank with their size. In their comic appearances, they are portrayed as commanders in some capacity but are shrunk down to interact with other Transformers, and their city modes pretty much don't exist. Conversely, the cartoons have opted to portray them as giant city Transformers, though they seem to be merely extensions of the smaller beings that bond with them, with no real life or will of their own.
*When Scorponok prepares to leave [[Nebulos]] in "[[The Rebirth, Part 3]]," he opens a ramp for the other Decepticons to board him. Curiously, the ramp leads up into one of his scorpion mode legs.
[[File:Zazorigun.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66|His name is about as clever as his progenitor's.]]
*The [[Action Master Elite]] [[Double Punch]]'s mold looks just like an [[Action Master]] version of BlackZarak, right down to the molded details, including the head. The coloring (black/red/purple) is similar to BlackZarak's coloring (black/red/gold) as well. This is very strange, considering that Japan never got Action Masters, and Europe never got BlackZarak.
*Scorponok served as the basis for the evil "Zazorigun" (ザゾリガン ''Zazorigan'', a play on サソリ, ''sasori'', meaning "scorpion") mecha in [[TakaraTomy|Takara]]'s ''[[Brave (franchise)|Brave of Gold Goldran]]'' series. Unlike fellow ''Goldran'' baddie Deathgarrygun (who was derived from [[Sky Garry (ROC)|Sky Garry]]), no toy or merchandise of Zazorigun was ever released. At least one enterprising Japanese fan, though, has [http://mamao2.cside.com/contents/toys/gd/zazorigan.html created a custom one] for himself.
*[[Omni Productions]] dialogue scripts for ''The Headmasters'', included on the R2 release of the series, feature a number of different, bizarre names for Scorponok, including "'''Bronco'''" in [[The Four-Million-Year-Old Veil of Mystery|episode 7]], "'''Locke'''"/"'''Lok'''" and "'''Jart'''" in [[Cybertron Is in Grave Danger, Part 1|episode 9]], and "'''Sogi'''" and "'''Chandler'''" in later episodes. While the final English dub just calls him Scorponok, variations of these names were actually used in the Latin American dub based on the same scripts, leading to some inconsistencies with Scorponok's name. On his first appearance, Galvatron calls him "Lok". Later, Skullcruncher calls him "Gronko" (episode 7 only), later in the series, he's named "Scorponok", and during the space travel event, he's called "'Chandler", the last two names being the most used during the ''Headmasters'' series. It should be noted that no name makes a distinction between Scorponok and his Transtector.
*The Scorponok that appears in the Japanese ''[[Kre-O Transformers (comic)|Kre-O Transformers]]'' manga is not based on the toy, which wasn't released in Japan, but on Generation 1 Scorponok's head unit as it appeared in ''[[Transformers: The Headmasters (franchise)|The Headmasters]]''. Like all non-toy robot Kreons in these comics, he is made up of existing Kre-O parts, namely the [[Ironhide (Kre-O)|Ironhide]] helmet.

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Scorponok''' (スコルポノック ''Sukoruponokku''), '''MegaZarak''' (メガザラック ''Megazarakku''), '''BlackZarak''' (Masterforce, ブラックザラック ''Burakkuzarakku''), '''Zarak''' (ザラック ''Zarakku'', see above), '''Scorpion''' (The Rebirth, スコーピオン ''Sukōpion'')
*''Italian:'' '''Scorpion'''
*''Mandarin:'' '''Sàkè Jùrén''' (萨克巨人, "Giant Zarak")
*''Russian:'' '''Skorponog''' (cartoon, Скорпоног, "Scorpoleg")
*''Spanish:'' '''Lok''', '''Gronko''', '''Chandler''', '''Scorponok''' (all Latin America, see above)
*''Ukrainian:'' '''Skorpiy''' (cartoon, Скорпій)

[[Category:Beast Wars: Uprising Decepticons]]
[[Category:City Transformers]]
[[Category:Decepticon bases]]
[[Category:Decepticon leaders]]
[[Category:Emperors]]
[[Category:Generation 1 cartoon Decepticons]]
[[Category:Generation 1 cities]]
[[Category:Generation 1 Decepticons]]
[[Category:Headmasters]]
[[Category:Kre-O Decepticons]]
[[Category:Kreons]]
[[Category:Legends Decepticons]]
[[Category:Machination]]
[[Category:Multi-component Transformers]]
[[Category:Point One Percenters]]
[[Category:Pirates]]
[[Category:Scientists]]
[[Category:Super-God Masterforce Decepticons]]
[[Category:The Headmasters Decepticons]]
[[Category:Triple Changers]]
[[Category:Wings Universe Star Seekers]]
[[Category:Zone Decepticons]]
[[Category:Zombies]]
[[Category:Wings Universe locations]]

Along Came a Spider

2011-11-20T21:11:12Z

Dvegaj: /* Animation or technical glitches */

{{episode|
|series=Anitoon
|series2=AniJapan
|image=TFA Along Spider Blackarachnia introduction.JPG
|caption=[[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee, you seem to have lubricated yourself]].
|ep=9
|ep2=10
|prev2=Nanosec (episode)
|next2=Lost and Found (episode)
|title="Along Came a Spider"
|airdate=[[February 16]], [[2008]]
|written by=[[Marty Isenberg]]
|directed by=[[Matt Youngberg]] [[Irineo Maramba]] [[Yutaka Kagawa]]
|animation studio=[[Mook]]
|continuity=[[Animated cartoon continuity]]}}

'''Bumblebee and Bulkhead's first Halloween turns even spookier when they encounter a giant spider that turns out to be the deadly Decepticon Blackarachnia.'''

==Synopsis==
[[Sari Sumdac|Sari]] introduces [[Bumblebee (Animated)|Bumblebee]], [[Bulkhead (Animated)|Bulkhead]] and [[Optimus Prime (Animated)|Optimus Prime]] to the concept of [[Halloween]], starting with selecting pumpkins. As she explains the idea of choosing just the right costume, Optimus's attention is distracted by a large black widow spider decoration. He remembers back to his academy days….

[[Image:Alongcameaspiderthreefriends.jpg|left|210px|thumb|"So once again, we find that evil of the past seeps into the present like salad dressing through cheap wax paper, mixing memory and desire."]]

''On [[Archa Seven]], Optimus and his friend Elita-1 admire the strange webbing stretching across the high rocks, not knowing what it is, until [[Sentinel Prime (Animated)|Sentinel]] calls to them to hurry up. Optimus cautions that such worlds are normally considered off-limits to Autobots, but there's supposedly a real Decepticon [[Twilight (Animated)|ship]] somewhere in the area. Elita's there for the historical value, but Sentinel just wants to get his hands on the [[Energon (fuel)|energon]] cache that must be in it. Optimus is still wary of potential punishment should they get caught, but figures he has to keep the other two from getting in over their heads. Sentinel insists that never happens—right before the ground crumbles under their feet, sending all three plunging into a deep cavern. Strange, skittering noises echo from its dark reaches. Optimus activates his shoulder-light to see….''

Bulkhead snaps Optimus's attention back to the present by donning a bedsheet (which just covers his head) and going "Boo," startling his leader. Optimus claims a ghost from his past just has him jumpy, then stalks off.

[[Image:TFA Along Spider Costume bots.JPG|right|200px|thumb|Bumblebee's decision to dress up as Count Blackula didn't go down well.]]

Back at the [[Autobot Earth Base|Autobot base]], Sari critiques Bumblebee and Bulkhead's costumes, but says her own costume is only one surprise planned for the night. Noticing Optimus lost in thought, she uses the [[AllSpark Key]] to activate one of the car plant's cranes, swinging another spider decoration in his face. The unexpected sight of it gives Optimus a bad flashback, and he quickly hacks the fake spider to bits. He admonishes Sari for making frivolous use of the Key, and she counters about him needlessly using his axe. Optimus stares down at the remains of the decoration, and his thoughts travel back again….

''As Optimus, Elita, and Sentinel walk through the cavern, Sentinel enthuses about the rich hoard of energon he's sure they'll find soon. Optimus shushes him as he hears something, and soon all three are casting their lights about, trying to pinpoint the skittering. The source reveals itself as an enormous, alien spider, which quickly traps Elita with some webbing. As Optimus fights it off, Sentinel frees her with his charged shield, but the spider abruptly takes him down. Elita starts using her special power-download ability, but Optimus, holding back the spider, tells her it won't work on organics. She instead borrows the unconscious Sentinel's shield power and shield itself, using them to defend herself, then to bring down a huge stalactite to impale the spider. As Sentinel wakes up and Elita returns his shield, Optimus says that it's not worth staying around, be it for history or energon. Sentinel still insists on one good reason to leave, and he gets three when another trio of giant spiders drop down to confront them. Sentinel quickly puts up his shield's energy barrier, covering Optimus and Elita's retreat. Optimus rolls out, and Elita follows, calling his name….''

[[Image:Saricostume.jpg|left|130px|thumb|Arise, Sarimus Prime.]]

Optimus suddenly becomes aware of Sari calling his name to show off her costume—a costume of him. He doesn't appreciate her vocal impersonation of him, and declines to join the trio on their trick-or-treat outing.

As Sari and the two Autobots progress though a local neighborhood, Bumblebee is a bit spooked by the atmosphere. Sari reminds him it's all pretend—unaware they're being tracked by an enormous spider traveling over the rooftops. As she coaches them through their first actual "trick or treat," Bumblebee spots the spider watching them and freaks out, but it's gone before anyone else sees it. Sari teases him for being more timid than Optimus, but 'Bee protests he knows the difference between a fake decoration and a real giant spider. Listening in from headquarters, Optimus has Bumblebee clarify what he saw, then heads out to meet them, advising them to stay put. As Optimus [[roll out|rolls out]], his thoughts roll back….

''Racing through the caverns, Optimus reaches the wreckage of a [[Decepticon]] warship. Separated from the other two, he heads inside, hoping to find them there. Instead, he finds an impressive stash of energon cubes, just as Sentinel predicted. He also finds an impressive stash of giant spider eggs. As the spiderlings hatch and start attacking, Optimus gets stuck on some webbing, but Elita shows up in time to help. As they fight to escape from more full-grown spiders, Optimus has Elita borrow his grappler ability. They bring down a huge stalactite through the ship's ruined overhead, grappling their way out as the energon detonates below them. However, Elita's download ability times out just then, and she goes plunging back too fast for Optimus to catch her. Sentinel arrives on top of the ship as she plummets into the hold, but knowing the energon is going to blow any second, Optimus grapples himself and Sentinel to safety rather than risk going after Elita just then. Once they break the surface, Optimus scans for Elita's energy signature, but doesn't find it. A furious Sentinel blames everything on Optimus.''

[[Image:Blackarach anim beast.jpg|right|200px|thumb|All those eyes, and she still can't see why those kids like Cinnamon Toast Crunch.]]

In the present, still en route to Sari and company's location, Optimus swears he won't let it happen again. Meanwhile, Bumblebee stresses that they have to stay vigilant until Optimus arrives—even as Sari is yanked out from under them by the giant spider. Bumblebee quickly cuts Sari free, but as he and Bulkhead surround the spider, it transforms into a female robot who calls herself [[Blackarachnia (Animated)|Blackarachnia]]. Sari's not too surprised or impressed by her femininity, but it makes a much bigger impression on Bulkhead—right up to the point Blackarachnia stabs him with two of her spider legs, knocking him out. She quickly gives Bumblebee the same treatment, then tells Sari they should go, now that Sari's safe. Sari protests the two Autobots are her friends, and Blackarachnia apologizes, pretending she can't tell which robots are good or bad on Earth. As Sari futilely tries to revive Bulkhead with her AllSpark Key, Blackarachnia notes that the organic nature of her venom precludes that solution, since the All Spark doesn't affect organics. She offers to try helping the Autobots if Sari will just hand her the Key, but her ruse is interrupted when Optimus lassos her legs out from under her. Blackarachnia appears shocked to see him, but quickly frees herself and starts fighting back—using Bumblebee's stingers and Bulkhead's strength. Instead of borrowing any of Optimus's powers, though, she judo-throws him across the street, then kidnaps Sari.

Optimus desperately pursues the pair across the rooftops. He catches up, stuns Blackarachnia with a faceful of foam, then grapples Sari free. Despite this respite and Sari's warning, Blackarachnia still catches Optimus half-unaware. He fights back, but she dodges him constantly, claiming to know all his textbook Autobot Academy moves. Optimus wonders if he knows her, and she berates him for forgetting his friends—even if he remembered Sentinel. Optimus is horrified to realize he's facing Elita-1. She finally relates what really happened that day:

[[Image:TFA Elita-1 mutation.jpg|left|200px|thumb|Even Female Transformers have to worry about bloating.]]

''Trapped in the ship and surrounded by the spiders, Elita tries desperately to download their abilities. Instead, she is infected with their venom, and it mutates her into a freak, a half-organic, half-robotic being.''

Optimus realizes that her half-organic nature is what masked her energy signature from his scans. Blackarachnia sneers that if he'd known and saved her, she'd just have been dismantled and examined on some lab table on Cybertron. Optimus reproves her for joining the Decepticons, but she counters that at least she knows where she stands with them. She webs up Optimus and snatches the AllSpark Key, certain that if anything can purge her organic half, it can. She plugs it into herself, but the unleashed energies begin causing all organic life in range, including Sari, to wither and sicken. Optimus breaks free, but before he can stop Blackarachnia, she grabs up Sari and throws her off the roof. Sari snags a flagpole long enough for Bumblebee and Bulkhead to save her, leaving Optimus free to deal with Blackarachnia.

[[Image:TFA ep9 Optimus and Blackarachnia rooftop.jpg|right|205px|thumb|Never liked the [[Silverbolt (BW)|Bird-dog]] anyway.]]

However, Blackarachnia collapses on her own, though. Optimus surmises her spark can't survive without her organic half, but she's too weak to pull out the AllSpark Key and stop the reaction. Optimus forces through the energy barrier around her and removes it for her, restoring the organic life in the area to normal. As he helps her up, Blackarachnia asks him to go, not wanting to be seen like that. Still calling her Elita, Optimus asks her to come with them, promising his group will find a cure, and allow him to earn back her trust. She seems to respond positively, but it's another sham. Blackarachnia stabs him unconscious and leaves, vowing it will be a long time before she trusts another Autobot, especially him.

Later, Optimus returns Sari the AllSpark Key. She thanks him and admits he was right—maybe it's time she gave the Key a rest. Bumblebee trundles in painfully, still damaged from his fall after catching Sari, and asks if she could use it once more. Bulkhead asks who the bug-bot lady was, and Optimus responds it was someone he should never have left behind. Elsewhere, Blackarachnia stands on a rooftop, gazing at the moon and sobbing over her fate.
{{--}}

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
*[[Bulkhead (Animated)|Bulkhead ]] (2)
*[[Bumblebee (Animated)|Bumblebee]] (3)
*[[Optimus Prime (Animated)|Optimus Prime]] (4)
*[[Sentinel Prime (Animated)|Sentinel]] (6) (Flashback)

|c2=
*[[Blackarachnia (Animated)|Elita-1/Blackarachnia]] (5)

|c3=
*[[Sari Sumdac]] (1)
}}

==Quotes==
'''Bumblebee''': ''[Bad Slavic accent]'' Velcome. I am Count Dracubot. I vant to drink your motor oil. 
'''Bulkhead''': Hey, guys! I finally found something big enough for my ghost costume. 
''[Fumes surround his feet, causing Sari to cough]'' 
'''Sari''': Bulkhead, where did you get that sheet? 
'''Bulkhead''': It was just draped over some house. Weird place for a bed sheet, huh? 
'''Sari''': Oh, that's not a bedsheet. That's a fumigation tent. 
'''Bulkhead''': Really…? What's a fumigation tent? 
''[As well as the fumes, Bulkhead's feet are now covered in dead cockroaches.]''
:—Sari sees the Autobots' costumes.

"I've got a good feeling about this. Any cycle now, we're gonna be overflowing with rich, All Spark-infused, energon-y goodness!" 
"Did you really just say 'energon-y goodness'?"
:—'''Sentinel''''s speech <strike>tick</strike>—er, tic bemuses '''Elita-1'''.

'''Sari''': Optimus! Check out my costume! 
''[Camera reveals that Sari is Optimus Prime]'' 
'''Sari''': ''[Imitating Optimus]'' Oh, look at me. I'm Optimus Prime. I'm scared of spiders. 
''[Bumblebee and Bulkhead chuckle]'' 
'''Optimus''': That's ''not'' what I sound like—is it? 
'''Bumblebee''': Last chance to join us, Boss Bot. 
'''Optimus''': Thanks, but I'll pass. Just be careful out there, all right? 
'''Sari''': Don't worry. I'll keep these two out of trouble. ''[Imitating Optimus]'' Transform and roll out! 
''[Optimus gives Sari a look]'' 
'''Sari''': Couldn't resist.
:—Sari and the Autobots roast Optimus Prime.

[[Image:Bee-AlongCameASpider.jpg|300px|thumb|right|A swarm of Bumblebees... And we're worried about a spider?!]]
'''Bumblebee''': Ahhh! Bulkhead! B-Bulkhead... BULKHEAD! 
'''Bulkhead''': ''[Costume falls over optics]'' What? 
'''Bumblebee''': ''[Climbing all over Bulkhead in a panic]'' Big, black, fangs! LEGS! Lots and lots of legs! 
'''Bulkhead''': I don't see anything... 
:— '''Bumblebee''' freaks out upon seeing a [[Blackarachnia (Animated)|giant black spider]].

'''Bumblebee''': Who are you? 
'''Bulkhead''': What are you? 
'''Sari''': Duh. She's a girl.
:—The gang meets Blackarachnia.

"So, who ''was'' that bug-bot lady?" 
"Someone I never should have left behind."
:—'''Bulkhead''' and '''Optimus Prime''' talk some heavy stuff.

==Notes==
===Animation or technical glitches===
* In the first flashback of Optimus' memories, Elita's skin color is teal, until to the moment when she falls into the underground caverns along with her teammates, being replaced by the same purple that she would later retain as Blackarachnia. It turns back to teal briefly, when Sentinel uses his shield to cut off the web binding her arms.
* Shortly after Sentinel says that he and Optimus should go back for Elita when the Decepticon ship explodes, his nose and forehead are painted silver, like Optimus.
* Sentinel's light blue markings can be seen several times during flashbacks.

===Continuity===
* Glitches

===Transformers references===
* In the [[The Transformers (cartoon)|Generation 1 animated series]], [[Elita One]] was [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]]'s paramour. The ''Animated'' incarnation of the character refrains from attempting to visually homage the original pink-and-white Elita, instead creating a blue-and-yellow pony-tailed character who bears a resemblance to Elita's earlier (pony-tailed) form, Ariel. Similarly, her relationship with Optimus is less distinct. As confirmed [[Transformers Animated: The AllSpark Almanac|later]], she used to be Sentinel's girlfriend, but present-day scenes do suggest ''some'' kind of personal tension (though that could be guilt on Optimus's part and anger on Elita's).
* Sentinel is depicted here as Optimus's friend and peer, whereas in all other series he's either been Optimus's mentor, a superior officer, or a predecessor. In this way, it seems the roles of Sentinel and [[Ultra Magnus (Animated)|Ultra Magnus]] have been reversed from past continuities.
* With this episode, [[energon cube]]s make their first appearance in Transformers cartoons since ''Beast Wars''. They look ''exactly'' like they did in the Generation 1 cartoon, which even ''Beast Wars'' didn't pull off.
* Bulkhead's jaw-drop is certain to remind some of when [[Crumplezone (Cybertron)|Crumplezone]]'s jaw did practically the same thing in the ''[[Cybertron (cartoon)|Cybertron]]'' episode "[[Showdown]]."

===Foreign dubbing===
'''Brazil'''
:*''Title:'' "'''E lá vem uma Aranha'''" ("And Here Come a Spider")
:*''Original airdate:'' ???

'''French'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Comme une araignée dans sa toile'''" ("Like a Spider in Her Web")
:*''Original airdate:'' ???

'''German'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Im Netz der Spinne'''" ("In the Spider's Web")
:*''Original airdate:'' [[June 21|21 June]] [[2008]]

'''Japanese'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Kumo-onna no Kage'''" (クモ女の影, "Shadow of the Spider Woman")
:*''Original airdate:'' [[June 5|5 June]] [[2010]]

'''Polish'''
:*''Title:'' "'''W Sieci Pająka'''" ("In the Spider's Web")
:*''Original airdate:'' ???

===Real-world references===
[[Image:TFA Along Spider Bulkhead jaw drop.JPG|right|200px|thumb|We've heard of jaw-droppers before, but this is ridiculous.]]
* Bulkhead's "ghost" costume, with its constant cloud of pesticides at the bottom, coincidentally resembles "Pig-Pen's" costume from ''[[wikipedia:It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown|It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown]]''.
* Judging how Blackarachnia [[Spider-Man|can swing from a thread]], the Autobots had best take a look overhead.
* As Blackarachnia is stroking Bulkhead, his jaw falls off, then is seen re-attached to him the next cut—an obviously intentional, throw-away [http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/JawDrop animation joke.]
* "Little help for the vertically challenged?" Bulkhead throwing Bumblebee is better known to ''X-Men'' fans as the Fastball Special, usually performed by [[wikipedia:Colossus (comics)|Colossus]] and [[Wolverine (superhero)|Wolverine]].
* This episode's title is a reference to the James Patterson novel ''Along Came A Spider''...or possibly some nursery rhyme, but for coolness, we'll go with the novel.

===Trivia===
* In a flashback, prior to Blackarachnia's transformation, a helmet can be seen sitting in a corner of the Decepticon ship. In the season 3 episode "[[Predacons Rising]]", it is confirmed that she starts wearing the helmet to conceal the extent of her transformation.
* This episode makes a point of how Sari has been overusing the AllSpark Key previously, and that it can't be used to cure every Transformer injury. The writers evidently anticipated that reaction from the audience.
* Referring to himself as "vertically challenged", Bumblebee seems to be over his height complex, which was such a major point in "[[Total Meltdown]]".
* This is the first time Sentinel has been fully on screen. When he appeared in "[[Transform and Roll Out]]", all that was seen of him was his big jerk head.
* In the flashbacks, neither Sentinel nor Optimus is addressed as "[[Prime (rank)|Prime]]". [[Endgame, Part I|Later events]] seem to confirm they hadn't attained that rank yet. (Sentinel is actually credited as just "Sentinel", not Sentinel Prime or Sentinel Minor, like he is in "[[Autoboot Camp]]", corroborating even at the time that the non-mention of their ranks was intentional.)
* On a related note, in the flashbacks, Sentinel's Autobot insignia (unsurprisingly) does not have the [[Cybertron Elite Guard]] "[[:Image:Cyb Elite Guard Badge.png|wings]]" we see when he's introduced [[The Elite Guard|in the present]].
[[Image:TFA Along Spider Costume Bumblebee.jpeg|thumb|200px|right|Bumblebee attempts to get into character and fails.]]
* Blackarachnia claims that she's been waiting to be cured for "a thousand [[Units of time|stellar cycles]]", which gives us a rough time frame for when the flashbacks in this episode took place. Whether they occur before or after "[[Autoboot Camp]]" is unclear, but it's probably before if we assume that our favorite jerk was only going by "Sentinel", and not "Sentinel Minor" at that point.
* This episode gives us at least one reason why Sentinel hates Optimus. The incident is also later established as the cause of Optimus's expulsion from the Autobot Academy in "[[Endgame, Part I]]".
* The hand motions Bulkhead makes at the end of the episode when he says "So who was that Bug-Bot-Lady?" are...interesting, to say the least.
* While dressed up as Count Dracubot, Bumblebee states that he "wants to drink your motor oil." As we learn [[Rise of the Constructicons|later]], this is roughly the equivalent of a vampire saying he wants to bum a few beers off you. Bumblebee ''really'' needs to work on this whole Halloween thing.
* When we see Sari, Bulkhead, and Bumblebee together in the city, one of the kids in the bottom left of the screen is wearing a Bumblebee costume. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.

==Home video releases==
;DVD
[[Image:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2008 — ''Transformers Animated'' — Season One ([[Transformers Animated (cartoon)/home video|Paramount]]) — English and Spanish audio. 
[[Image:Flag of Australia.png|20px|Australia]] 2009 — ''Transformers Animated'' — Volume Two: Lost and Found (Paramount) — English and German audio. 
[[Image:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2009 — ''Transformers Animated'' — Volume Two: Lost and Found (Paramount) — English and German audio. 
[[Image:Flag of Germany.png|20px|Germany]] 2009 — ''Transformers Animated'' — Volume Zwei: Die Alten Waffen (Paramount) — English and German audio. 
[[Image:Flag of Japan.png|20px|Japan]] 2010 — ''Transformers Animated'' — Vol. 3 (Paramount) — Japanese audio only.

[[Category:Animated episodes]]

Along Came a Spider

2011-11-20T21:05:44Z

Dvegaj: /* Animation or technical glitches */

{{episode|
|series=Anitoon
|series2=AniJapan
|image=TFA Along Spider Blackarachnia introduction.JPG
|caption=[[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee, you seem to have lubricated yourself]].
|ep=9
|ep2=10
|prev2=Nanosec (episode)
|next2=Lost and Found (episode)
|title="Along Came a Spider"
|airdate=[[February 16]], [[2008]]
|written by=[[Marty Isenberg]]
|directed by=[[Matt Youngberg]] [[Irineo Maramba]] [[Yutaka Kagawa]]
|animation studio=[[Mook]]
|continuity=[[Animated cartoon continuity]]}}

'''Bumblebee and Bulkhead's first Halloween turns even spookier when they encounter a giant spider that turns out to be the deadly Decepticon Blackarachnia.'''

==Synopsis==
[[Sari Sumdac|Sari]] introduces [[Bumblebee (Animated)|Bumblebee]], [[Bulkhead (Animated)|Bulkhead]] and [[Optimus Prime (Animated)|Optimus Prime]] to the concept of [[Halloween]], starting with selecting pumpkins. As she explains the idea of choosing just the right costume, Optimus's attention is distracted by a large black widow spider decoration. He remembers back to his academy days….

[[Image:Alongcameaspiderthreefriends.jpg|left|210px|thumb|"So once again, we find that evil of the past seeps into the present like salad dressing through cheap wax paper, mixing memory and desire."]]

''On [[Archa Seven]], Optimus and his friend Elita-1 admire the strange webbing stretching across the high rocks, not knowing what it is, until [[Sentinel Prime (Animated)|Sentinel]] calls to them to hurry up. Optimus cautions that such worlds are normally considered off-limits to Autobots, but there's supposedly a real Decepticon [[Twilight (Animated)|ship]] somewhere in the area. Elita's there for the historical value, but Sentinel just wants to get his hands on the [[Energon (fuel)|energon]] cache that must be in it. Optimus is still wary of potential punishment should they get caught, but figures he has to keep the other two from getting in over their heads. Sentinel insists that never happens—right before the ground crumbles under their feet, sending all three plunging into a deep cavern. Strange, skittering noises echo from its dark reaches. Optimus activates his shoulder-light to see….''

Bulkhead snaps Optimus's attention back to the present by donning a bedsheet (which just covers his head) and going "Boo," startling his leader. Optimus claims a ghost from his past just has him jumpy, then stalks off.

[[Image:TFA Along Spider Costume bots.JPG|right|200px|thumb|Bumblebee's decision to dress up as Count Blackula didn't go down well.]]

Back at the [[Autobot Earth Base|Autobot base]], Sari critiques Bumblebee and Bulkhead's costumes, but says her own costume is only one surprise planned for the night. Noticing Optimus lost in thought, she uses the [[AllSpark Key]] to activate one of the car plant's cranes, swinging another spider decoration in his face. The unexpected sight of it gives Optimus a bad flashback, and he quickly hacks the fake spider to bits. He admonishes Sari for making frivolous use of the Key, and she counters about him needlessly using his axe. Optimus stares down at the remains of the decoration, and his thoughts travel back again….

''As Optimus, Elita, and Sentinel walk through the cavern, Sentinel enthuses about the rich hoard of energon he's sure they'll find soon. Optimus shushes him as he hears something, and soon all three are casting their lights about, trying to pinpoint the skittering. The source reveals itself as an enormous, alien spider, which quickly traps Elita with some webbing. As Optimus fights it off, Sentinel frees her with his charged shield, but the spider abruptly takes him down. Elita starts using her special power-download ability, but Optimus, holding back the spider, tells her it won't work on organics. She instead borrows the unconscious Sentinel's shield power and shield itself, using them to defend herself, then to bring down a huge stalactite to impale the spider. As Sentinel wakes up and Elita returns his shield, Optimus says that it's not worth staying around, be it for history or energon. Sentinel still insists on one good reason to leave, and he gets three when another trio of giant spiders drop down to confront them. Sentinel quickly puts up his shield's energy barrier, covering Optimus and Elita's retreat. Optimus rolls out, and Elita follows, calling his name….''

[[Image:Saricostume.jpg|left|130px|thumb|Arise, Sarimus Prime.]]

Optimus suddenly becomes aware of Sari calling his name to show off her costume—a costume of him. He doesn't appreciate her vocal impersonation of him, and declines to join the trio on their trick-or-treat outing.

As Sari and the two Autobots progress though a local neighborhood, Bumblebee is a bit spooked by the atmosphere. Sari reminds him it's all pretend—unaware they're being tracked by an enormous spider traveling over the rooftops. As she coaches them through their first actual "trick or treat," Bumblebee spots the spider watching them and freaks out, but it's gone before anyone else sees it. Sari teases him for being more timid than Optimus, but 'Bee protests he knows the difference between a fake decoration and a real giant spider. Listening in from headquarters, Optimus has Bumblebee clarify what he saw, then heads out to meet them, advising them to stay put. As Optimus [[roll out|rolls out]], his thoughts roll back….

''Racing through the caverns, Optimus reaches the wreckage of a [[Decepticon]] warship. Separated from the other two, he heads inside, hoping to find them there. Instead, he finds an impressive stash of energon cubes, just as Sentinel predicted. He also finds an impressive stash of giant spider eggs. As the spiderlings hatch and start attacking, Optimus gets stuck on some webbing, but Elita shows up in time to help. As they fight to escape from more full-grown spiders, Optimus has Elita borrow his grappler ability. They bring down a huge stalactite through the ship's ruined overhead, grappling their way out as the energon detonates below them. However, Elita's download ability times out just then, and she goes plunging back too fast for Optimus to catch her. Sentinel arrives on top of the ship as she plummets into the hold, but knowing the energon is going to blow any second, Optimus grapples himself and Sentinel to safety rather than risk going after Elita just then. Once they break the surface, Optimus scans for Elita's energy signature, but doesn't find it. A furious Sentinel blames everything on Optimus.''

[[Image:Blackarach anim beast.jpg|right|200px|thumb|All those eyes, and she still can't see why those kids like Cinnamon Toast Crunch.]]

In the present, still en route to Sari and company's location, Optimus swears he won't let it happen again. Meanwhile, Bumblebee stresses that they have to stay vigilant until Optimus arrives—even as Sari is yanked out from under them by the giant spider. Bumblebee quickly cuts Sari free, but as he and Bulkhead surround the spider, it transforms into a female robot who calls herself [[Blackarachnia (Animated)|Blackarachnia]]. Sari's not too surprised or impressed by her femininity, but it makes a much bigger impression on Bulkhead—right up to the point Blackarachnia stabs him with two of her spider legs, knocking him out. She quickly gives Bumblebee the same treatment, then tells Sari they should go, now that Sari's safe. Sari protests the two Autobots are her friends, and Blackarachnia apologizes, pretending she can't tell which robots are good or bad on Earth. As Sari futilely tries to revive Bulkhead with her AllSpark Key, Blackarachnia notes that the organic nature of her venom precludes that solution, since the All Spark doesn't affect organics. She offers to try helping the Autobots if Sari will just hand her the Key, but her ruse is interrupted when Optimus lassos her legs out from under her. Blackarachnia appears shocked to see him, but quickly frees herself and starts fighting back—using Bumblebee's stingers and Bulkhead's strength. Instead of borrowing any of Optimus's powers, though, she judo-throws him across the street, then kidnaps Sari.

Optimus desperately pursues the pair across the rooftops. He catches up, stuns Blackarachnia with a faceful of foam, then grapples Sari free. Despite this respite and Sari's warning, Blackarachnia still catches Optimus half-unaware. He fights back, but she dodges him constantly, claiming to know all his textbook Autobot Academy moves. Optimus wonders if he knows her, and she berates him for forgetting his friends—even if he remembered Sentinel. Optimus is horrified to realize he's facing Elita-1. She finally relates what really happened that day:

[[Image:TFA Elita-1 mutation.jpg|left|200px|thumb|Even Female Transformers have to worry about bloating.]]

''Trapped in the ship and surrounded by the spiders, Elita tries desperately to download their abilities. Instead, she is infected with their venom, and it mutates her into a freak, a half-organic, half-robotic being.''

Optimus realizes that her half-organic nature is what masked her energy signature from his scans. Blackarachnia sneers that if he'd known and saved her, she'd just have been dismantled and examined on some lab table on Cybertron. Optimus reproves her for joining the Decepticons, but she counters that at least she knows where she stands with them. She webs up Optimus and snatches the AllSpark Key, certain that if anything can purge her organic half, it can. She plugs it into herself, but the unleashed energies begin causing all organic life in range, including Sari, to wither and sicken. Optimus breaks free, but before he can stop Blackarachnia, she grabs up Sari and throws her off the roof. Sari snags a flagpole long enough for Bumblebee and Bulkhead to save her, leaving Optimus free to deal with Blackarachnia.

[[Image:TFA ep9 Optimus and Blackarachnia rooftop.jpg|right|205px|thumb|Never liked the [[Silverbolt (BW)|Bird-dog]] anyway.]]

However, Blackarachnia collapses on her own, though. Optimus surmises her spark can't survive without her organic half, but she's too weak to pull out the AllSpark Key and stop the reaction. Optimus forces through the energy barrier around her and removes it for her, restoring the organic life in the area to normal. As he helps her up, Blackarachnia asks him to go, not wanting to be seen like that. Still calling her Elita, Optimus asks her to come with them, promising his group will find a cure, and allow him to earn back her trust. She seems to respond positively, but it's another sham. Blackarachnia stabs him unconscious and leaves, vowing it will be a long time before she trusts another Autobot, especially him.

Later, Optimus returns Sari the AllSpark Key. She thanks him and admits he was right—maybe it's time she gave the Key a rest. Bumblebee trundles in painfully, still damaged from his fall after catching Sari, and asks if she could use it once more. Bulkhead asks who the bug-bot lady was, and Optimus responds it was someone he should never have left behind. Elsewhere, Blackarachnia stands on a rooftop, gazing at the moon and sobbing over her fate.
{{--}}

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
*[[Bulkhead (Animated)|Bulkhead ]] (2)
*[[Bumblebee (Animated)|Bumblebee]] (3)
*[[Optimus Prime (Animated)|Optimus Prime]] (4)
*[[Sentinel Prime (Animated)|Sentinel]] (6) (Flashback)

|c2=
*[[Blackarachnia (Animated)|Elita-1/Blackarachnia]] (5)

|c3=
*[[Sari Sumdac]] (1)
}}

==Quotes==
'''Bumblebee''': ''[Bad Slavic accent]'' Velcome. I am Count Dracubot. I vant to drink your motor oil. 
'''Bulkhead''': Hey, guys! I finally found something big enough for my ghost costume. 
''[Fumes surround his feet, causing Sari to cough]'' 
'''Sari''': Bulkhead, where did you get that sheet? 
'''Bulkhead''': It was just draped over some house. Weird place for a bed sheet, huh? 
'''Sari''': Oh, that's not a bedsheet. That's a fumigation tent. 
'''Bulkhead''': Really…? What's a fumigation tent? 
''[As well as the fumes, Bulkhead's feet are now covered in dead cockroaches.]''
:—Sari sees the Autobots' costumes.

"I've got a good feeling about this. Any cycle now, we're gonna be overflowing with rich, All Spark-infused, energon-y goodness!" 
"Did you really just say 'energon-y goodness'?"
:—'''Sentinel''''s speech <strike>tick</strike>—er, tic bemuses '''Elita-1'''.

'''Sari''': Optimus! Check out my costume! 
''[Camera reveals that Sari is Optimus Prime]'' 
'''Sari''': ''[Imitating Optimus]'' Oh, look at me. I'm Optimus Prime. I'm scared of spiders. 
''[Bumblebee and Bulkhead chuckle]'' 
'''Optimus''': That's ''not'' what I sound like—is it? 
'''Bumblebee''': Last chance to join us, Boss Bot. 
'''Optimus''': Thanks, but I'll pass. Just be careful out there, all right? 
'''Sari''': Don't worry. I'll keep these two out of trouble. ''[Imitating Optimus]'' Transform and roll out! 
''[Optimus gives Sari a look]'' 
'''Sari''': Couldn't resist.
:—Sari and the Autobots roast Optimus Prime.

[[Image:Bee-AlongCameASpider.jpg|300px|thumb|right|A swarm of Bumblebees... And we're worried about a spider?!]]
'''Bumblebee''': Ahhh! Bulkhead! B-Bulkhead... BULKHEAD! 
'''Bulkhead''': ''[Costume falls over optics]'' What? 
'''Bumblebee''': ''[Climbing all over Bulkhead in a panic]'' Big, black, fangs! LEGS! Lots and lots of legs! 
'''Bulkhead''': I don't see anything... 
:— '''Bumblebee''' freaks out upon seeing a [[Blackarachnia (Animated)|giant black spider]].

'''Bumblebee''': Who are you? 
'''Bulkhead''': What are you? 
'''Sari''': Duh. She's a girl.
:—The gang meets Blackarachnia.

"So, who ''was'' that bug-bot lady?" 
"Someone I never should have left behind."
:—'''Bulkhead''' and '''Optimus Prime''' talk some heavy stuff.

==Notes==
===Animation or technical glitches===
* In the first flashback of Optimus' memories, Elita's skin color is teal, until to the moment when she falls into the underground caverns along with her teammates, being replaced by the same purple that she would later retain as Blackarachnia. It turns back to teal briefly, when Sentinel slashes the spider web that ties her arms with his shield.
* Shortly after Sentinel says that he and Optimus should go back for Elita when the Decepticon ship explodes, his nose and forehead are painted silver, like Optimus.
* Sentinel's light blue markings can be seen several times during flashbacks.

===Continuity===
* Glitches

===Transformers references===
* In the [[The Transformers (cartoon)|Generation 1 animated series]], [[Elita One]] was [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]]'s paramour. The ''Animated'' incarnation of the character refrains from attempting to visually homage the original pink-and-white Elita, instead creating a blue-and-yellow pony-tailed character who bears a resemblance to Elita's earlier (pony-tailed) form, Ariel. Similarly, her relationship with Optimus is less distinct. As confirmed [[Transformers Animated: The AllSpark Almanac|later]], she used to be Sentinel's girlfriend, but present-day scenes do suggest ''some'' kind of personal tension (though that could be guilt on Optimus's part and anger on Elita's).
* Sentinel is depicted here as Optimus's friend and peer, whereas in all other series he's either been Optimus's mentor, a superior officer, or a predecessor. In this way, it seems the roles of Sentinel and [[Ultra Magnus (Animated)|Ultra Magnus]] have been reversed from past continuities.
* With this episode, [[energon cube]]s make their first appearance in Transformers cartoons since ''Beast Wars''. They look ''exactly'' like they did in the Generation 1 cartoon, which even ''Beast Wars'' didn't pull off.
* Bulkhead's jaw-drop is certain to remind some of when [[Crumplezone (Cybertron)|Crumplezone]]'s jaw did practically the same thing in the ''[[Cybertron (cartoon)|Cybertron]]'' episode "[[Showdown]]."

===Foreign dubbing===
'''Brazil'''
:*''Title:'' "'''E lá vem uma Aranha'''" ("And Here Come a Spider")
:*''Original airdate:'' ???

'''French'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Comme une araignée dans sa toile'''" ("Like a Spider in Her Web")
:*''Original airdate:'' ???

'''German'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Im Netz der Spinne'''" ("In the Spider's Web")
:*''Original airdate:'' [[June 21|21 June]] [[2008]]

'''Japanese'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Kumo-onna no Kage'''" (クモ女の影, "Shadow of the Spider Woman")
:*''Original airdate:'' [[June 5|5 June]] [[2010]]

'''Polish'''
:*''Title:'' "'''W Sieci Pająka'''" ("In the Spider's Web")
:*''Original airdate:'' ???

===Real-world references===
[[Image:TFA Along Spider Bulkhead jaw drop.JPG|right|200px|thumb|We've heard of jaw-droppers before, but this is ridiculous.]]
* Bulkhead's "ghost" costume, with its constant cloud of pesticides at the bottom, coincidentally resembles "Pig-Pen's" costume from ''[[wikipedia:It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown|It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown]]''.
* Judging how Blackarachnia [[Spider-Man|can swing from a thread]], the Autobots had best take a look overhead.
* As Blackarachnia is stroking Bulkhead, his jaw falls off, then is seen re-attached to him the next cut—an obviously intentional, throw-away [http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/JawDrop animation joke.]
* "Little help for the vertically challenged?" Bulkhead throwing Bumblebee is better known to ''X-Men'' fans as the Fastball Special, usually performed by [[wikipedia:Colossus (comics)|Colossus]] and [[Wolverine (superhero)|Wolverine]].
* This episode's title is a reference to the James Patterson novel ''Along Came A Spider''...or possibly some nursery rhyme, but for coolness, we'll go with the novel.

===Trivia===
* In a flashback, prior to Blackarachnia's transformation, a helmet can be seen sitting in a corner of the Decepticon ship. In the season 3 episode "[[Predacons Rising]]", it is confirmed that she starts wearing the helmet to conceal the extent of her transformation.
* This episode makes a point of how Sari has been overusing the AllSpark Key previously, and that it can't be used to cure every Transformer injury. The writers evidently anticipated that reaction from the audience.
* Referring to himself as "vertically challenged", Bumblebee seems to be over his height complex, which was such a major point in "[[Total Meltdown]]".
* This is the first time Sentinel has been fully on screen. When he appeared in "[[Transform and Roll Out]]", all that was seen of him was his big jerk head.
* In the flashbacks, neither Sentinel nor Optimus is addressed as "[[Prime (rank)|Prime]]". [[Endgame, Part I|Later events]] seem to confirm they hadn't attained that rank yet. (Sentinel is actually credited as just "Sentinel", not Sentinel Prime or Sentinel Minor, like he is in "[[Autoboot Camp]]", corroborating even at the time that the non-mention of their ranks was intentional.)
* On a related note, in the flashbacks, Sentinel's Autobot insignia (unsurprisingly) does not have the [[Cybertron Elite Guard]] "[[:Image:Cyb Elite Guard Badge.png|wings]]" we see when he's introduced [[The Elite Guard|in the present]].
[[Image:TFA Along Spider Costume Bumblebee.jpeg|thumb|200px|right|Bumblebee attempts to get into character and fails.]]
* Blackarachnia claims that she's been waiting to be cured for "a thousand [[Units of time|stellar cycles]]", which gives us a rough time frame for when the flashbacks in this episode took place. Whether they occur before or after "[[Autoboot Camp]]" is unclear, but it's probably before if we assume that our favorite jerk was only going by "Sentinel", and not "Sentinel Minor" at that point.
* This episode gives us at least one reason why Sentinel hates Optimus. The incident is also later established as the cause of Optimus's expulsion from the Autobot Academy in "[[Endgame, Part I]]".
* The hand motions Bulkhead makes at the end of the episode when he says "So who was that Bug-Bot-Lady?" are...interesting, to say the least.
* While dressed up as Count Dracubot, Bumblebee states that he "wants to drink your motor oil." As we learn [[Rise of the Constructicons|later]], this is roughly the equivalent of a vampire saying he wants to bum a few beers off you. Bumblebee ''really'' needs to work on this whole Halloween thing.
* When we see Sari, Bulkhead, and Bumblebee together in the city, one of the kids in the bottom left of the screen is wearing a Bumblebee costume. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.

==Home video releases==
;DVD
[[Image:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2008 — ''Transformers Animated'' — Season One ([[Transformers Animated (cartoon)/home video|Paramount]]) — English and Spanish audio. 
[[Image:Flag of Australia.png|20px|Australia]] 2009 — ''Transformers Animated'' — Volume Two: Lost and Found (Paramount) — English and German audio. 
[[Image:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2009 — ''Transformers Animated'' — Volume Two: Lost and Found (Paramount) — English and German audio. 
[[Image:Flag of Germany.png|20px|Germany]] 2009 — ''Transformers Animated'' — Volume Zwei: Die Alten Waffen (Paramount) — English and German audio. 
[[Image:Flag of Japan.png|20px|Japan]] 2010 — ''Transformers Animated'' — Vol. 3 (Paramount) — Japanese audio only.

[[Category:Animated episodes]]

Along Came a Spider

2011-11-20T20:45:08Z

Dvegaj: /* Animation or technical glitches */

{{episode|
|series=Anitoon
|series2=AniJapan
|image=TFA Along Spider Blackarachnia introduction.JPG
|caption=[[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee, you seem to have lubricated yourself]].
|ep=9
|ep2=10
|prev2=Nanosec (episode)
|next2=Lost and Found (episode)
|title="Along Came a Spider"
|airdate=[[February 16]], [[2008]]
|written by=[[Marty Isenberg]]
|directed by=[[Matt Youngberg]] [[Irineo Maramba]] [[Yutaka Kagawa]]
|animation studio=[[Mook]]
|continuity=[[Animated cartoon continuity]]}}

'''Bumblebee and Bulkhead's first Halloween turns even spookier when they encounter a giant spider that turns out to be the deadly Decepticon Blackarachnia.'''

==Synopsis==
[[Sari Sumdac|Sari]] introduces [[Bumblebee (Animated)|Bumblebee]], [[Bulkhead (Animated)|Bulkhead]] and [[Optimus Prime (Animated)|Optimus Prime]] to the concept of [[Halloween]], starting with selecting pumpkins. As she explains the idea of choosing just the right costume, Optimus's attention is distracted by a large black widow spider decoration. He remembers back to his academy days….

[[Image:Alongcameaspiderthreefriends.jpg|left|210px|thumb|"So once again, we find that evil of the past seeps into the present like salad dressing through cheap wax paper, mixing memory and desire."]]

''On [[Archa Seven]], Optimus and his friend Elita-1 admire the strange webbing stretching across the high rocks, not knowing what it is, until [[Sentinel Prime (Animated)|Sentinel]] calls to them to hurry up. Optimus cautions that such worlds are normally considered off-limits to Autobots, but there's supposedly a real Decepticon [[Twilight (Animated)|ship]] somewhere in the area. Elita's there for the historical value, but Sentinel just wants to get his hands on the [[Energon (fuel)|energon]] cache that must be in it. Optimus is still wary of potential punishment should they get caught, but figures he has to keep the other two from getting in over their heads. Sentinel insists that never happens—right before the ground crumbles under their feet, sending all three plunging into a deep cavern. Strange, skittering noises echo from its dark reaches. Optimus activates his shoulder-light to see….''

Bulkhead snaps Optimus's attention back to the present by donning a bedsheet (which just covers his head) and going "Boo," startling his leader. Optimus claims a ghost from his past just has him jumpy, then stalks off.

[[Image:TFA Along Spider Costume bots.JPG|right|200px|thumb|Bumblebee's decision to dress up as Count Blackula didn't go down well.]]

Back at the [[Autobot Earth Base|Autobot base]], Sari critiques Bumblebee and Bulkhead's costumes, but says her own costume is only one surprise planned for the night. Noticing Optimus lost in thought, she uses the [[AllSpark Key]] to activate one of the car plant's cranes, swinging another spider decoration in his face. The unexpected sight of it gives Optimus a bad flashback, and he quickly hacks the fake spider to bits. He admonishes Sari for making frivolous use of the Key, and she counters about him needlessly using his axe. Optimus stares down at the remains of the decoration, and his thoughts travel back again….

''As Optimus, Elita, and Sentinel walk through the cavern, Sentinel enthuses about the rich hoard of energon he's sure they'll find soon. Optimus shushes him as he hears something, and soon all three are casting their lights about, trying to pinpoint the skittering. The source reveals itself as an enormous, alien spider, which quickly traps Elita with some webbing. As Optimus fights it off, Sentinel frees her with his charged shield, but the spider abruptly takes him down. Elita starts using her special power-download ability, but Optimus, holding back the spider, tells her it won't work on organics. She instead borrows the unconscious Sentinel's shield power and shield itself, using them to defend herself, then to bring down a huge stalactite to impale the spider. As Sentinel wakes up and Elita returns his shield, Optimus says that it's not worth staying around, be it for history or energon. Sentinel still insists on one good reason to leave, and he gets three when another trio of giant spiders drop down to confront them. Sentinel quickly puts up his shield's energy barrier, covering Optimus and Elita's retreat. Optimus rolls out, and Elita follows, calling his name….''

[[Image:Saricostume.jpg|left|130px|thumb|Arise, Sarimus Prime.]]

Optimus suddenly becomes aware of Sari calling his name to show off her costume—a costume of him. He doesn't appreciate her vocal impersonation of him, and declines to join the trio on their trick-or-treat outing.

As Sari and the two Autobots progress though a local neighborhood, Bumblebee is a bit spooked by the atmosphere. Sari reminds him it's all pretend—unaware they're being tracked by an enormous spider traveling over the rooftops. As she coaches them through their first actual "trick or treat," Bumblebee spots the spider watching them and freaks out, but it's gone before anyone else sees it. Sari teases him for being more timid than Optimus, but 'Bee protests he knows the difference between a fake decoration and a real giant spider. Listening in from headquarters, Optimus has Bumblebee clarify what he saw, then heads out to meet them, advising them to stay put. As Optimus [[roll out|rolls out]], his thoughts roll back….

''Racing through the caverns, Optimus reaches the wreckage of a [[Decepticon]] warship. Separated from the other two, he heads inside, hoping to find them there. Instead, he finds an impressive stash of energon cubes, just as Sentinel predicted. He also finds an impressive stash of giant spider eggs. As the spiderlings hatch and start attacking, Optimus gets stuck on some webbing, but Elita shows up in time to help. As they fight to escape from more full-grown spiders, Optimus has Elita borrow his grappler ability. They bring down a huge stalactite through the ship's ruined overhead, grappling their way out as the energon detonates below them. However, Elita's download ability times out just then, and she goes plunging back too fast for Optimus to catch her. Sentinel arrives on top of the ship as she plummets into the hold, but knowing the energon is going to blow any second, Optimus grapples himself and Sentinel to safety rather than risk going after Elita just then. Once they break the surface, Optimus scans for Elita's energy signature, but doesn't find it. A furious Sentinel blames everything on Optimus.''

[[Image:Blackarach anim beast.jpg|right|200px|thumb|All those eyes, and she still can't see why those kids like Cinnamon Toast Crunch.]]

In the present, still en route to Sari and company's location, Optimus swears he won't let it happen again. Meanwhile, Bumblebee stresses that they have to stay vigilant until Optimus arrives—even as Sari is yanked out from under them by the giant spider. Bumblebee quickly cuts Sari free, but as he and Bulkhead surround the spider, it transforms into a female robot who calls herself [[Blackarachnia (Animated)|Blackarachnia]]. Sari's not too surprised or impressed by her femininity, but it makes a much bigger impression on Bulkhead—right up to the point Blackarachnia stabs him with two of her spider legs, knocking him out. She quickly gives Bumblebee the same treatment, then tells Sari they should go, now that Sari's safe. Sari protests the two Autobots are her friends, and Blackarachnia apologizes, pretending she can't tell which robots are good or bad on Earth. As Sari futilely tries to revive Bulkhead with her AllSpark Key, Blackarachnia notes that the organic nature of her venom precludes that solution, since the All Spark doesn't affect organics. She offers to try helping the Autobots if Sari will just hand her the Key, but her ruse is interrupted when Optimus lassos her legs out from under her. Blackarachnia appears shocked to see him, but quickly frees herself and starts fighting back—using Bumblebee's stingers and Bulkhead's strength. Instead of borrowing any of Optimus's powers, though, she judo-throws him across the street, then kidnaps Sari.

Optimus desperately pursues the pair across the rooftops. He catches up, stuns Blackarachnia with a faceful of foam, then grapples Sari free. Despite this respite and Sari's warning, Blackarachnia still catches Optimus half-unaware. He fights back, but she dodges him constantly, claiming to know all his textbook Autobot Academy moves. Optimus wonders if he knows her, and she berates him for forgetting his friends—even if he remembered Sentinel. Optimus is horrified to realize he's facing Elita-1. She finally relates what really happened that day:

[[Image:TFA Elita-1 mutation.jpg|left|200px|thumb|Even Female Transformers have to worry about bloating.]]

''Trapped in the ship and surrounded by the spiders, Elita tries desperately to download their abilities. Instead, she is infected with their venom, and it mutates her into a freak, a half-organic, half-robotic being.''

Optimus realizes that her half-organic nature is what masked her energy signature from his scans. Blackarachnia sneers that if he'd known and saved her, she'd just have been dismantled and examined on some lab table on Cybertron. Optimus reproves her for joining the Decepticons, but she counters that at least she knows where she stands with them. She webs up Optimus and snatches the AllSpark Key, certain that if anything can purge her organic half, it can. She plugs it into herself, but the unleashed energies begin causing all organic life in range, including Sari, to wither and sicken. Optimus breaks free, but before he can stop Blackarachnia, she grabs up Sari and throws her off the roof. Sari snags a flagpole long enough for Bumblebee and Bulkhead to save her, leaving Optimus free to deal with Blackarachnia.

[[Image:TFA ep9 Optimus and Blackarachnia rooftop.jpg|right|205px|thumb|Never liked the [[Silverbolt (BW)|Bird-dog]] anyway.]]

However, Blackarachnia collapses on her own, though. Optimus surmises her spark can't survive without her organic half, but she's too weak to pull out the AllSpark Key and stop the reaction. Optimus forces through the energy barrier around her and removes it for her, restoring the organic life in the area to normal. As he helps her up, Blackarachnia asks him to go, not wanting to be seen like that. Still calling her Elita, Optimus asks her to come with them, promising his group will find a cure, and allow him to earn back her trust. She seems to respond positively, but it's another sham. Blackarachnia stabs him unconscious and leaves, vowing it will be a long time before she trusts another Autobot, especially him.

Later, Optimus returns Sari the AllSpark Key. She thanks him and admits he was right—maybe it's time she gave the Key a rest. Bumblebee trundles in painfully, still damaged from his fall after catching Sari, and asks if she could use it once more. Bulkhead asks who the bug-bot lady was, and Optimus responds it was someone he should never have left behind. Elsewhere, Blackarachnia stands on a rooftop, gazing at the moon and sobbing over her fate.
{{--}}

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
*[[Bulkhead (Animated)|Bulkhead ]] (2)
*[[Bumblebee (Animated)|Bumblebee]] (3)
*[[Optimus Prime (Animated)|Optimus Prime]] (4)
*[[Sentinel Prime (Animated)|Sentinel]] (6) (Flashback)

|c2=
*[[Blackarachnia (Animated)|Elita-1/Blackarachnia]] (5)

|c3=
*[[Sari Sumdac]] (1)
}}

==Quotes==
'''Bumblebee''': ''[Bad Slavic accent]'' Velcome. I am Count Dracubot. I vant to drink your motor oil. 
'''Bulkhead''': Hey, guys! I finally found something big enough for my ghost costume. 
''[Fumes surround his feet, causing Sari to cough]'' 
'''Sari''': Bulkhead, where did you get that sheet? 
'''Bulkhead''': It was just draped over some house. Weird place for a bed sheet, huh? 
'''Sari''': Oh, that's not a bedsheet. That's a fumigation tent. 
'''Bulkhead''': Really…? What's a fumigation tent? 
''[As well as the fumes, Bulkhead's feet are now covered in dead cockroaches.]''
:—Sari sees the Autobots' costumes.

"I've got a good feeling about this. Any cycle now, we're gonna be overflowing with rich, All Spark-infused, energon-y goodness!" 
"Did you really just say 'energon-y goodness'?"
:—'''Sentinel''''s speech <strike>tick</strike>—er, tic bemuses '''Elita-1'''.

'''Sari''': Optimus! Check out my costume! 
''[Camera reveals that Sari is Optimus Prime]'' 
'''Sari''': ''[Imitating Optimus]'' Oh, look at me. I'm Optimus Prime. I'm scared of spiders. 
''[Bumblebee and Bulkhead chuckle]'' 
'''Optimus''': That's ''not'' what I sound like—is it? 
'''Bumblebee''': Last chance to join us, Boss Bot. 
'''Optimus''': Thanks, but I'll pass. Just be careful out there, all right? 
'''Sari''': Don't worry. I'll keep these two out of trouble. ''[Imitating Optimus]'' Transform and roll out! 
''[Optimus gives Sari a look]'' 
'''Sari''': Couldn't resist.
:—Sari and the Autobots roast Optimus Prime.

[[Image:Bee-AlongCameASpider.jpg|300px|thumb|right|A swarm of Bumblebees... And we're worried about a spider?!]]
'''Bumblebee''': Ahhh! Bulkhead! B-Bulkhead... BULKHEAD! 
'''Bulkhead''': ''[Costume falls over optics]'' What? 
'''Bumblebee''': ''[Climbing all over Bulkhead in a panic]'' Big, black, fangs! LEGS! Lots and lots of legs! 
'''Bulkhead''': I don't see anything... 
:— '''Bumblebee''' freaks out upon seeing a [[Blackarachnia (Animated)|giant black spider]].

'''Bumblebee''': Who are you? 
'''Bulkhead''': What are you? 
'''Sari''': Duh. She's a girl.
:—The gang meets Blackarachnia.

"So, who ''was'' that bug-bot lady?" 
"Someone I never should have left behind."
:—'''Bulkhead''' and '''Optimus Prime''' talk some heavy stuff.

==Notes==
===Animation or technical glitches===
* In the first flashback of Optimus' memories, Elita's skin color is teal, until to the moment when she falls into the underground caverns along with her teammates, being replaced by the same purple that she later retains as Blackarachnia.
* Shortly after Sentinel says that he and Optimus should go back for Elita when the Decepticon ship explodes, his nose and forehead are painted silver, like Optimus.
* Sentinel's light blue markings can be seen several times during flashbacks.

===Continuity===
* Glitches

===Transformers references===
* In the [[The Transformers (cartoon)|Generation 1 animated series]], [[Elita One]] was [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]]'s paramour. The ''Animated'' incarnation of the character refrains from attempting to visually homage the original pink-and-white Elita, instead creating a blue-and-yellow pony-tailed character who bears a resemblance to Elita's earlier (pony-tailed) form, Ariel. Similarly, her relationship with Optimus is less distinct. As confirmed [[Transformers Animated: The AllSpark Almanac|later]], she used to be Sentinel's girlfriend, but present-day scenes do suggest ''some'' kind of personal tension (though that could be guilt on Optimus's part and anger on Elita's).
* Sentinel is depicted here as Optimus's friend and peer, whereas in all other series he's either been Optimus's mentor, a superior officer, or a predecessor. In this way, it seems the roles of Sentinel and [[Ultra Magnus (Animated)|Ultra Magnus]] have been reversed from past continuities.
* With this episode, [[energon cube]]s make their first appearance in Transformers cartoons since ''Beast Wars''. They look ''exactly'' like they did in the Generation 1 cartoon, which even ''Beast Wars'' didn't pull off.
* Bulkhead's jaw-drop is certain to remind some of when [[Crumplezone (Cybertron)|Crumplezone]]'s jaw did practically the same thing in the ''[[Cybertron (cartoon)|Cybertron]]'' episode "[[Showdown]]."

===Foreign dubbing===
'''Brazil'''
:*''Title:'' "'''E lá vem uma Aranha'''" ("And Here Come a Spider")
:*''Original airdate:'' ???

'''French'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Comme une araignée dans sa toile'''" ("Like a Spider in Her Web")
:*''Original airdate:'' ???

'''German'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Im Netz der Spinne'''" ("In the Spider's Web")
:*''Original airdate:'' [[June 21|21 June]] [[2008]]

'''Japanese'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Kumo-onna no Kage'''" (クモ女の影, "Shadow of the Spider Woman")
:*''Original airdate:'' [[June 5|5 June]] [[2010]]

'''Polish'''
:*''Title:'' "'''W Sieci Pająka'''" ("In the Spider's Web")
:*''Original airdate:'' ???

===Real-world references===
[[Image:TFA Along Spider Bulkhead jaw drop.JPG|right|200px|thumb|We've heard of jaw-droppers before, but this is ridiculous.]]
* Bulkhead's "ghost" costume, with its constant cloud of pesticides at the bottom, coincidentally resembles "Pig-Pen's" costume from ''[[wikipedia:It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown|It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown]]''.
* Judging how Blackarachnia [[Spider-Man|can swing from a thread]], the Autobots had best take a look overhead.
* As Blackarachnia is stroking Bulkhead, his jaw falls off, then is seen re-attached to him the next cut—an obviously intentional, throw-away [http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/JawDrop animation joke.]
* "Little help for the vertically challenged?" Bulkhead throwing Bumblebee is better known to ''X-Men'' fans as the Fastball Special, usually performed by [[wikipedia:Colossus (comics)|Colossus]] and [[Wolverine (superhero)|Wolverine]].
* This episode's title is a reference to the James Patterson novel ''Along Came A Spider''...or possibly some nursery rhyme, but for coolness, we'll go with the novel.

===Trivia===
* In a flashback, prior to Blackarachnia's transformation, a helmet can be seen sitting in a corner of the Decepticon ship. In the season 3 episode "[[Predacons Rising]]", it is confirmed that she starts wearing the helmet to conceal the extent of her transformation.
* This episode makes a point of how Sari has been overusing the AllSpark Key previously, and that it can't be used to cure every Transformer injury. The writers evidently anticipated that reaction from the audience.
* Referring to himself as "vertically challenged", Bumblebee seems to be over his height complex, which was such a major point in "[[Total Meltdown]]".
* This is the first time Sentinel has been fully on screen. When he appeared in "[[Transform and Roll Out]]", all that was seen of him was his big jerk head.
* In the flashbacks, neither Sentinel nor Optimus is addressed as "[[Prime (rank)|Prime]]". [[Endgame, Part I|Later events]] seem to confirm they hadn't attained that rank yet. (Sentinel is actually credited as just "Sentinel", not Sentinel Prime or Sentinel Minor, like he is in "[[Autoboot Camp]]", corroborating even at the time that the non-mention of their ranks was intentional.)
* On a related note, in the flashbacks, Sentinel's Autobot insignia (unsurprisingly) does not have the [[Cybertron Elite Guard]] "[[:Image:Cyb Elite Guard Badge.png|wings]]" we see when he's introduced [[The Elite Guard|in the present]].
[[Image:TFA Along Spider Costume Bumblebee.jpeg|thumb|200px|right|Bumblebee attempts to get into character and fails.]]
* Blackarachnia claims that she's been waiting to be cured for "a thousand [[Units of time|stellar cycles]]", which gives us a rough time frame for when the flashbacks in this episode took place. Whether they occur before or after "[[Autoboot Camp]]" is unclear, but it's probably before if we assume that our favorite jerk was only going by "Sentinel", and not "Sentinel Minor" at that point.
* This episode gives us at least one reason why Sentinel hates Optimus. The incident is also later established as the cause of Optimus's expulsion from the Autobot Academy in "[[Endgame, Part I]]".
* The hand motions Bulkhead makes at the end of the episode when he says "So who was that Bug-Bot-Lady?" are...interesting, to say the least.
* While dressed up as Count Dracubot, Bumblebee states that he "wants to drink your motor oil." As we learn [[Rise of the Constructicons|later]], this is roughly the equivalent of a vampire saying he wants to bum a few beers off you. Bumblebee ''really'' needs to work on this whole Halloween thing.
* When we see Sari, Bulkhead, and Bumblebee together in the city, one of the kids in the bottom left of the screen is wearing a Bumblebee costume. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.

==Home video releases==
;DVD
[[Image:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2008 — ''Transformers Animated'' — Season One ([[Transformers Animated (cartoon)/home video|Paramount]]) — English and Spanish audio. 
[[Image:Flag of Australia.png|20px|Australia]] 2009 — ''Transformers Animated'' — Volume Two: Lost and Found (Paramount) — English and German audio. 
[[Image:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2009 — ''Transformers Animated'' — Volume Two: Lost and Found (Paramount) — English and German audio. 
[[Image:Flag of Germany.png|20px|Germany]] 2009 — ''Transformers Animated'' — Volume Zwei: Die Alten Waffen (Paramount) — English and German audio. 
[[Image:Flag of Japan.png|20px|Japan]] 2010 — ''Transformers Animated'' — Vol. 3 (Paramount) — Japanese audio only.

[[Category:Animated episodes]]

Along Came a Spider

2011-11-20T20:42:53Z

Dvegaj: /* Animation or technical glitches */

{{episode|
|series=Anitoon
|series2=AniJapan
|image=TFA Along Spider Blackarachnia introduction.JPG
|caption=[[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee, you seem to have lubricated yourself]].
|ep=9
|ep2=10
|prev2=Nanosec (episode)
|next2=Lost and Found (episode)
|title="Along Came a Spider"
|airdate=[[February 16]], [[2008]]
|written by=[[Marty Isenberg]]
|directed by=[[Matt Youngberg]] [[Irineo Maramba]] [[Yutaka Kagawa]]
|animation studio=[[Mook]]
|continuity=[[Animated cartoon continuity]]}}

'''Bumblebee and Bulkhead's first Halloween turns even spookier when they encounter a giant spider that turns out to be the deadly Decepticon Blackarachnia.'''

==Synopsis==
[[Sari Sumdac|Sari]] introduces [[Bumblebee (Animated)|Bumblebee]], [[Bulkhead (Animated)|Bulkhead]] and [[Optimus Prime (Animated)|Optimus Prime]] to the concept of [[Halloween]], starting with selecting pumpkins. As she explains the idea of choosing just the right costume, Optimus's attention is distracted by a large black widow spider decoration. He remembers back to his academy days….

[[Image:Alongcameaspiderthreefriends.jpg|left|210px|thumb|"So once again, we find that evil of the past seeps into the present like salad dressing through cheap wax paper, mixing memory and desire."]]

''On [[Archa Seven]], Optimus and his friend Elita-1 admire the strange webbing stretching across the high rocks, not knowing what it is, until [[Sentinel Prime (Animated)|Sentinel]] calls to them to hurry up. Optimus cautions that such worlds are normally considered off-limits to Autobots, but there's supposedly a real Decepticon [[Twilight (Animated)|ship]] somewhere in the area. Elita's there for the historical value, but Sentinel just wants to get his hands on the [[Energon (fuel)|energon]] cache that must be in it. Optimus is still wary of potential punishment should they get caught, but figures he has to keep the other two from getting in over their heads. Sentinel insists that never happens—right before the ground crumbles under their feet, sending all three plunging into a deep cavern. Strange, skittering noises echo from its dark reaches. Optimus activates his shoulder-light to see….''

Bulkhead snaps Optimus's attention back to the present by donning a bedsheet (which just covers his head) and going "Boo," startling his leader. Optimus claims a ghost from his past just has him jumpy, then stalks off.

[[Image:TFA Along Spider Costume bots.JPG|right|200px|thumb|Bumblebee's decision to dress up as Count Blackula didn't go down well.]]

Back at the [[Autobot Earth Base|Autobot base]], Sari critiques Bumblebee and Bulkhead's costumes, but says her own costume is only one surprise planned for the night. Noticing Optimus lost in thought, she uses the [[AllSpark Key]] to activate one of the car plant's cranes, swinging another spider decoration in his face. The unexpected sight of it gives Optimus a bad flashback, and he quickly hacks the fake spider to bits. He admonishes Sari for making frivolous use of the Key, and she counters about him needlessly using his axe. Optimus stares down at the remains of the decoration, and his thoughts travel back again….

''As Optimus, Elita, and Sentinel walk through the cavern, Sentinel enthuses about the rich hoard of energon he's sure they'll find soon. Optimus shushes him as he hears something, and soon all three are casting their lights about, trying to pinpoint the skittering. The source reveals itself as an enormous, alien spider, which quickly traps Elita with some webbing. As Optimus fights it off, Sentinel frees her with his charged shield, but the spider abruptly takes him down. Elita starts using her special power-download ability, but Optimus, holding back the spider, tells her it won't work on organics. She instead borrows the unconscious Sentinel's shield power and shield itself, using them to defend herself, then to bring down a huge stalactite to impale the spider. As Sentinel wakes up and Elita returns his shield, Optimus says that it's not worth staying around, be it for history or energon. Sentinel still insists on one good reason to leave, and he gets three when another trio of giant spiders drop down to confront them. Sentinel quickly puts up his shield's energy barrier, covering Optimus and Elita's retreat. Optimus rolls out, and Elita follows, calling his name….''

[[Image:Saricostume.jpg|left|130px|thumb|Arise, Sarimus Prime.]]

Optimus suddenly becomes aware of Sari calling his name to show off her costume—a costume of him. He doesn't appreciate her vocal impersonation of him, and declines to join the trio on their trick-or-treat outing.

As Sari and the two Autobots progress though a local neighborhood, Bumblebee is a bit spooked by the atmosphere. Sari reminds him it's all pretend—unaware they're being tracked by an enormous spider traveling over the rooftops. As she coaches them through their first actual "trick or treat," Bumblebee spots the spider watching them and freaks out, but it's gone before anyone else sees it. Sari teases him for being more timid than Optimus, but 'Bee protests he knows the difference between a fake decoration and a real giant spider. Listening in from headquarters, Optimus has Bumblebee clarify what he saw, then heads out to meet them, advising them to stay put. As Optimus [[roll out|rolls out]], his thoughts roll back….

''Racing through the caverns, Optimus reaches the wreckage of a [[Decepticon]] warship. Separated from the other two, he heads inside, hoping to find them there. Instead, he finds an impressive stash of energon cubes, just as Sentinel predicted. He also finds an impressive stash of giant spider eggs. As the spiderlings hatch and start attacking, Optimus gets stuck on some webbing, but Elita shows up in time to help. As they fight to escape from more full-grown spiders, Optimus has Elita borrow his grappler ability. They bring down a huge stalactite through the ship's ruined overhead, grappling their way out as the energon detonates below them. However, Elita's download ability times out just then, and she goes plunging back too fast for Optimus to catch her. Sentinel arrives on top of the ship as she plummets into the hold, but knowing the energon is going to blow any second, Optimus grapples himself and Sentinel to safety rather than risk going after Elita just then. Once they break the surface, Optimus scans for Elita's energy signature, but doesn't find it. A furious Sentinel blames everything on Optimus.''

[[Image:Blackarach anim beast.jpg|right|200px|thumb|All those eyes, and she still can't see why those kids like Cinnamon Toast Crunch.]]

In the present, still en route to Sari and company's location, Optimus swears he won't let it happen again. Meanwhile, Bumblebee stresses that they have to stay vigilant until Optimus arrives—even as Sari is yanked out from under them by the giant spider. Bumblebee quickly cuts Sari free, but as he and Bulkhead surround the spider, it transforms into a female robot who calls herself [[Blackarachnia (Animated)|Blackarachnia]]. Sari's not too surprised or impressed by her femininity, but it makes a much bigger impression on Bulkhead—right up to the point Blackarachnia stabs him with two of her spider legs, knocking him out. She quickly gives Bumblebee the same treatment, then tells Sari they should go, now that Sari's safe. Sari protests the two Autobots are her friends, and Blackarachnia apologizes, pretending she can't tell which robots are good or bad on Earth. As Sari futilely tries to revive Bulkhead with her AllSpark Key, Blackarachnia notes that the organic nature of her venom precludes that solution, since the All Spark doesn't affect organics. She offers to try helping the Autobots if Sari will just hand her the Key, but her ruse is interrupted when Optimus lassos her legs out from under her. Blackarachnia appears shocked to see him, but quickly frees herself and starts fighting back—using Bumblebee's stingers and Bulkhead's strength. Instead of borrowing any of Optimus's powers, though, she judo-throws him across the street, then kidnaps Sari.

Optimus desperately pursues the pair across the rooftops. He catches up, stuns Blackarachnia with a faceful of foam, then grapples Sari free. Despite this respite and Sari's warning, Blackarachnia still catches Optimus half-unaware. He fights back, but she dodges him constantly, claiming to know all his textbook Autobot Academy moves. Optimus wonders if he knows her, and she berates him for forgetting his friends—even if he remembered Sentinel. Optimus is horrified to realize he's facing Elita-1. She finally relates what really happened that day:

[[Image:TFA Elita-1 mutation.jpg|left|200px|thumb|Even Female Transformers have to worry about bloating.]]

''Trapped in the ship and surrounded by the spiders, Elita tries desperately to download their abilities. Instead, she is infected with their venom, and it mutates her into a freak, a half-organic, half-robotic being.''

Optimus realizes that her half-organic nature is what masked her energy signature from his scans. Blackarachnia sneers that if he'd known and saved her, she'd just have been dismantled and examined on some lab table on Cybertron. Optimus reproves her for joining the Decepticons, but she counters that at least she knows where she stands with them. She webs up Optimus and snatches the AllSpark Key, certain that if anything can purge her organic half, it can. She plugs it into herself, but the unleashed energies begin causing all organic life in range, including Sari, to wither and sicken. Optimus breaks free, but before he can stop Blackarachnia, she grabs up Sari and throws her off the roof. Sari snags a flagpole long enough for Bumblebee and Bulkhead to save her, leaving Optimus free to deal with Blackarachnia.

[[Image:TFA ep9 Optimus and Blackarachnia rooftop.jpg|right|205px|thumb|Never liked the [[Silverbolt (BW)|Bird-dog]] anyway.]]

However, Blackarachnia collapses on her own, though. Optimus surmises her spark can't survive without her organic half, but she's too weak to pull out the AllSpark Key and stop the reaction. Optimus forces through the energy barrier around her and removes it for her, restoring the organic life in the area to normal. As he helps her up, Blackarachnia asks him to go, not wanting to be seen like that. Still calling her Elita, Optimus asks her to come with them, promising his group will find a cure, and allow him to earn back her trust. She seems to respond positively, but it's another sham. Blackarachnia stabs him unconscious and leaves, vowing it will be a long time before she trusts another Autobot, especially him.

Later, Optimus returns Sari the AllSpark Key. She thanks him and admits he was right—maybe it's time she gave the Key a rest. Bumblebee trundles in painfully, still damaged from his fall after catching Sari, and asks if she could use it once more. Bulkhead asks who the bug-bot lady was, and Optimus responds it was someone he should never have left behind. Elsewhere, Blackarachnia stands on a rooftop, gazing at the moon and sobbing over her fate.
{{--}}

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
*[[Bulkhead (Animated)|Bulkhead ]] (2)
*[[Bumblebee (Animated)|Bumblebee]] (3)
*[[Optimus Prime (Animated)|Optimus Prime]] (4)
*[[Sentinel Prime (Animated)|Sentinel]] (6) (Flashback)

|c2=
*[[Blackarachnia (Animated)|Elita-1/Blackarachnia]] (5)

|c3=
*[[Sari Sumdac]] (1)
}}

==Quotes==
'''Bumblebee''': ''[Bad Slavic accent]'' Velcome. I am Count Dracubot. I vant to drink your motor oil. 
'''Bulkhead''': Hey, guys! I finally found something big enough for my ghost costume. 
''[Fumes surround his feet, causing Sari to cough]'' 
'''Sari''': Bulkhead, where did you get that sheet? 
'''Bulkhead''': It was just draped over some house. Weird place for a bed sheet, huh? 
'''Sari''': Oh, that's not a bedsheet. That's a fumigation tent. 
'''Bulkhead''': Really…? What's a fumigation tent? 
''[As well as the fumes, Bulkhead's feet are now covered in dead cockroaches.]''
:—Sari sees the Autobots' costumes.

"I've got a good feeling about this. Any cycle now, we're gonna be overflowing with rich, All Spark-infused, energon-y goodness!" 
"Did you really just say 'energon-y goodness'?"
:—'''Sentinel''''s speech <strike>tick</strike>—er, tic bemuses '''Elita-1'''.

'''Sari''': Optimus! Check out my costume! 
''[Camera reveals that Sari is Optimus Prime]'' 
'''Sari''': ''[Imitating Optimus]'' Oh, look at me. I'm Optimus Prime. I'm scared of spiders. 
''[Bumblebee and Bulkhead chuckle]'' 
'''Optimus''': That's ''not'' what I sound like—is it? 
'''Bumblebee''': Last chance to join us, Boss Bot. 
'''Optimus''': Thanks, but I'll pass. Just be careful out there, all right? 
'''Sari''': Don't worry. I'll keep these two out of trouble. ''[Imitating Optimus]'' Transform and roll out! 
''[Optimus gives Sari a look]'' 
'''Sari''': Couldn't resist.
:—Sari and the Autobots roast Optimus Prime.

[[Image:Bee-AlongCameASpider.jpg|300px|thumb|right|A swarm of Bumblebees... And we're worried about a spider?!]]
'''Bumblebee''': Ahhh! Bulkhead! B-Bulkhead... BULKHEAD! 
'''Bulkhead''': ''[Costume falls over optics]'' What? 
'''Bumblebee''': ''[Climbing all over Bulkhead in a panic]'' Big, black, fangs! LEGS! Lots and lots of legs! 
'''Bulkhead''': I don't see anything... 
:— '''Bumblebee''' freaks out upon seeing a [[Blackarachnia (Animated)|giant black spider]].

'''Bumblebee''': Who are you? 
'''Bulkhead''': What are you? 
'''Sari''': Duh. She's a girl.
:—The gang meets Blackarachnia.

"So, who ''was'' that bug-bot lady?" 
"Someone I never should have left behind."
:—'''Bulkhead''' and '''Optimus Prime''' talk some heavy stuff.

==Notes==
===Animation or technical glitches===
* In the first flashback of Optimus' memories, Elita's skin color is teal, until to the point she falls into the underground caverns along with her teammates, when it's replaced by the same purple that she later retains as Blackarachnia.
* Shortly after Sentinel says that he and Optimus should go back for Elita when the Decepticon ship explodes, his nose and forehead are painted silver, like Optimus.
* Sentinel's light blue markings can be seen several times during flashbacks.

===Continuity===
* Glitches

===Transformers references===
* In the [[The Transformers (cartoon)|Generation 1 animated series]], [[Elita One]] was [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]]'s paramour. The ''Animated'' incarnation of the character refrains from attempting to visually homage the original pink-and-white Elita, instead creating a blue-and-yellow pony-tailed character who bears a resemblance to Elita's earlier (pony-tailed) form, Ariel. Similarly, her relationship with Optimus is less distinct. As confirmed [[Transformers Animated: The AllSpark Almanac|later]], she used to be Sentinel's girlfriend, but present-day scenes do suggest ''some'' kind of personal tension (though that could be guilt on Optimus's part and anger on Elita's).
* Sentinel is depicted here as Optimus's friend and peer, whereas in all other series he's either been Optimus's mentor, a superior officer, or a predecessor. In this way, it seems the roles of Sentinel and [[Ultra Magnus (Animated)|Ultra Magnus]] have been reversed from past continuities.
* With this episode, [[energon cube]]s make their first appearance in Transformers cartoons since ''Beast Wars''. They look ''exactly'' like they did in the Generation 1 cartoon, which even ''Beast Wars'' didn't pull off.
* Bulkhead's jaw-drop is certain to remind some of when [[Crumplezone (Cybertron)|Crumplezone]]'s jaw did practically the same thing in the ''[[Cybertron (cartoon)|Cybertron]]'' episode "[[Showdown]]."

===Foreign dubbing===
'''Brazil'''
:*''Title:'' "'''E lá vem uma Aranha'''" ("And Here Come a Spider")
:*''Original airdate:'' ???

'''French'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Comme une araignée dans sa toile'''" ("Like a Spider in Her Web")
:*''Original airdate:'' ???

'''German'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Im Netz der Spinne'''" ("In the Spider's Web")
:*''Original airdate:'' [[June 21|21 June]] [[2008]]

'''Japanese'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Kumo-onna no Kage'''" (クモ女の影, "Shadow of the Spider Woman")
:*''Original airdate:'' [[June 5|5 June]] [[2010]]

'''Polish'''
:*''Title:'' "'''W Sieci Pająka'''" ("In the Spider's Web")
:*''Original airdate:'' ???

===Real-world references===
[[Image:TFA Along Spider Bulkhead jaw drop.JPG|right|200px|thumb|We've heard of jaw-droppers before, but this is ridiculous.]]
* Bulkhead's "ghost" costume, with its constant cloud of pesticides at the bottom, coincidentally resembles "Pig-Pen's" costume from ''[[wikipedia:It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown|It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown]]''.
* Judging how Blackarachnia [[Spider-Man|can swing from a thread]], the Autobots had best take a look overhead.
* As Blackarachnia is stroking Bulkhead, his jaw falls off, then is seen re-attached to him the next cut—an obviously intentional, throw-away [http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/JawDrop animation joke.]
* "Little help for the vertically challenged?" Bulkhead throwing Bumblebee is better known to ''X-Men'' fans as the Fastball Special, usually performed by [[wikipedia:Colossus (comics)|Colossus]] and [[Wolverine (superhero)|Wolverine]].
* This episode's title is a reference to the James Patterson novel ''Along Came A Spider''...or possibly some nursery rhyme, but for coolness, we'll go with the novel.

===Trivia===
* In a flashback, prior to Blackarachnia's transformation, a helmet can be seen sitting in a corner of the Decepticon ship. In the season 3 episode "[[Predacons Rising]]", it is confirmed that she starts wearing the helmet to conceal the extent of her transformation.
* This episode makes a point of how Sari has been overusing the AllSpark Key previously, and that it can't be used to cure every Transformer injury. The writers evidently anticipated that reaction from the audience.
* Referring to himself as "vertically challenged", Bumblebee seems to be over his height complex, which was such a major point in "[[Total Meltdown]]".
* This is the first time Sentinel has been fully on screen. When he appeared in "[[Transform and Roll Out]]", all that was seen of him was his big jerk head.
* In the flashbacks, neither Sentinel nor Optimus is addressed as "[[Prime (rank)|Prime]]". [[Endgame, Part I|Later events]] seem to confirm they hadn't attained that rank yet. (Sentinel is actually credited as just "Sentinel", not Sentinel Prime or Sentinel Minor, like he is in "[[Autoboot Camp]]", corroborating even at the time that the non-mention of their ranks was intentional.)
* On a related note, in the flashbacks, Sentinel's Autobot insignia (unsurprisingly) does not have the [[Cybertron Elite Guard]] "[[:Image:Cyb Elite Guard Badge.png|wings]]" we see when he's introduced [[The Elite Guard|in the present]].
[[Image:TFA Along Spider Costume Bumblebee.jpeg|thumb|200px|right|Bumblebee attempts to get into character and fails.]]
* Blackarachnia claims that she's been waiting to be cured for "a thousand [[Units of time|stellar cycles]]", which gives us a rough time frame for when the flashbacks in this episode took place. Whether they occur before or after "[[Autoboot Camp]]" is unclear, but it's probably before if we assume that our favorite jerk was only going by "Sentinel", and not "Sentinel Minor" at that point.
* This episode gives us at least one reason why Sentinel hates Optimus. The incident is also later established as the cause of Optimus's expulsion from the Autobot Academy in "[[Endgame, Part I]]".
* The hand motions Bulkhead makes at the end of the episode when he says "So who was that Bug-Bot-Lady?" are...interesting, to say the least.
* While dressed up as Count Dracubot, Bumblebee states that he "wants to drink your motor oil." As we learn [[Rise of the Constructicons|later]], this is roughly the equivalent of a vampire saying he wants to bum a few beers off you. Bumblebee ''really'' needs to work on this whole Halloween thing.
* When we see Sari, Bulkhead, and Bumblebee together in the city, one of the kids in the bottom left of the screen is wearing a Bumblebee costume. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.

==Home video releases==
;DVD
[[Image:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2008 — ''Transformers Animated'' — Season One ([[Transformers Animated (cartoon)/home video|Paramount]]) — English and Spanish audio. 
[[Image:Flag of Australia.png|20px|Australia]] 2009 — ''Transformers Animated'' — Volume Two: Lost and Found (Paramount) — English and German audio. 
[[Image:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2009 — ''Transformers Animated'' — Volume Two: Lost and Found (Paramount) — English and German audio. 
[[Image:Flag of Germany.png|20px|Germany]] 2009 — ''Transformers Animated'' — Volume Zwei: Die Alten Waffen (Paramount) — English and German audio. 
[[Image:Flag of Japan.png|20px|Japan]] 2010 — ''Transformers Animated'' — Vol. 3 (Paramount) — Japanese audio only.

[[Category:Animated episodes]]

Along Came a Spider

2011-11-20T20:41:19Z

Dvegaj: /* Animation or technical glitches */

{{episode|
|series=Anitoon
|series2=AniJapan
|image=TFA Along Spider Blackarachnia introduction.JPG
|caption=[[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee, you seem to have lubricated yourself]].
|ep=9
|ep2=10
|prev2=Nanosec (episode)
|next2=Lost and Found (episode)
|title="Along Came a Spider"
|airdate=[[February 16]], [[2008]]
|written by=[[Marty Isenberg]]
|directed by=[[Matt Youngberg]] [[Irineo Maramba]] [[Yutaka Kagawa]]
|animation studio=[[Mook]]
|continuity=[[Animated cartoon continuity]]}}

'''Bumblebee and Bulkhead's first Halloween turns even spookier when they encounter a giant spider that turns out to be the deadly Decepticon Blackarachnia.'''

==Synopsis==
[[Sari Sumdac|Sari]] introduces [[Bumblebee (Animated)|Bumblebee]], [[Bulkhead (Animated)|Bulkhead]] and [[Optimus Prime (Animated)|Optimus Prime]] to the concept of [[Halloween]], starting with selecting pumpkins. As she explains the idea of choosing just the right costume, Optimus's attention is distracted by a large black widow spider decoration. He remembers back to his academy days….

[[Image:Alongcameaspiderthreefriends.jpg|left|210px|thumb|"So once again, we find that evil of the past seeps into the present like salad dressing through cheap wax paper, mixing memory and desire."]]

''On [[Archa Seven]], Optimus and his friend Elita-1 admire the strange webbing stretching across the high rocks, not knowing what it is, until [[Sentinel Prime (Animated)|Sentinel]] calls to them to hurry up. Optimus cautions that such worlds are normally considered off-limits to Autobots, but there's supposedly a real Decepticon [[Twilight (Animated)|ship]] somewhere in the area. Elita's there for the historical value, but Sentinel just wants to get his hands on the [[Energon (fuel)|energon]] cache that must be in it. Optimus is still wary of potential punishment should they get caught, but figures he has to keep the other two from getting in over their heads. Sentinel insists that never happens—right before the ground crumbles under their feet, sending all three plunging into a deep cavern. Strange, skittering noises echo from its dark reaches. Optimus activates his shoulder-light to see….''

Bulkhead snaps Optimus's attention back to the present by donning a bedsheet (which just covers his head) and going "Boo," startling his leader. Optimus claims a ghost from his past just has him jumpy, then stalks off.

[[Image:TFA Along Spider Costume bots.JPG|right|200px|thumb|Bumblebee's decision to dress up as Count Blackula didn't go down well.]]

Back at the [[Autobot Earth Base|Autobot base]], Sari critiques Bumblebee and Bulkhead's costumes, but says her own costume is only one surprise planned for the night. Noticing Optimus lost in thought, she uses the [[AllSpark Key]] to activate one of the car plant's cranes, swinging another spider decoration in his face. The unexpected sight of it gives Optimus a bad flashback, and he quickly hacks the fake spider to bits. He admonishes Sari for making frivolous use of the Key, and she counters about him needlessly using his axe. Optimus stares down at the remains of the decoration, and his thoughts travel back again….

''As Optimus, Elita, and Sentinel walk through the cavern, Sentinel enthuses about the rich hoard of energon he's sure they'll find soon. Optimus shushes him as he hears something, and soon all three are casting their lights about, trying to pinpoint the skittering. The source reveals itself as an enormous, alien spider, which quickly traps Elita with some webbing. As Optimus fights it off, Sentinel frees her with his charged shield, but the spider abruptly takes him down. Elita starts using her special power-download ability, but Optimus, holding back the spider, tells her it won't work on organics. She instead borrows the unconscious Sentinel's shield power and shield itself, using them to defend herself, then to bring down a huge stalactite to impale the spider. As Sentinel wakes up and Elita returns his shield, Optimus says that it's not worth staying around, be it for history or energon. Sentinel still insists on one good reason to leave, and he gets three when another trio of giant spiders drop down to confront them. Sentinel quickly puts up his shield's energy barrier, covering Optimus and Elita's retreat. Optimus rolls out, and Elita follows, calling his name….''

[[Image:Saricostume.jpg|left|130px|thumb|Arise, Sarimus Prime.]]

Optimus suddenly becomes aware of Sari calling his name to show off her costume—a costume of him. He doesn't appreciate her vocal impersonation of him, and declines to join the trio on their trick-or-treat outing.

As Sari and the two Autobots progress though a local neighborhood, Bumblebee is a bit spooked by the atmosphere. Sari reminds him it's all pretend—unaware they're being tracked by an enormous spider traveling over the rooftops. As she coaches them through their first actual "trick or treat," Bumblebee spots the spider watching them and freaks out, but it's gone before anyone else sees it. Sari teases him for being more timid than Optimus, but 'Bee protests he knows the difference between a fake decoration and a real giant spider. Listening in from headquarters, Optimus has Bumblebee clarify what he saw, then heads out to meet them, advising them to stay put. As Optimus [[roll out|rolls out]], his thoughts roll back….

''Racing through the caverns, Optimus reaches the wreckage of a [[Decepticon]] warship. Separated from the other two, he heads inside, hoping to find them there. Instead, he finds an impressive stash of energon cubes, just as Sentinel predicted. He also finds an impressive stash of giant spider eggs. As the spiderlings hatch and start attacking, Optimus gets stuck on some webbing, but Elita shows up in time to help. As they fight to escape from more full-grown spiders, Optimus has Elita borrow his grappler ability. They bring down a huge stalactite through the ship's ruined overhead, grappling their way out as the energon detonates below them. However, Elita's download ability times out just then, and she goes plunging back too fast for Optimus to catch her. Sentinel arrives on top of the ship as she plummets into the hold, but knowing the energon is going to blow any second, Optimus grapples himself and Sentinel to safety rather than risk going after Elita just then. Once they break the surface, Optimus scans for Elita's energy signature, but doesn't find it. A furious Sentinel blames everything on Optimus.''

[[Image:Blackarach anim beast.jpg|right|200px|thumb|All those eyes, and she still can't see why those kids like Cinnamon Toast Crunch.]]

In the present, still en route to Sari and company's location, Optimus swears he won't let it happen again. Meanwhile, Bumblebee stresses that they have to stay vigilant until Optimus arrives—even as Sari is yanked out from under them by the giant spider. Bumblebee quickly cuts Sari free, but as he and Bulkhead surround the spider, it transforms into a female robot who calls herself [[Blackarachnia (Animated)|Blackarachnia]]. Sari's not too surprised or impressed by her femininity, but it makes a much bigger impression on Bulkhead—right up to the point Blackarachnia stabs him with two of her spider legs, knocking him out. She quickly gives Bumblebee the same treatment, then tells Sari they should go, now that Sari's safe. Sari protests the two Autobots are her friends, and Blackarachnia apologizes, pretending she can't tell which robots are good or bad on Earth. As Sari futilely tries to revive Bulkhead with her AllSpark Key, Blackarachnia notes that the organic nature of her venom precludes that solution, since the All Spark doesn't affect organics. She offers to try helping the Autobots if Sari will just hand her the Key, but her ruse is interrupted when Optimus lassos her legs out from under her. Blackarachnia appears shocked to see him, but quickly frees herself and starts fighting back—using Bumblebee's stingers and Bulkhead's strength. Instead of borrowing any of Optimus's powers, though, she judo-throws him across the street, then kidnaps Sari.

Optimus desperately pursues the pair across the rooftops. He catches up, stuns Blackarachnia with a faceful of foam, then grapples Sari free. Despite this respite and Sari's warning, Blackarachnia still catches Optimus half-unaware. He fights back, but she dodges him constantly, claiming to know all his textbook Autobot Academy moves. Optimus wonders if he knows her, and she berates him for forgetting his friends—even if he remembered Sentinel. Optimus is horrified to realize he's facing Elita-1. She finally relates what really happened that day:

[[Image:TFA Elita-1 mutation.jpg|left|200px|thumb|Even Female Transformers have to worry about bloating.]]

''Trapped in the ship and surrounded by the spiders, Elita tries desperately to download their abilities. Instead, she is infected with their venom, and it mutates her into a freak, a half-organic, half-robotic being.''

Optimus realizes that her half-organic nature is what masked her energy signature from his scans. Blackarachnia sneers that if he'd known and saved her, she'd just have been dismantled and examined on some lab table on Cybertron. Optimus reproves her for joining the Decepticons, but she counters that at least she knows where she stands with them. She webs up Optimus and snatches the AllSpark Key, certain that if anything can purge her organic half, it can. She plugs it into herself, but the unleashed energies begin causing all organic life in range, including Sari, to wither and sicken. Optimus breaks free, but before he can stop Blackarachnia, she grabs up Sari and throws her off the roof. Sari snags a flagpole long enough for Bumblebee and Bulkhead to save her, leaving Optimus free to deal with Blackarachnia.

[[Image:TFA ep9 Optimus and Blackarachnia rooftop.jpg|right|205px|thumb|Never liked the [[Silverbolt (BW)|Bird-dog]] anyway.]]

However, Blackarachnia collapses on her own, though. Optimus surmises her spark can't survive without her organic half, but she's too weak to pull out the AllSpark Key and stop the reaction. Optimus forces through the energy barrier around her and removes it for her, restoring the organic life in the area to normal. As he helps her up, Blackarachnia asks him to go, not wanting to be seen like that. Still calling her Elita, Optimus asks her to come with them, promising his group will find a cure, and allow him to earn back her trust. She seems to respond positively, but it's another sham. Blackarachnia stabs him unconscious and leaves, vowing it will be a long time before she trusts another Autobot, especially him.

Later, Optimus returns Sari the AllSpark Key. She thanks him and admits he was right—maybe it's time she gave the Key a rest. Bumblebee trundles in painfully, still damaged from his fall after catching Sari, and asks if she could use it once more. Bulkhead asks who the bug-bot lady was, and Optimus responds it was someone he should never have left behind. Elsewhere, Blackarachnia stands on a rooftop, gazing at the moon and sobbing over her fate.
{{--}}

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
*[[Bulkhead (Animated)|Bulkhead ]] (2)
*[[Bumblebee (Animated)|Bumblebee]] (3)
*[[Optimus Prime (Animated)|Optimus Prime]] (4)
*[[Sentinel Prime (Animated)|Sentinel]] (6) (Flashback)

|c2=
*[[Blackarachnia (Animated)|Elita-1/Blackarachnia]] (5)

|c3=
*[[Sari Sumdac]] (1)
}}

==Quotes==
'''Bumblebee''': ''[Bad Slavic accent]'' Velcome. I am Count Dracubot. I vant to drink your motor oil. 
'''Bulkhead''': Hey, guys! I finally found something big enough for my ghost costume. 
''[Fumes surround his feet, causing Sari to cough]'' 
'''Sari''': Bulkhead, where did you get that sheet? 
'''Bulkhead''': It was just draped over some house. Weird place for a bed sheet, huh? 
'''Sari''': Oh, that's not a bedsheet. That's a fumigation tent. 
'''Bulkhead''': Really…? What's a fumigation tent? 
''[As well as the fumes, Bulkhead's feet are now covered in dead cockroaches.]''
:—Sari sees the Autobots' costumes.

"I've got a good feeling about this. Any cycle now, we're gonna be overflowing with rich, All Spark-infused, energon-y goodness!" 
"Did you really just say 'energon-y goodness'?"
:—'''Sentinel''''s speech <strike>tick</strike>—er, tic bemuses '''Elita-1'''.

'''Sari''': Optimus! Check out my costume! 
''[Camera reveals that Sari is Optimus Prime]'' 
'''Sari''': ''[Imitating Optimus]'' Oh, look at me. I'm Optimus Prime. I'm scared of spiders. 
''[Bumblebee and Bulkhead chuckle]'' 
'''Optimus''': That's ''not'' what I sound like—is it? 
'''Bumblebee''': Last chance to join us, Boss Bot. 
'''Optimus''': Thanks, but I'll pass. Just be careful out there, all right? 
'''Sari''': Don't worry. I'll keep these two out of trouble. ''[Imitating Optimus]'' Transform and roll out! 
''[Optimus gives Sari a look]'' 
'''Sari''': Couldn't resist.
:—Sari and the Autobots roast Optimus Prime.

[[Image:Bee-AlongCameASpider.jpg|300px|thumb|right|A swarm of Bumblebees... And we're worried about a spider?!]]
'''Bumblebee''': Ahhh! Bulkhead! B-Bulkhead... BULKHEAD! 
'''Bulkhead''': ''[Costume falls over optics]'' What? 
'''Bumblebee''': ''[Climbing all over Bulkhead in a panic]'' Big, black, fangs! LEGS! Lots and lots of legs! 
'''Bulkhead''': I don't see anything... 
:— '''Bumblebee''' freaks out upon seeing a [[Blackarachnia (Animated)|giant black spider]].

'''Bumblebee''': Who are you? 
'''Bulkhead''': What are you? 
'''Sari''': Duh. She's a girl.
:—The gang meets Blackarachnia.

"So, who ''was'' that bug-bot lady?" 
"Someone I never should have left behind."
:—'''Bulkhead''' and '''Optimus Prime''' talk some heavy stuff.

==Notes==
===Animation or technical glitches===
* In the first flashback of Optimus' memories, Elita's skin color is teal, until the point she falls into the underground along with her teammates, when it's changed to the same purple skin that she later retains as Blackarachnia.
* Shortly after Sentinel says that he and Optimus should go back for Elita when the Decepticon ship explodes, his nose and forehead are painted silver, like Optimus.
* Sentinel's light blue markings can be seen several times during flashbacks.

===Continuity===
* Glitches

===Transformers references===
* In the [[The Transformers (cartoon)|Generation 1 animated series]], [[Elita One]] was [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]]'s paramour. The ''Animated'' incarnation of the character refrains from attempting to visually homage the original pink-and-white Elita, instead creating a blue-and-yellow pony-tailed character who bears a resemblance to Elita's earlier (pony-tailed) form, Ariel. Similarly, her relationship with Optimus is less distinct. As confirmed [[Transformers Animated: The AllSpark Almanac|later]], she used to be Sentinel's girlfriend, but present-day scenes do suggest ''some'' kind of personal tension (though that could be guilt on Optimus's part and anger on Elita's).
* Sentinel is depicted here as Optimus's friend and peer, whereas in all other series he's either been Optimus's mentor, a superior officer, or a predecessor. In this way, it seems the roles of Sentinel and [[Ultra Magnus (Animated)|Ultra Magnus]] have been reversed from past continuities.
* With this episode, [[energon cube]]s make their first appearance in Transformers cartoons since ''Beast Wars''. They look ''exactly'' like they did in the Generation 1 cartoon, which even ''Beast Wars'' didn't pull off.
* Bulkhead's jaw-drop is certain to remind some of when [[Crumplezone (Cybertron)|Crumplezone]]'s jaw did practically the same thing in the ''[[Cybertron (cartoon)|Cybertron]]'' episode "[[Showdown]]."

===Foreign dubbing===
'''Brazil'''
:*''Title:'' "'''E lá vem uma Aranha'''" ("And Here Come a Spider")
:*''Original airdate:'' ???

'''French'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Comme une araignée dans sa toile'''" ("Like a Spider in Her Web")
:*''Original airdate:'' ???

'''German'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Im Netz der Spinne'''" ("In the Spider's Web")
:*''Original airdate:'' [[June 21|21 June]] [[2008]]

'''Japanese'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Kumo-onna no Kage'''" (クモ女の影, "Shadow of the Spider Woman")
:*''Original airdate:'' [[June 5|5 June]] [[2010]]

'''Polish'''
:*''Title:'' "'''W Sieci Pająka'''" ("In the Spider's Web")
:*''Original airdate:'' ???

===Real-world references===
[[Image:TFA Along Spider Bulkhead jaw drop.JPG|right|200px|thumb|We've heard of jaw-droppers before, but this is ridiculous.]]
* Bulkhead's "ghost" costume, with its constant cloud of pesticides at the bottom, coincidentally resembles "Pig-Pen's" costume from ''[[wikipedia:It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown|It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown]]''.
* Judging how Blackarachnia [[Spider-Man|can swing from a thread]], the Autobots had best take a look overhead.
* As Blackarachnia is stroking Bulkhead, his jaw falls off, then is seen re-attached to him the next cut—an obviously intentional, throw-away [http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/JawDrop animation joke.]
* "Little help for the vertically challenged?" Bulkhead throwing Bumblebee is better known to ''X-Men'' fans as the Fastball Special, usually performed by [[wikipedia:Colossus (comics)|Colossus]] and [[Wolverine (superhero)|Wolverine]].
* This episode's title is a reference to the James Patterson novel ''Along Came A Spider''...or possibly some nursery rhyme, but for coolness, we'll go with the novel.

===Trivia===
* In a flashback, prior to Blackarachnia's transformation, a helmet can be seen sitting in a corner of the Decepticon ship. In the season 3 episode "[[Predacons Rising]]", it is confirmed that she starts wearing the helmet to conceal the extent of her transformation.
* This episode makes a point of how Sari has been overusing the AllSpark Key previously, and that it can't be used to cure every Transformer injury. The writers evidently anticipated that reaction from the audience.
* Referring to himself as "vertically challenged", Bumblebee seems to be over his height complex, which was such a major point in "[[Total Meltdown]]".
* This is the first time Sentinel has been fully on screen. When he appeared in "[[Transform and Roll Out]]", all that was seen of him was his big jerk head.
* In the flashbacks, neither Sentinel nor Optimus is addressed as "[[Prime (rank)|Prime]]". [[Endgame, Part I|Later events]] seem to confirm they hadn't attained that rank yet. (Sentinel is actually credited as just "Sentinel", not Sentinel Prime or Sentinel Minor, like he is in "[[Autoboot Camp]]", corroborating even at the time that the non-mention of their ranks was intentional.)
* On a related note, in the flashbacks, Sentinel's Autobot insignia (unsurprisingly) does not have the [[Cybertron Elite Guard]] "[[:Image:Cyb Elite Guard Badge.png|wings]]" we see when he's introduced [[The Elite Guard|in the present]].
[[Image:TFA Along Spider Costume Bumblebee.jpeg|thumb|200px|right|Bumblebee attempts to get into character and fails.]]
* Blackarachnia claims that she's been waiting to be cured for "a thousand [[Units of time|stellar cycles]]", which gives us a rough time frame for when the flashbacks in this episode took place. Whether they occur before or after "[[Autoboot Camp]]" is unclear, but it's probably before if we assume that our favorite jerk was only going by "Sentinel", and not "Sentinel Minor" at that point.
* This episode gives us at least one reason why Sentinel hates Optimus. The incident is also later established as the cause of Optimus's expulsion from the Autobot Academy in "[[Endgame, Part I]]".
* The hand motions Bulkhead makes at the end of the episode when he says "So who was that Bug-Bot-Lady?" are...interesting, to say the least.
* While dressed up as Count Dracubot, Bumblebee states that he "wants to drink your motor oil." As we learn [[Rise of the Constructicons|later]], this is roughly the equivalent of a vampire saying he wants to bum a few beers off you. Bumblebee ''really'' needs to work on this whole Halloween thing.
* When we see Sari, Bulkhead, and Bumblebee together in the city, one of the kids in the bottom left of the screen is wearing a Bumblebee costume. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.

==Home video releases==
;DVD
[[Image:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2008 — ''Transformers Animated'' — Season One ([[Transformers Animated (cartoon)/home video|Paramount]]) — English and Spanish audio. 
[[Image:Flag of Australia.png|20px|Australia]] 2009 — ''Transformers Animated'' — Volume Two: Lost and Found (Paramount) — English and German audio. 
[[Image:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2009 — ''Transformers Animated'' — Volume Two: Lost and Found (Paramount) — English and German audio. 
[[Image:Flag of Germany.png|20px|Germany]] 2009 — ''Transformers Animated'' — Volume Zwei: Die Alten Waffen (Paramount) — English and German audio. 
[[Image:Flag of Japan.png|20px|Japan]] 2010 — ''Transformers Animated'' — Vol. 3 (Paramount) — Japanese audio only.

[[Category:Animated episodes]]

Optimus Prime (Animated)

2011-11-17T17:36:57Z

Dvegaj: /* Notes */

{{factions|autobot|hofsilver}}
{{Template:Disambig3|Optimus Prime}}{{suite}}

:''Optimus Prime is an [[Autobot]] from the [[Transformers Animated (franchise)|Transformers Animated]] [[continuity family]].''

[[Image:OptimusPrimeAnimated.JPG|right|thumb|300px|"Freedom... [[Megatron (BW)|Yeesss]]..."]]

A washout from the [[Cybertron Elite Guard]], '''Optimus Prime''' was reassigned to [[space bridge]] repair duty under the supervision of [[Ratchet (Animated)|Ratchet]]. He is a relatively naive and idealistic young leader, prone to long-winded "inspirational" speeches who leads a small and inexperienced Autobot [[space bridge]] maintenance team. Recently, his crew has landed on [[Earth]], adopted jobs as semi-official superheroes and currently live in an abandoned Sumdac Systems warehouse.

Despite his humble "Bot Next Door" persona, he performs his job with a dedicated seriousness. He transforms into a red truck cab that can be fitted with many kinds of "[[trailer]]" attachments (most notably one that makes him look like a fire engine) and wields a kick-ass, rocket-propelled, extendable battle axe, as well as multiple arm mounted modifications, including grappler cables, fire extinguishers and bola-whip throwers. Despite his formidable abilities and skills, not everyone thought so highly of the young Prime. [[Sentinel Prime (Animated)|Sentinel Prime]] sneers at Optimus's lowly repair job, and [[Supreme Commander]] [[Ultra Magnus (Animated)|Ultra Magnus]] once held the young officer in low regard. More than anything, Prime wanted to be a hero. He's had the speeches, he had the moves...but what was he missing? Maybe [[Stan Bush|The Touch]]?

But since coming to Earth, Optimus has learned the truth about heroism. It's not about glory and destiny, it's about doing the right thing and going to your limit and beyond. Ratchet, for all his cynicism, knows that Prime is a hero, and after seeing him in action, Ultra Magnus himself admitted that Optimus has excellent leadership skills.

{{Quote|So, this is what it feels like to be a hero...|Optimus upon his death|"[[Transform and Roll Out]]"}}

==Fiction==
===''Animated'' cartoon===
{{Idw-tfa}}
:''Voice actor:'' [[David Kaye]] (English), [[Hiroki Takahashi]] (Japanese), [[Bernd Vollbrecht]] (German), [[Maciej Walentek]] (Polish), [[Marco Balzarotti]] (Italian), [[Alexandre Marconato]] (Portuguese), [[Carlos Carvajal]] (Latin American Spanish, 1st and 2nd season), [[Javier Rodríguez Castellanos]] (Latin American Spanish, 3rd season), [[Yang Seokjeong]] (Korean), [[Hesham Hamada]] (Arabic)

[[Image:Arrival5-Optimusvehiclemode.jpg|left|thumb|300px|TRUKK NOT ... other... truck...]]

''Optimus did his [[Autobot boot camp]] training under [[Kup (Animated)|Kup Minor]], who gave him the name "Optimus" because of his cheery, optimistic outlook. Sentinel and [[Blackarachnia (Animated)|Elita-1]] were also in this training platoon. {{storylink|Transformers Animated: The AllSpark Almanac II‎|The AllSpark Almanac II‎}}''

''During his later training days at the [[Autobot Academy]], Optimus impressed Ultra Magnus with his performance in a computer simulated battle against [[Megatron (Animated)|Megatron]]. Although Optimus "died" in the battle, causing his boisterous pal Sentinel to make a crack at his expense, Magnus pointed out that Optimus had just scored higher on the test than anyone in Academy history, and let Optimus know he had great hopes for him.'' {{storylink|The Arrival issue 5#Survival Skills|Survival Skills}}

[[Image:Alongcameaspiderthreefriends.jpg|right|250px|thumb|"Whoa-oh! Surprise hug from Mr. Freaky-Big!"]]

A thousand stellar cycles ago, Optimus and Elita-1 accompanied Sentinel on an unpermitted mission to [[Archa Seven|a forbidden organic planet]] in search of a lost [[Decepticon]] [[Twilight (Animated)|ship]] rumored to be carrying a huge payload of [[Energon (fuel)|energon]] [[energon cube|cubes]]. The mission was declared a wash when the trio discovered that the planet was infested with [[Archa Seven arachnid|giant spiders]], but the trio found that their retreat was not an easy one. Separated from Sentinel in the chaos of a spider attack, Optimus and Elita found the Decepticon ship and its coveted energon cubes, only to be surrounded by another swarm of spiders. Optimus had Elita download his grappler abilities so that they could bring a giant stalactite down on the creatures, causing the energon cubes to explode in the process. As they attempt to swing their way to safety, however, Elita's download timed out and she plummeted back down into the heart of the conflagration, just as Sentinel arrived to bear witness. Knowing that to go after her would mean death, Optimus held Sentinel back from pursuing Elita and forcibly dragged him back to the surface just before they were caught in the explosion. {{storylink|Along Came a Spider}}

Sentinel never forgave Optimus for making him leave Elita behind, and bore a grudge against him for the next thousand years, constantly belittling him and sniping at him. When the failed mission came to the attention of Ultra Magnus, the two were brought to a military tribunal. Sentinel gladly placed the blame for Elita-1's death at Optimus' feet, and gallantly, Optimus took the fall for leading the mission. He was discharged from the Academy, never to join the Elite Guard. Luckily for Optimus, Magnus thought that maybe the bot he once had such high hopes for still had some potential, and gave him the rank of "Prime" and his own ship...a [[Omega Supreme (Animated)|rusted out junker]] filled with the incompetent young bots [[Bumblebee (Animated)|Bumblebee]] and [[Bulkhead (Animated)|Bulkhead]], plus a crotchety old medic, [[Ratchet (Animated)|Ratchet]].

During one of their routine [[Space Bridge]] terminal repair missions, Optimus Prime's crew stumbled upon a bot named [[Prowl (Animated)|Prowl]] who was trying to complete his [[Cyber-Ninja]] training. Unfortunately, an [[energon cube]] explosion destroyed his ship, so Optimus offered Prowl a place on his crew. The would-be cyber-ninja expressed frustration at the constant curveballs life had thrown at him thus far, and Optimus noted that he could easily relate to that sentiment.
{{storylink|Endgame, Part I}}

[[Image:Ani crew.JPG|left|thumb|300px|Call me Captainimus Prime!]]

Fifty years ago, Prime and his crew came across the [[AllSpark]] while repairing a space bridge and brought the artifact aboard their ship. During transport, they were discovered by the [[Decepticon]]s, and [[Megatron (Animated)|Megatron]] came after them. He proved too strong to take head on (in spite of [[Starscream (Animated)|his subordinate]] planting a bomb on his chassis), but when [[Teletran-1]] neared [[Earth]], Prime knocked Megatron overboard. The Autobots stayed in stasis for the next 50 years until they were accidentally awakened by an apparent intruder. Optimus and the Autobots took on Earth vehicles as alternate modes in an attempt to assimilate with what they believed to be the local dominant culture. Prime and his team were able to dispatch a bio-mechanical insectoid that was attacking Detroit. They were hailed as heroes for it.

[[Image:Sariprime.jpg|right|120px|thumb|Insert what where?!]]

Over the next several weeks, the Autobots got to learn human culture and customs, doing their best to prevent disasters and save lives. Eventually, Starscream came for the AllSpark, and Optimus found that the schemer could pack quite a punch. The Autobot officer was still able to keep Starscream from getting the artifact, though at the cost of his life. However, he was quickly revived by [[Sari Sumdac]] and her AllSpark-influenced [[AllSpark Key|key]]. Later, the Autobots helped rebuild parts of Detroit that were destroyed in their battle with Starscream. {{storylink|Transform and Roll Out}}

Unfortunately for Optimus, he had gained a reputation outside of Earth's atmosphere—not as a hero, but as the slayer of Megatron. The Decepticon [[Blitzwing (Animated)|Blitzwing]] placed a large bounty on his head, and pretty soon, [[Lockdown (Animated)|Lockdown]] came to collect. He captured Prime and stole his axe and grapplers. Fortunately, Ratchet saved him, finally getting the old bot to open up more. {{storylink|The Thrill of the Hunt}}

[[Image:TFA ep9 Optimus and Blackarachnia rooftop.jpg|left|200px|thumb|Optimus Prime is all left feet, but that's still not as many as Blackarachnia.]]

During the Autobots' first [[Halloween]] on Earth, the Decepticon [[Blackarachnia (Animated)|Blackarachnia]] ambushed [[Bumblebee (Animated)|Bumblebee]] and [[Bulkhead (Animated)|Bulkhead]] and kidnapped Sari. When Optimus Prime tried to fight Blackarachnia, she dodged all his moves, as she had trained with him. Prime was shocked to learn that Blackarachnia was his old Autobot Academy classmate Elita-1, who hadn't died but been mutated while fighting off the giant arachnids those many years ago. Blackarachnia tried to use Sari's AllSpark key to remove the organic aspects from her biology, but the key began to drain the life from everything organic around and nearly killed Blackarachnia herself. Prime removed the key, saving Blackarachnia and the organics. Still calling her Elita, Prime tried to convince her to return to the Autobots so they could try and help her. She repaid that kindness by injecting him with venom and telling him that she would never trust him again. Prime was left to reflect on the friend he'd failed not once, but twice. {{storylink|Along Came a Spider}}

When Decepticon energy signals were detected near the city, the Autobots quickly realized that their options were limited. Bulkhead mentioned that the [[Dinobot (Animated)|Dinobots]] might help, forcing [[Prowl (Animated)|Prowl]] to reveal how the two moved them to [[Dinobot Island (Animated)|Dinobot Island]]. Prime's reaction was...displeased, to say the least. Ranting that all he had to command were insubordinate malfunctions, Prime also concluded that the Key was no longer safe with Sari, and he ordered Ratchet to take it from her. As Sari ran off crying, Bumblebee mouthed off that their situation was an indication that Prime was unfit for command.

[[Image:Megatron Rising Optimus rant.JPG|right|170px|thumb|[[wikipedia:Red_Forman|Dumbasses]]!]]

Heading to Dinobot Island, Prime did not get off to a good start with [[Grimlock (Animated)|Grimlock]], mostly because Grimlock considered him lunch. After Prowl smoothed things over, Prime tried to convince them to help the Autobots fight the Decepticons, but Grimlock was uninterested. Receiving word from Ratchet that the Key had been stolen, Prime ordered Ratchet to guard the AllSpark while the Autobots headed back for the mainland. Prime himself also began to wonder if he was fit for command, seeing as all his decisions had blown up in his face. When Bumblebee contacted the Autobots to inform them that Starscream was at [[Sumdac Tower]], he refused Prime's order to hold back and went to attack the Decepticon on his own. Prime dryly noted that the day just kept getting better and better.

Then everything pretty much went to Hell when Megatron burst out of Sumdac Tower, to the shock and horror of just about everyone. {{storylink|Megatron Rising - Part 1}}

Quickly regaining their composure, the Autobots attacked. Megatron beat the [[Slag (slang)|slag]] out of them. Though Optimus fared slightly better, Megatron still brought him down fairly quickly. They were only able to escape when Megatron punished Starscream for his betrayal. Taking refuge within Sumdac Tower, [[Isaac Sumdac|Professor Sumdac]] explained his role in Megatron's revival and helped repair the Autobots with residual key energy. After Bumblebee called Prime to answer for his earlier assessment of them, Prime admitted he was wrong and asked them for forgiveness. When Ratchet and Sari showed up with Teletran-1, the Autobots took flight, hoping to lure the Decepticons away from Earth to prevent human casualties. Unfortunately, the Decepticons shot down the vessel and caused it to crash on Dinobot Island.

[[Image:Megatron Rising Optimus Megatron Key shove.JPG|left|200px|thumb|"Now, light our darkest hour!"]]

As the Autobots took on the Decepticons, Optimus faced down Megatron, which went as well as the first time. When Megatron got into the Autobots' ship, he took the AllSpark and placed the powerful artifact within him, using it as a weapon against Prime. However, Megatron had dropped the key, and Sari threw it to Prime. The Autobot officer used the key to send a surge of energy through the AllSpark, causing it to disperse while still in Megatron. With the threat passed, Prime apologized to Sari and returned the key, saying it was too important to be trusted with an Autobot. {{storylink|Megatron Rising - Part 2}}

After the battle with the Decepticons, the [[Cybertron Elite Guard]] arrived to take the AllSpark back to Cybertron. Optimus explained that the AllSpark had been dispersed and that the Decepticons had been defeated. Sentinel Prime accused Optimus of lying and took every chance he could to belittle his former friend, but [[Ultra Magnus (Animated)|Ultra Magnus]] decided to investigate their claims. Optimus took them to Dinobot Island, but the Autobots did not make a good impression on the Dinobots. Before they could investigate, they received a message from Ratchet, saying that [[police drone]]s had gone haywire at a Sumdac Systems manufacturing plant. Optimus managed to get Sari inside and shut off the assembly line, but the key was stuck in the console. Before Optimus could help, Sentinel pushed him aside and promised to see Optimus charged for high treason. Tired of Sentinel's slag, Optimus finally stuck up for himself and told Sentinel where to shove it, destroying the console the key was stuck in and revealing an AllSpark fragment. Ultra Magnus accepted the shard as proof of Optimus Prime's claims. Though Sentinel still refused to believe him, Magnus said that Optimus Prime displayed many qualities that Sentinel himself could use. {{storylink|The Elite Guard}}

[[Image:Returnofheadmaster optimuslaughs.jpg|right|180px|thumb|Ha ''Ha!'' [[Decapitation]].]]

When Sentinel and Optimus were at a press conference with [[Augustus Edsel|Mayor Edsel]], they received a call about a Decepticon sighting in old Detroit. After Sentinel mangled the roads en route, he told Optimus to split up and search on his own. Hours later, Optimus received a communication to from Sentinel to dismiss the police and come to Sentinel's location alone—and not to laugh when he got there. What Optimus found was Sentinel Prime's severed head, with his [[Structure|body]] having been stolen by the [[Headmaster (Animated)|Headmaster]]. He promised to help Sentinel find his body without letting Ultra Magnus or the other Autobots know, but not before taking a moment or two to enjoy the situation.

Heading for Sumdac Tower, Optimus confronted [[Porter C. Powell]], who denied knowing where Masterson was and told him the Autobots were no longer welcome at the facility. Optimus left, but immediately tapped in on Powell and Masterson's phone conversation, letting Optimus track Masterson to the docks. After encountering mini-Headmasters in the form of [[Tutor Bot]] and [[Sparkplug (robot dog)|Sparkplug]], Optimus was able to get aboard the ship before it sailed away. Finding the Headmaster with Sentinel Prime's body, Optimus Prime proceeded to beat the living slag out of his attacker, much to Sentinel's discomfort. Finally defeating the mad scientist, Optimus reattached Sentinel's head to his body, but Masterson walked away due to legal technicalities. When Ultra Magnus asked them about it the next day, Optimus covered for Sentinel, saying that Sentinel had volunteered to use himself as bait to capture Masterson, and Magnus praised their bravery. In an awkward moment, Sentinel thanked Optimus for all he'd done, and the two shook hands amicably. {{storylink|The Return of the Headmaster}}

[[Image:Sentinel vs Optimus%2C with Jazz in the middle.jpg|left|200px|thumb|Jay Leno VS. Bruce Campbell, Battle of [[chin]]s.]]

When word of Decepticon attacks came after learning that Megatron was still alive, Ultra Magnus decided that Optimus and his Autobots would be needed elsewhere repairing damaged space bridges. The Elite Guard also wanted Optimus to...leave out that whole destruction of the AllSpark and Megatron's survival thing for the time being. When they detected an AllSpark shard energy signature in a human train, the Elite Guard went to retrieve it. Detecting Starscream, Optimus realized it was a trap and was forced to place stasis cuffs on Sentinel Prime to leave the Elite Guard's ship. Meeting up with his crew, he helped them remove the shard and save the humans. Magnus and Sentinel, who by now had broken out of his cuffs, were about to rip Optimus a new one for insubordination, assault, and the lack of evidence over the Decepticons—at which point Starscream's body crashed mere meters away from them, having been offlined by Megatron (again). When Starscream knocked out Ultra Magnus, Optimus took command (much to Sentinel's displeasure). He managed to place the stasis-cuffs on Starscream, and Ultra Magnus decided that Optimus Prime and his team would be allowed to stay on Earth, locate the remaining AllSpark shards, and arrest the remaining Decepticons. {{storylink|Mission Accomplished}}

Later on, when Bulkhead brought [[Scrapper (Animated)|Scrapper]] and [[Mixmaster (Animated)|Mixmaster]] back to Autobot headquarters, Optimus was not impressed with their antics and demanded that they leave. Optimus warned Bulkhead that the duo were not worth spending time with and that they were not capable of learning the ways of an Autobot. After the Constructicons were 'persuaded' by Megatron that their talents would be better utilized in the Decepticon ranks, Prime was furious and despite Bulkhead's insistence that they were his friends, Optimus questioned that they didn't know any better.

Unfortunately, he was proved right when Mixmaster and Scrapper showed up and demanded that they hand over the AllSpark fragments, to which Prime naturally refused. A struggle ensued (in which Ratchet and Bumblebee insisted Prime was 'their dipstick') and Mixmaster held Bumblebee hostage and demands the AllSpark. Prime tried to stall for time and Bulkhead handed over the fragments, to Prime's dismay. Bulkhead then 'had one for the road' and his scheme came to light. With the fragments retrieved, Optimus consoled a distraught Bulkhead and assured him that as long as the Constructicons (now having lost their memory due to the explosion caused by the tainted oil) were not wearing Decepticon badges, they still had a choice. {{storylink|Rise of the Constructicons}}

[[Image:Animated Black Friday Prime Meltdown.jpg|right|175px|thumb|At the end of this day, one shall stand, one shall melt.]]

After learning that the Dinobots helped Meltdown escape, Prime took Prowl and Bumblebee to investigate Dinobot Island. There, he learned that Blackarachnia was manipulating the Dinobots, and had struck a deal with Meltdown to remove her organic half. However, Meltdown needed a [[genetic modifier]]. Blackarachnia, having poisoned Prowl and Bumblebee with her venom, told Prime to help Grimlock get the modifier in exchange for the antivenom that would save his Autobots. Though Prime tried to convince Grimlock of Blackarachnia's evil intentions, Grimlock would hear none of it. Returning to the mainland, Prime revoked his "protector of humanity" title long enough for Grimlock to "convince" [[Porter C. Powell]] to tell them where the modifier was. When Powell realized it was valuable, Prime was tempted to let Grimlock finish him off, but decided the Autobots didn't have time. Returning to Dinobot Island, Meltdown turned the tables on them, revealing that he planned to remove Blackarachnia's organic half, and sicced [[Fusion creature|his experiments]] on Prime and Grimlock. With the other Dinobots help, they sent the mutants packing. Prime then removed the modifier before Meltdown could finish his experiments, and exposure to the modifier caused Meltdown to break apart. Blackarachnia urged Optimus to come closer, but Grimlock's jealousy caused him to attack, allowing Blackarachnia to flee. When Prime went to Prowl and Bumblebee, he found the anti-venom, and saved their sparks. Although Powell tried to have Prime arrested, Fanzone refused to do anything about it. Because she left the anti-venom, however, Optimus Prime was hopeful that somewhere beneath the anger and betrayal of Blackarachnia, there was still something left of Elita-1. {{storylink|Black Friday (episode)|Black Friday}}

When Bulkhead was kidnapped by Megatron, Bumblebee brought home [[Blurr (Animated)|Blurr]], an Elite Guard intelligence agent who had been assigned to monitor the Decepticons and investigate Optimus Prime's crew (good odds on [[Sentinel Prime (Animated)|the one]] who gave Blurr his orders). When Blurr revealed where the Decepticons were, and that they were building a space bridge with Isaac Sumdac's help, Prime ordered Ratchet and Sari to get the ship back online, while he and the others went to rescue Bulkhead and stop the Decepticons. Before he left, he admitted that he wasn't sure if Professor Sumdac was willingly cooperating with the Decepticons, but promised Sari that he would bring him home alive. Heading to the mines, they were ambushed by Blitzwing and Lugnut, who were incapacitated by Blurr. Reaching the control room, the Autobots were incapaciated by the [[Constructicon (Animated)|Constructicons]]. Fortunately, the Decepticons were too busy with the sudden arrival of Starscream and [[Starscream clone (Animated)|his clones]] to immediately kill them. {{storylink|A Bridge Too Close, Part I}}

Managing to free himself, Optimus found himself in the odd position of fighting side by side with Megatron. But the battle went against the Autobots, with Blurr and a pair of clones sucked into the space bridge and the other Autobots incapacitated. In typical Decepticon fashion, Megatron used Prime as a human shield against the clones. After the battle, Megatron decided to use Prime as a test to see if the space bridge worked, where Prime would eliminated by [[Shockwave (Animated)|Shockwave]] if it did. Fortunately, Prowl managed to get free from his stasis cuffs and shatter Optimus Prime's, allowing him to grapple Megatron. However, the power cut out, forcing Megatron to use the severed head of Starscream to further power the bridge, causing an overload. Prime managed to slap stasis cuffs on Megatron, taking him into the bridge, but the Autobots were nearly sucked in when [[Omega Supreme (Animated)|Omega Supreme]] arrived and sacrificed himself to save them. As the bridge self-destructed, the Autobots managed to escape before the mountain came down on top of them. Though mourning the losses of Omega and Blurr, Megatron's plot was foiled, and the Autobots could breathe a collective sigh of relief.

Sighs of relief which turned to gasps of shock and horror when Sari noticed that the skin of her arm had been torn...revealing robotic circuitry underneath! {{storylink|A Bridge Too Close, Part II}}

Leaving the mine, Optimus carried Sari and Isaac with him as the Professor explained what he knew of Sari's origins: years ago, Sumdac found a body of liquid metal, which he touched, and Sari emerged. Remembering all too well the horror story of human manufacturing, Optimus pointed out several flaws in Isaac's story. Optimus provided the necessary muscle to prevent Porter C. Powell and Henry Masterson from trying anything funny when Isaac returned to Sumdac Tower and fired the two, and was on hand to witness Sari activated some sort of weapons system to eject them. Horrified, Sari decided she was better off with her "fellow machines", and Optimus promised to keep her safe until she was ready to talk. Realizing that she wasn't going to talk, Optimus tricked Sari into going to [[Burger Bot]], alerting Sumdac that they were heading there. Unfortunately, the Headmaster had found his Headmaster unit and Starscream's body, and attacked the trio. After a short battle, Optimus tricked Masterson into transforming, saying that a "n00b" like him couldn't do it. The attack managed to reconcile Isaac and Sari, and Optimus took them home, where Prowl revealed his theory that Sari was a protoform merged with Sumdac's DNA.

Later, Ratchet turned up with an unconscious Bulkhead and claims of a missing Bumblebee. Bulkhead theorized that Bumblebee had activated the [[plasma dynamic thruster]], sending him across the universe, and used a homing beacon generator to bring him home. Unfortunately, Bumblebee was swallowed by a [[Rock Lord|rock-like alien]]. As the Autobots tried to figure out how to stop the creature without harming Bumblebee, Sari used the Key to upgrade herself into a more powerful mech. She defeated the monster, but overloaded and was unable to control her movements, seriously injuring Bumblebee. The Autobots were able to remove the Key, only to discover Sari kept going and the Key had been drained. Ratchet was forced to deactivate Sari with his EMP generator.

Returning to the plant, Optimus informed Isaac of Sari's condition, deciding that this family was done keeping secrets from each other. Unfortunately, Megatron arrived, commanding Omega Supreme. Optimus and the others led Megatron out of the city, where he and Prowl boarded Omega, removing Megatron's influence. Unfortunately, Starscream took over Omega Supreme, and decided to conquer Cybertron. Optimus latched aboard the departing vessel, and shoved the plasma dynamic thruster into Omega, sending him warping across the galaxy randomly, ending the threats of Megatron and Starscream for a while. {{storylink|TransWarped}}

After reprimanding Bumblebee for playing video games while on monitor duty, Optimus led the Autobots out on a search mission when they detected a Cybertronian energy signature. While Optimus was away, he received an emergency call from Bumblebee, revealing that Wasp was at the plant. By the time the Autobots returned, Wasp had switched places with Bumblebee. Unable to convince his teammates of the ruse, Bumblebee fled, and just as Optimus and his remaining Autobots gave chase, Sentinel Prime and Jazz cut them off. Sentinel was unwilling to listen to Optimus's claims that Wasp was innocent and Longarm Prime was the real traitor, and he took off for Wasp. Optimus had their group split up to try and find Wasp first, ordering Ratchet to come with him while Bulkhead and Prowl went to check another section of the city. While searching, Optimus and Ratchet discovered two Cybertronian fliers and assumed they were Decepticons. Only after fighting with the pair did they learn that [[Jetstorm (Animated)|Jetstorm]] and [[Jetfire (Animated)|Jetfire]] were Elite Guard members who had been upgraded with flight protocols duplicated from Starscream.

As Optimus, Ratchet, and Jazz watched Sentinel flail about on the wet roads, still ignoring pleas to warn Cybertron about Longarm, Optimus asked how Jazz was able to stand the obnoxious Prime, and was surprised to learn that the Elite Guard ninja ignored "only half" of what Sentinel said. When the jet twins reported to Sentinel that Bulkhead and Prowl were working with Wasp, Sentinel ordered all of Optimus's crew arrested, despite Optimus putting it as simply as possible: Wasp wasn't a double agent, so Bulkhead and Prowl couldn't be his fellow double agents. Once they reached the others, Optimus had to deal with Sentinel's insistence on arresting them all to let Ultra Magnus sort them out, despite Prowl and Bulkhead now believing that Wasp and Bumblebee had switched places. Overruling Sentinel's demands, Optimus had everyone return to the plant, as that's where Wasp had to be if 'Bee's story was true. By the time they returned, Wasp had read up on Bumblebee's files and so was able to relate a number of 'Bee's adventures to prove he was the real deal. When Bulkhead had Bumblebee and Wasp play ''[[Ninja Gladiator]]'' to see who the real one was, Prime had no better suggestion. Wasp choked and escaped, and Jazz finally realized that Optimus had been telling the truth about Longarm being a double agent. An oblivious Sentinel asked why they hadn't told him this in the first place, and Optimus sighed in exasperation. {{storylink|Where Is Thy Sting?}}

With the Elite Guard remaining on Earth, the Autobots began a search for the rest of Megatron's Decepticons. During one search, Optimus saw an unfamiliar shadow with a strange helmet. Following it, Optimus, Prowl, and Jazz discovered Sentinel Prime had captured [[Sunstorm (Animated)|Sunstorm]] without making a sound. Despite his notorious ego, Sentinel refused to elaborate on the capture, and even bolted the clone's mouth shut when he started to talk. Returning to the Elite Guard ship, Optimus discovered that Sentinel had also captured Blitzwing and Swindle, as well, and was equally vague on the details. After helping Prowl investigate the mysterious helmeted figure, Optimus returned to the ship where he, Jazz, and Prowl were shocked to discover that Sentinel had captured Lugnut. Now convinced that Sentinel was lying to them, Optimus and the others eventually followed him to [[Tigatron Stadium]], where they discovered a stasis-cuffed Sentinel, the [[Ramjet (Animated)|Liar Starscream]], Lockdown (wearing the mysterious helmet), and that Sentinel had been having Lockdown capture the Decepticons in exchange for parts of the Elite Guard ship. After a battle, the clone was captured, but Lockdown escaped. Returning to the Elite Guard ship, the Autobots made contact with Cybertron, learning that Shockwave had attacked Ultra Magnus and stolen the [[Magnus Hammer]] in the process. Optimus decided not to inform Cybertron Command of Sentinel's misconduct, but instead gave Prowl all the credit for the captures. Sentinel expressed annoyance that he didn't get any credit for the captures, and Optimus told his former friend that when the smoke cleared, there would be a reckoning between the two Primes. {{storylink|Five Servos of Doom}}

[[Image:PredaconsRising-BASentinelOptimus.jpg|left|thumb|300px|Hail hail, the gang's all here!]]

However, Sentinel remained on Earth, convinced that Wasp knew something about the attack on Ultra Magnus. Efforts to locate Wasp were hampered by Sentinel's refusal to recognize Optimus's authority on Earth, claiming he was the ''primer'' Prime. However, things came to a head when the Dinobot Swoop captured Wasp and took him to Dinobot Island. Realizing that Blackarachnia might be involved, Optimus tried to warn Sentinel about her, but he refused to listen, as usual. Reaching the island, Optimus found Blackarachnia draining Sentinel of his powers, and offered himself in Sentinel's place. Blackarachnia didn't care; as far as she was concerned, she had every right to slag them both for abandoning her. She also revealed that she had made Wasp into the technorganic Waspinator in the hopes that if she could change him back, she could change back into Elita-1. However, Waspinator heard this, and tried to attack Blackarachnia. Reaching critical mass, Blackarachnia wrapped herself and Waspinator into a cocoon to contain the transwarp explosion. The Autobots were barely able to avoid the blast radius, which appeared to destroy most of Dinobot Island. Optimus concluded that Blackarachnia sacrificed herself to save them, but Sentinel thought that she sacrificed Waspinator to escape. Although Sentinel did not press the issue, Optimus could see that he was deeply hurt by what he had experienced.

A short time later, the Elite Guard were preparing to leave, and Optimus Prime's crew were seeing them off. Optimus actually defended Sentinel when the twins poked fun at him, saying that for all his flaws, Sentinel was a good bot at spark. Sentinel later came out to talk to Optimus privately, and Optimus apologized, both for not telling Sentinel about Elita's survival, and for not letting Sentinel go back to try and rescue her. In turn, Sentinel apologized for coming up with the idea to go to the planet, but admitted that the time was past for apologies. Optimus ended the conversation on a lighter note, saying that Cybertron needed a leader, and for better or worse, Sentinel Prime was that leader. Sentinel agreed, and the two Primes finally appeared to bury the hatchet. {{storylink|Predacons Rising}}

Optimus Prime's mood soon soured as the [[Christmas]] season rolled in, and the latest must-have product from Porter C. Powell was advertised all over the city—the all-singing, all-dancing [[Soundwave (Animated)|Soundwave]]! After following a lone Soundwave and almost getting decapitated by a train, he decided he was obsessing over nothing and rejoined the other Autobots for some [[oilnog]]... not realizing it had been spiked by another Soundwave, forcing Optimus and the others into taking an early [[Stasis lock|stasis nap]].

[[Image:TFAni Human Error Part 1 Optimus Human.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Worst. Hangover. ''Ever!'']]

As Optimus woke up the next morning, he discovered, to his horror, that he and the others had inexplicably become human. Despite his hopes, Ratchet could find no rational explanation for their transformation. Deciding the best course of action was to head to Sumdac Tower, the Auto''men'' set off into the city. A quick stop at the Burger Bot turned to them fleeing from an attacking Decepticon armada, followed by Optimus and Prowl saving a woman and [[Gary|her son]] from a burning building, to (badly) fighting off an attacking Starscream and finally—perhaps worst of all—having to take public transportation to Sumdac Tower. However, no sooner had they arrived at their destination then they witnessed the tower blasted to ruins... by a Megatron-controlled Cybertron!

But just as the Autobots seemed on the brink of destruction, Optimus came to a realization—none of what they had experienced was real, but a virtual reality simulation! They took out the Decepticons together with superhuman feats, Optimus destroying Megatron himself with a well aimed axe into his cannon. As the dust settled and the Decepticons disappeared, they "imagined" themselves into their real forms once again. But as soon as they had made the transformation, a giant Soundwave scooped them up into the sky, blasting them all with energy.

In the real world, Optimus and his crew were all prisoners of the real Soundwave in the basement of the Autobot hideout, as part of the sonic warrior's plan to reprogram them into being Decepticons. As their captor started to accelerate the reprogramming, Optimus opened his eyes to reveal them glowing red... {{storylink|Human Error, Part I}}

[[Image:PrimeReadyToRock.jpg|thumb|left|200px| "I don't need no instructions to know how to rock!"]]

A wire from an attack Sari had made on Soundwave disrupted the connection, but after a failed escape attempt by Prowl, Soundwave reverted all the Autobots to their human forms and used his toy replica drones scattered around Detroit to begin hypnotising the human population.

Looking for a way to interface with Soundwave to escape and locating it in the form of his vehicle mode, Optimus gave the order to pursue the Decepticon utilizing the conveniently placed vehicles on which their own alternate modes were based. Unfortunately, Optimus didn't know how to drive extremely well. He still was able to pursue Soundwave, albeit with the fire hose out of control.

When Optimus and his group finally cornered Soundwave, it was revealed to be a trap: Hundreds of Soundwave's vehicle modes surrounded the Automen, and when the Autobots attempted to escape, their vehicles' seat belts wrapped around them as Soundwave began to reprogram them again.

Controlling the reprogrammed Autobots like puppets, Soundwave used them in a battle with Sari and the [[Substitute Autobot]]s, whom at first they soundly defeated. When Sari ordered the Substitute Autobots to attack all the Autobots at once, however, Soundwave began having trouble multitasking, until he decided to use just Optimus against them. Optimus soundly defeated the Substitute Autobots again and was about to kill Sari when the freed Prowl used his shuriken to blast Ratbat out of Soundwave's hands, liberating the rest of the Autobots. Optimus then grabbed Laserbeak, forced him into guitar mode, and engaged in a brief (''epic'') Battle of the Bands scenario before using Laserbeak to slice Soundwave and Ratbat in half, destroying the Decepticon's control over the citizens of Detroit. He and Sari then exchanged mutual new appreciation of each other's daily difficulties, Sari better understanding the stresses of command, Optimus now realizing the rigors of being human. {{storylink|Human Error, Part II}}

[[Image:TFAni Decepticon Air Swindle Optimus Hand.jpg|thumb||180px|right|"GIVE ME YOUR FACE!"]]
Optimus later congratulated Professor Sumdac and Bulkhead for completing a space bridge terminal in record time, and he was amazed when Sari single-handedly and expertly recalibrated the transwarp sequencers. However, he soon received a message from Sentinel Prime, who had accidentally freed several Decepticon prisoners on the Elite Guard ship, which decrypted to "Broken Lance", the coded distress call Sentinel used to use in their Academy days. Using the space bridge terminal to get to the ship, Optimus promptly emerged from Swindle's chest, having arrived in the pocket dimension which Swindle used to hold all his stock. Taking an elevator to the ship's energon storage chamber, Optimus slightly destabilized some energon cubes by perforating them with his axe, then put them in the elevator car and sliced the cables, so it exploded near the bottom just as the Decepticons pried open the doors. Slightly charred from the backblast, Optimus entered one of the service ducts and worked his way back to the brig area, grumbling as he did so.

Soon after, Prime freed his fellow Autobots and told Jazz to rewire the decontamination unit on the bridge as a freezing chamber to trap the Decepticons. At the same time, taking a cue from Sentinel's coded transmission, he made his Autobot symbol blink in [[Cybertronian optical code|Cybertronian Optical Code]] to tell Jazz that the decontamination chamber would be the only part of the bridge ''not'' to get frozen. After convincing the Elite Guard to surrender to the Decepticons (but not before using Sentinel as a slingshot against Lugnut), he endured Blitzwing locking them in the decontamination chamber and gloating all the while—until Blitzwing pressed the button and all the Decepticons on the bridge were frozen. Sentinel offered Optimus the Elite Guard spot that would be left when Sentinel became Magnus, but Prime declined, saying that he still had plenty to do on Earth. Optimus then returned to Earth on the Elite Guard's ship, and he and Sentinel traded salutes before they went their separate ways.
{{storylink|Decepticon Air}}

[[Image:Endgame2-OptimusPrimeInArmor.jpg|left|thumb|300px|Optimus cannot fly!! What is [[To sell toys|happening?]]]]

When Bulkhead detected Omega Supreme on the Moon, Ratchet tried to convince Optimus to use the [[Magnus Hammer]] against Megatron to rescue Omega and Arcee. Optimus felt unworthy due to his discharge from the [[Autobot Academy]] and ban from the Elite Guard, and instead requested that Ratchet build him a modification to [[Optimus Prime (Animated)/toys#Wingblade|let him fly]]. As part of a counter to Ratchet's protest that "Autobots don't fly", Prowl volunteered his boosters to use as a basis for Optimus's mods. When Ratchet ran into trouble on the jetpack, Sari used her Allspark powers to find the problem, and Ratchet soon had an attachable winged jetpack for Optimus to test out. Optimus loved the new ability to fly, shouting "Yessssss!" as he slipped the surly bonds of Earth, but he was shot down by [[Slipstream (Animated)|Slipstream]]. With a jetpack that didn't even give him an advantage over a Starscream clone, and with Megatron's [[Lugnut Supreme]]s fast approaching, Optimus decided he no longer had a choice and picked up the Magnus Hammer, ready to stand up in this [[darkest hour]]. {{storylink|Endgame, Part I}}

Though hesitant about taking to the air given his previous performance, Optimus took to the skies with Prowl to drive the Lugnut Supremes away from Sumdac Tower while Ratchet, Bumblebee, Bulkhead, and Sari went to the Moon to sever Megatron's access to Omega Supreme. After a little trouble, Optimus was able to use the Magnus Hammer to cause a tornado that threw the clones to Dinobot Island, damaging one and rendering the other two unable to fly. However, they were still online and resumed their march to Sumdac Tower. Optimus instructed Prowl and Jazz to enter the clones and remove their AllSpark fragments while he himself fought Megatron. Unfortunately, when Omega was severed from the clones, it activated their hidden function as ''Starscream'' clones, complete with bombs capable of destroying everything within one hundred square miles. Omega returned in time to destroy one clone, and Prowl and Jazz used processor-over-matter to assemble stray AllSpark fragments and power a shield strong enough to contain the remaining clone.

[[Image:TFA-Endgame-PanAcrossEveryone.jpg|right|thumb|350px|Not bad for ol' what's-his-name.]]

Meanwhile, Optimus and Megatron continued to duke it out, eventually being encased in the shield with the third clone. As the final clone's bomb began to detonate, a flash of light removed Optimus from the blast. He was found minutes later by the Autobots, and they were triumphant until they saw the price of victory: Prowl had merged his spark with the AllSpark fragments to save them all. As Optimus ran toward his fallen comrade, Megatron appeared and blasted the Autobot captain. Ratchet tossed the Magnus Hammer to Optimus, who beat the Decepticon leader down. Megatron goaded Optimus to finish it, but Optimus instead destroyed Megatron's fusion cannon, saying that killing him would be too easy. Instead, Optimus Prime and his crew, along with Sari and Omega Supreme, returned to Cybertron with Megatron, Shockwave, and Lugnut as prisoners, before cheering crowds (and a not-so-cheery Sentinel Prime) who hailed them as heroes. {{storylink|Endgame, Part II}}

===Toy bios===
Optimus Prime prefers to fight fairly and in the open. At the same time, he knows bad guys ''don't'', so he utilizes his "night mode" to sneak up on them without being seen. Good lesson, there. {{storylink|Optimus Prime (Animated)/toys#BumperBattlerNightwatch|Nightwatch Optimus Prime}} When the Autobots were preparing for an all-out assault on the Decepticons, Optimus ordered everyone to get their armor upgraded. Ratchet helped him install armor so strong that it can take fusion blasts with ease. {{storylink|Optimus Prime (Animated)/toys#ActivatorArmorUp|Armor Up Optimus Prime}}

===''Be the Hero'' books===
{{Note|As the following stories are [[multipath adventure]]s, details will vary depending on the path taken. See individual pages for information on alternate paths.}}
====''Prime Suspect''====
After saving a [[You|human child]] from being run over by an out-of-control truck, Optimus found that he was being pursued by [[Carmine Fanzone|Captain Fanzone]] and a squad of police. Some investigation turned up the fact that he was accused of breaking into [[HomeTech]]'s laboratory, and they had him doing so on security tape. Rendezvousing at the laboratory, Prime got [[Sari Sumdac|Sari]] and the kid from earlier to go in and look for the footage. Though ultimately unsuccessful, a clue was found that led the Autobots to HomeTech's main warehouse. Within, Prime encountered the Decepticon who had framed him, [[Blitzwing (Animated)|Blitzwing]], and the two battled at length until the other Autobots helped him taken Blitzwing down. With the deception exposed, Prime was confident his name was cleared. {{storylink|Prime Suspect}}

====''Quest for the AllSpark''====
Optimus and [[Ratchet (Animated)|Ratchet]] came up with a surefire plan when [[Megatron (Animated)|Megatron]] took over [[Detroit]]'s robot workforce in an attempt to get his hands on the [[AllSpark]]. The Autobots made false AllSparks and went to hide them around the city. Prime was intercepted by the clearance 'bot [[Crush-A]], and called in the rest of the Autobots, ultimately defeating their foe. {{storylink|Quest for the AllSpark}}
====''Web of Deception''====
When the Autobots' ship on the bottom of [[Lake Erie]] was struck by [[Sparkseeker]] torpedoes, Optimus was knocked offline and abducted by [[Lockdown (Animated)|Lockdown]]. He found himself strapped to an explosive device alongside one of the giant spiders from [[Archa Seven]]. Fortunately Ratchet was able to track him down and rescue him before the bomb could be triggered. {{storylink|Web of Deception}}
====''Time-Quake''====
Optimus and the other Autobots scoured Detroit, searching for the source of some strange temporal anomalies that had begun plaguing the city. Eventually they were able to track down the time machine that was responsible for the disturbances, and Optimus led his team in apprehending the culprit. {{storylink|Time-Quake}}

===Titan Magazines===
[[Image:SPROK%21.JPG|left|200px|thumb|No Country for Old Toys.]]
Optimus was swiftly overpowered by Starscream and [[Starscream clone (Animated)|his army of clones]], as were all the Autobots. The Dinobots arrived to save the day in return for lodgings during a rainy spell, leaving Optimus to ask Ratchet desperately for the weather forecast ''every day'' (the forecast being rain, rain, rain...). {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 17#Dino-MIGHT!|Dino-MIGHT!}}

Later, Detroit was hit by severe earthquakes, and Optimus led the Autobots in a rescue operation, personally holding up a collapsing bridge all by himself. These earthquakes turned out to be the work of the supervillain [[Quake-Maker]]. Optimus fought him but was easily beaten up—but forget Optimus, because the ''awesome'' Elite Guard operative [[Afterburn]] arrived, swiftly taking control of the Autobots and taking the villain down. Optimus was left a bit upset that Afterburn was so much better than him. {{storylink|Animated Comic issue 1|Burnout}}

He was apparently so upset that he didn't bother turning up afterwards, letting Afterburn dominate things. Prime's big contribution was to give everyone the day off. {{storylink|Animated Comic issue 3|Crossroads!}}

Later on, he ran afoul of the angry and impressively moustached [[General Macadam]], who was throwing a fit over Swoop buzzing a [[United States Air Force|USAF jet]]. Optimus gave the Dinobot a grilling over this...realising too late that Swoop, having been booted from Dinobot Island, had come for a job. Later on, Prime was ''very'' amused when Macadam angrily asked for help stopping the hijacked [[Wraith-X]], and had Bumblebee bring in Swoop for it.

There was no time to celebrate, though, as ''Megatron'' assaulted their headquarters! {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 23|Divebomb}} It turned out Afterburn, whom Megatron slaughtered, was a Decepticon infiltrator—and a sparkless drone one, at that—and he'd given their location away! Optimus and the gang held off a full Decepticon assault. In the aftermath, Optimus tried to boost Bumblebee's spirits by telling him he'd been a true hero in fighting Megatron, and that Afterburn hadn't been a ''real'' Transformer, so his death was no biggie. It was quite dodgy how easily Optimus wrote the guy off, to be frank... {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 24|Megatron's Revenge}}

Optimus later went to watch a race at [[Crazy Coyote Canyon]] to find the "King of Speed", and he permitted Bulkhead to join in if he wanted. He probably regretted this when Bulkhead won and Prime had to carry him in a victor's lap... {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 25|The Race}}
{{--}}

===''The Cool'' comic===
Upon discovering the Allspark, Optimus Prime and his crew fled from Megatron's ship into a space bridge gate and wound up before the planet Earth. Unfortunately, Megatron was already aboard the Autobots' vessel, and although he had gotten one of his arms mutilated in combat, had managed to take down the entirety of the ship's crew, with the exception of Optimus himself. Engaged in fierce melee combat with his foe, Optimus jettisoned the Decepticon out of the cargo bay day just, decrying Megatron's wish to rule the universe. Visibly strained from combat, Optimus then put himself and his crew in stasis to await the day he would have to face Megatron once more. {{storylink|The Cool Extra issue 3}}

To protect the [[AllSpark]], Optimus Prime lead his crew of Autobots to the [[Earth]] city of [[Detroit]]. The Decepticons [[Starscream (Animated)|Starscream]], [[Lockdown (Animated)|Lockdown]] and [[Blackarachnia (Animated)|Blackarachnia]] followed and attacked. Prime rescued [[Sari Sumdac]] from an explosion, protecting her with his body, then pitted himself against Starscream. {{storylink|The Cool Episode 1}}

Starscream succeeded in seizing the AllSpark, but Prime refused to let him keep it. Driving off a ramp and attacking him in the sky, Prime opened the AllSpark, dispersing its energy, killing himself in the process. Luckily, Sari's [[AllSpark Key|key]] was able to revive him. {{storylink|The Cool Episode 2}}

Prime then lead the Autobots in defense of [[Dinobot Island (Animated)|Dinobot Island]], but was unable to counter [[Soundwave (Animated)|Soundwave]]'s sonic attacks and [[Lugnut (Animated)|Lugnut]]'s aerial bombardments. The [[Dinobot (Animated)|Dinobot]]s arrived and drove the villains off, but then attempted to drive the Autobots off, too! Prime and [[Grimlock (Animated)|Grimlock]] sorted their issues out and parted on good terms. {{storylink|The Cool Episode 3}}

[[Image:TheCoolMegatronChokesPrime01.jpg|thumb|300px|right|GIVE ME YOUR CHIN!]]

Back in Detroit, Prime was attacked by Blackarachnia, who demanded to know why he'd abandoned her to die years ago. Prime explained that he and [[Sentinel Prime (Animated)|Sentinel]] had immediately formed a rescue party but could not locate her. Freeing himself from her webbing, Prime vowed to help her restore her body no matter what. Their touching moment was interrupted by an attack from [[Blackout (Animated)|Blackout]], which buried Prime in rubble. By the time the other Autobots could free him, Blackarachnia had already retreated with the other Decepticons, asking never to be called "Elita-1" again. Prime screamed furiously at this. {{storylink|The Cool Episode 4}}

Optimus was present outside [[Sumdac Systems]] headquarters to greet the revived Megatron, who politely remembered Prime's name. Megatron made short work of Prime, slamming him to the ground by the throat and blasting away the Autobots with his [[fusion cannon]]. Refusing to give up, Prime drew his axe and clashed with Megatron's swords. Later, Prime survived the battle to greet [[Ultra Magnus (Animated)|Ultra Magnus]] and the [[Cybertron Elite Guard|Elite Guard]], who were demanding an explanation for why he and his crew had yet to return to Cybertron. {{storylink|The Cool Episode 5}}

Optimus Prime later joined Prowl in a battle against [[Clone number 2716057|Clone #2716057]]. Though Prowl defeated the clone, Optimus berated him for being "too flashy" about it and destroying an entire park in the process. Prime then escorted the clone to a warehouse where [[Lockdown (Animated)|Lockdown]] was meeting with Megatron. Optimus demanded Megatron hand over ''his'' clone, but sang a different tune after it was revealed that the clones were packed with explosives. Prowl managed to send the explosives flying into the sky, and Prime complimented him on his quick thinking. {{storylink|The Cool Episode 6}}

Some time after that, Prime managed to find the location of the near-complete Decepticon [[space bridge#Animated cartoon|Space Bridge]] and launched a surprise attack. After kicking [[Mixmaster (Animated)|Mixmaster]] in the stomach, Prime once again clashed melee weapons with Megatron. The foes were forced to fight together, however, when Starscream arrived with his [[Starscream clone (Animated)|Clone Army]]. The pair fought well side by side until [[Slipstream (Animated)|Slipstream]] fired a shot at Megatron's head. The Decepticon leader blocked the shot by using Prime as a living shield, injuring the Autobot near-fatally. {{storylink|The Cool Episode 7}}

As the Space Bridge overloaded, sucking everything into itself, Optimus Prime recovered. Rushing the distracted Megatron, Prime slapped a pair of stasis cuffs on him and then kicked him square in the jaw, sending the Decepticon hurtling into the vortex. After the battle, Prime joined the other Autobots in bidding farewell to the fallen [[Omega Supreme (Animated)|Omega Supreme]]. {{storylink|The Cool Episode 8}}

[[Image:PrimeAllSparkGlowTheCool01.jpg|thumb|left|250px|]]

When Starscream attacked Detroit in Omega Supreme's body, Optimus went off...''somewhere'', and when he came back, he had his Wing Blade armor and the [[Magnus Hammer]], having received the hammer as per Ultra Magnus's wish {{storylink|The Cool Extra issue 1}}. Optimus combined his power with Megatron's to defeat Starscream. After ordering Prowl to remove all traces of Starscream from Omega's body, he set his sights next on Megatron. Optimus and Megatron agreed to conclude their rivalry with a final battle and flew off into the sky, clashing hammer with sword. {{storylink|The Cool Episode 9}}

Outmatched, Megatron fought back by powering his fusion cannon with Starscream's AllSpark fragment. The humongous blast shredded Optimus, who was then impaled through the [[spark]] chamber by Megatron's sword. Refusing to die, Optimus declared that his spark would shine until his last breath. Somehow, this caused the AllSpark fragment to be drawn to Optimus, where it immediately powered him up. Now endowed with a Heavenly aura and apparent invincibility, Optimus choke-slammed Megatron into unconsciousness. Later, Optimus and his crew returned to Cybertron with the shackled Megatron in tow, where they were hailed as heroes. {{storylink|The Cool Episode Final}}

{{-}}

==Games==
===Transformers Animated: The Game===
:''Voice actor:'' [[David Kaye]] (English)
[[Image:TFAnimated Game Optimus Prime.jpg|thumb|right|134px]]
Optimus decided that [[Bulkhead (Animated)|Bulkhead]] and [[Bumblebee (Animated)|Bumblebee]] could do with some more training, despite Bumblebee's assertion that video games counted. He had [[Prowl (Animated)|Prowl]] turn the Autobot hideout into an obstacle course for himself, Bulkhead and Bumblebee to practice on. Not long after, word came in that the robots at a [[Sumdac Systems]] factory had gone haywire, and the three Autobots headed there to investigate. While they were bashing their way through the drones, [[Ratchet (Animated)|Ratchet]] and Prowl got hold of a [[Decepticon Transmitter Drone]], which they used to intercept a transmission indicating that Megatron was looking for [[AllSpark]] fragments to power his Space Bridge. Though Optimus was keen to stop the Decepticon, Sari pointed out there were still rogue drones at the factory. After finding the AllSpark fragment that was causing the drones to malfunction, Prime had to take to the road to hunt down some more drones that were heading for Detroit.

Another transmission indicated that Megatron had all the fragments he needed to power his Space Bridge, so Optimus returned to the factory, where he, Bumblebee and Bulkhead tracked down another fragment. Optimus then chased the Transmitter Drone back to its point of origin — Megatron's mine lair. The three Autobots fought their way into the mine and confronted Megatron at the mouth of his Space Bridge. After a short battle, Megatron transwarped out, and the three Autobots attempted to follow him. Only Optimus and Bulkhead arrived on Cybertron, and had to search fruitlessly for Megatron until Bumblebee arrived. A transmission led them to the Space Bridge Nexus where they found Megatron. A protracted fight ensued, at the end of which Megatron transwarped out to parts unknown. Optimus was commended by [[Ultra Magnus (Animated)|Ultra Magnus]] and offered a place in the [[Cybertron Elite Guard|Elite Guard]]. He turned it down in favor of returning to Earth, where Ratchet wondered if he needed to examine Optimus's processor. {{storylink|Transformers Animated: The Game}}

===Transformers Battle Universe===
At the edge of time, when the [[Matrix of Leadership|Matrix]] needed a new host, Optimus Prime was among several warriors (and [[Optimus Prime|Prime]]s) summoned from the multiverse to battle for control of the prize. {{storylink|Transformers Battle Universe}}

{{--}}

==Toys==
{{main|Optimus Prime (Animated)/toys}}

==Merchandise==
:''Main article: [[Optimus Prime (Animated)/toys#Merchandise]]''

==Notes==
*The twin cylinder-shaped protrusions connected to Optimus's small antennae are inspired by the head design of the [[Transformers (2007)|2007 movie]] rendition of [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]], as opposed to the [[Optimus Prime (G1)|traditional]] single cylinder.
*Optimus Prime features design elements from two different incarnations of [[Optimus Primal]]. The "skin" color of his face (and to a lesser extent, the presence of a retractable faceplate) is taken from Primal's first [[Beast Wars (franchise)|Beast Wars]] body, while the way his lips are drawn is inspired by Primal's [[Beast Machines (franchise)|Beast Machines]] body. [[Derrick J. Wyatt]] thought since Prime is more of an inexperienced leader, he wanted to infuse some elements from Primal's design, who had a similar role in his series. <ref>[http://community.livejournal.com/tf_animated/271043.html#cutid1 Derrick Wyatt Q&A at the tf_animated livejournal community]</ref>
*His chest windows resemble those of [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Star Convoy]], the incarnation of Optimus in [[Return of Convoy]], while his jetpack wings look like [[Ginrai|God Ginrai]]'s.
*Optimus was killed off after only [[Transform and Roll Out|one episode]] (three if you want to get technical) ''and'' revived 1 minute and 15 seconds later. That's gotta be [[The many deaths of Optimus Prime|a new record]].
*At the end of "Transform and Roll Out", Prime's spark is contained in the same place ordinarily reserved for the [[Matrix (disambiguation)|Matrix]] in other continuities.
*Despite nominally being a fire truck, Prime's alt mode features a detachable cab that can mount a number of different trailers, such as [[Headmaster (episode)|a lookalike of Generation 1 Optimus's trailer]] and a [[The Elite Guard|dump truck]]. Presumably, this would make his alt mode not a fire truck, but a semi-truck ''outfitted'' as a fire truck. Score one for the old fans!
*Like his Generation 1 counterpart, this Optimus's trailer almost invariably disappears COMPLETELY when he transforms, assuming it's there to begin with. This even happens when it isn't his trailer, such as in "[[Garbage In, Garbage Out]]". Even Prime himself is just as confused as to where it goes, as evidenced by "[[Career Day]]". [[Subspace]] shunting? [[Unicron Singularity]]? Or...something more?
*Optimus Prime's bio on his Happy Meal toy at McDonald's says he is a '''FIRE TRUCK CAB'''.
*To date, none of Optimus' toys come with his trademark 'grappler launcher' weapons.
*According to the packaging call-outs for Cybertron Mode, DVD two-pack and Voyager Optimus Prime, his weapon is an "Ion-Axe" (or "Ion Axe"). However, on Roll Out Command Optimus Prime, Optimus's weapon is an "Ultra-Axe". ''[[Transformers Animated: The AllSpark Almanac|The AllSpark Almanac]]'' labels it a [[Solitarium]] weapon. The Japanese dub not only embraced the term "Ultra-Axe", but also added the "Ultra-" prefix to Prime's net (now the "Ultra-Net"), grappling hook (the "Ultra-Anchor"), and... jumping ability ("Ultra-Jump").
*[[TakaraTomy]] marketing director, [[Masahiko Yamazaki]], has claimed that the Japanese version of ''Transformers Animated'' takes place within the continuity of the [[Live-action film series|live-action film franchise]], thus making ''Animated'' Optimus Prime the same character as Movie [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]]. Some of Yamazaki's other statements regarding this have been contradicted (primarily regarding [[Bulkhead (Animated)|Bulkhead]]), so take with a grain of salt.
*A round of punny Japanese. During the "next episode" preview at the end of "[[Transform and Roll Out|A New Chapter! Transformers]]", Bumblebee complains that the name "Oputimasu Puraimu" (as the natives pronounce it) is too long and difficult to remember. His renaming suggestions include: "[[Convoy (rank)|Convoy]]", "Oputi", "Opura", and "Pupu". Obviously, Optimus rejects all of them, saying that "Oputi" is more suited for a cute dog, "Opura" just sounds weird, and "Pupu", while cute, would be hard not to laugh at.
*According to <strike>David Kaye</strike> [[Megatron (BW)|Megatron]], he (like any Autobot) sucks at golf.<ref>[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0EQsjGclmVQ&feature=related David Kaye at BotCon 2008]</ref>

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Optimus Prime''' (オプティマスプライム ''Oputimasu Puraimu'')

==External links==
* [http://www.tfu.info/2008/Autobot/CybModeOptimusPrime/optimusprime.htm Optimus Prime at TFU.info]

==References==
<references />

[[Category:Animated Autobots]]
[[Category:Fast food exclusives]]
[[Category:Hall of Fame]]
[[Category:Matrix bearers]]
[[Category:Primes]]
[[Category:TransTech Autobots]]
[[Category:Universe (2008)]]

Optimus Prime (Animated)

2011-11-17T17:34:33Z

Dvegaj: /* Notes */

{{factions|autobot|hofsilver}}
{{Template:Disambig3|Optimus Prime}}{{suite}}

:''Optimus Prime is an [[Autobot]] from the [[Transformers Animated (franchise)|Transformers Animated]] [[continuity family]].''

[[Image:OptimusPrimeAnimated.JPG|right|thumb|300px|"Freedom... [[Megatron (BW)|Yeesss]]..."]]

A washout from the [[Cybertron Elite Guard]], '''Optimus Prime''' was reassigned to [[space bridge]] repair duty under the supervision of [[Ratchet (Animated)|Ratchet]]. He is a relatively naive and idealistic young leader, prone to long-winded "inspirational" speeches who leads a small and inexperienced Autobot [[space bridge]] maintenance team. Recently, his crew has landed on [[Earth]], adopted jobs as semi-official superheroes and currently live in an abandoned Sumdac Systems warehouse.

Despite his humble "Bot Next Door" persona, he performs his job with a dedicated seriousness. He transforms into a red truck cab that can be fitted with many kinds of "[[trailer]]" attachments (most notably one that makes him look like a fire engine) and wields a kick-ass, rocket-propelled, extendable battle axe, as well as multiple arm mounted modifications, including grappler cables, fire extinguishers and bola-whip throwers. Despite his formidable abilities and skills, not everyone thought so highly of the young Prime. [[Sentinel Prime (Animated)|Sentinel Prime]] sneers at Optimus's lowly repair job, and [[Supreme Commander]] [[Ultra Magnus (Animated)|Ultra Magnus]] once held the young officer in low regard. More than anything, Prime wanted to be a hero. He's had the speeches, he had the moves...but what was he missing? Maybe [[Stan Bush|The Touch]]?

But since coming to Earth, Optimus has learned the truth about heroism. It's not about glory and destiny, it's about doing the right thing and going to your limit and beyond. Ratchet, for all his cynicism, knows that Prime is a hero, and after seeing him in action, Ultra Magnus himself admitted that Optimus has excellent leadership skills.

{{Quote|So, this is what it feels like to be a hero...|Optimus upon his death|"[[Transform and Roll Out]]"}}

==Fiction==
===''Animated'' cartoon===
{{Idw-tfa}}
:''Voice actor:'' [[David Kaye]] (English), [[Hiroki Takahashi]] (Japanese), [[Bernd Vollbrecht]] (German), [[Maciej Walentek]] (Polish), [[Marco Balzarotti]] (Italian), [[Alexandre Marconato]] (Portuguese), [[Carlos Carvajal]] (Latin American Spanish, 1st and 2nd season), [[Javier Rodríguez Castellanos]] (Latin American Spanish, 3rd season), [[Yang Seokjeong]] (Korean), [[Hesham Hamada]] (Arabic)

[[Image:Arrival5-Optimusvehiclemode.jpg|left|thumb|300px|TRUKK NOT ... other... truck...]]

''Optimus did his [[Autobot boot camp]] training under [[Kup (Animated)|Kup Minor]], who gave him the name "Optimus" because of his cheery, optimistic outlook. Sentinel and [[Blackarachnia (Animated)|Elita-1]] were also in this training platoon. {{storylink|Transformers Animated: The AllSpark Almanac II‎|The AllSpark Almanac II‎}}''

''During his later training days at the [[Autobot Academy]], Optimus impressed Ultra Magnus with his performance in a computer simulated battle against [[Megatron (Animated)|Megatron]]. Although Optimus "died" in the battle, causing his boisterous pal Sentinel to make a crack at his expense, Magnus pointed out that Optimus had just scored higher on the test than anyone in Academy history, and let Optimus know he had great hopes for him.'' {{storylink|The Arrival issue 5#Survival Skills|Survival Skills}}

[[Image:Alongcameaspiderthreefriends.jpg|right|250px|thumb|"Whoa-oh! Surprise hug from Mr. Freaky-Big!"]]

A thousand stellar cycles ago, Optimus and Elita-1 accompanied Sentinel on an unpermitted mission to [[Archa Seven|a forbidden organic planet]] in search of a lost [[Decepticon]] [[Twilight (Animated)|ship]] rumored to be carrying a huge payload of [[Energon (fuel)|energon]] [[energon cube|cubes]]. The mission was declared a wash when the trio discovered that the planet was infested with [[Archa Seven arachnid|giant spiders]], but the trio found that their retreat was not an easy one. Separated from Sentinel in the chaos of a spider attack, Optimus and Elita found the Decepticon ship and its coveted energon cubes, only to be surrounded by another swarm of spiders. Optimus had Elita download his grappler abilities so that they could bring a giant stalactite down on the creatures, causing the energon cubes to explode in the process. As they attempt to swing their way to safety, however, Elita's download timed out and she plummeted back down into the heart of the conflagration, just as Sentinel arrived to bear witness. Knowing that to go after her would mean death, Optimus held Sentinel back from pursuing Elita and forcibly dragged him back to the surface just before they were caught in the explosion. {{storylink|Along Came a Spider}}

Sentinel never forgave Optimus for making him leave Elita behind, and bore a grudge against him for the next thousand years, constantly belittling him and sniping at him. When the failed mission came to the attention of Ultra Magnus, the two were brought to a military tribunal. Sentinel gladly placed the blame for Elita-1's death at Optimus' feet, and gallantly, Optimus took the fall for leading the mission. He was discharged from the Academy, never to join the Elite Guard. Luckily for Optimus, Magnus thought that maybe the bot he once had such high hopes for still had some potential, and gave him the rank of "Prime" and his own ship...a [[Omega Supreme (Animated)|rusted out junker]] filled with the incompetent young bots [[Bumblebee (Animated)|Bumblebee]] and [[Bulkhead (Animated)|Bulkhead]], plus a crotchety old medic, [[Ratchet (Animated)|Ratchet]].

During one of their routine [[Space Bridge]] terminal repair missions, Optimus Prime's crew stumbled upon a bot named [[Prowl (Animated)|Prowl]] who was trying to complete his [[Cyber-Ninja]] training. Unfortunately, an [[energon cube]] explosion destroyed his ship, so Optimus offered Prowl a place on his crew. The would-be cyber-ninja expressed frustration at the constant curveballs life had thrown at him thus far, and Optimus noted that he could easily relate to that sentiment.
{{storylink|Endgame, Part I}}

[[Image:Ani crew.JPG|left|thumb|300px|Call me Captainimus Prime!]]

Fifty years ago, Prime and his crew came across the [[AllSpark]] while repairing a space bridge and brought the artifact aboard their ship. During transport, they were discovered by the [[Decepticon]]s, and [[Megatron (Animated)|Megatron]] came after them. He proved too strong to take head on (in spite of [[Starscream (Animated)|his subordinate]] planting a bomb on his chassis), but when [[Teletran-1]] neared [[Earth]], Prime knocked Megatron overboard. The Autobots stayed in stasis for the next 50 years until they were accidentally awakened by an apparent intruder. Optimus and the Autobots took on Earth vehicles as alternate modes in an attempt to assimilate with what they believed to be the local dominant culture. Prime and his team were able to dispatch a bio-mechanical insectoid that was attacking Detroit. They were hailed as heroes for it.

[[Image:Sariprime.jpg|right|120px|thumb|Insert what where?!]]

Over the next several weeks, the Autobots got to learn human culture and customs, doing their best to prevent disasters and save lives. Eventually, Starscream came for the AllSpark, and Optimus found that the schemer could pack quite a punch. The Autobot officer was still able to keep Starscream from getting the artifact, though at the cost of his life. However, he was quickly revived by [[Sari Sumdac]] and her AllSpark-influenced [[AllSpark Key|key]]. Later, the Autobots helped rebuild parts of Detroit that were destroyed in their battle with Starscream. {{storylink|Transform and Roll Out}}

Unfortunately for Optimus, he had gained a reputation outside of Earth's atmosphere—not as a hero, but as the slayer of Megatron. The Decepticon [[Blitzwing (Animated)|Blitzwing]] placed a large bounty on his head, and pretty soon, [[Lockdown (Animated)|Lockdown]] came to collect. He captured Prime and stole his axe and grapplers. Fortunately, Ratchet saved him, finally getting the old bot to open up more. {{storylink|The Thrill of the Hunt}}

[[Image:TFA ep9 Optimus and Blackarachnia rooftop.jpg|left|200px|thumb|Optimus Prime is all left feet, but that's still not as many as Blackarachnia.]]

During the Autobots' first [[Halloween]] on Earth, the Decepticon [[Blackarachnia (Animated)|Blackarachnia]] ambushed [[Bumblebee (Animated)|Bumblebee]] and [[Bulkhead (Animated)|Bulkhead]] and kidnapped Sari. When Optimus Prime tried to fight Blackarachnia, she dodged all his moves, as she had trained with him. Prime was shocked to learn that Blackarachnia was his old Autobot Academy classmate Elita-1, who hadn't died but been mutated while fighting off the giant arachnids those many years ago. Blackarachnia tried to use Sari's AllSpark key to remove the organic aspects from her biology, but the key began to drain the life from everything organic around and nearly killed Blackarachnia herself. Prime removed the key, saving Blackarachnia and the organics. Still calling her Elita, Prime tried to convince her to return to the Autobots so they could try and help her. She repaid that kindness by injecting him with venom and telling him that she would never trust him again. Prime was left to reflect on the friend he'd failed not once, but twice. {{storylink|Along Came a Spider}}

When Decepticon energy signals were detected near the city, the Autobots quickly realized that their options were limited. Bulkhead mentioned that the [[Dinobot (Animated)|Dinobots]] might help, forcing [[Prowl (Animated)|Prowl]] to reveal how the two moved them to [[Dinobot Island (Animated)|Dinobot Island]]. Prime's reaction was...displeased, to say the least. Ranting that all he had to command were insubordinate malfunctions, Prime also concluded that the Key was no longer safe with Sari, and he ordered Ratchet to take it from her. As Sari ran off crying, Bumblebee mouthed off that their situation was an indication that Prime was unfit for command.

[[Image:Megatron Rising Optimus rant.JPG|right|170px|thumb|[[wikipedia:Red_Forman|Dumbasses]]!]]

Heading to Dinobot Island, Prime did not get off to a good start with [[Grimlock (Animated)|Grimlock]], mostly because Grimlock considered him lunch. After Prowl smoothed things over, Prime tried to convince them to help the Autobots fight the Decepticons, but Grimlock was uninterested. Receiving word from Ratchet that the Key had been stolen, Prime ordered Ratchet to guard the AllSpark while the Autobots headed back for the mainland. Prime himself also began to wonder if he was fit for command, seeing as all his decisions had blown up in his face. When Bumblebee contacted the Autobots to inform them that Starscream was at [[Sumdac Tower]], he refused Prime's order to hold back and went to attack the Decepticon on his own. Prime dryly noted that the day just kept getting better and better.

Then everything pretty much went to Hell when Megatron burst out of Sumdac Tower, to the shock and horror of just about everyone. {{storylink|Megatron Rising - Part 1}}

Quickly regaining their composure, the Autobots attacked. Megatron beat the [[Slag (slang)|slag]] out of them. Though Optimus fared slightly better, Megatron still brought him down fairly quickly. They were only able to escape when Megatron punished Starscream for his betrayal. Taking refuge within Sumdac Tower, [[Isaac Sumdac|Professor Sumdac]] explained his role in Megatron's revival and helped repair the Autobots with residual key energy. After Bumblebee called Prime to answer for his earlier assessment of them, Prime admitted he was wrong and asked them for forgiveness. When Ratchet and Sari showed up with Teletran-1, the Autobots took flight, hoping to lure the Decepticons away from Earth to prevent human casualties. Unfortunately, the Decepticons shot down the vessel and caused it to crash on Dinobot Island.

[[Image:Megatron Rising Optimus Megatron Key shove.JPG|left|200px|thumb|"Now, light our darkest hour!"]]

As the Autobots took on the Decepticons, Optimus faced down Megatron, which went as well as the first time. When Megatron got into the Autobots' ship, he took the AllSpark and placed the powerful artifact within him, using it as a weapon against Prime. However, Megatron had dropped the key, and Sari threw it to Prime. The Autobot officer used the key to send a surge of energy through the AllSpark, causing it to disperse while still in Megatron. With the threat passed, Prime apologized to Sari and returned the key, saying it was too important to be trusted with an Autobot. {{storylink|Megatron Rising - Part 2}}

After the battle with the Decepticons, the [[Cybertron Elite Guard]] arrived to take the AllSpark back to Cybertron. Optimus explained that the AllSpark had been dispersed and that the Decepticons had been defeated. Sentinel Prime accused Optimus of lying and took every chance he could to belittle his former friend, but [[Ultra Magnus (Animated)|Ultra Magnus]] decided to investigate their claims. Optimus took them to Dinobot Island, but the Autobots did not make a good impression on the Dinobots. Before they could investigate, they received a message from Ratchet, saying that [[police drone]]s had gone haywire at a Sumdac Systems manufacturing plant. Optimus managed to get Sari inside and shut off the assembly line, but the key was stuck in the console. Before Optimus could help, Sentinel pushed him aside and promised to see Optimus charged for high treason. Tired of Sentinel's slag, Optimus finally stuck up for himself and told Sentinel where to shove it, destroying the console the key was stuck in and revealing an AllSpark fragment. Ultra Magnus accepted the shard as proof of Optimus Prime's claims. Though Sentinel still refused to believe him, Magnus said that Optimus Prime displayed many qualities that Sentinel himself could use. {{storylink|The Elite Guard}}

[[Image:Returnofheadmaster optimuslaughs.jpg|right|180px|thumb|Ha ''Ha!'' [[Decapitation]].]]

When Sentinel and Optimus were at a press conference with [[Augustus Edsel|Mayor Edsel]], they received a call about a Decepticon sighting in old Detroit. After Sentinel mangled the roads en route, he told Optimus to split up and search on his own. Hours later, Optimus received a communication to from Sentinel to dismiss the police and come to Sentinel's location alone—and not to laugh when he got there. What Optimus found was Sentinel Prime's severed head, with his [[Structure|body]] having been stolen by the [[Headmaster (Animated)|Headmaster]]. He promised to help Sentinel find his body without letting Ultra Magnus or the other Autobots know, but not before taking a moment or two to enjoy the situation.

Heading for Sumdac Tower, Optimus confronted [[Porter C. Powell]], who denied knowing where Masterson was and told him the Autobots were no longer welcome at the facility. Optimus left, but immediately tapped in on Powell and Masterson's phone conversation, letting Optimus track Masterson to the docks. After encountering mini-Headmasters in the form of [[Tutor Bot]] and [[Sparkplug (robot dog)|Sparkplug]], Optimus was able to get aboard the ship before it sailed away. Finding the Headmaster with Sentinel Prime's body, Optimus Prime proceeded to beat the living slag out of his attacker, much to Sentinel's discomfort. Finally defeating the mad scientist, Optimus reattached Sentinel's head to his body, but Masterson walked away due to legal technicalities. When Ultra Magnus asked them about it the next day, Optimus covered for Sentinel, saying that Sentinel had volunteered to use himself as bait to capture Masterson, and Magnus praised their bravery. In an awkward moment, Sentinel thanked Optimus for all he'd done, and the two shook hands amicably. {{storylink|The Return of the Headmaster}}

[[Image:Sentinel vs Optimus%2C with Jazz in the middle.jpg|left|200px|thumb|Jay Leno VS. Bruce Campbell, Battle of [[chin]]s.]]

When word of Decepticon attacks came after learning that Megatron was still alive, Ultra Magnus decided that Optimus and his Autobots would be needed elsewhere repairing damaged space bridges. The Elite Guard also wanted Optimus to...leave out that whole destruction of the AllSpark and Megatron's survival thing for the time being. When they detected an AllSpark shard energy signature in a human train, the Elite Guard went to retrieve it. Detecting Starscream, Optimus realized it was a trap and was forced to place stasis cuffs on Sentinel Prime to leave the Elite Guard's ship. Meeting up with his crew, he helped them remove the shard and save the humans. Magnus and Sentinel, who by now had broken out of his cuffs, were about to rip Optimus a new one for insubordination, assault, and the lack of evidence over the Decepticons—at which point Starscream's body crashed mere meters away from them, having been offlined by Megatron (again). When Starscream knocked out Ultra Magnus, Optimus took command (much to Sentinel's displeasure). He managed to place the stasis-cuffs on Starscream, and Ultra Magnus decided that Optimus Prime and his team would be allowed to stay on Earth, locate the remaining AllSpark shards, and arrest the remaining Decepticons. {{storylink|Mission Accomplished}}

Later on, when Bulkhead brought [[Scrapper (Animated)|Scrapper]] and [[Mixmaster (Animated)|Mixmaster]] back to Autobot headquarters, Optimus was not impressed with their antics and demanded that they leave. Optimus warned Bulkhead that the duo were not worth spending time with and that they were not capable of learning the ways of an Autobot. After the Constructicons were 'persuaded' by Megatron that their talents would be better utilized in the Decepticon ranks, Prime was furious and despite Bulkhead's insistence that they were his friends, Optimus questioned that they didn't know any better.

Unfortunately, he was proved right when Mixmaster and Scrapper showed up and demanded that they hand over the AllSpark fragments, to which Prime naturally refused. A struggle ensued (in which Ratchet and Bumblebee insisted Prime was 'their dipstick') and Mixmaster held Bumblebee hostage and demands the AllSpark. Prime tried to stall for time and Bulkhead handed over the fragments, to Prime's dismay. Bulkhead then 'had one for the road' and his scheme came to light. With the fragments retrieved, Optimus consoled a distraught Bulkhead and assured him that as long as the Constructicons (now having lost their memory due to the explosion caused by the tainted oil) were not wearing Decepticon badges, they still had a choice. {{storylink|Rise of the Constructicons}}

[[Image:Animated Black Friday Prime Meltdown.jpg|right|175px|thumb|At the end of this day, one shall stand, one shall melt.]]

After learning that the Dinobots helped Meltdown escape, Prime took Prowl and Bumblebee to investigate Dinobot Island. There, he learned that Blackarachnia was manipulating the Dinobots, and had struck a deal with Meltdown to remove her organic half. However, Meltdown needed a [[genetic modifier]]. Blackarachnia, having poisoned Prowl and Bumblebee with her venom, told Prime to help Grimlock get the modifier in exchange for the antivenom that would save his Autobots. Though Prime tried to convince Grimlock of Blackarachnia's evil intentions, Grimlock would hear none of it. Returning to the mainland, Prime revoked his "protector of humanity" title long enough for Grimlock to "convince" [[Porter C. Powell]] to tell them where the modifier was. When Powell realized it was valuable, Prime was tempted to let Grimlock finish him off, but decided the Autobots didn't have time. Returning to Dinobot Island, Meltdown turned the tables on them, revealing that he planned to remove Blackarachnia's organic half, and sicced [[Fusion creature|his experiments]] on Prime and Grimlock. With the other Dinobots help, they sent the mutants packing. Prime then removed the modifier before Meltdown could finish his experiments, and exposure to the modifier caused Meltdown to break apart. Blackarachnia urged Optimus to come closer, but Grimlock's jealousy caused him to attack, allowing Blackarachnia to flee. When Prime went to Prowl and Bumblebee, he found the anti-venom, and saved their sparks. Although Powell tried to have Prime arrested, Fanzone refused to do anything about it. Because she left the anti-venom, however, Optimus Prime was hopeful that somewhere beneath the anger and betrayal of Blackarachnia, there was still something left of Elita-1. {{storylink|Black Friday (episode)|Black Friday}}

When Bulkhead was kidnapped by Megatron, Bumblebee brought home [[Blurr (Animated)|Blurr]], an Elite Guard intelligence agent who had been assigned to monitor the Decepticons and investigate Optimus Prime's crew (good odds on [[Sentinel Prime (Animated)|the one]] who gave Blurr his orders). When Blurr revealed where the Decepticons were, and that they were building a space bridge with Isaac Sumdac's help, Prime ordered Ratchet and Sari to get the ship back online, while he and the others went to rescue Bulkhead and stop the Decepticons. Before he left, he admitted that he wasn't sure if Professor Sumdac was willingly cooperating with the Decepticons, but promised Sari that he would bring him home alive. Heading to the mines, they were ambushed by Blitzwing and Lugnut, who were incapacitated by Blurr. Reaching the control room, the Autobots were incapaciated by the [[Constructicon (Animated)|Constructicons]]. Fortunately, the Decepticons were too busy with the sudden arrival of Starscream and [[Starscream clone (Animated)|his clones]] to immediately kill them. {{storylink|A Bridge Too Close, Part I}}

Managing to free himself, Optimus found himself in the odd position of fighting side by side with Megatron. But the battle went against the Autobots, with Blurr and a pair of clones sucked into the space bridge and the other Autobots incapacitated. In typical Decepticon fashion, Megatron used Prime as a human shield against the clones. After the battle, Megatron decided to use Prime as a test to see if the space bridge worked, where Prime would eliminated by [[Shockwave (Animated)|Shockwave]] if it did. Fortunately, Prowl managed to get free from his stasis cuffs and shatter Optimus Prime's, allowing him to grapple Megatron. However, the power cut out, forcing Megatron to use the severed head of Starscream to further power the bridge, causing an overload. Prime managed to slap stasis cuffs on Megatron, taking him into the bridge, but the Autobots were nearly sucked in when [[Omega Supreme (Animated)|Omega Supreme]] arrived and sacrificed himself to save them. As the bridge self-destructed, the Autobots managed to escape before the mountain came down on top of them. Though mourning the losses of Omega and Blurr, Megatron's plot was foiled, and the Autobots could breathe a collective sigh of relief.

Sighs of relief which turned to gasps of shock and horror when Sari noticed that the skin of her arm had been torn...revealing robotic circuitry underneath! {{storylink|A Bridge Too Close, Part II}}

Leaving the mine, Optimus carried Sari and Isaac with him as the Professor explained what he knew of Sari's origins: years ago, Sumdac found a body of liquid metal, which he touched, and Sari emerged. Remembering all too well the horror story of human manufacturing, Optimus pointed out several flaws in Isaac's story. Optimus provided the necessary muscle to prevent Porter C. Powell and Henry Masterson from trying anything funny when Isaac returned to Sumdac Tower and fired the two, and was on hand to witness Sari activated some sort of weapons system to eject them. Horrified, Sari decided she was better off with her "fellow machines", and Optimus promised to keep her safe until she was ready to talk. Realizing that she wasn't going to talk, Optimus tricked Sari into going to [[Burger Bot]], alerting Sumdac that they were heading there. Unfortunately, the Headmaster had found his Headmaster unit and Starscream's body, and attacked the trio. After a short battle, Optimus tricked Masterson into transforming, saying that a "n00b" like him couldn't do it. The attack managed to reconcile Isaac and Sari, and Optimus took them home, where Prowl revealed his theory that Sari was a protoform merged with Sumdac's DNA.

Later, Ratchet turned up with an unconscious Bulkhead and claims of a missing Bumblebee. Bulkhead theorized that Bumblebee had activated the [[plasma dynamic thruster]], sending him across the universe, and used a homing beacon generator to bring him home. Unfortunately, Bumblebee was swallowed by a [[Rock Lord|rock-like alien]]. As the Autobots tried to figure out how to stop the creature without harming Bumblebee, Sari used the Key to upgrade herself into a more powerful mech. She defeated the monster, but overloaded and was unable to control her movements, seriously injuring Bumblebee. The Autobots were able to remove the Key, only to discover Sari kept going and the Key had been drained. Ratchet was forced to deactivate Sari with his EMP generator.

Returning to the plant, Optimus informed Isaac of Sari's condition, deciding that this family was done keeping secrets from each other. Unfortunately, Megatron arrived, commanding Omega Supreme. Optimus and the others led Megatron out of the city, where he and Prowl boarded Omega, removing Megatron's influence. Unfortunately, Starscream took over Omega Supreme, and decided to conquer Cybertron. Optimus latched aboard the departing vessel, and shoved the plasma dynamic thruster into Omega, sending him warping across the galaxy randomly, ending the threats of Megatron and Starscream for a while. {{storylink|TransWarped}}

After reprimanding Bumblebee for playing video games while on monitor duty, Optimus led the Autobots out on a search mission when they detected a Cybertronian energy signature. While Optimus was away, he received an emergency call from Bumblebee, revealing that Wasp was at the plant. By the time the Autobots returned, Wasp had switched places with Bumblebee. Unable to convince his teammates of the ruse, Bumblebee fled, and just as Optimus and his remaining Autobots gave chase, Sentinel Prime and Jazz cut them off. Sentinel was unwilling to listen to Optimus's claims that Wasp was innocent and Longarm Prime was the real traitor, and he took off for Wasp. Optimus had their group split up to try and find Wasp first, ordering Ratchet to come with him while Bulkhead and Prowl went to check another section of the city. While searching, Optimus and Ratchet discovered two Cybertronian fliers and assumed they were Decepticons. Only after fighting with the pair did they learn that [[Jetstorm (Animated)|Jetstorm]] and [[Jetfire (Animated)|Jetfire]] were Elite Guard members who had been upgraded with flight protocols duplicated from Starscream.

As Optimus, Ratchet, and Jazz watched Sentinel flail about on the wet roads, still ignoring pleas to warn Cybertron about Longarm, Optimus asked how Jazz was able to stand the obnoxious Prime, and was surprised to learn that the Elite Guard ninja ignored "only half" of what Sentinel said. When the jet twins reported to Sentinel that Bulkhead and Prowl were working with Wasp, Sentinel ordered all of Optimus's crew arrested, despite Optimus putting it as simply as possible: Wasp wasn't a double agent, so Bulkhead and Prowl couldn't be his fellow double agents. Once they reached the others, Optimus had to deal with Sentinel's insistence on arresting them all to let Ultra Magnus sort them out, despite Prowl and Bulkhead now believing that Wasp and Bumblebee had switched places. Overruling Sentinel's demands, Optimus had everyone return to the plant, as that's where Wasp had to be if 'Bee's story was true. By the time they returned, Wasp had read up on Bumblebee's files and so was able to relate a number of 'Bee's adventures to prove he was the real deal. When Bulkhead had Bumblebee and Wasp play ''[[Ninja Gladiator]]'' to see who the real one was, Prime had no better suggestion. Wasp choked and escaped, and Jazz finally realized that Optimus had been telling the truth about Longarm being a double agent. An oblivious Sentinel asked why they hadn't told him this in the first place, and Optimus sighed in exasperation. {{storylink|Where Is Thy Sting?}}

With the Elite Guard remaining on Earth, the Autobots began a search for the rest of Megatron's Decepticons. During one search, Optimus saw an unfamiliar shadow with a strange helmet. Following it, Optimus, Prowl, and Jazz discovered Sentinel Prime had captured [[Sunstorm (Animated)|Sunstorm]] without making a sound. Despite his notorious ego, Sentinel refused to elaborate on the capture, and even bolted the clone's mouth shut when he started to talk. Returning to the Elite Guard ship, Optimus discovered that Sentinel had also captured Blitzwing and Swindle, as well, and was equally vague on the details. After helping Prowl investigate the mysterious helmeted figure, Optimus returned to the ship where he, Jazz, and Prowl were shocked to discover that Sentinel had captured Lugnut. Now convinced that Sentinel was lying to them, Optimus and the others eventually followed him to [[Tigatron Stadium]], where they discovered a stasis-cuffed Sentinel, the [[Ramjet (Animated)|Liar Starscream]], Lockdown (wearing the mysterious helmet), and that Sentinel had been having Lockdown capture the Decepticons in exchange for parts of the Elite Guard ship. After a battle, the clone was captured, but Lockdown escaped. Returning to the Elite Guard ship, the Autobots made contact with Cybertron, learning that Shockwave had attacked Ultra Magnus and stolen the [[Magnus Hammer]] in the process. Optimus decided not to inform Cybertron Command of Sentinel's misconduct, but instead gave Prowl all the credit for the captures. Sentinel expressed annoyance that he didn't get any credit for the captures, and Optimus told his former friend that when the smoke cleared, there would be a reckoning between the two Primes. {{storylink|Five Servos of Doom}}

[[Image:PredaconsRising-BASentinelOptimus.jpg|left|thumb|300px|Hail hail, the gang's all here!]]

However, Sentinel remained on Earth, convinced that Wasp knew something about the attack on Ultra Magnus. Efforts to locate Wasp were hampered by Sentinel's refusal to recognize Optimus's authority on Earth, claiming he was the ''primer'' Prime. However, things came to a head when the Dinobot Swoop captured Wasp and took him to Dinobot Island. Realizing that Blackarachnia might be involved, Optimus tried to warn Sentinel about her, but he refused to listen, as usual. Reaching the island, Optimus found Blackarachnia draining Sentinel of his powers, and offered himself in Sentinel's place. Blackarachnia didn't care; as far as she was concerned, she had every right to slag them both for abandoning her. She also revealed that she had made Wasp into the technorganic Waspinator in the hopes that if she could change him back, she could change back into Elita-1. However, Waspinator heard this, and tried to attack Blackarachnia. Reaching critical mass, Blackarachnia wrapped herself and Waspinator into a cocoon to contain the transwarp explosion. The Autobots were barely able to avoid the blast radius, which appeared to destroy most of Dinobot Island. Optimus concluded that Blackarachnia sacrificed herself to save them, but Sentinel thought that she sacrificed Waspinator to escape. Although Sentinel did not press the issue, Optimus could see that he was deeply hurt by what he had experienced.

A short time later, the Elite Guard were preparing to leave, and Optimus Prime's crew were seeing them off. Optimus actually defended Sentinel when the twins poked fun at him, saying that for all his flaws, Sentinel was a good bot at spark. Sentinel later came out to talk to Optimus privately, and Optimus apologized, both for not telling Sentinel about Elita's survival, and for not letting Sentinel go back to try and rescue her. In turn, Sentinel apologized for coming up with the idea to go to the planet, but admitted that the time was past for apologies. Optimus ended the conversation on a lighter note, saying that Cybertron needed a leader, and for better or worse, Sentinel Prime was that leader. Sentinel agreed, and the two Primes finally appeared to bury the hatchet. {{storylink|Predacons Rising}}

Optimus Prime's mood soon soured as the [[Christmas]] season rolled in, and the latest must-have product from Porter C. Powell was advertised all over the city—the all-singing, all-dancing [[Soundwave (Animated)|Soundwave]]! After following a lone Soundwave and almost getting decapitated by a train, he decided he was obsessing over nothing and rejoined the other Autobots for some [[oilnog]]... not realizing it had been spiked by another Soundwave, forcing Optimus and the others into taking an early [[Stasis lock|stasis nap]].

[[Image:TFAni Human Error Part 1 Optimus Human.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Worst. Hangover. ''Ever!'']]

As Optimus woke up the next morning, he discovered, to his horror, that he and the others had inexplicably become human. Despite his hopes, Ratchet could find no rational explanation for their transformation. Deciding the best course of action was to head to Sumdac Tower, the Auto''men'' set off into the city. A quick stop at the Burger Bot turned to them fleeing from an attacking Decepticon armada, followed by Optimus and Prowl saving a woman and [[Gary|her son]] from a burning building, to (badly) fighting off an attacking Starscream and finally—perhaps worst of all—having to take public transportation to Sumdac Tower. However, no sooner had they arrived at their destination then they witnessed the tower blasted to ruins... by a Megatron-controlled Cybertron!

But just as the Autobots seemed on the brink of destruction, Optimus came to a realization—none of what they had experienced was real, but a virtual reality simulation! They took out the Decepticons together with superhuman feats, Optimus destroying Megatron himself with a well aimed axe into his cannon. As the dust settled and the Decepticons disappeared, they "imagined" themselves into their real forms once again. But as soon as they had made the transformation, a giant Soundwave scooped them up into the sky, blasting them all with energy.

In the real world, Optimus and his crew were all prisoners of the real Soundwave in the basement of the Autobot hideout, as part of the sonic warrior's plan to reprogram them into being Decepticons. As their captor started to accelerate the reprogramming, Optimus opened his eyes to reveal them glowing red... {{storylink|Human Error, Part I}}

[[Image:PrimeReadyToRock.jpg|thumb|left|200px| "I don't need no instructions to know how to rock!"]]

A wire from an attack Sari had made on Soundwave disrupted the connection, but after a failed escape attempt by Prowl, Soundwave reverted all the Autobots to their human forms and used his toy replica drones scattered around Detroit to begin hypnotising the human population.

Looking for a way to interface with Soundwave to escape and locating it in the form of his vehicle mode, Optimus gave the order to pursue the Decepticon utilizing the conveniently placed vehicles on which their own alternate modes were based. Unfortunately, Optimus didn't know how to drive extremely well. He still was able to pursue Soundwave, albeit with the fire hose out of control.

When Optimus and his group finally cornered Soundwave, it was revealed to be a trap: Hundreds of Soundwave's vehicle modes surrounded the Automen, and when the Autobots attempted to escape, their vehicles' seat belts wrapped around them as Soundwave began to reprogram them again.

Controlling the reprogrammed Autobots like puppets, Soundwave used them in a battle with Sari and the [[Substitute Autobot]]s, whom at first they soundly defeated. When Sari ordered the Substitute Autobots to attack all the Autobots at once, however, Soundwave began having trouble multitasking, until he decided to use just Optimus against them. Optimus soundly defeated the Substitute Autobots again and was about to kill Sari when the freed Prowl used his shuriken to blast Ratbat out of Soundwave's hands, liberating the rest of the Autobots. Optimus then grabbed Laserbeak, forced him into guitar mode, and engaged in a brief (''epic'') Battle of the Bands scenario before using Laserbeak to slice Soundwave and Ratbat in half, destroying the Decepticon's control over the citizens of Detroit. He and Sari then exchanged mutual new appreciation of each other's daily difficulties, Sari better understanding the stresses of command, Optimus now realizing the rigors of being human. {{storylink|Human Error, Part II}}

[[Image:TFAni Decepticon Air Swindle Optimus Hand.jpg|thumb||180px|right|"GIVE ME YOUR FACE!"]]
Optimus later congratulated Professor Sumdac and Bulkhead for completing a space bridge terminal in record time, and he was amazed when Sari single-handedly and expertly recalibrated the transwarp sequencers. However, he soon received a message from Sentinel Prime, who had accidentally freed several Decepticon prisoners on the Elite Guard ship, which decrypted to "Broken Lance", the coded distress call Sentinel used to use in their Academy days. Using the space bridge terminal to get to the ship, Optimus promptly emerged from Swindle's chest, having arrived in the pocket dimension which Swindle used to hold all his stock. Taking an elevator to the ship's energon storage chamber, Optimus slightly destabilized some energon cubes by perforating them with his axe, then put them in the elevator car and sliced the cables, so it exploded near the bottom just as the Decepticons pried open the doors. Slightly charred from the backblast, Optimus entered one of the service ducts and worked his way back to the brig area, grumbling as he did so.

Soon after, Prime freed his fellow Autobots and told Jazz to rewire the decontamination unit on the bridge as a freezing chamber to trap the Decepticons. At the same time, taking a cue from Sentinel's coded transmission, he made his Autobot symbol blink in [[Cybertronian optical code|Cybertronian Optical Code]] to tell Jazz that the decontamination chamber would be the only part of the bridge ''not'' to get frozen. After convincing the Elite Guard to surrender to the Decepticons (but not before using Sentinel as a slingshot against Lugnut), he endured Blitzwing locking them in the decontamination chamber and gloating all the while—until Blitzwing pressed the button and all the Decepticons on the bridge were frozen. Sentinel offered Optimus the Elite Guard spot that would be left when Sentinel became Magnus, but Prime declined, saying that he still had plenty to do on Earth. Optimus then returned to Earth on the Elite Guard's ship, and he and Sentinel traded salutes before they went their separate ways.
{{storylink|Decepticon Air}}

[[Image:Endgame2-OptimusPrimeInArmor.jpg|left|thumb|300px|Optimus cannot fly!! What is [[To sell toys|happening?]]]]

When Bulkhead detected Omega Supreme on the Moon, Ratchet tried to convince Optimus to use the [[Magnus Hammer]] against Megatron to rescue Omega and Arcee. Optimus felt unworthy due to his discharge from the [[Autobot Academy]] and ban from the Elite Guard, and instead requested that Ratchet build him a modification to [[Optimus Prime (Animated)/toys#Wingblade|let him fly]]. As part of a counter to Ratchet's protest that "Autobots don't fly", Prowl volunteered his boosters to use as a basis for Optimus's mods. When Ratchet ran into trouble on the jetpack, Sari used her Allspark powers to find the problem, and Ratchet soon had an attachable winged jetpack for Optimus to test out. Optimus loved the new ability to fly, shouting "Yessssss!" as he slipped the surly bonds of Earth, but he was shot down by [[Slipstream (Animated)|Slipstream]]. With a jetpack that didn't even give him an advantage over a Starscream clone, and with Megatron's [[Lugnut Supreme]]s fast approaching, Optimus decided he no longer had a choice and picked up the Magnus Hammer, ready to stand up in this [[darkest hour]]. {{storylink|Endgame, Part I}}

Though hesitant about taking to the air given his previous performance, Optimus took to the skies with Prowl to drive the Lugnut Supremes away from Sumdac Tower while Ratchet, Bumblebee, Bulkhead, and Sari went to the Moon to sever Megatron's access to Omega Supreme. After a little trouble, Optimus was able to use the Magnus Hammer to cause a tornado that threw the clones to Dinobot Island, damaging one and rendering the other two unable to fly. However, they were still online and resumed their march to Sumdac Tower. Optimus instructed Prowl and Jazz to enter the clones and remove their AllSpark fragments while he himself fought Megatron. Unfortunately, when Omega was severed from the clones, it activated their hidden function as ''Starscream'' clones, complete with bombs capable of destroying everything within one hundred square miles. Omega returned in time to destroy one clone, and Prowl and Jazz used processor-over-matter to assemble stray AllSpark fragments and power a shield strong enough to contain the remaining clone.

[[Image:TFA-Endgame-PanAcrossEveryone.jpg|right|thumb|350px|Not bad for ol' what's-his-name.]]

Meanwhile, Optimus and Megatron continued to duke it out, eventually being encased in the shield with the third clone. As the final clone's bomb began to detonate, a flash of light removed Optimus from the blast. He was found minutes later by the Autobots, and they were triumphant until they saw the price of victory: Prowl had merged his spark with the AllSpark fragments to save them all. As Optimus ran toward his fallen comrade, Megatron appeared and blasted the Autobot captain. Ratchet tossed the Magnus Hammer to Optimus, who beat the Decepticon leader down. Megatron goaded Optimus to finish it, but Optimus instead destroyed Megatron's fusion cannon, saying that killing him would be too easy. Instead, Optimus Prime and his crew, along with Sari and Omega Supreme, returned to Cybertron with Megatron, Shockwave, and Lugnut as prisoners, before cheering crowds (and a not-so-cheery Sentinel Prime) who hailed them as heroes. {{storylink|Endgame, Part II}}

===Toy bios===
Optimus Prime prefers to fight fairly and in the open. At the same time, he knows bad guys ''don't'', so he utilizes his "night mode" to sneak up on them without being seen. Good lesson, there. {{storylink|Optimus Prime (Animated)/toys#BumperBattlerNightwatch|Nightwatch Optimus Prime}} When the Autobots were preparing for an all-out assault on the Decepticons, Optimus ordered everyone to get their armor upgraded. Ratchet helped him install armor so strong that it can take fusion blasts with ease. {{storylink|Optimus Prime (Animated)/toys#ActivatorArmorUp|Armor Up Optimus Prime}}

===''Be the Hero'' books===
{{Note|As the following stories are [[multipath adventure]]s, details will vary depending on the path taken. See individual pages for information on alternate paths.}}
====''Prime Suspect''====
After saving a [[You|human child]] from being run over by an out-of-control truck, Optimus found that he was being pursued by [[Carmine Fanzone|Captain Fanzone]] and a squad of police. Some investigation turned up the fact that he was accused of breaking into [[HomeTech]]'s laboratory, and they had him doing so on security tape. Rendezvousing at the laboratory, Prime got [[Sari Sumdac|Sari]] and the kid from earlier to go in and look for the footage. Though ultimately unsuccessful, a clue was found that led the Autobots to HomeTech's main warehouse. Within, Prime encountered the Decepticon who had framed him, [[Blitzwing (Animated)|Blitzwing]], and the two battled at length until the other Autobots helped him taken Blitzwing down. With the deception exposed, Prime was confident his name was cleared. {{storylink|Prime Suspect}}

====''Quest for the AllSpark''====
Optimus and [[Ratchet (Animated)|Ratchet]] came up with a surefire plan when [[Megatron (Animated)|Megatron]] took over [[Detroit]]'s robot workforce in an attempt to get his hands on the [[AllSpark]]. The Autobots made false AllSparks and went to hide them around the city. Prime was intercepted by the clearance 'bot [[Crush-A]], and called in the rest of the Autobots, ultimately defeating their foe. {{storylink|Quest for the AllSpark}}
====''Web of Deception''====
When the Autobots' ship on the bottom of [[Lake Erie]] was struck by [[Sparkseeker]] torpedoes, Optimus was knocked offline and abducted by [[Lockdown (Animated)|Lockdown]]. He found himself strapped to an explosive device alongside one of the giant spiders from [[Archa Seven]]. Fortunately Ratchet was able to track him down and rescue him before the bomb could be triggered. {{storylink|Web of Deception}}
====''Time-Quake''====
Optimus and the other Autobots scoured Detroit, searching for the source of some strange temporal anomalies that had begun plaguing the city. Eventually they were able to track down the time machine that was responsible for the disturbances, and Optimus led his team in apprehending the culprit. {{storylink|Time-Quake}}

===Titan Magazines===
[[Image:SPROK%21.JPG|left|200px|thumb|No Country for Old Toys.]]
Optimus was swiftly overpowered by Starscream and [[Starscream clone (Animated)|his army of clones]], as were all the Autobots. The Dinobots arrived to save the day in return for lodgings during a rainy spell, leaving Optimus to ask Ratchet desperately for the weather forecast ''every day'' (the forecast being rain, rain, rain...). {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 17#Dino-MIGHT!|Dino-MIGHT!}}

Later, Detroit was hit by severe earthquakes, and Optimus led the Autobots in a rescue operation, personally holding up a collapsing bridge all by himself. These earthquakes turned out to be the work of the supervillain [[Quake-Maker]]. Optimus fought him but was easily beaten up—but forget Optimus, because the ''awesome'' Elite Guard operative [[Afterburn]] arrived, swiftly taking control of the Autobots and taking the villain down. Optimus was left a bit upset that Afterburn was so much better than him. {{storylink|Animated Comic issue 1|Burnout}}

He was apparently so upset that he didn't bother turning up afterwards, letting Afterburn dominate things. Prime's big contribution was to give everyone the day off. {{storylink|Animated Comic issue 3|Crossroads!}}

Later on, he ran afoul of the angry and impressively moustached [[General Macadam]], who was throwing a fit over Swoop buzzing a [[United States Air Force|USAF jet]]. Optimus gave the Dinobot a grilling over this...realising too late that Swoop, having been booted from Dinobot Island, had come for a job. Later on, Prime was ''very'' amused when Macadam angrily asked for help stopping the hijacked [[Wraith-X]], and had Bumblebee bring in Swoop for it.

There was no time to celebrate, though, as ''Megatron'' assaulted their headquarters! {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 23|Divebomb}} It turned out Afterburn, whom Megatron slaughtered, was a Decepticon infiltrator—and a sparkless drone one, at that—and he'd given their location away! Optimus and the gang held off a full Decepticon assault. In the aftermath, Optimus tried to boost Bumblebee's spirits by telling him he'd been a true hero in fighting Megatron, and that Afterburn hadn't been a ''real'' Transformer, so his death was no biggie. It was quite dodgy how easily Optimus wrote the guy off, to be frank... {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 24|Megatron's Revenge}}

Optimus later went to watch a race at [[Crazy Coyote Canyon]] to find the "King of Speed", and he permitted Bulkhead to join in if he wanted. He probably regretted this when Bulkhead won and Prime had to carry him in a victor's lap... {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 25|The Race}}
{{--}}

===''The Cool'' comic===
Upon discovering the Allspark, Optimus Prime and his crew fled from Megatron's ship into a space bridge gate and wound up before the planet Earth. Unfortunately, Megatron was already aboard the Autobots' vessel, and although he had gotten one of his arms mutilated in combat, had managed to take down the entirety of the ship's crew, with the exception of Optimus himself. Engaged in fierce melee combat with his foe, Optimus jettisoned the Decepticon out of the cargo bay day just, decrying Megatron's wish to rule the universe. Visibly strained from combat, Optimus then put himself and his crew in stasis to await the day he would have to face Megatron once more. {{storylink|The Cool Extra issue 3}}

To protect the [[AllSpark]], Optimus Prime lead his crew of Autobots to the [[Earth]] city of [[Detroit]]. The Decepticons [[Starscream (Animated)|Starscream]], [[Lockdown (Animated)|Lockdown]] and [[Blackarachnia (Animated)|Blackarachnia]] followed and attacked. Prime rescued [[Sari Sumdac]] from an explosion, protecting her with his body, then pitted himself against Starscream. {{storylink|The Cool Episode 1}}

Starscream succeeded in seizing the AllSpark, but Prime refused to let him keep it. Driving off a ramp and attacking him in the sky, Prime opened the AllSpark, dispersing its energy, killing himself in the process. Luckily, Sari's [[AllSpark Key|key]] was able to revive him. {{storylink|The Cool Episode 2}}

Prime then lead the Autobots in defense of [[Dinobot Island (Animated)|Dinobot Island]], but was unable to counter [[Soundwave (Animated)|Soundwave]]'s sonic attacks and [[Lugnut (Animated)|Lugnut]]'s aerial bombardments. The [[Dinobot (Animated)|Dinobot]]s arrived and drove the villains off, but then attempted to drive the Autobots off, too! Prime and [[Grimlock (Animated)|Grimlock]] sorted their issues out and parted on good terms. {{storylink|The Cool Episode 3}}

[[Image:TheCoolMegatronChokesPrime01.jpg|thumb|300px|right|GIVE ME YOUR CHIN!]]

Back in Detroit, Prime was attacked by Blackarachnia, who demanded to know why he'd abandoned her to die years ago. Prime explained that he and [[Sentinel Prime (Animated)|Sentinel]] had immediately formed a rescue party but could not locate her. Freeing himself from her webbing, Prime vowed to help her restore her body no matter what. Their touching moment was interrupted by an attack from [[Blackout (Animated)|Blackout]], which buried Prime in rubble. By the time the other Autobots could free him, Blackarachnia had already retreated with the other Decepticons, asking never to be called "Elita-1" again. Prime screamed furiously at this. {{storylink|The Cool Episode 4}}

Optimus was present outside [[Sumdac Systems]] headquarters to greet the revived Megatron, who politely remembered Prime's name. Megatron made short work of Prime, slamming him to the ground by the throat and blasting away the Autobots with his [[fusion cannon]]. Refusing to give up, Prime drew his axe and clashed with Megatron's swords. Later, Prime survived the battle to greet [[Ultra Magnus (Animated)|Ultra Magnus]] and the [[Cybertron Elite Guard|Elite Guard]], who were demanding an explanation for why he and his crew had yet to return to Cybertron. {{storylink|The Cool Episode 5}}

Optimus Prime later joined Prowl in a battle against [[Clone number 2716057|Clone #2716057]]. Though Prowl defeated the clone, Optimus berated him for being "too flashy" about it and destroying an entire park in the process. Prime then escorted the clone to a warehouse where [[Lockdown (Animated)|Lockdown]] was meeting with Megatron. Optimus demanded Megatron hand over ''his'' clone, but sang a different tune after it was revealed that the clones were packed with explosives. Prowl managed to send the explosives flying into the sky, and Prime complimented him on his quick thinking. {{storylink|The Cool Episode 6}}

Some time after that, Prime managed to find the location of the near-complete Decepticon [[space bridge#Animated cartoon|Space Bridge]] and launched a surprise attack. After kicking [[Mixmaster (Animated)|Mixmaster]] in the stomach, Prime once again clashed melee weapons with Megatron. The foes were forced to fight together, however, when Starscream arrived with his [[Starscream clone (Animated)|Clone Army]]. The pair fought well side by side until [[Slipstream (Animated)|Slipstream]] fired a shot at Megatron's head. The Decepticon leader blocked the shot by using Prime as a living shield, injuring the Autobot near-fatally. {{storylink|The Cool Episode 7}}

As the Space Bridge overloaded, sucking everything into itself, Optimus Prime recovered. Rushing the distracted Megatron, Prime slapped a pair of stasis cuffs on him and then kicked him square in the jaw, sending the Decepticon hurtling into the vortex. After the battle, Prime joined the other Autobots in bidding farewell to the fallen [[Omega Supreme (Animated)|Omega Supreme]]. {{storylink|The Cool Episode 8}}

[[Image:PrimeAllSparkGlowTheCool01.jpg|thumb|left|250px|]]

When Starscream attacked Detroit in Omega Supreme's body, Optimus went off...''somewhere'', and when he came back, he had his Wing Blade armor and the [[Magnus Hammer]], having received the hammer as per Ultra Magnus's wish {{storylink|The Cool Extra issue 1}}. Optimus combined his power with Megatron's to defeat Starscream. After ordering Prowl to remove all traces of Starscream from Omega's body, he set his sights next on Megatron. Optimus and Megatron agreed to conclude their rivalry with a final battle and flew off into the sky, clashing hammer with sword. {{storylink|The Cool Episode 9}}

Outmatched, Megatron fought back by powering his fusion cannon with Starscream's AllSpark fragment. The humongous blast shredded Optimus, who was then impaled through the [[spark]] chamber by Megatron's sword. Refusing to die, Optimus declared that his spark would shine until his last breath. Somehow, this caused the AllSpark fragment to be drawn to Optimus, where it immediately powered him up. Now endowed with a Heavenly aura and apparent invincibility, Optimus choke-slammed Megatron into unconsciousness. Later, Optimus and his crew returned to Cybertron with the shackled Megatron in tow, where they were hailed as heroes. {{storylink|The Cool Episode Final}}

{{-}}

==Games==
===Transformers Animated: The Game===
:''Voice actor:'' [[David Kaye]] (English)
[[Image:TFAnimated Game Optimus Prime.jpg|thumb|right|134px]]
Optimus decided that [[Bulkhead (Animated)|Bulkhead]] and [[Bumblebee (Animated)|Bumblebee]] could do with some more training, despite Bumblebee's assertion that video games counted. He had [[Prowl (Animated)|Prowl]] turn the Autobot hideout into an obstacle course for himself, Bulkhead and Bumblebee to practice on. Not long after, word came in that the robots at a [[Sumdac Systems]] factory had gone haywire, and the three Autobots headed there to investigate. While they were bashing their way through the drones, [[Ratchet (Animated)|Ratchet]] and Prowl got hold of a [[Decepticon Transmitter Drone]], which they used to intercept a transmission indicating that Megatron was looking for [[AllSpark]] fragments to power his Space Bridge. Though Optimus was keen to stop the Decepticon, Sari pointed out there were still rogue drones at the factory. After finding the AllSpark fragment that was causing the drones to malfunction, Prime had to take to the road to hunt down some more drones that were heading for Detroit.

Another transmission indicated that Megatron had all the fragments he needed to power his Space Bridge, so Optimus returned to the factory, where he, Bumblebee and Bulkhead tracked down another fragment. Optimus then chased the Transmitter Drone back to its point of origin — Megatron's mine lair. The three Autobots fought their way into the mine and confronted Megatron at the mouth of his Space Bridge. After a short battle, Megatron transwarped out, and the three Autobots attempted to follow him. Only Optimus and Bulkhead arrived on Cybertron, and had to search fruitlessly for Megatron until Bumblebee arrived. A transmission led them to the Space Bridge Nexus where they found Megatron. A protracted fight ensued, at the end of which Megatron transwarped out to parts unknown. Optimus was commended by [[Ultra Magnus (Animated)|Ultra Magnus]] and offered a place in the [[Cybertron Elite Guard|Elite Guard]]. He turned it down in favor of returning to Earth, where Ratchet wondered if he needed to examine Optimus's processor. {{storylink|Transformers Animated: The Game}}

===Transformers Battle Universe===
At the edge of time, when the [[Matrix of Leadership|Matrix]] needed a new host, Optimus Prime was among several warriors (and [[Optimus Prime|Prime]]s) summoned from the multiverse to battle for control of the prize. {{storylink|Transformers Battle Universe}}

{{--}}

==Toys==
{{main|Optimus Prime (Animated)/toys}}

==Merchandise==
:''Main article: [[Optimus Prime (Animated)/toys#Merchandise]]''

==Notes==
*The twin cylinder-shaped protrusions connected to Optimus's small antennae are inspired by the head design of the [[Transformers (2007)|2007 movie]] rendition of [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]], as opposed to the [[Optimus Prime (G1)|traditional]] single cylinder.
*Optimus Prime features design elements from two different incarnations of [[Optimus Primal]]. The "skin" color of his face (and to a lesser extent, the presence of a retractable faceplate) is taken from Primal's first [[Beast Wars (franchise)|Beast Wars]] body, while the way his lips are drawn is inspired by Primal's [[Beast Machines (franchise)|Beast Machines]] body. [[Derrick J. Wyatt]] thought since Prime is more of an inexperienced leader, he wanted to infuse some elements from Primal's design, who had a similar role in his series. <ref>[http://community.livejournal.com/tf_animated/271043.html#cutid1 Derrick Wyatt Q&A at the tf_animated livejournal community]</ref>
*His chest windows resemble those of '''Star Convoy''', the incarnation of Optimus in [[Return of Convoy]], while his jetpack wings look like [[Ginrai|God Ginrai]]'s.
*Optimus was killed off after only [[Transform and Roll Out|one episode]] (three if you want to get technical) ''and'' revived 1 minute and 15 seconds later. That's gotta be [[The many deaths of Optimus Prime|a new record]].
*At the end of "Transform and Roll Out", Prime's spark is contained in the same place ordinarily reserved for the [[Matrix (disambiguation)|Matrix]] in other continuities.
*Despite nominally being a fire truck, Prime's alt mode features a detachable cab that can mount a number of different trailers, such as [[Headmaster (episode)|a lookalike of Generation 1 Optimus's trailer]] and a [[The Elite Guard|dump truck]]. Presumably, this would make his alt mode not a fire truck, but a semi-truck ''outfitted'' as a fire truck. Score one for the old fans!
*Like his Generation 1 counterpart, this Optimus's trailer almost invariably disappears COMPLETELY when he transforms, assuming it's there to begin with. This even happens when it isn't his trailer, such as in "[[Garbage In, Garbage Out]]". Even Prime himself is just as confused as to where it goes, as evidenced by "[[Career Day]]". [[Subspace]] shunting? [[Unicron Singularity]]? Or...something more?
*Optimus Prime's bio on his Happy Meal toy at McDonald's says he is a '''FIRE TRUCK CAB'''.
*To date, none of Optimus' toys come with his trademark 'grappler launcher' weapons.
*According to the packaging call-outs for Cybertron Mode, DVD two-pack and Voyager Optimus Prime, his weapon is an "Ion-Axe" (or "Ion Axe"). However, on Roll Out Command Optimus Prime, Optimus's weapon is an "Ultra-Axe". ''[[Transformers Animated: The AllSpark Almanac|The AllSpark Almanac]]'' labels it a [[Solitarium]] weapon. The Japanese dub not only embraced the term "Ultra-Axe", but also added the "Ultra-" prefix to Prime's net (now the "Ultra-Net"), grappling hook (the "Ultra-Anchor"), and... jumping ability ("Ultra-Jump").
*[[TakaraTomy]] marketing director, [[Masahiko Yamazaki]], has claimed that the Japanese version of ''Transformers Animated'' takes place within the continuity of the [[Live-action film series|live-action film franchise]], thus making ''Animated'' Optimus Prime the same character as Movie [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]]. Some of Yamazaki's other statements regarding this have been contradicted (primarily regarding [[Bulkhead (Animated)|Bulkhead]]), so take with a grain of salt.
*A round of punny Japanese. During the "next episode" preview at the end of "[[Transform and Roll Out|A New Chapter! Transformers]]", Bumblebee complains that the name "Oputimasu Puraimu" (as the natives pronounce it) is too long and difficult to remember. His renaming suggestions include: "[[Convoy (rank)|Convoy]]", "Oputi", "Opura", and "Pupu". Obviously, Optimus rejects all of them, saying that "Oputi" is more suited for a cute dog, "Opura" just sounds weird, and "Pupu", while cute, would be hard not to laugh at.
*According to <strike>David Kaye</strike> [[Megatron (BW)|Megatron]], he (like any Autobot) sucks at golf.<ref>[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0EQsjGclmVQ&feature=related David Kaye at BotCon 2008]</ref>

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Optimus Prime''' (オプティマスプライム ''Oputimasu Puraimu'')

==External links==
* [http://www.tfu.info/2008/Autobot/CybModeOptimusPrime/optimusprime.htm Optimus Prime at TFU.info]

==References==
<references />

[[Category:Animated Autobots]]
[[Category:Fast food exclusives]]
[[Category:Hall of Fame]]
[[Category:Matrix bearers]]
[[Category:Primes]]
[[Category:TransTech Autobots]]
[[Category:Universe (2008)]]

Ultra Magnus (WFC)

2011-11-10T01:08:07Z

Dvegaj:

{{faction|autobot|wreckers}}
{{disambig3|Ultra Magnus}}
[[Image:UltraMagnusWFCDSconcept.jpg|thumb|300px|I can't deal with myself not being quite a repaint.]]
:''Ultra Magnus is an [[Autobot]] from the [[Transformers: War for Cybertron (franchise)| War for Cybertron]] portion of the [[Aligned continuity family]].''

'''Ultra Magnus''' is the hammer wielding commander of the [[Wrecker]]s.

{{quote|Daring, strategically ingenious, and courageous to the point of recklessness, Ultra Magnus hammers back the Decepticon forces — literally.|[[Alpha Trion (Prime)|Alpha Trion]]|[[Covenant of Primus]]}}

==Fiction==
===''Exodus''===
Ultra Magnus was a sergeant of the [[Autobot High Council|Council]] Guardians who held back the Decepticons during the siege of the [[Hydrax Plateau]] spaceport despite overwhelming odds. Though the spaceport fell, Magnus and his main soldiers proved to be indispensable soldiers and were dubbed the "Wreckers". The Wreckers were crucial to holding [[Tagan Heights]], battling [[Devastator (WFC)|Devastator]] and buying time for the scientists there to build the [[Protectobot (WFC)|Protectobot]] [[combiner]] [[Defensor (WFC)|Defensor]].

When [[Megatron (Prime)|Megatron]] corrupted the [[core]] of Cybertron with [[Dark Energon]], Ultra Magnus and his Wreckers had destroyed an armored convoy on the Iacon-Hydrax road. They guarded the entrance at the [[Well of All Sparks]] with [[Cliffjumper (Prime)|Cliffjumper]] while [[Optimus Prime (Prime)|Optimus Prime]], [[Bumblebee (Prime)|Bumblebee]] and [[Jetfire (WFC)|Jetfire]] descended to purge the core. When the ''[[Ark (WFC)|Ark]]'' was completed, Ultra Magnus offered to stay behind and fight off [[Trypticon (WFC)|Trypticon]] when the gargantuan Decepticon emerged. Trypticon transformed into the ''Nemesis'' and pursued the ''Ark'' into space, but with his Wreckers and [[Omega Supreme (WFC)|Omega Supreme]] along with other remaining Autobots, Magnus was ready to battle [[Shockwave (WFC)|Shockwave]]'s new regime. {{storylink|Transformers: Exodus|Exodus}}

===''Exiles''===
{{charstubfiction}}
{{storylink|Transformers: Exiles}}

==Games==
===''Transformers: War for Cybertron'' (DS)===
:''Voice actor:'' [[Jamieson Price]] (English)
Somehow Ultra Magnus got corrupted by [[Dark Energon]] and left in the sewers, likely by the Decepticons [[Swoop (WFC)|who are known to do that sort of thing]]. There he ran around randomly breaking things until the Autobots, unaware of his presence, placed a bomb in the sewers, intending to prevent them from falling under Decepticon control. When the Autobots detected a strange signal coming from the collapsing sewers, they sent in a small team to investigate. The team was confronted with the sight of Magnus crashing through a wall, and realized he'd been corrupted. With time short, the Autobots fought Ultra Magnus until the Dark Energon was purged from his system and he regained his senses. Then they all high-tailed it out of the sewers before the final collapse. {{storylink|Transformers: War for Cybertron (DS)}}
{{Note|Ultra Magnus is an unlockable character for the [[Transformers: War for Cybertron (DS)|Nintendo DS version]] of ''War for Cybertron'', unlocked by defeating him in the "Sewer 6" arena mission.}}

==Notes==
*Magnus's [[Magnus Hammer|hammer]] is a reference to the [[Ultra Magnus (Animated)|''Animated'' Ultra Magnus]], while his role as leader of the Cybertronian resistance and the [[Wreckers]] references his [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Generation 1 counterpart]] in the [[The Transformers (Marvel comic)#Marvel UK|Marvel UK comic series]] and the [[Dreamwave Productions]] comic series.

[[Category:Fiction-only Transformers]]
[[Category:War for Cybertron Autobots]]
[[Category:Wreckers]]

Skywave

2011-10-21T13:26:06Z

Dvegaj:

{{factions|autobot}}
:''Skywave in an [[Autobot]] [[Micromaster]] from the [[Zone (franchise)|Zone]] portion of the [[Generation 1 (franchise)|Generation 1]] [[continuity family]].''
[[Image:Flattop boxart.jpg|right|thumb|250px|His ride was [[Broadside (G1)|Broadside]]'s best friend.]]

'''Skywave''' (スカイウェイブ ''Sukaiweibu'') can handle both aerial and nautical operations thanks to his aircraft carrier, which transforms to a swift jet.

==Fiction==
===''Zone'' story pages===

When the ocean-covered world of [[Wall]] was attacked by [[King Poseidon|Aquatic General King Poseidon]] and [[Trypticon (G1)|Saurian General Trypticon]], [[Star Saber (Victory)|Victory Saber]] charged into battle, but was quickly overwhelmed. Luckily, the four commanders, [[Overload (G1)|Overload]], [[Erector (G1)|Erector]], [[Missile Bull]] and Skywave arrived to save him. Commanding the [[Off Road Patrol|Off Road]], [[Jet Patrol Team|Jet]] and [[Race Car Patrol|Race Car Patrol]] Teams, they arrived in time to save the drowning citizens of Wall, rescue Victory Saber and beat back the [[Decepticon]]s. {{storylink|Zone (story page)|Zone Part 3}}

==Toys==
===Zone===
[[Image:G1-Zone-toy FlattopCarrier-Skywave.jpg|right|thumb|350px|]]
*'''Skywave''' (Micro TF DX, 1990)
**''Japanese ID number'': '''C-340'''
**''Accessories'': Aircraft carrier/jet vehicle, 2 cannons

: Skywave is identical to the [[Hasbro]] [[Decepticon]] [[Flattop (Decepticon)|Flattop]], transforming into a purple-and-gray F4 Phantom fighter jet. He has functional landing gear wheels in the rear, but has a peg in place of the front landing gear. Skywave is unusual for a Micro TF DX (Deluxe) in that he is not a "towing" vehicle with a large trailer accessory, but a fully-independent vehicle on his own with a fully-independent, non-towed aircraft carrier transport.

: The carrier transforms into a "Battle Mode" jet, with the bow runways folding out as the wings. Skywave can either clip into the open cockpit area while standing or sit inside, with a "control bar" keeping him from flying out. The large laser cannons can be mounted on either the large wings or the smaller rear wings. The wheels that were once on the carrier deck now serve as the wheels for the jet mode.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/1989/Decepticon/Flattop/flattop.htm More information on Skywave (well, Flattop) at TFU.info]''

[[Category: Japanese-original characters]]
[[Category: Micromasters]]
[[Category: Zone Autobots]]

Safeguard (Animated)

2011-10-06T18:43:46Z

Dvegaj: /* Notes */

{{factions|autobot|eliteguard}}
{{disambig3|Safeguard}}
:''Safeguard is an [[Autobot]] [[combiner]] from the [[Transformers Animated (franchise)|Animated]] [[continuity family]].''

[[Image:Safeguardanimatedboxart.jpg|right|300px|thumb|Twincest!]]

When flight schematics stolen from [[Starscream (Animated)|Starscream]] were infused into [[Jetfire (Animated)|Jetfire]] and [[Jetstorm (Animated)|Jetstorm]], '''Safeguard''', their "[[combiner|gestalt]] [[powerlinx|powerlink]]" form, was an unexpected result!

Though Safeguard combines the twins' bodies to further enhance their already-impressive combat capabilities, it does not appear to be a melding of their minds. Instead, both twins work in complete synchronization in this form. Unfortunately, both twins are cocky, brash showoffs who are only partially in control over their own powers... which makes Safeguard a potentially very dangerous robot to everyone around him.

Safeguard has both a robot mode and a super jet mode.

==Fiction==
===''Animated'' cartoon===
{{Idw-tfa}}
[[Image:Safeguardriseofsafeguard.jpg|left|300px|thumb|He also leaps to the right.]]
:''Voice actors:'' [[Tom Kenny]] and [[Phil LaMarr]] (English), [[Wataru Takagi]] and [[Kappei Yamaguchi]] (Japanese)

''While fighting Starscream during a simulated mission, an angered Jetstorm and Jetfire suddenly combined into the mighty Safeguard! After dodging a blast from Starscream by dividing in two, he (they?) joined into a combined jet mode and melted the simulated Starscream into nothing. Impressed by their skills, [[Ultra Magnus (Animated)|Ultra Magnus]] instructed them to accompany [[Sentinel Prime (Animated)|Sentinel Prime]] and [[Jazz (Animated)|Jazz]] in pursuing the escaped Autobot fugitive [[Wasp]] to [[Earth]]. {{storylink|First (and Second) in Flight}}''

[[Image:WhereIsThySting-obligatorymisunderstanding.jpg|right|thumb|Your Autobot symbols are in FULL VIEW! Come ''ON!'']]

Upon arrival on Earth, Jetstorm and Jetfire were sent on an aerial search of [[Detroit]], but things went bad when their power of flight caused [[Optimus Prime (Animated)|Optimus Prime]] and [[Ratchet (Animated)|Ratchet]] to mistake the twins for Decepticons. A fight broke out between them, during which Jetfire and Jetstorm merged into Safeguard and floored Ratchet with a flying kick. Just as Optimus Prime tackled the combined twins, Sentinel Prime and Jazz arrived to interrupt the fight and explain that Prime's opponents were actually Autobots. {{storylink|Where Is Thy Sting?}}

When Sentinel Prime was captured by [[Ramjet (Animated)|one of Starscream's clones]], the twins merged into Safeguard to save their commander. Unfortunately, the clone just used Sentinel as a shield to block their attacks, and Safeguard wound up nailing Sentinel right in the gearbox. {{storylink|Five Servos of Doom}}

[[Image:SafeguardJetMode PredaconsRising.jpg|left|240px|thumb|The toy doesn't look ''half'' this good.]]
In order to follow [[Swoop (Animated)|Swoop]] and [[Wasp]] to [[Dinobot Island (Animated)|Dinobot Island]], the twins combined into Safeguard's jet form and lowered a magnetic grappler with which to carry Sentinel Prime. Unfortunately for Sentinel, they kind of forgot he was there when they reached the island, and ended up dragging him through the water for a few yards. {{storylink|Predacons Rising}}
{{-}}

===''The Cool'' comic===
[[Image:SafeguardTheCool.jpg|thumb|right|200px| Symmetrical Docking!]]
After pursuing [[Blackout (Animated)|Blackout]] all the way to [[Earth]], Jetfire and Jetstorm finally forced him into ground-level combat in the city of [[Detroit]]. Though their small stature proved effective against the massive brute, they decided to combine into Safeguard, the Elite Guard Super Speed Warrior, anyway. Safeguard proceeded to go toe-to-toe with Blackout, creating a battleground too hazardous for the other Decepticons to remain, forcing them into retreat. {{storylink|The Cool Episode 4}}
{{-}}

==Toys==
===Animated===
[[Image:Safeguardanimatedtoy.jpg|right|250px|thumb|[[Rack'n'Ruin]], eat your hearts out.]]
*'''Jetfire and Jetstorm''' (Entertainment Pack, 2008)

:Safeguard is a symmetrical-style [[combiner]], one of the first instances of such in the ''Transformers'' toy line (though [[TakaraTomy|Takara]] had already used the concept extensively in ''King of [[Brave]]s GaoGaiGar''). Jetfire forms his right half, while Jetstorm forms his left half.

:Safeguard is one of the few combiners who also has a separate vehicle mode from the combined parts. Unfortunately, it's just Jetstorm's and Jetfire's alt modes combined at the bottom to form a "super jet".

:He has a rather frustrating problem that his crotch won't stay assembled in gestalt form.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2009/Autobot/Safeguard/safeguard.htm More information on Safeguard at TFU.info]''

{{-}}

==Notes==
[[Image:TFA Jetfire Jetstorm concept.jpg|right|200px|thumb|CHEEKS!]]
* Jetfire and Jetstorm's fire/wind theme has its roots in some of the earliest concepts of ''Animated''. [[Sean Galloway]], who had been commissioned to do early concept work for the series, revealed several pieces of this concept art long before the "final" [[Derrick J. Wyatt|Derrick Wyatt]]-designed characters were shown. Among these images were a pair of "fire and wind" robots who have a few features that made it into the jet-twins' final designs.

* In addition to the fire/wind theme, the twins' method of combination is seemingly an intentional homage to Hyōryū and Enryū/Chōryūjin from the final installment of Takara's [[Brave]] Series, ''King of Braves GaoGaiGar''.

* In the early stages of the toy's development, the end of the twins' combined vehicle mode was supposed to split apart and wings were supposed to slide out of the shins, so that the combined mode resembled an [[Luke Skywalker|X-wing fighter]]. However, this did not appear in the released instructions because the toy can't take the form without disconnecting the legs of Jetfire and Jetstorm.

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Safeguard''' (セーフガード ''Sēfugādo'')

[[Category:Animated Autobots]]
[[Category:Combined forms]]
[[Category:Elite Guard]]

Topspin (Classics)

2010-06-27T03:47:26Z

Dvegaj: /* Classics */

{{picsneeded|Toy}}
{{factions|decepticon}}
{{disambig2|the Transformers Fan Club freebie exclusive|the [[Generation 1 (franchise)|Generation 1]] [[Jumpstarter]]|Topspin (G1)}}
:''Topspin is a [[Decepticon]] stranded in the [[Transcendent Technomorph|TransTech]] [[continuity]].''
[[Image:Topspintrancendent3.jpg|right|300px|thumb|Mr. Personality's bio quote is "By your will, Alpha Trion." Good work.]]
Long ago, '''Topspin''' felt the sensation of pain and terror, culminating in smoke and twisted metal, and finally darkness. Whatever traumatic experience happened to him during that time, it left him drained of will, emotion, and the memories of his past. He does, however, still remember his supernatural ability to manipulate the very [[spark]] within each Cybertronian. He can safely transfer a spark between bodies, or split one into multiple pieces without damage. But if he's angered, he can also use his ability as a terrible weapon to violently rip out a spark with a mere thought.

He also is certain that some great reward awaits him, if he can just find the right person to lead him to it. To reach this reward, he will habitually find a charismatic, powerful leader in whom to invest all his faith. He will commit unwavering loyalty to this leader, but if he does not receive the same loyalty in return, the recommended action is to seek serious cover. Topspin does ''not'' take rejection well.

His current leader is [[Alpha Trion (SG)|Alpha Trion]], whom Topspin found when he awoke on the transit pads in [[Axiom Nexus]], after long years of drifting through space due to a battle. He could sense that this was a powerful personality who would finally lead him to his reward. And it's true, Trion knows Topspin's true identity—that he's part of an [[Nexus Prime|ancient, powerful combiner]] along with [[Skyfall (Cybertron)|his]] [[Landquake (Timelines)|four]] [[Breakaway (Classics)|gestalt]] [[Heatwave|brothers]]—and he promises Topspin will get his long-sought-after reward. Trion has his own plans for Topspin and his brothers once "[[reunification]]" is complete, however...

==Fiction==
===''Generation 2''===
Topspin left [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] to serve under [[Jhiaxus (G2)|Jhiaxus]] and follow his army to other worlds. Topspin was less interested in Jhiaxus's specific plans of conquest, however, and more simply convinced that Jhiaxus's sense of purpose and strong personality would lead him on the path to the great destiny he sensed was out there. Something that was his alone, outside of what the [[Liege Centuro]] could promise.

But after a long time of quietly following orders, tragedy seemed to strike during a terrible space battle over an alien planet. Topspin was separated from Jhiaxus's army and flung at near-light speeds into space, helpless to stop his trajectory. {{storylink|Hasbro Transformers Collectors' Club issue 25|Topspin's TFCC profile}}

===''TransTech''===
Years later, after his energy-drained body passed through a wormhole, he landed in the [[multiverse|multiversal]] hub city of [[Axiom Nexus]]. The [[TransTech]]s who inhabited that universe put Topspin in the care of a sage named Alpha Trion. It seemed that perhaps Topspin's fate had not been tragic after all, as Topspin sensed immediately that Trion was a great, charismatic leader who could lead him to his destiny. In turn, the sage saw the beginnings of his own grand goals in Topspin, and promised his new follower that he could lead the [[Decepticon]] to the greatness he sought. {{storylink|Hasbro Transformers Collectors' Club issue 25|Topspin's TFCC profile}}
[[Image:Topspin&BulletbikesSpark TheComingStorm1.jpg|thumb|left|275px|]]
Alpha Trion quickly plotted ways to put the powers of his new "technician" to use in a plan to escape back to his [[Shattered Glass (franchise)|home dimension]]. He set Topspin to work transferring sparks from the bodies of his "[[lowtech]]" [[:Category:Alpha Trion's acolytes|followers]] into the bodies of their TransTech counterparts, and the TransTech sparks into storage, both as a means of infiltration and to evade detection. {{storylink|Hasbro Transformers Collectors' Club issue 25|Blackarachnia's TFCC profile}}

Eventually Trion met three more of Topspin's "kin", recently arrived in Axiom Nexus from their own travels, and brought them to his base of operations, though [[Breakaway (Classics)|Breakaway]] was kidnapped along the way. [[Skyfall (Cybertron)|Skyfall]] and [[Landquake (Timelines)|Landquake]] were deeply disturbed upon being shown the spark-less bodies hanging from the base's ceiling, and confronted Trion, but Topspin interjected that the [[Transformer]]s the bodies belonged to weren't ''really'' dead. Trion introduced Topspin to the others, and explained the spark-swapping plan that had been taking place.

Landquake was skeptical that sparks could really be transferred between bodies, so Topspin gladly showed off his power by transferring a spark from storage to his hand merely by touching it. Landquake was fascinated by the display, and noted that it could be potentially lethal. Topspin agreed, and enthusiastically said it would be if Trion so desired. He also gushed that Trion would be their savior that would grant them all true peace and freedom on Cybertron. Landquake... decided to change the subject at that, and asked Topspin to explain more details on how the spark storage and swapping worked. {{storylink|Transcendent: Part 3}}

As Skyfall and Landquake walked through Axiom Nexus afterwards, they made their own plans regards Topspin. Landquake was sure Topspin's "impossible" ability meant he was the one the [[Caretaker]] had sent them to find. Landquake proposed they pretend to go along with Trion's plans, so they could both rescue Breakaway and find a way to shatter Topspin's loyalty to Trion and steal him away.

Later at Trion's headquarters, word came that Breakaway had been found in [[Shockwave (TransTech)|Shockwave]]'s laboratory in the [[Transwarp Complex]], near a dimensional gate to Trion's [[Shattered Glass (franchise)|home universe]], and Trion made plans for everyone to attack. {{storylink|Transcendent: Part 4}}

Part of those plans involved the former [[RoboCo]] CEO, [[Bulletbike (TransTech)|Bulletbike]]. He was one of the spark transfers Topspin had made, placing the spark of one of Trion's followers into Bulletbike's TransTech body, and Bulletbike's spark into the body of one of his [[Bulletbike (G2)|multiversal counterparts]]. Bulletbike himself was not aware this was exactly what had happened, though, nor was anyone else. No one outside of Trion's group knew of Topspin's ability, and it left no traceable marks.

Bulletbike only knew his real body had been stolen somehow, and when he was pushed along to finally confront the impostor, the fake Bulletbike pulled all available security forces in to protect himself. Just at the right time to leave the Transwarp Complex unguarded... {{storylink|I, Lowtech}}

As Trion and his group crashed their way into the Complex, Trion had himself, Landquake, Skyfall, and [[Immorticon]] head off to rescue Breakaway from Shockwave's laboratory. Topspin, meanwhile, went with the others to secure the Transit Room with the gate to Trion's dimension for their eventual escape. {{storylink|Transcendent: Part 5}} Once the rescue was successful and the others joined them, Topspin passed through the gate... {{storylink|Transcendent: Part 6}}
{{--}}
===Shattered Glass===
[[Image:LandquakeTopspinBreakawayRollOut Reunification2.jpg|thumb|right|225px|We'll just pretend the helicopter is "rolling".]]
...and came out in Alpha Trion's disused laboratory. As the others followed (along with Skyfall's mysteriously now-dead body), he moved to watch the door at Trion's orders, and called out a warning when an [[Downshift (SG)|Autobot scout]] showed up on his monitor. He then briefly hid with the others as Trion dealt with the scout lethally.

Unfortunately, this incident, along with Breakaway discovering that Trion lied about how Skyfall had been killed, caused Landquake and Breakaway to rebel against Trion. The sage decided to have his followers take them all captive as a result... including Topspin!

The distraught Topspin asked why he had been taken prisoner when he had been a loyal follower. Trion told him that he was no longer needed as a loyal soldier, but as a tool to be used as Trion wished, then killed. {{storylink|Reunification: Part 1}}

As Topspin tried to wrap his mind around what his leader had done, Landquake and Breakaway whispered plans of escape, though Topspin was initially bewildered at Landquake's request that he help. As Landquake dealt with his and Breakaway's captors and the two made an escape with Skyfall's body, Landquake shouted to Topspin that he had been betrayed and should follow them.
[[Image:TopspinRipsOutaSpark Reunification2.jpg|thumb|left|225px|]]
Topspin mulled this over and realized that Landquake was right, dealt violently with [[Kickback (SG)|his own captor]] by telekinetically ripping out his captor's spark, then followed. Once outside, Topspin asked Landquake if he would help with getting revenge on Trion and his followers for betraying his loyalty. Landquake pointed out that survival was more important, but he would help if the opportunity ever presented itself, if only to avenge Skyfall. The three then [[Roll out|transformed and rolled out]].

[[Units of time|Millicycles]] later, the three were holed up in a derelict building with some [[empties]], with Topspin and Breakaway looking to Landquake for guidance on what to do. Topspin suggested that what had happened with Alpha Trion must be a mistake and they should go back, but Landquake emphatically disagreed. Topspin protested that Trion had never led him wrong before, but Breakaway pointed out that Trion had killed Skyfall.

Topspin then said they had to do ''something'', leading Landquake to get frustrated about being treated as a leader. Breakaway tried to give him a pep talk, but soon Topspin noticed that something strange had just happened... {{storylink|Reunification: Part 2}}

The "something strange" turned out to be their latest visitor, [[Aquarius (SG)|Aquarius]], having encased them all in a [[slow time]] bubble. Aquarius explained that he was actually the one who had brought them to their current universe. Topspin pointed out that ''Alpha Trion'' had brought them there. Aquarius tried to explain that things weren't always what they seemed, but Topspin didn't understand.

Topspin and Breakaway were then pulled aside by Landquake, who complained that he didn't like Aquarius, as the alien seemed crazy and disquieting. Topspin noted they didn't exactly have any other options but to listen at the moment, though, so Landquake finally relented and asked Aquarius to explain further.

Aquarius started to explain that the [[Autobot]]s were creating a dangerous superweapon called [[Omega Doom]], and that Topspin's group and Skyfall's body would somehow be able to help, once they went to this universe's [[Megatron (SG)|Megatron]] and asked after [[Heatwave|their last member]]. However, the rest of the explanation was postponed by [[Computron (SG)|Computron]] suddenly ripping the roof off their hideout. {{storylink|Reunification: Part 3}}

They all made a run for it once again, with Topspin carrying Skyfall's body, and Landquake reluctantly decided they needed to go to Megatron. As they made their way to the Decepticon base, Aquarius continued his explanation: He had activated a [[Vector Sigma]] recall program for a warrior to defeat Omega Doom, which had delivered Topspin's group as the response. They then almost ran into [[Abominus (SG)|Abominus]], who waved them on to continue to the base, promising to deal with Computron for them.

Once they reached the base's entrance, they were greeted and taken inside by Megatron. Landquake explained their situation, and Megatron brought out and introduced their last member, [[Heatwave]], to them. The reunion was cut short, however, by [[Cyclonus (SG)|Cyclonus]] assassinating Megatron on Alpha Trion's orders. {{storylink|Reunification: Part 4}}

Landquake had no idea what to do, until Breakaway suggested the three of them try to revive Megatron with Heatwave's help. As Topspin applied his powers to the body with the others, strange things started happening, leaving them all confused and disoriented. Topspin had a strange flashback, and then he and the others were transported to a strange, white, featureless place. There they were greeted by [[Primus]], who welcomed them home, and gave the now-reunited gestalt a choice: to die, live as they currently were and eventually fade away, or be reborn as what they were meant to be. Topspin presumably chose along with the others to be "reborn", as Primus then commanded, "Arise, [[Nexus Prime]]." {{storylink|Reunification: Part 5}}

After being reborn, Nexus Prime finally entered the battle with Omega Doom he had been summoned for, as the Autobot superweapon had recently arrived. When Omega shot a missile into Cybertron's sun, Nexus Prime had to follow to repair the sun before it went nova. The part of his mind that was still Topspin wanted to stay on Cybertron to fight, but was overridden by the Skyfall and Breakaway parts of him who knew that all of Cybertron would burn unless the sun was healed. {{storylink|Reunification: Part 6}}
{{--}}
==Toys==
===''Classics''===
*'''Topspin''' (Basic, 2008)
**''Accessories'': Quintuple-barreled "energon" cannon, energon chip

: Topspin is a [[redeco]] of [[Energon (toyline)|Energon]] [[Stormcloud (Energon)|Stormcloud]]/[[Blackout (combiner)|Blackout]], transforming into an assault helicopter similar to an AH-1 Cobra. He comes with a quintuple-barreled "[[Super Energon]]" cannon that forms a hand or footplate for his limb-modes, plus a Decepticon-style [[energon chip]]. He can also form a leg or arm to any ''Energon''-series "[[Powerlinx]] Combiner" super robot, but he is specifically intended to combine with [[Landquake (Timelines)|Landquake]], [[Breakaway (Classics)|Breakaway]], [[Skyfall (Cybertron)|Skyfall]], and [[Heatwave]] to form [[Nexus Prime]].

: He was the [[2008]] "early bird freebie" toy [[exclusive]] to the [[Transformers Collectors' Club]], sent to members who signed up before the deadline. Like his fellow freebies, he is also available for sale on the Club store for those who didn't make the deadline, or future members.

:This mold was also used to make ''[[Universe (2008 franchise)|Universe]]'' (2008) [[Bruticus (G1)|Bruticus Maximus]] team members [[Vortex (G1)|Vortex]] and [[Swindle (G1)|Swindle]] and ''[[Revenge of the Fallen (franchise)|Revenge of the Fallen]]'' [[Bruticus Maximus (ROTF)|Bruticus Maximus]] team members [[Vortex (ROTF)|Vortex]] and [[Swindle (ROTF)|Swindle]].

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2008/Decepticon/TFCCTopspin/topspin.htm More information on Topspin at TFU.info]''

==Notes==
*Although the details are somewhat vague, Topspin's TFCC profile is on the surface not incompatible with the notion that he was a background character during the events of the [[Generation 2 (Marvel Comics)|''Generation 2'' Marvel comics]], and that the battle that separated him from Jhiaxus was the one against the [[Swarm (G2)|Swarm]] over [[Earth]] in "[[A Rage in Heaven!]]". [[Pete Sinclair]], however, [http://www.transformersclub.com/members/transforum/msgs.cfm?msg=126284&forum=16 stated on the TFCC forums] that it was "...safe to assume that he is from a G2 type Universe. Not the Marvel G2," so make of it all what you will.
*Although Topspin (so far) only features in ''[[TransTech]]'' and "[[Shattered Glass (franchise)|Shattered Glass]]" stories, his toy is technically [[Classics (2006)|Classics]], judging by his instructions.

[[Category:Classics characters]]
[[Category:Combiners]]
[[Category:Decepticons]]
[[Category:Dimension hoppers]]
[[Category:Fan Club exclusives]]
[[Category:Shattered Glass characters]]
[[Category:Thirteen original Transformers|Nexus Prime 04]]
[[Category:TransTech characters]]

Vortex (ROTF)

2010-06-27T03:46:22Z

Dvegaj: /* Revenge of the Fallen */

{{factions|decepticonfilm}}
{{disambig3|Vortex}}
:''Vortex is a [[Decepticon]] in the ''[[Revenge of the Fallen (franchise)|Revenge of the Fallen]]'' portion of the [[live-action film series]] [[continuity family]].''
[[Image:Universe-ROTF-toy_Vortex.jpg|thumb|right|300px|]]
'''Vortex''' serves as the [[Combaticon (ROTF)|Combaticons]]' resident interrogator, and can merge with his comrades to form the mighty [[Bruticus Maximus (ROTF)|Bruticus Maximus]].

==Toys==
===Revenge of the Fallen===
*'''Bruticus Maximus''' (2009)
**''Accessories:'' Quad blaster (hand/foot), Decepticon-type [[energon star]]

:''[[Revenge of the Fallen (toyline)|Revenge of the Fallen]]'' Vortex is a [[redeco]] of ''[[Energon (toyline)|Energon]]'' [[Blackout (combiner)|Blackout]] and [[Stormcloud (Energon)|Stormcloud]], transforming into an assault helicopter somewhat similar to an AH-1 Cobra. He was available with the ''Revenge of the Fallen'' Bruticus Maximus giftset, and when combined with the other Combaticons, Vortex forms a limb. "V-1" is [[Tampograph|tampographed]] on the right side of his cockpit.

:The mold was also [[redeco]]ed into ''[[Classics]]'' [[Topspin (Classics)|Topspin]] and ''Revenge of the Fallen'' [[Swindle (ROTF)|Swindle]] (who is indistinguishable from ''[[Universe (2008 franchise)|Universe]]'' [[Swindle (G1)|Swindle]]). Vortex is also identical to [[Vortex (G1)|his ''Universe'' counterpart]].

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2009/Decepticon/TargetVortex/vortex.htm More information on Vortex at TFU.info]''

[[Category:Combaticons]]
[[Category:Interrogators]]
[[Category:Revenge of the Fallen characters]]
[[Category:Target exclusives]]
[[Category:Toy-only characters]]

Swindle (ROTF)

2010-06-27T03:45:31Z

Dvegaj: /* Revenge of the Fallen */

{{factions|decepticonfilm}}
{{disambig3|Swindle}}
:''Swindle is a [[Decepticon]] from the ''[[Revenge of the Fallen (franchise)|Revenge of the Fallen]]'' portion of the [[live-action film series]] [[continuity family]].''
[[Image:Universe-ROTF-toy_Swindle.jpg|thumb|right|300px|]]
'''Swindle''' is a known con artist, but his fellow [[Combaticon (ROTF)|Combaticons]] don't seem to mind, as they let him be a part of the powerful [[Bruticus Maximus (ROTF)|Bruticus Maximus]].

==Toys==
===Revenge of the Fallen===
*'''Bruticus Maximus''' (2009)
**''Accessories:'' Quad blaster (hand/foot), Decepticon-type [[energon star]]

:''[[Revenge of the Fallen (toyline)|Revenge of the Fallen]]'' Swindle is a [[redeco]] of ''[[Energon (toyline)|Energon]]'' [[Blackout (combiner)|Blackout]] and [[Stormcloud (Energon)|Stormcloud]], transforming into an assault helicopter somewhat similar to an AH-1 Cobra. He was available with the ''Revenge of the Fallen'' Bruticus Maximus giftset, and when combined with the other Combaticons, Swindle forms a limb. He has dollar signs ($) [[tampograph]]ed on the air intake housings flanking his cockpit.

:The mold was also [[redeco]]ed into ''[[Classics]]'' [[Topspin (Classics)|Topspin]] and ''Revenge of the Fallen'' [[Vortex (ROTF)|Vortex]]. ''Revenge of the Fallen'' Swindle and Vortex are indistinguishable from ''[[Universe (2008 franchise)|Universe]]'' (2008) [[Swindle (G1)|Swindle]] and [[Vortex (G1)|Vortex]].

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2009/Decepticon/TargetSwindle/swindle.htm More information on Swindle at TFU.info]''

[[Category:Combaticons]]
[[Category:Revenge of the Fallen characters]]
[[Category:Target exclusives]]
[[Category:Toy-only characters]]

Swindle (G1)

2010-06-27T03:44:36Z

Dvegaj: /* G1 Series */

{{factions|decepticon|decepticong2|autobot|eliteguard}}
{{picsneeded|fiction appearance}}
{{disambig3|Swindle}}
:''Swindle is a [[Decepticon]] [[Combaticon (G1)|Combaticon]] from the [[Generation 1 continuity family]].''
[[Image:Swindleg1.jpg|right|300px|thumb|He'd sell you for a nickel, that schemer.]]
Capitalist first, Decepticon second, '''Swindle''' is a con-man, an opportunist, a hustler—or as he would put it, an entrepreneur. Unlike his fellow Combaticons, the Autobot-Decepticon war is to him merely an opportunity for networking, cutting deals, and making profit. He's an expert on all manner of weaponry and their market prices, and he prides himself on being able to sell anything to pretty much anybody. All he needs is a smile.

Swindle can combine with the other Combaticons to form [[Bruticus (G1)|Bruticus]].

{{quote|It's... it's not my fault, [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]]! This greed is built into my [[personality component]]!|Swindle, after selling the other Combaticons's remains|"[[B.O.T. (episode)|B.O.T.]]"}}

:''Italian name'': '''Crasher'''
:''French-Canadian name'': '''Filou''' (Swindler)
:''Hungarian name'': '''Svindli'''
:''Russian name'': '''Fingal''' (Фингал) ('''Black Eye''')

==Fiction==
===American cartoon continuity===
:''Voice Actor:'' [[Johnny Haymer]] (English), [[Osamu Saka]] (Japanese)
[[Image:StarscreamsBrigade CombaticonsMegs.jpg|left|200px|thumb|Step right up! Step right up! Everyone's a winner; bargains galore!]]
Swindle was one of the five [[renegade Decepticon]]s liberated by [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]] in the Air Commander's latest attempt to unseat [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]]. As an element of their imprisonment, they had been reduced to mere [[personality component]]s, so Starscream installed them into abandoned [[World War II]] military vehicles. Swindle in particular was put in a [[wikipedia:Willys MP|Willys Jeep]],<ref>"Starscream's Brigade" shooting script</ref> and unlike his teammates, he didn't immediately reconfigure himself into a different vehicle form. Starscream called them "Combaticons" and announced their names as they transformed, but they didn't recognize him. Nor did they feel particularly indebted to him for their release; in the end, Starscream only guaranteed their loyalty though having given them bodies bereft of [[energy absorber]]s, so they would be dependent upon him to refuel. While their first missions for Starscream were initially successful, the [[Stunticon (G1)|Stunticons]]' intervention meant the brigade's defeat, and Megatron exiled all six to a remote asteroid. {{storylink|Starscream's Brigade}}

[[Image:AerialAssault Swindle Ali.jpg|right|200px|thumb|It picks up the kids from school; it gets rid of unwanted facial hair; it gets rid of embarrassing ink spots; it delivers a pizza!]]

The Combaticons later escaped the asteroid and attacked Cybertron together as Bruticus. After being defeated again, Swindle and the Combaticons were reprogrammed to be loyal to Megatron. It's debatable how well that reprogramming took with Swindle. {{storylink|The Revenge of Bruticus}}

Megatron next ordered the Combaticons to steal fighter planes by using Middle-Eastern criminals as go-betweens. Swindle was the personal ride of [[Ali (Sunbow)|Ali]], the thief leader, and led the caravans with parts to Megatron. He later merged with the others to form Bruticus, who was defeated by the [[Aerialbot (G1)|Aerialbots]] as [[Superion (G1)|Superion]]. {{storylink|Aerial Assault}}

[[Image:BOT Swindle grabbed.jpg|left|200px|thumb|Act now! Act now! And receive as your gift to you, they come in all colors, one size fits all!]]

Bruticus was next defeated by [[Defensor (G1)|Defensor]], and Swindle was the sole survivor of the team. He proceeded to sell the parts of his comrades to various [[El Presidente|people]] for a sweet finder's fee. Megatron was less than happy with this, however, as he had just constructed a giant death-ray for Bruticus to wield for him. No Combaticons, no Bruticus. Swindle tried to plead off his greed as a programming flaw, but Megatron wasn't having any of it. He installed a bomb in Swindle's head and gave him 15 hours to rebuild his fellow Combaticons or suffer their fate. The most elusive piece was [[Brawl (G1)|Brawl]]'s personality component, which had been raided from a junkyard by [[Elise Presser|some]] [[Martin and Roland|high school kids]] building a [[B.O.T. (robot)|homemade robot]]. Swindle had to fight through a trio of Autobots in order to recover the personality component, but succeeded in time to have the bomb removed. {{storylink|B.O.T. (episode)|B.O.T.}}

Swindle is plainly a team player.

After the Decepticons were exiled to a burnt-out husk of a planet called [[Chaar]] in 2006, they dropped dangerously low on energon. {{storylink|Five Faces of Darkness, Part 1}} When the [[Quintesson]]s arrived to make a deal, [[Dead End (G1)|Dead End]] went out to meet them, then deferred to Swindle's skills to bargain a reasonable price for their services. {{storylink|Five Faces of Darkness, Part 2}}
{{charstubfiction}}
{{storylink|Five Faces of Darkness, Part 3}}
{{storylink|Five Faces of Darkness, Part 4}}
{{storylink|Five Faces of Darkness, Part 5}}
{{storylink|Fight or Flee}}
{{storylink|Surprise Party}}

Later, Swindle, along with [[Motormaster]] and [[Laserbeak (G1)|Laserbeak]], finally became so dissatisfied with [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron's]] leadership that he openly grumbled that the Autobots would be doing the Decepticons a favor by killing Galvatron. [[Cyclonus (G1)|Cyclonus]] interpreted this as treason, but Swindle brushed him off. Both he and Motormaster warned Cyclonus that if Galvatron's madness wasn't cured, the Unicron-forged pair would face rebellion. {{storylink|Webworld}}

[[Image:UltimateWeapon FirstAid Swindle.jpg|right|200px|thumb|You got it buddy; the large print giveth, and the small print taketh away!]]

On another occasion, Swindle singlehandedly infiltrated [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]] for Galvatron and miraculously managed to fend off a lone Autobot pacifist like [[First Aid (G1)|First Aid]] to steal the [[city-bot]]'s [[transformation cog]]. After returning from his mission, though, Swindle's greed got the best of him, and he attempted to make Galvatron bid for the cog. After Megatron put a bomb in his head, why Swindle thought bargaining with the even less stable Galvatron was a good idea is anyone's guess. Lucky for Swindle, Galvatron was in one of his less manic phases at the time and only blasted the greedy Combaticon a few times instead of ripping out his primary fuel pump with his [[Andrew Wildman|teeth]]. {{storylink|The Ultimate Weapon}}

{{storylink|The Burden Hardest to Bear}}

As part of Bruticus, Swindle was one of the victims of the [[Hate Plague]]. {{storylink|The Return of Optimus Prime, Part 1}}

{{storylink|The Rebirth, Part 3}}
{{--}}
===Japanese cartoon continuity===
====''Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers'' manga====
Swindle and the rest of the Combaticon team came to assist [[Menasor (G1)|Menasor]] when he got into trouble with [[Superion (G1)|Superion]] and [[Defensor (G1)|Defensor]]. As Bruticus, the team broke Defensor apart easily enough, but fell victims to Superion's [[electrostatic discharger rifle]]. The weapon hit Swindle and [[Brawl (G1)|Brawl]], who disconnected from Bruticus, allowing two [[Protectobot (G1)|Protectobots]] to steal their positions as Bruticus's legs. Swindle was left chasing after Bruticus as the Autobots took control of the combiner's flight systems and flew away with him. {{storylink|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers issue 5|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers #5}}

Megatron later ordered the Combaticons to capture an escaped [[Murdered puppy|puppy]] which he had imbued with [[Decepticon super science]]. [[Powerglide (G1)|Powerglide]] eventually arrived to stop them, leading to the dog using its super science to give the Autobot [[Scramble Power]]. Swindle combined with his teammates to destroy Powerglide, but he and his [[Mini Vehicle|Minibot]] friends used Scramble Power to [[Minibot combiner|combine]] and drill a hole straight through Bruticus, forcing him to retreat. {{storylink|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers issue 8|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers #8}}

====''Scramble City'' OVA====
When the Stunticons were dispatched to hinder the Autobots from constructing [[Metroplex (G1)|Scramble City]], they were held up by the Aerialbots, so the Combaticons were sent to aid them. Swindle combined with the others to form Bruticus, who teamed up with Menasor to defeat Superion. Unfortunately, Scramble City was finished in the meantime, and soon arrived on the scene and defeated Bruticus. {{storylink|Scramble City}}

====''Story of Binaltech''====
[[Image:Swindleart.jpg|left|200px|thumb|Nice to meet you! Please disregard the gun.]]
In 2003, Swindle used his contacts to reverse-engineer the [[Cosmic Rust (disease)|Cosmic Rust]] virus and ensure a large percentage of the Autobot force on Earth was incapacitated. {{storylink|Story of Binaltech, Chapter 1}} When the Autobots joined forces with Earth's manufacturing industries to create the Binaltech project, Swindle worked with Starscream and his Decepticon faction to infiltrate the project for their own ends. Using modified [[cerebro-shell]] technology to turn human workers into sleeper agents, the Decepticons managed to sneak some of their own personality components into the facilities and replace them with those of the Autobots planned for the new bodies. {{storylink|Arise! Evil Binaltechs}}

Thanks to the Decepticons' efforts, the Central City Institute of Technology thought they were upgrading the Autobot [[Trailbreaker (G1)|Trailbreaker]], only to have Swindle come online instead. Swindle's bait-and-switch wasn't totally effective, though—the Binaltech warriors only had their weaponry fully equipped and activated after coming online and arriving at Autobot City, so Swindle was not equipped with functioning versions of Trailbreaker's [[force field]] and other abilities, having to instead outfit himself with armaments from his own munitions depots. He was also banned from the Binaltech [[electro-cell]] recharging centers after his ruse was uncovered, and therefore had to rely on the [[Exponential Generator]] technology provided by Starscream's human ally, [[Doctor Arkeville]]. Though upgraded since its inception, the generators were historically unstable (like, "might blow up an entire planet" unstable). {{storylink|Expose All of Evil's Designs!}}
{{--}}
====''The Headmasters'' cartoon====
Swindle and the Combaticons were among Galvatron's troops when he ordered an all-out Decepticon invasion of Cybertron {{storylink|Four Warriors Come out of the Sky}}, but even the power of Bruticus couldn't stand up to the newly arrived [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress Maximus]]. {{storylink|The Mystery of Planet Master}} The Combaticons were subsequently sent to Earth to stop [[Hot Rod (G1)|Hot Rod]] from bringing the [[Matrix of Leadership]] to Optimus Prime, but were ambushed by the Protectobots and buried in a rockfall. {{storylink|Birth of the Fantastic Double Prime}} They were next seen defending [[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]]'s city mode from [[Blaster (G1)|an Autobot spy]], but were distracted by the Aerialbots. {{storylink|The Great Cassette Operation}}

Galvatron eventually managed to invade Cybertron once more, and Swindle and the others were again part of the attack. They soon encountered those pesky Protectobots again {{storylink|Cybertron Is in Grave Danger, Part 1}}, and were taken out of action by Defensor. {{storylink|Cybertron Is in Grave Danger, Part 2}} As Galvatron was thought lost in the battle, [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]] took control of the Decepticon forces and ordered the [[Combaticon (G1)|Combaticons]] and [[Stunticon (G1)|Stunticons]] to protect a giant carnivorous plant he had planted in [[San Francisco]]. When the Autobots arrived to kill it, Bruticus dueled with the [[Trainbot]] combiner [[Raiden]]. {{storylink|Head On!! Fortress Maximus}} The Combaticons later fell under [[Sixshot]]'s command, and he ordered them, along with the [[Terrorcon (G1)|Terrorcons]] and [[Horrorcon]]s, to attack an Autobot energy facility in [[Miami]]. {{storylink|Ultra Magnus Dies!!}} They unleashed Bruticus as Sixshot continued his reign of terror over the Autobots on Earth. {{storylink|The Emperor of Destruction Vanishes on an Iceberg}}

Swindle was later present at Scorponok's inauguration as [[Decepticon leader]] after Galvatron had died for real. {{storylink|I Risk My Life for Earth}} The Combaticons were then stationed at the planet [[Master (planet)|Master]], where they failed to lure Fortress Maximus away from their base. {{storylink|The Zarak Shield Turns the Tide}} As Scorponok's plan to destroy Earth came close to fruition, Swindle was part of Bruticus as the combiner sunk the luxury liner ''[[Queen World]]'' and defended a [[death tower]] in [[Australia]] from Defensor. {{storylink|The Final Showdown on Earth (Part 1)}} As Bruticus, the Combaticons participated in the final battle with the Autobots at the [[North Pole]], and retreated into space when Scorponok's energy-absorbing satellite started tearing the Earth apart. {{storylink|The Final Showdown on Earth (Part 2)}}

====''Zone'' OVA, manga and story pages====
Seeking to create a [[Decepticon Zone]] to counter the [[Micro|Autobot Zone]], [[Emperor of Destruction|Decepticon Emperor]] [[Violen Jiger]] gathered together the [[Nine Great Demon Generals]], upgrading them with powerful new armor and weaponry, then sent them forth to conquer planets. Swindle was of those summoned, but only as part of Bruticus. {{storylink|Zone (story page)|Zone Part 1}} {{storylink|Zone (manga)|Transformers: Zone}} {{storylink|Enter the New Supreme Commander, Dai Atlas!}}

===Marvel Comics continuity===
====Generation 1====
{{noteukonly}}
''Thanks to his brief time housing the [[Matrix of Leadership|Matrix]] in his mind, [[Buster Witwicky (G1)|Buster Witwicky]] experienced a series of dreams outlining the future of Cybertronian technology: the [[Special Teams]]. These dreams were random and chaotic at first, as he was chased through his dreamscape by [[Combiner]] robots and witnessed the [[Combaticon (G1)|Combaticons]] merge into [[Bruticus (G1)|Bruticus]]. After [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] joined Buster in his dreams, the information became more linear, and the Autobot and human beheld a future scenario in which Swindle and the Combaticons joined forces with the [[Stunticon (G1)|Stunticons]] against the [[Protectobot (G1)|Protectobots]] and the [[Aerialbot (G1)|Aerialbots]]. Working off this information, [[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]] began to conceive a way to reverse-engineer and improve upon [[Devastator (G1)|Devastator]]'s combination technology. Unfortunately for the Autobots, [[Soundwave (G1)|Soundwave]] had managed to tap into Buster's dream frequency, and the Decepticons received the same information to build their own Special Teams. {{storylink|Second Generation!}}''

{{note|The Combaticons' first U.S. appearance was unexplained in the American comic. However, it may be assumed that they were created in the same way as the Stunticons were. (It is possible that they were recruited from Cybertron. See the article on the comic issue [[Afterdeath!]] for more.)}}

The Combaticons joined Megatron on a mission to invade the company Energy Futures Industries in order to steal a hydrothermocline, which the Decepticons wanted to take for their own energy resources. This mission resulted not only in success for the Decepticons, but also in the death of Autobot leader Optimus Prime, despite Swindle's individual failure in his part of the mission. {{storylink|Afterdeath!}}

[[Image:Swindle marvel uk 137.jpg|left|140px|thumb|This is all kinds of wrong.]]

Swindle soon accompanied his fellow Decepticons to a new base in the Caribbean, at which time Megatron disappeared and Shockwave assumed command of the Earth-bound Decepticons. ''Shortly afterwards, Shockwave dispatched Swindle and the other Combaticons to assassinate [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]], who was buried under lava at [[Mount Verona]], but they were defeated by a [[Joy Meadows|trio]] of [[Susan Hoffman|human]] [[Cindy Newell|women]] and the [[Throttlebot]]s.'' {{storylink|Ladies' Night}}

[[Image:Swindle marvel uk 138.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Lamb bhuna last night?]]

Swindle (and the other Combaticons) battled [[Defensor (G1)|Defensor]] on several occasions, though without great success. He had better success during the Decepticon ambush of the Autobots on the Moon, where the Autobots had gathered to resolve a leadership dispute. Swindle attacked [[Brawn (G1)|Brawn]] with his Scatter Blaster and commented that although Brawn was not a great Autobot warrior, he would have a bright future as spare parts (presumably to be sold at a premium by Swindle himself). When the combined forces of [[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]] and [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]] managed to pierce the ship's protective force field, [[Ratbat (G1)|Ratbat]] commanded all Decepticons on the surface of the Moon to return to the ship and retreat. {{storylink|Totaled!}}

Swindle also served as part of the "friendly" staff on the beach of the Decepticons' Caribbean island when the Decepticons used the base as a human vacation resort. Swindle was there to serve every need that the humans might require. {{storylink|Club Con!}}
{{--}}
====Generation 2====
Swindle gave Megatron a tour of the [[Warworld]] when the Decepticon leader forcibly took command of the Decepticons back from [[Bludgeon (G1)|Bludgeon]]. This ultimately led to a chamber where many new Decepticon bodies awaited, needing the Matrix to give them life. {{storylink|The Gathering Darkness}}

He was later seen briefly as part of the first wave of defenders when the Warworld was attacked by the next-generation Cybertronians commanded by [[Jhiaxus (G2)|Jhiaxus]] after the Autobots and Decepticons had forged an alliance of necessity against said forces. Swindle's fate was not revealed, but considering the Cybertronian troops—led by the traitor [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]]—killed several Decepticons and ultimately overtook the battleship, it didn't look too good for Swindle. {{storylink|Total War!}}

===Dreamwave comics continuity===
Swindle sided with Starscream when the [[Seeker (body-type)|Seeker]] tried to usurp command of the Decepticons from Megatron (what a surprise) shortly after the onset of the Cybertronian civil war. He assisted in the interrogation of [[Laserbeak (G1)|Laserbeak]] instead of joining [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]] in the assault upon [[Iacon (city-state)|Iacon]].

Millions of years later, Swindle, along with his fellow Combaticons, was imprisoned by Shockwave, presumably as war criminals under the terms of the new peace treaty with the Autobots. He was sprung by Starscream after the ''[[Nemesis (G1)|Nemesis]]'''s crew returned to Cybertron, though. Wonder what that cost him. Starscream then brought the inactive Combaticons with him to Earth and gave them new modes based on deactivated vehicles from a nearby abandoned military testing ground.

When [[Sunstorm (G1)|Sunstorm]] appeared on Earth, the battered Combaticons were ordered by Starscream to combine into Bruticus and deal with the crazed zealot. It did not end well. {{storylink|Black Sunshine}}

[[Image:G1 DWSwindle deal routetoallevil.jpg|left|250px|thumb|Who wouldn't trust a bot named "Swindle"?]]

The repaired Combaticons were brought to Guadalcanal, where they could hone their somewhat lackluster combat skills and listen to Starscream's long-winded aspirations of glory. When Swindle commented on Starscream's mental state, Brawl agreed, stating that he'd like to pull the Air Commander's cerebro circuits straight out of his faceplate so they could get a better look at them, to which Swindle suggested a "deal" for this to happen. Starscream overheard their conversation and informed the smaller Decepticon that the only "deal" he needed to worry about was how Starscream would deal with Swindle for his scheming. Starscream nevertheless let it pass for the moment in order for the Combaticons to test themselves against the magnificent Autobot [[Sky Lynx (G1)|Sky Lynx]]. Unfortunately, the Combaticons did not fare well when the crafty Autobot split into his two forms, with Swindle, Brawl and Onslaught nearly getting crushed by the Lynx's right paw.

This was the least of their troubles, however, as [[Predaking]] showed up as soon as Sky Lynx was deactivated. As the Combaticons closed in on the [[Predacon (G1)|Predacon]] [[combiner]], Swindle had trouble keeping up with the rest of the group before they formed Bruticus. This encounter also did not end well. {{storylink|The Route of All Evil}}
{{--}}
===IDW comics continuity===
[[Image:SpotlightUltraMagnusSwindle.jpg|right|300px|thumb|Swindle: Master salespitcher.]]
Shortly prior to the formation of the Decepticons, Swindle was working as a lackey for [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]] during the height of his gladiator period. {{storylink|Megatron Origin issue 3}}

In modern times, Swindle was an arms dealer being hunted down by [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]] for violating the [[Tyrest Accord]]. After failing to hide from Magnus on the planet [[Zull]] 29 solar cycles in the past, he managed to deal for his freedom 29 by selling Magnus information on the whereabouts of [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]]. Magnus later caught Swindle again, but it would seem he managed to bargain for his freedom once again. {{storylink|Spotlight: Ultra Magnus}}

[[Image:TF_Ongoing_issue_3_Swindle.jpg|left|200px|thumb|Cool story, bro.]]

Quite some time later, Swindle was one several Decepticons who were stranded on Earth after Megatron's defeat in New York city. At first, the group tried to follow the high-ranking [[Thundercracker (G1)|Thundercracker]], but his disenchantment with the Decepticons and the war led them to fall in behind Swindle, the fast-talking cheat, the one who could always survive against all odds. {{storylink|Seasons in Flight}} For three months Swindle led them into a canyon where they stalked the mighty Autobot [[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]], waiting for a chance to strike. However, when they observed a group of Autobots led by [[Hot Rod (G1)|Hot Rod]] in discussions with Omega, Swindle realized he could fool the hot-headed and naive Autobot for his own designs. Launching a seemingly ill-conceived attack on the Autobots, Swindle quickly manipulated Hot Rod by asking the very question that had been on the Autobot's mind: What were they fighting about? What reason was there to continue fighting? Posing these questions to all the assembled transformers, Swindle proposed an alliance between the two groups with the aim of getting off-planet. {{storylink|New Arrivals, Old Encounters}} After the alliance was made, while Hot Rod tried to enlist the assistance of [[Jetfire (G1)|Jetfire]] to help them build their starship, [[Red Alert (G1)|Red Alert]] and [[Mirage (G1)|Mirage]] had their doubts about working with the Decepticons, and Swindle grinning at them didn't improve their mood any. {{storylink|A Rude Awakening}}

While their ship was under construction, Swindle attempted to pressure Hot Rod into allowing the Decepticons to retrieve the [[Constructicon (G1)|Constructicon]]s who had been imprisoned by [[Skywatch]], but Hot Rod wisely refused. Seeing this path going nowhere, Swindle instead suggested the [[Stunticon (G1)|Stunticons]] rescue [[Breakdown (G1)|Breakdown]], and before Hot Rod was able to voice opposition, Swindle smoothly massaged Hot Rod's ego, claiming the Autobot was the "architect of a new age", that the others admired him and, and that these "followers" had given him a new moniker: "Rodimus Prime". With Hot Rod distracted by these praised and accolades, Swindle was given the go-ahead to rescue Breakdown. Unfortunately, as he was discussing his plans with the Stunticons, Ultra Magnus showed up, forcing Swindle to hide. When Magnus discovered and tried to arrest the Decepticon criminal, "Rodimus Prime" stepped in and refused to allow his fellow Autobot to capture Swindle. The Decepticon was seemingly grateful to Rodimus, but Thundercracker knew he was up to something, but wasn't sure what. {{storylink|Seasons in Flight}}

Soon afterwards, the Stunticons successfully rescued Breakdown from the clutches of [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike Witwicky]], an officer in Skywatch. Bringing him back to base, Swindle worked on Breakdown for over three hours, under the pretense that the battered Decepticon needed significant repairs, much to the ire of the Autobots, bar the ever-naive Hot Rod. Ultra Magnus returned, this time with [[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]] and several of his Autobots. When the Autobots started arguing, Swindle stepped in, revealing that the Decepticons had always planned to steal the space ship after killing as many Autobots as they could. When Ultra Magnus countered that the Autobots had them outnumbered, Swindle unveiled his latest creation—the Stunticons [[combiner|combined]] into the powerful gestalt [[Menasor (G1)|Menasor]]. As the Autobots gaped, Swindle ordered Menasor to kill Magnus first. {{storylink|Enemies of the System}}

Swindle gloated in triumph as Menasor tore through the assembled Autobots. He was so enamored with this that he failed to notice Optimus Prime being air-dropped by Skywatch until he had landed on him. Heavily damaged, Swindle climbed from the impact crater and watched in horror as Prime led the Autobots against Menasor, resulting in the destruction of the escape ship. Despite his damages, Swindle was able to slip away before Skywatch seized control of the area, much to Ultra Magnus's chagrin. {{storylink|Earthworks}}
{{--}}

===''Transformers Legends'' anthology===
Swindle stumbled onto a goldmine—selling off the Decepticon arsenal to the [[human]]s. Unfortunately one of his clients, [[Abdul Fakkadi (G1)|Faghadi]], was pushy and demanded his weapons ''now'', at length, while Swindle was trying to work. Swindle realized there was a way he could turn even this to his advantage. With the help of one of his [[Sato Noriko|other clients]], he was able to set Faghadi up to be captured by [[NATO]], demonstrating the weapons in the process, and making an even bigger sale to the Japanese into the bargain. Everything went perfectly, except Megatron found out where the Decepticon weapons had been disappearing to, and dispatched [[Skywarp (G1)|Skywarp]] to bring Swindle in. {{storylink|Two for the Price of One}}

===''TransTech''===
{{charstubfiction}}
There are three Swindles running the pawn shop "[[Swindle, Swindle & Swindle]]". The jingle says it all. As does the image of three grinning Swindle heads on their sign.
<blockquote>"Three times the Swindle means three times the deal.
Come on down, it's a total steal!"</blockquote>
To distinguish the Swindles, they have the following designs:

*Swindle the first: Generation 2 Swindle.
*Swindle the second: Generation 1 (all plastic) Swindle.
*Swindle the third: Generation 1 ([[die-cast]] version) Swindle.

Ask [[Bug Bite (G1)|Bug Bite]], [[Bulletbike (G2)|Bulletbike]], and [[Treds]] about the Triple-S sometimes. {{storylink|Withered Hope}} {{storylink|I, Lowtech}}

===Wings of Honor===
Swindle was part of an Autobot [[Elite Guard]] special ops unit created by [[Magnum]] to take out the various [[Decepticon leader|leaders]] of the new Decepticon faction, in the hopes of ending the war quickly. {{storylink|The Coming Storm: Part 2}}

==Toys==
===Generation 1===
[[Image:G1Swindle toy.jpg|right|250px|thumb|Eh, I'd rather have elbows than shoulders anyway.]]
*'''Swindle''' (Combaticon, 1986, 1987, 1991, 2008)
**''Team ID number'': '''C2'''
**''Japanese ID number'': '''D-68'''
**''Accessories'': Large "[[Scatter blaster]]" gun, small "Gyro-Gun" pistol, decal sheet

: Swindle transforms into a tan [[Wikipedia:FMC XR311|FMC XR311]] combat support vehicle. He features a large, back-mounted cannon with a small pistol attached to its side. In robot mode, he is armed with both weapons, which are used as hand-held artillery. Swindle normally operates as Bruticus's right leg, but as a [[Scramble City]]-style combiner toy, he can also be used in any other available limb slot with any torso-robot.

: There are two different versions of the original release. The initial version uses purple-painted [[die-cast]] metal for his chestplate. This was later replaced with gray plastic.

: The Combaticons were re-released in 1991 as part of the European-market "[[Classics (Europe)|Classics]]" line. This version (which uses the plastic chestplate) was [[retool]]ed to remove the [[rubsign]] indent from his vehicle mode hood, a change made to a lot of the toys in this series.

:This mold was later [[Redeco|redecoed]] into ''[[Operation Combination (toyline)|Operation Combination]]'' [[Leyland]], ''[[Robots in Disguise (toyline)|Robots in Disguise]]'' [[Rollbar (RID)|Rollbar]] and ''[[Universe (2003 toyline)|Universe]]'' Rollbar.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/1986/Decepticon/Swindle/swindle.htm More information on Swindle at TFU.info]''

{{-}}{{anchor|Bruticus}}
*'''Bruticus''' (Gift set, 1985, 2009)
**''Japanese ID number'': '''D-69'''

:Swindle, along with the other Combaticons, were included in a [[giftset]] that was only available in [[Japan]] and [[Italy]].

:In 2009, this set was reissued under the ''[[Encore|Transformers Encore]]'' line, using the [[retool]]ed molds from the ''[[Car Robots]]'' and ''[[Robots in Disguise (franchise)|Robots in Disguise]]'' lines.

===Generation 2===
[[Image:G2Swindle toy.jpg|right|200px|thumb|WhY mY ShOuLdErS—oh wait, never mind.]]
*'''Swindle''' (1994)
**''Team ID number'': '''C2'''
**''Accessories'': Large "[[Scatter blaster]]" gun, small "Gyro-Gun" pistol

: For the [[Generation 2 (toyline)|''Generation 2'' toyline]], Swindle had all of his tan parts redecoed bright red with purple camouflage paint and his windshield painted black. (This latter color was a sticker on the original release.) In robot mode, he has a bright purple torso, making this release quite garish.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/1994/Decepticon/Swindle/swindle.htm More information on ''Generation 2'' Swindle at TFU.info]''
{{--}}
===Alternators===
[[Image:Alternators Swindle toy.jpg|right|250px|thumb|If you buy from this Jeep, it won't be cheap.]]
*'''Swindle''' (2004)
**''Alternator ID number'': '''8'''
**''Japanese ID number'': '''BT-09'''
**''Accessories'': Handgun

: ''[[Alternators]]'' Swindle transforms into a yellow Jeep Wrangler Sport. He is a [[retool]] of ''Alternators'' [[Hound (G1)|Hound]] with a new head, new tires and a new bumper with bullbar. In vehicle mode, his doors open to reveal a realistic interior, his hood opens to reveal a fake (and inaccurate) engine bay, and his tailgate opens by hinging up at one end. As with Hound, he lacks the steering feature common in other ''Alternators'' but has spring-loaded suspension.

: In robot mode, Swindle is armed with a small laser pistol stored in his spare tire. He is otherwise mostly identical to Hound except for the changed parts and color.

: Swindle's head sculpt, as well as the rest of this tooling, was originally intended to be used for an ''Alternators'' version of [[Trailbreaker (G1)|Trailbreaker]], who was canceled due to [[trademark]] issues.

: The same mold, with the Swindle retoolings, is used by [[Rollbar (G1)|Rollbar]].

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2005/Decepticon/AltSwindle/swindle.htm More information on ''Alternators'' Swindle at TFU.info]''
{{--}}
===Universe (2008)===
====G1 Series====
[[Image:Universe-ROTF-toy_Swindle.jpg|thumb|right|300px|]]
*'''Bruticus Maximus''' (2008)
**''Accessories:'' Quad blaster (hand/foot), Decepticon-type [[energon star]]

:''[[Universe (2008 toyline)|Universe]]'' Swindle is a [[redeco]] of the ''[[Energon (toyline)|Energon]]'' [[Blackout (combiner)|Blackout]]/[[Stormcloud (Energon)|Stormcloud]] mold, transforming into a tan assault helicopter somewhat similar to an AH-1 Cobra. He was only available with ''Universe'' Bruticus Maximus giftset. When combined with the other Combaticons, Swindle is nominally Bruticus Maximus' right leg, though he can be used in any other limb position. Appropriately enough, his markings include dollar signs ($) on the air intake housings flanking his cockpit.

:This mold was also used to make [[Fun Publications]] [[Transformers Collectors' Club]]-[[exclusive]] [[Topspin (Classics)|Topspin]] and ''Universe'' (2008) [[Vortex (G1)|Vortex]]. ''Universe'' Swindle and Vortex were later sold as ''[[Revenge of the Fallen (franchise)|Revenge of the Fallen]]'' [[Swindle (ROTF)|Swindle]] and [[Vortex (ROTF)|Vortex]].
{{--}}

==Trivia==
[[Image:G1OddCombat.jpg|thumb|150px]]
* The [[character model|character models]] of the Combaticons are kinda... okay, heavily made-up. Early models of the team which were a bit more accurate to the toys - except for the heads, oddly enough - have shown up in various sourcebooks, though Swindle's is still off in some very odd ways.
* The packaging of the 1990 European [[Classics (Europe)|Classics]] release of the original Onslaught toy depicted the Combaticons [[:Image:EuroClassicsCombaticons.jpg|in new color schemes]], despite the fact that the actual toys looked identical to their original releases. While it may never be known for certain, it has been theorized that these colors originated from a packaging printing error rather than a legitimate attempt to [[redeco]] the Combaticons.
* He is the only Combaticon that doesn't have a faceplate.

==References==
<references />

==External links==
*[http://www.ntfa.net/universe/english/index.php?act=view&char=Swindle Swindle's Universe profile at NTFA.net]

[[Category:Alternators]]
[[Category:Combaticons]]
[[Category:Elite Guard]]
[[Category:Generation 1 characters]]
[[Category:Generation 2 characters]]
[[Category:Headmasters characters]]
[[Category:Merchants]]
[[Category:TransTech characters]]
[[Category:Universe (2008)]]

Vortex (G1)

2010-06-27T03:42:34Z

Dvegaj: /* Universe (2008) */

{{factions|decepticon|decepticong2|minicon|autobot|eliteguard}}
{{picsneeded}}
{{disambig3|Vortex}}
:''Vortex is a [[Decepticon]] [[Combaticon (G1)|Combaticon]] from the [[Generation 1 continuity family]].''
[[Image:MTMTEVortex.jpg|right|300px|thumb|I'm FANCY!]]
In a past life, it is very possible that '''Vortex''' was a roller coaster of some sort. He is the interrogator of the [[Decepticon]]s, and his favorite method of coaxing secrets from trembling [[Autobot]]s is to take them on ''Mr. Vortex's Wild Ride''. Laughing like a maniac, Vortex will treat Autobots held hostage within his cargo hold to a psychotic helicopter ride of twists, turns and near-death experiences. Then, once he has learned everything they have to tell: kerplop!

Vortex can combine with his fellow [[Combaticon (G1)|Combaticons]] to form [[Bruticus (G1)|Bruticus]].

:''Japanese name:'' '''Vorter'''

==Fiction==
===Cartoon continuity===
====Generation 1 cartoon====
:''Voice actor:'' [[Johnny Haymer]] (English), [[Ken Shiroyama]] (Japanese)
[[Image:StarscreamsBrigade Vortex capture.jpg|left|200px|thumb|"Hey dude, I don't think we're in Kansas anymore!" 
"Shut up, Jazz."]]
Vortex was one of the five [[renegade Decepticon]]s liberated by [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]] in the Air Commander's latest attempt to unseat [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]]. As an element of their imprisonment, they had been reduced to mere [[personality component]]s, so Starscream installed them into abandoned [[World War II]] military vehicles. The transplant caused the vehicles to immediately reconfigure themselves: Vortex in particular went from being a [[wikipedia:F4U Corsair|Chance Vought F4U Corsair]]<ref>"Starscream's Brigade" shooting script</ref> to being a helicopter, before turning into a robot. Starscream called them "Combaticons" and announced their names as they transformed, but they didn't recognize him. Nor did they feel particularly indebted to him for their release; in the end, Starscream only guaranteed their loyalty though having given them bodies bereft of [[energy absorber]]s, so they would be dependent upon him to refuel. While their first missions for Starscream were initially successful, the [[Stunticon (G1)|Stunticons]]' intervention meant the brigade's defeat, and Megatron exiled all six to a remote asteroid. {{storylink|Starscream's Brigade}}

Vortex and his fellow Combaticons soon escaped the asteroid and invaded [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]], defeating [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave's]] defenses as Bruticus. After Onslaught modified the [[space bridge]] to pull [[Earth]] into the [[sun]], the Combaticons were attacked by unknown forces, which were actually [[Hologram|holograms]]. Vortex was quite happy, as he ''loved'' sneak attacks. Once again, however, the Combaticons were defeated by outside intervention, as the Autobots and Decepticons temporarily allied against the renegades. While Megatron allowed the Autobots to believe the Combaticons had been destroyed, he secretly had Bruticus (and his components, we guess) reprogrammed to serve more loyally. {{storylink|The Revenge of Bruticus}}

[[Image:RevengeBruticus BlastOff Vortex.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Another example of why headbanging isn't more popular among the Decepticons.]]

Some time later, the Combaticons set a trap for the [[Aerialbot (G1)|Aerialbots]], and Vortex attacked them alongside [[Dirge (G1)|Dirge]]. He was eventually shot down by [[Air Raid (G1)|Air Raid]] and retreated back to Megatron's [[Giant Purple Griffin]], which the Aerialbots eventually discovered. In the ensuing battle, Vortex took control of a few of Megatron's jet fighter [[drone]]s, but didn't fare particularly well anyway. The Combaticons then tried to merge into Bruticus, but were defeated by [[Superion (G1)|Superion]]. {{storylink|Aerial Assault}} Afterwards, Bruticus was blown to pieces by [[Defensor (G1)|Defensor]], and [[Swindle (G1)|Swindle]] sold Vortex's parts. What a friend. Vortex and the other Combaticons were eventually repaired just in time for Bruticus to be defeated again. {{storylink|B.O.T. (episode)|B.O.T.}}

[[Image:FFoD2 SwindleVortex.jpg|left|200px|thumb|"Hey, my semi-automatic glue gun isn't firing lasers any more! It must be... broken?"]]

After the great battle at [[Autobot City]], the Combaticons were among the battered Decepticon forces who withdrew to [[Chaar]]. {{storylink|Five Faces of Darkness, Part 1}} When the Deceptions spotted [[Rodimus Prime (G1)|Rodimus Prime]] and [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]] spying on them, Vortex was the first to note that their weapons weren't working due to their low energy levels. He and his comrades simply opted for bashing the intruders to death instead. {{storylink|Five Faces of Darkness, Part 2}} The Combaticons later participated in a [[Quintesson]]-led assault on a group of Autobots trapped on [[Goo]] {{storylink|Five Faces of Darkness, Part 3}}, until [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]] returned and took back control of his forces. {{storylink|Five Faces of Darkness, Part 4}}

[[Image:UltimateWeapon Vortex interrogation.jpg|right|200px|thumb|"Confess! Where is the candlestick? What were you doing in the conservatory?"]]

The Combaticons later performed a hit-and-run attack on Cybertron in order to destroy a peace conference shuttle. When the Autobots fought back, Vortex shot [[Wheelie (G1)|Wheelie]] with a barrage of lasers, but was blasted out of the sky by [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]] for it. {{storylink|Surprise Party}} Much later, Vortex was charged with guarding [[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]] in the [[Netherlands]]. [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike]] and [[Daniel Witwicky (G1)|Daniel Witwicky]], seated in a disguised Ultra Magnus and Rodimus Prime, respectively, tried tricking him into thinking they were repairmen in order to infiltrate the city-bot, but unfortunately Vortex could detect the "nauseating smell of Autobot fumes" on them. He tried shaking the truth out of Daniel, only to accidentally throw him off a cliff. The Autobots were forced to abandon their disguises in order to save him, and Rodimus blasted Vortex into unconsciousness. {{storylink|The Ultimate Weapon}}

[[Image:ReturnOptimusPrime1 InfectedVortex.jpg|left|200px|thumb|The difference between a Decepticon and a Decepticon infected with the hate plague is... murky, at best.]]

When the Earth was infected by the [[Hate Plague]], the Combaticons were among the early victims. In a frenzy, Vortex started flying around an airfield blowing up jumbo jets. {{storylink|The Return of Optimus Prime, Part 1}} By order of Galvatron, the Combaticons lated constructed a giant planetary rocket engine that was used to propel Cybertron into orbit around Earth. They also dragged away the bodies of defeated Autobots to use as fuel for the engine. {{storylink|The Rebirth, Part 3}}
{{--}}
====''Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers'' manga====
As Bruticus, Vortex and the Combaticons aided Menasor when the [[Stunticon (G1)|Stunticons]]' new base found itself under attack from [[Defensor (G1)|Defensor]] and [[Superion (G1)|Superion]]. Whilst Bruticus took care of Defensor with relative ease, Superion shot his leg components off, allowing [[First Aid (G1)|First Aid]] and [[Streetwise (G1)|Streetwise]] to steal their places. Taking control of the giant's flight systems, the two [[Protectobot (G1)|Protectobots]] flew off with Bruticus's remaining components, planning to drop them off somewhere over the ocean. {{storylink|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers issue 5|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers #5}}

Vortex and the Combaticons were later ordered to hunt down a [[Murdered puppy|dog]] imbued with [[Decepticon super science]]. The Autobot [[Mini Vehicle]]s led by [[Powerglide (G1)|Powerglide]] soon arrived to save the poor animal, and the Combaticons formed Bruticus in response. However, the dog used its super science to power up Powerglide, who used [[Scramble Power]] to combine with his comrades and drill straight through him, forcing the Combaticons to withdraw. {{storylink|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers issue 8|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers #8}}

====''Scramble City'' OVA====
Vortex and the other Combaticons were dispatched to help the Stunticons in a battle against the Aerialbots. As Bruticus and Menasor, the two groups nearly defeated Superion, until [[Metroplex (G1)|Scramble City]] arrived and blew them away. {{storylink|Scramble City}}

====''The Headmasters'' cartoon====
The Combaticons participated in a major Decepticon assault on Cybertron, during which Vortex performed air strikes until he was shot down by [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]]. {{storylink|Four Warriors Come out of the Sky}} He later combined with the other Combaticons to continue fighting, but even Bruticus was driven away by the arrival of [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Battleship Maximus]]. {{storylink|The Mystery of Planet Master}} The Combaticons were subsequently sent to Earth, where they set out to stop [[Hot Rod (G1)|Hot Rod]] from retrieving the [[Matrix of Leadership]] for Optimus Prime. They didn't get far before being ambushed by the Protectobots, who buried the team in a rockfall. {{storylink|Birth of the Fantastic Double Prime}} Vortex and the others later defended [[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]] against [[Blaster (G1)|Twincast]]'s attempted infiltration, but got their hands full when the Aerialbots also joined the battle. {{storylink|The Great Cassette Operation}}

The Decepticon army, including the Combaticons, later attacked Cybertron again, in order to obtain the precious [[Cybertonuron]] created by [[Vector Sigma]]. {{storylink|Cybertron Is in Grave Danger, Part 1}} This didn't go very well, as Bruticus was again defeated by Defensor. {{storylink|Cybertron Is in Grave Danger, Part 2}} Bruticus was then sent to [[San Francisco]] with orders to destroy any Autobots out to kill the giant carnivorous plant hidden there by [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]]. He ended up dueling with [[Raiden]], the [[Trainbot]] combiner. {{storylink|Head On!! Fortress Maximus}} Vortex and his team were later seen under the command of [[Sixshot]], who ordered them to attack an Autobot energy facility in [[Miami]] in order to divert troops from [[Autobot City]]. {{storylink|Ultra Magnus Dies!!}} They also unleashed Bruticus as Sixshot continued his reign of terror over the Autobots on Earth. {{storylink|The Emperor of Destruction Vanishes on an Iceberg}}

Vortex later watched and cheered as Scorponok official took leadership of the Decepticons. {{storylink|I Risk My Life for Earth}} As Bruticus's arm, he later tried to lure Fortress Maximus away from the Decepticon base on [[Master (planet)|Master]], but it didn't work. {{storylink|The Zarak Shield Turns the Tide}} Bruticus was later seen laughing with [[Predaking]] as they sank the luxury liner ''[[Queen World]]'' in the Atlantic Ocean. {{storylink|The Final Showdown on Earth (Part 1)}} Naturally, Vortex and the Combaticons were part of the final climactic battle with the Autobot army at the [[Arctic|North Pole]], and retreated into space when Scorponok's plan to tear Earth apart appeared to become a reality. {{storylink|The Final Showdown on Earth (Part 2)}}

====''Zone'' OVA, manga and story pages====
Seeking to create a [[Decepticon Zone]] to counter the [[Micro|Autobot Zone]], [[Emperor of Destruction|Decepticon Emperor]] [[Violen Jiger]] gathered together the [[Nine Great Demon Generals]], upgrading them with powerful new armor and weaponry, then sent them forth to conquer planets. Vortex was of those summoned, but only as part of Bruticus. {{storylink|Zone (story page)|Zone Part 1}} {{storylink|Zone (manga)|Transformers: Zone}} {{storylink|Enter the New Supreme Commander, Dai Atlas!}}

===Marvel Comics continuity===
====Generation 1====
{{noteukonly}}
''[[Buster Witwicky (G1)|Buster Witwicky]] was the only human in existence to have ever possessed the Autobots' [[Matrix of Leadership|Creation Matrix]] in his mind. Months after returning the Matrix to its true guardian, [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]], Buster began experiencing nightmares of strange new Transformers, [[Special Teams]] with the ability to merge into a 5-in-1 giant. Vortex and his Combaticon teammates appeared in one of Buster's earlier dreams, before he sought help from the Autobots. In order to process the information his subconscious was feeding him, Buster linked his mind with Prime, so that the next dream came through far clearer than the previous ones. He and Prime observed a <s>toy commercial</s> scenario where Vortex and his fellow Combaticons joined forces with the [[Stunticon (G1)|Stunticons]] against their Autobot counterparts, the [[Protectobot (G1)|Protectobots]] and [[Aerialbot (G1)|Aerialbots]]. The Combaticons fought together as [[Bruticus (G1)|Bruticus]], but were defeated by the teamwork shown by Autobot gestalts [[Superion (G1)|Superion]] and [[Defensor (G1)|Defensor]]. After Prime and Buster awoke, the Autobots immediately went to work designing these new warriors. Thanks to [[Soundwave (G1)|Soundwave]]'s hacking skills, however, [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]] and [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]] also saw the visions and began working on their own Special Teams. {{storylink|Second Generation!}}''

{{note|The above origin was not referenced in the U.S. comics and, unlike the Stunticons, the Combaticons were never explicitly stated to have been built on Earth. Although it's generally assumed they were anyway, one [[Swarm (issue)|obscure reference]] inferred that they may have come from Cybertron.}}

[[Image:Afterdeath Vortex BlastOff.JPG|right|200px|thumb|]]
At Megatron's command, Vortex began scouting human energy projects for possible sources of energon for the Decepticons to steal. Hovering over [[Energy Futures Industries]] on the Oregon coast, Vortex learned about a new device called a [[hydrothermocline]], which could potentially summon limitless energy from beneath the seas. He summoned Megatron and the rest of the Combaticons for a late night raid. Unfortunately for them, the Autobots had been doing a little spying of their own, and the Combaticons found Optimus Prime and the Protectobots lying in wait at EFI when they arrived. Optimus and Megatron were busy measuring who had the biggest gestalt when [[Ethan Zachary]], a human programmer working at EFI, offered them a better solution than brawling. Using his [[Multi-World]] video game scenario, Zachery could upload the Autobots and Decepticons into the game, allowing them to fight without risking the hydro-whatsis or innocent lives in the process.

Inside Multi-World, Vortex and [[Blast Off (G1)|Blast Off]] teamed up to hunt down Protectobots. In the region known as the [[Cloud-Steppes]], they came across [[Groove (G1)|Groove]] and [[Blades (G1)|Blades]]. The digital environment was comprised of a series of roadways supported by cables connecting them to hovering clouds. Vortex chose the simplest solution and began cutting through the cables with his rotor blades, sending the ground-bound Groove and several Cloud-Steppers to their doom. Groove saved himself, and Blades caught the cloud people as they fell. The Autobots' new friends then turned their cloud power against the Combaticons, blinding them long enough for Groove to... blind them again. Stupid pacifists. Anyway, Vortex and Blast Off then crashed into each other and "died", their consciousnesses returning to reality. The other Combaticons fared just as well, leaving Megatron alone to fight Prime and Defensor. Blindly choking his subordinates in the real world, Megatron got close enough for Vortex to whisper a "cheat code" he had overheard when first scouting the location... AFTERDEATH. Despite using the password to cheat, Megatron still lost the battle. But, because Optimus Prime was forced to sacrifice innocent "people" in the game to defeat Megatron, he allowed the Decepticons to take the hydrothermocline anyway. Truly an [[Heavy Metal War|over-developed sense of honor]]. {{storylink|Afterdeath!}}

During the Decepticon plans to move the hydrothermocline to a more energy efficient location for its work, Vortex was transporting the land-bound Decepticons to their island base. At Shockwave's request, however, he was dissuaded from picking up Megatron on time, allowing Shockwave's [[Predacon (G1)|Predacon]] mercenaries time to complete their assassination attempt on the Decepticon leader. Megatron survived, but ended up blowing himself up anyway, leaving Vortex and the Combaticons under Shockwave's command. {{storylink|Gone but Not Forgotten!}} When fuel auditor [[Ratbat (G1)|Ratbat]] arrived to supervise the Decepticon activities, Shockwave engineered a daring daylight raid on an oil tanker in the Caribbean. Vortex, the [[Conehead]]s and the [[Insecticon (G1)|Insecticons]] successfully commandeered the vessel and brought it to the Decepticons island base. It was the perfect plan... with the small technicality of there not being any fuel in the tanker. {{storylink|Buster Witwicky and the Car Wash of Doom}}

''On a later mission, Soundwave and the Combaticons were commissioned with destroying the inactive super-Decepticon known as [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]], who had been trapped inside the lava flow of an active volcano, preserving him like a fly in amber. Shockwave nevertheless saw Galvatron as a potential threat to his command, and wanted him eliminated permanently. Vortex and the others were to set up explosive charges around the mouth, burying the future warrior forever. Their plans were waylaid by a group of human females, who used up most of the explosives against the Combaticons. The Decepticons were then forced to retreat once [[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]] and the [[Throttlebot]]s arrived to back-up the humans, but they swore vengeance for the interference. {{storylink|Ladies' Night}}''

Vortex began trailing the Throttlebots, and caught up with them on a California freeway. He was freely taking pot shots at them until Blaster transformed and supported himself on [[Rollbar (G1)|Rollbar]] and [[Chase (G1)|Chase]]'s vehicle modes, firing back at the Combaticon with his electro-scrambler gun. After nearly causing a traffic pile-up, Blaster got a good shot at Vortex, overloading his circuitry and sending the Decepticon careening through the sky. Once he recovered, Vortex tracked Blaster and the Throttlebots to a used car dealership, and summoned the rest of the Combaticons. Matters became complicated when the Protectobots also arrived on the scene, looking to arrest Blaster and Goldbug for going AWOL and rebelling against the Autobot commander, [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]]... not to mention the [[Rapid Anti-robot Assault Team|RAAT]] brigade of human military officers looking to take the Autobots into custody as well. The resulting four-way war left everyone confused and the dealership a wreck. Vortex was blinded early on battling [[Streetwise (G1)|Streetwise]], and the Combaticons ultimately retreated once Blaster joined forces with the Protectobots. In the melee, however, the Throttlebots were carted off by RAAT, and the Protectobots still took Blaster into custody for Grimlock after the fight was over. {{storylink|Used Autobots}}

Vortex tracked the Protectobots from a distance, as they transported the mode-locked Blaster back to the [[Ark (G1)|Ark]] for trial and execution. The two teams clashed again at a (mostly) abandoned railyard once the Combaticons had fully assembled on Vortex's position. Vortex clashed with his opposite number, the Protectobot helicopter known as Blades, trading fire in the skies. Despite his computer image-guided targeting technology, Blades was unable to overcome Vortex's aerial agility and score a decent hit. The Combaticons eventually combined into Bruticus and managed to defeat the united Defensor in battle. Meanwhile, Blaster had managed to shake off his mode-lock and, despite his current situation, brought down the Decepticons in defense of his fellow Autobots. {{storylink|Child's Play (issue)|Child's Play}}

[[Image:Jetfireyourehit.jpg|left|200px|thumb|]]
The Combaticons licked their wounds and eventually limped back to the Decepticons' hidden island base in the Caribbean. Decepticon leadership soon changed from Shockwave to Ratbat after the former was critically injured and believed dead following a space battle with [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress Maximus]]. {{storylink|The Desert Island of Space!}} When the Autobots decided the best way for Grimlock and Blaster to finally settle their differences was through trial by combat, Ratbat brought the Decepticons to the combat site on the moon and launched a full scale assault on the unsuspecting Autobots. Vortex and [[Laserbeak (G1)|Laserbeak]] managed to shoot down [[Jetfire (G1)|Jetfire]], but ultimately Grimlock and Blaster put aside their differences and turned the tide, sending the Decepticons packing. {{storylink|Totaled!}}

For their next trick, the Decepticons turned their deserted desert island base into a tropical paradise for humans, using the tourist trade to hide their true motives and protect themselves from any Autobot attack with human shields. Despite their distaste for flesh-creatures, many of the Decepticons were in good spirits. Vortex was seen trading stories with [[Drag Strip]] about how he told off one of the [[Constructicon (G1)|Constructicons]]. Those nerds. {{storylink|Club Con!}}

=====Marvel UK future timelines=====
''Vortex and the Decepticon air force were led into battle by [[Astrotrain (G1)|Astrotrain]] in 2008. They planned to strike back against the Autobots, but were instead ambushed by the [[Quintesson]]s in what could have been a massacre. Putting aside his pride, Decepticon commander [[Soundwave (G1)|Soundwave]] radioed the Autobots for assistance, and soon the two factions were fighting side-by-side on Cybertron against the invading Quintesson forces. After the fight was over, Soundwave left the battlefield in Vortex's [[Scale|ridiculously-oversized]] helicopter mode. {{storylink|Space Pirates!}}''

====Generation 2====
When Megatron was looking to forge an alliance with Optimus Prime against [[Jhiaxus (G2)|Jhiaxus]]'s Cybertronians, he brought a contingent of Decepticons to Ethos to back-up the Autobots. Vortex joined Starscream and [[Ransack (G2)|Ransack]] in supplementing the Aerialbots and the other Autobot sky forces. {{storylink|Escalation!}}

Vortex, along with the other Combaticons, formed the first line of defense against Jhiaxus's attack on [[Warworld]]. While Vortex's ultimate fate is unseen, the fact that Jhiaxus's troops ultimately took Warworld makes it likely he was destroyed. {{storylink|Total War!}}

===Young Corgi continuity===
Vortex and his fellow Combaticons were searching for a mysterious city beneath the ice when the Aerialbots, [[Skydive (G1 Aerialbot)|Skydive]] and [[Slingshot]], interfered. Vortex got into a dogfight with Skydive, flying through the icy mountains and canyons of the North Pole. Luckily, as a Super Seasprite helicopter, he was infinitely more maneuverable than an F-16. Vortex led Skydive straight towards a mountain wall, and shot upwards at the last instant to send the Aerialbot flying nose first into the side of the mountain. Unfortunately for Vortex, Skydive vaporized the mountain peak with his [[nega-gun]] and, flipping back around in robot mode, clocked the Combaticon with a solid blow while Vortex was blinding by the steam.

Vortex was presumably still seeing stars when the rest of the Decepticons learned the [[city-dweller]]s were the true enemy and joined forces with the Autobots against them. Hopefully, Vortex's fellow Combaticons remembered to pick him up for repairs when they departed. {{storylink|Battle Beneath the Ice}}

===Dreamwave comics continuity===
Shortly after [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] became the new Autobot Supreme Commander, Vortex and the other Combaticons took part in the Decepticon assault upon [[Iacon (city-state)|Iacon]] under [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]]'s command. {{storylink|The War Within issue 3|The War Within #3}}

Millions of years later, after the [[Great Shutdown]], Vortex, along with his fellow Combaticons, was imprisoned in the [[Detention Banks]] in [[Quadrant Epsilon]] by Shockwave under his new "Cybertronian" regime. When the Autobots rose up against Shockwave and the Decepticons, Starscream turned tail and escaped to [[Earth]] with the [[protoform]]s of the Combaticons. {{storylink|Revelation (War and Peace)|Revelation}}

Returning to the ''[[Nemesis (G1)|Nemesis]]'' via an uncooperative [[Sky Lynx (G1)|Sky Lynx]], Starscream realized he needed to take parts from the Autobots' ''[[Ark (G1)|Ark]]'' if he ever hoped to get the ''Nemesis'' flying again, and for that he needed considerable firepower. Fortunately, there was a nearby abandoned military testing ground from which the Combaticons could scan Earth-based alternate modes. When the attack on the ''Ark'' was launched, the Autobots had little problem defending against the first wave, successfully capturing [[Soundwave (G1)|Soundwave]], [[Skywarp (G1)|Skywarp]] and [[Thundercracker (G1)|Thundercracker]], but several of the Autobots were soundly beaten when the Combaticons showed up and combined into the mighty Bruticus. The behemoth attacked the ''Ark'' freeing his Decepticon compatriots before going after [[Brawn (G1)|Brawn]] and [[Ratchet (G1)|Ratchet]]. Unfortunately, the Autobots activated their ship's self-destruct before escaping, damaging the Combaticons in the resulting explosion. When Starscream berated them for letting the ship be destroyed, Vortex groaned in pain. {{storylink|Night of the Combaticons}}

Damaged or not, they soon had to face a powerful enemy when the crazed zealot [[Sunstorm (G1)|Sunstorm]] appeared on Earth, but before they could attack him, Bruticus' head was blown apart by [[Cliffjumper (G1)|Cliffjumper]] in the Autobot supply ship ''[[Orion]]''. In the aftermath, Bruticus' barely-conscious body was battered upon by an angry Brawn. {{storylink|Black Sunshine}}

[[Image:G1DW SkyLynx defeats Combaticons.jpg|right|250px|thumb|Nice kitty... pretty kitty...]]

The repaired Combaticons were brought to Guadalcanal, where they could hone their somewhat lackluster combat skills and listen to Starscream's long-winded aspirations of glory. Starscream ordered them to defeat the Autobot [[Sky Lynx (G1)|Sky Lynx]] as a means to train themselves for greater battles. Blast Off ordered Vortex to "take [Sky Lynx] down", but the crafty Autobot split into his two forms, and Blast Off was embarrassingly grabbed in the flying form's jaws while Vortex looked on.

This was the least of their troubles, however, as [[Predaking]] showed up as soon as Sky Lynx was deactivated. This encounter also did not end well. {{storylink|The Route of All Evil}}
{{--}}
===''G.I. Joe vs the Transformers''===
As part of [[Serpent O.R.]]'s forces, Vortex defended the newly unified Decepticon army's base against a combined Autobot/[[G.I. Joe (team)|G.I. Joe]] strike force. {{storylink|The Art of War issue 5|The Art of War #5}}

===IDW comics continuity===
Vortex was part of the Combaticons', under the command of [[Banzai-Tron (G1)|Banzaitron]]'s [[Decepticon Secret Service]]. They attacked the [[Garrus-9]] penal facility to seize the [[Pretender Monster|new gestalt Transformers]]. When [[Arcee (G1)|Arcee]] turned up to kill them all, it was Vortex who reacted quickly and sprang the gestalts while under fire. He then dissed [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress Maximus]] on the way out. {{storylink|Spotlight: Arcee}}

After a deal was negotiated between Arcee and Banzaitron, Vortex and the other Combaticons later helped her in an attempt to recapture [[Monstructor (G1)|Monstructor]] (who had been stolen by [[Jhiaxus (G2)|Jhiaxus]] and [[Nova Prime|Nemesis Prime]]'s forces) on [[Rotan]], though the insane Autobot disappeared mid-battle. {{storylink|Spotlight: Sideswipe}}

{{note|Due to the truncated nature of the ''[[Revelation (IDW)|Revelation]]'' miniseries, the outcome of this battle is unknown.}}

===Wings of Honor===
Vortex was part of an Autobot [[Elite Guard]] special ops unit created by [[Magnum]] to take out the various [[Decepticon leader|leaders]] of the new Decepticon faction, in the hopes of ending the war quickly. {{storylink|The Coming Storm: Part 2}}

==Toys==
===Generation 1===
[[Image:G1Vortex toy.jpg|right|300px|thumb|Get to da choppa. I dare ya.]]
* '''Vortex''' (Combaticon, 1985/1986/1991)
**''Team ID number'': '''C4'''
**''Japanese ID number'': '''D-66'''
**''Accessories'': Pistol, left & right cannons

: Vortex transforms into a Kaman Aerospace SH-2G Super Seasprite helicopter. He is armed with a small, chin-mounted [[Glue gun|semi-automatic glue gun]] and two large, tri-barrel Gatling guns mounted astern on his tail.

: In robot mode, Vortex is armed with his helicopter chin gun, and along with fellow Combaticon [[Blast Off (G1)|Blast Off]], is one of the first Transformers figures to utilize ball-joints, located in his shoulders. Vortex normally becomes the left arm of Bruticus, but as a [[Scramble City]] design, he can also occupy any other limb slot on Bruticus.

: There are a few variations of this toy. Initial releases of Vortex gave him a [[die-cast]] metal chestplate painted deep purple. Later releases replaced the metal with lighter-purple plastic. In 1991, the entire Combaticon team was re-released as part of the European "[[Classics (Europe)|Classics]]" line; like many toys released in this series, Vortex was [[retool]]ed to remove the [[rubsign]] indent from his vehicle mode.

: This mold was [[redeco]]ed as ''[[Operation Combination (toyline)|Operation Combination]]'' [[Target Hawk]], ''[[Robots in Disguise (toyline)|Robots in Disguise]]'' [[Ro-Tor (RID)|Ro-Tor]], and ''[[Universe (2003 toyline)|Universe]]'' Ro-Tor.

::*''[http://tfu.info/1986/Decepticon/Vortex/vortex.htm More information on Vortex at TFU.info]''

{{-}}{{anchor|Bruticus}}
*'''Bruticus''' (Gift set, 1985, 2009)
**''Japanese ID number'': '''D-69'''

:Vortex, along with the other Combaticons, were included in a [[giftset]] that was only available in [[Japan]] and [[Italy]].

:In 2009, this set was reissued under the ''[[Encore|Transformers Encore]]'' line, using the [[retool]]ed molds from the ''[[Car Robots]]'' and ''[[Robots in Disguise (franchise)|Robots in Disguise]]'' lines.
{{--}}
===Generation 2===
* '''Vortex''' (Combaticon, 1994)
**''Team ID number'': '''C4'''
**''Accessories'': Pistol, left & right cannons

: During the ''Generation 2'' line, Vortex was redecoed blue with purple camouflage paint. His weapons were also redecoed purple, and his chest was changed to a different shade of purple, making him totally inconspicuous.

::*''[http://tfu.info/1994/Decepticon/Vortex/vortex.htm More information on Generation 2 Vortex at TFU.info]''
{{--}}
===Universe (2008)===
[[Image:Universe-ROTF-toy_Vortex.jpg|thumb|right|300px|]]
*'''Bruticus Maximus''' (2008)
**''Accessories:'' Quad blaster (hand/foot), Decepticon-type [[energon star]]

:''[[Universe (2008 franchise)|Universe]]'' Vortex is a [[redeco]] of the ''[[Energon (toyline)|Energon]]'' [[Blackout (combiner)|Blackout]]/[[Stormcloud (Energon)|Stormcloud]] mold, transforming into a blue/grey assault helicopter somewhat similar to an AH-1 Cobra. He was only available with ''Universe'' Bruticus Maximus giftset. When combined with the other Combaticons, Vortex is nominally Bruticus Maximus' left arm, though he can be used in any other limb position. "V-1" is [[tampograph]]ed on the right side of his cockpit.

:This mold was also used to make [[Fun Publications]] [[Transformers Collectors' Club]]-[[exclusive]] [[Topspin (Classics)|Topspin]] and ''Universe'' (2008) [[Swindle (G1)|Swindle]]. Said Swindle is identical to ''[[Revenge of the Fallen (toyline)|Revenge of the Fallen]]'' [[Swindle (ROTF)|Swindle]], and Vortex himself also doubles as that franchise's [[Vortex (ROTF)|Vortex]].
{{--}}

===Henkei! Henkei!===
[[Image:Henkei-toy VortexMicron.jpg|right|300px|thumb|And he doesn't take American Express.]]
*'''Destron Vorter''' (Micron, 2009)

: A redeco of the ''[[Classics (2006)|Classics]]'' [[Mini-Con]] [[Divebomb (Classics)|Divebomb]], Vortex now transforms into an [[Popular Earth vehicle alternate modes|AH-64 Apache assault helicopter]].

: Vortex was only available by—brace yourself—signing up for a [http://www.transformers-card.com/pre2/index.html Transformers-themed Visa credit card] through Pocket Card Co., Ltd. Vortex is available only to those who get the Decepticon-themed card. Also available is [[Slingshot|Sling]] for those who get the Autobot card. How one gets both without paying out the butt is anyone's guess.

: This mold was also used to make [[Torque Gain]] and ''[[Universe (2008 toyline)|Universe]]'' [[Cloudraker (Universe)|Cloudraker]] and [[Crosshairs (Universe)|Crosshairs]].
{{--}}
==Notes==
[[Image:EuroClassicsCombaticons.jpg|thumb|200px]]
* The [[character model|character models]] of the Combaticons are kinda... okay, heavily made-up. Early models of the team which were a bit more accurate to the toys - except for the heads, oddly enough - have shown up in various sourcebooks, though Vortex's is still off in some very odd ways.
* The packaging of the 1990 European [[Classics (Europe)|Classics]] release of the original Onslaught toy depicted the Combaticons in (mostly) new color schemes, despite the fact that the actual toys looked identical to their original releases. While it may never be known for certain, it has been theorized that these colors originated from a packaging printing error rather than a legitimate attempt to [[redeco]] the Combaticons.

==References==
<references />

==External links==
*[http://www.ntfa.net/universe/english/index.php?act=view&char=Vortex Vortex's ''Universe'' profile at NFTA.net]

[[Category:Combaticons]]
[[Category:Elite Guard]]
[[Category:Generation 1 characters]]
[[Category:Generation 2 characters]]
[[Category:Headmasters characters]]
[[Category:Henkei! Henkei! characters]]
[[Category:Interrogators]]
[[Category:Japanese promotion exclusives]]
[[Category:Mini-Cons]]
[[Category:Universe (2008)]]

Stormcloud (Energon)

2010-06-27T03:41:34Z

Dvegaj: /* Energon */

{{Factions|decepticon|{{factions/icons|custom=Energon Powerlinx Blue symbol.png|cLink=Powerlinx}}}}
{{disambig3|Stormcloud}}

:''Stormcloud is a [[Decepticon]] from the [[Energon (franchise)|Energon]] portion of the [[Unicron Trilogy]] [[Continuity family|continuity family]].''
{{mainpic|10:49, 24 April 2009 (EDT)}}
'''Stormcloud''' is a member of the [[Destruction Team]], five super-[[Energon (Energon)|energon]]-powered military vehicles who combine to form the mighty [[Bruticus Maximus (Energon)|Bruticus Maximus]]. Gifted with an awesome name, fit for the cover of one of the ''better'' heavy metal albums, he had no such destiny. No, his fate was to ''become'' a cloud—a cloud of ionized particles, that is.

:''Japanese name:'' '''Vorter'''

==Fiction==
===''Energon'' cartoon===
[[Image:Distribution Stormcloud.jpg|left|180px|thumb|]]
Shortly after awakening from their long slumber, Bruticus Maximus and [[Constructicon Maximus]] were ordered by [[Megatron (Armada)|Galvatron]] to pursue the fleeing [[Superion Maximus]] after the Autobot attempted to attack the Decepticon leader. Both combiners separated into their individual components and gave chase. They later pledged their allegiance to Galvatron, believing he was the future of [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]]. {{storylink|Galvatron!}}

During a virtual training match between the Autobots and Decepticons, Stormcloud was part of [[Barricade (Energon)|Barricade]]'s Destruction Team, fighting the [[Air Team]] alongside the [[Construction Team]]. They combined into Bruticus Maximus to defeat Superion Maximus, only to be defeated in turn by [[Optimus Prime (Armada)|Optimus Supreme]]. {{storylink|Distribution}}

Stormcloud and the other Destruction Team member eventually paid for their treachery during a final show down with the Air Team. Bruticus Maximus and [[Constructicon Maximus]] double teamed Superion Maximus, who held his own and destroyed Constructicon's spark before the Autobot was reduced to Storm Jet. However, the ghost of [[Anonymous Maximus|Superion's brother]] appeared, destroying [[Blackout (combiner)|Blackout]], giving Storm Jet the chance to procure Constructicons's dead limbs and recombine into Superion. Before Bruticus could recover, the Autobot pierced his spark causing an explosion which engulfed them all. {{storylink|Spark (episode)|Spark}}

{{note|Stormcloud was never referred to by name, nor was he ever presented as a sentient, individual being. Most of his appearances were as the right leg of Bruticus Maximus.}}

==Toys==
===Energon===
*'''Stormcloud''' (Basic, 2005)
**''Team ID number'': '''D1'''
**''Accessories'': Energon blaster, Decepticon-type [[Energon star|energon star]]

[[Image:Energon Stormcloud toy.jpg|right|200px|thumb|]]
: Stormcloud shares a mold with his teammate [[Blackout (combiner)|Blackout]], transforming into an assault helicopter somewhat similar to an AH-1 Cobra. He can also form the arm or leg to any "[[Powerlinx]] Combiner" super robot combination, though his nominal placement is as the right leg to Bruticus Maximus. He comes with a quintuple-barreled "super energon" cannon that forms a hand or footplate for his limb-modes, plus a blue Decepticon-style [[Energon chip|energon chip]].

:This mold was also used for the [[Fun Publications]] [[Transformers Collectors' Club]]-[[Exclusive|exclusive]] ''[[Timelines (fiction)|Timelines]]'' [[Topspin (Classics)|Topspin]], and the ''[[Universe (2008 franchise)|Universe]]'' (2008) [[Bruticus (G1)#Universe_.282008.29|Bruticus Maximus]] team members [[Vortex (G1)#Universe_.282008.29|Vortex]] and [[Swindle (G1)#Universe_.282008.29|Swindle]], who in turn double as ''[[Revenge of the Fallen (franchise)|Revenge of the Fallen]]'' [[Vortex (ROTF)|Vortex]] and [[Swindle (ROTF)|Swindle]].

*'''Bruticus''' (Multi-pack, 2004)
**''Japanese ID number:'' '''SD-21'''
**''Accessories'': Energon blaster, Decepticon-type energon star

: In Japan, Stormcloud (aka "Vorter") was only available as part of a complete set of all five Destruction Team members, never as an individual. Vorter has some minor differences in terms of [[Paint applications|paint applications]].

==External links==
* [http://www.tfu.info/2005/Decepticon/Stormcloud/stormcloud.htm Stormcloud at TFU.info]
* [http://snakas.web.infoseek.co.jp/energon/d1.htm Comparison between Stormcloud and his Japanese counterpart Vorter at Autobase Aichi]

[[Category:Combiners]]
[[Category:Decepticons]]
[[Category:Energon characters]]

Blackout (combiner)

2010-06-27T03:41:01Z

Dvegaj: /* Energon */

{{factions|decepticon|{{factions/icons|custom=Energon Powerlinx Blue symbol.png|cLink=Powerlinx}}}}
{{disambig3|Blackout}}
:''Blackout is a [[Decepticon]] from the [[Energon (franchise)|Energon]] portion of the [[Unicron Trilogy]] [[continuity family]].''

[[Image:BlackoutDT-art.jpg|right|300px|thumb|It's one of those U.N. black helicopters, only...painted...purple. That's exactly what they would do.]]
'''Blackout''' is a member of the [[Destruction Team]], five super-[[Energon (Energon)|energon]]-powered military vehicles who combine to form the mighty [[Bruticus Maximus (Energon)|Bruticus Maximus]]. In life, he was a nonentity, and he remained so in death, only in more pieces.

Blackout's only real distinction is his name, which he shares with at least two other Transformers in his own time period alone, to say nothing of the rest of the multiverse.

:''Japanese name:'' '''Blast Off'''

==Fiction==
===''Energon'' cartoon===
Shortly after awakening from their long slumber, Bruticus Maximus and [[Constructicon Maximus]] were ordered by [[Megatron (Armada)|Galvatron]] to pursue the fleeing [[Superion Maximus]] after the Autobot attempted to attack the Decepticon leader. Both combiners separated into their individual components and gave chase. They later pledged their allegiance to Galvatron, believing him to be the future of [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]]. {{storylink|Galvatron!}}

During a virtual training match between the Autobots and Decepticons, Blackout was part of [[Barricade (Energon)|Barricade]]'s Destruction Team, fighting the [[Air Team]] alongside the [[Construction Team]]. They combined into Bruticus Maximus to defeat Superion Maximus, only to be defeated in turn by [[Optimus Prime (Armada)|Optimus Supreme]]. {{storylink|Distribution}}

Blackout and the other Destruction Team member eventually paid for their treachery during a final show down with the Air Team. Bruticus Maximus and [[Constructicon Maximus]] double teamed Superion Maximus, who held his own and destroyed Constructicon's spark before the Autobot was reduced to just [[Storm Jet (Energon)|Storm Jet]]. However, as Bruticus was crushing Storm Jet to death, Blackout was destroyed by [[Anonymous Maximus|Superion's lost brother]]. The rest of the Destruction team followed Blackout into oblivion soon after. {{storylink|Spark (episode)|Spark}}

Killed by a nameless robot. That's worse than simply having no personality.

{{note|Blackout was never referred to by name, nor was he ever presented as a sentient, individual being. Most of his appearances were as the left arm of Bruticus Maximus.}}

==Toys==
===Energon===
[[Image:EnergonBlackout toy.jpg|right|300px|thumb|Hey, guys! Check out my HANDgun! GET IT? HANDGUN!? Because it's a gun and it's a hand and aw okay I'll shut up now.]]
*'''Blackout''' (Basic, 2005)
**''Team ID number'': '''D3'''
**''Accessories'': Energon blaster, Decepticon-type [[energon star]]

: Blackout shares a mold with his teammate [[Stormcloud (Energon)|Stormcloud]], transforming into an assault helicopter somewhat similar to an AH-1 Cobra. He can also form the arm or leg to any "[[Powerlinx]] Combiner" super robot combination, though his nominal placement is as the left arm to Bruticus Maximus. He comes with a quintuple-barreled "super energon" cannon that forms a hand or footplate for his limb-modes, plus a blue Decepticon-style [[energon chip]].

:This mold was also used for the [[Fun Publications]] [[Transformers Collectors' Club]]-[[exclusive]] ''[[Timelines (toyline)|Timelines]]'' [[Topspin (Classics)|Topspin]], and the ''[[Universe (2008 toyline)|Universe]]'' (2008) [[Bruticus (G1)|Bruticus Maximus]] team members [[Vortex (G1)|Vortex]] and [[Swindle (G1)|Swindle]], who double as ''[[Revenge of the Fallen (toyline)|Revenge of the Fallen]]'' [[Vortex (ROTF)|Vortex]] and [[Swindle (ROTF)|Swindle]].

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2005/Decepticon/Blackout/blackout.htm More information on Blackout at TFU.info]''

*'''Bruticus''' (Multi-pack, 2004)
**''Japanese ID number:'' '''SD-21'''
**''Accessories'': Energon blaster, Decepticon-type energon star

: In Japan, Blackout (aka "Blast Off") was only available as part of a complete set of all five Destruction Team members, never as an individual. He has a slightly different coloration than the [[Hasbro]] release.

==External links==
* [http://snakas.web.infoseek.co.jp/energon/d3.htm Comparison between Blackout and his Japanese counterpart Blast Off at Autobase Aichi]

[[Category:Combiners]]
[[Category:Decepticons]]
[[Category:Energon characters]]

Grimlock's New Brain

2010-06-23T03:33:16Z

Dvegaj: /* Quotes */

{{episode|
|series=G1toon
|image=Grimlock's New Brain Grimlock Technobots.JPG
|caption=Me Grimlock make geeks!
|ep=89
|prev2=Nightmare Planet
|next2=Call of the Primitives
|title="Grimlock's New Brain"
|Japanese=
|production code=700-110
|airdate=[[November 14]], 1986
|written by=[[Paul Davids]]
|series2=2010
|ep2=25
|production company=[[Sunbow Productions]]
|continuity=[[Generation 1 cartoon continuity]]
}}

'''Grimlock gains tremendous intelligence and creates the Technobots.'''

:''Japanese title:'' グリムロックの新しい頭脳 (''Grimlock no Atarashii Zunō'', "Grimlock's New Brain")
:''German title:'' '''Grimlocks neues Gehirn''' ("Grimlock's New Brain")
:''Brasilian title:'' '''O Novo Cérebro de Grimlock''' ("The Grimlock's New Brain")

==Synopsis==
[[Image:Grimlock's New Brain Skuxxoid Slizardo.JPG|left|200px|thumb|Purple stuff? Bah! I wanted Sunny D!]]

On [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]], the [[Autobot|Autobots]] are unveiling a new generator that will better supply them with power. As [[Hot Rod (G1)|Rodimus Prime]] signals [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]] to activate the machine, Grimlock causes a few missteps before Rodimus, [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]], and [[Perceptor (G1)|Perceptor]] manage to switch the generator on. Grimlock points out that he is "smartest Dinobot of all," but Perceptor points out that the Dinobots have limited brains. Grimlock, mildly insulted, threatens to bash Perceptor's brain. Elsewhere, a [[Skuxxoid]] and [[Slizardo]] are sneaking into the generator to place [[anti-electron]]s inside the device, as [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]] has paid them to deliver the anti-electrons to the generator, which would eventually kill the Autobots.

[[Image:Grimlock's New Brain Grimlock generator off.JPG|right|200px|thumb|Me Grimlock hate Windows Vista.]]

In space, [[Cosmos (G1)|Cosmos]] and [[Sky Lynx (G1)|Sky Lynx]] are flying back to Cybertron, when their [[auto gyro]]s suddenly begin to malfunction, crashing into the planet. [[Springer (G1)|Springer]] tries to air lift Sky Lynx to safety, but also begins to malfunction. Perceptor concludes that the problem is originating in the generator and Rodimus, Magnus, Grimlock, and [[Kup (G1)|Kup]] head down to investigate. However, Grimlock breaks the [[Electro map|device]] that Perceptor gave them to navigate the tunnels, so they split up. Grimlock and Kup reach the generator's controls, and Kup begins to suffer memory malfunctions. Grimlock deactivates the generator with the ever-appropriate tactic of biting it, but immediately begins to act differently. He speaks in a proper manner, with an extended vocabulary, and appears to have lost his taste for combat. However, [[Ratbat (G1)|Ratbat]] has been observing them and reports back to Galvatron. Galvatron threatens to kill the Skuxxoid and Slizardo for ruining his plan, as the anti-electrons have already vaporized and were hard to find, but Slizardo reveals that there is another source of anti-electrons...in [[Unicron]]'s brain.

[[Image:Grimlock's New Brain Dinobots fishing.JPG|left|200px|thumb|"Rodimus, isn't that a public pond?" "Quiet, Magnus, this is the only way we can get them to bathe."]]

Back on Cybertron, Grimlock and the Autobots pass the [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobots]] fishing in a local pond. [[Snarl (G1)|Snarl]] invites Grimlock to join, but Grimlock declines, saying he has more important matters to attend to. The Dinobots are concerned, as they always fish together. Elsewhere, Grimlock concludes that anti-electrons were the source of the problem. As Galvatron's ship approaches Unicron's head, he cautions his soldiers, saying that Unicron may be quite powerful. On Cybertron, the Dinobots seek out Grimlock, who is building a new spaceship, and he asks for their help. [[Sludge (G1)|Sludge]] does not like Grimlock's change in attitude, and [[Slag (G1)|Slag]] declares that "Grimlock no fun". With their leader not acting like one of them, the Dinobots decide to go hunting without him. Later, Grimlock has taken Rodimus, Perceptor, and Kup to Unicron's head, having concluded that Unicron's body was the original source. However, Galvatron fires anti-electrons at the shuttle, causing it to crash and the Autobots to malfunction. Galvatron then unleashes the [[Terrorcon (G1)|Terrorcons]] on the Autobots while Grimlock runs off. Grimlock then uses components of Unicron to build [[Nosecone (G1)|Nosecone]] and asks him to drill a hole into Unicron's brain.

[[Image:Grimlock's New Brain Computron Abominus.JPG|right|200px|thumb|Computron teaches Abominus to slow dance.]]

Elsewhere, [[Cyclonus (G1)|Cyclonus]] and [[Scourge (G1)|Scourge]] are retrieving the anti-electrons when they reactivate Unicron. The Chaos Bringer's internal defenses activate, but [[Strafe (G1)|Strafe]], another robot built by Grimlock, destroys the defenses. Finally, Grimlock builds three more robots: [[Afterburner (G1)|Afterburner]], [[Lightspeed (Technobot)|Lightspeed]], and [[Scattershot]], the last of whom he appoints as leader of the [[Technobot (G1)|Technobot]]s. He sends the Technobots to fight the Terrorcons, and they manage to destroy the anti-electrons as well, but the Terrorcons merge into [[Abominus (G1)|Abominus]]. Retreating, the Technobots ask Grimlock for advice, and Grimlock reveals that they are also [[Combiner|Combiners]], commanding them to merge into [[Computron (G1)|Computron]]. The computational capacity held by the gestalt is massive, yet he claims that he lacks the intelligence to feed it. Grimlock connects a device to Computron's head which transfers his super-intelligence to Computron. Now armed with incredible intelligence, Computron is able to defeat Abominus and send the [[Decepticon]]s running.

On Cybertron, Rodimus is holding a celebration for the newly functioning generator, the creation of the Technobots, and Grimlock's efforts. However, Sludge reveals that Grimlock is fishing with the Dinobots. Grimlock says that being a genius all the time is no fun, and he'd rather be a regular Dinobot. The Autobots cheer his statement, apparently preferring their one-bot engines of destruction to be simple-minded.

==Featured Characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
* [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]] (1)
* [[Perceptor (G1)|Perceptor]] (2)
* [[Hot Rod (G1)|Rodimus Prime]] (3)
* [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]] (4)
* [[Snarl (G1)|Snarl]] (5)
* [[Broadside (G1)|Broadside]] (6)
* [[Blurr (G1)|Blurr]] (7)
* [[Kup (G1)|Kup]] (8)
* [[Sludge (G1)|Sludge]] (9)
* [[Springer (G1)|Springer]] (10)
* [[Wheelie (G1)|Wheelie]] (11)
* [[Slag (G1)|Slag]] (12)
* [[Sky Lynx (G1)|Sky Lynx]] (15)
* [[Cosmos (G1)|Cosmos]] (16)
* [[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]] (17)
* [[Teletraan II]] (18)
* [[Nosecone (G1)|Nosecone]] (30)
* [[Strafe (G1)|Strafe]] (31)
* [[Lightspeed (Technobot)|Lightspeed]] (32)
* [[Afterburner (G1)|Afterburner]] (33)
* [[Scattershot]] (34)
* [[Computron (G1)|Computron]] (36)
* [[Silverbolt (G1)|Silverbolt]] (37)
* [[Skydive (G1 Aerialbot)|Skydive]] (38)
|c2=
* [[Ratbat (G1)|Ratbat]] (19)
* [[Sweeps]] (20)
* [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]] (21)
* [[Rippersnapper (G1)|Rippersnapper]] (22)
* [[Blot (G1)|Blot]] (23)
* [[Sinnertwin (G1)|Sinnertwin]] (24)
* [[Scourge (G1)|Scourge]] (25)
* [[Cyclonus (G1)|Cyclonus]] (26)
* [[Hun-Gurrr]] (28)
* [[Cutthroat (G1)|Cutthroat]] (29)
* [[Abominus (G1)|Abominus]] (35)
|c4=
* [[Skuxxoid]] (13)
* [[Slizardo]] (14)
* [[Unicron]] (27)
}}

==Quotes==
"Can't be that one, must be one of these. Eenie Menie miny moe. This switch real rad, gonna pull!" 
"Grimlock, no!!!!! It's this one over here!" 
"Uhhh, that Grimlock's next choice."
:—'''Grimlock''' showing '''Rodimus''' why he should not have been given such an important task.

"Why you think Grimlock stupid? Me no stupid. Grimlock is smartest Dinobot of all." 
"Unfortunately, that's probably true. I just wish the Dinobots had more sophisticated brains." 
"Brains?! Grimlock know how to bash brains. Maybe bash yours."
:—'''Grimlock''' threatening to beat up '''Perceptor'''.

'''Grimlock''': What go wrong? 
'''Perceptor''': Something incapacitated their aerial capabilities. 
'''Grimlock''': Huh? 
'''Rodimus Prime''': He means they couldn't fly, so they crashed. 
'''Grimlock''': Me knew that!
:—Simplifying things for a Dinobot isn't that simple.

"Hey, how did you shut down that baby?" 
"I, Grimlock...used my rear molars." 
"Uh that makes good sense, good going. You what?!" 
"Is your hearing impaired, Kup? Ohh, with some Autobots, you have to explain everything."
:—'''Kup''' and '''Grimlock''' the latter of whom has just received a great deal of intelligence

"Antielectrons, of course! They attack our electrocircuits! Now why didn't I think of that?" 
"Perhaps because your mental abilities are so limited."
:—Oh snap! '''Perceptor''' just got served!

"That one mine! Give me!" 
"Rrr, me want that Autobot!"
:—'''Sinnertwin''' arguing with...himself.

"Are...are you my father?"
:—A newly awakened '''Nosecone''', the first Technobot created by Grimlock

'''Strafe''': Yahoo! It feels great to be a Technobot! My name is Strafe! 
'''Afterburner''': Far out! Fantastic! I'm Afterburner! I'm raring to burn neutrons and see some heavy action! 
'''Lightspeed''': Mellow out, Afterburner. 
'''Afterburner''': Says who? 
'''Lightspeed''': They call me Lightspeed, faster than a speeding photon. 
'''Grimlock''': And you, Scattershot, will be the leader of the Technobots.
:—The newly created '''Technobots''' and '''Grimlock''' engage in a brief [[introdump]].

"Come on, Technobots! Let's show them the stuff Grimlock made us of!"
:—'''Afterburner''' as he attacks the Decepticons with his comrades

"Name: Computron. Primary goal: obliterate Decepticons."
:—'''Computron''' gives Galvatron a reason to run away.

"Me Grimlock say no fun to be genius all the time. Much more fun to be good old Dinobot Grimlock."
:—'''Grimlock''' on his recent bout with intelligence.

==Notes==
===Animation or technical glitches===
* When the Autobots activate the power generator, Springer is twice as tall as Kup and [[Blurr (G1)|Blurr]].
* As Perceptor, Grimlock, and Rodimus walk forward to see Blaster's predicament, they seem to appear out of thin air.
* Sludge's neck repeatedly flashes between yellow and grey for a few frames when Grimlock gives him orders.
* During [[Abominus (G1)|Abominus]]'s combination sequence, [[Hun-Gurrr]] transforms into [[Blot (G1)|Blot]] and [[Sinnertwin (G1)|Sinnertwin]] before combining with himself.
* The Decepticons appear to be far too big when they leave Unicron's head.

===Continuity errors===
* If Grimlock has proven himself so incompetent, why does Rodimus bring him along to find the power generator? There are plenty of other Autobots that can provide muscle (Springer, for one).
* Also, why does Rodimus have Grimlock of all 'bots activate the generator at the beginning? Why not someone like Perceptor, who's even conveniently nearby when they decide to pull the switch?
* When the Autobots near the power generator, why are Kup and Rodimus affected, but Ultra Magnus and Grimlock aren't? It's possible that Grimlock may not be affected due to his creation on Earth causing him to be made differently than the other Autobots (like in "[[Desertion of the Dinobots, Part 1]]"), however this doesn't explain Magnus. Maybe Magnus could just deal with it at the moment.
* This isn't an error necessarily, but this episode marks the only time present-day Cybertron has any sort of standing water (in this case, the pool the Dinobots are "fishing" in).
* Why isn't Swoop with the other Dinobots? The writers even bother to have Grimlock point out that Omega Supreme is away on a mission, and yet one of the Dinobots gets left out?
* Blurr can be seen numerous times fighting alongside the Autobots, despite him not being present on the shuttle ride over.
* The origin of the Technobots seems to conflict with the events of "[[The Key to Vector Sigma, Part 1|The Key to Vector Sigma]]" — in those episodes, it is established that [[Vector Sigma]] is required to give personalities to Transformers, but here, the Technobots get personalities independently of it. Unlike other continuities, however, the cartoon eschews the use of "magic" objects and explanations to give Transformers life; Vector Sigma is simply treated as an advanced computer, and with this in mind, it's not beyond the realm of possibility that the super-smart Grimlock simply has the skill needed to program full, authentic cybernetic personalities into the Technbots on his own. With the introduction of the concept of [[spark]]s in much later fiction and the reclassification of Vector Sigma's capabilities, however, the events of this episode are called into question again. Of course, the Dinobots themselves are exceptions as well, so make of that what you will.

===Continuity notes===
* This episode marks the first appearance of both the Technobots and the Terrorcons.
* Unicron's head is shown to no longer orbit Cybertron, after the events of "[[Ghost in the Machine]]" saw it blasted off into space. It's also looking substantially worse for wear than it was the last time we saw it, presumably a consequence of the explosives that were set off in its immediate vicinity in that episode.
* The second time Rodimus Prime's transformation systems malfunction, he reverts into Hot Rod. Most visibly, he transforms into his junior self's vehicle mode. Additionally, his coloring changes to Hot Rod's traditional magenta, and actor [[Dick Gautier]] raises his voice in pitch to his normal Hot Rod voice.

===Trivia===
[[Image:GrimlockManga.jpg|right|150px|thumb|Meet Prof. Grimlock. Cheaters and plagiarists will not be expelled, merely eaten.]]
* While the episode is centered around Grimlock, he never once transforms out of his dinosaur mode. Then again, seeing a ''T. rex'' talk with such an extensive vocabulary is kinda funny.

* Artwork for the episode featured in ''[[TV Magazine]]'' showed Grimlock wearing a mortarboard and lecturing on something complicated.

*The device Grimlock invents to transfer his intelligence into Computron was later rendered in plastic and included with the [[Super Collection Figure]] PVC version of Grimlock. It would subsequently be recreated in plastic ''again'' for the [[Masterpiece]] version of Grimlock, which dubbed the contraption the "[[Brainwave Transfer Device]]".

* Grimlock voice actor [[Gregg Berger]] has stated that while this was the most difficult episode for him to do (in that it required figuring how an intelligent Grimlock should sound), it was also the episode he enjoyed working on the most as it shows him using his Skyfire's voice for Grimlock's intelligent voice.

* Final appearance of Cosmos.

==Home video releases==
{{homevidnote}}
;VHS
[[Image:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 1988 — ''Transformers'' — Dark Awakening / Grimlock's New Brain ([[Tempo Video]]) 
[[Image:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 1990 — ''Transformers'' — Dark Awakening / Grimlock's New Brain ([[Tempo Video|Abbey Home Entertainment]]) 
[[Image:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2000 — ''The Original Transformers'' — Volume 9: Grimlock the Hero ([[The Original Transformers|Rhino Entertainment]])
;Laserdisc
[[Image:Flag of Japan.png|20px|Japan]] 1999 — ''The Transformers: 2010'' ([[Geneon Universal Entertainment|Pioneer LDC]]) — Japanese audio only.
;DVD
[[Image:Flag of Japan.png|20px|Japan]] 2001 — ''The Transformers: 2010'' — DVD Box (Pioneer LDC) — Japanese audio only. 
[[Image:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2004 — ''The Original Transformers'' — Season 3 Part 2 & Season 4 ([[The Original Transformers|Rhino Entertainment]]) 
[[Image:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2004 — ''Transformers'' — Season 3 and Season 4 ([[Metrodome]]) 
[[Image:Flag of Australia.png|20px|Australia]] 2004 — ''Transformers'' — Collection 5: Series 3.2 ([[Madman Entertainment]]) 
[[Image:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2006 — ''Transformers'' — The Complete Generation One Collection (Metrodome) 
[[Image:Flag of Australia.png|20px|Australia]] 2007 — ''The Transformers'' — Complete Collection (Madman Entertainment) 
[[Image:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2009 — ''Transformers'' — Season's Three & Four {{sic}} (Metrodome) 
[[Image:Flag of Australia.png|20px|Australia]] 2009 — ''The Transformers'' — Complete Collection: Decepticon Edition (Madman Entertainment) 
[[Image:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2009 — ''The Transformers'' — The Complete Series: 25th Anniversary "Matrix of Leadership" Collection ([[Shout! Factory]]) 
[[Image:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2010 — ''The Transformers'' — Seasons Three & Four: 25th Anniversary Edition (Shout! Factory)

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

[[Category:Generation 1 episodes]]

Grimlock's New Brain

2010-06-21T20:43:35Z

Dvegaj: /* Quotes */

{{episode|
|series=G1toon
|image=Grimlock's New Brain Grimlock Technobots.JPG
|caption=Me Grimlock make geeks!
|ep=89
|prev2=Nightmare Planet
|next2=Call of the Primitives
|title="Grimlock's New Brain"
|Japanese=
|production code=700-110
|airdate=[[November 14]], 1986
|written by=[[Paul Davids]]
|series2=2010
|ep2=25
|production company=[[Sunbow Productions]]
|continuity=[[Generation 1 cartoon continuity]]
}}

'''Grimlock gains tremendous intelligence and creates the Technobots.'''

:''Japanese title:'' グリムロックの新しい頭脳 (''Grimlock no Atarashii Zunō'', "Grimlock's New Brain")
:''German title:'' '''Grimlocks neues Gehirn''' ("Grimlock's New Brain")
:''Brasilian title:'' '''O Novo Cérebro de Grimlock''' ("The Grimlock's New Brain")

==Synopsis==
[[Image:Grimlock's New Brain Skuxxoid Slizardo.JPG|left|200px|thumb|Purple stuff? Bah! I wanted Sunny D!]]

On [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]], the [[Autobot|Autobots]] are unveiling a new generator that will better supply them with power. As [[Hot Rod (G1)|Rodimus Prime]] signals [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]] to activate the machine, Grimlock causes a few missteps before Rodimus, [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]], and [[Perceptor (G1)|Perceptor]] manage to switch the generator on. Grimlock points out that he is "smartest Dinobot of all," but Perceptor points out that the Dinobots have limited brains. Grimlock, mildly insulted, threatens to bash Perceptor's brain. Elsewhere, a [[Skuxxoid]] and [[Slizardo]] are sneaking into the generator to place [[anti-electron]]s inside the device, as [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]] has paid them to deliver the anti-electrons to the generator, which would eventually kill the Autobots.

[[Image:Grimlock's New Brain Grimlock generator off.JPG|right|200px|thumb|Me Grimlock hate Windows Vista.]]

In space, [[Cosmos (G1)|Cosmos]] and [[Sky Lynx (G1)|Sky Lynx]] are flying back to Cybertron, when their [[auto gyro]]s suddenly begin to malfunction, crashing into the planet. [[Springer (G1)|Springer]] tries to air lift Sky Lynx to safety, but also begins to malfunction. Perceptor concludes that the problem is originating in the generator and Rodimus, Magnus, Grimlock, and [[Kup (G1)|Kup]] head down to investigate. However, Grimlock breaks the [[Electro map|device]] that Perceptor gave them to navigate the tunnels, so they split up. Grimlock and Kup reach the generator's controls, and Kup begins to suffer memory malfunctions. Grimlock deactivates the generator with the ever-appropriate tactic of biting it, but immediately begins to act differently. He speaks in a proper manner, with an extended vocabulary, and appears to have lost his taste for combat. However, [[Ratbat (G1)|Ratbat]] has been observing them and reports back to Galvatron. Galvatron threatens to kill the Skuxxoid and Slizardo for ruining his plan, as the anti-electrons have already vaporized and were hard to find, but Slizardo reveals that there is another source of anti-electrons...in [[Unicron]]'s brain.

[[Image:Grimlock's New Brain Dinobots fishing.JPG|left|200px|thumb|"Rodimus, isn't that a public pond?" "Quiet, Magnus, this is the only way we can get them to bathe."]]

Back on Cybertron, Grimlock and the Autobots pass the [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobots]] fishing in a local pond. [[Snarl (G1)|Snarl]] invites Grimlock to join, but Grimlock declines, saying he has more important matters to attend to. The Dinobots are concerned, as they always fish together. Elsewhere, Grimlock concludes that anti-electrons were the source of the problem. As Galvatron's ship approaches Unicron's head, he cautions his soldiers, saying that Unicron may be quite powerful. On Cybertron, the Dinobots seek out Grimlock, who is building a new spaceship, and he asks for their help. [[Sludge (G1)|Sludge]] does not like Grimlock's change in attitude, and [[Slag (G1)|Slag]] declares that "Grimlock no fun". With their leader not acting like one of them, the Dinobots decide to go hunting without him. Later, Grimlock has taken Rodimus, Perceptor, and Kup to Unicron's head, having concluded that Unicron's body was the original source. However, Galvatron fires anti-electrons at the shuttle, causing it to crash and the Autobots to malfunction. Galvatron then unleashes the [[Terrorcon (G1)|Terrorcons]] on the Autobots while Grimlock runs off. Grimlock then uses components of Unicron to build [[Nosecone (G1)|Nosecone]] and asks him to drill a hole into Unicron's brain.

[[Image:Grimlock's New Brain Computron Abominus.JPG|right|200px|thumb|Computron teaches Abominus to slow dance.]]

Elsewhere, [[Cyclonus (G1)|Cyclonus]] and [[Scourge (G1)|Scourge]] are retrieving the anti-electrons when they reactivate Unicron. The Chaos Bringer's internal defenses activate, but [[Strafe (G1)|Strafe]], another robot built by Grimlock, destroys the defenses. Finally, Grimlock builds three more robots: [[Afterburner (G1)|Afterburner]], [[Lightspeed (Technobot)|Lightspeed]], and [[Scattershot]], the last of whom he appoints as leader of the [[Technobot (G1)|Technobot]]s. He sends the Technobots to fight the Terrorcons, and they manage to destroy the anti-electrons as well, but the Terrorcons merge into [[Abominus (G1)|Abominus]]. Retreating, the Technobots ask Grimlock for advice, and Grimlock reveals that they are also [[Combiner|Combiners]], commanding them to merge into [[Computron (G1)|Computron]]. The computational capacity held by the gestalt is massive, yet he claims that he lacks the intelligence to feed it. Grimlock connects a device to Computron's head which transfers his super-intelligence to Computron. Now armed with incredible intelligence, Computron is able to defeat Abominus and send the [[Decepticon]]s running.

On Cybertron, Rodimus is holding a celebration for the newly functioning generator, the creation of the Technobots, and Grimlock's efforts. However, Sludge reveals that Grimlock is fishing with the Dinobots. Grimlock says that being a genius all the time is no fun, and he'd rather be a regular Dinobot. The Autobots cheer his statement, apparently preferring their one-bot engines of destruction to be simple-minded.

==Featured Characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
* [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]] (1)
* [[Perceptor (G1)|Perceptor]] (2)
* [[Hot Rod (G1)|Rodimus Prime]] (3)
* [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]] (4)
* [[Snarl (G1)|Snarl]] (5)
* [[Broadside (G1)|Broadside]] (6)
* [[Blurr (G1)|Blurr]] (7)
* [[Kup (G1)|Kup]] (8)
* [[Sludge (G1)|Sludge]] (9)
* [[Springer (G1)|Springer]] (10)
* [[Wheelie (G1)|Wheelie]] (11)
* [[Slag (G1)|Slag]] (12)
* [[Sky Lynx (G1)|Sky Lynx]] (15)
* [[Cosmos (G1)|Cosmos]] (16)
* [[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]] (17)
* [[Teletraan II]] (18)
* [[Nosecone (G1)|Nosecone]] (30)
* [[Strafe (G1)|Strafe]] (31)
* [[Lightspeed (Technobot)|Lightspeed]] (32)
* [[Afterburner (G1)|Afterburner]] (33)
* [[Scattershot]] (34)
* [[Computron (G1)|Computron]] (36)
* [[Silverbolt (G1)|Silverbolt]] (37)
* [[Skydive (G1 Aerialbot)|Skydive]] (38)
|c2=
* [[Ratbat (G1)|Ratbat]] (19)
* [[Sweeps]] (20)
* [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]] (21)
* [[Rippersnapper (G1)|Rippersnapper]] (22)
* [[Blot (G1)|Blot]] (23)
* [[Sinnertwin (G1)|Sinnertwin]] (24)
* [[Scourge (G1)|Scourge]] (25)
* [[Cyclonus (G1)|Cyclonus]] (26)
* [[Hun-Gurrr]] (28)
* [[Cutthroat (G1)|Cutthroat]] (29)
* [[Abominus (G1)|Abominus]] (35)
|c4=
* [[Skuxxoid]] (13)
* [[Slizardo]] (14)
* [[Unicron]] (27)
}}

==Quotes==
"Can't be that one, must be one of these. Eenie Menie miny moe. This switch real rad, gonna pull!" 
"Grimlock, no!!!!! It's this one over here!" 
"Uhhh, that Grimlock's next choice."
:—'''Grimlock''' showing '''Rodimus''' why he should not have been given such an important task.

"Why you think Grimlock stupid? Me no stupid. Grimlock is smartest Dinobot of all." 
"Unfortunately, that's probably true. I just wish the Dinobots had more sophisticated brains." 
"Brains?! Grimlock know how to bash brains. Maybe bash yours."
:—'''Grimlock''' threatening to beat up '''Perceptor'''.

'''Grimlock''': What go wrong? 
'''Perceptor''': Something incapacitated their aerial capabilities. 
'''Grimlock''': Huh? 
'''Rodimus Prime''': He means they couldn't fly, so they crashed. 
'''Grimlock''': Me knew that!
:—Simplifying things for a Dinobot isn't that simple.

"Hey, how did you shut down that baby?" 
"I, Grimlock...used my rear molars." 
"Uh that makes good sense, good going. You what?!" 
"Is your hearing impaired, Kup? Ohh, with some Autobots, you have to explain everything."
:—'''Kup''' and '''Grimlock''' the latter of whom has just received a great deal of intelligence

"Antielectrons, of course! They attack our electrocircuits! Now why didn't I think of that?" 
"Perhaps because your mental abilities are so limited."
:—Oh snap! '''Perceptor''' just got served!

"That one mine! Give me!" 
"Rrr, me want that Autobot!"
:—'''Sinnertwin''' arguing with...himself.

"Are...are you my father?"
:—A newly awakened '''Nosecone''', the first Technobot created by Grimlock

'''Strafe''': Yahoo! It feels great to be a Technobot! My name is Strafe! 
'''Afterburner''': Far out! Fantastic! I'm Afterburner! I'm raring to burn neutrons and see some heavy action! 
'''Lightspeed''': Mellow out, Afterburner. 
'''Afterburner''': Says who? 
'''Lightspeed''': They call me Lightspeed, faster than a speeding photon. 
'''Grimlock''': And you, Scattershot, will be the leader of the Technobots.
:—The newly created '''Technobots''' and '''Grimlock''' engage in a brief [[introdump]].

"Come on, Technobots! Let's show them the stuff Grimlock made us of!"
:—'''Afterburner''' as he attacks the Decepticons with his comrades

"Name: Computron. Primary goal: obliterating Decepticons."
:—'''Computron''' gives Galvatron a reason to run away.

"Me Grimlock say no fun to be genius all the time. Much more fun to be good old Dinobot Grimlock."
:—'''Grimlock''' on his recent bout with intelligence.

==Notes==
===Animation or technical glitches===
* When the Autobots activate the power generator, Springer is twice as tall as Kup and [[Blurr (G1)|Blurr]].
* As Perceptor, Grimlock, and Rodimus walk forward to see Blaster's predicament, they seem to appear out of thin air.
* Sludge's neck repeatedly flashes between yellow and grey for a few frames when Grimlock gives him orders.
* During [[Abominus (G1)|Abominus]]'s combination sequence, [[Hun-Gurrr]] transforms into [[Blot (G1)|Blot]] and [[Sinnertwin (G1)|Sinnertwin]] before combining with himself.
* The Decepticons appear to be far too big when they leave Unicron's head.

===Continuity errors===
* If Grimlock has proven himself so incompetent, why does Rodimus bring him along to find the power generator? There are plenty of other Autobots that can provide muscle (Springer, for one).
* Also, why does Rodimus have Grimlock of all 'bots activate the generator at the beginning? Why not someone like Perceptor, who's even conveniently nearby when they decide to pull the switch?
* When the Autobots near the power generator, why are Kup and Rodimus affected, but Ultra Magnus and Grimlock aren't? It's possible that Grimlock may not be affected due to his creation on Earth causing him to be made differently than the other Autobots (like in "[[Desertion of the Dinobots, Part 1]]"), however this doesn't explain Magnus. Maybe Magnus could just deal with it at the moment.
* This isn't an error necessarily, but this episode marks the only time present-day Cybertron has any sort of standing water (in this case, the pool the Dinobots are "fishing" in).
* Why isn't Swoop with the other Dinobots? The writers even bother to have Grimlock point out that Omega Supreme is away on a mission, and yet one of the Dinobots gets left out?
* Blurr can be seen numerous times fighting alongside the Autobots, despite him not being present on the shuttle ride over.
* The origin of the Technobots seems to conflict with the events of "[[The Key to Vector Sigma, Part 1|The Key to Vector Sigma]]" — in those episodes, it is established that [[Vector Sigma]] is required to give personalities to Transformers, but here, the Technobots get personalities independently of it. Unlike other continuities, however, the cartoon eschews the use of "magic" objects and explanations to give Transformers life; Vector Sigma is simply treated as an advanced computer, and with this in mind, it's not beyond the realm of possibility that the super-smart Grimlock simply has the skill needed to program full, authentic cybernetic personalities into the Technbots on his own. With the introduction of the concept of [[spark]]s in much later fiction and the reclassification of Vector Sigma's capabilities, however, the events of this episode are called into question again. Of course, the Dinobots themselves are exceptions as well, so make of that what you will.

===Continuity notes===
* This episode marks the first appearance of both the Technobots and the Terrorcons.
* Unicron's head is shown to no longer orbit Cybertron, after the events of "[[Ghost in the Machine]]" saw it blasted off into space. It's also looking substantially worse for wear than it was the last time we saw it, presumably a consequence of the explosives that were set off in its immediate vicinity in that episode.
* The second time Rodimus Prime's transformation systems malfunction, he reverts into Hot Rod. Most visibly, he transforms into his junior self's vehicle mode. Additionally, his coloring changes to Hot Rod's traditional magenta, and actor [[Dick Gautier]] raises his voice in pitch to his normal Hot Rod voice.

===Trivia===
[[Image:GrimlockManga.jpg|right|150px|thumb|Meet Prof. Grimlock. Cheaters and plagiarists will not be expelled, merely eaten.]]
* While the episode is centered around Grimlock, he never once transforms out of his dinosaur mode. Then again, seeing a ''T. rex'' talk with such an extensive vocabulary is kinda funny.

* Artwork for the episode featured in ''[[TV Magazine]]'' showed Grimlock wearing a mortarboard and lecturing on something complicated.

*The device Grimlock invents to transfer his intelligence into Computron was later rendered in plastic and included with the [[Super Collection Figure]] PVC version of Grimlock. It would subsequently be recreated in plastic ''again'' for the [[Masterpiece]] version of Grimlock, which dubbed the contraption the "[[Brainwave Transfer Device]]".

* Grimlock voice actor [[Gregg Berger]] has stated that while this was the most difficult episode for him to do (in that it required figuring how an intelligent Grimlock should sound), it was also the episode he enjoyed working on the most as it shows him using his Skyfire's voice for Grimlock's intelligent voice.

* Final appearance of Cosmos.

==Home video releases==
{{homevidnote}}
;VHS
[[Image:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 1988 — ''Transformers'' — Dark Awakening / Grimlock's New Brain ([[Tempo Video]]) 
[[Image:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 1990 — ''Transformers'' — Dark Awakening / Grimlock's New Brain ([[Tempo Video|Abbey Home Entertainment]]) 
[[Image:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2000 — ''The Original Transformers'' — Volume 9: Grimlock the Hero ([[The Original Transformers|Rhino Entertainment]])
;Laserdisc
[[Image:Flag of Japan.png|20px|Japan]] 1999 — ''The Transformers: 2010'' ([[Geneon Universal Entertainment|Pioneer LDC]]) — Japanese audio only.
;DVD
[[Image:Flag of Japan.png|20px|Japan]] 2001 — ''The Transformers: 2010'' — DVD Box (Pioneer LDC) — Japanese audio only. 
[[Image:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2004 — ''The Original Transformers'' — Season 3 Part 2 & Season 4 ([[The Original Transformers|Rhino Entertainment]]) 
[[Image:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2004 — ''Transformers'' — Season 3 and Season 4 ([[Metrodome]]) 
[[Image:Flag of Australia.png|20px|Australia]] 2004 — ''Transformers'' — Collection 5: Series 3.2 ([[Madman Entertainment]]) 
[[Image:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2006 — ''Transformers'' — The Complete Generation One Collection (Metrodome) 
[[Image:Flag of Australia.png|20px|Australia]] 2007 — ''The Transformers'' — Complete Collection (Madman Entertainment) 
[[Image:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2009 — ''Transformers'' — Season's Three & Four {{sic}} (Metrodome) 
[[Image:Flag of Australia.png|20px|Australia]] 2009 — ''The Transformers'' — Complete Collection: Decepticon Edition (Madman Entertainment) 
[[Image:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2009 — ''The Transformers'' — The Complete Series: 25th Anniversary "Matrix of Leadership" Collection ([[Shout! Factory]]) 
[[Image:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2010 — ''The Transformers'' — Seasons Three & Four: 25th Anniversary Edition (Shout! Factory)

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

[[Category:Generation 1 episodes]]

Scattershot (G1)

2010-06-21T20:11:14Z

Dvegaj: /* Cartoon continuity */

{{factions|autobot}}
{{disambig3|Scattershot}}
:''Scattershot is an [[Autobot]] from the [[Generation 1 (franchise)|Generation 1]] [[continuity family]].''

[[Image:DWMTMTE Scattershot.jpg|right|300px|thumb|"I'm smart. Now hold still while I shoot you."]]
'''Scattershot''' needs no desktop generals or academy-trained slag skimmers to tell him how to fight. He just wades into a [[Decepticon Patrol|Decepticon patrol]] and doesn't come out until he's broken all his crayons and scribbled all over the mazes he couldn't solve. Then he puts down the coloring books and does the same thing to a hostile Decepticon force, only with guns and acid pellets instead of crayons. That's what he calls "strategy". Though Scattershot forms the main body of the giant [[Computron (G1)|Computron]], if his own mind holds any fragment of the thoughtful titan's slow, considered approach, he hides it very well.

[[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]] would certainly like his style, and even the tin-plated bucketheads that think he's a blustering buffoon must admit that Scattershot is uniquely tough, the sort that [[Rollbar (G1)|Rollbar]] would say "broke the mold he was poured in". He won't stop fighting until he's utterly spent, down to his last microjoule of energy and drop of [[Energon (fuel)|energon]]. He expects no less from the [[Technobot (G1)|Technobots]] under his command.

:''French-Canadian name'': '''Répétitir''' ("Repetitive")
:''Italian name'': '''Scatterbot'''
:''Chinese name (Taiwan):'' '''Sàn-dàn''' (散彈, "Scatter Shot")
:''Chinese name (China):'' '''Jiguan Pao''' (机关炮, "Machine Gun")

==Fiction==
===Marvel Comics continuity===
Scattershot was one of the Autobots who left [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] aboard the ''[[Steelhaven (G1)|Steelhaven]]'' in order to start a new life away from war (and perhaps from tin-plated bucketheads). But the Decepticons followed them to their new home on [[Nebulos]]. Scattershot and the other Technobots repelled a Terrorcon attack on the resort city [[Splendora]] before all of the Transformers left Nebulos. {{storylink|Love and Steel!}}

The Terrorcons later lamented Scattershot's demise as he and the other Technobots were killed by [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]] upon arriving in [[Buenos Aires]]. Stopping the [[Underbase]] was one puzzle Scattershot could not solve. {{storylink|Dark Star (issue)|Dark Star}}

====Marvel UK future timelines====
''In 2008, when [[Rodimus Prime (G1)|Rodimus Prime]] learned that [[Unicron]] was reconstructing himself on the planet of [[Junkion (planet)|Junk]], he took a shuttle with Scattershot, [[Smokescreen (G1)|Smokescreen]], and the [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobots]] to bring a stop to it. While Prime and the Dinobots took the low road to wade through Unicron's mind-controlled [[Junkion (species)|Junkion]] followers, Scattershot and Smokescreen stayed on the shuttle, taking pot-shots at Unicron's giant head while avoiding his annihilating eye beams. {{storylink|The Legacy of Unicron!}} Some months later, Scattershot joined [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]] in responding to a Decepticon rescue call, and soon began fighting right alongside [[Soundwave (G1)|Soundwave]]'s forces against a marauding army of [[Quintesson|Quintessons]]. Despite bonding in the course of battle, Soundwave reluctantly refused Magnus's suggestion of peace, as too much had happened between the two factions over the millennia. As the Decepticons departed, Scattershot remarked that Soundwave was probably right, and Ultra Magnus called that the true tragedy. {{storylink|Space Pirates!}}''

[[Image:ScattershotKillsRoadBusterUkAnnual88.jpg|thumb|left|200px|]]
''In another timeline, the war between the Autobots and the Decepticons came to a close in 2510, when [[Springer (G1)|Springer]]'s [[Wrecker|Wreckers]] took down the last Decepticon outpost. One Decepticon still survived, however: [[Triton]], a deep-cover spy working inside the Autobots. When Rodimus Prime announced his retirement and plan to give over the [[Matrix of Leadership|Matrix]] to Springer, Triton spoke out against the idea, dividing the Autobots on whether Springer or Ultra Magnus should be the next leader. Scattershot and the Technobots sided with Magnus, while the Wreckers remained loyal to Springer. The next sequence of events was inevitable: [[Whirl (G1)|Whirl]] shoved Triton, Triton punched Whirl, [[Roadbuster]] threatened to kill Triton, but Scattershot fired first, claiming the first casualty of the new Autobot Civil War. {{storylink|Peace}}''

{{-}}

===Cartoon continuity===
[[Image:ScattershotGrimNewBrain.jpg|right|200px|thumb|He can only hit things flying over him.]]
:''Voice actor:'' [[Stephen Keener]] (English), [[Minoru Inaba]] (Japanese)

To counter the threat of the [[Terrorcon (G1)|Terrorcons]], an accidentally super-intelligent [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]] built Scattershot and the other Technobots out of parts from [[Unicron|Unicron's]] brain. Scattershot was appointed leader of the new team by his own creator, a fact that did not sit well with him initially, but the Dinobot leader replied that he and his team mates were perfectly capable of fulfilling their task. As the Technobots rushed into battle against their counterparts, Scattershot shattered the [[Anti-electron|anti-electron]] source that [[Cyclonus (G1)|Cyclonus]] and [[Scourge (G1)|Scourge]] had stolen for [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]], thwarting the Decepticon's plans. When the Terrorcons merged into [[Abominus (G1)|Abominus]], Scattershot and his team were forced to pull back seeking for Grimlock's advice. It was then when the Dinobot leader revealed to the group that he also had given them the ability to merge into the gestalt [[Computron (G1)|Computron]]. After receiving Grimlock's super-intelligence (the process leaving him in his original mental state), Computron was successful in defeating Abominus by forcing him to separate into his individual Terrorcon components, and Galvatron was left with no choice but to call his minions for a retreat. {{storylink|Grimlock's New Brain}}

Later stationed in [[Autobot City]] on [[Earth]], the Technobots helped [[Earth Defense Command|EDC]] captain [[Marissa Faireborn]] track down a [[Quintesson]] base within the solar system, with the help (and occasional hindrance) of the smuggler [[Dirk Manus]]. {{storylink|Money Is Everything}}

Scattershot was manning the radar screen at Autobot City months later, when he made out about a 100 "blips" heading right for them. His keen Technobot intelligence interpreted these blips to be <strike>the 1987 Decepticon toy shipment</strike> a full scale attack. During the assault, he used his rarely seen third mode to take potshots at the Decepticons from the ground before joining them in the skies for up close and personal combat. {{storylink|The Rebirth, Part 1}}

====''The Great Transformer War'' comic====
The Technobots, upgraded with the help of the human scientist [[Doctor Dalton]], faced off against the Terrorcon [[Abominus (G1)|Abominus]], but it was a trap set by [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]]. Forcing Abominus to split into his components, the individual Terrorcons spat a mind-controlling substance at Computron. Before Galvatron could get far with his new warrior, [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike Witwicky]] came to the Technobots’ rescue in an [[exosuit]], firing a beam into Computron’s eyes that removed the mind-controlling effect. {{storylink|The Great Transformer War issue 2}}

====''The Headmasters'' cartoon====
:''Voice actor:'' [[Masashi Ebara]] (Japanese)

In 2011, Galvatron staged a major attack on Cybertron. Scattershot and the Technobots joined the Dinobots on the front lines of defense. {{storylink|Four Warriors Come out of the Sky}} As [[Hot Rod (G1)|Hot Rod]] began his search for the [[Matrix of Leadership]] on Earth, [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]] gathered Scattershot and the Technobots to prevent the Decepticons from hampering his quest. When Hot Rod finally located the Matrix, [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]] confronted him with the Decepticon [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmaster]]s and Terrorcons, but the Technobots arrived to help even the odds. Scattershot ordered them to form Computron, and the mighty giant occupied the Decepticons so that Hot Rod could make a break for the [[Space Bridge]]. {{storylink|Birth of the Fantastic Double Prime}}

Later, Galvatron launched [[Metamorpho]], a gravity-twisting meteorite, and the [[Aerialbot (G1)|Aerialbot]]s were its first victims. Scattershot and the Technobots were sent out to recover their damaged comrades for repairs, but they were intercepted by the Terrorcons. The fighting escalated with new arrivals on both sides, as the Decepticons tried to keep their foes occupied until the meteorite reached [[Athenia]], destroying the Autobots completely. The [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Battleship Maximus]] eventually arrived to carry the Headmasters into space to confront the meteorite, and so Scattershot and the Technobots formed Computron and covered their retreat. {{storylink|Approach of the Demon Meteorite}}

Scattershot was on Earth with Ultra Magnus, attending to the [[Sixshot|shadowy robot]]'s threat to steal all of Japan's energy. {{storylink|Terror! The Six Shadows}} The two of them also studied the mysterious seismic activity which led to a volcano erupting near the [[Peru|Peruvian]] city of [[Pan]]. Maybe [[Lightspeed (Technobot)|Lightspeed]] and [[Nosecone (G1)|Nosecone]] finally nagged Scattershot into taking an interest in science. {{storylink|The Dormant Volcano Mysteriously Erupts}} When a giant carnivorous plant took root in [[San Francisco]], Ultra Magnus sent Scattershot and the Technobots to deal with the incident. The plant proved to be extraordinarily resilient, however, and it was also guarded by the Decepticons. The Technobots were distracted by combat with the [[Stunticon (G1)|Stunticons]], first as individuals and later combined as Computron and [[Menasor (G1)|Menasor]]. {{storylink|Head On!! Fortress Maximus}} After the Trainbots ran into trouble on [[Mars (planet)|Mars]], Scattershot and his team were on the way to help when [[Sixshot]] and [[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]] intervened. The Earthbound Decepticons succeeded in occupying the Technobots so that they couldn't make it to Mars. {{storylink|Explosion on Mars!! Maximus Is in Danger}}

Scattershot and the Technobots were part of a strike team that flew to the [[Moon (moon)|moon]] to disrupt Scorponok's gathering of Decepticons. They immediately formed Computron upon entering the battle. {{storylink|Return of the Immortal Emperor}} Scattershot's regiment later helped load the Trainbots with energon supplies for the destitute planet [[Sandra]]. They were attacked by the greedy Decepticons and fought back both as the mighty Computron and as individuals, using the Trainbots' large vehicle modes as a shield. {{storylink|SOS from Planet Sandra}}

The Technobots accompanied Fortress on his quest to prevent the Decepticons from stealing energy elsewhere in the galaxy. During this extended mission, Scattershot and his teammates formed Computron to battle [[Predaking]] on the planet [[Paradise]]. {{storylink|Head Formation of Friendship}}

After returning to Earth, Scattershot and the Technobots reassociated with Ultra Magnus at Autobot City on Earth. They were sent to [[Miami]] to counter a Decepticon attack, and battled Abominus as Computron. Unfortunately, the attack was a ruse to draw them away from Autobot City, and they were unable to stop [[Sixshot]]'s assassination of Ultra Magnus. {{storylink|Ultra Magnus Dies!!}} The Decepticon attacks continued even after Magnus's death, as Sixshot launched five separate strikes at once around the world. Scattershot and the Technobots were dispatched as Computron to one of the many battle sites. {{storylink|The Emperor of Destruction Vanishes on an Iceberg}} Later, Scattershot informed Fortress that the Decepticons were attacking the Kamchatka Penninsula, in the [[Pacific Ring of Fire]]. {{storylink|I Risk My Life for Earth}}

When the Decepticons seemingly abandoned Earth, Scattershot and the Technobots assisted Spike in rebuilding the planet after the enemy's departure. On one occasion, they located Sixshot's old command base. By combining into Computron, the Technobots helped Defensor and Raiden obliterate the base, wiping out all trace of the Decepticons' presence. {{storylink|Miraculous Warriors, Targetmasters (Part 1)}}

As part of Computron, Scattershot participated in the Autobots final battle with Scorponok's Decepticons at the North Pole. He lent his energies to the Headmasters' [[Head Formation]] to revitalize Fortress Maximus at the critical moment. {{storylink|The Final Showdown on Earth (Part 2)}}

===IDW comics continuity===
{{ongoing}}
Scattershot was second in command of the science vessel [[Calabi-Yau]], working under [[Jetfire (G1)|Jetfire]]. It was during this period that their ship encountered the rare [[Ultra-Energon]] on the abandoned [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]]. In contrast to his usual action-oriented style, it was Scattershot who was the voice of caution on the mission to investigate. It was advice that should have been heeded as the team was attacked by [[Bludgeon (G1)|Bludgeon]]'s rogue Decepticons. Scattershot himself was impaled by [[Bomb-Burst]] during the attack. {{storylink|Stormbringer issue 1}} Like the other Technobots, Scattershot was in the process of being cannibalized for parts when a recovery team arrived. {{storylink|Stormbringer issue 2}} In a desperate battle against the super-powerful [[Thunderwing (G1)|Thunderwing]], it was the Technobots' brains that saved the day, by uncovering the clues to defeat the juggernaut. Scattershot remained on Cybertron to further investigate. {{storylink|Stormbringer issue 4}}

Some time later, Scattershot and the other Technobots were at least temporarily assigned to assist Jetfire in understanding the mysteries of [[Monstructor (G1)|Monstructor]] and his [[Combiner|gestalt technology]]. This research was conducted at the Autobot penal facility at [[Garrus-9]], under the command of warden [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress Maximus]]. When the Decepticons attacked to retrieve Monstructor's components ([[Birdbrain]], [[Bristleback]], [[Icepick]], [[Scowl]], [[Slog]], and [[Wildfly]]), several of the Technobots were heavily damaged in the fighting. {{storylink|Spotlight: Arcee}}

==Toys==
===Generation 1===
[[Image:Scattershot toy.JPG|right|300px|thumb|That's it, baby. Reveal my true allegiance. Aw, yeah.]]
*'''Scattershot''' (Technobot leader, 1987/1988)
**''Team ID number:'' '''TK5'''
**''Japanese ID number:'' '''C-86'''
**''Accessories'': "Acid pellet gun", 2 "artillery guns", Computron head, left & right Computron fists, Computron chestplate/base, 2 Computron foot-plates

: Scattershot transforms into a big, red and white space cruiser with a gi-normous cannon, and has a secondary stationary-cannon mode. In any mode, pressing the gray button splits his nosecone open down the middle, revealing a spring-loaded non-firing cannon-barrel. Mis-transforming Scattershot into robot mode results in Hilarious Cannon-Related Improprieties™. His rubsign is also hilariously placed in robot mode. One known [[Hasbro]] variant from 1988 has no rubsign indent... that's probably for the best.

:He forms the central body of the giant robot Computron, combining with [[Lightspeed (Technobot)|Lightspeed]], [[Nosecone (G1)|Nosecone]], [[Afterburner (G1)|Afterburner]] and [[Strafe (G1)|Strafe]] in the [[Scramble City]] manner. He was available both separately and in a gift set with the other four Technobots.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/1987/Autobot/Scattershot/scattershot.htm More information on Scattershot at TFU.info]''

*'''Computron''' (Gift set, 1987)
**''Japanese ID number:'' '''C-91'''
**''Accessories'': "Acid pellet gun", 2 "artillery guns", Computron head, left & right Computron fists, Computron chestplate/base, 2 Computron foot-plates

: All five Technobots were also available as a complete gift-set in many markets. All of the toys were identical to their individual rubsign-indent-having releases.

===Universe (2008)===
====Classic Series====
{{anchor|U08LOC}}

*'''Special Team Leaders''' (Multi-pack, 2008)

: Scatt'''o'''rshot (so named due to [[trademark]] issues) is a [[redeco]] of the ''[[Cybertron (toyline)|Cybertron]]'' [[Legends Class|Legends of Cybertron]] [[Vector Prime]] toy, transforming into a futuristic spaceship. He is available only in a Target-[[exclusive]] five-pack with miniature versions of combiner-team leaders [[Hot Spot (G1)|Hot Zone]], [[Razorclaw (G1)|Razorclaw]], [[Hun-Gurrr]], and [[Silverbolt (G1)|Silverbolt]].

:A photo of the toy on the back of the packaging features additional articulation in the elbows which is not present in the final toy.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2008/Autobot/TFUScattershot/scattershot.htm More information on Universe Scattorshot at TFU.info]''

==Notes==
[[Image:Scattershotback.jpg|right|150px|thumb|And I'll thank you not to stare.]]
* Apparently, the guy who made Scattershot's animation models never saw the actual toy. Due to the isometric view of his front model sheet, the front of his vehicle mode is drawn behind his left shoulder. The back model takes this literally, placing the nose between his chest and left arm. The model also gives him a third, upside-down shoulder where the nose should be. Afterburner's character model suffers a similar ailment. This model was seemingly only used in the [[AKOM]]-animated episodes "[[Grimlock's New Brain]]" and "[[The Rebirth]]"—in "[[Money Is Everything]]", Scattershot's back is drawn to match his toy.

* Scattershot is the only [[Scramble City]] leader who assumes his "third mode" in the animated series. Once in "Grimlock's New Brain" and "[[The Rebirth, Part 1]]". Not only that, but in "The Rebirth", he drives ''while still transformed''.

==External links==
* [http://www.tfu.info/1987/Autobot/Scattershot/scattershot.htm Scattershot at TFU.info]
* [http://www.ntfa.net/universe/english/index.php?act=view&char=Scattershot Scattershot's Universe profile at NTFA.net]

[[Category:Autobots]]
[[Category:Classics characters]]
[[Category:Generation 1 characters]]
[[Category:Headmasters characters]]
[[Category:Target exclusives]]
[[Category:Technobots]]
[[Category:Transformers with three modes]]
[[Category:Universe (2008)]]

Sunstreaker (G1)

2010-04-14T14:19:04Z

Dvegaj:

{{factions|autobot}}
{{disambig3|Sunstreaker}}
:''Sunstreaker is an [[Autobot]] from the [[Generation 1 (franchise)|Generation 1]] [[continuity family]].''

[[Image:Autobots secret weapon sunstreaker wax.jpg|right|300px|thumb|Hi. I'm better than you.]]
'''Sunstreaker''' knows to the core of his [[spark]] that he is better than any other Autobot, and he makes sure everyone else knows it, too. His sociopathic tendencies, combined with his incredible vanity and arrogance, usually result in tension between himself and the other Autobots. He is generally unwilling to help those who are having trouble keeping up, and is quite audible when it comes to complaining about the shortcomings of everyone else. The only Autobot he truly gets along with is his twin [[Relatives|brother]], [[Sideswipe (G1)|Sideswipe]], and even that can seem strained at times.

The main reason [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] keeps him around is most likely Sunstreaker's effectiveness in the battlefield. Ruthless and skilled in all forms of combat, there is not much Sunstreaker cannot handle. As a front-line warrior, Sunstreaker is a great asset for the [[Autobot]] army. If a rather scary one.

:''Preliminary name:'' '''Spinout'''
:''French-Canadian name:'' '''Solo'''
:''Italian name'': '''Lince''' ("Lynx")
:''Hungarian name:'' '''Napcsillantó/Napvillantó''' ("Sun-flasher")
:''Portuguese name (Brazil comics):'' '''Raiado''' ("Crease")
:''Portuguese name (Portugal comics):'' '''Raio Solar''' ("Sun Beam")
:''Chinese name (Taiwan):'' '''Tài-yáng wén''' (太陽紋, "Sun Streak")
:''Chinese name (China):'' '''Fei Mao Tui''' (飛毛腿, "Scud")

==Fiction==
===Marvel Comics continuity===
====Generation 1====

{{Noteukonly}}
[[Image:SunstreakerBlastsSkywarp.jpg|left|200px|thumb|When Sunstreaker "puts his shoulder into it"... people get slagged.]]
''Prior to the outbreak of Cybertron's planet-wide civil war, Sunstreaker was a gladiator in the games held between the city-states. He was once brutally beaten by Megatron in combat, and would have been killed if Optimus Prime had not stepped in. {{storylink|State Games}}''

''Early into the Autobot-Decepticon war, Sunstreaker was a member of the [[Magnificent Six]]. While they were on a mission to the Stanix region of Cybertron, he made a remarkably [[Yuss|callous joke]] that convinced their allies to turn them over to the Decepticons. The entire unit was tortured for a week, and [[Stampede]] was killed. Nice. {{storylink|The Magnificent Six!}}''

Sunstreaker was among the crew of the ''[[Ark (G1)|Ark]]'' that crashed on [[Earth]] four million years ago and woke up in 1984. ''In the first few days on Earth, Sunstreaker abandoned [[Jazz (G1)|Jazz]] and diverted an attack by [[Thundercracker (G1)|Thundercracker]] and [[Skywarp (G1)|Skywarp]] towards a human military camp so as to keep himself from harm. {{storylink|Perchance to Dream}}'' He engaged the Decepticons in battle at the Witwicky garage alongside his brother, Sideswipe, but ultimately failed to keep them from kidnapping [[Sparkplug Witwicky]]. {{storylink|Power Play!}} Sunstreaker was relatively low on fuel after this, and so gave up his remaining power in the transference chambers to power up Prime, [[Huffer (G1)|Huffer]], [[Ironhide (G1)|Ironhide]], [[Bluestreak]] and [[Mirage (G1)|Mirage]] for combat against the Decepticons.... but then joined them for the battle anyway. {{storylink|The Last Stand}}

[[Image:SunstreakerScrapped.jpg|right|250px|thumb|Poor Sunstreaker was too sociopathic for even the comic.]]
When [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]] took control over the Decepticons and possession of the ''Ark'', he destroyed Sunstreaker's body as a demonstration and warning to the deposed [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]]. {{storylink|The New Order}} Because of this, Sunstreaker's body was in disrepair for a very long time; at one point, when [[G.B. Blackrock]] asked about him in the med bay, Jazz told him that [[Ratchet (G1)|Ratchet]] wasn't even sure if Sunstreaker would ever be operational again. {{storylink|The Next Best Thing to Being There!}}

However, Sunstreaker was fully repaired in time to view the duel between [[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]] and [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]] on the [[Moon (moon)|moon]]. {{storylink|Totaled!}} He was badly damaged again, and he wound up in stasis aboard the ''Ark'' again, to be revived by [[Nucleon]] in 1990, when he and the other newly revived Autobots joined the attack on [[Unicron]]. {{storylink|On the Edge of Extinction!}} Surprisingly, he survived ''that'' battle as he was able to attend the first meeting of the shaky Autobot-Decepticon alliance. {{storylink|Exodus!}}

=====Earthforce=====
{{earthforcefiction}}
[[Image:Sunstreakerg1uk.jpg|left|180px|thumb|I'm YELLOW, dammit!]]
''An injured Sunstreaker, along with several other Autobots, was awakened not by Nucleon, but by [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]]'s [[Dream-Inducing Bug]]. Galvatron had studied their dreams in the aim of finding dissenting members of the Autobots that he hoped to put into his own employ, but after a short skirmish, Galvatron's device was placed on himself. Amusingly enough, Sunstreaker had been off-line so much while on Earth, he needed the others to explain who Galvatron was to him. {{storylink|Perchance to Dream}}''

''Sunstreaker and the others would go on to join the Earthforce unit, under [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]]'s command. {{storylink|Break-Away!}} After [[Skydive (G1 Aerialbot)|Skydive]] foolishly broadcast [[Prowl (G1)|Prowl]]'s location over an open channel, [[Jazz (G1)|Jazz]] and Sunstreaker had to race to beat the Decepticons to the site. Prowl had just disabled an atmosphere-destroying bomb of [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]]'s before it reached apex, but the poison on board was still a viable threat. They didn't beat the Decepticons to the landing site, but before they could jump into the fray, Prowl pulled Jazz and Sunstreaker aside. He had already cleared out the poison, so the two Decepticon factions were fighting over nothing! {{storylink|Life in the Slow Lane}} Later, Sunstreaker helped Jazz, [[Ironhide (G1)|Ironhide]] and [[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]] ruin the Decepticon [[Enclave]] and any chance of peace between Megatron and Shockwave. {{storylink|The Bad Guy's Ball!}}''

''When [[Motormaster]] kidnapped the Autobots' ally, [[Irwin Spoon]], Sunstreaker joined the other Autobot cars for an impromptu chase scene. He negotiated his way through the various [[Stunticon (G1)|Stunticon]] attacks and delaying tactics, but finally hit the wall (literally) when Motormaster detached his cab segment and left his trailer jackknifed across the highway. 'Streaker hit it head-on, and wound up with a legitimate complaint about his bodywork. {{storylink|End of the Road! (UK)|End of the Road!}}''

''Much later, Sunstreaker was sent on a new mission to the Stanix region of Cybertron with [[Silverbolt (G1)|Silverbolt]], [[Prowl (G1)|Prowl]], [[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]], [[Jazz (G1)|Jazz]], and [[Inferno (G1)|Inferno]] by [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]]. While there, he overcame the ghosts of the past and helped defeat the mad Decepticon [[Megadeath]]. Of course, he was the only member of the team that didn't seem particularly haunted by those events in the first place, but the ''others'' overcame them, and wasn't that nice for them? {{storylink|The Magnificent Six!}}''

=====''Another Time and Place''=====
Sunstreaker stormed the [[Hydrus Four]] facility with his fellow Autobots to rescue Grimlock and the Dinobots. He almost took a shot in the back from a Decepticon, but Prime took out his attacker. {{storylink|Another Time and Place}}

{{note|The Decepticon planning to shoot Sunstreaker was described as "[[Battletrap]] in tank mode". Battletrap doesn't HAVE a tank mode. This was probably meant to be [[Quake (G1)|Quake]], who was also described as present in the battle.}}

====''Classics''====

Sunstreaker and Sideswipe joined Optimus Prime's crew on Earth after Megatron resurfaced. They braved the Ark's defenses in order to break inside and recover their lost comrade, Ratchet. As an expression of his concern, Sunstreaker made no mention of the chips and tarnish of his paint job when they freed Ratchet, and together the twins carried their medic friend away to safety. {{storylink|At Fight's End}}

===Generation 1 cartoon continuity===
====''The Transformers'' cartoon====
:''Voice Actor:'' [[Corey Burton]] (US), [[Kenyū Horiuchi]] (Japan)

{{bigquote|I knew the humans would turn on us some day. They're such undependable creatures. Inferior lifeforms.|Sunstreaker on humans|[[Megatron's Master Plan, Part 1]]}}

[[Image:MoreThanMeetstheEye Part3 Sunstreaker veh.jpg|right|180px|thumb|The "Super Tuning" custom job is more impressive than you might think at first glance.]]
Sunstreaker was part of the original crew of Autobots aboard the ''[[Ark (G1)|Ark]]'' that crashed on [[Earth]] four million years ago. When reawakened in 1984, he and his brother Sideswipe were reformatted into Lamborghini sports cars. They were both deployed during the Autobot counter-attack on a human oil rig, but didn't really do very much. {{storylink|More than Meets the Eye, Part 1}} After the Autobots' defeat at [[Sherman Dam]], Sunstreaker and Sideswipe came to the rescue of [[Trailbreaker (G1)|Trailbreaker]] and their new human allies, [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike Witwicky]] and his father [[Sparkplug Witwicky|Sparkplug]] when they were attacked by [[Seeker (body-type)|Decepticon jets]]. One of the Decepticons managed to graze Sunstreaker and damage his new paint job, infuriating the vainer of the two Autobot brothers. After he forced the Decepticons to break off for repairs, Sunstreaker was still grousing about his scuffed paint, to which his brother suggested that nobody would notice if he just made left turns. {{storylink|More than Meets the Eye, Part 2}} The Autobot brothers were among those that volunteered to attack and totally fail to stop the [[Victory (ship)|Decepticon space cruiser]]. Sunstreaker celebrated the apparent demise of the Decepticons when their ship crashed and cheered [[Mirage (G1)|Mirage]]'s role in its sabotage. {{storylink|More than Meets the Eye, Part 3}}

[[Image:RollForIt Sunstreaker Chip.jpg|left|180px|thumb|A more kid-friendly sociopath.]]
When [[Chip Chase]] was kidnapped by the Decepticons and brought to the recently conquered [[antimatter]] laboratory of [[Dr. Alcazar]], the Autobots successfully staged a rescue operation to get him back. Sunstreaker then led a second team of Autobots into the lab, declaring that they had to get the antimatter cubes before it was too late, smashing a Sunstreaker-shaped hole in the wall. Unfortunately, he and the other Autobots were damaged when Megatron threw an antimatter cube at them. After returning to the ''Ark'', Sunstreaker was heard to complain about a 'very sensitive junction' in his elbow, but was soon repaired quickly enough to arm wrestle with Sideswipe. When the antimatter-fueled Decepticons attacked the ''Ark'', Sideswipe and Sunstreaker took to the air to battle with the incoming Seeker jets, in a rambunctious — if ultimately ineffective — display of "[[jet judo]]." After the Decepticons were defeated, Sunstreaker congratulated Chip, declaring him a hero and gave him a ride on his shoulder. {{storylink|Roll for It}}
{{-}}
{{bigquote|Hey, not the ''face'', okay? I just had it chromed!|Sunstreaker|[[S.O.S. Dinobots]]}}

When the munitions factory was attacked by the Decepticon jets, Sunstreaker transformed to roll out with the Autobots in Autobot Headquarters, but never actually bothered showing up. Later, while watching [[Ratchet (G1)|Ratchet]] and [[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]] attempt to repair the severely damaged [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]], Sunstreaker and the remaining Autobots were rallied into repulsing a Decepticon attack by Spike. Sunstreaker was shot by [[Skywarp (G1)|Skywarp]] before recovering, only to be buried in a landslide by [[Rumble (G1)|Rumble]]. {{storylink|Divide and Conquer}} Sunstreaker complained about Trailbreaker's force field deflecting [[Slag (G1)|Slag]] and [[Sludge (G1)|Sludge]]'s flame breaths into his face when the newly-constructed [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobots]] went haywire. {{storylink|S.O.S. Dinobots}}

[[Image:SOSDinobots Sunstreaker nottheface.jpg|right|180px|thumb|Insert flaming joke.]]
Later, when responding to a Decepticon diversionary attack on [[India]]'s coast, Sunstreaker complained about the fact his newly-installed water skis clashed with his base coat, to which Optimus Prime told him to redecorate himself later as they had Decepticons to worry about. When [[Starscream (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Starscream]] and the Decepticons escaped without taking any energy, Sunstreaker realized they had been set up. Soon after, the Autobots attacked the Decepticon undersea headquarters to rescue the captive Sparkplug, during which Sunstreaker was concerned that the salt water would damage his body enamel. After returning to base for repairs, Sunstreaker fidgeted as Ratchet attempted to repair him, worried that the medic would scorch his selenium shin guards. {{storylink|The Ultimate Doom, Part 1}} When [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] was brought into Earth's orbit as part of Megatron's latest scheme, Sunstreaker retreated with the other Autobots due to audio disruptor waves generated by [[Soundwave (G1)|Soundwave]]. {{storylink|The Ultimate Doom, Part 2}}

Sunstreaker was part of an Autobot unit sent to investigate reports of [[Insecticon (G1)|giant insect monsters]] attacking Bali, Indonesia. When the road to the coordinates of the attack was blocked by a local village celebration, Sunstreaker questioned his brother's knowledge of the local area, a criticism warranted when Sideswipe led them into a dead end canyon. Sunstreaker continued to criticize Sideswipe's sense of direction as Sideswipe very slowly tunneled underneath the villagers. As the Autobots made their way to a nearby [[oil]] refinery under attack from the Decepticons, [[Shrapnel (G1)|Shrapnel]] used his Override Waves on both Sunstreaker and Sideswipe, taking control of their driving mechanisms and forcing them to drive headfirst into the other Autobots. Sunstreaker implored the other Autobots to shoot our their tires, but fortunately Trailbreaker was able to interrupt the Override Waves. During the ensuing battle at the oil refinery, Sunstreaker was more concerned about his enamel being damaged by Wheeljack during a counterattack than enemy fire. {{storylink|A Plague of Insecticons}}

[[Image:ChangingGears jungleclearing.jpg|left|180px|thumb|Hey, Jazz, let's get rid of ALL the trees, so we can build a highway.]]
After Spike was critically injured in a battle between the Autobots and Decepticons, his consciousness was transferred into the body of [[Autobot X]]. However, this process proved too stressful for his mind to take, and so he lashed out in blind anger. Sunstreaker and Sideswipe attempted to restrain him, only to be tossed aside by "Autobot Spike's" enormous strength. {{storylink|Autobot Spike}} During a Decepticon attack on a mining camp as part of an plot to capture [[Gears (G1)|Gears]], Sunstreaker was among the Autobots who rolled out to confront them. He was hit by a boulder "energized" by Megatron (instead of just being shot, or something a logical enemy would do). When it was discovered Megatron was tapping into the [[Sun]] with his [[Solar Needle]], the Autobots ''drove'' to the "geographical center of Africa", only to be hindered by the dense jungle, which Optimus Prime ordered Jazz and Sunstreaker to blast their way through. Jerks. {{storylink|Changing Gears}} Sunstreaker got to use his jet skis again when the Autobots were sent to investigate the disappearance of the Empire State Building in [[New York City]]. Sadly, the skis still clashed with his base coat. He was rather pessimistic about their chances against the [[Constructicon (G1)|Constructicons']] remote-controlled taxi cabs. Wimp. {{storylink|City of Steel}}

{{bigquote|When they built me, they broke the mold!|Sunstreaker on how fantastic he is, not on how his toy will never be reissued|[[The Autobot Run]]}}

In the aftermath of Ironhide firing randomly at a hologram of [[Laserbeak (G1)|Laserbeak]] during a demonstration of Wheeljack's latest invention, the [[Immobilizer]], Sunstreaker had to help Bluestreak vacuum up the rubble. {{storylink|The Immobilizer}} When the Autobots agreed to a charity race/stunt show, Sunstreaker was sure that a large audience would appreciate his performance. During the race, Sunstreaker arrogantly shoved his way past the slower Autobots, but despite all of his bluster, he was slower than Jazz and Mirage. He didn't seem to mind too much, as he was the star of a car jump stunt over the other Autobots... until he failed to finish that, as well. However, during the race, the Autobots had unwittingly been locked into their [[Alternate mode|alternate modes]], which freaked out Sunstreaker, as he couldn't transform back into his handsome robot form. However, after Chip Chase and the unaffected Autobots reversed the effects via a special ''grenade'', Sunstreaker was the first to regain the ability to transform and was very pleased to see his true beauty. {{storylink|The Autobot Run}} When the Decepticons allied themselves with the underwater kingdom of [[Sub-Atlantica]], Sunstreaker was present during the battle in [[Washington, D.C.]] and on the sub-sea city itself, but didn't actually do anything. Jerk. {{storylink|Atlantis, Arise!}}

{{charstubfiction}}

{{storylink|Enter the Nightbird}} {{storylink|A Prime Problem}} {{storylink|The Core}} {{storylink|Dinobot Island, Part 1}} {{storylink|Dinobot Island, Part 2}}

[[Image:TFTM Sunstreaker hereandthere.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Honestly, we're surprised Ichikawa didn't try to explain this one in the Binaltech storyline.]]
After the humans of [[Central City (G1)|Central City]] were duped into believing that the Autobots were evil, Sunstreaker commented that he always knew that they would turn on the Autobots, and declared them an inferior lifeform... right as Chip, Spike, and Sparkplug Witwicky were in the control room. They probably shouldn't have been too insulted, as Sunstreaker considers everyone else an inferior lifeform. {{storylink|Megatron's Master Plan, Part 1}} {{storylink|Megatron's Master Plan, Part 2}} {{storylink|Desertion of the Dinobots, Part 2}} {{storylink|Blaster Blues}} {{storylink|The Golden Lagoon}} {{storylink|Prime Target}}

Sunstreaker was one of several Autobots who glommed onto [[Hoist (G1)|Hoist]]'s job as a Hollywood extra in the hopes of becoming a movie star. This mainly resulted in him wearing a ridiculous [[alien]] mask and spouting out stilted, wooden dialog. {{storylink|Hoist Goes Hollywood}} {{storylink|Trans-Europe Express}} {{storylink|Cosmic Rust (episode)|Cosmic Rust}} {{storylink|The Revenge of Bruticus}}

Before the [[Battle of Autobot City|Decepticon attack]] on [[Autobot City]] in the year 2005, Sunstreaker was helping [[Kup (G1)|Kup]] move a roadblock. He was knocked over when [[Hot Rod (G1)|Hot Rod]] and [[Daniel Witwicky (G1)|Daniel]] drove through it.

Meanwhile, he was '''also''' on Moon Base One and helped pilot the shuttle that flew Optimus Prime and the Dinobots to Autobot City.

Seriously. He's ''THAT'' good. {{storylink|The Transformers: The Movie}}
{{-}}

====Japanese cartoon continuity====
=====Full Throttle Scramble Power!=====
{{charstubfiction}}
{{storylink|Full Throttle Scramble Power!}}
=====''The Stargate Battles''=====
When the Decepticons made their second play for control of the human-built "[[Warp Gate|Trigger]]" interstellar teleportation system in the late 1990s, Sunstreaker was among the Autobot forces who stood against them. [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]] subsequently took control of the Trigger, forcing Megatron and Optimus Prime to combine their power to destroy the Trigger. Sunstreaker and all the other Transformers were caught backwash from the incredible cosmic explosion and plummeted back to Earth, not to be heard from again for several months. {{storylink|The Stargate Battles (issue)|The Stargate Battles}}
=====''Story of Binaltech''=====

In 2003, Sunstreaker was one of numerous Autobots who were rendered helpless when they were infected with [[Cosmic Rust (disease)|Cosmic Rust]] by the Decepticon, [[Swindle (G1)|Swindle]]. Working with the [[Earth Defense Command]] and several Earth automotive companies, the Autobots developed "Binaltech" technology, creating new bodies into which their [[spark]]s were place so they could carry on the fight. It was intended for Sunstreaker to gain a new Dodge Viper body like his brother Sideswipe, but the Decepticons infiltrated the operation and hijacked the body for use by the [[Stunticon (G1)|Stunticon]] [[Dead End (G1)|Dead End]] instead. {{storylink|Arise! Evil Binaltechs}}

As the Binaltech conflict raged on, the timeline was eventually altered by [[Ravage (G1)|Ravage]].

{{Note|At this point, the original timeline was retroactively restored and the events of the ''Story of Binaltech'' diverged into a parallel universe. Skip to the next section below to continue reading about the original timeline; exactly how many (if any) of the events related in this section, even prior to the divergence, occurred in the original unaltered timeline are unknown.}}

In this alternate timeline, Sunstreaker was present at the [[Earth Defense Command]] Antarctic base, shortly after the appearance of the [[Optimus Primal|Protector]]. {{storylink|Binal Time}}

=====''Binaltech Asterisk''=====
[[Image:SunstreakerBTA.jpg|right|120px|thumb|Dig me!]]

{{note|It's not clear if the events of ''Binaltech Asterisk'' occur in the parallel "BT World" timeline, or the mainstream universe.}}

Sunstreaker was a member of the Autobot Race Team, which may or may not have had any other [[Transformer]]s on it. He was sort of a mascot for them, and the team didn't actually use him in races. He resented that people paid more attention to him as a promotional image than as a race car.

After being drafted into the [[Interplanetary Personnel Exchange Program]] by Officer [[Clamp Down]], Sunstreaker was partnered with the human "race queen" model [[Junko Shiragami]] and acted as her car. Once, Sunstreaker got into a race with a human-driven sports car, much to Junko's dismay. He used his transformation ability to take a particularly sharp curve, destroying a road sign in the process, for which Junko chewed him out.

It was said that Sunstreaker drove faster when he smelled Junko's marigold-scented hair. Make of that what you will. {{storylink|Binaltech Asterisk (online comic)|Sunstreaker Meets Junko}}
{{--}}

=====''Headmasters'' cartoon=====
[[Image:FourWarriors SunstreakerBlitzwing.jpg|left|180px|thumb|A five second cameo, and all I do is avoid Blitzwing? Slag it!!]]
When the Decepticons launched a major attack on Cybertron in 2011, Sunstreaker appeared very briefly in vehicle mode evading jet-mode [[Blitzwing (G1)|Blitzwing]]'s attacks. Sunstreaker escaped into a tunnel, and Blitzwing bounced off its exterior and crashed. {{storylink|Four Warriors Come out of the Sky|Four Warriors Come out of the Sky}}

{{-}}

===3H ''Universe'' comics===
[[Image:Sunstreaker.jpg|right|180px|thumb|"I'm exclusive!"]]

After the [[Pax Cybertronia]], Sunstreaker left Cybertron with four other survivors of the [[Great War (G1)|Great War]] ([[Sideswipe (G1)|Sideswipe]], [[Roulette]], [[Shadow Striker (Universe)|Shadow Striker]], and [[Trailbreaker (G1)|Trailbreaker]]). One year after Cybertron was reformatted into a technorganic planet, they returned. They were greeted by many of the [[Maximal]] and [[Predacon (BW)|Predacon]] inhabitants and with vast media coverage.

However, what appeared to be celebratory fireworks struck the five Autobots and also the Maximals [[Silverbolt (BW)|Silverbolt]] and [[Blackarachnia (BW)|Blackarachnia]]. They were transported to a fiery cauldron deep within [[Unicron]], where all but Trailbreaker were rebuilt painfully into new bodies.

Seeing an arena up ahead, the seven moved towards it, only to be attacked by a swarm of shape-shifting, lava-like creatures. Sunstreaker and the others were overwhelmed and taken into the arena (or, the [[Cauldron]]), where they were caged along with a multitude of Transformers kidnapped from across the multiverse. {{storylink|Abduction|Abduction}}

The Unicron-influenced ambience of the place was slowly driving the more violent of the group mad. This, of course, included Sunstreaker. He and Sideswipe were forced into combat in the arena (each wielding spiffy [[Energon (fuel)|Energon]] weapons), but were rescued by a reborn [[Optimus Primal]]. The group, sans a corrupted Blackarachnia and Shadow Striker, fled back to Cybertron. {{storylink|Escape (issue)|Escape}}

{{-}}
===Dreamwave comics continuity===
{{notekeepers}}
{{quote|"Why, you arrogant—yow! I should rewire that smug mug of yours right here—blaw!—right now!" 
"Don't kid yourself—this face is worth more than ''you'' are."|[[Warpath (G1)|Warpath]] and Sunstreaker|"[[Infestation]]"|noquote=true}}

[[Image:DWPrimeDirective2 SunstreakerSideswipe.jpg|left|300px|thumb|A family that pelvic thrusts together, stays together.]]
Before joining the Autobot army, Sunstreaker was a successful mural artist. {{storylink|Transformers: The Ultimate Guide}} He was aboard the ''Ark'' when it crashed on Earth millions of years ago. He and the other Autobots awoke in 1984 to restart their war with the Decepticons. He was part of [[Operation Liberation]] in 1998, a joint human-Autobot effort to defeat the Earth-bound Decepticons. At the end it was a success, and the captured Decepticons, along with the Autobots and a human crew, departed Earth en route to Cybertron in the ''[[Ark II]]''. The ship, however, was sabotaged and exploded upon liftoff.

A few years later Megatron and other Transformers, including Autobots, were seen causing havoc. It was discovered that [[Lazarus]], a scientist who participated in the ''Ark II'' project, was responsible for the sabotage of the ''Ark II'' and the resurrection of several Transformers under his control via technological tampering. {{storylink|Prime Directive issue 1}}

[[Robert Hallo|General Hallo]] of the [[United States military|U.S. Military]] contacted [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike Witwicky]] to ask him if he could do something to help them reactivate Optimus Prime, whom they had recovered locked in a state of stasis. Spike managed to reactivate Optimus with a portion of the [[Matrix of Leadership|Matrix]] that Optimus had given him prior the ill-fated journey of the ''Ark II''. Optimus subsequently went to the Arctic and used the Matrix to reactivate several Transformers, including Sunstreaker and his brother Sideswipe. {{storylink|Prime Directive issue 2}}

Sunstreaker accepted the new task at hand and fought alongside his brother when the Autobots faced the Decepticons at Lazarus' ruined base, before Hallo betrayed the Autobots by attempting to destroy both factions with a nuclear weapon. {{storylink|Prime Directive issue 3}} The Autobots survived when Megatron's technovirus absorbed the blast, and Sunstreaker helped his comrades recover the captive Autobots imprisoned inside the base. {{storylink|Prime Directive issue 4}}

[[Image:DWPrimeDirective5 SideswipeSunstreaker Devastator.jpg|right|250px|thumb|DULL HEROIC RUNNING!]]
As Jazz's unit worked on Megatron's virus, Sunstreaker followed Optimus Prime to [[San Francisco]] for the last battle against Megatron and his Decepticons. When [[Superion (G1)|Superion]] was taken down, Sunstreaker and Sideswipe heroically (though foolishly) charged at [[Devastator (G1)|Devastator]] rather than, say, shoot him; they were surprisingly beaten up. After Optimus Prime destroyed Devastator's head, Sunstreaker was restrained by the surviving Decepticons. {{storylink|Prime Directive issue 5}} However, through human intervention, Optimus Prime freed his Autobots and the battle was rejoined. Sunstreaker tag-teamed with his brother to pummel Soundwave, though the Decepticons eventually escaped when Superion sacrificed his life to save the city from General Hallo's unauthorized nuclear missile launch. After Optimus Prime came back online, Sunstreaker and [[Trailbreaker (G1)|Trailbreaker]] discovered the traitorous [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]] buried under rubble. {{storylink|Prime Directive issue 6}}

''During the conflict with the [[Keeper (species)|Keepers]], Sunstreaker was one of the Autobots chosen by Optimus Prime to join the strike on occupied Las Vegas. Sunstreaker was edgy about having to work with Megatron and the Decepticons, and was ready to draw his rifle at a moment's notice during the groups' meeting. Still, he remained sensitive enough to [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike]]'s feelings to comfort his human friend when he was feeling useless, letting Spike know he always did his very best. (WHAT?!) In Las Vegas, Sunstreaker and the other Autobots lent their energies to Optimus Prime for his [[Matrix of Leadership|Matrix]]-inspired Finishing Move against the Keepers. {{storylink|Annihilation}} Later, Sunstreaker and the Autobots battled alongside the Decepticons again, against the treacherous forces of the American military. Sunstreaker and several other Autobots fell before the processor-eating power of the President's new toy, the [[Deconstructionite|deconstructionites]]. {{storylink|Fusion (novel)|Fusion}}''

When [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]] arrived on Earth to enforce [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]]'s edict that the Earth-bound Autobots surrender themselves to the Cybertronian alliance, Optimus Prime ordered a portion of his troops into hiding in [[Portland]], [[Oregon]]. This group, led by [[Jazz (G1)|Jazz]], included Sunstreaker, Sideswipe, [[Ratchet (G1)|Ratchet]], [[Brawn (G1)|Brawn]], [[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]], and [[Windcharger (G1)|Windcharger]]. {{storylink|Brothers' Burden}} However, [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]], [[Soundwave (G1)|Soundwave]], and his cassettes soon escaped to Earth with [[Bruticus (G1)|Bruticus]]. Attacking the ''Ark'', they defeated all of Jazz's group minus Ratchet and Brawn. Sunstreaker and the others were left in a swamp, deactivated. {{storylink|Night of the Combaticons}}

[[Image:DW Extermination Sunstreaker kills Kickback.jpg|left|400px|thumb|I'm not only better than you, I'm also gay.]]
[[Orion|A ship]] crewed by [[Mini Vehicle|Minibots]] (led by [[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]]) arrived on Earth with supplies, and [[Warpath (G1)|Warpath]] and [[Bumper (G1)|Bumper]] pulled the deactivated from their would-be swampy grave. They were promptly arrested by Commander [[Marissa Faireborn]] of the [[Earth Defense Command]] and her armored troops. The damaged Autobots were repaired, and Commander Faireborn came to Sunstreaker, Sideswipe, and Jazz with a mission. The American city of [[San Desto]] was under attack by [[Insecticon (G1)|Cybertronian creatures]]. {{storylink|Infestation}} Sunstreaker spent the entire mission either putting down [[EDC Night Force Unit|the humans]], Bumper or, when he wasn't around, Sideswipe. He didn't think any of them would make it out alive, but nevertheless tore through the Insecticon clones like they were paper! After they were captured by the real Insecticons, Sunstreaker was not too happy to be rescued by Bumper. When Bombshell activated the [[Cerebro-shell|cerebro-shelled]] human population of San Desto to attack the Autobots, Sunstreaker was also all-too-ready to kill the lot of them, until Bumper saved them all again. {{storylink|Extermination}} The ''Orion'' picked up Sunstreaker and the other Autobots from the EDC's Nevada base shortly after saving San Desto. {{storylink|Lost and Found (issue)|Lost and Found}}

{{note|In August 2006, [[Matt Moylan]] [http://tinyurl.com/2ugos3 revealed] that Sunstreaker was gay in Dreamwave continuity. This was never dealt with head-on (or meant to be) but it provided a basis for his characterization.}}

===Devil's Due ''G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers'' comics===
Sunstreaker was among the Transformers found and reprogrammed by the human terrorist organization [[Cobra]], and along with Sideswipe and [[Trailbreaker (G1)|Trailbreaker]], he was reformatted into a Cobra [[Stinger (G.I. Joe)|Stinger]]. He, his brother and [[Soundwave (G1)|Soundwave]] were sent to attack the [[SPS Research Facility]], but the two siblings were rammed by [[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]] while charging at the main entrance, and Cobra eventually retreated. {{storylink|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers issue 3}} When Wheeljack freed the Autobots from Cobra's control, Sunstreaker helped Sideswipe and [[Cliffjumper (G1)|Cliffjumper]] fight against the similarly freed Decepticons [[Skywarp (G1)|Skywarp]] and [[Thundercracker (G1)|Thundercracker]]. {{storylink|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers issue 5}}

===IDW comics continuity===
{{ongoing}}
{{quote|"Sunstreaker—''speed limit''." 
"Oh, ''c'mon''! Bad enough I gotta share my ''upholstery'' with a species that sheds skin on a regular basis, but now I gotta super-size the experience?"|'''Ironhide''' & '''Sunstreaker''' while Sunstreaker drives [[Hunter O'Nion]] home|[[Escalation issue 1|Escalation #1]]|noquote=true}}

[[Image:MegsOrigin3 Sunstreaker neverlose.jpg|right|220px|thumb|Sunstreaker shows off his humbler side.]]
Long ago, before the [[Great War (G1)|war]], Sunstreaker was a patron of illegal underground death matches in the [[Forge]], where he cheered on Megatron in his first victory there. He returned several times more, including to watch Megatron's 54th battle in the arena, this time apparently alongside Sideswipe. {{storylink|Megatron Origin issue 2|Megatron Origin #2}}

When Megatron, rising in power and influence, put on a recruitment call to all-comers, Sunstreaker happily answered his call. Sideswipe tried to talk him out of joining the fights, to no avail. Sunstreaker apparently thought the call was for participation in the illegal gladiatorial games, but it was actually the first recruitment call for the Decepticon army. How they took Megatron's announcement, the apparent murder of a Senator, and how they fared when Autobot security forces raided the meeting is unknown. {{storylink|Megatron Origin issue 3|Megatron Origin #3}} Neither he, nor any of the other Autobots-to-be that were present at the "rally", were seen again in prison or upon the Decepticons' escape and ravaging of [[Kaon]]. {{storylink|Megatron Origin issue 4|Megatron Origin #4}}

[[Image:Infiltration6 Sunstreaker humansout.jpg|left|150px|thumb|What, does he keep them in a kennel or something?]]

At some point during the war that followed Megatron's Decepticon rebellion, Sunstreaker was one of many Autobots trained by [[Kup (G1)|Kup]]. {{storylink|Spotlight: Kup}} He himself was Sideswipe's P-3 Training Officer and strike partner, and spent the whole time looking down on him as a subpar rookie. {{storylink|Spotlight: Sideswipe}}

In the modern era, Sunstreaker was a unit commander who helped drive the Decepticons from an unidentified planet. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 14|Replay}} Immediately afterward, he was assigned to a detachment of Autobots that had operated covertly on [[Earth]] for at least four years, attempting to foil a Decepticon insurgency. Being stationed on Earth did little to alter Sunstreaker's arrogance, with him dismissing [[Verity Carlo|the]] [[Hunter O'Nion|three]] [[Jimmy Pink|humans]] which [[Ratchet (G1)|Ratchet]] saved as "noisy creatures". {{storylink|Infiltration issue 3|Infiltration #3}} Later, Sunstreaker and the other Autobots observed Megatron's brutal disciplining of the treacherous Starscream. Despite 'Streaker's high opinion of himself and his own skills, he was visibly relieved when Prowl decided to leave the Decepticons alone. After returning to the ''[[Ark-19]]'', he complained about the humans running around loose in their headquarters. {{storylink|Infiltration issue 6|Infiltration #6}}

[[Image:Escalation1 Sunstreaker videogame.jpg|right|200px|thumb|He doesn't rate the Battlechargers very highly, apparently.]]

To keep the noisy creatures occupied, he created a video game starring himself. Soon afterward, Sunstreaker, along with [[Ironhide (G1)|Ironhide]], were assigned the task of escorting the humans back to the big wild world, [[Tulsa, Oklahoma]]. On a road in the vicinity of [[Lebanon, Missouri]], Sunstreaker and company were ambushed by the [[Machination]]. He and Hunter became separated from Ironhide and were seemingly destroyed. {{storylink|Escalation issue 1|Escalation #1}} However, it was soon revealed that it was not the case; the debris recovered by Optimus Prime was revealed by Ratchet to be an elaborate fake. {{storylink|Escalation issue 2|Escalation #2}}
Sunstreaker was painfully dismantled and treated barbarically by the employees. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 14|Replay}} After re-awakening in a [[Machination]] stronghold, Hunter was horrified to find an unidentified being, possibly Cybertronian, had been creating a series of [[Sunstreaker clone|Sunstreaker clones]]. {{storylink|Escalation issue 6|Escalation #6}}

[[Image:Devastation3 Sunstreakerhead yuh.jpg|left|150px|thumb|You still better than us now, Sunstreaker?]]

Having been able to dupe the Machination into believing that he was catatonic, Hunter went exploring in their headquarters. Eventually, he discovered Sunstreaker's own decapitated head, which was still functioning. Tortured, Sunstreaker begged the human to kill him. Meanwhile, [[Hot Rod (G1)|Hot Rod]] and [[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]] ran afoul of the Sunstreaker clones... piloted by [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmasters]] — humans who could transform into the robots' heads. {{storylink|Devastation issue 2|Devastation #2}} It turned out all of the Headmasters were mentally connected to the original Sunstreaker and leeched knowledge from him, a process that was extremely painful. However, this had its disadvantage — Sunstreaker doesn't read Autobot memos so the Machination had less inside knowledge than they thought; Hot Rod and Wheeljack escaped by using a weapon that Sunstreaker didn't know about. Hunter, rather than kill the Autobot, asked for his help to become a Headmaster himself so he could pilot one of the Machination's spare clones. {{storylink|Devastation issue 3|Devastation #3}} After downloading the necessary information from Sunstreaker, Hunter headed to the body shop, where more clone bodies were being stored. {{storylink|Devastation issue 5|Devastation #5}} Just as a freshly-restored [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]], head of the Machination, broke through a wall to kill him, Hunter was able to transform into Sunstreaker's head and linked to the real Sunstreaker's mind. Speaking as Sunstreaker, Hunter attached himself to a clone body, but commented that everything felt slow (as a result of Machination scientists cutting all connections to the real Sunstreaker, with devastating effects for the Headmasters). Hunter transformed to vehicle mode, blasted a hole in the wall and escaped. {{storylink|Devastation issue 6|Devastation #6}}

[[Image:Sunstreaker Head-On.jpg|right|150px|thumb|I'd lose my head if it wasn't screwed on.]]

After that, the new Sunstreaker began raiding Machination front organizations across America, looking for his original head. He wanted Hunter out of his head and gone forever so he didn't have to talk to the human—not that he meant ''any'' offense by that, oh no. On one raid, he became aware that the Machination had plans involving the [[Dinobot (G1)|Dynobots]] and sped off to Dallas to get involved {{storylink|Maximum Dinobots issue 1|Maximum Dinobots #1}} The Dynobots were actually sent to ''Fallon'' but Sunstreaker carried on to Dallas anyway, reasoning that getting his old head back would offline all the Headmasters—and that whatever the Dynobots were up to was merely collateral damage. (Nice chap...) {{storylink|Maximum Dinobots issue 2|Maximum Dinobots #2}} When they arrived in Dallas, seeing that the facility was far bigger than anything they had come across before, Hunter realized they needed a plan and forced Sunstreaker to sit it out while they watched and waited, citing that he was the more level-headed of the pair and that it was nice to just be Hunter O'Nion every now and then. {{storylink|Maximum Dinobots issue 3|Maximum Dinobots #3}} When the time came, Sunstreaker reconnected with Hunter and barged into the Machination, having a short talk with Hot Rod as he blasted two of his clones. He found his original head, but Scorponok was waiting and shot a hole through his chest. Hunter escaped and, reluctantly and remorsefully, deactivated Sunstreaker's original head. This succeeded in shutting down all of the clones, at the cost of doing the same to Sunstreaker. {{storylink|Maximum Dinobots issue 4|Maximum Dinobots #4}}

[[Image:Sunstreaker recovers.jpg|left|100px|thumb|New unexplained altmode — just add water.]]

Hunter, however, stayed conscious and survived the rest of the battle. He accompanied Sunstreaker aboard the ''[[Ark-32]]'', where the comatose Autobot was put into a [[CR chamber]] for heavy repairs. Sunstreaker's original head was reattached, and his battered body was rebuilt into a [[#Universe (2008)|slightly different form]]. Ratchet claimed that "though physically separated, Sunstreaker's spark sustained him." Ratchet was able to minimize the mental link between Sunstreaker and Hunter, but he was afraid to try removing Hunter's implants, and the human was left feeling like half of himself was missing. {{storylink|Maximum Dinobots issue 5|Maximum Dinobots #5}}

Eventually Ratchet did successfully sever their link, but the Headmaster experience had left deep wounds on Sunstreaker's psyche. He turned his back on Hunter and never wanted to speak of the incident again. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 7|All Hail Megatron #7}} His pain turned into a hatred for Earth and its inhabitants; he wanted nothing more than to leave the planet forever. Starscream took advantage of this, meeting in secret with Sunstreaker to strike a deal. Starscream wanted Sunstreaker's help to both kill Megatron and ensure the Autobots' departure from Earth. Starscream claimed that after taking control of the Decepticons, he would be satisfied to confine his own empire to the one planet, so really Sunstreaker would get what he wanted on both counts. Sunstreaker agreed "on one condition": That Starscream would use his dominion to kill every single human being. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 8|All Hail Megatron #8}}

Starscream and Sunstreaker arranged false intelligence that led the Autobots into an ambush. But, whether due to Starscream's treachery or to a simple failure in the plan, only half of their goals were accomplished: The Autobots were beaten and exiled to Cybertron via the newly-created [[space bridge]], but Megatron survived the battle happily. Optimus Prime attacked and destroyed the space bridge as he went through it, but doing so left him in a critical state of shutdown. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 7|All Hail Megatron #7}}

[[Image:Sunstreaker on bridge AHM8.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Sunstreaker in [[All Hail Megatron issue 10 #Errors|''A Bridge Too Few'']].]]

If Sunstreaker had been brooding and sullen already, this outcome only intensified his angst. The other Autobots knew that they must have been betrayed, but they had no idea by whom. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 4|All Hail Megatron #4}} [[Mirage (G1)|Mirage]], as the scout who had delivered the bad intelligence, was a natural suspect, and Ironhide became his chief accuser. Sunstreaker gravitated to Ironhide, encouraging the finger pointed away from himself. When Sideswipe confronted Sunstreaker about the dissension he was fostering in the ranks, Sunstreaker tried to get him to leave him alone. Sideswipe attempted sympathy, telling his brother that he could only imagine what the Headmaster experience had been like, but even that turned into an accusation for abandoning Hunter. Sunstreaker yelled back that that was in the past and was completely irrelevant, and everyone knew he never wanted to talk about it again. He stormed off, but doing so caught Ironhide's attention. When Sunstreaker told Ironhide that Sideswipe thought they were taking their accusations against Mirage too far, Ironhide decided they hadn't taken things far ''enough,'' so he promptly dragged Mirage into a corner and beat him half to death. Sunstreaker's only protest was that others might see. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 7|All Hail Megatron #7}}

[[Image:Sunstreaker sacrifice_AHM.jpg|left|150px|thumb|At least he didn't have to suffer the indignity of [[Ironhide (G1)| being]] [[Perceptor (G1)|rescued]] [[Wrecker|by]] Drift.]]

But his guilt gnawed away at him until one day he found a chance for the redemption of martyrdom. The Autobots had decided to move to a different headquarters to defend themselves from the [[Insecticon swarm]]. The new base's strength was its inaccessibility: It could only be accessed by a single bridge, and the Autobots had planted explosives on it to take it down after everyone had made it across. The Autobots did outrun the swarm, but in the process [[Perceptor (G1)|their sharpshooter]] was incapacitated, and the bombs needed to be detonated via weapons-fire. While the others debated who would be capable of the task, Sunstreaker slipped away onto the bridge to do it himself. Ironhide went out after him and tried to talk him back, but Sunstreaker spilled his guts about the entire betrayal. Ironhide was dumbfounded, and just as Sunstreaker began to apologize, the swarm attacked. [[Drift (G1)|Drift]] raced in and pulled Ironhide out of the crush, and as they sped away, Sunstreaker fired at the bomb. The bridge was destroyed in a massive fireball, and Sunstreaker appearently went with it. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 8|All Hail Megatron #8}}

Later, Bombshell taunted Sideswipe in battle, claiming to have toyed with Sunstreaker's mind and played with his fears using information gleaned from dissecting Hunter. After the battle, Sideswipe found Hunter's tortured form strung up in Bombshell's lab, horrifically intertwined with all sorts of machinery. Sideswipe turned the life-support system off, letting Hunter — and any potential surviving piece of Sunstreaker — expire. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 12|All Hail Megatron #12}}

However, the events of the past few years seemed to be repeating in the badly damaged head of Sunstreaker, amongst the bodies of the swarm. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 14|Replay}}

====Hail and Farewell====
{{Note|Due to the abrupt cancellation of several related stories and the emergence of ''[[All Hail Megatron]]'', the following events cannot occur in the mainstream timeline, if they are [[canon]] at all.}}

Two years after meeting the Autobots and becoming a Headmaster, Hunter went back to his house with Sunstreaker. As Hunter gathered a few effects, he reminisced on how much had changed and how much had happened. He had been to other planets, even another dimension. He'd fought Scorponok, allied with the Dinobots, and faced a planetary Decepticon invasion. And now he wasn't just Hunter; he had become one with Sunstreaker in both mind and body. As he converted back to Sunstreaker's head, he mused that it was true what they said about never being able to go home again. {{storylink|Hail and Farewell}}
{{--}}

==Toys==
===Generation 1===
[[Image:G1-toy Sunstreaker.jpg|right|300px|thumb|Yellow, I love me, let me jump in your game.]]
*'''Sunstreaker''' (Autobot, 1984/1986/1990)
**''Accessories'': Left & right fists, 2 "rocket boosters", 3 rockets

: Sunstreaker was released as part of the first year of the Transformers line in the US. He transforms into a "Super Tuning" customized Lamborghini Countach LP500S with an exposed rear-mounted engine. Each robot-mode arm has a spring-launching mechanism to fire his fists, his chrome missiles, or his "rocket boosters" (once the boosters' main body was pushed forward to lengthen the connection peg), but the springs were severely neutered in the US [[for safety reasons]]. The boosters fit very ''very'' loosely in the holes in his rear bumper/robot shoulders, making them pretty dubious additions to either mode.

: In 1986, he was made available as a mail-away item (as he was no longer shipping to retail shelves), several different promotions, among them a "[[Digital Doom on the Highway to Destruction]]" flier packed with most boxed ''Transformers'' toys. He cost $8 and two [[robot points]].

:In 1990 he was re-released in Europe as part of the "[[Classics (Europe)|Classics]]" line of reissues.

: Sunstreaker is generally considered to be one of the harder early [[Generation 1 (toyline)|Generation toys]] to find complete and unbroken. There also appears to be little chance of a [[reissue]] of the toy, as this mold has been stated by [[Hasbro]] and [[Takara]] representatives to be one of several whose original molding is either lost or in a state of disrepair too extensive to justify the cost of re-casting.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/1984/Autobot/Sunstreaker/sunstreaker.htm More information on Sunstreaker at TFU.info]''

{{-}}
*'''VSZ Set''' (Multi-pack, 1985)
**''Accessories'': Left & right fists, 2 "rocket boosters", 3 rockets

: Sunstreaker's only release in Japan was in the [[VSZ]] set, along with [[Buzzsaw (G1)|Buzzsaw]] and [[Skids (G1)|Skids]]. This sounds unfair, but then one must remember [[Buzzsaw (G1)|Buzzsaw is an unstoppable killing machine]].

{{-}}

*'''Transform Block'''

: Only available in Japan, this small, monochrome representation of Sunstreaker transformed by disassembling and reassembling his component parts. Hence, the name "Transform Block". The toy was first released as part of the Diaclone line alongside another toy representing the Diaclone version of Skids. The toy was simply put in new packaging for its Transformers release, which resembles that of [[Transform Jr]] toys.

===Universe (2003)===
[[Image:UniverseSunstreaker toy.jpg|right|300px|thumb|Sideswipe in yellow? Dear Primus, I've become Tigertrack!]]
*'''Sunstreaker''' (Deluxe, 2003)
**''Accessories'': Left & right rocket boosters, 2 flame-missiles

: A [[retool]] of the ''[[Robots in Disguise (toyline)|Robots in Disguise]]'' [[Prowl (RID)|Prowl]] mold, Sunstreaker transforms into a Lamborghini Diablo. Unusually for non-vintage transformers at the time, he has rubber tires. In either mode, he is armed with two pressure-launch missile launchers with two flame-shaped projectiles. These launchers are mounted upon his right arm in robot mode. In vehicle mode, they can be mounted on two pegs located on his spoiler as "rocket boosters". It is notable that the part that connects the toy's windshield to the main body uses a yellow decal rather than paint, as that part is made out of [[unpaintable plastic]]. The police lights from the original mold were removed, leaving this area bare.

: Sunstreaker was the "hotel [[exclusive]]" toy from [[OTFCC 2003]], available only to those who booked their room at the Hyatt Regency O'Hare at the convention rate, the official hotel for the convention.

: This mold is also used by [[Sideswipe (G1)|Sideswipe]] and [[Inferno (BW)|Inferno]].

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2003/Autobot/Sunstreaker/sunstreaker.htm More information on BotCon Sunstreaker at TFU.info]''
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===Alternators/Binaltech Asterisk===

[[Image:Btasunstreaker toy.jpg|right|300px|thumb|Lemony fresh new-car scent.]]
*'''Sunstreaker meets Junko''' (Autobot, 2005)
**''Japanese ID number'': '''BTA-02'''
**''Accessories'': "Junko" driver/figurine, engine-block rifle

: In 2005, Takara and Hasbro released near-simultaneous and similar, but significantly different takes on Sunstreaker. The first to the market was the ''[[Binaltech Asterisk]]'' version of the toy, including with a PVC driver figurine, a girl named [[Junko Shiragami|Junko]]. A [[redeco]] of the [[Dead End (G1)|Dead End]] Alternator (itself a [[retool]] of Alternator Sideswipe), Sunstreaker transforms into a 1:24-scale licensed "street performance" Dodge Viper with opening doors and hood, and an open passengers' compartment. His engine block becomes a rifle for his robot mode. Like the rest of the ''Binaltech Asterisk'' line, he was packaged in robot mode instead of vehicle.

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[[Image:AlternatorsSunstreaker toy.jpg|right|300px|thumb|When girls disappear, their cars gain racing stripes. This is SCIENTIFIC FACT.]]
*'''Sunstreaker''' (Autobot, 2005)
**''Alternator ID number:'' '''18'''
**''Accessories'': Engine-block rifle

: A few months later, the Hasbro ''[[Alternators]]'' version was released as part of the standard ''Alternators'' line, in the redesigned "bubble" packaging (the third version of ''Alternators'' packaging). Though both are yellow redecos of the mold, the detailing between the two is very different, with the Hasbro version being a direct color-swap of the paint mask previously used for Dead End, adding red to the robot-mode parts as well as a pair of black racing stripes in car mode. Drastically put, the only two details virtually identical on both versions at first sight are the paint mask for the head and the license plate layout.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2006/Autobot/AltSunstreaker/sunstreaker.htm More information on Alternators/Binaltech Sunstreaker at TFU.info]''
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===Universe (2008)===
====Classic Series====
[[Image:Sunstreakeruniverse2008toy.jpg|right|300px|thumb|He's got Mirage's legs, and he knows how to use 'em better than Mirage does.]]
*'''Sunstreaker''' (Deluxe, 2008)
**''Accessories:'' "Electron Pulse Blaster", engine supercharger intakes

: Part of the first wave of [[Universe (2008 toyline)|2008 ''Universe'']] Deluxes, Sunstreaker transforms into a modified [[wikipedia:Lamborghini_Gallardo|Lamborghini Gallardo]]. Though the car is mostly based upon the Gallardo, to avoid legal problems, it also features modified headlights and elements taken from other cars—most of them are taken from other Lamborghini models, such as a front bumper that appears to be based on a 2004 [[wikipedia:Lamborghini Murciélago|Murciélago]] R-GT and a rear end that is basically a cross between a Murciélago and a [[wikipedia:Lamborghini_Diablo|Diablo]]; however, the split side windows and the ridges on the door vents are based on a [[wikipedia:McLaren F1|McLaren F1]]. Like the original Sunstreaker's Lamborghini Countach form, the 2008 ''[[Universe (2008 franchise)|Universe]]'' vehicle mode features a customized engine supercharger intakes mounted just behind the roof of the car. Sunstreaker's license plate is [[Tampograph|tampographed]] "WE R 84", referring to the year the ''Transformers'' franchise was launched.

: Like many other new-mold ''Universe'' toys, Sunstreaker has a "dramatic head reveal" when transforming him to robot mode: when his chest is rotated into place, his head rises into position and his ears to spring out. In robot mode, his engine intakes attach onto his back, though in an undocumented feature, they can also fold down over the widest part of the "electron blaster" and click in place. The gun can also be attached to the holes in Sunstreaker's shoulders, though his "ears" get in the way.

: Sunstreaker shares most of his design with ''Universe'' Sideswipe, differing in headsculpt and an altered transformation sequence. Sunstreaker is considered the original toy, as Sideswipe did not appear until a later wave of the toyline.

: Though not specifically a quality control issue, the yellow paint used for Sunstreaker's roof does not precisely match the bright yellow plastic used for his car body panel parts. The dark tinted windows causes the yellow paint to take on a greenish tinge.

: The Sunstreaker/Sideswipe mold was also retooled into ''[[Timelines (toyline)|Timelines]]'' [[Punch (G1)|Punch]] and [[BotCon 2010]] [[Breakdown (G1)|Breakdown]].

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2008/Autobot/TFUSunstreaker/sunstreaker.htm More information on Universe Sunstreaker at TFU.info]''

===Henkei! Henkei!===
[[Image:Henkei Sunstreaker toy.jpg|right|250px|thumb|Unlike others in this line, the chrome surprisingly makes him more G1-accurate.]]
*'''Sunstreaker''' (Deluxe, 2008)
**''Japanese ID number:'' '''C-07'''
**''Accessories:'' "Electron Pulse Blaster", engine supercharger intakes

: TakaraTomy's ''[[Henkei! Henkei! (toyline)|Henkei! Henkei!]]'' version of ''Universe'' Sunstreaker is a redeco of Hasbro's release, featuring a deeper shade of yellow with a much greater consistency between the painted yellow roof and the yellow plastic than seen on ''Universe'' Sunstreaker. He also replaces some of the Universe figure's gray paint with black. The orange paint is replaced with red, and the maroon Autobot symbol is now the more standard red. As with all of the ''Henkei'' toys, he has [[Vacuum metallizing|vacuum-metallized]] silver on his Electron Pulse Blaster, his supercharger and his spoiler.
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==Merchandise==

* '''Cybertron Hero Collection 22''' (Decoy multi-pack, 1985)

: In Japan, a red rubber mini-figure of Sunstreaker was available in part of a [[Decoy|massive multi-pack of similar mini-figurines]]. The number etched into his back is the sum total of his [[tech spec]] ratings, as these figurines were used as game pieces for a variety of ''Transformers'' board games in which this number had some meaning to how the game was played or something. Sunstreaker mixes the [[Character model|cartoon model]] with elements from the original toy.


*'''Sunstreaker''' (Decoy, 1987)
**''Decoy number'': '''11'''

: The [[Hasbro]] [[Decoy]] release of the Sunstreaker game piece is almost identical to the Japanese version, except the number on his back is a simple "checklist" number. Like all Autobot Decoys, he was a randomly-chosen pack-in available with the carded [[Throttlebot|Throttlebots]], [[Aerialbot (G1)|Aerialbots]], [[Protectobot (G1)|Protectobots]] and [[Technobot (G1)|Technobots]].

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/1986/Autobot/Decoys/Sunstreaker/sunstreaker.htm More information on Decoy Sunstreaker at TFU.info]''
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===Titanium Series===
[[Image:Titanium-toy RMSunstreaker.JPG|right|200px|thumb|Too good to be released, apparently.]]
*'''Sunstreaker''' (Robot Master, unreleased)
**''Accessories'': Engine-blaster, display stand

:A planned redeco of ''[[Titanium Series]]'' Side Swipe, which was based on Sideswipe's ''Alternators'' toy. Sunstreaker would have been partially constructed of die cast metal with limited articulation located in his shoulders and neck. His accessories would have been a removable engine blaster and an Autobot symbol display stand.

{{canceledtoy}}
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===Robot Heroes===
[[Image:RobotHeroes Galvatron Sunstreaker.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Hi, I'm cuter than you.]]
* '''Sunstreaker vs. Galvatron''' (2-pack, 2008)

:Part of the first wave of ''Universe'' [[Robot Heroes (toyline)|Robot Heroes]] toys, Sunstreaker is an adorably sociopathic non-transforming figure articulated at the neck and shoulders. He was available only in a two-pack with [[Galvatron (G1)/toys|Galvatron]], making this the most mentally-unbalanced Robot Heroes set ''ever''.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2008/Autobot/RHSunstreaker/sunstreaker.htm More information on Robot Heros Sunstreaker at TFU.info]''
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==Trivia==
[[Image:Sunstreaker-diaclone.jpg|right|300px|thumb|Before he was a Transformer.]]
* The pre-''Transformers'' ''Diaclone'' version of Sunstreaker is the Lamborghini Countach LP500S "Super Tuning" toy. The ''Diaclone'' version was originally painted only in red or police deco. This is one of several items that have led to the fan speculation that Sunstreaker and Sideswipe's coloration and [[bio]] text were swapped around before their final release (another being that, in his bio, Sunstreaker feels that Sideswipe's car-mode lines are ruined by his rear-mounted engine, when in fact Sunstreaker is the one with said engine.) The [[Tech specs|statistics]], however, are correct. This change would also explain Sunstreaker's otherwise inexplicable red shoulders/car panel decals, which were originally used to cover up the black plastic on the red Diaclone version.

* The red ''[[Diaclone]]'' version of Sunstreaker was sold by [[Takara]] in North America as the ''[[Diakron]]'' "DK-1" Car/Robot in 1983, seemingly just a few months before he would be rebranded as a Transformer.

* In the Transformers series [[Production bible|bible]] entry for his brother [[Sideswipe (G1)|Sideswipe]], Sunstreaker is referred to by a different name, '''Spinout''' <ref>http://transformers.winterchill.com/bible/biblepage17.html</ref>. "Nearly the equal of his twin brother, Spinout, in combat, but less cold-blooded." The same name (spelled "Spin-Out") is also used in a Marvel Age article<ref>[http://www.electric-escape.net/node/590 Article from Marvel Age #17.]</ref> from 1984 that announced the Marvel comic series.

* According to a [[story page]] in the October 1985 issue of ''[[TV Magazine]]'', Sideswipe and [[Red Alert (G1)|Red Alert]] are brothers, with Sideswipe being slightly older than Red Alert. This connection may have been invented because, aside from Sideswipe and Red Alert sharing the same mold, Sunstreaker was not sold on the Japanese market outside of a special "versus" set with [[Skids (G1)|Skids]] and [[Buzzsaw (G1)|Buzzsaw]]. However, the familial dynamic between Sideswipe and Sunstreaker was '''not''' changed in the Japanese dub of the original ''Transformers'' cartoon, leading some Japanese fans to consider the three Lamborghini characters as triplets.

* ''Alternators'' Sunstreaker was originally planned as the ''first'' [[retool]] of the [[Sideswipe (G1)|Side Swipe]] Dodge Viper toy. Early prototypes that were leaked to the public sported a sculpted Autobot logo, and development concept art and color maps detailed in ''[[The Transformers: Binaltech & TF Collection Complete Guide]]'' show a black-decoed figure. A store listing from March 2004 stated the figure's name as "'''Blackstreaker'''"<ref name="alternatorstfa">[http://www.tfarchive.com/community/showthread.php?t=22083 TFArchive news thread about Alternators store listing from March 2004.]</ref>, suggesting that he was still intended to be Sunstreaker despite sporting different colors, possibly at the request of the car manufacturer. For reasons unknown, however, the toy was ultimately released as the [[Decepticon]] [[Dead End (G1)|Dead End]] instead, possibly to satisfy fan demands for Decepticons in the line, but this is mere supposition. It took a couple of years until Sunstreaker would see shelves as originally intended.

[[Image:SunstreakerSideswipeSDCC2007.jpg|thumb|250px|right|One of the cases where the end result turned out even ''better'' than the original idea. Well, except maybe for the weapon.]]
* Hasbro's early plans for ''Universe'' Sunstreaker and Sideswipe had the two as straight [[redeco]]s of each other, only differing in their head sculpts besides their colors—namely, Sunstreaker would have just been Sideswipe in yellow with a different head. It was [[TakaraTomy]] designer [[Hisashi Yuki]] who suggested an alternate transformation by turning the upper body by 180 degrees, thus providing more individual robot mode looks for the two characters that resemble their respective ''[[The Transformers (toyline)|Generation 1]]'' designs more.<ref name="generations2009">Interview with Hisashi Yuki in [[Transformers Generations 2009|'#Transformers Generations 2009'' vol. 1]], [http://www.tfw2005.com/boards/transformers-news-rumors/223379-takaratomy-staff-interview-generations-2009-vol-1-translation.html English translation] at TFW2005.</ref> In addition, Hasbro originally intended the [[alternate mode]]'s supercharger to split into two halves which would then become the handgun and and a spring-loaded shoulder launcher for the robot mode.

* Simon Furman's reason for making Sunstreaker a Headmaster at IDW? Because he's the one character who'd ''least'' want to ''be'' a Headmaster. <ref>[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yIkqheta3GE Moonbase Two interview with Nick Roche, 27:58 in]</ref>
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==References==
<references />

==External links==
*[http://www.ntfa.net/universe/english/index.php?act=view&char=Sunstreaker Sunstreaker's Universe profile at NTFA.net]

*[http://transformers.winterchill.com/bible/biblepage18.html Sunstreaker's entry in the Transformers series bible.]

[[Category:Alternators]]
[[Category:Artists]]
[[Category:Autobots]]
[[Category:Binaltech Asterisk]]
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[[Category:Convention exclusives]]
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[[Category:Headmasters characters]]
[[Category:Henkei! Henkei! characters]]
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[[Category:Robot Heroes]]
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[[Category:Universe (2008)]]