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The Transformers: The Movie

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{{disambig3|Transformers: The Movie}}
{{movie|
|seriess=[[The Transformers (cartoon)|The Transformers]]
|prev=B.O.T. (episode)
|next=Five Faces of Darkness, Part 1
|seriess2=[[Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers (franchise)|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers]]
|prev2=Scramble City: Mobilization
|next2=Five Faces of Darkness, Part 1
|title=''The Transformers: The Movie''
|image=Transformersanimatedfilmposter.jpg
|caption=A long time ago in a galaxy far far away....
|production code=4034
|production companies=[[Sunbow Productions]] [[Marvel Productions]]
|distributor=[[Dino De Laurentiis|De Laurentiis Entertainment Group]]
|executive producer=[[Tom Griffin]] [[Joe Bacal]]
|screenplay by=[[Ron Friedman]]
|directed by=[[Nelson Shin]]
|cinematography by=[[Masatoshi Fukui]]
|edited by=[[David Hankins]]
|music by=[[Vince DiCola]]
|animation studio=[[Toei Animation|Toei]]
|release date=[[August 8]], [[1986]]
|continuity=[[Generation 1 cartoon continuity]]
|runtime=85 minutes
|budget=$5–6 million
|box office=$2.6–5.8 million
|credits=The Transformers: The Movie/credits
}}
{{quote|Conceived in the epic tradition of ''[[Star Wars (film)|Star Wars]]''...|[[Victor Caroli]] ain't just whistling Dixie|[[The Transformers: The Movie promo|''The Transformers: The Movie'' promo]]}}

'''''The Transformers: The Movie''''' is an animated feature film based on the original ''Transformers'' toyline. It was released in the United States on Friday, August 8, 1986.

The film's storyline follows the same continuity as the ''[[The Transformers (cartoon)|Transformers]]'' cartoon. It introduces a [[Scale|planet-sized Transformer]] called [[Unicron/Generation 1|Unicron]] who eats other planets, and is approaching [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]]. As part of their continuing wars, the [[Autobot]]s and [[Decepticon]]s have a [[Battle of Autobot City|fierce battle]] on [[Earth]] which sees both [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] and [[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Megatron]] mortally wounded. Prime passes the [[Matrix of Leadership]] to [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ultra Magnus]] and dies, and Megatron is transformed by Unicron into [[Galvatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Galvatron]]. [[Starscream (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Starscream]] (briefly) assumes leadership of the Decepticons, but is killed when Galvatron arrives at Cybertron. Galvatron then chases the surviving Autobots on Earth across space, splitting them up and taking the Matrix. The Autobots find their way back to each other, and follow Galvatron to Cybertron just as Unicron transforms into [[robot mode]] and begins to eat their world. Travelling inside Unicron, [[Hot Rod (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Hot Rod]] recovers the Matrix, transforms into Rodimus Prime, and uses the Matrix to destroy Unicron.

Often referred to by fans simply as "the movie" or "TFTM", the movie was a step up in almost every area from the television series, with a more sophisticated plot, more serious treatment of war and violence, a hugely ambitious scope and a greatly increased animation budget with well-known celebrities providing voice work. For these reasons, the film remains very popular with children of the 1980s.

The film opens with characters who had been featured in the first two years of the toyline and associated media (cartoons, comic books, etc.), but quickly introduces new characters and kills many of the old ones to make room. Of particular note, Optimus Prime and Starscream are both destroyed during the course of the film.

{{quote|The Japanese have funded a full-length animated cartoon about the doings of these toys, which is all bad outer-space stuff. I play a planet. I menace somebody called Something-or-other. Then I'm destroyed. My plan to destroy Whoever-it-is is thwarted and I tear myself apart on the screen.|Orson Welles<ref>[http://books.google.com/books?id=KlqsYy512WIC&source=gbs_navlinks_s "Orson Welles: A Biography"] page 522</ref>}}

==Synopsis==
[[File:TFTM Unicron Lithone.jpg|left|thumb|That's no moon.]]
[[Unicron/Generation 1|A mechanical planet]] travels through the depths of space, attacking [[Lithone (planet)|a metal planet]] which has [[Lithone (species)|robotic inhabitants]]. Robots, vehicles, buildings, and even large chunks of rock are sucked off the surface and devoured by the monstrous planet.

It is the year [[2005]], and the [[Decepticon]]s are now in control of [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]]. The [[Autobot]]s are preparing to launch an assault to retake the planet from hidden bases on two of Cybertron's moons. The Autobots launch a [[Autobot shuttle|shuttle]] to pick up a final shipment of [[energon]] from [[Earth]] before they strike.

[[File:Tftm1986a.jpg|thumb|Commander, tear this ship apart until you've found those plans. And bring me the passengers; I want them alive!]]
Plans for the attack are overheard by [[Laserbeak (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Laserbeak]], who reports back to [[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Megatron]]. The Decepticons attack the Autobot shuttle en route to Earth, wiping out its crew (including [[Ironhide (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ironhide]], [[Prowl (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Prowl]], [[Ratchet (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ratchet]] and [[Brawn (G1)|Brawn]]). Using the Autobots' own shuttle, the Decepticons are able to get very close to the Autobots' base on Earth, [[Autobot City (G1)|Autobot City]], before they are detected, and begin a devastating surprise attack on the unprepared city.

During the [[Battle of Autobot City|battle at Autobot City]], both [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] and Megatron suffer mortal injuries, and a number of others are also killed. Eventually the Decepticons retreat, but the damage suffered by the Autobots is severe.

[[File:Tftm1986b.jpg|left|thumb|If you strike me down, I shall become more powerful than you can possibly imagine.]]
Shortly after the battle, Prime lies on his deathbed. He passes the reins of leadership to [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ultra Magnus]] and gives him the [[Matrix of Leadership]]. (Though [[Hot Rod (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Hot Rod]] actually touches the Matrix before Magnus does.) Prime relates a prophecy: "One day, an Autobot shall rise from our ranks, and use the power of the Matrix to light our [[darkest hour]]." He then gives the oath, "[['Til all are one]]", and [[The many deaths of Optimus Prime|dies]]. This sequence of events is observed remotely by Unicron, the monstrous planet, who appears unusually concerned by the survival of the Matrix.

The Decepticons are making their escape aboard [[Astrotrain (G1)|Astrotrain]], but are too heavy for him to get them all home under his own power. After putting the matter to a fair vote, the Decepticons decide to throw their injured members off the ship to better the chance of survival for the rest, including the mortally wounded Megatron. Too injured to save himself, Megatron is tossed out into space by [[Starscream (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Starscream]], who claims leadership of the Decepticon army.

[[File:TFTM Starscream chucks Megatron.jpg|thumb|Into the garbage chute, flyboy.]]
Megatron and the other adrift Decepticons then encounter Unicron in interstellar space. Unicron offers to rebuild Megatron and his minions in exchange for their service. After some coercion on the planetoid's part, Megatron agrees, and is [[Reformatting|reformatted]] into [[Galvatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Galvatron]]. The other Decepticons are turned into [[Cyclonus (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Cyclonus]], [[Scourge (G1)|Scourge]], and the [[Sweep (G1)|Sweeps]]. Unicron provides them with a [[Revenge (G1)|ship]], and sends them to kill Ultra Magnus and destroy the Matrix, stating that the Matrix is the only thing which can stand in his way.

[[File:Tftm1986c.jpg|left|thumb|Don't be too proud of this technological terror you've constructed.]]
Galvatron first stops at Cybertron to take his revenge by killing Starscream and reclaiming leadership of the Decepticons. Almost immediately afterwards, Unicron arrives in Cybertron's vicinity and devours at least two moons—both of the Autobots' moon bases are destroyed. Under coercion by Unicron, Galvatron finally heads to Earth to kill Ultra Magnus, but Magnus and the other surviving Autobots flee in a pair of shuttles. Eventually Galvatron manages to cause one shuttle to crash on yet another metal planet ([[Quintessa (planet)|Quintessa]]), and detonates the other with a volley of missiles. However, the Autobots in the second shuttle escape unnoticed by separating the front portion of their shuttle just before impact.

The Autobots in the crashed shuttle, Hot Rod, [[Kup (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Kup]], and the [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobots]], find themselves separated and in a hostile environment. Hot Rod and Kup battle a [[Sea squid|giant squid]], are captured by a pack of [[Allicon]]s and taken before a [[Quintesson]] [[Quintesson#Judges|judge]] and his court. While being held there, they learn the name and nature of Unicron from [[Kranix (G1)|Kranix]], a survivor of the planet destroyed in the opening of the film, which he calls [[Lithone (planet)|Lithone]]. Meanwhile, the Dinobots encounter and befriend a young, wild Autobot named [[Wheelie (G1)|Wheelie]] who has been living alone on Quintessa. Together, they crash the trial just as Hot Rod and Kup are fighting losing odds against the Quintessons' [[Sharkticon (species)|Sharkticons]]. The tide is turned, and the Autobots commandeer a [[Quintesson Cruiser]].

[[File:Tftm1986d.jpg|thumb|What an incredible smell you've discovered!]]
The other group of Autobots has landed on the planet [[Junkion (planet)|Junkion]] to make repairs, but are attacked yet again by Galvatron, who was tipped off to their survival by Unicron. During the battle, Ultra Magnus tries to open the Matrix to use its power, but is unable to do so, and instead is killed. Galvatron absconds with the Matrix, taking it away to Unicron. The remaining Autobots—[[Perceptor (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Perceptor]], [[Blurr (G1)|Blurr]], [[Springer (G1)|Springer]], [[Arcee (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Arcee]], and [[Spike Witwicky (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Spike]]'s son [[Daniel Witwicky (G1)|Daniel]]—are then ambushed by [[Junkion (species)|Junkions]], the eponymous natives of Junkion, who are also giant transforming robots. This battle is cut short, however, by the arrival of Hot Rod's group in their Quintesson ship. After exchanging the [[universal greeting]] they all make friends, and the Junkions restore Ultra Magnus to life. Together, the whole group travels to Cybertron to try to recover the Matrix and destroy Unicron.

[[File:TFTM Unicron smashes cybertron.jpg|thumb|left|Rebel base in range. You may fire when ready.]]
Galvatron attempts to open the Matrix to use its power against Unicron and force his master into submission, but is unable to open it. Unicron, not pleased with this attempted treachery, shocks Galvatron by transforming from a planet into a [[Scale|planet-sized robot]]. Unicron plucks Galvatron off his chest and swallows him, Matrix and all, and then begins attacking Cybertron itself. [[Shockwave (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Shockwave]] scrambles the Decepticon forces to defend the planet, but they are ineffective against so large an enemy. Shortly the Autobots arrive from Junkion, and fly the Quintesson ship straight through Unicron's eye. This impact destroys the ship, and the Autobots fall out inside Unicron. Hot Rod, separated from the others, eventually runs into Galvatron. During their fight, Hot Rod gets his hands on the Matrix and hears Optimus's voice speak the words, "Arise, Rodimus Prime." Hot Rod grows in stature, adopts a much sterner demeanor, and quickly dispatches Galvatron by tossing him through Unicron's hull out into space. He then opens the Matrix, which fills Unicron with light and begins destroying him.

[[File:Tftm1986e.jpg|thumb|Use the Force, Luke.]]
In the meantime, the other Autobots inside Unicron have located some of their comrades from the moon bases who had been presumed dead, including [[Bumblebee (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Bumblebee]] and Daniel's father, Spike. The Autobots, including Rodimus, escape through Unicron's remaining eye just as he begins to fall apart and explode. The scene then immediately shifts to the surface of Cybertron, where—for unclear reasons—the Autobots seem to be in charge again. Rodimus predicts an era of peace and prosperity, and the film closes with a shot of Unicron's severed head still floating in orbit around Cybertron.

[['Til all are one]].
{{--}}

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
*[[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] ([[Peter Cullen]])
*[[Hot Rod (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Hot Rod/Rodimus Prime]] ([[Judd Nelson]])
*[[Ultra Magnus (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ultra Magnus]] ([[Robert Stack]])
*[[Kup (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Kup]] ([[Lionel Stander]])
*[[Springer (G1)|Springer]] ([[Neil Ross]])
*[[Arcee (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Arcee]] ([[Susan Blu]])
*[[Blurr (G1)|Blurr]] ([[John Moschitta]])
*[[Grimlock (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Grimlock]] ([[Gregg Berger]])
*[[Perceptor (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Perceptor]] ([[Paul Eiding]])
*[[Blaster (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Blaster]] ([[Buster Jones]])
*[[Swoop (G1)|Swoop]] ([[Michael Bell]])
*[[Slag (G1)|Slag]] (Neil Ross)
*[[Sludge (G1)|Sludge]]
*[[Wheelie (G1)|Wheelie]] ([[Frank Welker]])
*[[Ironhide (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ironhide]] (Peter Cullen)
*[[Prowl (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Prowl]] (Michael Bell)<ref group="fc" name="crednolines">Credited and appeared, but had no speaking lines.</ref>
*[[Jazz (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Jazz]] ([[Scatman Crothers]])
*[[Bumblebee (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Bumblebee]] ([[Dan Gilvezan]])
*[[Cliffjumper (G1)|Cliffjumper]] ([[Casey Kasem]])
*[[Brawn (G1)|Brawn]] ([[Corey Burton]])
*[[Gears (G1)|Gears]] ([[Don Messick]])<ref group="fc" name="creduncertain">Credited, but may or may not have appeared through an animation error.</ref>
*[[Auto-combatant]] (Frank Welker)
*[[Eject (G1)|Eject]]
*[[Rewind (G1)|Rewind]]
*[[Steeljaw (G1)|Steeljaw]]
*[[Ramhorn (G1)|Ramhorn]]
*[[Wheeljack (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Wheeljack]]
*[[Windcharger (G1)|Windcharger]]
*[[Ratchet (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ratchet]]
*[[Snarl (G1)|Snarl]]
*[[Grapple (G1)|Grapple]]
*[[Huffer (G1)|Huffer]]
*[[Hound (G1)|Hound]]
*[[Sunstreaker (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Sunstreaker]]
*[[Bluestreak (G1)|Bluestreak]]
*[[Inferno (G1)|Inferno]]<ref group="fc" name="crednoapp">Credited, but did not appear.</ref> ([[Walker Edmiston]])
|c2=
*[[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Megatron]] (Frank Welker)
*[[Galvatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Galvatron]] ([[Leonard Nimoy]])
*[[Starscream (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Starscream]] ([[Chris Latta]])
*[[Cyclonus (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Cyclonus]] ([[Roger C. Carmel]])
*[[Scourge (G1)|Scourge]] ([[Stan Jones]])
*[[Soundwave (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Soundwave]] (Frank Welker)
*[[Devastator (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Devastator]] ([[Arthur Burghardt]])
*[[Scrapper (G1)|Scrapper]] (Michael Bell)
*[[Bonecrusher (G1)|Bonecrusher]] (Neil Ross)
*[[Hook (G1)|Hook]] (Neil Ross)
*[[Scavenger (G1)|Scavenger]] (Don Messick)<ref group="fc" name="appearnocredit">Appeared and had speaking lines, but not credited.</ref>
*[[Mixmaster (G1)|Mixmaster]]
*[[Long Haul (G1)|Long Haul]]
*[[Shrapnel (G1)|Shrapnel]] ([[Hal Rayle]])
*[[Kickback (G1)|Kickback]] ([[Clive Revill]])
*[[Bombshell (G1)|Bombshell]]
*[[Astrotrain (G1)|Astrotrain]] ([[Jack Angel]])
*[[Shockwave (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Shockwave]] (Corey Burton)
*[[Dirge (G1)|Dirge]] ([[Bud Davis]])<ref group="fc" name="crednolines"/>
*[[Blitzwing (G1)|Blitzwing]] ([[Ed Gilbert]])
*[[Rumble (G1)|Rumble]] (Frank Welker)
*[[Frenzy (G1)|Frenzy]] (Frank Welker)
*[[Laserbeak (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Laserbeak]] (Chris Latta)<ref group="fc" name="appearnocredit">Appeared and had speaking lines, but not credited.</ref>
*[[Ravage (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ravage]] (Frank Welker)<ref group="fc" name="appearnocredit">Appeared and had speaking lines, but not credited.</ref>
*[[Ratbat (G1)|Ratbat]]
*[[Thrust (G1)|Thrust]]
*[[Ramjet (G1)|Ramjet]]
*[[Skywarp (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Skywarp]]
*[[Thundercracker (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Thundercracker]]
*[[Reflector (G1)|Reflector]]
*[[Sweep (G1)|Sweeps]]
*[[Cyclonus's Armada (G1)|Cyclonus's Armada]]
|h3=[[Junkion (species)|Junkions]]|c3=
*[[Wreck-Gar (G1)|Wreck-Gar]] ([[Eric Idle]])
*[[Junkyard (G1)|Junkyard]] (Bell)
*[[Scrapheap (G1)|Scrapheap]] (Welker)
*[[Rubbish]]
*[[Re-Cycle]]
*[[Trashbin]]
*[[HAZMAT]]
*[[Ashtray]]
*[[Wasteoid Gamma]]
*[[Greasestain]]
|h4=Others|c4=
'''[[Human]]s'''
*[[Spike Witwicky (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Spike Witwicky]] (Corey Burton)
*[[Daniel Witwicky (G1)|Daniel Witwicky]] ([[David Mendenhall]])

'''[[Lithone (species)|Lithones]]'''
*[[Kranix (G1)|Kranix]] ([[Norman Alden|Norm Alden]])
*[[Arblus]]

'''[[Quintesson]]s'''
*[[Quintesson Prosecutor|Quintesson leader]] (Roger C. Carmel)
*[[Quintesson Judge (G1)|Quintesson Judge]] ([[Regis Cordic]])
*[[Quintesson Executioner (G1)|Quintesson Executioner]]
*[[Quintesson Bailiff]]
*[[Sharkticon (species)|Sharkticons]]
*[[Allicon]]s

'''Other'''
*[[Unicron/Generation 1|Unicron]] ([[Orson Welles]])
|nonumbering=true
}}
<references group="fc"/>

==Quotes==
[[File:TFTM European intro.jpeg|thumb|upright=1.4|It is a period of civil war. Rebel spaceships, striking from a hidden base, have won their first victory against the evil Galactic Empire.]]
"Now all we need is a little energon and a lot of luck." 
"More than you imagine, Optimus Prime."
:—'''Optimus Prime''' and '''Megatron''' tempt fate.

"Such heroic nonsense."
:—'''Megatron''' coldly finishes off Ironhide. The 'Cons always get the best lines.

"First, we crack the shell... then we crack the nuts inside."
:—'''Rumble''' bravely raids Autobot City.

"I've got better things to do tonight than die!"
:—'''Springer''', telling it like it is.

"One shall stand. One shall fall."
:—'''Optimus Prime''' uttering the most quoted line of the Movie. An ass kicker cometh.

"Why throw your life away so recklessly?" 
"That's a question you should ask yourself, Megatron." 
:—'''Megatron''' and '''Optimus Prime''', about to engage in one last battle to the death.

"You, who are without mercy, now plead for it? I thought you were made of '''''sterner stuff'''''."
:—'''Optimus Prime''''s trash talk is actually [http://www.enotes.com/shakespeare-quotes/sterner-stuff a lot cooler than it sounds].

"I would have waited an eternity for this! It's over, Prime." 
"'''''NEVER!'''''"
:—'''Megatron''' is about to learn that a wounded '''Optimus Prime''' has enough strength left for one good hit.

"Until that day...'til all are one..."
:—'''Optimus Prime'''{{'}}s final words.

"Oh, how it ''pains'' me to do this." 
"Wait! I still function!" 
"Wanna ''bet''?"
:—'''Starscream''' fights back the tears as he throws '''Megatron''' out of Astrotrain.

"Soundwave superior, Constructicons inferior."
:—'''Soundwave''' insults the combiner team.

"I have summoned you here for a purpose." 
"Nobody summons Megatron!" 
"Then it pleases me to be the first."
:—'''Unicron''' shows '''Megatron''' who's the boss.

"Who disrupts my coronation?" 
"Coronation, Starscream? This is bad comedy." 
"Megatron? Is that you?" 
"Here's a hint!"
:—'''Galvatron''' drops "hints" for '''Starscream''' like others drop anvils.

"Oh shit! What are we gonna do now!"
:—'''Spike''' says the movie’s most infamous line.

"Kup and Hot Rod just bought it!" 
"I can't deal with that now!"
:—'''Springer''' and '''Ultra Magnus''' assess the situation.

"Did we ''have'' to let them detonate three quarters of the ship?" 
"Seeing as how they would have detonated ''four'' quarters, I think it was a good choice."
:—'''Arcee''' and '''Springer''', debating the launch of their emergency shuttle.

"Spare me this mockery of justice!"
:—'''Kranix''' is upset at being found innocent.

"You check in, but you don't check out."
:—'''Wreck-Gar''' making a reference to the tagline from the "Roach Motel." commercials

"For a time... I considered ''sparing'' your wretched little planet Cybertron. But now... you shall witness... its ''dismemberment''!"
:—'''Unicron''' really needs to work on his anger management skills...

"Destiny... You cannot... destroy... my... destiny!"
:—'''Unicron'''{{'}}s final words.

"Let this mark the end of the Cybertronian Wars as we march forward into a new era of peace and happiness! 'Til all are one!" 
:—'''Rodimus Prime''' announces the end of the [[Great War (G1)|Great War]]...for now.

==Season 5==
When ''The Movie'' was broadcast in [[The Transformers (cartoon)#Season 5|the fifth season]] of ''The Transformers'', it was broken into 5 parts (designated "Days") and given new bookending segments with original story material.

===Day One===
[[File:TommyPrimeSeason5BumperMovie.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb|You just watch yourself. We're wanted men. I have the death sentence on twelve systems.]]
[[Tommy Kennedy|Tommy]] meets up with [[Powermaster]] [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] in the barren wasteland and Prime is concerned with the black eye and many bruises Tommy is sporting. Tommy explains that some "big guys" at school tried to rough him up (and by all visual evidence, succeeded). Tommy asks Prime if he'd ever faced any "big guys" in his many adventures and Prime decides to tell him about the time he faced the "biggest guy" of them all, [[Unicron/Generation 1|Unicron]]...

Optimus leaves off at the point during the [[Battle of Autobot City]] when Megatron broke their defenses to let the slaughter begin. Optimus gruesomely teases his own death scene to a very confused and concerned Tommy, but reassures him that until he can be revived as a Powermaster, the Matrix must be passed on to someone else who is worthy. Tommy wants to hear all about it, but Optimus doesn't have the time. Apparently, he needs to meet up with [[Joyride (G1)|Joyride]] and help him [[Space bridge technician|repair]] the [[Space bridge]]. Tommy asks if he can tag along and Optimus tells him that if he can lift one of their two-ton screwdrivers, he can even help. They summarily blast off into space.
{{-}}

===Day Two===
[[File:PrimeExplodingMemoryChip.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.1|I've lost R2!]]
Tommy and Optimus meet up in the barren wasteland, though Prime isn't sure what Tommy wants. Tommy reminds him that he promised to tell him more about Unicron and Prime concedes that he's been having trouble with his memory chip, lately. Tommy tells him all about the Battle of Autobot City, but none of it rings a bell for Optimus. Prime asks Tommy to open up an access panel in the back of his head and check the circuit. Tommy repairs the circuit, jogging Prime's memory...

Prime leaves off at the point where [[Jazz (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Jazz]] and [[Cliffjumper (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Cliffjumper]] are eaten by Unicron. Tommy demands to hear more of the story, but Prime's memory chip explodes and smoke pours from the side of his head. All he sees are brief flashes of the further adventures of [[Hot Rod (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Hot Rod]] and the rest. The furthest he can see, though, is the "death" of [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ultra Magnus]] when his shuttle is blown up by [[Galvatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Galvatron]]. Tommy expresses discontent, citing that the Autobots are "too cool to die". Prime says he knows there's more to the story, but with his faulty memory chip, he can't access the details. Tommy insists they get his chip fixed and so they blast off into space to do just that.
{{-}}

===Day Three===
[[File:TommyKennedyTraumatized.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|I can't even see. How am I supposed to fight?]]
Tommy finishes the repairs on Prime's memory chip, much to Prime's relief. Tommy asks Prime to test it out by continuing his story about the battle against Unicron. Prime indulges Tommy's request...

Prime leaves off at the point where [[Kup (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Kup]] and Hot Rod are taken to the [[Sharkticon (species)|Sharkticon]] pits and watch as the survivors of [[Lithone (planet)|Lithone]] are executed. Tommy begs Prime to stop, claiming that the story thus far is too intense and depressing for him to handle. Prime asks if he wants to hear about how Kup and Hot Rod are fed to the Sharkticons, how the Autobots are menaced by "aliens made of junk" or how Ultra Magnus is blown to pieces by [[Galvatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Galvatron]]. Tommy suddenly changes his mind and demands to hear all the gory, macabre details. Prime sets Tommy back down in the barren wasteland and promises to return soon to transform his day into an adventure. He then blasts off into space.
{{-}}

===Day Four===
[[File:PrimeTommyStopMotion.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.1|If there's a bright center to the universe, you're on the planet it's farthest from.]]
Tommy and Optimus meet up once again in the barren wasteland. Tommy asks why Prime is so late for their appointment and Prime confesses that [[Grimlock (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Grimlock]] took a wrong turn on the way over. Prime wishes he hadn't let the [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobot]] fly the shuttle. Tommy asks if Prime has enough time to tell him more of the story and Prime assures him there's time enough...

Prime leaves off at the point where the Autobots team up with the [[Junkion (species)|Junkion]]s to battle Unicron. Tommy is incredulous, wondering what a bunch of aliens made of junk could possibly contribute to the battle against Unicron. Prime informs him that great adversities often bring out the best in people, citing Hot Rod as an example. Tommy begs to hear how the story ends, but Prime says that he must first take Grimlock to have his "brain circuits" upgraded. Setting Tommy down, Prime promises to be back soon to transform his day into an adventure. Then he blasts off into space.
{{-}}

===Day Five===
[[File:StanBushTheTouchMusicVideoRecordLabelNotes.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|He made a fair move. Screaming about it won't help you.]]
Meeting again in the barren wasteland, Optimus asks Tommy if he's ready to hear the end of the story. Contrary to all the enthusiasm Tommy has shown during past storytimes, the human child laments that he's forgotten most of the tale thus far (offering the flimsy excuse that his lack of an electronic brain makes remembering so many details impossible). Prime gives him "a quick rundown" (that takes ''four minutes'') and then proceeds to finish the epic yarn...

Prime finishes the story with the destruction of Unicron, the ascension of Rodimus Prime and the exile of the Decepticons. Prime asks Tommy if he's satisfied, but Tommy just has more questions. Like what was up with the [[Quintesson]]s? Did they drop Grimlock on his head when he was a kid? And how did they ever bring Prime back to life? Prime tells Tommy to slow down. He has to attend an interstellar peace conference, but until he returns, he leaves Tommy with... [[The Touch|THE TOUCH!!!]]
{{--}}

==Production timeline==
* First script outline by Ron Friedman: revisions from 15th August 1984 to 19th September 1984
* [[The Transformers: The Movie (first draft)|First draft script]] by Ron Friedman: submitted November 12th 1984. Revised February 13th 1985.
* Reference photos of Powered Convoy toy designated as Ultra Magnus, provided to Ron Friedman: Taken 18th March 1985
* Second script outline by Ron Friedman: revised 28th March 1985
* [[The Transformers: The Movie (second draft)|Second draft script]] by Ron Friedman: completed 27th April 1985. Revised 2nd May 1985
* Model sheets approved 14th June 1985: Cyclonus, Galvatron (Marvel model with revised head), Hot Rod, Kranix (the pre-final model, can be seen with Granix name on it), Quintesson Judge (colour approved on 18th November 1985 by J. Bacal), Rodimus Prime, Scourge/Sweep, Sharkticon, Unicron robot mode, Wheelie, Wreck-gar
* Model sheets approved 24th June 1985: Ultra Magnus robot mode(first Powered Convoy version)
* Model sheets approved 2nd July 1985: Ultra Magnus (Initial Toei design. Colour revised on 20th July 1985)
* Model sheets approved 19th July 1985: Arblus robot mode, Spike (final model), Ultra Magnus vehicle mode(first Powered Convoy version)
* Model sheets approved 29th July 1985: Quintesson Prosecutor (a.k.a Quintesson leader. Approved by J. Bacal on 18th December 1985)
* Model sheets approved 31st July 1985: Arblus spaceship mode
* Voice actor auditions for Wheelie: 4th September 1985
* Model sheets approved 6th September 1985: Rewind flip side of the cassette mode
* Dialogue recording (main sessions): 10th and 11th September 1985
* Model sheets approved 3rd October 1985: Rewind and Eject
* Model sheets approved 8th October 1985: Lithonian Scientist, Lithonian Woman no.1

* Storyboard sequence 1 (Attack on Lithone): Final 31st October 1985
* Storyboard sequence 2 (Title sequence): Final 31st December 1985
* Storyboard sequence 3 (2005): Final 31st October 1985
* Storyboard sequence 4 (More Than You Imagine): Final 31st October 1985. Revised Final 14th November 1985.
* Storyboard sequence 5 (Attack On The Shuttle): Final 31st October 1985
* Storyboard sequence 6 (Gone Fishin'/Dare): Final 4th November 1985. Revised Final 14th November 1985
* Storyboard sequence 7 (Battle Of Autobot City, part 1): Final 14th November 1985. Revised Final 25th November 1985
* Storyboard sequence 8 (Battle Of Autobot City, part 2): Final 31st October 1985. Revised Final 14th November 1985
* Storyboard sequence 9 (Death Of Optimus Prime): Final 7th December 1985
* Storyboard sequence 10 (Witness To A Funeral): Final 7th December 1985
* Storyboard sequence 11 (Contest For Leadership): Final 4th November 1985. Revised Final 13th November 1985
* Storyboard sequence 12 (Transformation): Final 11th November 1985. Revised Final 26th November 1985
* Storyboard sequence 13 (Coronation): Final 10th December 1985. Revised Final 18th December 1985
* Storyboard sequence 14 (Destruction Of Moonbase One): Final 10th December 1985. Revised Final 19th December 1985
* Storyboard sequence 15 (Escape): Final 16th December 1985. Revised Final 24th December 1985
* Storyboard sequence 16 (Pursuit): Final 12th December 1985. Revised Final 26th December 1985
* Storyboard sequence 17 (Nothin's Gonna Stand In Our Way): Final 11th November 1985. Revised Final 25th November 1985
* Storyboard sequence 18 (Arrival On Junk): Final 12th November 1985. Revised Final 25th November 1985
* Storyboard sequence 19 (Unwelcome Visitors): Final November 14th 1985. Revised Final 27th November 1985
* Storyboard sequence 20 (The Matrix Survives): Final 12th November 1985. Revised Final 25th November 1985
* Storyboard sequence 21 (An Unexpected Friend): Final 18th December 1985. Revised Final 26th December 1985
* Storyboard sequence 22 (Destruction Of Moonbase Two): Final 17th December 1985. Revised Final 26th December 1985
* Storyboard sequence 23 (Ambush): Final 11th December 1985
* Storyboard sequence 24 (Judgement/Rescue): Final 12th December 1985. Revised Final 26th December 1985
* Storyboard sequence 25 (Another Leader Dies): Final 9th December 1985. Revised Final 26th December 1985
* Storyboard sequence 26 (Unusual Allies): Final 19th December 1985. Revised Final 31st December 1985
* Storyboard sequence 27 (The Enemy Revealed): Final 12th December 1985. Revised Final 26th December 1985
* Storyboard sequence 28 (Confrontation): Final 19th November 1985. Revised Final 6th December 1985
* Storyboard sequence 29 (United Against The Enemy): Final 20th November 1985. Revised 4th December 1985. Revised Final 6th December 1985
* Storyboard sequence 30 (In The Belly Of The Monster): Final 20th November 1985. Revised 3rd December 1985. Revised Final 6th December 1985
* Storyboard sequence 31 (Their Darkest Hour): Final 2nd December 1985. Revised 19th December 1985. Revised Final 31st December 1985

==Animation errors==
[[File:TFTM Unicron Small.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|We’re doomed.]]
*When Unicron is approaching Lithone at the start of the movie, at the line "Look, it's Unicron!", a [[Animation error#Sizing errors|cel stacking error]] results in Unicron's ring appearing in front of a building arch, [[Distribution|making Unicron look very tiny]] in that shot. In the next shot, it is clear that Unicron is several times larger than the entire planet of Lithone.
*The inside of one of the Lithonian ships being devoured by Unicron is visible for a couple of frames. The pilot of the ship appears to be Kranix, even though he apparently screams out Kranix's name, and Kranix appears later in the Quintesson prison.
*When Optimus Prime asks Jazz to report security status, it shows both Jazz and Cliffjumper. Cliffjumper is seen twiddling knobs above the actual drawn computer, as if a section was supposed to be present.
*Coloring errors:
**When the closeup of Cliffjumper doing his countdown is shown, his shoulders are blue (like his windows) instead of red.
**Scavenger's head is white instead of black as he ducks from Prowl's shot aboard the shuttle.
**Blaster's forehead is red instead of white after his "look out and shout!" line, and again after he returns to [[robot mode]].
**In the big lineup of firing Decepticons in Autobot City, Soundwave's cheek guards are blue instead of white.
**When Blaster asks Perceptor "What's shakin'?", a Dirge-colored Seeker flies by the window. However, it appears to be the standard Starscream/Thundercracker/Skywarp design, instead of having Dirge's unique wings.
**As Devastator lays into the walls, Shrapnel is white where he should be black.
**Megatron's pelvis is white instead of black as he gives the "let the slaughter begin!" order.
**When the Dinobots jump out of Optimus Prime's Shuttle, the shuttle is colored like the first shuttle, which Megatron boarded, instead of red-highlighted scheme of Prime's shuttle.
**When Prime says "No matter the cost", the shuttle is painted completely orange, when the front should have red and white highlights.
**In the shot of Decepticons running in Autobot City prior to them being crashed through by Optimus, Ramjet can be seen sporting Dirge's wings, albeit in red just like Ramjet's. Or maybe this is Dirge incorrectly painted in Ramjet's colours. Who knows?
**When Prime drives up behind the Decepticons, Blitzwing's helmet is purple instead of yellow. Prime's trailer is missing its Autobot symbol as well.
**After Megatron asks, "Why throw away your life so recklessly?", Optimus' left hand is colored red instead of blue when he replies "That's a question you should ask yourself, Megatron".
**The gun Megatron uses to fatally injure Optimus is blue and white for most of the shots it is seen in, but when Megatron screams "Fall! FALL!" while shooting Prime again, it is black.
**Prime's antennae are white as he tries to stand after knocking Megatron off the ledge.
**Starscream's whole nosecone, rather than just the canopy, is yellow as he looms over the fallen Megatron.
**In the shot of the Decepticons jettisoning Thundercracker, Skywarp and the Insecticons from Astrotrain, Ramjet and Dirge have their colours swapped.
**As Starscream prepares to toss Megatron out the door, Soundwave's eyes are painted white like his mask rather than red. (Maybe he was sleeping, his excuse for not stopping Starscream)
**Starscream's cockpit shell nearest his head is colored like a canopy rather than gray, as he nominates himself for leadership. Man, even the A-list animation team couldn't keep this straight.
**The red stripes on Starscream's wings are noticeably absent during most of the Coronation scene.
**When dragging Arcee into the shuttle and two shots later when flying into space Magnus's Shuttle has Blue highlights instead of Red.
**After Springer runs past him, Perceptor's gun changes from red to white for a few frames.
**When Cyclonus is strafing what appears via editing to be Hot Rod's shuttle, it has red highlights instead of blue.
**When Hot Rod's ship is being watched by Galvatron trailing smoke it has red highlights instead of blue.
**In the shot after Magnus announces that he cannot deal with that now, his ship has blue highlights instead of red.
**Shrapnel's lower legs are white when he lands on Junk, instead of black. Must be a side effect of being dead.
**When Hot Rod tells the Junkions the universal greeting, the Autobot insignia on his chest is colored black.
**After transforming, Unicron has all-white hands (instead of white with gold knuckles) and a white, rectangular chin (instead of the double-triangular chin with a goatee) he has later.
**As the Autobots fly through space after exiting Unicron's eye, Rodimus is painted in Ultra Magnus' colors (inverted).
*When the Decepticons blow a hole through the Autobot shuttle to get in, it is a clean break. However, Megatron is still shown ripping through random ship components to get in.
*When the Decepticons are killing the Autobot shuttle crew, there is one of the common Starscream/Skywarp/Thundercracker miscolors. Megatron transforms into gun mode and Starscream catches him, killing Brawn. When they cut back to the Decepticons, Starscream moves back to avoid the Autobots' fire, and a ''second'' Starscream is in front of the Constructicons without Megatron and is firing one of his arm rifles (this was probably meant to be Skywarp, as he flies into the shuttle and takes a seat at the controls once the Autobots are defeated). When they cut back to the Decepticons for the third time, Starscream has Megatron again and is finishing off the rest of the Autobots. In the shot of Starscream firing his own lasers, his wings are red instead of gray.
*When Brawn is shot, it can be seen for one frame that he is initially hit in the top of his chest. As he falls, the wound has moved to the front rounded part of his chest. Additionally, the wound changes from black to red for one frame.
*Per his standard cartoon appearance, Ratchet should have a [[Red Cross]] symbol on each shoulder. When he turns in his seat as Brawn is shot down, we can see one on his right shoulder, but when he stands to return fire on the Decepticons, the right shoulder's cross has vanished, and he's only got one on his left shoulder. Then, when he falls, the cross is missing from ''both'' shoulders.
*When the Decepticons fly to the shuttle's controls:
**All of the Autobots have changed positions from when they fell—Brawn is now on his back, for example, while Prowl is now face-down.
**Ironhide's chest is completely intact, despite having a bunch of holes blown in it.
**Prowl, who turned gray as he fell (evidently dead before he even hit the floor) seems to be back in his normal colors.
*The reflections of Hot Rod and Daniel in the lake rarely line up with where they should be.
*When Hot Rod catches a fish, it is barely the size of his finger. When he releases it, it's [[Scale|suddenly huge]].
*Hot Rod has at least two totally different transformation schemes during the course of the film.
*When Hot Rod begins to shoot at the hijacked Autobot shuttle, the yellow light on his forehead is misaligned.
*When Kup and several Autobots at the roadblock react to Hot Rod's attack on the hijacked Autobot shuttle, Bluestreak is represented by Prowl's [[Character model|animation model]], in Bluestreak's gray and black colors.
*Hound and Sunstreaker appear in Kup's group at the foot of Lookout Mountain as they observe Hot Rod firing on Ironhide's shuttle. Sunstreaker later appears as Optimus Prime's co-pilot when they arrive on Earth with the Dinobots, and is seen disembarking the shuttle along with Optimus Prime and Hound.
**In the movie's storyboard, only Hound is shown present with Kup during the roadblock scene. Sunstreaker's only appearance in the storyboard is when he exits the shuttle, meaning that his presence during the roadblock scene is purely an animation addition. Hound being in both places ''is'', however, an error in both the movie and the storyboard—''unless'', Optimus Prime and the Dinobots picked up Hound and Sunstreaker from Lookout Mountain enroute to Autobot City? Now there's an idea for the old [[Personal canon|headcanon]]!
**In a deleted scene from the storyboard that would've shown Hot Rod and Kup meeting up with Ultra Magnus inside Autobot City, Sideswipe is shown running alongside Wheeljack in the background. However, Sideswipe is mistakenly referred to as "Sunstreaker" in the script (how ''[[Sideswipe (G1)#Notes|ironic]]''). Whether this mislabelling had any bearing over Sunstreaker being present with the roadblock crew is anyone's guess.
[[File:ShockwaveBattleAutobotcity.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|We've picked up a new group of signals... enemy fighters heading your way.]]
*In a wide aerial shot of the city under attack, a Reflector flies by in Ironhide's color scheme. Shockwave also makes his only appearance in the battle; considering both his role as Cybertron's guardian and his absence from any other scenes during the battle, his presence is probably an animation error. Rumble also flies past, despite being inside Soundwave at this point.
*When Shrapnel and Kickback are eating the door, Shrapnel only has one antenna.
*A laser blast that should be behind Blaster is instead layered in front of him as he acknowledges Perceptor's orders.
[[File:TFTMRumbleFrenzytwored.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|[[FIRRIB|What]] about that [[R2-D2|blue one]]? We'll take that one.]]
*When [[Soundwave (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Soundwave]] sends out his cassette troops, [[FIRRIB|Rumble is the same color as Frenzy]].
*Blaster first ejects what looks like Eject, who stays blue up until he gets to the edge of the screen. He then turns black like Rewind. Then Blaster ejects another blue cassette, which after about a second turns black. This one gets through half his transformation colored black, then turns blue for a split second then turns black again. Then, when the cassettes are fighting each other, Eject runs in from the left and jumps over Perceptor. And then he runs in from the left ''again'' to shoot Ravage.
*As Springer runs up to the launcher, Wheeljack's body is visible, but he's in the red, white and blue color scheme of Smokescreen - who, in the storyboards of this sequence, was intended to be the one lying there dead.
*While Springer and Arcee are trying to move the launcher into place, Springer's face is the same color as his helmet.
*During Devastator's combination sequence in Autobot City, his chest plate, portions of his pelvis, his forearms, and Bonecrusher's treads are all green. The chestplate and pelvis should be purple, as should Bonecrusher's treads (they're ''normally'' green when Bonecrusher is separate, but they turn purple when he combines), and his forearms should be black.
*For almost the entirety of his screen time during the battle in Autobot City, the "jet engine" on top of Devastator's chest plate is misinterpreted as a trapezoidal block. The only time it appears in its proper shape is when he high-kicks Grimlock. It appears as it should during the scuffle on Astrotrain.
*While Perceptor and Grapple are shooting, Swoop's lower half runs by in the foreground, long before the rest of him gets there.
*Prime's dramatic transformation sequence far outlasts the transformation sound that's supposed to go with it. It's also the wrong sound (ascending pitch) for his robot-to-vehicle transformation. His trailer is also missing the Autobot logo, which reappears for the rest of the scene.
*Prime is missing the transformation sound as he blasts back to robot mode.
**If one listens ''very'' closely, the back half of one of the faster transformation sounds can be heard as his trailer disconnects from his body.
*The gun Megatron fires uses the same sound effect as his fusion cannon.
*When Optimus Prime takes the Matrix out of his chest to give to Ultra Magnus, the animators forgot to remove the cel of the Matrix inside his chest, as it's still in there even as he's holding it in his hands. Since it's not supposed to be there, the luminous effect for the Matrix's core is missing from the duplicate in his chest, creating a visual trick that makes it look like Optimus might just have removed the core itself. (The [[Matrix of Leadership#Universe|''Universe'' comic]] would later use this error as a springboard to reconcile the visuals of Optimus's chest interior with their depiction in ''[[Beast Wars: Transformers (cartoon)|Beast Wars]]''.)
*When Ultra Magnus accepts the Matrix, he's seen inserting it into his chest twice, or at best readjusting its "fit".
*As the other Decepticons prepare to push him out, Bombshell's chest is rendered as a shapeless gray mass, rather than with its yellow canopy.
*The voice that says, "Brothers! Don't!" is nowhere close to the voices of any of the five Decepticons shown getting thrown out of Astrotrain.
*When Megatron says "Nobody summons Megatron" his chest emblem is colored gray like his chest. It looks like it should have been painted as a darker shade of purple, as it's the shadowed section. But was painted gray instead.
[[File:TFTMStarscreamCoronationErrors.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4| *''trumpet fanfare''*]]
*Even after the [[Battle of Autobot City]], characters who are supposedly dead continue to appear in crowd shots and battles. Shrapnel's role in the fight on [[Junkion (planet)|Junk]] is the most noticeable (and he was called for by name in the original script), but Thundercracker, Skywarp and Kickback can all be seen at Starscream's coronation. The two jets are later seen again, flying into Unicron's mouth.
*In the establishing shot of Starscream's coronation, there are only five Constructicons (Bonecrusher had better things to do tonight) and they are miscolored as purple and white rather than their usual purple and green color scheme.
*Hook has two eyes instead of his normal visor as he looks around in confusion during the trumpet scene.
*An early establishing shot clearly shows Cybertron with two and ''only'' two moons in low orbit. Yet a third moon is visible right after Unicron finishes eating the two Autobot bases.
*When Galvatron introduces himself to the Coronation party, Soundwave's chest window is drawn far too small.
*When Galvatron says "Decepticons, to Earth!", aside from his mouth being partially open, his mouth doesn't move. I guess being reformatted by Unicron gives you the ability to talk without moving your mouth?
*In the scene where Bumblebee and Spike are in the [[Autobot frigate]] and escaping Moonbase Two's destruction, when the two are cheering after believing that Unicron has been destroyed, Bumblebee's on the left side of Spike's seat. However, after Spike expresses his "colorful" reaction to Unicron remaining completely unscathed, and when the frigate is about to get sucked into Unicron, Bumblebee is on the right side of Spike's seat.
*When Cyclonus is strafing the Autobot shuttle in space, he briefly flies offscreen, and during that time his laser blasts come from a point that in no way matches his flight path.
*During the wide shot of the Autobots in the crashed ship on Junk, Blurr's entire head is white. Also so is Daniels head, which is drawn as an indistinct incomplete circle.
*Daniel's lips don't purse when he whistles.
*Wreck-Gar's mouth doesn't move at all during his first lines, despite the camera pushing in all close on his face.
*The pistol Ultra Magnus fires uses the same sound effect as Optimus Prime's rifle.
*During the Junkion chase scene, Trashbin attacks Arcee. When she fights him off his motorcycle, his model is switched for Junkyard's when he falls down. And his head then flickers between colors when mounting Junkyard.
*When Grimlock gets kissed, his eyes are round instead of triangular.(Probably intentional expression)
*As Hot Rod falls off one of Unicron's inner spikes, his lower body isn't drawn in. It looks like it should be blocked by our view of the spike, but is layered above it instead.
*Hot Rod's missing his Autobot symbol as he regains his footing inside Unicron.
*As the Dinobots fly around Unicron, both his eyes are intact. (The left one had at this point been shattered.)
*The third smelting victim (who looks a lot like another Bumblebee) doesn't fall from the conveyor belt; he simply vanishes.

== Continuity errors ==
[[File:G1TFTM Snarl cameo.JPG|thumb|upright=1.4|He used to bulls-eye womp-rats in his T16 back home.]]
[[File:TFTMPromovsmovieSnarl.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|Look, Jabba, even I get boarded sometimes.]]

*The Dinobot [[Snarl (G1)|Snarl]] is mysteriously absent from almost the entire movie, even though the Dinobots as a group are featured prominently. Copies of the script which have come into fans' hands repeatedly list the Dinobots, but never make mention of Snarl by name. In fact, at one point the script refers to "the four Dinobots". Despite this, Snarl does appear in three very brief shots—in which at least one other Dinobot (Swoop in one, Sludge in another) is entirely absent. Hmm.
** On the other hand, the original production ''storyboards'' for the scene where Snarl first appears in the movie only mentions "the Dinobots", not a specific amount of them. Additionally, Snarl also seems to have been in the scene with Kup telling the Dinobots a story in at least ''one'' version of the film; the Japanese trailer for the movie has finished footage of this scene...but it's very different from the one in the film; the Dinobots are all in their robot modes, and Snarl is present in the scene instead of Slag. It's completely unknown why Snarl's appearance in this scene was cut.
*Also curiously absent are the 1985 Autobot cars and Mini-Vehicles, such as Inferno, Smokescreen, Cosmos, Warpath, etc. It would seem that these characters were available at the time of the movie:
**Perceptor and Blaster both debuted at the same time in the cartoon as the 1985 cars, and both play prominent roles in the movie.
**Grapple is [[:File:BattleAutobotCity.jpg|seen ''very'' briefly]] during the battle for Autobot City. Or maybe it's [[Hauler]].
**The 1985 Decepticons (Astrotrain, Dirge, etc.) appear in the film.
**[[:File:TFTM-SideswipeRedAlertTracks.jpg|Tracks]], [[:File:TFTM-RedAlertDown.jpg|Red Alert]] (who was shot in the back by the Constructicons; his gun is the one Megatron uses against Optimus), and Smokescreen (who was supposed to be the corpse in place of Wheeljack next to Windcharger, Wheeljack instead surviving the battle and being part of a scrapped Earth-based subplot) all appeared in storyboards but not the finished film.
*Devastator is treated as ''the'' ultimate threat, while in the cartoon, his role (and apparent power) was already being [[Starscream's Brigade|severely diminished]], presumably because several other combiners had been introduced. In story terms, the absence of these newer combiners, not to mention the mighty Omega Supreme, is inexplicable. In real-life terms, those characters didn't exist when the film commenced production. (The ''[[Transformers: The Animated Movie]]'' adaptation shows Omega Supreme, Superion and Defensor guarding the Ark against an attack by Bruticus and Menasor, attempting to [[retcon]] the problem away.)
*Possibly the biggest example of the film's tonal shift from the cartoon, shots from firearms that would previously knock another character down at best have since become lethal, best demonstrated when Brawn and Prowl are each killed with a single shot by the Decepticons during the movie's first act.
[[File:Cyclonus armada tftf.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|We'll be safe enough once we make the jump into lightspeed.]]
*The existence of Cybertron's moons is contentious ''at best''.
**On the one hand, in numerous close and distant shots of the planet throughout the first two seasons, not a single moon was seen. Ever. Even after it got knocked out of Earth's orbit.
**On the other hand, Megatron ''does'' refer to Cybertron as "land of the metal moon" (note the singular) during "[[Microbots]]", suggesting otherwise. The fact that he was overenergized at the time and lost consciousness in mid-sentence - just before he ''might'' have specified a plural number of moons, (in)conveniently enough - makes it unclear just how much credence we should lend this statement.
**The movie promptly introduces two (possibly three) moons over the planet. In continuity terms, they must either have highly elliptical orbits with periapsides (points in their orbits that bring them closest to the planet) that just happened to coincide with the timeframe of the movie or they were constructed sometime after 1986.
*During the Battle of Autobot City, Starscream gets his leg caught. He shoots downward and gets away while screaming "My foot!", but it's his shin that's smoking while his foot looks fine. Later he kicks Megatron with the same foot. Shouldn't that hurt, according to him?
*So Ultra Magnus just happens to have a ready-made Matrix chamber installed in his chest cavity? Is this standard issue for all Autobots?
*The cartoon had already established that Astrotrain increases his size when he transforms to shuttle mode, being large enough to carry a pair of Decepticons in his cockpit. However, within the movie itself, his size is [[scale|noticeably inconsistent]]: When he leaves Autobot City, he's just large enough for the Decepticon army to cram themselves in; later, he's so huge that the Constructicons can quite comfortably form Devastator inside him. Perhaps he continued expanding when transforming from train to shuttle mode?
*Speaking of which, Astrotrain's entire body flips over when he transforms from train to space shuttle to escape from Autobot City. While ''we'' applaud the [[Show-accuracy|toy-accuracy]], the Decepticons inside probably didn't.
*The damage suffered by Skywarp, Thundercracker, and the Insecticons basically appears out of nowhere when it's time for them to be jettisoned. While Shrapnel and Kickback are shown taking a beating early on, they appear shiny and new later in the battle, as do the two Seekers.
*Soundwave is loyal enough to pick up a wounded Megatron and save him, but then votes "aye" to jettisoning the wounded Decepticons, and when Starscream goes to throw Megatron out, Soundwave doesn't try to intervene. He even tries to steal the leadership once Megatron is gone. The "loyalty" attribute that has pertained so strongly to Soundwave seems to be alienated from the character in this scene.
*The number of minions created by Unicron changes throughout the film, with more Sweeps appearing as the story progresses. A second Cyclonus ("Cyclonus, the warrior, and [[Cyclonus's Armada|his armada]]") is shown being created but disappears shortly thereafter. At least ''seven'' new characters are shown at one point, created from only ''six'' Decepticons thrown from the shuttle.
*How can the Constructicons blow on those trumpets? Only [[Hook (G1)|three]] [[Bonecrusher (G1)|of]] [[Mixmaster (G1)|them]] have mouths.
*Given his relative position, Starscream's single shot through the trumpets defies all geometry.
[[File:SSBQ.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|"I've been looking forward to this for a long time." "Yes, I bet you have."]]
*[[Galvatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Galvatron]] is capable of reducing [[Starscream (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Starscream]] to ashes with a single shot from his cannon mode. Though in later episodes Galvatron is shown blowing up even small ''[[Thrull|planets]]'' and being able to take down [[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]] with one shot from his cannon, his extraordinary killing power seems to be gone—like when he scores a direct hit in cannon mode on Ultra Magnus in "[[Five Faces of Darkness, Part 5]]" and Magnus isn't especially hurt at all, or how a similar blast against Scourge in "[[The Burden Hardest to Bear]]" only leaves the latter temporarily incapacitated. [[Marvel Comics]] bios explain this by suggesting that Galvatron had nearly limitless power through Unicron... but then again, Galvatron himself claims to be "more powerful than ever" after Unicron is dead in "[[Five Faces of Darkness, Part 2]]". [[To sell toys|Who knows.]]
*Why didn't the Autobots notice Unicron until he was within devouring distance of Cybertron's moons? Why doesn't Shockwave, who is ''on Cybertron,'' react until after Unicron has eaten these moons, transformed into a giant robot, and ''smashed his hand into the planet's surface?''
*Despite running out of energon goodies on Quintessa, Hot Rod has at least one to offer to the Junkions.
*How did Hot Rod and Kup know to fly from Quintessa to Junk?
[[File:TFTMStarscreamVsUnicron.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|Let me see your identification.]]
*When the Decepticons on Cybertron launch a counterattack on Unicron, all three of the first-year Seekers are seen fighting alongside the Coneheads. Given that all three were either explicitly killed earlier in the movie (Starscream) or have been turned into Galvatron's troops by this point (Thundercracker and Skywarp), they're obviously not supposed to be ''around'' in these forms anymore; of course, they could also just be [[generic]]s reusing their colors...but, as noted above, Thundercracker and Skywarp ''also'' appear at Starscream's coronation.
*Daniel, who was just learning how to use his exo-suit, had to knock down the acid cover inside Unicron to save his loved ones. Why couldn't the more experienced Spike do the same with his suit from above? He had both of his arms free and a clear shot at the cover.
*It's not clear how Rodimus Prime (carrying two humans) and the other Autobots survived their jump out of Unicron's eye and their plunge towards the surface of Cybertron.
*It's also unclear just how the dozen or so Autobots (and one shipload of Junkions) managed to retake the whole planet of Cybertron. Did Unicron really wipe out ''that'' many Decepticons?
* Unicron's invincibility is extremely inconsistent; Moments before becoming Galvatron, Megatron creates visible damage to Unicron's horns simply by attempting to hold into something. Later, he doesn't suffer even a dent when one of Cybertron's moons is detonated in his mouth. Near the end, the Dinobots are capable of punching their way through his "skin", and Rodimus Prime just casually throws Galvatron into space through Unicron's side. Even without the Matrix, the small group of Autobots did pretty well against him.

===Not necessarily errors===
*Fans have noted throughout the years that Astrotrain, in his flight through zero-gravity space, should not have needed to "jettison some weight" in the literal sense. However, since the ejected Decepticons quickly fall behind Astrotrain instead of floating alongside him, he must still have been accelerating and thus would have needed to burn a greater amount of fuel in order to push a larger payload. Perhaps he should have said "jettison some ''mass''", but then again, just being a spaceship doesn't make him a rocket scientist.
*Springer escapes from Unicron's eye by transforming into helicopter mode and flying through outer space, where there shouldn't be an atmosphere for his rotors to provide lift. Maybe Unicron was still within Cybertron's atmosphere?

==Continuity notes==
*''The Transformers: The Movie'' has had a huge effect in shaping the mythos. Among the elements and characters which would reappear in many other iterations of ''[[Transformers brand|Transformers]]'' are:
**The notion that [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] has moons.
**The [[Matrix of Leadership|Matrix]] as a physical object, rather than the computer program previously depicted in the [[Marvel Comics|Marvel]] [[The Transformers (Marvel comic)|comics]]. Even the Marvel comics would eventually shoehorn this one in.
**[[Autobot City (disambiguation)|Autobot City]].
**[[Unicron]].
**The notion of [[Megatron (disambiguation)|Megatron]] becoming [[Galvatron (disambiguation)|Galvatron]].
**The idea of "[[Prime (rank)|Prime]]" being a rank rather than simply a given name.
**[[The many deaths of Optimus Prime|And it killed off Optimus Prime before it was cool]]!
*Cybertron's appearance in the post-titles establishing shot shows some major changes to the planet since our last look at it in Season 2. Many of the same buildings from the cartoon's stock image of the planet are there, but the giant pit near the planet's equator is mostly covered over, and the shredded portion of its southern hemisphere has been completely rebuilt.
*Gadgets and powers:
**Springer deploys a small flip-out twin laser from his wrist during the Autobot City battle.
**Arcee and Hot Rod both activate a long-distance scanner of some sort by lowering a red visor from under their helmets over their eyes.
**Megatron uses an "[[Lightsaber|Energy Dagger]]"<ref>[https://twitter.com/walruslaw/status/1204860124898181123 Reference sheets for various weapons used or planned for use in ''The Transformers: The Movie''] - TFRaw.com on Twitter</ref> during his one-on-one battle with Optimus Prime.
**Hot Rod uses a saw blade that extends from his retracted wrist.
**Blurr has the same kind of hooked welding tip used by various Autobots as far back as "[[More than Meets the Eye, Part 2]]".
**Arcee unleashes a nasty barbed post from her fender to fend off a Junkion.
**Grimlock shows the never-before seen ability to [[GoBots|shoot lasers from his fists]].
*'''[[The Revenge of Bruticus|< <]]''' What makes Starscream the leader? Megatron's <s>dead</s> almost dead!

==Real-world references and Easter eggs==
[[File:TFTMUnicronSkyscrapers.jpg|thumb|I felt a great disturbance in the Force, as if millions of voices suddenly cried out in terror and were suddenly silenced.]]
*When the inside of Unicron is shown after he devours Lithone, the "blinking energy" effect of Unicron's innards shows, for a split second, what appear to be several images of post-apocalyptic buildings. These images look to be recycled background paintings from ''{{w|Fist of the North Star (1986 film)|Fist of the North Star}}'', a film [[Toei Animation|Toei]] had animated the same year. Regardless of animation efficiency/corner-cutting, the flashing images of ruined civilizations are eerily appropriate for Unicron.
[[File:TFTM Sludge Devastator.jpg|thumb|Your eyes can deceive you. Don't trust them.]]
*When Sludge gets haymakered by Devastator, his eyes pop out of their sockets in ''{{w|Looney Tunes}}'' fashion.
*Kup's storytelling sequence aboard the shuttle is drawn from the novel ''{{w|Of Mice and Men}}'', complete with Grimlock in the Lenny role asking Kup to "tell Grimlock about petrorabbits again".
*The Junkions speak almost entirely in pop culture quotes and pastiches. Littered among the generic phrases like "operators are standing by!", "Film at eleven" and "eliminate even the toughest stains" are more specific references, such as:
**"Don't look behind door #2, Monty!" - a reference to the game show ''[[Let's Make a Deal]]'' and its host, [[Monty]] Hall.
**"Ger-ronny-doo-ron-ron-ronny-mo!" - both the famous "{{w|Geronimo (exclamation)|Geronimo!}}" war cry, and the 1963 hit "{{w|Da Doo Ron Ron}}".
**"You check in, but you don't check out" - a parody of the tagline for {{w|Roach Motel (insect trap)|Roach Motel}} insect traps.
**"Breep, drit, aw rootie!" - part of {{w|Tutti Frutti (song)|"Tutti Frutti, aw rooty!"}}, from the 1955 song.
**"Happy motoring!" - the slogan of gas company [[Esso]].
**"Kill the Grand Poobah!" - a {{w|Grand Poobah|satirical term}} originating from {{w|Gilbert and Sullivan}}'s ''{{w|The Mikado}}'', likely referencing its use as the title of leaders of pseudo-Masonic lodges in ''{{w|The Flintstones}}'' and ''{{w|Happy Days}}''.
[[File:Tftm rosencrantz-and-guildenstern.jpg|thumb|Easy? You call that ''easy!?'']]
*The Quintesson jail cell includes robot debris ''strongly'' resembling [[:File:Tftm rosencrantz-and-guildenstern.jpg#parts|several mobile suits]] from 1985 Japanese animation ''{{w|Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam}}''.
*''[[Star Wars (film)|Star Wars]]'' sound effects (yes, even the high-budget Movie uses them):
**The ''[[Millennium Falcon]]'' engine burst noise is used extensively throughout the film, over and over and over, almost any time a Decepticon takes flight.

**[[Luke Skywalker]]'s deactivating [[lightsaber]] is used as the sound of the Quintesson ship's ramp extending.
**Clashing lightsabers are used as Unicron fires eye-blasts at the attacking Transformers.

**An igniting lightsaber is used as Rodimus opens the Matrix.
**An AT-AT foot stomp sound is heard as the Autobot shuttle crash lands on Junk.
**The whir of an AT-AT's leg hydraulics can be heard part way through Unicron's transformation.
*The ''[[Star Trek]]'' sliding door sound is used as Wreck-Gar pulls out his <s>iPhone</s> mini-TV.
*The sound used for the communicators on ''Star Trek'' is used when Daniel activates his blaster to save Spike.

==Adaptations==
*[[Transformers: The Movie (Marvel comic)|A comic adaptation of the movie]] was published by [[Marvel Comics]] in 1986, concurrently with the movie's theater run. It was based off a non-finalized version of the script, and differs in many details from the final film. Additionally, most of the major character models (and possibly their unedited original character write-ups) appear in issue #4 of the ''[[The Transformers Universe|Transformers Universe]]'' series.
*[[Transformers the Movie (Ladybird adaptation)|A storybook adaptation]] was released in the UK by [[Ladybird Books]].
*A four-part adaptation was released in 2006/2007 by [[IDW Publishing]], as part of the film's 20th anniversary celebration. It was titled ''[[Transformers: The Animated Movie]]'' to differentiate it from the [[Michael Bay]] [[Transformers (film)|live-action film]]. Unlike its predecessor, it adheres rigidly to the script and plot of the finished movie.

==Soundtrack==
{{main|The Transformers: The Movie - Original Motion Picture Soundtrack}}

==Promotions==
*Early in the movie's production, a [[The Transformers: The Movie promo|promotional trailer]] was made to sell the project to potential investors.
*The movie was advertised on related 1986 toy packages via the [[Decipher the Decepticon]] Sweepstakes, which included a pack-in poster and contest.
*The movie was heavily advertised directly by TV [[commercial]]s, and tail-end segments on Transformer toy ads. Portions of its story were also retold in altered fashion by animation segments of commercials for the movie character toys, such as a spot showing Springer doing battle with Wreck-Gar.
*[[Ziploc]] sandwich bags featuring an iron-on patch in boxed to advertise the movie. Each box contained one of eight potential characters.

==In the comic continuity==
The [[The Transformers (Marvel comic)|Marvel UK comic]] made extensive use of the Movie as the basis for a series of stories involving the Transformers in the future. However, there are several differences between the events seen on screen and those referenced in the comic:

*The comic always dates the movie to [[2006]], following the date given in a treatment that was all [[Simon Furman]] had when he wrote "[[Target: 2006]]".
*In "Target: 2006", [[Cyclonus (G1)|Cyclonus]] states that he was previously "[[Life Spark]]".
*The Matrix is always called the "Creation Matrix" in the comic, a name that predates the "Matrix of Leadership" but which is now used for the same physical object.
*[[Brawn (G1)|Brawn]] and [[Wheeljack (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Wheeljack]] both survive the events, both later appearing in "[[Space Pirates!]]" (set in [[2008]]).

In addition, [[Shockwave (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Shockwave]] definitely survives the attack by Unicron.

The US comic almost completely ignored the events of the Movie, though later in the run an alternative future is briefly shown in "[[Rhythms of Darkness!]]" and "[[A Savage Circle]]". In this timeline at least some of the events of the Movie took place such as the creation of [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]] from [[Megatron (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Megatron]], which is dated to 2005, though [[Prowl (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Prowl]]'s death was overlooked. [[Prowl (TM2)|Wouldn't be the first time. Or the last.]]
*The US version of the future story "[[The Big Broadcast of 2006 (issue)|The Big Broadcast of 2006]]" implicitly has the events of the movie as part of its backstory. However, since the rest of the US series ignored the movie, this issue's place in the continuity is questionable.

==Edits==
Several English-language versions of the film exist, with the following differences in content from the American theatrical run:

*In some versions (notably the European version) the opening credits are replaced with a scrolling text ("''Star Wars'' style") which provides backstory.
*In some versions (notably the European version) the film ends with [[Victor Caroli|a narrator]] reassuring the audience that Optimus Prime will return.
*Instances of swearing in the film (there are two) were edited out; sometimes one, sometimes both. Those instances are: Spike yelling, "Oh shit, what are we gonna do now?" after the self-destructing Moon Base 2 fails to scratch Unicron, and Ultra Magnus growling, "Open, damn it, open!" while trying to open the Matrix to fend off Galvatron and the Sweeps on Junkion. The United Kingdom cinema version had the swearing included but, when it was released on VHS in the United Kingdom, Spike's line was cut ("damn" not being considered especially offensive in the UK). However it has been restored on all United Kingdom DVD releases.
*In some early FHE video releases, the shot of the Matrix falling out of Optimus Prime's hand and being caught by Hot Rod is edited so that it appears that Ultra Magnus simply takes the Matrix from Prime. Why this was done is not known, and the replay of the Hot Rod catch on Unicron's monitors was left intact.
*The original FHE video release of the film painted out all instances of Megatron's green-colored "bleeding" from the end of the battle of Autobot City up to his meeting with Unicron.
*Instead of DEG, the {{w|Rank Organisation|Rank Film}} "{{w|Gongman}}" appears before the British release of the film, as Rank were the United Kingdom distributors. Ironically, the DEG logo at the beginning uses the "Gongman" sounds, rather than its own fanfare, possibly due to a plastering mistake.

None of these edits significantly affect the story. They should not be confused with various other sequences which were changed before the film's final release:

*Originally, Ultra Magnus's "death sequence" on Junkion called for him to be lassoed and drawn and quartered by the Sweeps' energy beams, but this was deemed too graphic for audiences, hence the less disturbing "shot to death" sequence seen instead. There is evidence that the original sequence had been fully animated when the decision was made, however; the Sweeps still kept their solid energy lassos when they fire upon Magnus, and Magnus is seen visibly straining against what appears to be said lassos (edited out and replaced with laser fire) before exploding. This also explains why the Junkions only have to put his limbs back on to repair him.
*A number of other sequences were illustrated as [[storyboard]]s but dropped, presumably without ever being animated. Among them were:
**A short scene showing Ironhide piloting the Autobot shuttle through ''huge chunks of ice'' from the tail of a passing comet, explaining how the Decepticons caught them unawares. In response to a reprimand by Prowl who prickishly disapproves of Ironhide's piloting shenanigans, Ironhide exclaims, "I can sure as shootin' dodge a couple of ice chunks". When the Autobots are suddenly jolted by the Decepticon strike force as Megatron and his troops attempt to enter the shuttle, Ironhide tells the others on board, "That was no ice chunk...". Heroic nonsense ensues...
**An extended sequence with Hot Rod and Daniel outside the city.
**A sequence of Mirage blasting Bombshell and being fired on by Megatron.
**The Autobots finally bringing down Devastator with a barrage of missiles (and the Constructicons subsequently shooting Red Alert in the back).
**The Decepticons dogpiling Optimus Prime, explaining why he seems to be standing up just before his fight with Megatron, and no longer holding his rifle. According to storyboards, Prime gets bum-rushed by Blitzwing (who causes Prime to drop his gun), Starscream, Astrotrain, and Skywarp. While it is not clear how Prime defeated the first four hand-to-hand combatants, Dirge is later shown attempting one final sneak attack (and gets his can handed back to him) as Prime is talking to Megatron before the two leaders' final fight.
**Trailbreaker is shown dead among the wreckage of Autobot City as the Decepticons begin their retreat.
:Some of these concepts were in earlier versions of the script, and hence made it into the comic adaptation.
*Rumors have occasionally circulated in the fandom of additional animated footage that was dropped from the film, such as ultra-violent battle scenes.<ref>https://groups.google.com/g/alt.toys.transformers/c/B0ZMv7tdDMk?hl=en#8aee0b30765b2b4a</ref> No evidence has ever surfaced to back these claims; the only known edits of any storyline or character importance are those listed in this section.
:{{see|Misconceptions and urban legends about Transformers#The Transformers: The Movie|Urban legends about ''The Transformers: The Movie''}}

==Reception and box office==
{{quote|''The Transformers'', in which Orson Welles plays a planet, is pure headache material. Target audience of cartoon-watchers also will probably find the film unintelligible, noisy and unoriginal. Boxoffice prospects are dismal.|2=[http://books.google.com/books?id=DHNZAAAAMAAJ&q=Hasbro+Transformers&dq=Hasbro+Transformers&lr=&as_drrb_is=b&as_minm_is=1&as_miny_is=1983&as_maxm_is=12&as_maxy_is=2005&num=50&as_brr=0&cd=69 Variety's Film Reviews 1985-1986, Volume 19]}}

{{quote|Obnoxious animated feature about the title good guys, who defend the universe against an evil planet (which has a voice of its own... provided by Orson Welles.) That deafening rock score certainly doesn't help. Little more than a feature-length toy commercial.|Leonard Maltin, ''1987 Movie & Video Guide''}}

{{quote|While all this action may captivate young children, the animation is not spectacular enough to dazzle adults, and the Transformers have few truly human elements to lure parents along, even when their voices are supplied by well-known actors. |2=[http://www.nytimes.com/1986/08/09/movies/screen-transformers-animation-for-children.html The New York Times]}}

{{quote|Transformers -- The Movie, a feature-length animated film inspired by the syndicated TV cartoon series inspired by the Hasbro toy imported from Japan, is utterly uninspired entertainment. |2=[http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=DM&p_theme=dm&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0ED3CE8EA8D40CCA&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM The Dallas Morning News]}}

{{quote|If you can swallow, without gagging, a large measure of sentimental and offensive religiosity - lines like "Do not grieve. Soon I will be one with the Matrix," whispered by a failing hunk of Autobot metal - then you have a better than even chance of leaving the theatre on your own two feet. |2=[http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=01kiAAAAIBAJ&sjid=W6gFAAAAIBAJ&pg=2445,1286000&dq=transformers&hl=en The Montreal Gazette]}}

{{quote|Everything is poorly drawn and - when it's in focus - one dimensional. It is terribly hard to separate the robots from the backgrounds, and there is no easy way to tell the good guys from the bad guys. In an earlier movie based on the same sort of robot toys - "Go-Bots: The Battle of the Rock Lords" - the good guys were either white or colorful and the bad guys were dreary, and they had distinct personalities. Not this movie; everyone looks and sounds alike, except one pink robot who is a female good guy. Her tin voluptuousness makes her stand out. |2=[http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=kw4wAAAAIBAJ&sjid=OgMEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6957,6334152&dq=transformers&hl=en The Toledo Blade]}}

{{quote|Even with an all-star cast doing the voice overs... and a rock music score, this is still nothing more than a ripoff of a successful toy line. |2=[http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=AYckAAAAIBAJ&sjid=dtsFAAAAIBAJ&pg=4192,1494652&dq=transformers&hl=en The Palm Beach Post]}}

{{quote|The great animated villains, like the Wicked Queen in Disney's "Snow White," had motivations as compelling as any live-action character. Unicron apparently destroys entire worlds because it has nothing else to do. |2=[http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/access/57996397.html?dids=57996397:57996397&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Aug+8%2C+1986&author=CHARLES+SOLOMON&pub=Los+Angeles+Times+(pre-1997+Fulltext)&edition=&startpage=8&desc=%60THE+TRANSFORMERS%27%3A+STRETCHING+A+POINT The LA Times]}}

{{quote|A surprisingly dark, emotional, and almost excessively cynical experience for Transformers fans.|2=[http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/transformers_the_the_movie/ Rotten Tomatoes]}}

''The Transformers: The Movie'' was almost universally panned by professional critics upon its release.

Well-known film critic and animation enthusiast, Leonard Maltin, gave it a rating below 1 1/2 stars in his ''1987 Movie & Video Guide'', regarding it as a "bomb", then proceeded to write an unflattering blurb denouncing the film as a "feature-length toy commercial".

Caryn James of the ''New York Times'' admitted in the [[August 9]], 1986, edition of the paper that the film was intended for young children, pointing out that the kids in the audience were having a grand ole time with the ''Transformer'' toys and comics they brought with them to the theater, but derided the film as having little to no appeal to adults.

''Variety's Film Reviews 1985-1986, Volume 19 '' was far less even-handed in their review, claiming the film had no appeal to adults ''or'' children. They predicted the film would perform poorly in the box office (and were correct, in that regard).

Carrie Rickey of the ''Dallas Morning News'' chided the film in the [[August 13]], 1986, issue of the paper, describing it as "essentially a cartoon ''Star Wars'' about robots from a toybox galaxy far, far away". She then went on to say that the film "never takes off" and derided it as "uninspired".

Janice Kennedy of the ''Montreal Gazette'' verbally disemboweled the film in the [[August 23]], 1986, edition of the paper, criticizing it as overly commercial, profane, loud, violent, humorless, heavy-handed in its religious messages and chaulk-full of gratuitous celebrity voice-overs. Her only compliment: "But ''The Transformers: The Movie'' does have at least one good thing going for it, a howlingly appropriate song by [["Weird Al" Yankovic]]. It's title? ''Dare to be Stupid''." ''Ouch''.

Nanciann Cherry in the August 13, 1986, edition of the ''Toledo Blade'' claimed the robots in the movie had little personality and faded into the background. She even went on to say that ''[[GoBots]]: {{gb|GoBots: Battle of the Rock Lords|Battle of the Rock Lords}}'' was a superior film! Her review was filled with inaccuracies, however, citing characters such as "Unicon" and claiming that the destruction of Cybertron's moons by "Unicon" is what caused the Autobots to travel to Autobot City, at which point Megatron attacked. To be fair, she readily admits, "About 20 minutes into the film, I gave up on the plot and tried to count all the ideas that were stolen from other sources. Now that kept me busy." So she wasn't really paying attention, anyway.

Kathryn Buxton in the [[August 22]], 1986, edition of the ''Palm Beach Post'' gave the film a whopping ''one'' star, calling it "a ripoff of a successful toyline", whatever ''that'' means. In the same article, she also gave David Cronenberg's ''[[Fly|The Fly]]'' one star, just for reference.

In the August 8, 1986, edition of the ''LA Times'', critic Charles Solomon made clear his dislike for the film centered primarily on the fact that none of the characters had interesting or believable motivation. He stated, "Not even the best actor can create a character out of nothing. Not one of the robots has a reason for doing what he does." Solomon then pointed to Unicron specifically as an example of the lack of deep, multi-dimensional motivations in the characters.

Over time, however, the movie has acquired something of a cult following beyond the core base of [[fandom|Transformers fans]], particularly among children of the '80s. It is sometimes screened as a midnight movie at colleges. Online, it is not hard to find amateur reviews lauding everything about it as utterly awesome, from the premise to the soundtrack, and dismissing more critical views out of hand. ''The Transformers: The Movie'' currently holds a 62% "fresh" rating based on 25 professional reviews at online review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes.<ref>http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/transformers_the_the_movie/</ref> In response to the film's cult following, several reviewers have compared the film in a favourable light to the [[Live-action film series|live-action film]]s (prior to the unprecedented critical success of ''[[Bumblebee (film)|Bumblebee]]''), stating that they lack the heart or nostalgia of the '86 movie.<ref>https://www.inverse.com/article/7309-6-enduring-legacies-of-1986-s-animated-the-transformers-the-movie</ref><ref>https://slate.com/culture/2007/07/transformers-why-the-original-animated-movie-is-still-the-best.html</ref><ref>https://www.cinemablend.com/new/Sorry-Michael-Bay-Why-1986-Transformers-Movie-Best-43582.html</ref>

===Box office===
An [[August 30]]th, 1987 ''Los Angeles Times'' article on the decline and fall of the DeLaurentiis Entertainment Group listed ''The Transformers: The Movie'' as grossing $2.6 million in the United States on a $5 million budget.<ref>https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1987-08-30-fi-5144-story.html</ref> Both it and ''My Little Pony: The Movie'' (which earned $2.8 million on a $5.5 million budget per that same article) were financial failures, together losing Hasbro about $10 million in an otherwise profitable year.<ref>{{citesocial|quote=... we just accidentally found the budget for The Transformers: The Movie while skimming a book about My Little Pony. Thanks, @sherilyn! https://t.co/epw3GW83lE|link=https://twitter.com/tfwiki/status/895169922678042625|name=TFWiki|site=Twitter|year=2017|month=08|day=09|(defunct=)}}</ref>

Confusingly, in comparison to the ''Los Angeles Times'' article, modern box office tracking sites<ref>http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=transformers.htm</ref><ref>http://www.the-numbers.com/movies/1986/0TRTM.php</ref> list ''The Transformers: The Movie'' as having made $5,849,647 in domestic (e.g., United States) theaters. Comparing this with the other online box office takes from animated films of 1986, the results are not particularly charitable; while it did better financially than ''{{gb|GoBots: Battle of the Rock Lords}}''<ref>http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=gobots.htm</ref> ($1,338,264) and ''Heathcliff: The Movie''<ref>http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=heathcliff.htm</ref> ($2,610,686), it performed worse than the 1986 ''[[My Little Pony]]'' movie<ref>http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=mylittlepony.htm</ref> ($5,958,456) and the '''second''' ''Care Bears'' movie<ref>http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=carebearsmovie2.htm</ref> ($8,540,346). Bringing up ''The Great Mouse Detective''<ref>http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=greatmousedetective.htm</ref> ($25,336,794) and ''An American Tail''<ref>http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=americantail.htm</ref> ($47,483,002) would really just be overkill.

==Significance in Transfandom==
''The Transformers: The Movie'' remains one of the most important elements of the entire Transformers brand, both within the fiction and from the perspective of the brand's popularity and "mindshare".

Fictionally, it established several story concepts that have been used repeatedly in the years since 1986, some of which—such as Unicron and the Matrix—are now central to the entire Transformers mythos. The movie is also the centerpiece of the most well-known Transformers continuity: the Generation 1 animated universe. The ''Transformers'' cartoon is split into "pre-movie" and "post-movie" sections which feature different characters and settings, and even somewhat different visual styles. (Most pre-movie episodes were animated by the studio [[Toei Animation|Toei]], while most post-movie episodes were animated by [[AKOM]].)

On a practical note, it was widely available on videotape, and remained so long after the ''The Transformers'' cartoon had gone off the air. Only a [[Family Home Entertainment|handful of series episodes]] were available on video, making ''The Transformers: The Movie'' the logical choice for someone looking to pick up a ''Transformers'' cartoon; this made it far more well known among fans than any particular cartoon episode.

To an entire generation of young fans, the movie was the most visually spectacular and narratively epic ''Transformers'' experience of their entire youth. Events such as the death of Optimus Prime are widely reported to have reduced many kids to tears. It is hardly a surprise that these emotional experiences embedded themselves deeply in many fans' memories.

Latter-day ''Transformers'' stories have made uncountable references (though [[The Transformers: The Movie/references|we're trying]]) to the movie, lifting or borrowing elements of its [[Minus One|dialogue]], [[The Transformers: Autocracy|fight sequences]], [[A Flash Forward|subplots]], [[Heavy Is the Head|details]], [[Less Than Zero|settings]] and more, as writers have discovered that a shout-out to the movie is a quick and easy way to win cheers from [[GEEWUN|some segments]] of [[Fandom|their audience]]. Even Hasbro and Takara themselves have gotten in on the act, producing a variety of toys based on the minutia of the film: [[Starscream (Armada)#Cybertron|Starscream's crown]], [[Galvatron (G1)/toys#United|Galvatron's creation]], the awakening of [[Hot Rod (G1)/toys#Masterpiece|Rodimus Prime]], and more. The fandom, for their part, pores over new ''Transformers'' fiction, often latching on to even the most tangential of details as a [[The Search for Alpha Trion#Quotes|"reference"]] to the movie, [[The Burden Hardest to Bear|coincidental or not]]. Call-outs, real or perceived, were once a rare treat - but now are so common that many fans are more likely to groan than cheer whenever some version of Optimus Prime declares that "[[One Shall Fall|One shall stand...]]" or a damaged character states that "[[Unfinished|I still function]]" or a vengeful blast is preceded by "[[The Illusion of Control|Here's a hint]]" or yet another Soundwave says yet another variation of "[[Human Error, Part II|Soundwave superior]]", or... well... this:

<center><gallery>
File:Transformersanimatedfilmposter.jpg|'86
File:TFTM1.jpg|'86 again
File:Botcon2000-movieposter.jpg|2000
File:TFvol1 31cvrRI.jpg|2010
File:Timelines10 diamonded.jpg|2014
File:Echoes and Fragments cover.jpg|2016
File:LL1 Riptcvr.jpg|2018
</gallery></center>

In 2016, thirty years after the release of the film, [[Optimus Prime (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Optimus Prime]] gave us perhaps one of the most meta comeback lines in franchise history. When [[Galvatron (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Galvatron]] declares that "Today — one shall stand, and two shall fall!", Optimus simply punches him in the face with a flat "No cliches, Galvatron", voicing once and for all just how sick we've gotten of '86 quotes. {{storylink|All Hail Optimus Part 6: No Fair Fights|No Fair Fights}}

{{quote|...wait, I only just noticed something. Did they actually manage to go the entire episode without quoting the 86 movie?|[http://www.allspark.com/forums/topic/94625-episode-65-beast-hunters-episode-13/page-4#entry2360303 Allspark poster Unit Eleven]}}

==Criticisms==
[[File:TFTM Ratchet dies.jpg|left|thumb|Only [[Stormtrooper (SW)|Imperial Stormtroopers]] are so precise.]]
All this is not all to say that the movie is a "masterpiece", exactly. The film met with extremely harsh critical reviews on its release, and some of those criticisms still ring true today.

The film displays an arguably cynical attitude towards itself as [[To sell toys|a vehicle for advertising toys]], especially in the way [[The Transformers (cartoon)/cast|beloved characters]] are killed—sometimes gratuitously—for sake of justifying the story's focus on a new group of toys. (Note that with the exception of Laserbeak and possibly Buzzsaw, the poster at the top of this article features ''only'' new characters.)

Further, the two primary plot devices—[[Unicron/Generation 1|Unicron]] and the [[Matrix of Leadership|Matrix]]—have no prior establishment in the fiction. Unicron is given no backstory ([[Call of the Primitives|until season 3]]) or justification; he simply exists, is very dangerous, and is afraid of the Matrix, all for no adequately explained reason. The introduction of the Matrix itself is a heavy [[retcon]]. The story asks the audience to accept that this cosmically powerful artifact has been in Optimus Prime's possession all along (even though Prime's open-chested repair scene in "[[Divide and Conquer]]" and his X-ray scene in "[[A Prime Problem]]" show absolutely no signs of said Matrix), but has somehow never been relevant before. In fact, this lack of prior establishment is what led [[Simon Furman]] to develop the divinity backstory of Unicron and [[Primus]] in the UK comics run.

[[File:Megatronlightsaber.jpg|thumb|Your powers are weak, old man!]]
The movie bears many similarities to ''[[Star Wars (film)|Star Wars]]'': There are several character-parallels ([[Springer (G1)|Springer]] is a [[Han Solo]]-type and [[Arcee (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Arcee]] even has Princess Leia's hairdo!), the primary threat is similar (it's the [[Death Star]]... [[Unicron/Generation 1|but it transforms!]]), and both feature a climactic battle where the [[Hot Rod (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|young hero]] hears the voice of his [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|dead, wise mentor]] one last time before saving the day.

To be a bit more fair to ''The Transformers: The Movie'', however, most of these similarities are either superficial (Arcee's Leia-hair; Megatron's "lightsaber" he briefly uses in his duel against Optimus Prime) or can be seen as elements common to thousands of years' worth of epic storytelling through human history, not just common to ''Star Wars''. As a simple example, the phenomenon of two charismatic leaders dealing each other mortal injuries in battle hearkens back to some versions of the "[[King Arthur]]" myth; in their final battle, [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Arthur]] and his arch-enemy [[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Sir Mordred]] deal one another lethal injuries and both apparently expire—though Arthur according to the legend will [[The Return of Optimus Prime, Part 1|return]] when [[Cybertron (planet)|England]]'s need [[Darkest hour|is greatest]].
{{--}}

==Formatting==
[[File:Tftm widescreenesque.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|The "widescreen" picture (left) actually ''cuts off'' the top and bottom of the fullscreen picture (right). Your eyes can deceive you; don't trust them.]]
[[File:Movie86 storyboard butprime.jpg|right|300px|thumb|The movie's [[storyboard|storyboards]] used dotted guidelines to show where the final 4:3 animation would be matted to widescreen.]]
Although it was billed in some advertisements before its theatrical release as being "widescreen", the movie was in fact animated in a 4:3 (fullscreen) aspect ratio. For its theatrical screenings, the film was matted down in the projector by the projectionist to a 16:9 aspect ratio (widescreen), chopping the top and bottom off the picture, but all video transfers of the movie were done without mattes, meaning that there was actually more picture visible in the fullscreen video and DVD releases than there would have been in theaters. Across 2006 and 2007, new editions of the DVD of the film were released by Sony BMG and [[Metrodome]] which applied the mattes in order to replicate the original theatrical presentation of the film for the first time in home entertainment. Some fans, however, didn't realize that the film wasn't actually ''animated'' in widescreen, and, hearing that the DVD was to be in widescreen, expected to see the fullscreen image with additional footage at the sides, causing them to complain that the top and bottom were cut off, thereby totally missing the point.
{{--}}

==International versions==
{{main|The Transformers: The Movie/dubs}}

==Commercial releases==
[[File:TFTM LaserDisc cover.jpg|thumb|The cover image from the original Japanese home media release of the movie.]]
*The movie was originally released in North America on VHS and Beta on [[September 17]], 1987<ref>http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1964&dat=19870911&id=YhAuAAAAIBAJ&sjid=Ls8FAAAAIBAJ&pg=3198,2881581</ref> by [[Family Home Entertainment]], minus Spike's swear. Just days before, on [[September 14]], 1987<ref>https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0003579/19870910/016/0016</ref>, it was released in the UK by [[Video Gems]]. This version featured the opening text crawl and closing narration inherent to the UK version of the film. In Australia, the film was released on video by RCA/Columbia Pictures/Hoyts. In Japan, [[Sohbi Kikaku|Hill Crane]] released a {{w|LaserDisc}} version alongside a VHS copy, both sporting a gorgeous painted cover that decorated many a fan's desktop back in the day.
*The movie was released spottily in the '90s, beginning with a budget VHS by Avid Home Entertainment in 1991. [[Malofilm]] released a VHS in Canada in 1995, notable for being the first home entertainment version to include Spike's swear. In 1998, Japanese company Pioneer produced another pair of LaserDisc and VHS releases. In 1999, things kicked off when American company [[Rhino Entertainment|Kid Rhino]] secured the Transformers license and released the film on VHS once again.
*The 21st century's flirtation with ''The Transformers: The Movie'' started with a UK budget VHS release of that country's version by [[Sony|Sony Wonder]], distributed by [[Maverick Entertainment]]. A Japanese company called CatCo followed this up with a VideoCD, and Malofilm—now Seville—were the first to release a DVD version of the film, though it was just a dump of their VHS version.
*In November 2000, ''The Transformers: The Movie'' got its first, full professional DVD release from Kid Rhino. This edition, labelled a "Special Collector's Edition", is the first to feature remastered video and audio, and several special features, including storyboards and an interview with [[Vince DiCola]]. Rhino concurrently released this version on VHS, sans extras.
*In 2001 in the UK, Sony Wonder released their own much-delayed DVD version of the film. It was the UK version of the film, but included Spike's swear. However, the release was burdened by badly interlaced video, though it notably included the [[Omni Productions]] dub version of the ''[[Transformers: The Headmasters (cartoon)|Headmasters]]'' episode "[[Four Warriors Come out of the Sky]]" as an extra. This version (including the ''Headmasters'' episode) was simultaneously released on VHS.
*The movie was released on DVD in Australia in 2003 by [[Madman Entertainment]], using the same video as the Maverick version, but distinguished by some nifty new cover art by [[Don Figueroa]], and special features not seen on other editions, such as ''[[Stan Bush|The Touch]]'' music video and 80s TV spots.
[[File:Tftm uk covers.jpg|thumb|The UK poster art (left) has been the most common DVD and VHS cover in its home country, but the Ultimate Edition featured new art by Andy Wildman (right).]]
*After acquiring the license to release ''Transformers'' DVDs in the UK, [[Metrodome]] focused on completing their run of series box sets before turning their attention to the movie properly, releasing only a cheap budget DVD of the UK version through Prism Leisure with no extras, and a [[PlayStation|UMD]] of the same version.
*In 2005, Metrodome released ''Transformers: The Movie - Reconstructed'', a new version of the film designed to expose as much of the animated picture as possible. This, however, only resulted in exposing the rough, unfinished edges of the animation, and an overly pale remaster was compounded by excessive interlacing due to an unnecessary NTSC to PAL transfer. This, coupled with a 5.1 remix from [[Magno Sound & Video]], featuring the same extra sound effects that they added to Rhino's season box sets, made this release both controversial and disappointing to many. This was the first time that the US version of the movie was released in the UK, and the first to feature the US poster art as a cover (although a Silverscreen store exclusive version of the disc included a reversible cover with the UK poster art as well). Extras include trailers, TV spots, the character biographies from the Madman release, a looped version of the Lion ''Transformers'' theme on the main menu, and a subtitled version of "[[Four Warriors Come out of the Sky]]".
[[File:Tftm sony covers.jpg|thumb|Sony's covers, by Don Figueroa.]]
*For the movie's 20th anniversary in 2006, new license holder [[Sony|Sony BMG]] released a two-disc special edition of the film, featuring both a high-quality widescreen remaster and the original fullscreen version, audio commentaries from crew and fans, several new featurettes interviewing those involved in the movie's production, storyboards, TV spots, American and Japanese commercials and more. Most notably, this version included the first Western release of "[[Scramble City: Mobilization]]", albeit silent and unsubtitled, featuring only audio commentary. Also very notable is that this version includes an actual deleted scene from the animated film as an extra, though it is more of interest as a curiosity than anything it actually contains, being an approximately 2-second-long aerial view of the Autobots running towards the critically damaged Optimus Prime. This release featured two covers by Don Figueroa: one is of the '84-'85 cast that appear in the movie, and one is of the movie's new characters, available either as a lenticular hologram that switches between the two, or as a reversible sleeve with the images printed on either side.
[[File:Tftm madman covers.jpg|thumb|Madman's 2003 DVD cover (left), and their 2007 Special Edition cover (right).]]
*Delayed a bit to coincide with the hype for the 2007 [[Transformers (film)|live-action movie]], Metrodome also released a two-disc "Ultimate Edition" with a different widescreen master. Like "Reconstructed", this version used the US edition of the film, but this time, the UK version was also included, in fullscreen, on the second disc. Extras include TV spots, commercials, the Madman biographies, storyboards, commentary, "Scramble City" (with audio and subtitles), featurettes with [[Flint Dille]] and [[Peter Cullen]], and more. The double-disc edition was sold in a steel case featuring new art by [[Andrew Wildman]], with the UK poster art adorning the standard case inside. Various store exclusives were available, including postcards from Play.Com, a reversible cover with the US poster art from HMV, art cards from Virgin Megastore and [[posters]] from Woolworths and [[Toys"R"Us]]. It was also available in an extra-less single-disc version. This version was premiered at the Mid Ulster Film Festival in Ireland which was the only cinema showing of the remastered version of the film to date.
[[File:ShoutFactory TFTM BluDVD.jpg|thumb|Shout! Factory's 2016 Blu-ray cover.]]
*The film was released in Full HD 1080p on Blu-ray in the UK in October 2007. The Blu-ray is not region-locked, so it will play anywhere in the world. It features a 2.0 soundtrack, 5.1 Dolby Digital track, and a full bitrate DTS 5.1 track. The master used was the same used by Sony for their US DVD. Sadly, there are no extras on the DVD. The version of the film on the Blu-ray is the US one, complete with curse words.
*Madman produced their two-disc special edition through some collaboration with Metrodome, and consequently it features much of the same content, with additional extras taking the form of The Touch music video and a bonus episode of ''[[Beast Wars: Transformers (cartoon)|Beast Wars]]''. This release again features cover artwork by Don Figueroa, specifically the cover of [[IDW Publishing|IDW]]'s ''[[Transformers: The Animated Movie]]'' adaptation.
*For the film's 30th Anniversary, and after being out of print in the US for 10 years, the film was rereleased on Region 1 DVD and given its first Region A Blu-ray release on [[September 13]], [[2016]] by [[Shout! Factory]]. Both versions are sourced from a brand-new 4K transfer which underwent extensive color-correction and remastering, and a Steelbook packaging variant of the Blu-ray was also made available.<ref>[https://www.shoutfactory.com/film/action-adventure/the-transformers-the-movie-limited-edition-30th-anniversary-steelbook The Transformers: The Movie Limited Edition 30th Anniversary Steelbook]</ref> The Steelbook Blu-ray was released in the UK by [[Manga Entertainment]] as a limited edition on December 12, 2016, followed by a standard edition release a year later.
*On September 27, 2018, Fathom Events screened the movie at select theaters in the United States. The movie was preceded by an interview with [[Travis Knight]] and [[Hailee Steinfeld]] and a preview of a scene from ''[[Bumblebee (film)|Bumblebee]]'', and followed by a short featurette of Stan Bush discussing the music he contributed to the movie and performing acoustic versions of ''The Touch'' and ''Dare''.<ref>[http://news.tfw2005.com/2018/08/01/1986-transformers-movie-hitting-theaters-one-night-only-369314 1986 Transformers Movie Hitting Theaters One Night Only!]</ref> Cineplex would later show the movie in Canadian theaters on October 4.
*For the 35th anniversary, Shout! Factory produced the first 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray release of the movie — presented in widescreen only — and a remastered fullscreen 1080p Blu-ray. Feature-length storyboards and the Stan Bush featurette from the 2018 Fathom Events screening were added as new bonus features. The two discs were first made available in a limited edition SteelBook with four art cards on [[August 3]], [[2021]]<ref>[https://www.shoutfactory.com/product/the-transformers-the-movie-35th-anniversary-limited-edition-steelbook?product_id=7636 The Transformers: The Movie [35th Anniversary Limited Edition Steelbook]]</ref>; a wide release in standard packaging followed on [[September 28]]<ref>[https://www.shoutfactory.com/product/the-transformers-the-movie-35th-anniversary-edition?product_id=7668 The Transformers: The Movie [35th Anniversary Edition]]</ref>, as did a third set comprised of the new fullscreen Blu-ray and a widescreen DVD<ref>[https://www.shoutfactory.com/product/the-transformers-the-movie-35th-anniversary-edition-1?product_id=7667 The Transformers: The Movie [35th Anniversary Edition]]</ref>. Cover art for the new releases was created by [[Matt Ferguson]].
**Region B versions of the Shout! Factory 35th Anniversary discs were distributed by Funimation and released on [[October 25]], and an additional collector's edition set was made exclusive to Zavvi, packaging the 4K and Blu-ray discs with an art book, poster and six art cards.<ref>[https://www.zavvi.com/blu-ray/the-transformers-the-movie-35th-anniversary-zavvi-exclusive-4k-ultra-hd-limited-collectors-edition-includes-blu-ray/13169855.html The Transformers: The Movie 35th Anniversary - Zavvi Exclusive 4K Ultra HD Limited Collectors Edition (Includes Blu-ray)]</ref> Zavvi also partnered with Ferguson to release a line of art prints and apparel featuring his cover art.
*Fathom Events once again returned the film to select theaters on [[September 26]]–[[September 27|27]], 2021, accompanied by a set of [[The Transformers: The Movie 35th Anniversary Stop Motions|stop-motion comedy videos]] inspired by the film.

==Television broadcasts==
Following a segmented, five-part broadcast during [[The Transformers (cartoon)#Season 5|the fifth season of ''The Transformers'']], the complete feature film was aired on American television in 1989 via Fox stations. Air dates and times were June 17 at Noon, July 30 at 11 A.M. and September 2 at 10 A.M. Of course, this was the language-edited video release from Family Home Entertainment.

The movie was aired on [[Hub Network|The Hub]] on February 18, 2012, following [[Orion Pax, Part 1|the Season 2 premiere]] of ''[[Transformers: Prime (cartoon)|Transformers: Prime]]'' on what was called "Transformers Mega Saturday". Uniquely, this version combined the European opening narration with the US scrawl-free opening credits, muted the two swear words (rendering the lines as "It isn't even dented! ...What do we do now?!" and "Open... ''Open!''"), used the European closing narration at the end, and sped up the scroll of the end credits to cut it down for time, ending the lyrics of the [[theme song]] around the beginning of its second verse ("Strong enough to break the bravest heart..."). Subsequent re-airings on The Hub aired this version of the movie.

The American television airing of the feature film adds one extra sound effect, and it has never been heard in any other release. During the scene when Arcee is racing to jump aboard the departing Autobot shuttle, there is a distinctive sound effect when she jumps. In all other releases there is no sound effect.

A July 4, 2014 Hub broadcast of the movie markets it as ''Transformers: The Animated Movie'', distinguishing it from that computer animation/live action [[Transformers (film)|hybrid film]] with the similar title made two decades and one year later.

==Notes==
*According to [[Buzz Dixon]], Hasbro's decision to kill off Optimus Prime was actually an attempt to maintain some brand-storytelling parity with ''[[G.I. Joe (franchise)|G.I. Joe]]'', as Dixon had just convinced them to allow the death of [[Duke (G.I. Joe)|Duke]] in ''{{w|G.I. Joe: The Movie}}'' and both films were in production at the same time.<ref>https://web.archive.org/web/20151215034944/http://www.joeheadquarters.com/interviews_dixon.shtml</ref>

*After reading [[Ron Friedman]]'s [[The Transformers: The Movie (first draft)|first draft]] of the movie's script, [[Flint Dille]] and [[Jay Bacal]] hastily wrote and proposed a script of their own, "[[The Secret of Cybertron]]", which later informed the cartoon five-parter "[[Five Faces of Darkness]]". Elements of this script also supposedly made it into the finished film, but no copy of the script has ever surfaced.

*This film was the last professional performance by [[Orson Welles]], who died only a month later. According to production materials shown at [[BotCon 2000]] by Tim Finn, the voice recording sessions for ''The Transformers: The Movie'' were done on [[September 10]] and [[September 11|11]] of 1985. Welles died on [[October 10]] of that same year. It has often been speculated that Unicron's last line ("Destiny… you cannot destroy my destiny!") was recorded by another actor—possibly [[Leonard Nimoy|Nimoy]]—because it sounds different than the other lines. This speculation has been quashed by statements by Transformers voice director [[Wally Burr]].<ref>http://cybertronchronicle.freewebspace.com/60-astrominutes/wally-burr/wally-burr-3.html</ref>
[[File:Windcharger wheeljack otp.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|Uncle Owen! Aunt Beru!!]]

*With the exception of Starscream and possibly Shockwave, only the Autobots suffered fatalities in the movie. All of the other "dead" Decepticons from the Autobot City battle were rebuilt into Galvatron's new troops, and although more Decepticons were shown taking heavy damage and suffering huge casualties while fighting Unicron, their identities and their final condition are uncertain. Additionally, both Starscream and Unicron survived in the post-movie series in some form or another. Shockwave's death in the finished film is highly uncertain, although in the script it is fairly strongly implied. Regardless, Shockwave was originally intended to appear in the immediate post-movie story "Five Faces of Darkness", serving in the role that was ultimately given to Blitzwing, before an internal [[Sunbow Productions|Sunbow]] memo clarified that his character had been dropped from the series.<ref>[https://drive.google.com/file/d/1bid3TK_q2HxH7NR5MDAlGsKe5AlcbBnU/view Partial outline of "Five Faces of Darkness", covering Parts 3 to 5]</ref> Shockwave does make some miscolored appearances in crowd shots in later cartoon episodes, but these are probably examples of the fairly common animation errors in those episodes.

*Somewhat ironically, though only three of the original eighteen Autobots — [[Jazz (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Jazz]], [[Cliffjumper (G1)#Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Cliffjumper]], and [[Bumblebee (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Bumblebee]] — are definitively shown to have survived the movie, two would quite literally never be heard from again: [[Scatman Crothers]] passed away (though this didn't stop Jazz from making any number of background cameos) while Casey Kasem [[Casey Kasem#Notes|quit the show early in the third season]]. Fate's finger is fickle indeed.

*The Dinobots spend the majority of the film in their dinosaur modes, a practice that would eventually carry into season 3 of the cartoon. Swoop is the only one to spend extended amounts of time in robot mode, due to the anatomical issues of walking in a flight-based mode. However, there are some instances where they're briefly shown in robot mode for blink-and-you-miss-it moments, for no reason whatsoever. Additionally, despite his constant presence among the Dinobots, Sludge has no lines in the film at all.

*Unicron's roars in the movie were stock vocalizations originally created for Marvel Productions' 1982 ''The Incredible Hulk'' animated series and performed by voice actor Bob Holt, who voiced the [[Hulk]] in that show. Holt otherwise never voiced a character in the Marvel/Sunbow Transformers series (although he was a regular member of the ''{{gb|Challenge of the GoBots (cartoon)|Challenge of the GoBots}}'' cast as the original voice of [[Cop-Tur (GoBots)|Cop-Tur]]), and had passed away the year before ''The Transformers: The Movie'' was released in 1986. Thus, Unicron has the distinction of featuring ''two'' posthumous performances for the same Transformers character in a single production.

*[[:File:TFTM-MaybeBeachcomber.jpg|A robot resembling Beachcomber]] appears alongside Spike and the Autobots inside Unicron seconds before Daniel blasts the acid cover. Whether this was actually meant to be Beachcomber or just coincidental coloring is unknown, but regardless, Beachcomber shows up alive and well in "[[Five Faces of Darkness, Part 5]]".

*Pieces of music from the movie would later be used in the [[Commodore 64]] version of ''Turrican''. For instance, basically unaltered bits of "[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VWFx-Go6Y6A Escape]" make up [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w6jjpwpDVNY Subsong Two of the game's title theme].
*The shot of Unicron slamming his hand onto the surface of Cybertron would later be used for the toy commercial of his Armada self.
{{--}}

===Foreign names===
*''German:'' '''''Transformers: Der Kampf um Cybertron''''' ("Transformers: The Battle for Cybertron", TV airings only)
*''French:'' '''''La Guerre des Robots''''' ("The War of the Robots")
*''Japanese:'' '''''トランスフォーマーザ・ムービー''''' ("Transformers: The Movie")

==External links==
*[https://www.boxofficemojo.com/release/rl3212281345/weekend/ ''The Transformers: The Movie''{{'}}s box office domestic gross]
*[https://sunbowmarvelarchive.blogspot.com/p/mp-4034-transformers-movie-sunbow.html ''The Transformers: The Movie'' outlines, scripts, storyboards, concept art and model sheets]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20211021062746/http://cybertronchronicle.freewebspace.com/cartoon-dossier/movie/movie.html ''The Transformers: The Movie'' Dossier at The Cybertron Chronicle]
*[http://web.archive.org/web/20080426020409/http://www.tftm.net/ ''The Transformers: The Movie'' "Unofficial Fansite", an extremely thorough site about the movie] (archived)
*[http://zobovor.tripod.com/transformers_the_movie_bloopers.html ''The Transformers: The Movie'' bloopers]

==References==
{{Reflist|2}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Transformers: The Movie}}

[[Category:The Transformers episodes]]
[[Category:Generation 1 media]]
[[Category:MSTF]]
[[Category:Real world films]]

The Transformers: The Movie

2025-07-11T12:34:58Z

OptimusComboy: /* Formatting */ added storyboard to show how widescreen crop was planned in pre-production

{{disambig3|Transformers: The Movie}}
{{movie|
|seriess=[[The Transformers (cartoon)|The Transformers]]
|prev=B.O.T. (episode)
|next=Five Faces of Darkness, Part 1
|seriess2=[[Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers (franchise)|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers]]
|prev2=Scramble City: Mobilization
|next2=Five Faces of Darkness, Part 1
|title=''The Transformers: The Movie''
|image=Transformersanimatedfilmposter.jpg
|caption=A long time ago in a galaxy far far away....
|production code=4034
|production companies=[[Sunbow Productions]] [[Marvel Productions]]
|distributor=[[Dino De Laurentiis|De Laurentiis Entertainment Group]]
|executive producer=[[Tom Griffin]] [[Joe Bacal]]
|screenplay by=[[Ron Friedman]]
|directed by=[[Nelson Shin]]
|cinematography by=[[Masatoshi Fukui]]
|edited by=[[David Hankins]]
|music by=[[Vince DiCola]]
|animation studio=[[Toei Animation|Toei]]
|release date=[[August 8]], [[1986]]
|continuity=[[Generation 1 cartoon continuity]]
|runtime=85 minutes
|budget=$5–6 million
|box office=$2.6–5.8 million
|credits=The Transformers: The Movie/credits
}}
{{quote|Conceived in the epic tradition of ''[[Star Wars (film)|Star Wars]]''...|[[Victor Caroli]] ain't just whistling Dixie|[[The Transformers: The Movie promo|''The Transformers: The Movie'' promo]]}}

'''''The Transformers: The Movie''''' is an animated feature film based on the original ''Transformers'' toyline. It was released in the United States on Friday, August 8, 1986.

The film's storyline follows the same continuity as the ''[[The Transformers (cartoon)|Transformers]]'' cartoon. It introduces a [[Scale|planet-sized Transformer]] called [[Unicron/Generation 1|Unicron]] who eats other planets, and is approaching [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]]. As part of their continuing wars, the [[Autobot]]s and [[Decepticon]]s have a [[Battle of Autobot City|fierce battle]] on [[Earth]] which sees both [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] and [[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Megatron]] mortally wounded. Prime passes the [[Matrix of Leadership]] to [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ultra Magnus]] and dies, and Megatron is transformed by Unicron into [[Galvatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Galvatron]]. [[Starscream (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Starscream]] (briefly) assumes leadership of the Decepticons, but is killed when Galvatron arrives at Cybertron. Galvatron then chases the surviving Autobots on Earth across space, splitting them up and taking the Matrix. The Autobots find their way back to each other, and follow Galvatron to Cybertron just as Unicron transforms into [[robot mode]] and begins to eat their world. Travelling inside Unicron, [[Hot Rod (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Hot Rod]] recovers the Matrix, transforms into Rodimus Prime, and uses the Matrix to destroy Unicron.

Often referred to by fans simply as "the movie" or "TFTM", the movie was a step up in almost every area from the television series, with a more sophisticated plot, more serious treatment of war and violence, a hugely ambitious scope and a greatly increased animation budget with well-known celebrities providing voice work. For these reasons, the film remains very popular with children of the 1980s.

The film opens with characters who had been featured in the first two years of the toyline and associated media (cartoons, comic books, etc.), but quickly introduces new characters and kills many of the old ones to make room. Of particular note, Optimus Prime and Starscream are both destroyed during the course of the film.

{{quote|The Japanese have funded a full-length animated cartoon about the doings of these toys, which is all bad outer-space stuff. I play a planet. I menace somebody called Something-or-other. Then I'm destroyed. My plan to destroy Whoever-it-is is thwarted and I tear myself apart on the screen.|Orson Welles<ref>[http://books.google.com/books?id=KlqsYy512WIC&source=gbs_navlinks_s "Orson Welles: A Biography"] page 522</ref>}}

==Synopsis==
[[File:TFTM Unicron Lithone.jpg|left|thumb|That's no moon.]]
[[Unicron/Generation 1|A mechanical planet]] travels through the depths of space, attacking [[Lithone (planet)|a metal planet]] which has [[Lithone (species)|robotic inhabitants]]. Robots, vehicles, buildings, and even large chunks of rock are sucked off the surface and devoured by the monstrous planet.

It is the year [[2005]], and the [[Decepticon]]s are now in control of [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]]. The [[Autobot]]s are preparing to launch an assault to retake the planet from hidden bases on two of Cybertron's moons. The Autobots launch a [[Autobot shuttle|shuttle]] to pick up a final shipment of [[energon]] from [[Earth]] before they strike.

[[File:Tftm1986a.jpg|thumb|Commander, tear this ship apart until you've found those plans. And bring me the passengers; I want them alive!]]
Plans for the attack are overheard by [[Laserbeak (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Laserbeak]], who reports back to [[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Megatron]]. The Decepticons attack the Autobot shuttle en route to Earth, wiping out its crew (including [[Ironhide (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ironhide]], [[Prowl (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Prowl]], [[Ratchet (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ratchet]] and [[Brawn (G1)|Brawn]]). Using the Autobots' own shuttle, the Decepticons are able to get very close to the Autobots' base on Earth, [[Autobot City (G1)|Autobot City]], before they are detected, and begin a devastating surprise attack on the unprepared city.

During the [[Battle of Autobot City|battle at Autobot City]], both [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] and Megatron suffer mortal injuries, and a number of others are also killed. Eventually the Decepticons retreat, but the damage suffered by the Autobots is severe.

[[File:Tftm1986b.jpg|left|thumb|If you strike me down, I shall become more powerful than you can possibly imagine.]]
Shortly after the battle, Prime lies on his deathbed. He passes the reins of leadership to [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ultra Magnus]] and gives him the [[Matrix of Leadership]]. (Though [[Hot Rod (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Hot Rod]] actually touches the Matrix before Magnus does.) Prime relates a prophecy: "One day, an Autobot shall rise from our ranks, and use the power of the Matrix to light our [[darkest hour]]." He then gives the oath, "[['Til all are one]]", and [[The many deaths of Optimus Prime|dies]]. This sequence of events is observed remotely by Unicron, the monstrous planet, who appears unusually concerned by the survival of the Matrix.

The Decepticons are making their escape aboard [[Astrotrain (G1)|Astrotrain]], but are too heavy for him to get them all home under his own power. After putting the matter to a fair vote, the Decepticons decide to throw their injured members off the ship to better the chance of survival for the rest, including the mortally wounded Megatron. Too injured to save himself, Megatron is tossed out into space by [[Starscream (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Starscream]], who claims leadership of the Decepticon army.

[[File:TFTM Starscream chucks Megatron.jpg|thumb|Into the garbage chute, flyboy.]]
Megatron and the other adrift Decepticons then encounter Unicron in interstellar space. Unicron offers to rebuild Megatron and his minions in exchange for their service. After some coercion on the planetoid's part, Megatron agrees, and is [[Reformatting|reformatted]] into [[Galvatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Galvatron]]. The other Decepticons are turned into [[Cyclonus (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Cyclonus]], [[Scourge (G1)|Scourge]], and the [[Sweep (G1)|Sweeps]]. Unicron provides them with a [[Revenge (G1)|ship]], and sends them to kill Ultra Magnus and destroy the Matrix, stating that the Matrix is the only thing which can stand in his way.

[[File:Tftm1986c.jpg|left|thumb|Don't be too proud of this technological terror you've constructed.]]
Galvatron first stops at Cybertron to take his revenge by killing Starscream and reclaiming leadership of the Decepticons. Almost immediately afterwards, Unicron arrives in Cybertron's vicinity and devours at least two moons—both of the Autobots' moon bases are destroyed. Under coercion by Unicron, Galvatron finally heads to Earth to kill Ultra Magnus, but Magnus and the other surviving Autobots flee in a pair of shuttles. Eventually Galvatron manages to cause one shuttle to crash on yet another metal planet ([[Quintessa (planet)|Quintessa]]), and detonates the other with a volley of missiles. However, the Autobots in the second shuttle escape unnoticed by separating the front portion of their shuttle just before impact.

The Autobots in the crashed shuttle, Hot Rod, [[Kup (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Kup]], and the [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobots]], find themselves separated and in a hostile environment. Hot Rod and Kup battle a [[Sea squid|giant squid]], are captured by a pack of [[Allicon]]s and taken before a [[Quintesson]] [[Quintesson#Judges|judge]] and his court. While being held there, they learn the name and nature of Unicron from [[Kranix (G1)|Kranix]], a survivor of the planet destroyed in the opening of the film, which he calls [[Lithone (planet)|Lithone]]. Meanwhile, the Dinobots encounter and befriend a young, wild Autobot named [[Wheelie (G1)|Wheelie]] who has been living alone on Quintessa. Together, they crash the trial just as Hot Rod and Kup are fighting losing odds against the Quintessons' [[Sharkticon (species)|Sharkticons]]. The tide is turned, and the Autobots commandeer a [[Quintesson Cruiser]].

[[File:Tftm1986d.jpg|thumb|What an incredible smell you've discovered!]]
The other group of Autobots has landed on the planet [[Junkion (planet)|Junkion]] to make repairs, but are attacked yet again by Galvatron, who was tipped off to their survival by Unicron. During the battle, Ultra Magnus tries to open the Matrix to use its power, but is unable to do so, and instead is killed. Galvatron absconds with the Matrix, taking it away to Unicron. The remaining Autobots—[[Perceptor (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Perceptor]], [[Blurr (G1)|Blurr]], [[Springer (G1)|Springer]], [[Arcee (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Arcee]], and [[Spike Witwicky (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Spike]]'s son [[Daniel Witwicky (G1)|Daniel]]—are then ambushed by [[Junkion (species)|Junkions]], the eponymous natives of Junkion, who are also giant transforming robots. This battle is cut short, however, by the arrival of Hot Rod's group in their Quintesson ship. After exchanging the [[universal greeting]] they all make friends, and the Junkions restore Ultra Magnus to life. Together, the whole group travels to Cybertron to try to recover the Matrix and destroy Unicron.

[[File:TFTM Unicron smashes cybertron.jpg|thumb|left|Rebel base in range. You may fire when ready.]]
Galvatron attempts to open the Matrix to use its power against Unicron and force his master into submission, but is unable to open it. Unicron, not pleased with this attempted treachery, shocks Galvatron by transforming from a planet into a [[Scale|planet-sized robot]]. Unicron plucks Galvatron off his chest and swallows him, Matrix and all, and then begins attacking Cybertron itself. [[Shockwave (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Shockwave]] scrambles the Decepticon forces to defend the planet, but they are ineffective against so large an enemy. Shortly the Autobots arrive from Junkion, and fly the Quintesson ship straight through Unicron's eye. This impact destroys the ship, and the Autobots fall out inside Unicron. Hot Rod, separated from the others, eventually runs into Galvatron. During their fight, Hot Rod gets his hands on the Matrix and hears Optimus's voice speak the words, "Arise, Rodimus Prime." Hot Rod grows in stature, adopts a much sterner demeanor, and quickly dispatches Galvatron by tossing him through Unicron's hull out into space. He then opens the Matrix, which fills Unicron with light and begins destroying him.

[[File:Tftm1986e.jpg|thumb|Use the Force, Luke.]]
In the meantime, the other Autobots inside Unicron have located some of their comrades from the moon bases who had been presumed dead, including [[Bumblebee (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Bumblebee]] and Daniel's father, Spike. The Autobots, including Rodimus, escape through Unicron's remaining eye just as he begins to fall apart and explode. The scene then immediately shifts to the surface of Cybertron, where—for unclear reasons—the Autobots seem to be in charge again. Rodimus predicts an era of peace and prosperity, and the film closes with a shot of Unicron's severed head still floating in orbit around Cybertron.

[['Til all are one]].
{{--}}

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
*[[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] ([[Peter Cullen]])
*[[Hot Rod (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Hot Rod/Rodimus Prime]] ([[Judd Nelson]])
*[[Ultra Magnus (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ultra Magnus]] ([[Robert Stack]])
*[[Kup (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Kup]] ([[Lionel Stander]])
*[[Springer (G1)|Springer]] ([[Neil Ross]])
*[[Arcee (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Arcee]] ([[Susan Blu]])
*[[Blurr (G1)|Blurr]] ([[John Moschitta]])
*[[Grimlock (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Grimlock]] ([[Gregg Berger]])
*[[Perceptor (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Perceptor]] ([[Paul Eiding]])
*[[Blaster (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Blaster]] ([[Buster Jones]])
*[[Swoop (G1)|Swoop]] ([[Michael Bell]])
*[[Slag (G1)|Slag]] (Neil Ross)
*[[Sludge (G1)|Sludge]]
*[[Wheelie (G1)|Wheelie]] ([[Frank Welker]])
*[[Ironhide (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ironhide]] (Peter Cullen)
*[[Prowl (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Prowl]] (Michael Bell)<ref group="fc" name="crednolines">Credited and appeared, but had no speaking lines.</ref>
*[[Jazz (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Jazz]] ([[Scatman Crothers]])
*[[Bumblebee (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Bumblebee]] ([[Dan Gilvezan]])
*[[Cliffjumper (G1)|Cliffjumper]] ([[Casey Kasem]])
*[[Brawn (G1)|Brawn]] ([[Corey Burton]])
*[[Gears (G1)|Gears]] ([[Don Messick]])<ref group="fc" name="creduncertain">Credited, but may or may not have appeared through an animation error.</ref>
*[[Auto-combatant]] (Frank Welker)
*[[Eject (G1)|Eject]]
*[[Rewind (G1)|Rewind]]
*[[Steeljaw (G1)|Steeljaw]]
*[[Ramhorn (G1)|Ramhorn]]
*[[Wheeljack (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Wheeljack]]
*[[Windcharger (G1)|Windcharger]]
*[[Ratchet (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ratchet]]
*[[Snarl (G1)|Snarl]]
*[[Grapple (G1)|Grapple]]
*[[Huffer (G1)|Huffer]]
*[[Hound (G1)|Hound]]
*[[Sunstreaker (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Sunstreaker]]
*[[Bluestreak (G1)|Bluestreak]]
*[[Inferno (G1)|Inferno]]<ref group="fc" name="crednoapp">Credited, but did not appear.</ref> ([[Walker Edmiston]])
|c2=
*[[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Megatron]] (Frank Welker)
*[[Galvatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Galvatron]] ([[Leonard Nimoy]])
*[[Starscream (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Starscream]] ([[Chris Latta]])
*[[Cyclonus (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Cyclonus]] ([[Roger C. Carmel]])
*[[Scourge (G1)|Scourge]] ([[Stan Jones]])
*[[Soundwave (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Soundwave]] (Frank Welker)
*[[Devastator (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Devastator]] ([[Arthur Burghardt]])
*[[Scrapper (G1)|Scrapper]] (Michael Bell)
*[[Bonecrusher (G1)|Bonecrusher]] (Neil Ross)
*[[Hook (G1)|Hook]] (Neil Ross)
*[[Scavenger (G1)|Scavenger]] (Don Messick)<ref group="fc" name="appearnocredit">Appeared and had speaking lines, but not credited.</ref>
*[[Mixmaster (G1)|Mixmaster]]
*[[Long Haul (G1)|Long Haul]]
*[[Shrapnel (G1)|Shrapnel]] ([[Hal Rayle]])
*[[Kickback (G1)|Kickback]] ([[Clive Revill]])
*[[Bombshell (G1)|Bombshell]]
*[[Astrotrain (G1)|Astrotrain]] ([[Jack Angel]])
*[[Shockwave (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Shockwave]] (Corey Burton)
*[[Dirge (G1)|Dirge]] ([[Bud Davis]])<ref group="fc" name="crednolines"/>
*[[Blitzwing (G1)|Blitzwing]] ([[Ed Gilbert]])
*[[Rumble (G1)|Rumble]] (Frank Welker)
*[[Frenzy (G1)|Frenzy]] (Frank Welker)
*[[Laserbeak (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Laserbeak]] (Chris Latta)<ref group="fc" name="appearnocredit">Appeared and had speaking lines, but not credited.</ref>
*[[Ravage (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ravage]] (Frank Welker)<ref group="fc" name="appearnocredit">Appeared and had speaking lines, but not credited.</ref>
*[[Ratbat (G1)|Ratbat]]
*[[Thrust (G1)|Thrust]]
*[[Ramjet (G1)|Ramjet]]
*[[Skywarp (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Skywarp]]
*[[Thundercracker (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Thundercracker]]
*[[Reflector (G1)|Reflector]]
*[[Sweep (G1)|Sweeps]]
*[[Cyclonus's Armada (G1)|Cyclonus's Armada]]
|h3=[[Junkion (species)|Junkions]]|c3=
*[[Wreck-Gar (G1)|Wreck-Gar]] ([[Eric Idle]])
*[[Junkyard (G1)|Junkyard]] (Bell)
*[[Scrapheap (G1)|Scrapheap]] (Welker)
*[[Rubbish]]
*[[Re-Cycle]]
*[[Trashbin]]
*[[HAZMAT]]
*[[Ashtray]]
*[[Wasteoid Gamma]]
*[[Greasestain]]
|h4=Others|c4=
'''[[Human]]s'''
*[[Spike Witwicky (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Spike Witwicky]] (Corey Burton)
*[[Daniel Witwicky (G1)|Daniel Witwicky]] ([[David Mendenhall]])

'''[[Lithone (species)|Lithones]]'''
*[[Kranix (G1)|Kranix]] ([[Norman Alden|Norm Alden]])
*[[Arblus]]

'''[[Quintesson]]s'''
*[[Quintesson Prosecutor|Quintesson leader]] (Roger C. Carmel)
*[[Quintesson Judge (G1)|Quintesson Judge]] ([[Regis Cordic]])
*[[Quintesson Executioner (G1)|Quintesson Executioner]]
*[[Quintesson Bailiff]]
*[[Sharkticon (species)|Sharkticons]]
*[[Allicon]]s

'''Other'''
*[[Unicron/Generation 1|Unicron]] ([[Orson Welles]])
|nonumbering=true
}}
<references group="fc"/>

==Quotes==
[[File:TFTM European intro.jpeg|thumb|upright=1.4|It is a period of civil war. Rebel spaceships, striking from a hidden base, have won their first victory against the evil Galactic Empire.]]
"Now all we need is a little energon and a lot of luck." 
"More than you imagine, Optimus Prime."
:—'''Optimus Prime''' and '''Megatron''' tempt fate.

"Such heroic nonsense."
:—'''Megatron''' coldly finishes off Ironhide. The 'Cons always get the best lines.

"First, we crack the shell... then we crack the nuts inside."
:—'''Rumble''' bravely raids Autobot City.

"I've got better things to do tonight than die!"
:—'''Springer''', telling it like it is.

"One shall stand. One shall fall."
:—'''Optimus Prime''' uttering the most quoted line of the Movie. An ass kicker cometh.

"Why throw your life away so recklessly?" 
"That's a question you should ask yourself, Megatron." 
:—'''Megatron''' and '''Optimus Prime''', about to engage in one last battle to the death.

"You, who are without mercy, now plead for it? I thought you were made of '''''sterner stuff'''''."
:—'''Optimus Prime''''s trash talk is actually [http://www.enotes.com/shakespeare-quotes/sterner-stuff a lot cooler than it sounds].

"I would have waited an eternity for this! It's over, Prime." 
"'''''NEVER!'''''"
:—'''Megatron''' is about to learn that a wounded '''Optimus Prime''' has enough strength left for one good hit.

"Until that day...'til all are one..."
:—'''Optimus Prime'''{{'}}s final words.

"Oh, how it ''pains'' me to do this." 
"Wait! I still function!" 
"Wanna ''bet''?"
:—'''Starscream''' fights back the tears as he throws '''Megatron''' out of Astrotrain.

"Soundwave superior, Constructicons inferior."
:—'''Soundwave''' insults the combiner team.

"I have summoned you here for a purpose." 
"Nobody summons Megatron!" 
"Then it pleases me to be the first."
:—'''Unicron''' shows '''Megatron''' who's the boss.

"Who disrupts my coronation?" 
"Coronation, Starscream? This is bad comedy." 
"Megatron? Is that you?" 
"Here's a hint!"
:—'''Galvatron''' drops "hints" for '''Starscream''' like others drop anvils.

"Oh shit! What are we gonna do now!"
:—'''Spike''' says the movie’s most infamous line.

"Kup and Hot Rod just bought it!" 
"I can't deal with that now!"
:—'''Springer''' and '''Ultra Magnus''' assess the situation.

"Did we ''have'' to let them detonate three quarters of the ship?" 
"Seeing as how they would have detonated ''four'' quarters, I think it was a good choice."
:—'''Arcee''' and '''Springer''', debating the launch of their emergency shuttle.

"Spare me this mockery of justice!"
:—'''Kranix''' is upset at being found innocent.

"You check in, but you don't check out."
:—'''Wreck-Gar''' making a reference to the tagline from the "Roach Motel." commercials

"For a time... I considered ''sparing'' your wretched little planet Cybertron. But now... you shall witness... its ''dismemberment''!"
:—'''Unicron''' really needs to work on his anger management skills...

"Destiny... You cannot... destroy... my... destiny!"
:—'''Unicron'''{{'}}s final words.

"Let this mark the end of the Cybertronian Wars as we march forward into a new era of peace and happiness! 'Til all are one!" 
:—'''Rodimus Prime''' announces the end of the [[Great War (G1)|Great War]]...for now.

==Season 5==
When ''The Movie'' was broadcast in [[The Transformers (cartoon)#Season 5|the fifth season]] of ''The Transformers'', it was broken into 5 parts (designated "Days") and given new bookending segments with original story material.

===Day One===
[[File:TommyPrimeSeason5BumperMovie.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb|You just watch yourself. We're wanted men. I have the death sentence on twelve systems.]]
[[Tommy Kennedy|Tommy]] meets up with [[Powermaster]] [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] in the barren wasteland and Prime is concerned with the black eye and many bruises Tommy is sporting. Tommy explains that some "big guys" at school tried to rough him up (and by all visual evidence, succeeded). Tommy asks Prime if he'd ever faced any "big guys" in his many adventures and Prime decides to tell him about the time he faced the "biggest guy" of them all, [[Unicron/Generation 1|Unicron]]...

Optimus leaves off at the point during the [[Battle of Autobot City]] when Megatron broke their defenses to let the slaughter begin. Optimus gruesomely teases his own death scene to a very confused and concerned Tommy, but reassures him that until he can be revived as a Powermaster, the Matrix must be passed on to someone else who is worthy. Tommy wants to hear all about it, but Optimus doesn't have the time. Apparently, he needs to meet up with [[Joyride (G1)|Joyride]] and help him [[Space bridge technician|repair]] the [[Space bridge]]. Tommy asks if he can tag along and Optimus tells him that if he can lift one of their two-ton screwdrivers, he can even help. They summarily blast off into space.
{{-}}

===Day Two===
[[File:PrimeExplodingMemoryChip.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.1|I've lost R2!]]
Tommy and Optimus meet up in the barren wasteland, though Prime isn't sure what Tommy wants. Tommy reminds him that he promised to tell him more about Unicron and Prime concedes that he's been having trouble with his memory chip, lately. Tommy tells him all about the Battle of Autobot City, but none of it rings a bell for Optimus. Prime asks Tommy to open up an access panel in the back of his head and check the circuit. Tommy repairs the circuit, jogging Prime's memory...

Prime leaves off at the point where [[Jazz (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Jazz]] and [[Cliffjumper (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Cliffjumper]] are eaten by Unicron. Tommy demands to hear more of the story, but Prime's memory chip explodes and smoke pours from the side of his head. All he sees are brief flashes of the further adventures of [[Hot Rod (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Hot Rod]] and the rest. The furthest he can see, though, is the "death" of [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ultra Magnus]] when his shuttle is blown up by [[Galvatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Galvatron]]. Tommy expresses discontent, citing that the Autobots are "too cool to die". Prime says he knows there's more to the story, but with his faulty memory chip, he can't access the details. Tommy insists they get his chip fixed and so they blast off into space to do just that.
{{-}}

===Day Three===
[[File:TommyKennedyTraumatized.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|I can't even see. How am I supposed to fight?]]
Tommy finishes the repairs on Prime's memory chip, much to Prime's relief. Tommy asks Prime to test it out by continuing his story about the battle against Unicron. Prime indulges Tommy's request...

Prime leaves off at the point where [[Kup (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Kup]] and Hot Rod are taken to the [[Sharkticon (species)|Sharkticon]] pits and watch as the survivors of [[Lithone (planet)|Lithone]] are executed. Tommy begs Prime to stop, claiming that the story thus far is too intense and depressing for him to handle. Prime asks if he wants to hear about how Kup and Hot Rod are fed to the Sharkticons, how the Autobots are menaced by "aliens made of junk" or how Ultra Magnus is blown to pieces by [[Galvatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Galvatron]]. Tommy suddenly changes his mind and demands to hear all the gory, macabre details. Prime sets Tommy back down in the barren wasteland and promises to return soon to transform his day into an adventure. He then blasts off into space.
{{-}}

===Day Four===
[[File:PrimeTommyStopMotion.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.1|If there's a bright center to the universe, you're on the planet it's farthest from.]]
Tommy and Optimus meet up once again in the barren wasteland. Tommy asks why Prime is so late for their appointment and Prime confesses that [[Grimlock (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Grimlock]] took a wrong turn on the way over. Prime wishes he hadn't let the [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobot]] fly the shuttle. Tommy asks if Prime has enough time to tell him more of the story and Prime assures him there's time enough...

Prime leaves off at the point where the Autobots team up with the [[Junkion (species)|Junkion]]s to battle Unicron. Tommy is incredulous, wondering what a bunch of aliens made of junk could possibly contribute to the battle against Unicron. Prime informs him that great adversities often bring out the best in people, citing Hot Rod as an example. Tommy begs to hear how the story ends, but Prime says that he must first take Grimlock to have his "brain circuits" upgraded. Setting Tommy down, Prime promises to be back soon to transform his day into an adventure. Then he blasts off into space.
{{-}}

===Day Five===
[[File:StanBushTheTouchMusicVideoRecordLabelNotes.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|He made a fair move. Screaming about it won't help you.]]
Meeting again in the barren wasteland, Optimus asks Tommy if he's ready to hear the end of the story. Contrary to all the enthusiasm Tommy has shown during past storytimes, the human child laments that he's forgotten most of the tale thus far (offering the flimsy excuse that his lack of an electronic brain makes remembering so many details impossible). Prime gives him "a quick rundown" (that takes ''four minutes'') and then proceeds to finish the epic yarn...

Prime finishes the story with the destruction of Unicron, the ascension of Rodimus Prime and the exile of the Decepticons. Prime asks Tommy if he's satisfied, but Tommy just has more questions. Like what was up with the [[Quintesson]]s? Did they drop Grimlock on his head when he was a kid? And how did they ever bring Prime back to life? Prime tells Tommy to slow down. He has to attend an interstellar peace conference, but until he returns, he leaves Tommy with... [[The Touch|THE TOUCH!!!]]
{{--}}

==Production timeline==
* First script outline by Ron Friedman: revisions from 15th August 1984 to 19th September 1984
* [[The Transformers: The Movie (first draft)|First draft script]] by Ron Friedman: submitted November 12th 1984. Revised February 13th 1985.
* Reference photos of Powered Convoy toy designated as Ultra Magnus, provided to Ron Friedman: Taken 18th March 1985
* Second script outline by Ron Friedman: revised 28th March 1985
* [[The Transformers: The Movie (second draft)|Second draft script]] by Ron Friedman: completed 27th April 1985. Revised 2nd May 1985
* Model sheets approved 14th June 1985: Cyclonus, Galvatron (Marvel model with revised head), Hot Rod, Kranix (the pre-final model, can be seen with Granix name on it), Quintesson Judge (colour approved on 18th November 1985 by J. Bacal), Rodimus Prime, Scourge/Sweep, Sharkticon, Unicron robot mode, Wheelie, Wreck-gar
* Model sheets approved 24th June 1985: Ultra Magnus robot mode(first Powered Convoy version)
* Model sheets approved 2nd July 1985: Ultra Magnus (Initial Toei design. Colour revised on 20th July 1985)
* Model sheets approved 19th July 1985: Arblus robot mode, Spike (final model), Ultra Magnus vehicle mode(first Powered Convoy version)
* Model sheets approved 29th July 1985: Quintesson Prosecutor (a.k.a Quintesson leader. Approved by J. Bacal on 18th December 1985)
* Model sheets approved 31st July 1985: Arblus spaceship mode
* Voice actor auditions for Wheelie: 4th September 1985
* Model sheets approved 6th September 1985: Rewind flip side of the cassette mode
* Dialogue recording (main sessions): 10th and 11th September 1985
* Model sheets approved 3rd October 1985: Rewind and Eject
* Model sheets approved 8th October 1985: Lithonian Scientist, Lithonian Woman no.1

* Storyboard sequence 1 (Attack on Lithone): Final 31st October 1985
* Storyboard sequence 2 (Title sequence): Final 31st December 1985
* Storyboard sequence 3 (2005): Final 31st October 1985
* Storyboard sequence 4 (More Than You Imagine): Final 31st October 1985. Revised Final 14th November 1985.
* Storyboard sequence 5 (Attack On The Shuttle): Final 31st October 1985
* Storyboard sequence 6 (Gone Fishin'/Dare): Final 4th November 1985. Revised Final 14th November 1985
* Storyboard sequence 7 (Battle Of Autobot City, part 1): Final 14th November 1985. Revised Final 25th November 1985
* Storyboard sequence 8 (Battle Of Autobot City, part 2): Final 31st October 1985. Revised Final 14th November 1985
* Storyboard sequence 9 (Death Of Optimus Prime): Final 7th December 1985
* Storyboard sequence 10 (Witness To A Funeral): Final 7th December 1985
* Storyboard sequence 11 (Contest For Leadership): Final 4th November 1985. Revised Final 13th November 1985
* Storyboard sequence 12 (Transformation): Final 11th November 1985. Revised Final 26th November 1985
* Storyboard sequence 13 (Coronation): Final 10th December 1985. Revised Final 18th December 1985
* Storyboard sequence 14 (Destruction Of Moonbase One): Final 10th December 1985. Revised Final 19th December 1985
* Storyboard sequence 15 (Escape): Final 16th December 1985. Revised Final 24th December 1985
* Storyboard sequence 16 (Pursuit): Final 12th December 1985. Revised Final 26th December 1985
* Storyboard sequence 17 (Nothin's Gonna Stand In Our Way): Final 11th November 1985. Revised Final 25th November 1985
* Storyboard sequence 18 (Arrival On Junk): Final 12th November 1985. Revised Final 25th November 1985
* Storyboard sequence 19 (Unwelcome Visitors): Final November 14th 1985. Revised Final 27th November 1985
* Storyboard sequence 20 (The Matrix Survives): Final 12th November 1985. Revised Final 25th November 1985
* Storyboard sequence 21 (An Unexpected Friend): Final 18th December 1985. Revised Final 26th December 1985
* Storyboard sequence 22 (Destruction Of Moonbase Two): Final 17th December 1985. Revised Final 26th December 1985
* Storyboard sequence 23 (Ambush): Final 11th December 1985
* Storyboard sequence 24 (Judgement/Rescue): Final 12th December 1985. Revised Final 26th December 1985
* Storyboard sequence 25 (Another Leader Dies): Final 9th December 1985. Revised Final 26th December 1985
* Storyboard sequence 26 (Unusual Allies): Final 19th December 1985. Revised Final 31st December 1985
* Storyboard sequence 27 (The Enemy Revealed): Final 12th December 1985. Revised Final 26th December 1985
* Storyboard sequence 28 (Confrontation): Final 19th November 1985. Revised Final 6th December 1985
* Storyboard sequence 29 (United Against The Enemy): Final 20th November 1985. Revised 4th December 1985. Revised Final 6th December 1985
* Storyboard sequence 30 (In The Belly Of The Monster): Final 20th November 1985. Revised 3rd December 1985. Revised Final 6th December 1985
* Storyboard sequence 31 (Their Darkest Hour): Final 2nd December 1985. Revised 19th December 1985. Revised Final 31st December 1985

==Animation errors==
[[File:TFTM Unicron Small.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|We’re doomed.]]
*When Unicron is approaching Lithone at the start of the movie, at the line "Look, it's Unicron!", a [[Animation error#Sizing errors|cel stacking error]] results in Unicron's ring appearing in front of a building arch, [[Distribution|making Unicron look very tiny]] in that shot. In the next shot, it is clear that Unicron is several times larger than the entire planet of Lithone.
*The inside of one of the Lithonian ships being devoured by Unicron is visible for a couple of frames. The pilot of the ship appears to be Kranix, even though he apparently screams out Kranix's name, and Kranix appears later in the Quintesson prison.
*When Optimus Prime asks Jazz to report security status, it shows both Jazz and Cliffjumper. Cliffjumper is seen twiddling knobs above the actual drawn computer, as if a section was supposed to be present.
*Coloring errors:
**When the closeup of Cliffjumper doing his countdown is shown, his shoulders are blue (like his windows) instead of red.
**Scavenger's head is white instead of black as he ducks from Prowl's shot aboard the shuttle.
**Blaster's forehead is red instead of white after his "look out and shout!" line, and again after he returns to [[robot mode]].
**In the big lineup of firing Decepticons in Autobot City, Soundwave's cheek guards are blue instead of white.
**When Blaster asks Perceptor "What's shakin'?", a Dirge-colored Seeker flies by the window. However, it appears to be the standard Starscream/Thundercracker/Skywarp design, instead of having Dirge's unique wings.
**As Devastator lays into the walls, Shrapnel is white where he should be black.
**Megatron's pelvis is white instead of black as he gives the "let the slaughter begin!" order.
**When the Dinobots jump out of Optimus Prime's Shuttle, the shuttle is colored like the first shuttle, which Megatron boarded, instead of red-highlighted scheme of Prime's shuttle.
**When Prime says "No matter the cost", the shuttle is painted completely orange, when the front should have red and white highlights.
**In the shot of Decepticons running in Autobot City prior to them being crashed through by Optimus, Ramjet can be seen sporting Dirge's wings, albeit in red just like Ramjet's. Or maybe this is Dirge incorrectly painted in Ramjet's colours. Who knows?
**When Prime drives up behind the Decepticons, Blitzwing's helmet is purple instead of yellow. Prime's trailer is missing its Autobot symbol as well.
**After Megatron asks, "Why throw away your life so recklessly?", Optimus' left hand is colored red instead of blue when he replies "That's a question you should ask yourself, Megatron".
**The gun Megatron uses to fatally injure Optimus is blue and white for most of the shots it is seen in, but when Megatron screams "Fall! FALL!" while shooting Prime again, it is black.
**Prime's antennae are white as he tries to stand after knocking Megatron off the ledge.
**Starscream's whole nosecone, rather than just the canopy, is yellow as he looms over the fallen Megatron.
**In the shot of the Decepticons jettisoning Thundercracker, Skywarp and the Insecticons from Astrotrain, Ramjet and Dirge have their colours swapped.
**As Starscream prepares to toss Megatron out the door, Soundwave's eyes are painted white like his mask rather than red. (Maybe he was sleeping, his excuse for not stopping Starscream)
**Starscream's cockpit shell nearest his head is colored like a canopy rather than gray, as he nominates himself for leadership. Man, even the A-list animation team couldn't keep this straight.
**The red stripes on Starscream's wings are noticeably absent during most of the Coronation scene.
**When dragging Arcee into the shuttle and two shots later when flying into space Magnus's Shuttle has Blue highlights instead of Red.
**After Springer runs past him, Perceptor's gun changes from red to white for a few frames.
**When Cyclonus is strafing what appears via editing to be Hot Rod's shuttle, it has red highlights instead of blue.
**When Hot Rod's ship is being watched by Galvatron trailing smoke it has red highlights instead of blue.
**In the shot after Magnus announces that he cannot deal with that now, his ship has blue highlights instead of red.
**Shrapnel's lower legs are white when he lands on Junk, instead of black. Must be a side effect of being dead.
**When Hot Rod tells the Junkions the universal greeting, the Autobot insignia on his chest is colored black.
**After transforming, Unicron has all-white hands (instead of white with gold knuckles) and a white, rectangular chin (instead of the double-triangular chin with a goatee) he has later.
**As the Autobots fly through space after exiting Unicron's eye, Rodimus is painted in Ultra Magnus' colors (inverted).
*When the Decepticons blow a hole through the Autobot shuttle to get in, it is a clean break. However, Megatron is still shown ripping through random ship components to get in.
*When the Decepticons are killing the Autobot shuttle crew, there is one of the common Starscream/Skywarp/Thundercracker miscolors. Megatron transforms into gun mode and Starscream catches him, killing Brawn. When they cut back to the Decepticons, Starscream moves back to avoid the Autobots' fire, and a ''second'' Starscream is in front of the Constructicons without Megatron and is firing one of his arm rifles (this was probably meant to be Skywarp, as he flies into the shuttle and takes a seat at the controls once the Autobots are defeated). When they cut back to the Decepticons for the third time, Starscream has Megatron again and is finishing off the rest of the Autobots. In the shot of Starscream firing his own lasers, his wings are red instead of gray.
*When Brawn is shot, it can be seen for one frame that he is initially hit in the top of his chest. As he falls, the wound has moved to the front rounded part of his chest. Additionally, the wound changes from black to red for one frame.
*Per his standard cartoon appearance, Ratchet should have a [[Red Cross]] symbol on each shoulder. When he turns in his seat as Brawn is shot down, we can see one on his right shoulder, but when he stands to return fire on the Decepticons, the right shoulder's cross has vanished, and he's only got one on his left shoulder. Then, when he falls, the cross is missing from ''both'' shoulders.
*When the Decepticons fly to the shuttle's controls:
**All of the Autobots have changed positions from when they fell—Brawn is now on his back, for example, while Prowl is now face-down.
**Ironhide's chest is completely intact, despite having a bunch of holes blown in it.
**Prowl, who turned gray as he fell (evidently dead before he even hit the floor) seems to be back in his normal colors.
*The reflections of Hot Rod and Daniel in the lake rarely line up with where they should be.
*When Hot Rod catches a fish, it is barely the size of his finger. When he releases it, it's [[Scale|suddenly huge]].
*Hot Rod has at least two totally different transformation schemes during the course of the film.
*When Hot Rod begins to shoot at the hijacked Autobot shuttle, the yellow light on his forehead is misaligned.
*When Kup and several Autobots at the roadblock react to Hot Rod's attack on the hijacked Autobot shuttle, Bluestreak is represented by Prowl's [[Character model|animation model]], in Bluestreak's gray and black colors.
*Hound and Sunstreaker appear in Kup's group at the foot of Lookout Mountain as they observe Hot Rod firing on Ironhide's shuttle. Sunstreaker later appears as Optimus Prime's co-pilot when they arrive on Earth with the Dinobots, and is seen disembarking the shuttle along with Optimus Prime and Hound.
**In the movie's storyboard, only Hound is shown present with Kup during the roadblock scene. Sunstreaker's only appearance in the storyboard is when he exits the shuttle, meaning that his presence during the roadblock scene is purely an animation addition. Hound being in both places ''is'', however, an error in both the movie and the storyboard—''unless'', Optimus Prime and the Dinobots picked up Hound and Sunstreaker from Lookout Mountain enroute to Autobot City? Now there's an idea for the old [[Personal canon|headcanon]]!
**In a deleted scene from the storyboard that would've shown Hot Rod and Kup meeting up with Ultra Magnus inside Autobot City, Sideswipe is shown running alongside Wheeljack in the background. However, Sideswipe is mistakenly referred to as "Sunstreaker" in the script (how ''[[Sideswipe (G1)#Notes|ironic]]''). Whether this mislabelling had any bearing over Sunstreaker being present with the roadblock crew is anyone's guess.
[[File:ShockwaveBattleAutobotcity.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|We've picked up a new group of signals... enemy fighters heading your way.]]
*In a wide aerial shot of the city under attack, a Reflector flies by in Ironhide's color scheme. Shockwave also makes his only appearance in the battle; considering both his role as Cybertron's guardian and his absence from any other scenes during the battle, his presence is probably an animation error. Rumble also flies past, despite being inside Soundwave at this point.
*When Shrapnel and Kickback are eating the door, Shrapnel only has one antenna.
*A laser blast that should be behind Blaster is instead layered in front of him as he acknowledges Perceptor's orders.
[[File:TFTMRumbleFrenzytwored.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|[[FIRRIB|What]] about that [[R2-D2|blue one]]? We'll take that one.]]
*When [[Soundwave (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Soundwave]] sends out his cassette troops, [[FIRRIB|Rumble is the same color as Frenzy]].
*Blaster first ejects what looks like Eject, who stays blue up until he gets to the edge of the screen. He then turns black like Rewind. Then Blaster ejects another blue cassette, which after about a second turns black. This one gets through half his transformation colored black, then turns blue for a split second then turns black again. Then, when the cassettes are fighting each other, Eject runs in from the left and jumps over Perceptor. And then he runs in from the left ''again'' to shoot Ravage.
*As Springer runs up to the launcher, Wheeljack's body is visible, but he's in the red, white and blue color scheme of Smokescreen - who, in the storyboards of this sequence, was intended to be the one lying there dead.
*While Springer and Arcee are trying to move the launcher into place, Springer's face is the same color as his helmet.
*During Devastator's combination sequence in Autobot City, his chest plate, portions of his pelvis, his forearms, and Bonecrusher's treads are all green. The chestplate and pelvis should be purple, as should Bonecrusher's treads (they're ''normally'' green when Bonecrusher is separate, but they turn purple when he combines), and his forearms should be black.
*For almost the entirety of his screen time during the battle in Autobot City, the "jet engine" on top of Devastator's chest plate is misinterpreted as a trapezoidal block. The only time it appears in its proper shape is when he high-kicks Grimlock. It appears as it should during the scuffle on Astrotrain.
*While Perceptor and Grapple are shooting, Swoop's lower half runs by in the foreground, long before the rest of him gets there.
*Prime's dramatic transformation sequence far outlasts the transformation sound that's supposed to go with it. It's also the wrong sound (ascending pitch) for his robot-to-vehicle transformation. His trailer is also missing the Autobot logo, which reappears for the rest of the scene.
*Prime is missing the transformation sound as he blasts back to robot mode.
**If one listens ''very'' closely, the back half of one of the faster transformation sounds can be heard as his trailer disconnects from his body.
*The gun Megatron fires uses the same sound effect as his fusion cannon.
*When Optimus Prime takes the Matrix out of his chest to give to Ultra Magnus, the animators forgot to remove the cel of the Matrix inside his chest, as it's still in there even as he's holding it in his hands. Since it's not supposed to be there, the luminous effect for the Matrix's core is missing from the duplicate in his chest, creating a visual trick that makes it look like Optimus might just have removed the core itself. (The [[Matrix of Leadership#Universe|''Universe'' comic]] would later use this error as a springboard to reconcile the visuals of Optimus's chest interior with their depiction in ''[[Beast Wars: Transformers (cartoon)|Beast Wars]]''.)
*When Ultra Magnus accepts the Matrix, he's seen inserting it into his chest twice, or at best readjusting its "fit".
*As the other Decepticons prepare to push him out, Bombshell's chest is rendered as a shapeless gray mass, rather than with its yellow canopy.
*The voice that says, "Brothers! Don't!" is nowhere close to the voices of any of the five Decepticons shown getting thrown out of Astrotrain.
*When Megatron says "Nobody summons Megatron" his chest emblem is colored gray like his chest. It looks like it should have been painted as a darker shade of purple, as it's the shadowed section. But was painted gray instead.
[[File:TFTMStarscreamCoronationErrors.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4| *''trumpet fanfare''*]]
*Even after the [[Battle of Autobot City]], characters who are supposedly dead continue to appear in crowd shots and battles. Shrapnel's role in the fight on [[Junkion (planet)|Junk]] is the most noticeable (and he was called for by name in the original script), but Thundercracker, Skywarp and Kickback can all be seen at Starscream's coronation. The two jets are later seen again, flying into Unicron's mouth.
*In the establishing shot of Starscream's coronation, there are only five Constructicons (Bonecrusher had better things to do tonight) and they are miscolored as purple and white rather than their usual purple and green color scheme.
*Hook has two eyes instead of his normal visor as he looks around in confusion during the trumpet scene.
*An early establishing shot clearly shows Cybertron with two and ''only'' two moons in low orbit. Yet a third moon is visible right after Unicron finishes eating the two Autobot bases.
*When Galvatron introduces himself to the Coronation party, Soundwave's chest window is drawn far too small.
*When Galvatron says "Decepticons, to Earth!", aside from his mouth being partially open, his mouth doesn't move. I guess being reformatted by Unicron gives you the ability to talk without moving your mouth?
*In the scene where Bumblebee and Spike are in the [[Autobot frigate]] and escaping Moonbase Two's destruction, when the two are cheering after believing that Unicron has been destroyed, Bumblebee's on the left side of Spike's seat. However, after Spike expresses his "colorful" reaction to Unicron remaining completely unscathed, and when the frigate is about to get sucked into Unicron, Bumblebee is on the right side of Spike's seat.
*When Cyclonus is strafing the Autobot shuttle in space, he briefly flies offscreen, and during that time his laser blasts come from a point that in no way matches his flight path.
*During the wide shot of the Autobots in the crashed ship on Junk, Blurr's entire head is white. Also so is Daniels head, which is drawn as an indistinct incomplete circle.
*Daniel's lips don't purse when he whistles.
*Wreck-Gar's mouth doesn't move at all during his first lines, despite the camera pushing in all close on his face.
*The pistol Ultra Magnus fires uses the same sound effect as Optimus Prime's rifle.
*During the Junkion chase scene, Trashbin attacks Arcee. When she fights him off his motorcycle, his model is switched for Junkyard's when he falls down. And his head then flickers between colors when mounting Junkyard.
*When Grimlock gets kissed, his eyes are round instead of triangular.(Probably intentional expression)
*As Hot Rod falls off one of Unicron's inner spikes, his lower body isn't drawn in. It looks like it should be blocked by our view of the spike, but is layered above it instead.
*Hot Rod's missing his Autobot symbol as he regains his footing inside Unicron.
*As the Dinobots fly around Unicron, both his eyes are intact. (The left one had at this point been shattered.)
*The third smelting victim (who looks a lot like another Bumblebee) doesn't fall from the conveyor belt; he simply vanishes.

== Continuity errors ==
[[File:G1TFTM Snarl cameo.JPG|thumb|upright=1.4|He used to bulls-eye womp-rats in his T16 back home.]]
[[File:TFTMPromovsmovieSnarl.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|Look, Jabba, even I get boarded sometimes.]]

*The Dinobot [[Snarl (G1)|Snarl]] is mysteriously absent from almost the entire movie, even though the Dinobots as a group are featured prominently. Copies of the script which have come into fans' hands repeatedly list the Dinobots, but never make mention of Snarl by name. In fact, at one point the script refers to "the four Dinobots". Despite this, Snarl does appear in three very brief shots—in which at least one other Dinobot (Swoop in one, Sludge in another) is entirely absent. Hmm.
** On the other hand, the original production ''storyboards'' for the scene where Snarl first appears in the movie only mentions "the Dinobots", not a specific amount of them. Additionally, Snarl also seems to have been in the scene with Kup telling the Dinobots a story in at least ''one'' version of the film; the Japanese trailer for the movie has finished footage of this scene...but it's very different from the one in the film; the Dinobots are all in their robot modes, and Snarl is present in the scene instead of Slag. It's completely unknown why Snarl's appearance in this scene was cut.
*Also curiously absent are the 1985 Autobot cars and Mini-Vehicles, such as Inferno, Smokescreen, Cosmos, Warpath, etc. It would seem that these characters were available at the time of the movie:
**Perceptor and Blaster both debuted at the same time in the cartoon as the 1985 cars, and both play prominent roles in the movie.
**Grapple is [[:File:BattleAutobotCity.jpg|seen ''very'' briefly]] during the battle for Autobot City. Or maybe it's [[Hauler]].
**The 1985 Decepticons (Astrotrain, Dirge, etc.) appear in the film.
**[[:File:TFTM-SideswipeRedAlertTracks.jpg|Tracks]], [[:File:TFTM-RedAlertDown.jpg|Red Alert]] (who was shot in the back by the Constructicons; his gun is the one Megatron uses against Optimus), and Smokescreen (who was supposed to be the corpse in place of Wheeljack next to Windcharger, Wheeljack instead surviving the battle and being part of a scrapped Earth-based subplot) all appeared in storyboards but not the finished film.
*Devastator is treated as ''the'' ultimate threat, while in the cartoon, his role (and apparent power) was already being [[Starscream's Brigade|severely diminished]], presumably because several other combiners had been introduced. In story terms, the absence of these newer combiners, not to mention the mighty Omega Supreme, is inexplicable. In real-life terms, those characters didn't exist when the film commenced production. (The ''[[Transformers: The Animated Movie]]'' adaptation shows Omega Supreme, Superion and Defensor guarding the Ark against an attack by Bruticus and Menasor, attempting to [[retcon]] the problem away.)
*Possibly the biggest example of the film's tonal shift from the cartoon, shots from firearms that would previously knock another character down at best have since become lethal, best demonstrated when Brawn and Prowl are each killed with a single shot by the Decepticons during the movie's first act.
[[File:Cyclonus armada tftf.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|We'll be safe enough once we make the jump into lightspeed.]]
*The existence of Cybertron's moons is contentious ''at best''.
**On the one hand, in numerous close and distant shots of the planet throughout the first two seasons, not a single moon was seen. Ever. Even after it got knocked out of Earth's orbit.
**On the other hand, Megatron ''does'' refer to Cybertron as "land of the metal moon" (note the singular) during "[[Microbots]]", suggesting otherwise. The fact that he was overenergized at the time and lost consciousness in mid-sentence - just before he ''might'' have specified a plural number of moons, (in)conveniently enough - makes it unclear just how much credence we should lend this statement.
**The movie promptly introduces two (possibly three) moons over the planet. In continuity terms, they must either have highly elliptical orbits with periapsides (points in their orbits that bring them closest to the planet) that just happened to coincide with the timeframe of the movie or they were constructed sometime after 1986.
*During the Battle of Autobot City, Starscream gets his leg caught. He shoots downward and gets away while screaming "My foot!", but it's his shin that's smoking while his foot looks fine. Later he kicks Megatron with the same foot. Shouldn't that hurt, according to him?
*So Ultra Magnus just happens to have a ready-made Matrix chamber installed in his chest cavity? Is this standard issue for all Autobots?
*The cartoon had already established that Astrotrain increases his size when he transforms to shuttle mode, being large enough to carry a pair of Decepticons in his cockpit. However, within the movie itself, his size is [[scale|noticeably inconsistent]]: When he leaves Autobot City, he's just large enough for the Decepticon army to cram themselves in; later, he's so huge that the Constructicons can quite comfortably form Devastator inside him. Perhaps he continued expanding when transforming from train to shuttle mode?
*Speaking of which, Astrotrain's entire body flips over when he transforms from train to space shuttle to escape from Autobot City. While ''we'' applaud the [[Show-accuracy|toy-accuracy]], the Decepticons inside probably didn't.
*The damage suffered by Skywarp, Thundercracker, and the Insecticons basically appears out of nowhere when it's time for them to be jettisoned. While Shrapnel and Kickback are shown taking a beating early on, they appear shiny and new later in the battle, as do the two Seekers.
*Soundwave is loyal enough to pick up a wounded Megatron and save him, but then votes "aye" to jettisoning the wounded Decepticons, and when Starscream goes to throw Megatron out, Soundwave doesn't try to intervene. He even tries to steal the leadership once Megatron is gone. The "loyalty" attribute that has pertained so strongly to Soundwave seems to be alienated from the character in this scene.
*The number of minions created by Unicron changes throughout the film, with more Sweeps appearing as the story progresses. A second Cyclonus ("Cyclonus, the warrior, and [[Cyclonus's Armada|his armada]]") is shown being created but disappears shortly thereafter. At least ''seven'' new characters are shown at one point, created from only ''six'' Decepticons thrown from the shuttle.
*How can the Constructicons blow on those trumpets? Only [[Hook (G1)|three]] [[Bonecrusher (G1)|of]] [[Mixmaster (G1)|them]] have mouths.
*Given his relative position, Starscream's single shot through the trumpets defies all geometry.
[[File:SSBQ.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|"I've been looking forward to this for a long time." "Yes, I bet you have."]]
*[[Galvatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Galvatron]] is capable of reducing [[Starscream (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Starscream]] to ashes with a single shot from his cannon mode. Though in later episodes Galvatron is shown blowing up even small ''[[Thrull|planets]]'' and being able to take down [[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]] with one shot from his cannon, his extraordinary killing power seems to be gone—like when he scores a direct hit in cannon mode on Ultra Magnus in "[[Five Faces of Darkness, Part 5]]" and Magnus isn't especially hurt at all, or how a similar blast against Scourge in "[[The Burden Hardest to Bear]]" only leaves the latter temporarily incapacitated. [[Marvel Comics]] bios explain this by suggesting that Galvatron had nearly limitless power through Unicron... but then again, Galvatron himself claims to be "more powerful than ever" after Unicron is dead in "[[Five Faces of Darkness, Part 2]]". [[To sell toys|Who knows.]]
*Why didn't the Autobots notice Unicron until he was within devouring distance of Cybertron's moons? Why doesn't Shockwave, who is ''on Cybertron,'' react until after Unicron has eaten these moons, transformed into a giant robot, and ''smashed his hand into the planet's surface?''
*Despite running out of energon goodies on Quintessa, Hot Rod has at least one to offer to the Junkions.
*How did Hot Rod and Kup know to fly from Quintessa to Junk?
[[File:TFTMStarscreamVsUnicron.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|Let me see your identification.]]
*When the Decepticons on Cybertron launch a counterattack on Unicron, all three of the first-year Seekers are seen fighting alongside the Coneheads. Given that all three were either explicitly killed earlier in the movie (Starscream) or have been turned into Galvatron's troops by this point (Thundercracker and Skywarp), they're obviously not supposed to be ''around'' in these forms anymore; of course, they could also just be [[generic]]s reusing their colors...but, as noted above, Thundercracker and Skywarp ''also'' appear at Starscream's coronation.
*Daniel, who was just learning how to use his exo-suit, had to knock down the acid cover inside Unicron to save his loved ones. Why couldn't the more experienced Spike do the same with his suit from above? He had both of his arms free and a clear shot at the cover.
*It's not clear how Rodimus Prime (carrying two humans) and the other Autobots survived their jump out of Unicron's eye and their plunge towards the surface of Cybertron.
*It's also unclear just how the dozen or so Autobots (and one shipload of Junkions) managed to retake the whole planet of Cybertron. Did Unicron really wipe out ''that'' many Decepticons?
* Unicron's invincibility is extremely inconsistent; Moments before becoming Galvatron, Megatron creates visible damage to Unicron's horns simply by attempting to hold into something. Later, he doesn't suffer even a dent when one of Cybertron's moons is detonated in his mouth. Near the end, the Dinobots are capable of punching their way through his "skin", and Rodimus Prime just casually throws Galvatron into space through Unicron's side. Even without the Matrix, the small group of Autobots did pretty well against him.

===Not necessarily errors===
*Fans have noted throughout the years that Astrotrain, in his flight through zero-gravity space, should not have needed to "jettison some weight" in the literal sense. However, since the ejected Decepticons quickly fall behind Astrotrain instead of floating alongside him, he must still have been accelerating and thus would have needed to burn a greater amount of fuel in order to push a larger payload. Perhaps he should have said "jettison some ''mass''", but then again, just being a spaceship doesn't make him a rocket scientist.
*Springer escapes from Unicron's eye by transforming into helicopter mode and flying through outer space, where there shouldn't be an atmosphere for his rotors to provide lift. Maybe Unicron was still within Cybertron's atmosphere?

==Continuity notes==
*''The Transformers: The Movie'' has had a huge effect in shaping the mythos. Among the elements and characters which would reappear in many other iterations of ''[[Transformers brand|Transformers]]'' are:
**The notion that [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] has moons.
**The [[Matrix of Leadership|Matrix]] as a physical object, rather than the computer program previously depicted in the [[Marvel Comics|Marvel]] [[The Transformers (Marvel comic)|comics]]. Even the Marvel comics would eventually shoehorn this one in.
**[[Autobot City (disambiguation)|Autobot City]].
**[[Unicron]].
**The notion of [[Megatron (disambiguation)|Megatron]] becoming [[Galvatron (disambiguation)|Galvatron]].
**The idea of "[[Prime (rank)|Prime]]" being a rank rather than simply a given name.
**[[The many deaths of Optimus Prime|And it killed off Optimus Prime before it was cool]]!
*Cybertron's appearance in the post-titles establishing shot shows some major changes to the planet since our last look at it in Season 2. Many of the same buildings from the cartoon's stock image of the planet are there, but the giant pit near the planet's equator is mostly covered over, and the shredded portion of its southern hemisphere has been completely rebuilt.
*Gadgets and powers:
**Springer deploys a small flip-out twin laser from his wrist during the Autobot City battle.
**Arcee and Hot Rod both activate a long-distance scanner of some sort by lowering a red visor from under their helmets over their eyes.
**Megatron uses an "[[Lightsaber|Energy Dagger]]"<ref>[https://twitter.com/walruslaw/status/1204860124898181123 Reference sheets for various weapons used or planned for use in ''The Transformers: The Movie''] - TFRaw.com on Twitter</ref> during his one-on-one battle with Optimus Prime.
**Hot Rod uses a saw blade that extends from his retracted wrist.
**Blurr has the same kind of hooked welding tip used by various Autobots as far back as "[[More than Meets the Eye, Part 2]]".
**Arcee unleashes a nasty barbed post from her fender to fend off a Junkion.
**Grimlock shows the never-before seen ability to [[GoBots|shoot lasers from his fists]].
*'''[[The Revenge of Bruticus|< <]]''' What makes Starscream the leader? Megatron's <s>dead</s> almost dead!

==Real-world references and Easter eggs==
[[File:TFTMUnicronSkyscrapers.jpg|thumb|I felt a great disturbance in the Force, as if millions of voices suddenly cried out in terror and were suddenly silenced.]]
*When the inside of Unicron is shown after he devours Lithone, the "blinking energy" effect of Unicron's innards shows, for a split second, what appear to be several images of post-apocalyptic buildings. These images look to be recycled background paintings from ''{{w|Fist of the North Star (1986 film)|Fist of the North Star}}'', a film [[Toei Animation|Toei]] had animated the same year. Regardless of animation efficiency/corner-cutting, the flashing images of ruined civilizations are eerily appropriate for Unicron.
[[File:TFTM Sludge Devastator.jpg|thumb|Your eyes can deceive you. Don't trust them.]]
*When Sludge gets haymakered by Devastator, his eyes pop out of their sockets in ''{{w|Looney Tunes}}'' fashion.
*Kup's storytelling sequence aboard the shuttle is drawn from the novel ''{{w|Of Mice and Men}}'', complete with Grimlock in the Lenny role asking Kup to "tell Grimlock about petrorabbits again".
*The Junkions speak almost entirely in pop culture quotes and pastiches. Littered among the generic phrases like "operators are standing by!", "Film at eleven" and "eliminate even the toughest stains" are more specific references, such as:
**"Don't look behind door #2, Monty!" - a reference to the game show ''[[Let's Make a Deal]]'' and its host, [[Monty]] Hall.
**"Ger-ronny-doo-ron-ron-ronny-mo!" - both the famous "{{w|Geronimo (exclamation)|Geronimo!}}" war cry, and the 1963 hit "{{w|Da Doo Ron Ron}}".
**"You check in, but you don't check out" - a parody of the tagline for {{w|Roach Motel (insect trap)|Roach Motel}} insect traps.
**"Breep, drit, aw rootie!" - part of {{w|Tutti Frutti (song)|"Tutti Frutti, aw rooty!"}}, from the 1955 song.
**"Happy motoring!" - the slogan of gas company [[Esso]].
**"Kill the Grand Poobah!" - a {{w|Grand Poobah|satirical term}} originating from {{w|Gilbert and Sullivan}}'s ''{{w|The Mikado}}'', likely referencing its use as the title of leaders of pseudo-Masonic lodges in ''{{w|The Flintstones}}'' and ''{{w|Happy Days}}''.
[[File:Tftm rosencrantz-and-guildenstern.jpg|thumb|Easy? You call that ''easy!?'']]
*The Quintesson jail cell includes robot debris ''strongly'' resembling [[:File:Tftm rosencrantz-and-guildenstern.jpg#parts|several mobile suits]] from 1985 Japanese animation ''{{w|Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam}}''.
*''[[Star Wars (film)|Star Wars]]'' sound effects (yes, even the high-budget Movie uses them):
**The ''[[Millennium Falcon]]'' engine burst noise is used extensively throughout the film, over and over and over, almost any time a Decepticon takes flight.

**[[Luke Skywalker]]'s deactivating [[lightsaber]] is used as the sound of the Quintesson ship's ramp extending.
**Clashing lightsabers are used as Unicron fires eye-blasts at the attacking Transformers.

**An igniting lightsaber is used as Rodimus opens the Matrix.
**An AT-AT foot stomp sound is heard as the Autobot shuttle crash lands on Junk.
**The whir of an AT-AT's leg hydraulics can be heard part way through Unicron's transformation.
*The ''[[Star Trek]]'' sliding door sound is used as Wreck-Gar pulls out his <s>iPhone</s> mini-TV.
*The sound used for the communicators on ''Star Trek'' is used when Daniel activates his blaster to save Spike.

==Adaptations==
*[[Transformers: The Movie (Marvel comic)|A comic adaptation of the movie]] was published by [[Marvel Comics]] in 1986, concurrently with the movie's theater run. It was based off a non-finalized version of the script, and differs in many details from the final film. Additionally, most of the major character models (and possibly their unedited original character write-ups) appear in issue #4 of the ''[[The Transformers Universe|Transformers Universe]]'' series.
*[[Transformers the Movie (Ladybird adaptation)|A storybook adaptation]] was released in the UK by [[Ladybird Books]].
*A four-part adaptation was released in 2006/2007 by [[IDW Publishing]], as part of the film's 20th anniversary celebration. It was titled ''[[Transformers: The Animated Movie]]'' to differentiate it from the [[Michael Bay]] [[Transformers (film)|live-action film]]. Unlike its predecessor, it adheres rigidly to the script and plot of the finished movie.

==Soundtrack==
{{main|The Transformers: The Movie - Original Motion Picture Soundtrack}}

==Promotions==
*Early in the movie's production, a [[The Transformers: The Movie promo|promotional trailer]] was made to sell the project to potential investors.
*The movie was advertised on related 1986 toy packages via the [[Decipher the Decepticon]] Sweepstakes, which included a pack-in poster and contest.
*The movie was heavily advertised directly by TV [[commercial]]s, and tail-end segments on Transformer toy ads. Portions of its story were also retold in altered fashion by animation segments of commercials for the movie character toys, such as a spot showing Springer doing battle with Wreck-Gar.
*[[Ziploc]] sandwich bags featuring an iron-on patch in boxed to advertise the movie. Each box contained one of eight potential characters.

==In the comic continuity==
The [[The Transformers (Marvel comic)|Marvel UK comic]] made extensive use of the Movie as the basis for a series of stories involving the Transformers in the future. However, there are several differences between the events seen on screen and those referenced in the comic:

*The comic always dates the movie to [[2006]], following the date given in a treatment that was all [[Simon Furman]] had when he wrote "[[Target: 2006]]".
*In "Target: 2006", [[Cyclonus (G1)|Cyclonus]] states that he was previously "[[Life Spark]]".
*The Matrix is always called the "Creation Matrix" in the comic, a name that predates the "Matrix of Leadership" but which is now used for the same physical object.
*[[Brawn (G1)|Brawn]] and [[Wheeljack (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Wheeljack]] both survive the events, both later appearing in "[[Space Pirates!]]" (set in [[2008]]).

In addition, [[Shockwave (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Shockwave]] definitely survives the attack by Unicron.

The US comic almost completely ignored the events of the Movie, though later in the run an alternative future is briefly shown in "[[Rhythms of Darkness!]]" and "[[A Savage Circle]]". In this timeline at least some of the events of the Movie took place such as the creation of [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]] from [[Megatron (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Megatron]], which is dated to 2005, though [[Prowl (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Prowl]]'s death was overlooked. [[Prowl (TM2)|Wouldn't be the first time. Or the last.]]
*The US version of the future story "[[The Big Broadcast of 2006 (issue)|The Big Broadcast of 2006]]" implicitly has the events of the movie as part of its backstory. However, since the rest of the US series ignored the movie, this issue's place in the continuity is questionable.

==Edits==
Several English-language versions of the film exist, with the following differences in content from the American theatrical run:

*In some versions (notably the European version) the opening credits are replaced with a scrolling text ("''Star Wars'' style") which provides backstory.
*In some versions (notably the European version) the film ends with [[Victor Caroli|a narrator]] reassuring the audience that Optimus Prime will return.
*Instances of swearing in the film (there are two) were edited out; sometimes one, sometimes both. Those instances are: Spike yelling, "Oh shit, what are we gonna do now?" after the self-destructing Moon Base 2 fails to scratch Unicron, and Ultra Magnus growling, "Open, damn it, open!" while trying to open the Matrix to fend off Galvatron and the Sweeps on Junkion. The United Kingdom cinema version had the swearing included but, when it was released on VHS in the United Kingdom, Spike's line was cut ("damn" not being considered especially offensive in the UK). However it has been restored on all United Kingdom DVD releases.
*In some early FHE video releases, the shot of the Matrix falling out of Optimus Prime's hand and being caught by Hot Rod is edited so that it appears that Ultra Magnus simply takes the Matrix from Prime. Why this was done is not known, and the replay of the Hot Rod catch on Unicron's monitors was left intact.
*The original FHE video release of the film painted out all instances of Megatron's green-colored "bleeding" from the end of the battle of Autobot City up to his meeting with Unicron.
*Instead of DEG, the {{w|Rank Organisation|Rank Film}} "{{w|Gongman}}" appears before the British release of the film, as Rank were the United Kingdom distributors. Ironically, the DEG logo at the beginning uses the "Gongman" sounds, rather than its own fanfare, possibly due to a plastering mistake.

None of these edits significantly affect the story. They should not be confused with various other sequences which were changed before the film's final release:

*Originally, Ultra Magnus's "death sequence" on Junkion called for him to be lassoed and drawn and quartered by the Sweeps' energy beams, but this was deemed too graphic for audiences, hence the less disturbing "shot to death" sequence seen instead. There is evidence that the original sequence had been fully animated when the decision was made, however; the Sweeps still kept their solid energy lassos when they fire upon Magnus, and Magnus is seen visibly straining against what appears to be said lassos (edited out and replaced with laser fire) before exploding. This also explains why the Junkions only have to put his limbs back on to repair him.
*A number of other sequences were illustrated as [[storyboard]]s but dropped, presumably without ever being animated. Among them were:
**A short scene showing Ironhide piloting the Autobot shuttle through ''huge chunks of ice'' from the tail of a passing comet, explaining how the Decepticons caught them unawares. In response to a reprimand by Prowl who prickishly disapproves of Ironhide's piloting shenanigans, Ironhide exclaims, "I can sure as shootin' dodge a couple of ice chunks". When the Autobots are suddenly jolted by the Decepticon strike force as Megatron and his troops attempt to enter the shuttle, Ironhide tells the others on board, "That was no ice chunk...". Heroic nonsense ensues...
**An extended sequence with Hot Rod and Daniel outside the city.
**A sequence of Mirage blasting Bombshell and being fired on by Megatron.
**The Autobots finally bringing down Devastator with a barrage of missiles (and the Constructicons subsequently shooting Red Alert in the back).
**The Decepticons dogpiling Optimus Prime, explaining why he seems to be standing up just before his fight with Megatron, and no longer holding his rifle. According to storyboards, Prime gets bum-rushed by Blitzwing (who causes Prime to drop his gun), Starscream, Astrotrain, and Skywarp. While it is not clear how Prime defeated the first four hand-to-hand combatants, Dirge is later shown attempting one final sneak attack (and gets his can handed back to him) as Prime is talking to Megatron before the two leaders' final fight.
**Trailbreaker is shown dead among the wreckage of Autobot City as the Decepticons begin their retreat.
:Some of these concepts were in earlier versions of the script, and hence made it into the comic adaptation.
*Rumors have occasionally circulated in the fandom of additional animated footage that was dropped from the film, such as ultra-violent battle scenes.<ref>https://groups.google.com/g/alt.toys.transformers/c/B0ZMv7tdDMk?hl=en#8aee0b30765b2b4a</ref> No evidence has ever surfaced to back these claims; the only known edits of any storyline or character importance are those listed in this section.
:{{see|Misconceptions and urban legends about Transformers#The Transformers: The Movie|Urban legends about ''The Transformers: The Movie''}}

==Reception and box office==
{{quote|''The Transformers'', in which Orson Welles plays a planet, is pure headache material. Target audience of cartoon-watchers also will probably find the film unintelligible, noisy and unoriginal. Boxoffice prospects are dismal.|2=[http://books.google.com/books?id=DHNZAAAAMAAJ&q=Hasbro+Transformers&dq=Hasbro+Transformers&lr=&as_drrb_is=b&as_minm_is=1&as_miny_is=1983&as_maxm_is=12&as_maxy_is=2005&num=50&as_brr=0&cd=69 Variety's Film Reviews 1985-1986, Volume 19]}}

{{quote|Obnoxious animated feature about the title good guys, who defend the universe against an evil planet (which has a voice of its own... provided by Orson Welles.) That deafening rock score certainly doesn't help. Little more than a feature-length toy commercial.|Leonard Maltin, ''1987 Movie & Video Guide''}}

{{quote|While all this action may captivate young children, the animation is not spectacular enough to dazzle adults, and the Transformers have few truly human elements to lure parents along, even when their voices are supplied by well-known actors. |2=[http://www.nytimes.com/1986/08/09/movies/screen-transformers-animation-for-children.html The New York Times]}}

{{quote|Transformers -- The Movie, a feature-length animated film inspired by the syndicated TV cartoon series inspired by the Hasbro toy imported from Japan, is utterly uninspired entertainment. |2=[http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=DM&p_theme=dm&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0ED3CE8EA8D40CCA&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM The Dallas Morning News]}}

{{quote|If you can swallow, without gagging, a large measure of sentimental and offensive religiosity - lines like "Do not grieve. Soon I will be one with the Matrix," whispered by a failing hunk of Autobot metal - then you have a better than even chance of leaving the theatre on your own two feet. |2=[http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=01kiAAAAIBAJ&sjid=W6gFAAAAIBAJ&pg=2445,1286000&dq=transformers&hl=en The Montreal Gazette]}}

{{quote|Everything is poorly drawn and - when it's in focus - one dimensional. It is terribly hard to separate the robots from the backgrounds, and there is no easy way to tell the good guys from the bad guys. In an earlier movie based on the same sort of robot toys - "Go-Bots: The Battle of the Rock Lords" - the good guys were either white or colorful and the bad guys were dreary, and they had distinct personalities. Not this movie; everyone looks and sounds alike, except one pink robot who is a female good guy. Her tin voluptuousness makes her stand out. |2=[http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=kw4wAAAAIBAJ&sjid=OgMEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6957,6334152&dq=transformers&hl=en The Toledo Blade]}}

{{quote|Even with an all-star cast doing the voice overs... and a rock music score, this is still nothing more than a ripoff of a successful toy line. |2=[http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=AYckAAAAIBAJ&sjid=dtsFAAAAIBAJ&pg=4192,1494652&dq=transformers&hl=en The Palm Beach Post]}}

{{quote|The great animated villains, like the Wicked Queen in Disney's "Snow White," had motivations as compelling as any live-action character. Unicron apparently destroys entire worlds because it has nothing else to do. |2=[http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/access/57996397.html?dids=57996397:57996397&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Aug+8%2C+1986&author=CHARLES+SOLOMON&pub=Los+Angeles+Times+(pre-1997+Fulltext)&edition=&startpage=8&desc=%60THE+TRANSFORMERS%27%3A+STRETCHING+A+POINT The LA Times]}}

{{quote|A surprisingly dark, emotional, and almost excessively cynical experience for Transformers fans.|2=[http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/transformers_the_the_movie/ Rotten Tomatoes]}}

''The Transformers: The Movie'' was almost universally panned by professional critics upon its release.

Well-known film critic and animation enthusiast, Leonard Maltin, gave it a rating below 1 1/2 stars in his ''1987 Movie & Video Guide'', regarding it as a "bomb", then proceeded to write an unflattering blurb denouncing the film as a "feature-length toy commercial".

Caryn James of the ''New York Times'' admitted in the [[August 9]], 1986, edition of the paper that the film was intended for young children, pointing out that the kids in the audience were having a grand ole time with the ''Transformer'' toys and comics they brought with them to the theater, but derided the film as having little to no appeal to adults.

''Variety's Film Reviews 1985-1986, Volume 19 '' was far less even-handed in their review, claiming the film had no appeal to adults ''or'' children. They predicted the film would perform poorly in the box office (and were correct, in that regard).

Carrie Rickey of the ''Dallas Morning News'' chided the film in the [[August 13]], 1986, issue of the paper, describing it as "essentially a cartoon ''Star Wars'' about robots from a toybox galaxy far, far away". She then went on to say that the film "never takes off" and derided it as "uninspired".

Janice Kennedy of the ''Montreal Gazette'' verbally disemboweled the film in the [[August 23]], 1986, edition of the paper, criticizing it as overly commercial, profane, loud, violent, humorless, heavy-handed in its religious messages and chaulk-full of gratuitous celebrity voice-overs. Her only compliment: "But ''The Transformers: The Movie'' does have at least one good thing going for it, a howlingly appropriate song by [["Weird Al" Yankovic]]. It's title? ''Dare to be Stupid''." ''Ouch''.

Nanciann Cherry in the August 13, 1986, edition of the ''Toledo Blade'' claimed the robots in the movie had little personality and faded into the background. She even went on to say that ''[[GoBots]]: {{gb|GoBots: Battle of the Rock Lords|Battle of the Rock Lords}}'' was a superior film! Her review was filled with inaccuracies, however, citing characters such as "Unicon" and claiming that the destruction of Cybertron's moons by "Unicon" is what caused the Autobots to travel to Autobot City, at which point Megatron attacked. To be fair, she readily admits, "About 20 minutes into the film, I gave up on the plot and tried to count all the ideas that were stolen from other sources. Now that kept me busy." So she wasn't really paying attention, anyway.

Kathryn Buxton in the [[August 22]], 1986, edition of the ''Palm Beach Post'' gave the film a whopping ''one'' star, calling it "a ripoff of a successful toyline", whatever ''that'' means. In the same article, she also gave David Cronenberg's ''[[Fly|The Fly]]'' one star, just for reference.

In the August 8, 1986, edition of the ''LA Times'', critic Charles Solomon made clear his dislike for the film centered primarily on the fact that none of the characters had interesting or believable motivation. He stated, "Not even the best actor can create a character out of nothing. Not one of the robots has a reason for doing what he does." Solomon then pointed to Unicron specifically as an example of the lack of deep, multi-dimensional motivations in the characters.

Over time, however, the movie has acquired something of a cult following beyond the core base of [[fandom|Transformers fans]], particularly among children of the '80s. It is sometimes screened as a midnight movie at colleges. Online, it is not hard to find amateur reviews lauding everything about it as utterly awesome, from the premise to the soundtrack, and dismissing more critical views out of hand. ''The Transformers: The Movie'' currently holds a 62% "fresh" rating based on 25 professional reviews at online review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes.<ref>http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/transformers_the_the_movie/</ref> In response to the film's cult following, several reviewers have compared the film in a favourable light to the [[Live-action film series|live-action film]]s (prior to the unprecedented critical success of ''[[Bumblebee (film)|Bumblebee]]''), stating that they lack the heart or nostalgia of the '86 movie.<ref>https://www.inverse.com/article/7309-6-enduring-legacies-of-1986-s-animated-the-transformers-the-movie</ref><ref>https://slate.com/culture/2007/07/transformers-why-the-original-animated-movie-is-still-the-best.html</ref><ref>https://www.cinemablend.com/new/Sorry-Michael-Bay-Why-1986-Transformers-Movie-Best-43582.html</ref>

===Box office===
An [[August 30]]th, 1987 ''Los Angeles Times'' article on the decline and fall of the DeLaurentiis Entertainment Group listed ''The Transformers: The Movie'' as grossing $2.6 million in the United States on a $5 million budget.<ref>https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1987-08-30-fi-5144-story.html</ref> Both it and ''My Little Pony: The Movie'' (which earned $2.8 million on a $5.5 million budget per that same article) were financial failures, together losing Hasbro about $10 million in an otherwise profitable year.<ref>{{citesocial|quote=... we just accidentally found the budget for The Transformers: The Movie while skimming a book about My Little Pony. Thanks, @sherilyn! https://t.co/epw3GW83lE|link=https://twitter.com/tfwiki/status/895169922678042625|name=TFWiki|site=Twitter|year=2017|month=08|day=09|(defunct=)}}</ref>

Confusingly, in comparison to the ''Los Angeles Times'' article, modern box office tracking sites<ref>http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=transformers.htm</ref><ref>http://www.the-numbers.com/movies/1986/0TRTM.php</ref> list ''The Transformers: The Movie'' as having made $5,849,647 in domestic (e.g., United States) theaters. Comparing this with the other online box office takes from animated films of 1986, the results are not particularly charitable; while it did better financially than ''{{gb|GoBots: Battle of the Rock Lords}}''<ref>http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=gobots.htm</ref> ($1,338,264) and ''Heathcliff: The Movie''<ref>http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=heathcliff.htm</ref> ($2,610,686), it performed worse than the 1986 ''[[My Little Pony]]'' movie<ref>http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=mylittlepony.htm</ref> ($5,958,456) and the '''second''' ''Care Bears'' movie<ref>http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=carebearsmovie2.htm</ref> ($8,540,346). Bringing up ''The Great Mouse Detective''<ref>http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=greatmousedetective.htm</ref> ($25,336,794) and ''An American Tail''<ref>http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=americantail.htm</ref> ($47,483,002) would really just be overkill.

==Significance in Transfandom==
''The Transformers: The Movie'' remains one of the most important elements of the entire Transformers brand, both within the fiction and from the perspective of the brand's popularity and "mindshare".

Fictionally, it established several story concepts that have been used repeatedly in the years since 1986, some of which—such as Unicron and the Matrix—are now central to the entire Transformers mythos. The movie is also the centerpiece of the most well-known Transformers continuity: the Generation 1 animated universe. The ''Transformers'' cartoon is split into "pre-movie" and "post-movie" sections which feature different characters and settings, and even somewhat different visual styles. (Most pre-movie episodes were animated by the studio [[Toei Animation|Toei]], while most post-movie episodes were animated by [[AKOM]].)

On a practical note, it was widely available on videotape, and remained so long after the ''The Transformers'' cartoon had gone off the air. Only a [[Family Home Entertainment|handful of series episodes]] were available on video, making ''The Transformers: The Movie'' the logical choice for someone looking to pick up a ''Transformers'' cartoon; this made it far more well known among fans than any particular cartoon episode.

To an entire generation of young fans, the movie was the most visually spectacular and narratively epic ''Transformers'' experience of their entire youth. Events such as the death of Optimus Prime are widely reported to have reduced many kids to tears. It is hardly a surprise that these emotional experiences embedded themselves deeply in many fans' memories.

Latter-day ''Transformers'' stories have made uncountable references (though [[The Transformers: The Movie/references|we're trying]]) to the movie, lifting or borrowing elements of its [[Minus One|dialogue]], [[The Transformers: Autocracy|fight sequences]], [[A Flash Forward|subplots]], [[Heavy Is the Head|details]], [[Less Than Zero|settings]] and more, as writers have discovered that a shout-out to the movie is a quick and easy way to win cheers from [[GEEWUN|some segments]] of [[Fandom|their audience]]. Even Hasbro and Takara themselves have gotten in on the act, producing a variety of toys based on the minutia of the film: [[Starscream (Armada)#Cybertron|Starscream's crown]], [[Galvatron (G1)/toys#United|Galvatron's creation]], the awakening of [[Hot Rod (G1)/toys#Masterpiece|Rodimus Prime]], and more. The fandom, for their part, pores over new ''Transformers'' fiction, often latching on to even the most tangential of details as a [[The Search for Alpha Trion#Quotes|"reference"]] to the movie, [[The Burden Hardest to Bear|coincidental or not]]. Call-outs, real or perceived, were once a rare treat - but now are so common that many fans are more likely to groan than cheer whenever some version of Optimus Prime declares that "[[One Shall Fall|One shall stand...]]" or a damaged character states that "[[Unfinished|I still function]]" or a vengeful blast is preceded by "[[The Illusion of Control|Here's a hint]]" or yet another Soundwave says yet another variation of "[[Human Error, Part II|Soundwave superior]]", or... well... this:

<center><gallery>
File:Transformersanimatedfilmposter.jpg|'86
File:TFTM1.jpg|'86 again
File:Botcon2000-movieposter.jpg|2000
File:TFvol1 31cvrRI.jpg|2010
File:Timelines10 diamonded.jpg|2014
File:Echoes and Fragments cover.jpg|2016
File:LL1 Riptcvr.jpg|2018
</gallery></center>

In 2016, thirty years after the release of the film, [[Optimus Prime (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Optimus Prime]] gave us perhaps one of the most meta comeback lines in franchise history. When [[Galvatron (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Galvatron]] declares that "Today — one shall stand, and two shall fall!", Optimus simply punches him in the face with a flat "No cliches, Galvatron", voicing once and for all just how sick we've gotten of '86 quotes. {{storylink|All Hail Optimus Part 6: No Fair Fights|No Fair Fights}}

{{quote|...wait, I only just noticed something. Did they actually manage to go the entire episode without quoting the 86 movie?|[http://www.allspark.com/forums/topic/94625-episode-65-beast-hunters-episode-13/page-4#entry2360303 Allspark poster Unit Eleven]}}

==Criticisms==
[[File:TFTM Ratchet dies.jpg|left|thumb|Only [[Stormtrooper (SW)|Imperial Stormtroopers]] are so precise.]]
All this is not all to say that the movie is a "masterpiece", exactly. The film met with extremely harsh critical reviews on its release, and some of those criticisms still ring true today.

The film displays an arguably cynical attitude towards itself as [[To sell toys|a vehicle for advertising toys]], especially in the way [[The Transformers (cartoon)/cast|beloved characters]] are killed—sometimes gratuitously—for sake of justifying the story's focus on a new group of toys. (Note that with the exception of Laserbeak and possibly Buzzsaw, the poster at the top of this article features ''only'' new characters.)

Further, the two primary plot devices—[[Unicron/Generation 1|Unicron]] and the [[Matrix of Leadership|Matrix]]—have no prior establishment in the fiction. Unicron is given no backstory ([[Call of the Primitives|until season 3]]) or justification; he simply exists, is very dangerous, and is afraid of the Matrix, all for no adequately explained reason. The introduction of the Matrix itself is a heavy [[retcon]]. The story asks the audience to accept that this cosmically powerful artifact has been in Optimus Prime's possession all along (even though Prime's open-chested repair scene in "[[Divide and Conquer]]" and his X-ray scene in "[[A Prime Problem]]" show absolutely no signs of said Matrix), but has somehow never been relevant before. In fact, this lack of prior establishment is what led [[Simon Furman]] to develop the divinity backstory of Unicron and [[Primus]] in the UK comics run.

[[File:Megatronlightsaber.jpg|thumb|Your powers are weak, old man!]]
The movie bears many similarities to ''[[Star Wars (film)|Star Wars]]'': There are several character-parallels ([[Springer (G1)|Springer]] is a [[Han Solo]]-type and [[Arcee (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Arcee]] even has Princess Leia's hairdo!), the primary threat is similar (it's the [[Death Star]]... [[Unicron/Generation 1|but it transforms!]]), and both feature a climactic battle where the [[Hot Rod (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|young hero]] hears the voice of his [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|dead, wise mentor]] one last time before saving the day.

To be a bit more fair to ''The Transformers: The Movie'', however, most of these similarities are either superficial (Arcee's Leia-hair; Megatron's "lightsaber" he briefly uses in his duel against Optimus Prime) or can be seen as elements common to thousands of years' worth of epic storytelling through human history, not just common to ''Star Wars''. As a simple example, the phenomenon of two charismatic leaders dealing each other mortal injuries in battle hearkens back to some versions of the "[[King Arthur]]" myth; in their final battle, [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Arthur]] and his arch-enemy [[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Sir Mordred]] deal one another lethal injuries and both apparently expire—though Arthur according to the legend will [[The Return of Optimus Prime, Part 1|return]] when [[Cybertron (planet)|England]]'s need [[Darkest hour|is greatest]].
{{--}}

==Formatting==
[[File:Tftm widescreenesque.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|The "widescreen" picture (left) actually ''cuts off'' the top and bottom of the fullscreen picture (right). Your eyes can deceive you; don't trust them.]]
[[File:Movie86 storyboard butprime.jpg|right|300px|thumb|The movie's [[storyboard|storyboards]] used dotted guidelines to show where the eventual 4:3 animation would be matted to widescreen.]]
Although it was billed in some advertisements before its theatrical release as being "widescreen", the movie was in fact animated in a 4:3 (fullscreen) aspect ratio. For its theatrical screenings, the film was matted down in the projector by the projectionist to a 16:9 aspect ratio (widescreen), chopping the top and bottom off the picture, but all video transfers of the movie were done without mattes, meaning that there was actually more picture visible in the fullscreen video and DVD releases than there would have been in theaters. Across 2006 and 2007, new editions of the DVD of the film were released by Sony BMG and [[Metrodome]] which applied the mattes in order to replicate the original theatrical presentation of the film for the first time in home entertainment. Some fans, however, didn't realize that the film wasn't actually ''animated'' in widescreen, and, hearing that the DVD was to be in widescreen, expected to see the fullscreen image with additional footage at the sides, causing them to complain that the top and bottom were cut off, thereby totally missing the point.
{{--}}

==International versions==
{{main|The Transformers: The Movie/dubs}}

==Commercial releases==
[[File:TFTM LaserDisc cover.jpg|thumb|The cover image from the original Japanese home media release of the movie.]]
*The movie was originally released in North America on VHS and Beta on [[September 17]], 1987<ref>http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1964&dat=19870911&id=YhAuAAAAIBAJ&sjid=Ls8FAAAAIBAJ&pg=3198,2881581</ref> by [[Family Home Entertainment]], minus Spike's swear. Just days before, on [[September 14]], 1987<ref>https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0003579/19870910/016/0016</ref>, it was released in the UK by [[Video Gems]]. This version featured the opening text crawl and closing narration inherent to the UK version of the film. In Australia, the film was released on video by RCA/Columbia Pictures/Hoyts. In Japan, [[Sohbi Kikaku|Hill Crane]] released a {{w|LaserDisc}} version alongside a VHS copy, both sporting a gorgeous painted cover that decorated many a fan's desktop back in the day.
*The movie was released spottily in the '90s, beginning with a budget VHS by Avid Home Entertainment in 1991. [[Malofilm]] released a VHS in Canada in 1995, notable for being the first home entertainment version to include Spike's swear. In 1998, Japanese company Pioneer produced another pair of LaserDisc and VHS releases. In 1999, things kicked off when American company [[Rhino Entertainment|Kid Rhino]] secured the Transformers license and released the film on VHS once again.
*The 21st century's flirtation with ''The Transformers: The Movie'' started with a UK budget VHS release of that country's version by [[Sony|Sony Wonder]], distributed by [[Maverick Entertainment]]. A Japanese company called CatCo followed this up with a VideoCD, and Malofilm—now Seville—were the first to release a DVD version of the film, though it was just a dump of their VHS version.
*In November 2000, ''The Transformers: The Movie'' got its first, full professional DVD release from Kid Rhino. This edition, labelled a "Special Collector's Edition", is the first to feature remastered video and audio, and several special features, including storyboards and an interview with [[Vince DiCola]]. Rhino concurrently released this version on VHS, sans extras.
*In 2001 in the UK, Sony Wonder released their own much-delayed DVD version of the film. It was the UK version of the film, but included Spike's swear. However, the release was burdened by badly interlaced video, though it notably included the [[Omni Productions]] dub version of the ''[[Transformers: The Headmasters (cartoon)|Headmasters]]'' episode "[[Four Warriors Come out of the Sky]]" as an extra. This version (including the ''Headmasters'' episode) was simultaneously released on VHS.
*The movie was released on DVD in Australia in 2003 by [[Madman Entertainment]], using the same video as the Maverick version, but distinguished by some nifty new cover art by [[Don Figueroa]], and special features not seen on other editions, such as ''[[Stan Bush|The Touch]]'' music video and 80s TV spots.
[[File:Tftm uk covers.jpg|thumb|The UK poster art (left) has been the most common DVD and VHS cover in its home country, but the Ultimate Edition featured new art by Andy Wildman (right).]]
*After acquiring the license to release ''Transformers'' DVDs in the UK, [[Metrodome]] focused on completing their run of series box sets before turning their attention to the movie properly, releasing only a cheap budget DVD of the UK version through Prism Leisure with no extras, and a [[PlayStation|UMD]] of the same version.
*In 2005, Metrodome released ''Transformers: The Movie - Reconstructed'', a new version of the film designed to expose as much of the animated picture as possible. This, however, only resulted in exposing the rough, unfinished edges of the animation, and an overly pale remaster was compounded by excessive interlacing due to an unnecessary NTSC to PAL transfer. This, coupled with a 5.1 remix from [[Magno Sound & Video]], featuring the same extra sound effects that they added to Rhino's season box sets, made this release both controversial and disappointing to many. This was the first time that the US version of the movie was released in the UK, and the first to feature the US poster art as a cover (although a Silverscreen store exclusive version of the disc included a reversible cover with the UK poster art as well). Extras include trailers, TV spots, the character biographies from the Madman release, a looped version of the Lion ''Transformers'' theme on the main menu, and a subtitled version of "[[Four Warriors Come out of the Sky]]".
[[File:Tftm sony covers.jpg|thumb|Sony's covers, by Don Figueroa.]]
*For the movie's 20th anniversary in 2006, new license holder [[Sony|Sony BMG]] released a two-disc special edition of the film, featuring both a high-quality widescreen remaster and the original fullscreen version, audio commentaries from crew and fans, several new featurettes interviewing those involved in the movie's production, storyboards, TV spots, American and Japanese commercials and more. Most notably, this version included the first Western release of "[[Scramble City: Mobilization]]", albeit silent and unsubtitled, featuring only audio commentary. Also very notable is that this version includes an actual deleted scene from the animated film as an extra, though it is more of interest as a curiosity than anything it actually contains, being an approximately 2-second-long aerial view of the Autobots running towards the critically damaged Optimus Prime. This release featured two covers by Don Figueroa: one is of the '84-'85 cast that appear in the movie, and one is of the movie's new characters, available either as a lenticular hologram that switches between the two, or as a reversible sleeve with the images printed on either side.
[[File:Tftm madman covers.jpg|thumb|Madman's 2003 DVD cover (left), and their 2007 Special Edition cover (right).]]
*Delayed a bit to coincide with the hype for the 2007 [[Transformers (film)|live-action movie]], Metrodome also released a two-disc "Ultimate Edition" with a different widescreen master. Like "Reconstructed", this version used the US edition of the film, but this time, the UK version was also included, in fullscreen, on the second disc. Extras include TV spots, commercials, the Madman biographies, storyboards, commentary, "Scramble City" (with audio and subtitles), featurettes with [[Flint Dille]] and [[Peter Cullen]], and more. The double-disc edition was sold in a steel case featuring new art by [[Andrew Wildman]], with the UK poster art adorning the standard case inside. Various store exclusives were available, including postcards from Play.Com, a reversible cover with the US poster art from HMV, art cards from Virgin Megastore and [[posters]] from Woolworths and [[Toys"R"Us]]. It was also available in an extra-less single-disc version. This version was premiered at the Mid Ulster Film Festival in Ireland which was the only cinema showing of the remastered version of the film to date.
[[File:ShoutFactory TFTM BluDVD.jpg|thumb|Shout! Factory's 2016 Blu-ray cover.]]
*The film was released in Full HD 1080p on Blu-ray in the UK in October 2007. The Blu-ray is not region-locked, so it will play anywhere in the world. It features a 2.0 soundtrack, 5.1 Dolby Digital track, and a full bitrate DTS 5.1 track. The master used was the same used by Sony for their US DVD. Sadly, there are no extras on the DVD. The version of the film on the Blu-ray is the US one, complete with curse words.
*Madman produced their two-disc special edition through some collaboration with Metrodome, and consequently it features much of the same content, with additional extras taking the form of The Touch music video and a bonus episode of ''[[Beast Wars: Transformers (cartoon)|Beast Wars]]''. This release again features cover artwork by Don Figueroa, specifically the cover of [[IDW Publishing|IDW]]'s ''[[Transformers: The Animated Movie]]'' adaptation.
*For the film's 30th Anniversary, and after being out of print in the US for 10 years, the film was rereleased on Region 1 DVD and given its first Region A Blu-ray release on [[September 13]], [[2016]] by [[Shout! Factory]]. Both versions are sourced from a brand-new 4K transfer which underwent extensive color-correction and remastering, and a Steelbook packaging variant of the Blu-ray was also made available.<ref>[https://www.shoutfactory.com/film/action-adventure/the-transformers-the-movie-limited-edition-30th-anniversary-steelbook The Transformers: The Movie Limited Edition 30th Anniversary Steelbook]</ref> The Steelbook Blu-ray was released in the UK by [[Manga Entertainment]] as a limited edition on December 12, 2016, followed by a standard edition release a year later.
*On September 27, 2018, Fathom Events screened the movie at select theaters in the United States. The movie was preceded by an interview with [[Travis Knight]] and [[Hailee Steinfeld]] and a preview of a scene from ''[[Bumblebee (film)|Bumblebee]]'', and followed by a short featurette of Stan Bush discussing the music he contributed to the movie and performing acoustic versions of ''The Touch'' and ''Dare''.<ref>[http://news.tfw2005.com/2018/08/01/1986-transformers-movie-hitting-theaters-one-night-only-369314 1986 Transformers Movie Hitting Theaters One Night Only!]</ref> Cineplex would later show the movie in Canadian theaters on October 4.
*For the 35th anniversary, Shout! Factory produced the first 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray release of the movie — presented in widescreen only — and a remastered fullscreen 1080p Blu-ray. Feature-length storyboards and the Stan Bush featurette from the 2018 Fathom Events screening were added as new bonus features. The two discs were first made available in a limited edition SteelBook with four art cards on [[August 3]], [[2021]]<ref>[https://www.shoutfactory.com/product/the-transformers-the-movie-35th-anniversary-limited-edition-steelbook?product_id=7636 The Transformers: The Movie [35th Anniversary Limited Edition Steelbook]]</ref>; a wide release in standard packaging followed on [[September 28]]<ref>[https://www.shoutfactory.com/product/the-transformers-the-movie-35th-anniversary-edition?product_id=7668 The Transformers: The Movie [35th Anniversary Edition]]</ref>, as did a third set comprised of the new fullscreen Blu-ray and a widescreen DVD<ref>[https://www.shoutfactory.com/product/the-transformers-the-movie-35th-anniversary-edition-1?product_id=7667 The Transformers: The Movie [35th Anniversary Edition]]</ref>. Cover art for the new releases was created by [[Matt Ferguson]].
**Region B versions of the Shout! Factory 35th Anniversary discs were distributed by Funimation and released on [[October 25]], and an additional collector's edition set was made exclusive to Zavvi, packaging the 4K and Blu-ray discs with an art book, poster and six art cards.<ref>[https://www.zavvi.com/blu-ray/the-transformers-the-movie-35th-anniversary-zavvi-exclusive-4k-ultra-hd-limited-collectors-edition-includes-blu-ray/13169855.html The Transformers: The Movie 35th Anniversary - Zavvi Exclusive 4K Ultra HD Limited Collectors Edition (Includes Blu-ray)]</ref> Zavvi also partnered with Ferguson to release a line of art prints and apparel featuring his cover art.
*Fathom Events once again returned the film to select theaters on [[September 26]]–[[September 27|27]], 2021, accompanied by a set of [[The Transformers: The Movie 35th Anniversary Stop Motions|stop-motion comedy videos]] inspired by the film.

==Television broadcasts==
Following a segmented, five-part broadcast during [[The Transformers (cartoon)#Season 5|the fifth season of ''The Transformers'']], the complete feature film was aired on American television in 1989 via Fox stations. Air dates and times were June 17 at Noon, July 30 at 11 A.M. and September 2 at 10 A.M. Of course, this was the language-edited video release from Family Home Entertainment.

The movie was aired on [[Hub Network|The Hub]] on February 18, 2012, following [[Orion Pax, Part 1|the Season 2 premiere]] of ''[[Transformers: Prime (cartoon)|Transformers: Prime]]'' on what was called "Transformers Mega Saturday". Uniquely, this version combined the European opening narration with the US scrawl-free opening credits, muted the two swear words (rendering the lines as "It isn't even dented! ...What do we do now?!" and "Open... ''Open!''"), used the European closing narration at the end, and sped up the scroll of the end credits to cut it down for time, ending the lyrics of the [[theme song]] around the beginning of its second verse ("Strong enough to break the bravest heart..."). Subsequent re-airings on The Hub aired this version of the movie.

The American television airing of the feature film adds one extra sound effect, and it has never been heard in any other release. During the scene when Arcee is racing to jump aboard the departing Autobot shuttle, there is a distinctive sound effect when she jumps. In all other releases there is no sound effect.

A July 4, 2014 Hub broadcast of the movie markets it as ''Transformers: The Animated Movie'', distinguishing it from that computer animation/live action [[Transformers (film)|hybrid film]] with the similar title made two decades and one year later.

==Notes==
*According to [[Buzz Dixon]], Hasbro's decision to kill off Optimus Prime was actually an attempt to maintain some brand-storytelling parity with ''[[G.I. Joe (franchise)|G.I. Joe]]'', as Dixon had just convinced them to allow the death of [[Duke (G.I. Joe)|Duke]] in ''{{w|G.I. Joe: The Movie}}'' and both films were in production at the same time.<ref>https://web.archive.org/web/20151215034944/http://www.joeheadquarters.com/interviews_dixon.shtml</ref>

*After reading [[Ron Friedman]]'s [[The Transformers: The Movie (first draft)|first draft]] of the movie's script, [[Flint Dille]] and [[Jay Bacal]] hastily wrote and proposed a script of their own, "[[The Secret of Cybertron]]", which later informed the cartoon five-parter "[[Five Faces of Darkness]]". Elements of this script also supposedly made it into the finished film, but no copy of the script has ever surfaced.

*This film was the last professional performance by [[Orson Welles]], who died only a month later. According to production materials shown at [[BotCon 2000]] by Tim Finn, the voice recording sessions for ''The Transformers: The Movie'' were done on [[September 10]] and [[September 11|11]] of 1985. Welles died on [[October 10]] of that same year. It has often been speculated that Unicron's last line ("Destiny… you cannot destroy my destiny!") was recorded by another actor—possibly [[Leonard Nimoy|Nimoy]]—because it sounds different than the other lines. This speculation has been quashed by statements by Transformers voice director [[Wally Burr]].<ref>http://cybertronchronicle.freewebspace.com/60-astrominutes/wally-burr/wally-burr-3.html</ref>
[[File:Windcharger wheeljack otp.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|Uncle Owen! Aunt Beru!!]]

*With the exception of Starscream and possibly Shockwave, only the Autobots suffered fatalities in the movie. All of the other "dead" Decepticons from the Autobot City battle were rebuilt into Galvatron's new troops, and although more Decepticons were shown taking heavy damage and suffering huge casualties while fighting Unicron, their identities and their final condition are uncertain. Additionally, both Starscream and Unicron survived in the post-movie series in some form or another. Shockwave's death in the finished film is highly uncertain, although in the script it is fairly strongly implied. Regardless, Shockwave was originally intended to appear in the immediate post-movie story "Five Faces of Darkness", serving in the role that was ultimately given to Blitzwing, before an internal [[Sunbow Productions|Sunbow]] memo clarified that his character had been dropped from the series.<ref>[https://drive.google.com/file/d/1bid3TK_q2HxH7NR5MDAlGsKe5AlcbBnU/view Partial outline of "Five Faces of Darkness", covering Parts 3 to 5]</ref> Shockwave does make some miscolored appearances in crowd shots in later cartoon episodes, but these are probably examples of the fairly common animation errors in those episodes.

*Somewhat ironically, though only three of the original eighteen Autobots — [[Jazz (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Jazz]], [[Cliffjumper (G1)#Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Cliffjumper]], and [[Bumblebee (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Bumblebee]] — are definitively shown to have survived the movie, two would quite literally never be heard from again: [[Scatman Crothers]] passed away (though this didn't stop Jazz from making any number of background cameos) while Casey Kasem [[Casey Kasem#Notes|quit the show early in the third season]]. Fate's finger is fickle indeed.

*The Dinobots spend the majority of the film in their dinosaur modes, a practice that would eventually carry into season 3 of the cartoon. Swoop is the only one to spend extended amounts of time in robot mode, due to the anatomical issues of walking in a flight-based mode. However, there are some instances where they're briefly shown in robot mode for blink-and-you-miss-it moments, for no reason whatsoever. Additionally, despite his constant presence among the Dinobots, Sludge has no lines in the film at all.

*Unicron's roars in the movie were stock vocalizations originally created for Marvel Productions' 1982 ''The Incredible Hulk'' animated series and performed by voice actor Bob Holt, who voiced the [[Hulk]] in that show. Holt otherwise never voiced a character in the Marvel/Sunbow Transformers series (although he was a regular member of the ''{{gb|Challenge of the GoBots (cartoon)|Challenge of the GoBots}}'' cast as the original voice of [[Cop-Tur (GoBots)|Cop-Tur]]), and had passed away the year before ''The Transformers: The Movie'' was released in 1986. Thus, Unicron has the distinction of featuring ''two'' posthumous performances for the same Transformers character in a single production.

*[[:File:TFTM-MaybeBeachcomber.jpg|A robot resembling Beachcomber]] appears alongside Spike and the Autobots inside Unicron seconds before Daniel blasts the acid cover. Whether this was actually meant to be Beachcomber or just coincidental coloring is unknown, but regardless, Beachcomber shows up alive and well in "[[Five Faces of Darkness, Part 5]]".

*Pieces of music from the movie would later be used in the [[Commodore 64]] version of ''Turrican''. For instance, basically unaltered bits of "[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VWFx-Go6Y6A Escape]" make up [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w6jjpwpDVNY Subsong Two of the game's title theme].
*The shot of Unicron slamming his hand onto the surface of Cybertron would later be used for the toy commercial of his Armada self.
{{--}}

===Foreign names===
*''German:'' '''''Transformers: Der Kampf um Cybertron''''' ("Transformers: The Battle for Cybertron", TV airings only)
*''French:'' '''''La Guerre des Robots''''' ("The War of the Robots")
*''Japanese:'' '''''トランスフォーマーザ・ムービー''''' ("Transformers: The Movie")

==External links==
*[https://www.boxofficemojo.com/release/rl3212281345/weekend/ ''The Transformers: The Movie''{{'}}s box office domestic gross]
*[https://sunbowmarvelarchive.blogspot.com/p/mp-4034-transformers-movie-sunbow.html ''The Transformers: The Movie'' outlines, scripts, storyboards, concept art and model sheets]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20211021062746/http://cybertronchronicle.freewebspace.com/cartoon-dossier/movie/movie.html ''The Transformers: The Movie'' Dossier at The Cybertron Chronicle]
*[http://web.archive.org/web/20080426020409/http://www.tftm.net/ ''The Transformers: The Movie'' "Unofficial Fansite", an extremely thorough site about the movie] (archived)
*[http://zobovor.tripod.com/transformers_the_movie_bloopers.html ''The Transformers: The Movie'' bloopers]

==References==
{{Reflist|2}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Transformers: The Movie}}

[[Category:The Transformers episodes]]
[[Category:Generation 1 media]]
[[Category:MSTF]]
[[Category:Real world films]]

File:Movie86 storyboard butprime.jpg

2025-07-11T12:25:45Z

OptimusComboy: A storyboard for The Transformers: The Movie, depicting part of Optimus Prime and Ironhide's conversation in the opening scene on [[Moonbas...

A [[storyboard]] for [[The Transformers: The Movie]], depicting part of [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] and [[Ironhide (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ironhide's]] conversation in the opening scene on [[Moonbase One]].

© [[1986]] [[Marvel Productions]]

Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers 2010 (story page)

2024-07-21T11:19:28Z

OptimusComboy: /* Part 5 */ Added Metroplex vs. Trypticon image already on the wiki

{{nav-2010}}

The '''''Transformers 2010''''' [[story page]]s were published in ''[[TV Magazine]]'' from December, 1986, to June, 1987. The stories were primarily provided by [[Masumi Kaneda]] while the art was provided by both [[Studio OX]] and [[Ban Magami]].

Much like the story pages associated with ''[[Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers (story page)|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers]]'', the ''2010'' story pages were not particularly concerned with telling ''stories'' like later series were, instead featuring mostly character fact files, match-ups and the occasional hypothetical situation. They did have one great task, however: As ''[[The Transformers: The Movie]]'' was not released in Japan until 1989, the burden of transitioning audiences from ''[[The Transformers (cartoon)|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers]]'' (US seasons 1 and 2) into ''[[The Transformers (cartoon)|Transformers 2010]]'' (US season 3) fell solely on the shoulders of the story pages. To spice things up, various "tricks" were employed, such as "subtly" implying that [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]] may be a reborn [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]] in order to maintain an air of mystery to the circumstances that led to the state of affairs in the ''Transformers 2010'' cartoon. A more detailed account of the events of ''The Transformers: The Movie'' was gradually revealed over the course of several story pages, but with the events always referred to as the "[[Unicron War]]".

==Issues==
===Part 1===
[[Image:G1DeadOptimusPrimeMegatronTVMagazine1986December.jpg‎|thumb|right|300px|By the time The Movie actually came out in Japan, little Hiroshi reading this story page probably didn't even care about Transformers anymore.]]
:'''Published:''' December, 1986
:'''''Special Report! Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers 2010'''''
:'''Illustrated by:''' Studio Ox and Ban Magami

[[Supreme Commander]] [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] has died and [[Emperor of Destruction]] [[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Megatron]] has gone missing, though the circumstances behind these events remain a mystery. The [[Matrix of Leadership]] has been passed to [[Hot Rod (G1)|Hot Rod]], transforming him into [[Hot Rod (G1)|Rodimus Prime]], the new leader of the [[Autobot]]s. Alongside him are new warriors [[Arcee (G1)|Arcee]], [[Springer (G1)|Springer]], [[Kup (G1)|Kup]], [[Wreck-Gar (G1)|Wreck-Gar]], [[Wheelie (G1)|Wheelie]] and [[Blurr (G1)|Blurr]]. [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]], who was passed over for leadership, also joins him.

:'''''These Are the New Autobot Members!'''''
:'''Illustrated by:''' Ban Magami and toy box art

The newest members of the Autobots are introduced: [[Sandstorm (G1)|Sandstorm]], [[Broadside (G1)|Broadside]], Arcee, Springer, Wreck-Gar, Kup, Wheelie and Blurr. All are represented by box art, save Arcee, who has new artwork commissioned (due to lack of box art).

:'''''These Are the New Decepticon Members!'''''
:'''Illustrated by:''' Ban Magami and toy box art

The newest members of the [[Decepticon]]s are introduced: [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]] (who is rumored to be a reborn Megatron, though the facts behind this are cloudy), [[Scourge (G1)|Scourge]], [[Cyclonus (G1)|Cyclonus]], the [[Predacon (G1)|Predacon]]s, [[Octane]] and the [[Sharkticon (species)|Sharkticons]].

:'''''Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers Secret Info: Battle Chronicles'''''
:'''Illustrated by:''' Ban Magami

The ''[[The Transformers (cartoon)|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers]]'' episodes "[[More than Meets the Eye (mini-series)|More than Meets the Eye]]", [[S.O.S. Dinobots]]", "[[Heavy Metal War]]", "[[Triple Takeover]]", "[[The Search for Alpha Trion]]", "[[The Key to Vector Sigma, Part 1|The Key to Vector Sigma]]", "[[Starscream's Brigade]]" and "[[War Dawn (episode)|War Dawn]]" are detailed. It is also explained that the [[Protectobot (G1)|Protectobots]] were built in response to the threat of the [[Combaticon (G1)|Combaticons]]. The mystery behind Optimus Prime's death and Megatron's disappearance also thickens.

[[Image:GanbareMetroplexAdvertisement01.jpg|right|300px|thumb|Who's a good dinocity? Who is? You is a good dinocity! Yes you is! Does the dinocity want a treat? Does he? Does he?]]

:'''''New TV Series: Transformers 2010'''''
:'''Illustrated by:''' Ban Magami'''

The ''[[The Transformers (cartoon)|Transformers 2010]]'' episodes "[[Five Faces of Darkness, Part 1]]", "[[Five Faces of Darkness, Part 2]]" and "[[Five Faces of Darkness, Part 3]]" are detailed.

:'''''Hang in There, Metroplex!'''''
:'''Illustrated by:''' ?

Optimus Prime has died, leaving [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]] to defend his corpse from an attack by Megatron and [[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]]. This makes absolutely no sense. It's just a toy advertisement. A whacked-out toy advertisement.

{{-}}

===Part 2===
:'''Published:''' January, 1987
:'''''New Leaders Power Comparison'''''
:'''Illustrated by''': Studio Ox and Ban Magami

Rodimus Prime and Galvatron do battle. Even with the power of the [[Matrix of Leadership]] he inherited from Optimus Prime, Rodimus's power is evenly matched by Galvatron's!

:'''''New Transformers Power Comparison!'''''
:'''Illustrated by:''' Ban Magami and Studio Ox

The [[Tech Spec]]s of the new Autobots (Hot Rod, Blurr, Wheelie, Wreck-Gar, Kup, Sandstorm, Springer and Broadside), and Decepticons (Cyclonus, Scourge, Octane, Razorclaw, Rampage, Tantrum, Divebomb, Headstrong and the Sharkticons) are profiled. The spotlight is also shone upon the new second-in-commands, Ultra Magnus and Cyclonus, who are joined in their fight by teams of previously-enlisted warriors.

:'''''The Decepticons Begin Their Counterattack!'''''
:'''Illustrated by''': Studio Ox and Ban Magami

The Decepticons ally themselves with the alien menace of the [[Quintesson]]s and attack with their newest combiner warrior, Predaking. In a sidebar, Rodimus Prime gives a hearty thumbs up to the offer of a "Transformers secret notebook" that readers can mail away for.

[[File:TVMagazineStarscreamsGhost1.jpg|right|thumb|200px|Sometimes the artists worked from different scripts...]]

:'''''TV News: Birth of the Transformers!'''''
:'''Illustrated by:''' Ban Magami

The events of "[[Five Faces of Darkness, Part 4]]" are detailed.

:'''''Rise, Metroplex!'''''
:'''Illustrated by:''' Ban Magami

The events of "[[Five Faces of Darkness, Part 5]]" are detailed, and "[[Thief in the Night]]" and "[[Starscream's Ghost]]" are previewed. The preview image for the latter is the infamous picture with [[Blitzwing (G1)|Blitzwing]] in place of Octane.

{{--}}

===Part 3===
:'''Published:''' February, 1987
:'''''Autobot/Decepticon: Everything on the New Battalions!'''''
:'''Illustrated by:''' Studio Ox

The [[Predacon (G1)|Predacons]] [[Razorclaw (G1)|Razorclaw]], [[Divebomb (G1)|Divebomb]], [[Headstrong (G1)|Headstrong]], [[Rampage (G1)|Rampage]] and [[Tantrum (G1)|Tantrum]] are introduced. They have been created by the [[Quintesson]]s to serve the [[Decepticon]]s.

The [[Autobot]] [[Triple Changer]]s [[Broadside (G1)|Broadside]], [[Sandstorm (G1)|Sandstorm]] and [[Springer (G1)|Springer]] are introduced. They have been built to counter the threat of the Decepticon Triple Changers.

The [[Sweep (G1)|Sweeps]], led by [[Scourge (G1)|Scourge]], are introduced. They were created from Decepticons who perished in the [[The Transformers: The Movie|Unicron War]]. The [[Junkion (species)|Junkions]], led by [[Wreck-Gar (G1)|Wreck-Gar]], are introduced next. They were built from rusted scrap metal and spaceship debris. The [[Sharkticon (species)|Sharkticons]] are introduced last, having been built to serve the Quintessons.

:'''''This is the Latest Autobot/Decepticon Chain of Command!'''''
:'''Illustrated by:''' Ban Magami

The new chains of command are introduced.

For the Autobots, [[Hot Rod (G1)|Rodimus Prime]] is the new [[Supreme Commander]]. Beneath him, [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]] commands the [[Metroplex (G1)|Scramble City]] teams, the [[Aerialbot (G1)|Aerialbots]] and the [[Protectobot (G1)|Protectobots]]. Then there are other subgroups, such as the [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobots]], [[Triple Changer]]s, [[Mini Vehicle|Minibots]], [[Autobot Mini-Cassette]]s, [[Junkion (species)|Junkions]], [[Autobot Cars]] and [[Female Autobots]], who are all commanded by [[Jazz (G1)|Jazz]].

For the Decepticons, [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]] is the new [[Emperor of Destruction]]. Beneath him, [[Cyclonus (G1)|Cyclonus]] commands [[Scourge (G1)|Scourge]] and his [[Sweep (G1)|Sweeps]] as well as the remaining [[Seeker (body-type)|Seekers]]. Cyclonus also commands the [[Trypticon (G1)|Dinobase]] teams, the [[Stunticon (G1)|Stunticons]] and the [[Combaticon (G1)|Combaticons]]. Cyclonus has additional authority over the Decepticon [[Triple Changer]]s, the [[Constructicon (G1)|Constructicons]] and the [[Insecticon (G1)|Insecticon]]s (who are listed as independents). However, [[Soundwave (G1)|Soundwave]] and the [[Decepticon Mini-Cassette]]s report directly to Galvatron. Galvatron also bears authority over the [[Quintesson]]s, who in turn command the [[Sharkticon (species)|Sharkticons]] and the [[Predacon (G1)|Predacons]].

:'''''TV News: Commander Optimus Prime Lives!'''''
:'''Illustrated by:''' Ban Magami

The events of "[[Dark Awakening (episode)|Dark Awakening]]" are retold in detail.

:'''''Special Feature: Who is Stronger? Optimus Prime and Rodimus Prime Strength Comparison'''''
:'''Illustrated by:''' Ban Magami

The differences between Optimus Prime and Rodimus Prime are detailed.

:'''''These are the Ancient Autobots!'''''
:'''Illustrated by:''' Ban Magami

The episodes "[[Forever Is a Long Time Coming (episode)|Forever Is a Long Time Coming]]", "[[The Killing Jar (episode)|The Killing Jar]]" and "[[Chaos (episode)|Chaos]]" are previewed.

===Part 4===
:'''Published:''' March, 1987
:'''''The Great Decepticon Counter Offensive!'''''
:'''Illustrated by:''' Studio Ox

The threat of the newly reorganized Decepticons is revealed. They have added a new group to their team, the [[Battlecharger]]s [[Runabout (G1)|Runabout]] and [[Runamuck (G1)|Runamuck]]. The Sharkticons are described as the "pride of the Quintessons" and often team up with the Decepticons. Galvatron's other troops, such as Cyclonus, Scourge, the Sweeps and the Predacons, also increase the threat of the Decepticons.

:'''''Will the Autobots Triumph?'''''
:'''Illustrated by:''' ???

The Autobots are caught in a battle with [[Bruticus (G1)|Bruticus]]. They have underestimated the strength of the Decepticons' many [[combiner]] warriors, which is a mistake that will cost them.

:'''''The Ultimate Decepticon Combiner Soldier. This is Predaking!'''''
:'''Illustrated by:''' Studio Ox

Hoping to continue the success of [[Devastator (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Devastator]], [[Menasor (G1)|Menasor]] and [[Bruticus (G1)|Bruticus]], the Decepticons have teamed up with the Quintessons to build their newest combiner, [[Predaking (G1)|Predaking]].

[[Image:Guiltaur.jpg|right|300px|thumb]]

:'''''A Mysterious Decepticon Soldier Appears. He is the Colossal Cannon Soldier Gilthor!'''''
:'''Illustrated by:''' Studio OX

The Decepticons have once again teamed with the Quintessons and created [[Gilthor]], a mammoth soldier combining the powers of [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] and [[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Megatron]]. The Quintessons obtained Optimus Prime's specifications when they brought him back from the dead as a zombie [[Dark Awakening (episode)|in the past]]. Gilthor is built from the same [[Cybertonium]] alloys which made Prime so resilient. On top of that, his "Destrogun" is modeled after Megatron's gun-mode but powered up intensely. When he combines his shoulder artillery, Active Revolver and Destrogun, he can create the all-powerful "Bazooka Storm" attack.

[[The Story of Super Robot Lifeforms: The Transformers issue 4|Can the Autobots hope to defeat him!?]]

:'''''The Secrets of Super Car Mode'''''
:'''Illustrated by:''' Ban Magami

Up until now, the Autobots typically adopted vehicle modes based on modern [[Earth]] vehicles. Now, however, they have taken to becoming "super cars". The reason for this is because they are often active on other planets, and these are merely how the vehicles on other planets look.

:'''''Autobot Triple Mission'''''
:'''Illustrated by:''' Ban Magami

Predaking is on the move! The Autobots dispatch the Triple Changers to take him on, as they can challenge him with a total of nine different forms.

:'''''TV News: More and More, the Plot Thickens!'''''
:'''Illustrated by:''' Ban Magami

The episodes "[[Carnage in C-Minor]]", "[[Madman's Paradise]]", "[[Fight or Flee (episode)|Fight or Flee]]" and "[[Surprise Party]]" are previewed.

===Part 5===
:'''Published:''' April, 1987
:'''''Clash! Rivals at War!'''''
:'''Illustrated by:''' Studio Ox

For the month of April, a special look at rivals between the Autobot and Decepticon factions is presented.

'''''Part 1: New Strongest Rivals. Sky Lynx (Autobot) vs. Predaking (Decepticon)'''''.

[[Sky Lynx (G1)|Sky Lynx]] is revealed to be the only Autobot strong enough to stand up to [[Predaking (G1)|Predaking]], who is the greatest threat to the Autobots.

:'''''Which Leader is the Strongest?'''''
:'''Illustrated by:''' Studio Ox

'''''Part 2: Original Leader Rivals. Optimus Prime (Autobots) vs. Megatron (Decepticons)'''''.

The most evenly matched rivalry in Transformer history, their fate following the end of the [[Unicron War]] remains a mystery.

'''''Part 3: Subleader Rivals. Ultra Magnus (Autobots) vs. Cyclonus (Decepticons)'''''.

These days, though, all attention is on the rivalry between these two, as they are both capable warriors for their faction.

'''''Part 4: 2nd Leader Rivals. Rodimus Prime (Autobots) vs. Galvatron (Decepticons)'''''.

Their battles tend to end in a draw, though Galvatron at times, despite his craziness, can give a hint of his true power.

'''''Part 5: Cassette Leader Rivals. Blaster (Autobots) vs. Soundwave (Decepticons)'''''.

Soundwave was initially more powerful, but Blaster has evened the odds with his own legion of cassette warriors. The cassette warriors themselves are all evenly matched.

:'''''Giant Robot Power Comparison!'''''
:'''Illustrated by:''' Studio Ox

'''''Part 6: Giant Base Robot Rivals. Metroplex (Autobots) vs. Trypticon (Decepticons)'''''.

[[File:2010storypage metroplex v trypticon.jpg|right|thumb|upright=1.5]]

Their battles shake the earth, though they are each evenly matched.

'''''Part 7: Scramble Combination Rivals A. Superion (Autobots) vs. Menasor (Decepticons)'''''.

There is next to no gap in power between these two, apparently.

'''''Part 8: Scramble Combination Rivals B. Defensor (Autobots) vs. Bruticus (Decepticons)'''''.

Defensor has the upper hand in power!

'''''Part 9: Heavyweight Robot Rivals. Omega Supreme (Autobots) vs. Devastator (Decepticons)'''''.

Omega Supreme holds a grudge against Devastator from long ago, when Devastator [[The Secret of Omega Supreme (episode)|betrayed him]] back on Cybertron.

[[Image:studioox_combiners_whatif.jpg|right|300px|thumb]]

:'''''Transformers Dream Teams. What if These Rivals Joined Forces?'''''
:'''Illustrated by:''' Studio Ox

'''''Part 1: Grand Scramble Team'''''.

Bruticus forms with the combination of [[Onslaught (G1)|Onslaught]], [[First Aid (G1)|First Aid]], [[Slingshot (G1)|Slingshot]] and [[Skydive (G1 Aerialbot)|Skydive]]. Superion forms with the combination of [[Silverbolt (G1)|Silverbolt]], [[Blades (G1)|Blades]], [[Drag Strip (G1)|Drag Strip]], [[Wildrider (G1)|Wildrider]] and [[Brawl (G1)|Brawl]]. Menasor forms with the combination of [[Motormaster (G1)|Motormaster]], [[Vortex (G1)|Vortex]], [[Streetwise (G1)|Streetwise]], [[Groove (G1)|Groove]] and [[Fireflight (G1)|Fireflight]]. Defensor forms with the combination of [[Hot Spot (G1)|Hot Spot]], [[Blast Off (G1)|Blast Off]], [[Swindle (G1)|Swindle]] and [[Breakdown (G1)|Breakdown]]. Superion and Menasor shake hands while beneath them, [[Dead End (G1)|Dead End]] and [[Air Raid (G1)|Air Raid]] do the same. Apparently, if these rivals could consent to get along, their team up would be full of wild combinations.

'''''Part 2: Cassette Team'''''.

Since the Decepticon and Autobot cassette warriors are built at the same scale, they could go live in whoever's tummy they want.

'''''Part 3: Triple Team'''''.

The six [[Triple Changer]]s shared between the Autobots and Decepticons each have 3 modes, which means that if they teamed up, they'd have ''18'' unique transformations with which to devise strategies.

:'''''Special News: Galvatron's True Form was Megatron All Along!'''''
:'''Illustrated by:''' Ban Magami

Everyone suspected that Galvatron was the same as Megatron because they looked the same, sounded the same and acted the same...but no one could figure it out! As it turns out, Megatron was injured during the Unicron War and sent drifting helplessly through space until he was rebuilt by [[Unicron]].

:'''''Special News: Transformation Patterns Revealed! These Are the New Transformations!'''''
:'''Illustrated by:''' Ban Magami

The transformations of the new Autobots and Decepticons are faster and cooler than ever! The transformations of Rodimus Prime, Wreck-Gar, Blurr and Cyclonus are illustrated in detail. Oddly, Rodimus Prime's trailer is shown impossibly transforming into his legs rather than separating into his [[Mobile Defense Bay]].

[[File:UnicronWarMagami01.jpg|right|thumb|250px]]

:'''''TV Info'''''
:'''Illustrated by:''' Ban Magami

The episodes "[[Ghost in the Machine (G1)|Ghost in the Machine]]", "[[Webworld]]" and "[[The Dweller in the Depths]]" are previewed. New Scramble Combiners and Minibots are teased as appearing soon.

{{--}}

===Part 6===
:'''Published:''' May, 1987

The [[Throttlebot]]s are introduced and battle Predaking.

===Part 7===
:'''Published:''' June, 1987

The [[Technobot (G1)|Technobots]] and [[Terrorcon (G1)|Terrorcons]] make their debut.

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters|c1=
*
}}
{{issuestub}}

==External links==
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20091222021447/http://www.allspark.com/content/blogcategory/10/44/ Translated Transformers 2010 story pages at the Allspark/TF Pulp] (archived)

{{DEFAULTSORT:2010 (story page)}}
[[Category:Generation 1 media]]
[[Category:Story pages]]

Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2001 franchise)

2024-05-25T00:30:09Z

OptimusComboy: /* Notes */ fixed Japanese typo of “Car Robots”

{{disambig3|Robots in Disguise}}
{{nav-rid2001}}

'''''Transformers: Robots in Disguise''''' is a [[Franchises|franchise]] that launched in the year [[2001]]. The first full-on [[Continuity|reboot]] series in ''Transformers'' history, it caused a heck of a ruckus in the [[fandom]] when it was new. Since then, however, it has faded into relative obscurity.

Taking place on [[Earth]] at the turn of the century, the series follows [[Optimus Prime (RID)|Optimus Prime]] and his Autobots protecting the planet and its long-lost Cybertronian artifacts from the ambitions of the evil [[Megatron (RID)|Megatron]] and his [[Predacon (BW)|Predacon]]s.

In-universe, the ''Robots in Disguise'' [[continuity family]] is referred to as "[[Viron]]" in the [[Transcendent Technomorph|TransTechs]]' [[universal stream]] designators.

The ''Robots in Disguise'' franchise features the following primary components:

*[[Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2001 toyline)|A toyline]]
*[[Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2001 cartoon)|A cartoon series]] imported wholesale from [[TakaraTomy|Takara]] markets (more on that shortly).
*[[Ultra Magnus...to the Rescue?|A single American comic book story]] produced by [[Dreamwave Productions]] in [[2004]] (a few years after the cartoon ended production).

Due to [[retcon]]s by the Facebook edition of [[Ask Vector Prime#Facebook|Ask Vector Prime]], the franchise also encompasses:
*[[Transformers: Dinobots|Another toyline]] composed entirely of six [[Dinobot (Dinobots)|Dinobots]].<ref>[[Source:Ask Vector Prime/Facebook#May 29, 2015|Ask Vector Prime, 29/05/2015]]</ref>
*[[Shell Game|Another American comic book story]] produced by [[3H Productions]] for [[OTFCC 2004]].<ref>[[Source:Ask Vector Prime/Facebook#July 29, 2015|Ask Vector Prime, 29/07/2015]]</ref>

==Japanese release==
{{nav-cr}}
The series's original incarnation, '''''Transformers: Car Robots''''' (トランスフォーマーカーロボット), was created in response to the continually-declining sales of [[TakaraTomy|Takara's]] ''[[Transformers: Beast Wars (Japanese toyline)|Beast Wars]]'' toyline. As [[Hasbro]] moved into the high concept ''[[Beast Machines: Transformers (franchise)|Beast Machines]]'' in [[2000]], Takara opted instead to tap into nostalgia by bringing back the traditional modern Earth vehicle heroes with the classic red face [[insignia|Autobot symbol]]. The villains of the series did not follow suit as Takara opted instead to more or less stay the course charted by the likes of ''[[Beast Wars: Super Lifeform Transformers#Beast Wars II|Beast Wars II]]'' and ''[[Beast Wars: Super Lifeform Transformers#Beast Wars Neo|Neo]]'' with a show-stopping new flagship mold for series villain "[[Megatron (RID)|Gigatron]]" while his lackeys were composed of an eclectic mix of [[redeco]]es culled from prior ''Beast Wars'', ''Generation 2,'' and even ''Generation 1'' toylines.

Set on [[Earth]] at the turn of the century, ''Car Robots'' follows a "[[Dimensional Patrol|Dimensional Patrol unit]]" led by [[Optimus Prime (RID)|Fire Convoy]] protecting the planet and its long-lost Cybertronian artifacts from the ambitions of the evil Gigatron and his new "[[Predacon (BW)#Japanese Generation 1 continuity|Destronger]]" faction.

What exactly that *means* was the subject of [[Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2001 franchise)#The continuity kerfuffle|no small amount of confusion]], but to skip to the end, ''Car Robots'' is the final Japan-exclusive season of the behemoth [[Japanese Generation 1 cartoon continuity]], with a cast composed of all new characters, having time-traveled from the distant future some time after the events of ''[[Super Lifeform Transformers: Beast Wars Neo (cartoon)|Beast Wars Neo]]''.

As it turns out, nostalgia marketing for fifteen-year-old cartoons does not work on nine-year-olds, and the Transformers brand closed the decade on a whimper in Japan, lying fallow with the core demographic until 2003's radical reimagining with ''Legends of the Microns'', Takara's version of ''[[Transformers: Armada (franchise)|Armada]]''.

==Development==
A year later in America, Hasbro decided it was time to end the [[Beast Era]] (which was also flagging in sales). Hasbro and Takara began work to co-develop the next series intended for both markets, ''[[Transformers: Armada (franchise)|Transformers: Armada]]'', but Hasbro refused to have no ''Transformers'' toys on the shelves despite ''Beast Machines'' under-performing. Thus, they quickly ported over ''Car Robots'', re-branding it as ''Robots in Disguise'', a low-cost, low-work "filler" line. While the animalistic villains retained the [[Predacon (BW)|Predacon]] logo (and faction name), all of the villains who turned into Earth vehicles received the traditional [[Decepticon]] emblem. Hasbro took to Takara's grab bag approach like a fish to water, expanding the product offerings with more redecos and minor retools of older molds, including a few previously canceled ones.

Declining to attempt to endear American children to ''Car Robots''<nowiki>'</nowiki> cast of unfamiliar characters, Hasbro took a page from the book of the nascent ''Armada'' treatment and styled them as new incarnations of the familiar [[Optimus Prime (disambiguation)|Optimus Prime]], [[Megatron (disambiguation)|Megatron]], and friends, give or take the unavoidably eclectic mix of antagonist factions baked into the line. Hasbro handed off translation to [[Saban Entertainment]], who produced a fairly liberal reimagining for Western markets per the style of dubbing for children's anime on American broadcast television at the time, landing a spot on the coveted [[Fox Kids]] Saturday morning block.

Where ''Car Robots'' sputtered as the last gasp of the original franchise in Japan, ''Robots in Disguise'' took off with a roar in America, thanks in no small part to riding the wave at the height of the American anime boom alongside such titans as ''Pokémon'' and ''Dragon Ball Z''.

==The continuity kerfuffle==
[[File:Convoy and Fire Convoy.jpg|right|thumb|upright=1.4|[[:File:PrimalLioConvoyCatalog01.jpg|History repeats itself]].]]
To put it bluntly, the continuity placement of the original Japanese ''Car Robots'' version of the series has been a point of contention within the fandom, particularly in the West.

===Early materials & initial impressions===
In its original broadcast on Japanese television, ''Car Robots'' was the final installment in a series of five ''Transformers'' cartoons that aired consecutively on [[TV Tokyo]] from [[1997]] to [[2000]]. Beginning with the first season of ''[[Beast Wars: Transformers (cartoon)#Beast Wars: Super Lifeform Transformers|Beast Wars]]'', this five-series run aired undisrupted on a weekly basis,<ref group="note">Barring two delays from December holidays in 1997 and 1998 that, respectively, pushed back [[The Trigger, Part 1|one episode]] of ''Beast Wars'' to air a week later back-to-back with the [[The Trigger, Part 2|next episode]], and shifted the last four episodes of ''Beast Wars II'' (and thus every episode of the next three series) back one week.</ref> continuing directly into ''[[Beast Wars II: Super Lifeform Transformers (cartoon)|Beast Wars II]]'', ''[[Super Lifeform Transformers: Beast Wars Neo (cartoon)|Beast Wars Neo]]'', ''[[Beast Wars: Transformers (cartoon)#Super Lifeform Transformers: Beast Wars Metals|Beast Wars Metals]]'', and finally ''Car Robots''. The first four series' final episodes each ended with a short promo that previewed the next series in the line, as if each show was one part of a larger ongoing series of interconnected shows. The [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AeCFOaGt2q0 promo] for ''Car Robots'' aired immediately after the [[Remix: I Forgot the Banana!|final episode]] of ''Beast Wars Metals'', and featured [[Optimus Prime (RID)|Fire Convoy]] thanking the [[Maximal]] Beast Warriors for preserving [[Earth]]'s history and promising to keep the modern day safe from the Destrongers.<ref group="note">This information was largely lost on larger English-speaking world due to a lack of widespread knowledge that this obscure promo had even existed, let alone what was said in its Japanese dialogue.</ref>

The series' synopsis found on [https://www.tv-tokyo.co.jp/carobot/index.html TV Tokyo's website] described ''Car Robots'' as "A new entry in the popular ''[[Beast Wars: Super Lifeform Transformers|Super Lifeform Transformers: Beast Wars]]'' series" and even mentioned by name the [[Great War (G1)|Great War]] of old. Said site and the [http://web.archive.org/web/20200526192751/https://www.allspark.com/forums/topic/150486-car-robots-robots-in-disguise-2001-general-discussion/page-3#entry3747453 first toy catalog] also claimed the Destrongers had come to the 21st century through a dimensional rift, with the catalog calling them "an extremist group of the Destron race" ("Destron" referring to the [[Predacon (BW)|Predacons]] of the [[Beast Era]]). The catalog also referred to Fire Convoy's team as a "[[Dimensional Patrol|Dimensional Patrol unit]]" sent to stop the Destrongers, and even described the series premise as "[[Autobot Cars|Car Robots]] versus [[Beast Wars: Transformers (toyline)|Beast Wars]]". Plus, while not known at the time, early concept art for Fire Convoy (released publicly via ''[[Transformers Generations 2015]]'') depicted him with a [[Maximal]] symbol instead of an Autobot one.<ref>{{citesocial|quote=So i was looking up the contents of a book i've got on the way when i stumbled onto this interesting piece of concept art included in the 2015 Generations book that appears to show a closer link between Beast Wars with Fire Convoy having a Maximal symbol. https://t.co/wyzrkAX0vS|link=https://twitter.com/walruslaw/status/1488875871847043072|name=walruslaw|site=Twitter|year=2022|month=02|day=02|(defunct=)}}</ref><ref>[https://twitter.com/20thDan/status/1488930036539281410 20thDan on Twitter], with higher-quality versions of the artwork, originally posted by [[Hisashi Yuki]] in a since-deleted [https://www.seibertron.com/transformers/news/early-sketch-of-fire-convoy-from-designer-hisashi-yuki/32617/ Tweet].</ref> Coupled with the [[Battle Protocol!|first episode]] featuring a celebration for the new millennium (setting it in the year [[2000]]), all this led to initial speculation that the series would be set within the [[Japanese Generation 1 cartoon continuity|preexisting Japanese ''Transformers'' continuity]], during the at-the-time unexplored gap between the second season of the [[The Transformers (cartoon)|Generation 1 cartoon]] and [[The Transformers: The Movie|its movie]], with the ''Car Robots'' cast having time-traveled from the future à la ''[[Beast Wars: Transformers (cartoon)|Beast Wars]]''.

As the series continued, however, it began to feel less like a part of the preexisting continuity and more like a fresh start, presenting itself as a self-contained story isolated from everything that had come before it,<ref group="note">The [[Beast Wars II: Super Lifeform Transformers (cartoon)|''Beast Wars II'' cartoon]] was similarly isolated and self-contained, but the appearance of [[Optimus Primal (BW)/Beast Wars cartoon continuity|Optimus Primal]] in both its first toy catalog and [[Lio Convoy in Imminent Danger!|its movie]] made it easier for fans to accept it as part of the preexisting continuity.</ref> with no obvious ties or references to the Generation 1 cartoon whose second and third seasons ''Car Robots'' was, ostensibly, supposed to be set between.<ref group="note">Although, the [[Cybertron Base (RID)|Autobots' base]] and [[Global Space Bridge|underground transit system]] were strikingly similar to ones first introduced in [[Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers issue 4|Issue #4]] of the [[Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers (manga)|''Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers'' manga]]; a series that not many Westerners were familiar with at the time.</ref> There were no guest appearances from any Generation 1 characters (who, logically, ought to have noticed the globally Earth-based conflict of Fire Convoy and Gigatron's forces),<ref group="note">Even the similarly self-contained [[Transformers: Super-God Masterforce (cartoon)|''Super-God Masterforce'' cartoon]] at least had a brief guest cameo appearance from [[Chromedome (G1)|Chromedome]] in its [[Birth! Headmaster Jrs|third episode]].</ref> and Fire Convoy's team took a more covert role in their relationship with humanity, using their vehicle modes to keep themselves incognito when not in battle, unlike the Generation 1 Autobots who regularly interacted with humans in their robot modes both on and off duty.<ref group="note">Though, Fire Convoy's team had no qualms whatsoever with showing their robot modes to humanity whenever their battles took place in cities or other populated areas.</ref> In fact, none of the early information about the characters being time travelers was ever brought up in the show, with almost no indication of the cast being anything but native to the year 2000 (save for one extremely brief moment in [[The Ultimate Robot Warrior|Episode 12]] that many fans did not catch, wherein Fire Convoy vaguely hinted at having originally come from another time).<ref group="note">Upon finding the first [[O-Part]] of the series, Fire Convoy recognized what it was and questioned how it could possibly "exist during this time," as if both he and the O-Part were not native to the series' present time.</ref> The Destrongers being a radical group of rogue Destrons was never mentioned either. Thus, fans began to reconsider the series' original continuity placement and wondered if it might instead be an alternate universe—a sort of continuity reboot—dismissing the early time-traveling info as mere rumors or dropped concepts (or simply never knowing about it in the first place).

On the other hand, ''Car Robots'' also never actually made a concerted effort to ''explicitly'' separate itself from everything that had come before it, either. At most, it maintained a largely ''indifferent'' relationship with the greater Japanese continuity... '''''at first'''''. As the series moved into its second half, it ''finally'' started to do some actual continuity-based world-building, reintroducing concepts and lore originally from ''Beast Wars II'' (the [[Energon Matrix]]), ''Beast Wars Neo'' ([[Vector Sigma#Japanese cartoon continuity|Vector Sigma]] as the God of the Transformers), ''[[Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers (franchise)#Transformers: The Headmasters|The Headmasters]]'' ([[Fortress Maximus (RID)|Brave Maximus]] being controlled by a "[[Headmaster (technology)|Head On]] System") and even the American ''Beast Wars'' cartoon (a [[Cyber Falcon-type spaceship|spaceship]] based directly on the ''[[Axalon (BW)|Axalon]]'' containing [[protoform]]-filled [[stasis pod]]s). At the time, the greater Western fandom still had very limited knowledge about the various Japanese-original ''Transformers'' series, and thus weren't privy to all of these references. But those residing in Japan who'' did'' catch these references (and ''hadn't'' fully dismissed the original shared-continuity speculation) postulated if maybe the cast of ''Car Robots'' had come from the future-set [[Beast Era]], specifically around the time of ''Beast Wars Neo''. But, the more vocal [[Misconceptions and urban legends about Transformers#JBWchronology|fandom perception]] that ''Beast Wars II'' and ''Neo'' took place chronologically before ''[[Beast Machines: Transformers (cartoon)|Beast Machines]]'' challenged this theory and [http://web.archive.org/web/20121116084945/http://tfarchive.com/creative/showentry.php?s=490 attempted to silence it.] <ref group="note">Even though ''Beast Machines'' had not yet reached Japan by that point, and thus wasn't yet a factor in the Japanese continuity until its belated release in 2004.</ref>

And then...

===The English version===
[[File:RiD Cartoon Intro Title.JPG|thumb|upright=1.15|left|The version that the majority of Westerners were most familiar with.]]
When ''Car Robots'' was brought over to the West as ''Robots in Disguise'', the cartoon's English dub was ''absolutely'' treated as a reboot by its production team (though, likely based on the same fandom belief in the first place). New leaders Fire Convoy and Gigatron were reimagined as new versions of [[Optimus Prime (disambiguation)|Optimus Prime]] and [[Megatron (disambiguation)|Megatron]], respectively, the entire cast of original characters were given different English names (mixing [[Prowl (RID)|familiar]] [[Grimlock (RID 2001)|names]] [[Mirage (RID)|taken]] [[Scourge (RID)|from]] Generation 1 with [[Midnight Express (RID)|several]] [[Dark Scream|brand]] [[Hot Shot (RID)|new]] [[Ruination (RID)|names]]), and episode scripts were written in ways that made the dub completely incompatible with either of the two major, Hasbro-backed [[Marvel Comics continuity|Generation 1]] [[Generation 1 cartoon continuity|continuities]] of the 20th century.

Muddying the waters further was the English dub's tendency to namedrop numerous references to concepts and characters from Generation 1, ''Beast Wars'', and ''Beast Machines'' (which typically made things even ''less'' compatible), as well as the expanded Hasbro toyline featuring toys of [[Axer (G1)#Robots in Disguise (2001)|Axer]] and [[Optimus Primal (BW)/toys#Robots in Disguise (2001)|Optimus Primal]] (whose toy bios strongly insinuated that they were the very ''same'' [[Axer (G1)|Axer]] and [[Optimus Primal (BW)/Beast Wars cartoon continuity|Optimus Primal]] as those originally from Generation 1 and ''Beast Wars''/''Beast Machines'', respectively). This caused no end of confusion among most of the Western fandom since, at the time, the idea of a total continuity reboot in ''Transformers'' was still very new and took some time to settle in.

[[File:Universe 3 Oracle Omega Prime.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.45|In [[Homecoming (Universe)|''Universe'' #3]], [[Omega Prime]] is summoned to the [[Beast Wars timeline (3H)|G1/Beast Era reality]] from the alternate universe of ''Robots in Disguise''.]]
Some fans even attempted to theorize how ''Robots in Disguise'' could fit into a combined timeline of the English-language Generation 1, ''Beast Wars'', and ''Beast Machines'' cartoons, jumping through hoops to explain how most of the characters with Generation 1-based names could be the same people as their namesakes via body-changes (like [[Ultra Magnus (RID)|Ultra Magnus]] becoming [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]]), or how those with new names could later become familiar G1 characters via body- ''and'' name-changes (like [[Side Burn (RID)|Side Burn]] becoming [[Hot Rod (G1)|Hot Rod]]). Other fans even theorized if ''Robots in Disguise'' could have been the result of ''Beast Wars'' having changed the timeline of Generation 1's history. Of course, these fan theories were going off the English dub due to its easier accessibility in the West, ignoring the fact that the characters in the Japanese ''Car Robots'' version were all originally brand new characters with mostly brand new names and no inherent ties to any prior series' characters (which, interestingly, ''would'' allow the ''Car Robots'' version to "fit in" better than the English version).

Eventually, the fandom grew used to the idea of this series (both its English ''and'' Japanese versions) being on its own, unconnected to any other series, helped along when ''Armada'' would unquestionably reboot ''Transformers'' continuity one year after ''Robots in Disguise'' in the West and three whole years after ''Car Robots'' in Japan. This tactic of starting things over every year is common in several long-running Japanese franchises, but had not yet been applied to ''Transformers'' until this point. Subsequent series would later follow suit, creating more and more non-Generation 1 continuities with each new reboot, making ''Car Robots''/''Robots in Disguise'' appear as less of an anomaly and more acceptably understood as just the first of many non-Generation 1 cartoons to come about after the [[Beast Era]].

This would later be reflected in such [[multiverse|multiversal]] series like ''[[Transformers: Universe (comic)|Transformers: Universe]]'' and ''[[Transformers Timelines (fiction)|Transformers: Timelines]]'', in which characters from ''Robots in Disguise'' were depicted as hailing from alternate universes different from those of Generation 1/''Beast Wars''/''Beast Machines''. ''Timelines'' and [[Transformers Animated: The AllSpark Almanac II|related works]] would even further distinguish the worlds of ''Robots in Disguise'' from Generation 1 by designating those of ''RID'' as part of the "[[Viron]]" cluster of universes, while G1 worlds were of the "[[Primax]]" cluster, in the [[universal stream]] system.

And thus, all things seemed to mostly make sense.

'''''BUT THEN...'''''

===Takara builds the Japanese G1 timeline===
In [[2003]]—three years after ''Car Robots'' had run its course in Japan—Takara released a new set of [[redeco]]s for the ''Car Robots'' [[Spychanger]] toys in a small toyline called ''[[The Transformers: Super Spychanger Lottery]]''. While [[pack-in material]] for this line indicated these toys represented the same Spychangers from the cartoon at a point set after the [[The Final Battle (RID)|final episode]], the line was branded not with Takara's ''Car Robots'' logo but instead with Hasbro's original [[The Transformers (franchise)|Generation 1]] logo from [[1984]]–[[1988]]. Though many fans found this quite puzzling at the time, the contemporaneous Japanese lines of [[Generation 1 reissues]]—''[[The Transformers: Collector's Edition]]'', ''[[The Transformers Collection]]'', and ''[[The Transformers: Micromaster]]''—all likewise made use of this Hasbro G1 logo. A year later, [[2004]]'s ''[[Robotmasters (franchise)|Robotmasters]]'' series provided further hints regarding the placement of ''Car Robots'' in Japanese continuity. In celebration of the [[Transformers brand|brand's]] 20th anniversary, this series featured a big crossover event between Generation 1, ''Beast Wars'', and more, with characters time-traveling to the year 2004 through a set of dimensional rifts known as the [[Blastizone]].

[[File:RobotMasters relation chart.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.35|''Robotmasters'' [[Tow-Line (RID)|Wrecker Hook]] did not come through the [[Blastizone]].]]
One character in this series, an amnesiac Decepticon named Wrecker Hook, shared the same toy mold and Japanese name as ''Car Robots'' Wrecker Hook (known in ''Robots in Disguise'' as the Autobot [[Tow-Line (RID)|Tow-Line]]). At the time, it was not clear if the Decepticon Wrecker Hook was meant to be the Autobot Wrecker Hook/Tow-Line having switched sides, but even if he was, there still remained speculation over whether or not he had come from another dimension, since [[Sideways (RM)|another character in the line]] was also [[Circular reporting#Sideways|suspected to be a dimension-hopper]]. However, a closer examination of the ''Robotmasters'' toy bios and fiction reveals that the only characters who came through the Blastizone were just the time-traveling ones from ''Beast Wars'', ''[[Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers: Victory (cartoon)|Victory]]'', and ''Beast Wars II''; not Wrecker Hook.<ref group="note">And '''not''' [[Sideways (RM)|Double Face]], either. [[Misconceptions and urban legends about Transformers#Robotmasters|There was never any dimension-hopping in ''Robotmasters'']].</ref>

Also in the ''Robotmasters'' line was a rerelease of the ''Car Robots'' [[Fortress Maximus (RID)|Brave Maximus]] toy, offered as a contest prize and renamed "Cybertron Base" (a name not too dissimilar to the name of its city mode in the ''Car Robots'' cartoon: "Cybertron City").<ref group="note">Note that "Cybertron City" is also the Japanese name as [[Autobot City (G1)|Autobot City]].</ref> But since Brave Maximus/Cybertron Base did not actually feature in any ''Robotmasters'' fiction (barring a single vague mention in the first [[The New Battle Begins!|catalog comic]] that a "great fortress" served as the core of [[Autobot City (G1)|Autobot City]]), his inclusion in the ''Robotmasters'' line was largely ignored by the Western fandom. Also released in this year was the [[e-HOBBY]]-[[exclusive]] [[G1 GoBots]] set, whose toy bio made explicit reference to the [[Spychanger]]s of ''Car Robots'' in a way that tied them directly to their toy mold predecessors, the ''[[Transformers: Generation 2 (toyline)|Generation 2]]'' [[Go-Bot (G2)|Go-Bots]]. While the characters in this set would never be used in Japanese media, the Spychanger reference was but a small glimpse of much bigger things yet to come.<ref>[https://www.allspark.com/forums/topic/89376-united-ex-translated-stories-and-bios-complete/page-15#entry2198052 Post by Andrew Hall on The Allspark] (dead link)</ref>

In [[2005]], the ''[[The Transformers: Binaltech Asterisk|Binaltech Asterisk]]'' line featured human figures packed in with new toys of Generation 1 Autobots; two of these figures ([[Ai Kuruma]] and [[Kelly (RID)#Toys|Junko Shiragami]]) were based on the ''Car Robots'' characters [[T-AI|Ai]] and [[Kelly (RID)|Junko]] (known in ''Robots in Disguise'' as "T-AI" and "Kelly", respectively). While Ai Kuruma was definitely not the same person as Ai/T-AI (since the latter was a hologram, not a human), it was not quite known if Junko Shiragami was supposed to be ''the'' Junko/Kelly from ''Car Robots'' or just an homage to her (like how Ai Kuruma was to Ai/T-AI).<ref group="note">Though, both of their ''Binaltech Asterisk'' toy bios had some vague but notable hints that seemed to imply some kind of relation to their ''Car Robots'' namesakes: Ai's bio alluded to a supposed history between her and the Transformers that somehow existed before she had even met them (seemingly in reference to ''Car Robots'' Ai resembling her likeness), while Junko's bio stated that she loves to take long drives but has had no luck with cars for a long time (much like ''Car Robots'' Junko's bad luck with always running into Transformer activity that often led to the destruction of many of her automobiles).</ref> The latter notion soon began to seem more likely when a third human figure, [[Lumina Hoshi]], was released as a new character who, like Ai Kuruma, was merely an homage to another preexisting character (in this case, [[Illumina]] from ''[[Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers (franchise)#Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers: Victory|Victory]]''). However, little did anyone in the West realize at the time that these little hints were all just the tip of the iceberg.

[[File:Japaneseflowchart.jpg|thumb|upright=1.8|This has only gotten MORE complicated since its publication.]]
By [[2006]]–[[2007]], Takara surprised the Western fandom by directly clarifying ''Car Robots''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s place in continuity. The ''[[Transformers: Kiss Players (franchise)|Kiss Players]]'' series featured a storyline in which the series' protagonists traveled through time aboard Brave Maximus, the very same one from ''Car Robots''. One of their jumps even took them to the first episode of ''Car Robots'' without any dimension-hopping, only time-hopping. The story later saw Brave Maximus get thrown far back in time to crash-land on [[Master (planet)|Planet Master]], at a point set before the planet's refugee inhabitants had developed the [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmaster technology]]; Brave Maximus's wreckage ended up providing the catalyst for not just the technology but also the construction of the physically similar [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress Maximus]]. The story's conclusion even featured the creation of Brave Maximus on Earth in the distant past, finally explaining how and why he was first seen hidden deep within the Earth back in ''Car Robots''. Other [[Autorooper#AutorooperXAtari|print]] [[Kiss Players/15 Go! Go!|media]] released at the time even produced a long, [[Source:Generation 1 cartoon timeline (Japan)|highly detailed timeline]] that mapped out just how the hell this all worked.

Essentially, Takara had stuck to the original claims of the series' preliminary info by officially declaring ''Car Robots'' to have been part of the massive, sprawling [[Japanese Generation 1 cartoon continuity]] all along, hand-waving the cartoon's lack of previous-series Transformers appearing on Earth by utilizing the ending of a short-lived, somewhat obscure Generation 1 [[manga]] mini-series first published in [[2003]] (but notably written and drawn by [[Naoto Tsushima]], the very same man who wrote and drew the aforementioned ''Robotmasters'' series the following year, ''and'' illustrated the [[Asterisk Story|''Binaltech Asterisk'' manga]] in 2006). Titled ''[[Transformers: The Battle of the Star Gate]]'', this mini-series took place in the latter 1990s and ended, practically ''on purpose'', with virtually the entire Generation 1 cast completely disappearing from Earth after a cataclysmic battle in space, and not returning until a few years later, allowing ''Car Robots'' to ''conveniently'' slot right into the year 2000 while the Generation 1 characters were gone.

With much of the fandom having already grown used to the idea of ''Car Robots'' being as much of a reboot as ''Robots in Disguise'' by that point in time, this revelation was initially met with quite the startled reaction; many even wrote it off as a nonsensical [[retcon]].<ref group="note">A [[2015]] ''[[Ask Vector Prime]]'' [[Source:Ask Vector Prime/Facebook#July 19, 2015|Facebook entry]] even attempted to provide a "quantum-babble" explanation for how the events of ''Car Robots'' came to take place in the Japanese G1 universe, which leaned into the idea of it having indeed been a retcon instead of the original intention for ''Car Robots'' all along.</ref> Regardless, [[Transformers Legends (comic)|subsequent]] [[Transformers Unite Warriors|Japanese media]] would adhere to this decision, leaning ''into'' the once-quelled idea of the ''Car Robots'' cast originally hailing from a future set at some time near that of ''Beast Wars Neo''. The aforementioned ''Robotmasters'' Wrecker Hook and ''Binaltech Asterisk'' Junko would even be confirmed to be the same characters as their ''Car Robots'' counterparts in [[2013]]'s "[[Metrowars]]" and [[2016]]'s ''[[Unite Warriors Offshot]]'', respectively.

In the end, it appears that, from Takara's perspective, ''Car Robots'' really was always meant to be part of this larger Japanese G1 universe. It's just that the cartoon itself did such a ''really'' lackadaisical job of actually making that clear; most likely because Takara felt that it simply went without saying, and weren't aware that the fandom felt otherwise. And because it wasn't as obvious as Takara thought, it took all these extra efforts made after the fact to help ''Car Robots'' feel more inclusively like a part of Japanese G1, but to ''very'' mixed results.

'''''BUT''''', even with all of '''''THAT''''' said and sorted out...

===East vs. West===
Hasbro, on the other side of the pond, has shown '''NO''' such plans to align the English version with any of this (which is for the better). To this day, the 2001 ''Robots in Disguise'' cartoon remains its own little separate, distinctly non-Generation 1 thing, and Hasbro has shown little inclination to revive its characters or concepts; most of the callbacks have come from licensees [[Fun Publications]] and [[IDW Publishing]], but a ''few'' characters and ideas have persisted in toy form from Hasbro proper. Thus, ''Car Robots''/''Robots in Disguise'' is in the unique position of being simultaneously part of and completely separate from Generation 1... depending on which side of the globe you're looking at.

In order to keep things simple for readers and cut back on redundancies, '''{{SITENAME SHORT}}''' has opted to roll ''Car Robots'' character and cartoon information into the ''Robots in Disguise'' counterparts' pages. Just know that any ''Robots in Disguise'' character who appears in the "[[:Category: Car Robots characters|''Car Robots'' characters]]" category has a nigh-identical Generation-1-timeline doppelganger with a different name who did pretty much all the same stuff in the cartoon, only they did it all in a Generation 1 timeline. Though some modern Western fiction has introduced ''distinctly'' Generation 1 versions of ''Robots in Disguise'' characters—such as [[Sky-Byte (RID)|Sky-Byte]], [[Side Burn (RID)|Side Burn]], and [[Megatron (RID)|Gigatron]]—these versions of the characters are all covered on the same pages as their ''Robots in Disguise'' counterparts since, it turns out, the original ''Car Robots'' versions that started it all were all originally Generation 1 characters anyway!

Head hurt yet? '''''GOOD!!'''''

==Notes==
[[File:Diaclone Car Robots logo.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.4|Both versions of ''Diaclone''{{'}}s ''Car Robots'' logo.]]
[[File:Car Robots G1 OP Cross-sell.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.1|How do you do, fellow new toys?]]
* That retro gimmick we mentioned goes more than skin deep. ''Car Robots'' is so named for the original ''Car Robots'' (カーロボット) [[subline imprint]] of the [[pre-Transformer|pre-''Transformers'']] ''[[Diaclone]]'' franchise from which we receive the original [[1984]]-[[1985]] assortment of [[Autobot Cars]], along with [[Optimus Prime (G1)/toys#The Transformers|Optimus Prime]] and [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/toys#The Transformers|Ultra Magnus]].
* When asked about the ''Diaclone'' angle, TakaraTomy designer [[Hironori Kobayashi]] explained that their driving philosophy for the line was to recreate the original Car Robots from first principles with then-modern (read: ''Beast Wars'') technology.<ref>Interview with Kobayashi in ''[[Transformers Generations 2015]]''</ref>
* The ''[[Car Robots Encyclopedia]]'' equated the two directly, telling the kids of [[2000]] that the Car Robots had been defending the Earth for a ''loooong'' time before Fire Convoy's crew came along, and gave them a brief out-of-universe rundown of vintage ''Diaclone'' in an elaborate cross-sell for the contemporaneous [[Optimus Prime (G1)/toys#2000rerelease|Generation 1 Optimus Prime reissue]].
* If this seems like a lot of fuss for the [[Autobot Brothers]] specifically, it bears mentioning ''Car Robots''{{'}} wider orbit in the ''Diaclone'' line accounts for the remaining new-mold Autobots in the form of the heroic train and construction vehicle combiners that became [[1987]]'s [[Trainbot#Toys|Trainbots]] and 1984's [[Constructicon (G1)#Toys|Constructicons]] respectively.

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

===Footnotes===
{{collist|2|
<references group="note"/>
}}

==External links==
*[https://www.tv-tokyo.co.jp/carobot/index.html TV Tokyo's original website for the ''Car Robots'' cartoon]
*[http://www.takaratomy.co.jp/products/TF/table.html Takara's Transformers Continuity Map places ''Car Robots'' in Generation 1.]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Robots in Disguise}}
[[Category:Franchises]]
[[Category:Robots in Disguise (2001)| ]]

Young Toys

2023-12-06T18:26:06Z

OptimusComboy: added Korean language name in parentheses

[[File:YoungToys logo.gif|thumb]]

'''Young Toys''' (영실업) is one of the few South Korean toy companies that, during the 1980s and early 1990s, purchased the license to produce robot toys from companies like [[Bandai]] and [[Hasbro]]. (Other companies at the time simply produced [[Knockoff|knock offs]].) Young Toys is the company that officially imported [[The Transformers (Chinese toyline)|Chinese-made Generation 1 toys]] under license from Hasbro into Korea during the early 1990s. They subsequently imported some Hasbro ''[[Beast Wars: Transformers (toyline)|Beast Wars]]'' toys in the mid 1990s.

After Young Toys' rival [[Sonokong]] produced [[TakaraTomy|Takara]] ''Transformers ''toys in the early 2000s, Young Toys resumed producing Transformers toys with their short-lived two-toy line of ''[[Transformers: Alternators|Alternators]]'' in 2007, which consisted of [[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]] and [[Skids (G1)|Skids]].

Since 2010, Young Toys have been making their own popular [http://www.youngtoys.co.kr/english/html/02_tobot_front.html| Tobot] toys in Korea.

[[Category:Companies]]

AKOM

2023-12-06T18:16:47Z

OptimusComboy: added link to wiki's South Korea page in opening paragraph

[[File:AkomLogo1.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|This logo is severely off-model, is missing one of its arms, contains 46 art and coloring errors, and isn't even supposed to be on this page.]]
'''AKOM''' ('''A'''nimation '''KO'''rea '''M'''ovie Productions) is a [[South Korea|South Korean]] animation studio owned and founded by [[Nelson Shin]]. AKOM is known for its very <s>[[Animation error|error prone]]</s>... ''ahem''... "cost-efficient" animation and is used frequently for American cartoons. Some shows AKOM has worked on include: ''The Simpsons'', [[Saban Entertainment|Saban]]'s ''[[X-Men]]'' & ''Silver Surfer'', ''The Tick'', ''Savage Dragon'', ''Tiny Toon Adventures'', ''Arthur'', and ''[[Batman]]: The Animated Series''; the company was actually fired from the latter because of their consistently sub-par work.

==''The Transformers'' episodes animated==
{{collist|2|
*Ep.19 - "[[City of Steel (episode)|City of Steel]]"
*Ep.23 - "[[The Autobot Run]]"
*Ep.28 - "[[The Core]]"
*Ep.66 - "[[Five Faces of Darkness, Part 1]]"
*Ep.67 - "[[Five Faces of Darkness, Part 2]]" (animation assisted by [[Sam Young Studio]])
*Ep.68 - "[[Five Faces of Darkness, Part 3]]"
*Ep.69 - "[[Five Faces of Darkness, Part 4]]"
*Ep.70 - "[[Five Faces of Darkness, Part 5]]"
*Ep.73 - "[[Dark Awakening (episode)|Dark Awakening]]"
*Ep.74 - "[[Forever Is a Long Time Coming (episode)|Forever Is a Long Time Coming]]"
*Ep.75 - "[[Starscream's Ghost]]"
*Ep.76 - "[[Thief in the Night]]"
*Ep.80 - "[[Ghost in the Machine (G1)|Ghost in the Machine]]"
*Ep.82 - "[[Carnage in C-Minor]]"
*Ep.83 - "[[The Quintesson Journal]]"
*Ep.85 - "[[The Big Broadcast of 2006 (episode)|The Big Broadcast of 2006]]"
*Ep.88 - "[[Only Human]]"
*Ep.89 - "[[Grimlock's New Brain]]"
*Ep.92 - "[[The Face of the Nijika]]"
*Ep.96 - "[[The Rebirth, Part 1]]"
*Ep.97 - "[[The Rebirth, Part 2]]"
*Ep.98 - "[[The Rebirth, Part 3]]"
}}

===Additional animation===
*[[Commercial bumper]]s (season 3, 4)
*[[Title sequence]] (season 3, 4-via recycled animation)

==Production history==

Since Shin also happened to be the producer of the original [[The Transformers (cartoon)|''Transformers'' cartoon]], [[Marvel Productions|Marvel Productions]] would start using AKOM beginning with season 2. It's confirmed that [[Toei Animation|Toei]] animated 39 of the 49 season 2 episodes,<ref>[http://web.archive.org/web/20030106085836/www.toei-anim.co.jp/oldies/collabo2.html Archived version of Toei's resume for joint productions, confirming their share in seasons 2 and 3]</ref> which leaves ten more episodes that were shared between AKOM and at least two [[Unknown Generation 1 animation studios|unknown studios]].<ref>[http://cybertronchronicle.freewebspace.com/60-astrominutes/paul-davids/paul-davids-3.html Interview with production coordinator Paul Davids at the Cybertron Chronicle, confirming the use of a studio from the Philippines]</ref> As the three episodes "[[The Core]]", "[[The Autobot Run]]", and "[[City of Steel (episode)|City of Steel]]" (which all share the same animation/drawing style, hence suggesting that they were all done by the same studio) are widely considered to be of the same quality and style as AKOM's season 3 work, it's highly probable that they were done by them, leaving the remaining seven episodes for the mystery studio.

Due to the rising cost of contracting animation services to Japan. Marvel Productions, like many other US production companies, sought the services of cheaper Korean studios. Thus, AKOM's participation increased dramatically by season 3, where they produced a total of 16 episodes, at least two of which ("[[Starscream's Ghost]]" and "[[Only Human]]") had their animation sub-contracted out to another studio (of the remaining 14, 13 were produced by Toei, and [[Surprise Party|one]] by [[Sei Young Animation Co. Ltd.]]). By 1987, AKOM was utilised as Marvel's primary animator. The short-lived season 4 (the three-part "[[The Rebirth]]" series finale) was then handled entirely by AKOM, as well as all of the season 3 and season 4 [[commercial bumper]]s and the season 3 [[title sequence]]s.

==Characteristics==
[[File:AKOM - Op.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|Bizarrely, Akom used THREE colour schemes for [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]], each seemingly regressing to an earlier stage of development.]]
AKOM rather noticeably ''never'' got the right color guides for some characters. Many characters have small and large coloring oddities whenever they appear in an AKOM episode. A list follows.

In Season 2:
*[[Bumblebee (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Bumblebee]] has a black-colored disk in the middle of his robot mode back, which should be yellow.
*[[Chip Chase]] has a blue jacket instead of brown.
*[[Devastator (G1)|Devastator]] retained his color scheme from [[Heavy Metal War]], including a purple window on his upper chest, a purple top to his chest plate (instead of a green top), and, strangest of all, a green crotch with purple edges.
*[[Gears (G1)|Gears']] truck mode is red with blue fenders instead of blue with a red camper top. His white robot bits are colored light gray.
*[[Hook (G1)|Hook's]] feet are white instead of green.
*[[Laserbeak (G1)|Laserbeak's]] beak is more often than not the same dark gray as his head.
*[[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Megatron's]] gun barrel is dark gray.
*[[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime's]] backpack is white instead of red.
*[[Prowl (G1)|Prowl's]] entire body is a light gray instead of white.
*[[Soundwave (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Soundwave]] has a white backpack/battery case, instead of blue.

In Season 3:
*AKOM frequently used older, outdated designs for some characters. Grimlock shows up with his older, flattened head design, and the characters introduced in ''[[The Transformers: The Movie]]'' would sometimes appear in their older, pre-production designs, their designs switching in and out from shot to shot. Toei was guilty of this too, but to a far lesser extent.
*Whether drawing the characters in their outdated or finalized designs, AKOM ''always'' used outdated colour models for several members of the cast, including the movie characters. Consequently, regardless of design, Rodimus always has red shoulder indentations, Galvatron always has a lavender pelvis, Kup always has grey boots, Cyclonus always has thick purple eyebrows, and Arcee always has a grey collar, to name just a few pronounced details.
*Numerous characters have the inside of their mouths colored in a shade that corresponds to their helmet: Ultra Magnus's mouth is blue, Arcee's is dull pink, Springer's is green, etc. Maybe AKOM thought their heads were hollow?

To AKOM's credit, the animation cel count for their shows ''was'' a few frames-per-second higher, thus the episodes they produced appeared noticeably smoother than non-AKOM-produced episodes.

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.akomkorea.com/ AKOM official website] (Often offline)
*{{w|AKOM|AKOM at Wikipedia}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Akom}}
[[Category:Animation companies]]

Vector Sigma

2022-01-14T07:52:17Z

OptimusComboy: /* Foreign names */

{{factions|primus|{{factions/icons|custom=PotP-AlphaTrion.png|cSize=30px|cLink=Alpha Trion (G1)|cPretty=Alpha Trion}}}}
[[File:VectorSigmaG1.jpg|upright=2.2|thumb|A Clockwork Orange]]

'''Vector Sigma''' is an ancient and incredibly powerful super-computer that dwells at the heart of [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]]. Built to serve as a link between the [[Transformer]]s and their god [[Primus]], it is one of the fabled [[sacred implement]]s that grants access to the [[Transformer afterlife]], giving it a vast storehouse of wisdom, and the power to grand new Transformers [[spark|life]]. The computer maintains the functions of the planet while Primus sleeps within it, and frequently acts out his will to shape Cybertron's future. Multiple incarnations of Vector Sigma exist across the multiverse; in most universes, the computer typically takes the form of a faceted sphere, and is often tended by the Autobot sage, [[Alpha Trion (G1)|Alpha Trion]].

Vector Sigma has no allegiance in the Transformers' war; it can be commanded by anyone who wields its [[Key to Vector Sigma|activation key]], which on its own has the power to convert organic substances into [[living metal|metal]]. However, centuries in the future, by the time of the [[Maximal]]s and [[Predacon (BW)|Predacons]], some incarnations of Vector Sigma are known to have evolved beyond physical form into the immaterial [[Oracle (BM)|Oracle]], and now requires a "receptive spark" to access its power.

{{quote|I am Vector Sigma. Before Cybertron was, I was.|Vector Sigma upon activation|"[[The Key to Vector Sigma, Part 1]]"}}

==Fiction==
===Generation 1 cartoon continuity===
====''The Transformers'' cartoon====
{{voiceactor|[[Corey Burton]] (English), [[Toshio Ishii]] (Japanese)|[[Henry Djanik]] (European French), [[Marcos Miranda]] (Brazilian Portuguese)}}

[[File:Ktvs prime and trion.jpg|left|thumb|Alpha Trion telling Optimus about the benefits of Brilliant]]

Described as the "mega-computer" which gave all Transformers life, Vector Sigma resided in a spherical chamber deep within the planet [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]]. Its origins were unknown, save for the cryptic sentence it spoke upon being activated, whereupon it pronounces that before Cybertron existed, it did. {{storylink|The Key to Vector Sigma, Part 1}} No direct connection between Vector Sigma and the Transformers' creators the [[Quintesson]]s would ever be drawn, but it's not illogical to presume that the aliens must have used Vector Sigma to program their robots. {{storylink|Five Faces of Darkness, Part 4}}

In 1985, seeking to combat the [[Autobot]]s' rule of the roads, [[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Megatron]] created the [[Stunticon (G1)|Stunticons]] and brought them to Cybertron with the intent of having Vector Sigma program them with true cybernetic personalities. Requiring Vector Sigma's [[Key to Vector Sigma|activation key]] to bring the computer online, he stole it from [[Alpha Trion (G1)|Alpha Trion]] and successfully completed his plan. {{storylink|The Key to Vector Sigma, Part 1}} In retaliation, [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] constructed his own new team, the [[Aerialbot (G1)|Aerialbots]], but Megatron had already returned to Earth with the key still in his clutches, leaving the Autobots unable to reactivate Vector Sigma. As a first-generation product of Vector Sigma, Alpha Trion shared the mega-computer's computation matrix, and sacrificed himself by merging his lifeforce with it. This action reactivated the computer long enough for Optimus Prime to instruct it to program the Aerialbots with life.

Shortly thereafter, it was revealed that the key possessed another power—the bizarre ability to generate an energy beam that "de-energizes" organic matter, transforming it into lifeless metal. Megatron attempted to use this power to turn Earth into a new Cybertron, but his plans were thwarted and the key destroyed. {{storylink|The Key to Vector Sigma, Part 2}}

After draining the energies of the [[Matrix of Leadership]] to cure the [[Hate Plague]] in 2006, Optimus Prime began to suffer premonitions of some unseen future disaster. Believing that these visions were coming to pass with the Decepticons' theft of the [[Key to the Plasma Energy Chamber|key]] to the [[Plasma Energy Chamber]], {{storylink|The Rebirth, Part 1}} Prime used the empty shell of the Matrix to reactivate Vector Sigma, so that he could communicate with the spirit of Alpha Trion, still living within the computer, in hopes that the old sage could provide answers. Alpha Trion indicated that the recent conflict that had erupted around the Chamber had, in fact, been engineered by Vector Sigma as a means of bringing about a new Golden Age of Cybertron. {{storylink|The Rebirth, Part 2}} The plan ultimately succeeded when the chamber's energies were released, forcing Earth's sun to go supernova, only for the excess solar energy to be rerouted into Vector Sigma by [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike Witwicky]] and the Autobots' [[Nebulan]] allies, thereby re-energizing the planet. {{storylink|The Rebirth, Part 3|The Rebirth, Part 3}}

====''A Birth of Planet Saybertron''====
Vector Sigma was originally a computer built within a mere satellite. It was the result of the greatest minds of a coalition of planets coming together to assemble an instrument that would ensure peace between their civilizations. But the computer malfunctioned, and the satellite begun drawing in materials from other satellites to build itself up. Those who had built the computer tried to stop it, but found themselves unable to defeat the rapidly-evolving machine. Cybertron came to strip its galactic neighborhood of its resources, extinguishing the life of its creators. Over time, primitive machines sprung from it, eventually evolving into the Transformers. {{storylink|A Birth of Planet Saybertron}}

====Japanese cartoon continuity====
{{main|Primus#Japanese Generation 1 cartoon continuity}}

Vector Sigma was one identity of the multi-faceted god [[Primus]]. After his stint as [[Primacron]]'s assistant, the Oracle, Primus's essence within the [[Matrix of Leadership|Matrix]] fled to a desolate planet in the center of the galaxy which he made into a verdant world and where his form converted into the sphere later known as Vector Sigma. When the [[Quintesson]]s took over the planet, they sealed Primus within Vector Sigma and controlled it using the Key to Vector Sigma that they also used to convert the planet to a mechanical world. From Vector Sigma came the robotic Transformers, who chased their cruel masters off the planet.

Millions of years later, the [[Great War (G1)|Great War]] reached Vector Sigma, who was tasked with creating more soldiers for the Autobots and the Decepticons. After Megatron stole the Key, ancient Transformer Alpha Trion was forced to give his life in activating Vector Sigma for the Autobots and the Key was destroyed shortly after. Decades later, the Matrix was sapped of energy in fighting the [[Hate Plague]], destabilizing Vector Sigma and eventually forcing Optimus Prime himself to sacrifice his life by merging with the computer to return it to normal. Soon afterwards, Vector Sigma began developing [[Cybertonuron]], which attracted the attention of Galvatron, but rival Scorponok had bombs planted in Vector Sigma's chambers that detonated and brought ruin to Cybertron.

Vector Sigma survived, and tasked the [[Disaster Relief Team]] with rebuilding the planet. It became embroiled in a plot by Unicron to take Cybertron as his new body, but Vector Sigma was able to help its children repel the invader. The computer was soon attacked again, this time by the Fallen, who sought its power of creation, but was saved by the efforts of Autobots from across space and time.

Centuries after the Great War ended, Vector Sigma hid itself under its other identity of the Oracle, and led [[Optimus Primal (BW)/Beast Wars cartoon continuity|Optimus Primal]] to bring about the [[Great Transformation|reformatting of Cybertron into a technorganic world]]. This led to another renewal of Vector Sigma that appointed itself the "God of Transformers" and the ultimate authority of Cybertron. When the threat of a revived Unicron emerged tens of thousands of years later, Vector Sigma took an interest in [[Big Convoy]] and his [[Big Convoy Unit|unit]], encouraging them by speaking through its link to Big Convoy's Energon Matrix. Unicron managed to possess Vector Sigma to take control of Cybertron, but the united efforts of Maximal and Predacon vanquished Unicron's spirit. Vector Sigma would go on to support the [[Dimensional Patrol]], led by one of Vector Sigma's creations, [[Optimus Prime (RID)|Fire Convoy]].

====''Wings Universe''====
Alpha Trion used Vector Sigma to bring [[Jhiaxus (G2)|Jhiaxus]] to life. {{storylink|Hasbro Transformers Collectors' Club issue 44|''Wings Universe'' Jhiaxus bio}}

===''Beast Wars'' cartoon continuity===
====''Beast Machines'' cartoon====
{{voiceactor|[[Carol Savenkoff]] (English), [[Nobutoshi Canna]] (Japanese)|[[Emanuela Damasio]] (Italian), [[Martina Treger]] (German)}}
{{main|Oracle (BM)}}
[[File:Oracle (The Reformatting).jpg|thumb|225px|The Oracle usually appears outwardly like a ball of "outer space", but many things can be displayed on its fluid surface. A swirling mass of sparks is another common visual.]]

Three hundred years after the end of the [[Great War (G1)|Great War]] between the Autobots and Decepticons, Vector Sigma had evolved, transcending physical form to become the [[Oracle (BM)|Oracle]], a huge, immaterial sphere of light. It had long since fallen into legend, remembered only as the computer that predated the Cybertronian race, until it was rediscovered by [[Optimus Primal (BW)/Beast Wars cartoon continuity|Optimus Primal]] and his small band of [[Maximal]]s while they were on the run from [[Megatron (BW)/Beast Wars cartoon continuity|Megatron]], who had conquered the entire planet. To protect Primal's Maximals from the effects of the [[transformation virus]] Megatron had used to conquer Cybertron, the Oracle reformatted them into new [[technorganic]] forms {{storylink|The Reformatting}}

[[File:Vector sigma core.jpg|left|225px|thumb|A Diagnostic Drone interfaces with the Vector Sigma core, which appears very similar to the Generation 1 Vector Sigma.]]

Through the Oracle, Optimus Primal communed with the [[Transformer afterlife|Allspark]], the extradimensional source of all Transformer life to which the computer was connected, and believed that it was the will of the Allspark that Cybertron be restored to its organic beginnings. {{storylink|Survivor}} In truth, Primal was incorrect—the Oracle actually desired a ''balance'' between the organic and the technological—but it would take the disastrous unleashing of the power buried within the computer to make him realize this. When Megatron's treacherous general, [[Tankor (BM)|Tankor]], discovered that Vector Sigma and the Oracle were one and the same, he used the sparkless [[Diagnostic Drone]] to circumvent the Oracle's "receptive spark" requirement, tapping into the Oracle's "Vector Sigma core" and acquiring from it the code for the mega-computer's legendary key. {{storylink|The Key}} When Optimus next attempted to contact the Oracle, he found himself unable to do so, due to Tankor's tampering. {{storylink|The Catalyst}}

Tankor proceeded to arm his [[Tank Drone]]s with the power of the Key to Vector Sigma, intending to use it to scour Cybertron of all traces of organic matter, but soon discovered that Megatron had taken control of the drones away from him. In order to trick Megatron into unleashing the key, Tankor had the Diagnostic Drone tap the Oracle once more and send Optimus Prime a false vision, guiding him to the [[Plasma Energy Chamber]]. Tankor gambled that Primal would never unleash the Chamber's descructive energy, but that the ''threat'' of it in his control would goad Megatron into activating the key. Tankor gambled wrong; after Megatron triggered the key, Optimus retaliated by unleashing the power of the chamber, and two energies violently cancelled each other out. {{storylink|End of the Line}} Primal was killed by the energy backlash and travelled to the Allspark, but chose not to join it, now understanding what the Oracle truly desired. Primal returned to reality via the Oracle, and the computer vanished. {{storylink|Fallout (episode)|Fallout}} Though, it was anomalously visible again a few times. {{storylink|A Wolf in the Fold}} {{storylink|Sparkwar Pt. I: The Strike|The Strike}} {{storylink|Sparkwar Pt. III: The Siege|The Siege}}

It would be some time before Primal realized it, but the Oracle had, in fact, transplanted itself into Primal's body. Megatron was first to realize this and targeted Primal, tricking him with a hologram of Optimus Prime and downloading a portion of the Oracle for himself. {{storylink|Sparkwar Pt. II: The Search|The Search}} Using the power of the Oracle, Megatron attempted to merge all the sparks he had stolen from Cybertron's population with his own, but Primal's Maximals halted his scheme. {{storylink|Sparkwar Pt. III: The Siege|The Siege}}

Optimus sought to consult with the Oracle one last time before his final showdown against Megatron's forces. The Oracle informed Primal that he already held the wisdom and strength of conviction to triumph and see Cybertron through to its destiny. It then relayed the strength of the sparks contained within the Matrix to give the Maximals new powers, to aid them in the upcoming confrontation. {{storylink|Endgame Pt. II: When Legends Fall|When Legends Fall}} As it would soon turn out, the Oracle had actually orchestrated this entire scenario, so that Optimus Primal and Megatron would both control a portion of its power: with its power split thusly, neither one would be able to obtain their goal without the other. It was Optimus Primal who ultimately claimed victory, driving Megatron into Cybertron's organic core and sacrificing both of them as he activated the Oracle and triggered a planet-wide reformatting of Cybertron into a technorganic paradise. {{storylink|Endgame Pt. III: Seeds of the Future|Seeds of the Future}}
{{--}}

====3H comics====
The Oracle was revealed to be a shell program constructed by the [[Quintesson]]s twelve million years ago, in an attempt to harness the power of Vector Sigma (which the Quintesson [[Al-Badur]] described as "the ultimate physical embodiment" of Primus) and cut off its connection to the Transformers it birthed. Using the Oracle, the Quintessons allegedly fed Optimus Primal the visions and information necessary to orchestrate the technorganic reformatting of Cybertron, believing that it would leave the Cybertronians weak and disoriented, opening the planet up to an easy conquest. {{storylink|Disclosure}} In actuality, however, it was the Quintessons themselves who were being manipulated, by Primus, who used the greedy aliens to instigate this great evolutionary leap for his children. {{storylink|Wreckers: Finale Part II}}

===''Beast Wars Neo'' manga===
[[File:BWN manga Great Convoy.jpg|thumb|]]
{{charstubfiction|{{Storylink|The 5 Rookies}} {{storylink|Double Cross}}}}

===Dreamwave ''Generation One'' continuity===
Vector Sigma was the internal computer of Primus, which he used to analyze what was happening in the universe via information gained from the [[Sonic Canyons]]. {{storylink|Transformers: The Ultimate Guide}} After taking control of Cybertron, [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]] attempted to access Vector Sigma and download its information, but concluded that he needed the [[Matrix of Leadership]] to initiate an uplink. Capturing Optimus Prime, he forcibly removed the Matrix from the [[Prime (rank)|Autobot leader]] and initiated a complete download. {{storylink|War and Peace}} However, the information was so great that it overwhelmed Shockwave's multiple secondary computers, spilling into whatever available memory it could find, including the as yet-to-be activated [[Sunstorm (G1)|Sunstorm]]. {{storylink|Transformers: Generation 1 (Dreamwave)|Generation One}}

===2001 ''Robots in Disguise'' cartoon===
[[File:ForcedFusion RID vectorsigma.jpg|thumb|Is this from ''Transformers'' or ''Bubble Bobble''?]]
[[Optimus Prime (RID)|Optimus Prime]] was chosen by "the Allspark", Vector Sigma, to carry the [[Matrix of Leadership]] and lead the Autobots. {{storylink|Ultra Magnus: Forced Fusion!}}
{{-}}

===''Animated'' cartoon===
Although never actually seen, Vector Sigma's existence was noted by [[Yoketron (Animated)|Yoketron]]. Like the more-famous [[AllSpark]], it possessed the ability to create Transformer life, and was used to continue the growth of the Cybertronian race after the AllSpark was jettisoned into space to end the [[Great War (Animated)|Great War]]. {{storylink|Transformers Animated: The AllSpark Almanac II|The Allspark Almanac II}}

===Live-action film series===
[[File:VectorSigma-DOTM.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|Yep, this is very live-action film-y looking, yessirree.]]
The great historian [[Alpha Trion (ROTF)|Alpha Trion]] preserved important datatracks from Vector Sigma, the "Cybertronian Database". Some of these datatracks told of a handful of battles on the planet [[Earth]]. {{storylink|Transformers: Cyber Missions|Cyber Missions}} Vector Sigma also, more appropriately, held records of the Transformer race's long history, its artifacts and terminology, and its most important combatants.<ref>Transformers.com's ''Dark of the Moon'' website</ref>
{{-}}

===Aligned continuity family===
====''The Covenant of Primus''====
[[File:COP-VectorSigmaAlphaTrion.jpg|thumb|right|250px|The power to destroy a planet is insignificant compared to Vector Sigma!]]
A prototype of Vector Sigma was utilized by the [[Thirteen]] to simulate battle strategies against [[Unicron/Aligned|Unicron]]. The full-scale model was created after the Chaos Bringer's defeat and before the War of the Primes. Unlike the device that would much later become the [[Matrix of Leadership]], Vector Sigma would remain unchanged over the eons.

During the [[Age of Rust]], Alpha Trion went to Vector Sigma to try and acquire the Matrix hoping to reignite the lost fire of Cybertronian society. Vector Sigma refused, saying the time was not right, but gave him the [[Badge of Vector Prime]] instead. {{storylink|Transformers: The Covenant of Primus|The Covenant of Primus}}

====Aligned novels====
Vector Sigma had become a myth. Many believed it was located within the [[Sonic Canyons]], although a few of Cybertron's elite knew it was located beneath [[Iacon (polity)|Iacon]]. When the [[Decepticon]]s bombed the Sonic Canyons, they bombed the area where an entrance to Vector Sigma was said to be located, causing outrage among Cybertronians. When the Autobots left Cybertron on the ''[[Ark (WFC)|Ark]]'', [[Alpha Trion (WFC)|Alpha Trion]] opted to remain behind, believing the computer would keep him alive. {{storylink|Transformers: Exodus|Exodus}}

According to [[Optimus Prime (WFC)|Optimus Prime]], the [[Matrix of Leadership]] had been given to him by Vector Sigma. {{storylink|Transformers: Exiles|Exiles}}

Shockwave eventually found Vector Sigma and tried to use Alpha Trion as a substitute key, only to learn the ancient Prime had looped a false access code around his necrocortex. Undeterred, Shockwave began pumping [[Dark Energon]] into the computer to try and override its security despite Alpha Trion's protestations. His plans were stopped by the [[Wrecker]]s rescuing Trion, but the Prime despaired as Shockwave's experiments had attracted something [[Quintesson|monstrous]] to Cybertron. {{storylink|Transformers: Retribution|Retribution}}

====''Prime'' cartoon====
[[File:OrionPaxPart3 Vector Sigma.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.4|“The Wheel of Power is the key that will open the way back to the Accelerons”]]
The entrance to Vector Sigma was, unbeknownst to the [[Decepticon]]s, located beneath their capital of [[Kaon (polity)|Kaon]]. It remained there untouched throughout the [[Great War (Prime)|Great War]] until [[Jack Darby]] and [[Arcee (WFC)|Arcee]] followed the [[Key to Vector Sigma]] to it. In the chamber below the planet's surface, Jack used the Key to activate the supercomputer and began to download the contents of the [[Matrix of Leadership]]. Despite an attack of [[scraplet]]s, the download was successful, and Vector Sigma disappeared back into the depths. {{storylink|Orion Pax, Part 3}}
{{--}}

===2005 IDW continuity===
[[File:ChaosGalvatronVectorSigma.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|"I did it thirty-five minutes ago."]]

In the Cybertronians' creation myth, [[Guiding Hand|their gods]] went to war against one of their own, [[Mortilus|the god of death]], and the light-bringer Primus was so badly wounded that he had to merge with Cybertron itself in order to survive. He reformatted himself into Vector Sigma, the life-giving supercomputer in the core of the planet. {{storylink|Primus: You, Me, and Other Revelations}} Another tale put forth the idea that Primus had fashioned Vector Sigma as his crypt in preparing for his physical demise. {{storylink|The Everlasting Voices (2): The God War|The God War}}

Whatever its true origin, Vector Sigma became the source of new Transformer life in Cybertron's early era by periodically sending out pulsewaves that ignited new [[hot spot (phenomenon)|hot spot]]s of [[spark]]s across the planet and the moons. Following the [[First Cybertronian Civil War]] however, these waves began to grow less frequent and eventually ceased, forcing [[Nova Prime]] to extract new sparks from the [[Matrix of Leadership]] instead. {{storylink|Remain in Light 3 of 5: The Divided Self|The Divided Self}}

Vector Sigma would continue to serve as Cybertron's primary source of [[energon]], and the religious myths surrounding it caused many to believe it was a miracle machine that would continue to provide them with energy forever. [[Shockwave (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Shockwave]], on the other hand, thought the computer to be part of a system that wasn't designed to handle the sprawling metropolis Cybertron had become thanks to Nova Prime's population boost, and feared that it would eventually run dry. {{storylink|Shockwaves}} His prediction apparently came true, as Cybertron was eventually crippled by widespread energon shortage. {{storylink|The Transformers: Autocracy|Autocracy}} {{storylink|The Transformers: Monstrosity|Monstrosity}}

According to [[Alpha Trion (G1)|Alpha Trion]], Vector Sigma was "essentially erased" when Cybertron was rendered a dead and uninhabitable world by the long war and [[Thunderwing (G1)|Thunderwing]]'s rampage. {{storylink|Ironing Out the Details}}

The psychotic [[Galvatron (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Galvatron]], being manipulated by the [[D-Void]] through the [[Darkness (G1)|Heart of Darkness]], believed that destroying Cybertron would save the universe when, in fact, it would merge it with the [[Dead Universe]], killing all forms of life. [[Optimus Prime (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Optimus Prime]] and [[Hot Rod (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Rodimus]] attempted to stop him, but were too late to prevent him from feeding the Heart of Darkness into Vector Sigma. While [[Hardhead (G1)|Hardhead]], [[Arcee (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Arcee]], and [[Cyclonus (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Cyclonus]] fought with Galvatron, Rodimus convinced an initially reluctant Optimus that the only way to save Cybertron and the universe was to release the Matrix of Leadership inside Vector Sigma. Agreeing, Prime leapt into Vector Sigma, opening the Matrix and preventing the assault of the Dead Universe on Cybertron and the rest of the universe. {{storylink|Chaos Part Four: Genesis|Genesis}} Unexpectedly, however, this resulted in the rebirth of Cybertron itself. {{storylink|Transformers: The Death of Optimus Prime|The Death of Optimus Prime}}

Some years later, Cybertron was invaded by the [[Iron Ring]] eventually resulting in one of their number, the [[Prysmosian]] sorcerer [[Merklynn]], using the [[Talisman (G1)|Talisman]] to create the city of [[New Prysmos]] deep in Cybertron's underground. {{storylink|First Strike issue 6|First Strike #6}}

The Cybertronians eventually placed New Prysmos under quarantine with [[Breakdown (IDW)|Breakdown]] unintentionally discovering that the Talisman's energies were spreading outwards from the alien city after a portion of it had decayed his arm. Following this, [[Wheeljack (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Wheeljack]] began to examine the Talisman energy surrounding New Prysmos and found that the device itself was burrowing its way down to Vector Sigma, apparently intent on completing the terraforming process. [[Ironhide (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ironhide]] did not take this news well. {{storylink|Schismatic}}

Wheeljack eventually constructed an anti-Talisman bomb that if detonated close enough to the supercomputer could immunize it against [[magic]]. {{storylink|Desperate Measures (Transformers vs. Visionaries)|Desperate Measures}} After [[Quickswitch]] transported the bomb to Vector Sigma's antechamber, {{storylink|Good Men}} it went off at the same time as [[Galadria]]'s healing spell managing to preserve Vector Sigma while moving New Prysmos to Cybertron's surface. {{storylink|The Curtain}}

Though it was preserved, Vector Sigma was still poisoned by the Talisman's energies. While imprisoned, Shockwave revealed to [[Starscream (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Starscream]] that this had been goal, intending for Vector Sigma's consumption to poison and kill [[Unicron/Generation 1|Unicron]]. {{storylink|Last Stand (Unicron)|Last Stand}} When Unicron arrived at Cybertron however, he physically tore the planet in two with his robot mode, destroying Vector Sigma while leaving the Chaos Bringer unharmed. {{storylink|Road's End}}

====The Functionist Universe====

When the [[Functionist Council]] discovered [[Nova Prime]]'s stockpile of Sparks, they deemed it heretical that the [[Senate]] would try to use them. The Senate responded by sealing Vector Sigma's chamber behind a wall of [[ununtrium]]. {{storylink|Dissolution Part 3: A World Misplaced|A World Misplaced}} Since ununtrium could cut ununtrium, this was, at best, a minor inconvenience for the Functionists but they left the supercomputer alone out of fear that their [[Key to Vector Sigma|collective alternate mode]] was unnecessary to activate it. {{storylink|Dissolution Part 5: Modes of Production|Modes of Production}}

Millions of years later, the Council "discovered" that the true purpose of [[Rung (G1)|Rung's]] alternate mode was to drill through the wall and free Vector Sigma. {{storylink|Dissolution Part 3: A World Misplaced|A World Misplaced}} Fearing what the Council could do with Vector Sigma, [[Hot Rod (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Rodimus]] led a team to try and rescue Rung before they breached the chamber. The group arrived too late and were met by [[Six-of-Twelve]] whom Rodimus insulted before tackling him into Vector Sigma's chamber. His team followed and were horrified by the sight of, {{storylink|Dissolution Part 4: Bad Moon Rising|Bad Moon Rising}} Six using the false Matrix as an agony beam to torture Rodimus. Using Rung as a false hostage, [[Ratchet (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ratchet]] got Rodimus freed and the group escaped back to the surface and onto the [[Cog (facility)|Cog]]. On the ship, Rung explained that once the Council learned of his ability to generate [[photonic crystal]]s, they'd tried to tap the [[Matrix of Leadership]] for Sparks but failed due to it being a fake so they instead turned to Vector Sigma to extract all the Sparks they needed to build a galaxy conquering army. {{storylink|Dissolution Part 5: Modes of Production|Modes of Production}}

After turning Cybertron itself into a cosmic engine of destruction, the planet's lack of mobility proved a hindrance to Functionist Council. To counteract this, the Council engineered Cybertron with a robot mode in [[Primus]]'s likeness, which was directed by seven of the remaining eleven councillors, all merged with Vector Sigma. {{storylink|Crucible (Part 4): The Return of the King|The Return of the King}} [[Team Rodimus]] eventually hit on a plan to exploit Vector Sigma's connection to Cybertron's [[hot spot (phenomenon)|hot spot]]s to overwhelm the supercomputer's defences and kill the councillors who had merged with it. {{storylink|Crucible (Part 5): The Unremembering|The Unremebering}} When the heroes opened twelve duplicates of the [[Matrix of Leadership]], the energies briefly overloaded Vector Sigma before the computer shunted the excess energy to the orbiting Luna 1, though not before the Functionist Council had been totally disintegrated, ending their reign. {{storylink|Crucible (Part 6): A Spark Among Embers|A Spark Among Embers}}
{{--}}

===''Transformers vs. G.I. Joe''===
After Megatron had seized the [[Matrix of Leadership]], {{storylink|Pax Megatronus}} the talisman led him to the face of [[Primus]], deep beneath Cybertron's surface. Using the Matrix, Megatron managed to pervert Vector Sigma causing the supercomputer to begin reshaping Cybertron into Megatron's likeness. {{storylink|Expelled from the Garden}}

===''Beast Wars: Uprising''===
At some point during the [[Great War (G1)|Great War]], Vector Sigma was destroyed, threatening the Cybertronian species with eventual extinction. However, [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress Maximus]] desired for his race to have some kind of future and made contact with the humans, who had forced the end of planet-devastating Great War. Maximus was granted the [[Energon Matrix|energon matrix]] to replace Vector Sigma, and thus the [[Maximal]]s and [[Predacon (BW)|Predacon]]s were born. {{storylink|Head Games}}

===''Cyberverse'' cartoon===
[[File:Vector Sigma (Cyberverse - Megatron Is My Hero).jpg|thumb|right|Unfortunately "Shiny Ball" was confused at the time.]]
When Cybertron fell to war, Vector Sigma's chamber was seized by the [[Decepticon]]s. [[Megatron (Cyberverse)|Megatron]] intended to use the supercomputer to reprogram the [[AllSpark|Allspark]] and have it birth [[Decepticon supersoldier|whole generations of Decepticons]], delegating [[Shockwave (Cyberverse)|Shockwave]] to base himself in the computer's chamber. When the Autobots caught wind of this, [[Bumblebee (Cyberverse)|Bumblebee]] was sent down to Vector Sigma to gleam the Decepticon plan only to be chased away by [[Shockwave's drones]]. {{storylink|Megatron Is My Hero}}

Many years later, [[Starscream (Cyberverse)|Starscream]] had the [[Seeker (Cyberverse)|Seekers]] retrieve Vector Sigma from Shockwave's lab and, after obtaining the Allspark, used the relic and supercomputer to create an army of [[Scraplet]]s. {{storylink|Bring Me The Spark Of Optimus Prime}} {{storylink|Dark Birth}} [[Acid Storm (Cyberverse)|Acid Storm]] later used Vector Sigma to give Starscream complete control of the Allspark. Starscream was defeated soon afterwards and the Allspark forced out of his physical form. While the Autobots claimed the life-giving artefact, {{storylink|I Am The Allspark}} Vector Sigma was claimed by the Decepticons and brought back to Cybertron, {{storylink|Escape From Earth}} where it returned to its position within the [[Threshold of the Allspark]]. {{storylink|Battle For Cybertron II}}

When the Autobots returned to Cybertron, the battle began to shift in the Decepticons' favour, [[Windblade (Cyberverse)|Windblade]] decided that the Autobots had to destroy Vector Sigma only to find that the supercomputer was guarded by [[Bludgeon (Cyberverse)|Bludgeon]]. {{storylink|Battle For Cybertron III}} As the two dueled, [[Wheeljack (Cyberverse)|Wheeljack]] snuck in and sprayed the supercomputer with [[unspace]] goo. After Windblade kicked Bludgeon into the computer, the unspace matter took effect and destroyed Vector Sigma, undoing any chance of Megatron creating his perfect army. {{storylink|Battle For Cybertron IV}}
{{--}}

==Games==
===''Transformers Legends''===
After being brought to life by their respective factions thanks to Vector Sigma, the Aerialbots and the Stunticons fought for control of the supercomputer. Though the Autobots ultimately triumphed, the Decepticons made their escape in possession of the Key to Vector Sigma. {{storylink|The Key to Vector Sigma, Part 1 (Legends)|The Key to Vector Sigma, Part 1}}

==Merchandise==
===Timelines===
[[File:VectorSigmaBotcon07b.jpg|thumb|Long have you hunted me. Long have I eluded you.]]
*A hollow plastic Vector Sigma, packaged with a removable Circuit Key and a clear "hovering effect" display stand, was produced by the Lukis Bros of [http://www.unicron.com/ Unicron.com] as a special souvenir item offered [[exclusive]]ly at [[BotCon 2007]].

:The sphere of Vector Sigma was designed to scale with the contemporary-at-the-time ''[[Transformers: Classics|Classics]]'' toys, while the slot for the key was intentionally designed to enable the ''[[Transformers: Cybertron (franchise)|Cybertron]]'' [[Safeguard (Cybertron)|Safeguard]] mold to be inserted into the sphere, allowing Safeguard to function as an alternative personal key for [[Vector Prime]] to use to access Vector Sigma himself.<ref>https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=10153596737309912&id=317740274911</ref>

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2007/VectorSigma/VectorSigma/vectorsigma.htm More information on Vector Sigma at TFU.info]''
{{-}}

===Masterpiece===
[[File:VectorSigmaMP10.jpg|right|thumb]]
*'''Masterpiece Optimus Prime''' (2014)

:Vector Sigma came as an exclusive with the Hasbro Asia re-release of the Hasbro version of ''[[The Transformers: Masterpiece|Masterpiece]]'' MP-10 [[Optimus Prime (G1)/toys#mp10hasbro|Optimus Prime]]. It contained a hollow plastic Vector Sigma, a removable Circuit Key and a cardboard stand.
{{--}}

==Notes==
*According to episode writer [[David Wise]] at various conventions (such as [[BotCon 2009]]), he was instructed to include Vector Sigma when writing "[[The Key to Vector Sigma, Part 1|The Key to Vector Sigma]]" as part of the [[Hasbro]] episode mandates. Not knowing what Vector Sigma was, he pressed story editor [[Bryce Malek]], who in turn had to go to Hasbro to learn that Vector Sigma was "the computer that gave all the Transformers personalities". This caused Malek to respond: "Well, it didn't do a very good job, did it!" Of course, this does raise the question of ''where'' the Vector Sigma concept originated, as nothing like it was ever used by [[Bob Budiansky]] in the Marvel comics or toyline [[bio]]s.

*Prior to the event known as the "[[Shroud]]", the many incarnations of Vector Sigma that exist in different dimensions were linked in a massive, multiversal network known as the "Vector Sigma Gestalt," each one identified as a "node" in the network. The [[Caretaker]], an independent computer designed by Vector Sigma to aid the Autobot [[Breakaway (Classics)|Breakaway]] was able to uplink to the Gestalt, identifying three particular "nodes" with a 10 digit numerical designation. {{storylink|Crossing Over: Part 6}} These three universes were:

*141.207.6.661 - [[Aurex 405.0 Epsilon]], a [[Unicron Trilogy]] cartoon universe<ref>Specifically, the Unicron Trilogy universe [[Skyfall (Cybertron)|Skyfall]], [[Landquake (Timelines)|Landquake]], and possibly also [[Breakaway (Classics)|Breakaway]] and [[Topspin (Classics)|Topspin]] are from. Whether this is the [[Dreamwave Productions|Dreamwave]] comic Unicron Trilogy, the cartoon Unicron Trilogy, or a hybrid of the two is a [[Transformers: Cybertron (cartoon)|subject of debate]].</ref>
*585.354.3.116 - [[Primax 797.18 Epsilon]], the [[Transformers: Universe (2003 franchise)|3H Beast Era]] universe, potentially a tangent timeline to the original G1 cartoon universe<ref>The [[Caretaker]] notes that the Unicron Trilogy hub and this hub recently had "disruptions", which seems to indicate the [[Unicron Singularity]]'s effects on the Unicron Trilogy and ''Universe''. The Generation 1 cartoon universe is a universe very similar to this one, if they are not indeed the very same.</ref>
*216.333.8.616 - [[Nexus 208.0 Epsilon]], the ''[[Transformers: TransTech|TransTech]]'' universe
**The Caretaker also spoke of a "central hub" that [[Primax 207.0 Epsilon]] (the Classicsverse) was too far away from for Caretaker to function properly.
===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Vector Sigma''' (ベクターシグマ ''Bekutā Shiguma''; ベクトル・シグマ ''Bekutoru Shiguma''<ref>"The Rebirth" Japanese dub</ref>)
*''French:'' '''Victor Sigma''' (France, ''The Rebirth, Part 3'')
*''Mandarin:'' '''Mólì Shénqiú''' (魔力神球, "Magic God Ball"), '''Sigma Shǐliàng''' (西格玛矢量, "Sigma Vector")
*''Russian:'' '''Sigma-Komp'yuter''' (Сигма-Компьютер)
*''Ukrainian:'' '''Sigma-komp'yuter''' (Сигма-комп'ютер)

==References==
<references />

==See also==
*[[Primus]]
*[[Transformer afterlife]]

[[Category:Animated]]
[[Category:Beast Machines characters]]
[[Category:Beast Wars Neo characters]]
[[Category:Beast Wars: Uprising]]
[[Category:Car Robots characters]]
[[Category:Computers]]
[[Category:Cybertron]]
[[Category:Cyberverse (2018)]]
[[Category:Dark of the Moon]]
[[Category:Generation 1 computers]]
[[Category:Kiss Players]]
[[Category:Prime]]
[[Category:Primus]]
[[Category:Revenge of the Fallen]]
[[Category:Robots in Disguise (2001)]]
[[Category:The Headmasters]]
[[Category:TransTech]]
[[Category:Universe (2003)]]
[[Category:War for Cybertron]]

AKOM

2022-01-13T07:31:25Z

OptimusComboy: /* Characteristics */

[[File:AkomLogo1.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|This logo is severely off-model, is missing one of its arms, contains 46 art and coloring errors, and isn't even supposed to be on this page.]]
'''AKOM''' ('''A'''nimation '''KO'''rea '''M'''ovie Productions) is a South Korean animation studio owned and founded by [[Nelson Shin]]. AKOM is known for its very <s>[[Animation error|error prone]]</s>... ''ahem''... "cost-efficient" animation and is used frequently for American cartoons. Some shows AKOM has worked on include: ''The Simpsons'', [[Saban Entertainment|Saban]]'s ''[[X-Men]]'' & ''Silver Surfer'', ''The Tick'', ''Savage Dragon'', ''Tiny Toon Adventures'', ''Arthur'', and ''[[Batman]]: The Animated Series''; the company was actually fired from the latter because of their consistently sub-par work.

==''The Transformers'' episodes animated==
{{collist|2|
*Ep.19 - "[[City of Steel (episode)|City of Steel]]"
*Ep.23 - "[[The Autobot Run]]"
*Ep.28 - "[[The Core]]"
*Ep.66 - "[[Five Faces of Darkness, Part 1]]"
*Ep.67 - "[[Five Faces of Darkness, Part 2]]"
*Ep.68 - "[[Five Faces of Darkness, Part 3]]"
*Ep.69 - "[[Five Faces of Darkness, Part 4]]"
*Ep.70 - "[[Five Faces of Darkness, Part 5]]"
*Ep.73 - "[[Dark Awakening (episode)|Dark Awakening]]"
*Ep.74 - "[[Forever Is a Long Time Coming (episode)|Forever Is a Long Time Coming]]"
*Ep.75 - "[[Starscream's Ghost]]"
*Ep.76 - "[[Thief in the Night]]"
*Ep.80 - "[[Ghost in the Machine (G1)|Ghost in the Machine]]"
*Ep.82 - "[[Carnage in C-Minor]]"
*Ep.83 - "[[The Quintesson Journal]]"
*Ep.85 - "[[The Big Broadcast of 2006 (episode)|The Big Broadcast of 2006]]"
*Ep.88 - "[[Only Human]]"
*Ep.89 - "[[Grimlock's New Brain]]"
*Ep.92 - "[[The Face of the Nijika]]"
*Ep.96 - "[[The Rebirth, Part 1]]"
*Ep.97 - "[[The Rebirth, Part 2]]"
*Ep.98 - "[[The Rebirth, Part 3]]"
}}

===Additional animation===
*[[Commercial bumper]]s (season 3, 4)
*[[Title sequence]] (season 3, 4-via recycled animation)

==Production history==

Since Shin also happened to be the producer of the original [[The Transformers (cartoon)|''Transformers'' cartoon]], [[Marvel Productions|Marvel Productions]] would start using AKOM beginning with season 2. It's confirmed that [[Toei Animation|Toei]] animated 39 of the 49 season 2 episodes,<ref>[http://web.archive.org/web/20030106085836/www.toei-anim.co.jp/oldies/collabo2.html Archived version of Toei's resume for joint productions, confirming their share in seasons 2 and 3]</ref> which leaves ten more episodes that were shared between AKOM and at least two [[Unknown Generation 1 animation studios|unknown studios]].<ref>[http://cybertronchronicle.freewebspace.com/60-astrominutes/paul-davids/paul-davids-3.html Interview with production coordinator Paul Davids at the Cybertron Chronicle, confirming the use of a studio from the Philippines]</ref> As the three episodes "[[The Core]]", "[[The Autobot Run]]", and "[[City of Steel (episode)|City of Steel]]" (which all share the same animation/drawing style, hence suggesting that they were all done by the same studio) are widely considered to be of the same quality and style as AKOM's season 3 work, it's highly probable that they were done by them, leaving the remaining seven episodes for the mystery studio.

Due to the rising cost of contracting animation services to Japan. Marvel Productions, like many other US production companies, sought the services of cheaper Korean studios. Thus, AKOM's participation increased dramatically by season 3, where they produced a total of 16 episodes, at least two of which ("[[Starscream's Ghost]]" and "[[Only Human]]") had their animation sub-contracted out to another studio (of the remaining 14, 13 were produced by Toei, and [[Surprise Party|one]] by [[Sei Young Animation Co. Ltd.]]). By 1987, AKOM was utilised as Marvel's primary animator. The short-lived season 4 (the three-part "[[The Rebirth]]" series finale) was then handled entirely by AKOM, as well as all of the season 3 and season 4 [[commercial bumper]]s and the season 3 [[title sequence]]s.

==Characteristics==
[[File:AKOM - Op.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|Bizarrely, Akom used THREE colour schemes for [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]], each seemingly regressing to an earlier stage of development.]]
AKOM rather noticeably ''never'' got the right color guides for some characters. Many characters have small and large coloring oddities whenever they appear in an AKOM episode. A list follows.

In Season 2:
*[[Bumblebee (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Bumblebee]] has a black-colored disk in the middle of his robot mode back, which should be yellow.
*[[Chip Chase]] has a blue jacket instead of brown.
*[[Devastator (G1)|Devastator]] retained his color scheme from [[Heavy Metal War]], including a purple window on his upper chest, a purple top to his chest plate (instead of a green top), and, strangest of all, a green crotch with purple edges.
*[[Gears (G1)|Gears']] truck mode is red with blue fenders instead of blue with a red camper top. His white robot bits are colored light gray.
*[[Hook (G1)|Hook's]] feet are white instead of green.
*[[Laserbeak (G1)|Laserbeak's]] beak is more often than not the same dark gray as his head.
*[[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Megatron's]] gun barrel is dark gray.
*[[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime's]] backpack is white instead of red.
*[[Prowl (G1)|Prowl's]] entire body is a light gray instead of white.
*[[Soundwave (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Soundwave]] has a white backpack/battery case, instead of blue.

In Season 3:
*AKOM frequently used older, outdated designs for some characters. Grimlock shows up with his older, flattened head design, and the characters introduced in ''[[The Transformers: The Movie]]'' would sometimes appear in their older, pre-production designs, their designs switching in and out from shot to shot. Toei was guilty of this too, but to a far lesser extent.
*Whether drawing the characters in their outdated or finalized designs, AKOM ''always'' used outdated colour models for several members of the cast, including the movie characters. Consequently, regardless of design, Rodimus always has red shoulder indentations, Galvatron always has a lavender pelvis, Kup always has grey boots, Cyclonus always has thick purple eyebrows, and Arcee always has a grey collar, to name just a few pronounced details.
*Numerous characters have the inside of their mouths colored in a shade that corresponds to their helmet: Ultra Magnus's mouth is blue, Arcee's is dull pink, Springer's is green, etc. Maybe AKOM thought their heads were hollow?

To AKOM's credit, the animation cel count for their shows ''was'' a few frames-per-second higher, thus the episodes they produced appeared noticeably smoother than non-AKOM-produced episodes.

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.akomkorea.com/ AKOM official website] (Often offline)
*{{w|AKOM|AKOM at Wikipedia}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Akom}}
[[Category:Animation companies]]

City of Steel (episode)

2022-01-13T07:24:06Z

OptimusComboy: /* Animation or technical glitches */

{{disambig2|the Generation 1 episode|the ''Punishment'' issue|City of Steel (issue)}}
{{episode
|series=G1toon
|ep=19
|series2=SRLFtoon
|ep2=23
|prev2=A Prime Problem
|next2=Auto Berserk
|series3=''[[Transformers: Generation 2 (cartoon)|The Transformers: Generation 2]]''
|ep3=52
|prev3=Trans-Europe Express
|image=AutobotsNYC.jpg
|caption=Start spreading the news...
|title="City of Steel"
|production code=#700-18
|airdate=[[October 17]], [[1985]]
|written by=[[Douglas Booth]]
|animation studio=[[AKOM]]
|production company=[[Sunbow Productions]]
|continuity=[[Generation 1 cartoon continuity]]
|video=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-025jnUVxUE
|videosite=YouTube
}}
'''The Decepticons invade New York City.'''

==Synopsis==
[[File:CityofSteel ESB sinking.JPG|left|upright=1.1|thumb|Where will you be... the Day after Tomorrow.]]
Over New York City, [[Laserbeak (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Laserbeak]] flies into the [[Decepticon]]s' underground base. The [[Constructicon (G1)|Constructicons]] are digging a hole in the ceiling and the Autobots don't have a clue. After hours of digging, the Constructicons manage to sink the [[Empire State Building]] underground.

The [[Autobot]]s finally get wind of this and head to the city. [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]], [[Ironhide (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ironhide]], [[Bumblebee (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Bumblebee]] and [[Ratchet (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ratchet]] plan to meet the rest of the Autobots at [[Central Park]]. However, Laserbeak spots them and reports back to [[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Megatron]]. He plans to give the Autobots a surprising welcome.

At Central Park, the Autobots are ambushed by Soundwave and his crew, whilst underground the Constructicons inform Megatron that they're directly underneath Optimus Prime. Megatron orders them to dig while Optimus Prime is fighting [[Soundwave (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Soundwave]]. Taken by surprise, Prime falls into the Decepticons' underground base where Megatron severs his [[motor relay]]s, making him powerless. Megatron then threatens the remaining Autobots that unless they leave he will melt the Autobot leader down to scrap. He also shows them his master plan, which is to rebuild New York into [[New Cybertron]]. The Constructicons raise the Empire State building back up, but now it looks like a Cybertronian fortress. Forced to leave the city, the Autobots are gloomy until [[Spike Witwicky (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Spike]] comes up with a plan to get into the city undetected.

[[File:CityofSteel Prime head.JPG|upright=1.1|thumb|"Aquaman calling all sea creatures!"]]
Seemingly victorious, Megatron gloats over Prime's still body. However, Megatron is still worried that Optimus Prime might try something and orders [[Hook (G1)|Hook]] to disassemble him, which he does with a handy energy blade. After Optimus is turned into a pile of parts, Megatron picks up his head and reactivates Optimus so he can gloat. Prime responds that even though he's in pieces he will still fight. Prime then activates his arms and trips up Megatron. Megatron orders the Constructicons to dispose of Prime's remaining parts how they choose, but he gets to keep the head.

Spike, Bumblebee, Ratchet, [[Hound (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Hound]] and [[Mirage (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Mirage]] enter the City through the sewers in the hope of rescuing Prime undetected. Elsewhere, the Constructicons are very pleased with themselves for what they did with Prime's left over body parts. They have special plans for his right arm and weapon.

[[File:Alligatorprime.jpg|left|upright=1.1|thumb|"What is it, Aquaman?"]]
While scanning for Prime, Hound is confused because his scans show Prime was behind them when before he was ahead. Mirage then spots a giant robot alligator seeming to be made of Prime's body parts (dubbed the [[Alligaticon]]) and the Autobots run away. They trap it in a train and send it and the train packing. When they reach the underground base they find Prime's head and reattach his circuits so he can speak. Prime then activates his legs remotely to come to him and the rest of the Autobots figure out that the Alligaticon was made up of Prime's parts. After capturing it, Ratchet reassembles Prime, minus the right arm. Now that Optimus is safe, the Autobots attack. The Decepticons have turned half of New York City into New Cybertron, complete with killer [[Battle taxi|taxis]], and they're using Prime's arm as a weapon on top of their fortress. The taxis go for Bumblebee, [[Sideswipe (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Sideswipe]], and [[Sunstreaker (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Sunstreaker]], but Prime runs them down.

[[File:BumblebeelovesNY.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb|Of course you do...]]
After breaking through the Decepticon defenses, Optimus Prime, Ironhide and Ratchet plan to scale the fortress to reclaim Prime's arm. Bumblebee and Spike plan to help by distracting Megatron and Soundwave, even going so far as to insult Megatron. Megatron orders an air strike, but when [[Starscream (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Starscream]] is downed, the Constructicons become [[Devastator (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Devastator]] and he follows Prime's team up the building. Meanwhile, Spike and Bumblebee manage to sneak in and annoy Megatron, by calling him Megaklutz, and tricking him into destroying the device that controlled Prime's arm. Outside Devastator captures Prime and knocks Ironhide and Ratchet into the fortress. [[Wheeljack (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Wheeljack]] then comments that the whole thing reminds him of ''[[King Kong]]'' as he tries to assist with his remote controlled helicopters. Spike then informs Prime that his arm is no longer controlled by Megatron, and Prime takes the opportunity to use it against Devastator. After Devastator gets hit Prime falls but is saved by Ironhide and Ratchet and as usual the Decepticons retreat.

Now the city is saved, Prime is back together and Bumblebee got a souvenir (an '{{w|I Love New York|I ❤ NY}}' bumper sticker). The Autobots [[roll out]] and return home.

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
*[[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] (11)
*[[Ratchet (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ratchet]] (12)
*[[Bluestreak (G1)|Bluestreak]] (13)
*[[Bumblebee (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Bumblebee]] (14)
*[[Ironhide (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ironhide]] (17)
*[[Trailbreaker (G1)|Trailbreaker]] (18)
*[[Sunstreaker (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Sunstreaker]] (19)
*[[Sideswipe (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Sideswipe]] (20)
*[[Wheeljack (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Wheeljack]] (21)
*[[Mirage (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Mirage]] (22)
*[[Hound (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Hound]] (23)
*[[Jazz (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Jazz]] (30)
|c2=
*[[Laserbeak (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Laserbeak]] (1)
*[[Soundwave (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Soundwave]] (2)
*[[Scavenger (G1)|Scavenger]] (3)
*[[Hook (G1)|Hook]] (4)
*[[Scrapper (G1)|Scrapper]] (5)
*[[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Megatron]] (6)
*[[Long Haul (G1)|Long Haul]] (7)
*[[Bonecrusher (G1)|Bonecrusher]] (8)
*[[Starscream (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Starscream]] (9)
*[[Mixmaster (G1)|Mixmaster]] (10)
*[[Reflector (G1)|Reflector]] (24)
*[[Rumble (G1)|Rumble]] (25)
*[[Frenzy (G1)|Frenzy]] (26)
*[[Thundercracker (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Thundercracker]] (27)
*[[Skywarp (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Skywarp]] (29)
*[[Devastator (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Devastator]] (31)
*[[Buzzsaw (G1)|Buzzsaw]] (32)
|c3=
*[[Spike Witwicky (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Spike Witwicky]] (15)
*[[Sparkplug Witwicky]] (16)
}}

==Quotes==
"I didn't join this outfit to be a dump truck!"
:—'''Long Haul,''' commenting on his [[alternate mode]].

"I feel like I'm in some messy swamp, not under the biggest city in North America."
:—'''Ratchet''', trudging through the sewers of New York.

"It sickens me to say it, Reflector, but this one time I have to hand it to Megatron. The place is finally starting to feel like home."
:—'''Starscream''' agrees with one of Megatron's plans, which heralds the coming of the apocalypse.

"I may not have a weapon, but I can still transform and roll!"
:—'''Optimus Prime''', preparing to crush the battle taxis.

"O-hoo-hoo-hoo, here they come! Auto-Auto-Autobots!"
:—'''Mix-Mix-Mixmaster!'''

"Say 'uncle' or I'll shove your nose in your afterburner!" 
"Uncle, UNCLE!" 
"Gee, I didn't know Decepticons ''had'' uncles!"
:—'''Sideswipe''' lovingly deals with '''Starscream'''. He's obviously been practicing his [[jet judo]].

"You'll never catch us, Megaklutz!" 
"Megaklutz! You dare to insult me in my own command post?!"
:—'''Spike Witwicky''' daring to insult '''Megatron''' in his own command post.

"It will take more than your puny arm to stop Devastator!" 
"Right. Which is why it's lucky the hand at the end of that arm... is holding a gun!"
:—'''Devastator''' reels as '''Optimus Prime''' points out the single flaw in the combiner's otherwise brilliant tower-climbing plan.

==Notes==
===Production information===
* First draft storyboards completed: 17th October 1984
* Storyboards revised: 2nd November 1984
* Storyboards slugged: 8th November 1984 by [[John Walker]]
* Dialogue recording: 12th November 1984

===Continuity notes===
*Megatron mentions the Constructions nagging each other like "hyper-driven [[Chatteroid]]s". Sideswipe calls Laserbeak a "nosey nogoodnikon". Megatron threatens to melt Optimus Prime into paperclips if the Autobots interfere "one minicon". Hound's sensors say that Optimus Prime is ten "mechano-meters" in front of them. Optimus Prime refers to the Alligaticon as a "Reptilicon".<ref>Spellings and parsings from the "City of Steel" dialogue script.</ref>
*Powers and gadgets:
**Wheeljack and company all use their hydrofoils to cross New York Harbor.
**Hook uses a <s>lightsaber</s> laser sword to disassemble Prime.
**Hound displays his tracking sensors.
**Then of course, there's Prime's bizarre telekinetic limb control, something he evidently shares with a far less fortunate [[Waspinator (BW)|bot]].
**Ironhide deploys a grappling hook from his arm, with rappelling lines attached to it.
{{-}}

===Real-world references===
[[File:CityofSteel-Hook'slightsaber.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb|Let the hate flow through you.]]
[[File:Devastatorkingkong.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb|Giant: check. Empire State Building: check. But no beauty.]]
*''Star Wars'' sound effects:
**Laserbeak uses a whole series of ''Star Wars'' effects as he rockets over Manhattan, including a ''Millennium Falcon'' engine noise, the [[TIE Fighter]] engine roar (several times), the TIE Fighter ambient cockpit noise, and the sound of an X-Wing diving to attack the Death Star.
**Hook's <s>lightsaber</s> ''laser sword'' ignites with the sound of Luke deflecting the seeker ball's bolts aboard the ''Millennium Falcon''.
*[[Devastator (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Devastator]] climbs the Decepticons' "improved" version of the {{w|Empire State Building}}, very similarly to [[King Kong]], as Wheeljack rather heavy-handedly points out.
*The Alligaticon is likely an allusion to the persistent rumors of alligators living in New York City's sewers.
*Various New York landmarks are seen and/or mentioned: the Twin Towers, the Chrysler Building, the Empire State Building, the Statue of Liberty, Central Park, the Woolworth Building (visible as the first Autobots leave Manhattan), the Brooklyn Bridge. Hound mentions Park Avenue, Madison Avenue, and Lexington Avenue.
*Scrapper invites the Autobots to "{{w|Take the A Train}}".
*The final shot in this episode shows Bumblebee with an "{{w|I Love New York|I &hearts; NY}}" bumper sticker, part of a famous promotional campaign.

===Animation or technical glitches===
As a Season 2 AKOM episode, "City of Steel" features the standard character model oddities:
*Soundwave's backpack is gray instead of blue.
*Megatron's gun barrel is dark gray instead of light gray.
*Prime's backpack is white.
*The "disk" on Bumblebee's back is dark gray instead of yellow.
*Devastator retains his color scheme from [[Heavy Metal War]] (purple window on upper chest, purple top of chest plate, green crotch), rather than the revised color guide used by other studios starting in Season 2.

As an AKOM episode in general, "City of Steel" features an absurd number of straight-ahead animation mistakes:
*Coloring errors:
**Laserbeak's beak is the same dark gray as his head as he flies through the sewers.
**Laserbeak's beak is dark gray (again) as he reports the Autobot sighting. He also has a little bird tongue!
**Scavenger's cab window is green instead of white as he rides the scissor lift.
**Bumblebee's fists are light gray instead of dark gray as Prime orders the Autobots to transform.
**The back of Soundwave's legs are white instead of blue as Prime picks him up during the Central Park fight.
**Ironhide is dark gray instead of red as the Autobots cross the Brooklyn Bridge.
**When Optimus activates his dismembered legs, his head crest is colored entirely in dark gray instead of light gray and blue.
**As Megatron gloats over Prime's dismembered bits, Mixmaster is colored like Bumblebee.
**The first shot of Frenzy driving the train shows him [[FIRRIB|colored like Rumble]].
**As he rams the Constructicons' position, one of Prime's headlights isn't colored white. Of course, it shouldn't be there at all, being part of the arm he's missing at this point.
**Two Laserbeak cassettes (red details) leave Soundwave's chest during the battle at the end. One should be Buzzsaw, with gold details. The condors don't get a transformation sound effect as they convert to robot form.
*It's not without precedent, but Soundwave usually has to push his shoulder button to open his chest compartment. As Laserbeak returns, it opens of its own accord. In the same shot, Soundwave's shoulder button is dark blue instead of light gray.
*As Scavenger rolls past Soundwave, he starts growing larger before he even begins to climb the ramp that's supposed to be bringing him closer to the camera's point of view. At the end of the same pan shot, Hook's head is green instead of black.
*There is ''no way in Hell's Kitchen'' that dinky little scissor lift is strong enough to support the weight of the Empire State Building.
*Wheeljack's team is ''vastly'' oversized as they cruise past the Statue of Liberty.
*For some reason, Prime's voice is muffled as if it's a radio transmission as the Autobots drive along the highway.
[[File:Tinybluestreak.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb|Baby Bluestreak watches in horror as Giganticus Prime commences his rampage.]]
*There appears to be a total of ten Constructicons working on the Empire State Building.
*Soundwave's shoulder cannon is red and Megatron's face is a darker gray than usual as Megatron laughs about his "terminal welcome" joke.
*Frenzy's mouth isn't moving as he says "Can be hazardous".
*As the Autobots transform, a layering error results in a tiny Bluestreak standing in front of a normal-sized Ratchet and Ironhide, next to a Devastator-sized Optimus.
*Ironhide doesn't so much get knocked down by Frenzy and Rumble's earthquake attack as he does just walk along and randomly fall over. His back is colored light gray instead of dark gray in the sequence.
[[File:CityofSteel Scavengerwreckstheceiling.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1]]
*When Scavenger is beating the bucket of his [[alternate mode|vehicle mode]] against the ceiling below Central Park, a misplaced cel means the cracks that are supposed to be forming in the ceiling appear ''in front'' of his arm instead.
*As usual in the cartoon universe, metal cracks, splits and crumbles just like rock.
*In a long shot of the Autobot/Decepticon battle in Central Park, Bumblebee is inexplicably grappling with Bluestreak while Ratchet fights Reflector.
*In the Central Park sequence, Scavenger's vehicle mode is ''huge'', towering over Megatron and with a bucket significantly larger than Optimus.
*Prime falls a long way into the Decepticon base, but in the previous shot, he was standing on Scavenger's shovel. When Prime finally lands on the base's floor, Scavenger is there waiting for him.
*Prime's "motor relays" are right there in his stomach-grille? Wha? (AKOM shows Jazz having critical circuits in his car mode grille in "The Core", as well.)
*Soundwave's shoulder button is blue again as he presses it to communicate with Megatron. The sound effect that plays is usually reserved for an opening hatch or door. And Soundwave doesn't usually have to push that particular button to radio someone.
*The shot of the submerged Empire State Building is recycled from the earlier scene (ten Constructicons, remember?) Two of the tiny figures shown are supposed to be Megatron and Soundwave, but they're both shown to be on the surface by that point.
*The scene freezes for several seconds as the rebuilt Empire State Building is about to be raised above ground, complete with non-moving clouds of dust and smoke. After the building is raised, the same shot is recycled, showing it back down in the ground.
*Spike says "take a left", but the Autobots take a ramp that goes right.
*A layering error has Megatron's hand passing in front of Prime's smokestack, which is much closer to the camera. Result: a visually microscopic Megatron.
*Prime's eye-flashes don't quite line up with his optics.
*Scrapper's mouthplate isn't moving as he carries Optimus Prime's arm.
*For all their reaction to the Alligaticon, the Autobots sure aren't in any hurry to get away from it. They stroll away at a very leisurely pace.
*Scrapper has Sideswipe's voice as he says the "riding down their own grave" line.
[[File:CityOfSteel Starscream New Cybertron.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1]]
*Starscream has only one wing insignia as he admires the cityscape.
*What the heck were Prime's legs supposed to be, anyway? Part of [[Starscream's Ghost|a crypt]] or something? They're just standing there in a tunnel when Prime summons them.
*Ratchet's voice is more like Gears' as he says the "don't let go" line.
[[File:CityOfSteel Mirage carrying alligatorcon.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|"This episode is dumb and stupid!" "From the looks of the animation, I'd say a little of both."]]
*One of the series' most infamous dialog screwups happens as the Autobots wrestle with the [[Alligaticon]]. Mirage and Ratchet say, in perfect sync, "This alligator is big and heavy!" Prime then responds with the sage observation: "From the looks of it, I'd say a little of both." The scene appears to be the result of an editing and directorial snafu. Prime should be responding to the Autobots' previous lines: "Now we've got him!" "Or should I say, we've got ''you''?" "I'd say a little of both!" And the combined Ratchet and Mirage line was likely intended to be a series of ad libs as the Autobots struggle with the Alligaticon, rather than a straight line delivered before Prime's line.
*Prime's telekinetic waves change from wide circles, to a narrow band. The narrow band finds its way to.... nothing. It then snaps off with a really loud sound effect.
*Ratchet's mouth disappears for a split second as he finishes repairing Prime.
*One of Prime's chest windows, and one of his exhaust stacks, are among the leftover parts as he stands up.
*Wheeljack's ears aren't flashing as he says "This sure isn't little old New York anymore".
*As Megatron and Soundwave zero in on the Autobots on their monitor, Prime has both his arms.
*Appearing/disappearing Autobots:
**Jazz suddenly shows up for a single shot as the Autobots scatter from Prime's rifle fire.
*Hound and Bluestreak get two sequential transformation effects as they change to car mode, with a slight pause between them, instead of one continuous sound.
*Don't Hound and Bluestreak look where they're going when they drive? There's this huge hole in the street and they just drive right into it.
*Scrapper's voice comes out of nowhere to say the "A train" line to Hound and Bluestreak.
*The car mode Autobots just kind of float over the battle taxis. How'd they do that?
*How long's it take for the animators to forget that truck mode Prime is missing an arm? Only one shot! He's intact for his entire ramming sequence against the taxis and the Constructicons. Only when he rolls up to Ironhide and transforms is his bumper/arm missing again.
*Lots of missing Seeker insignias as the Decepticon jets launch their attack.
*Is Megatron supposed to be touching the blue button on his belly to radio Scrapper? 'Cause he totally misses it.
*Scrapper's voice is a bit off as he gives the order to combine. It's not quite as bad as before, but still not the correct hoarse rasp.
[[File:CityofSteel devastator kong.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|[[The Core|And now]] he's ''broken'' his 20th Anniversary Prime toy.]]
*Devastator's scale is always an issue, but he's ''really'' oversized here, smashing an entire multi-story building aside with a single blow. Man, [[Dreamwave Productions|Dreamwave]] must've [[Prime Directive issue 4|really loved]] this dorky episode, huh?
*Devastator has two eyes instead of an eyeband as he holds Optimus, and again as he fends off the helicopters.
*Why is Wheeljack upset? Devastator didn't manage to touch his helicopters!
*Does Prime really have to telekinetically control his ''rifle''? Wouldn't pulling the trigger suffice?
*As is normal when a good guy's life is at stake, Devastator (holding Optimus) falls for an absurdly long time. He's moving incredibly slowly as he passes Ironhide and Ratchet.

===Continuity errors===
*Laserbeak's shoot-to-enter door system seems rather improbable, or at least pointlessly complicated. In particular, how does the manhole cover know to land right back on top of the entrance?
*Let's not even get into the plausibility of lowering a thousand-foot building into the ground, rebuilding it for beings several times the size of a human, and then rebuilding it ''again'' into its original form. Ditto for the rest of Manhattan, actually.
*The TV newscaster is heard saying "''...meanwhile, officials are baffled as to the cause of the disappearance of the world-famous Empire State Building.''" Aside from the fact "officials" should be able to just look down the giant hole to Megatron's operation, why is this no higher than ''second'' in newsworthiness? The episode precedes the now-ubiquitous 24-hour new cycle, but what could possibly have been ''more'' notable than the disappearance of an entire skyscraper? It should be all they can talk about for the entire broadcast.
*With all the freaking huge cannons that the Decepticons installed, it's Prime's firearm that's the big cause for panic?
*Megatron, ensconced in his headquarters, responds to a comment of Spike's while Spike is riding down the street inside Bumblebee. How could he possibly hear what he said?
*After Prime dispatches the battle-taxis, there's a scene transition, followed by a shot of Ironhide standing still and not doing anything. Prime rolls up to him and declares "That's the way to cool it, Ironhide!", which strongly indicates that Ironhide was supposed to have been doing something with his liquid nitrogen that got cut out, even though Prime's response didn't.
*Why on earth do the Decepticon jets just fly right through their own building? If the idea is that the Autobots shot them and made them lose control, the animation completely fails to show it.
[[File:Cos prime disassembled.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|"I would have waited an eternity for this. It's over, Prime!.... I should probably kill you right now, shouldn't I?"]]
*Spike's "Now, Bumblebee!" line is ridiculous filler. The elevator door opens, they step into Megatron's headquarters, Megatron and Soundwave are right there in front of them... when ''else'' were they going to enact their brilliant plan? And how come Megatron's HQ has no security system to keep them out to begin with?
*While it might be true of Spike, it's kind of weird that Megatron refers to both Spike ''and Bumblebee'' as "Earth pests."
*Where did Wheeljack find two missile-equipped helicopters?
*Megatron retreats, saying "The Autobots may have destroyed our city of New Cybertron"... but the Autobots really have done nothing of the sort.
*Why didn't the Constructicons find the [[Matrix of Leadership|Matrix]] when they took apart Prime?
*Even more curious, how is it that Optimus can survive being reduced to a talking head, when the much lesser damage he took in ''[[The Transformers: The Movie]]'' was enough to kill him? Is this because he was supposedly "disassembled", for the most part, rather than damaged?
*Wouldn't it have been a good idea to take three minutes to reattach Optimus Prime's arm ''before'' getting to work on putting the city's buildings back to normal, so that he could have maybe ''helped''? Rather than doing it as the very last thing before they leave? The restoration itself appears to have been completed astonishingly quickly, despite the Autobots not having construction specialists ([[Grapple (G1)|yet]]) and the Cybertronian conversion requiring [[Constructicon (G1)|a team of six]].

===I Love New York errors===
[[File:CityofSteel Hound tracking.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1]]
[[File:Cityofsteel ironhide grapple.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1]]
*The opening pan from the Hudson River shows the Chrysler Building ''south'' of the Empire State Building. It should be north. Both buildings are ''way'' too far south relative to the Twin Towers.
*"Meet us in Central Park" is an incredibly vague order, considering the size of the place.
*The Autobots don't really stop ''in'' Central Park; there's buildings on two sides of them. No traffic or pedestrians, though. Or sidewalks.
* As the Decepticons prepare to raise it back into position, the Empire State Building is drawn as if it borders a park.
*The Brooklyn Bridge is more than just three lanes wide. It also does not have an exit ramp at mid-span.
*Oh, man. Spike went swimming in the East River in 1985? He ''is'' a super-human.
*It could just be chalked up to Hound's optimism, but most subway tracks don't end at a river.

===Trivia===
*Along with "[[The Core]]" and "[[The Autobot Run]]", this episode is one of a trio animated by [[AKOM]], showcasing the Constructicons and featuring distinctively bright and "cartoonish" art and animation, lots of use of stock poses, a somewhat more juvenile plot and script than normal, and a common set of animation model oddities (listed above).
*Though it is widely regarded in the [[fandom]] as his normal way of speaking, this is in fact the only time Mixmaster's speech oddity ("Right right right. Mega Mega Megatron!") ever shows up.
*This episode's [[dialogue script]] reveals a deleted scene: the Autobot group waterskiing into the harbor were to use their powers in a fight against Skywarp, Starscream, and Thundercracker (where Mirage was to reference Starscream as a "sitting [[duckatron]]" for blasting Hound's hologram instead of the real one). It makes the Autobots' worrying immediately afterwards about Laserbeak reporting them kind of silly, as they'd already fought some Decepticons on the way in! As it happens, the fight isn't referenced again anyway, making the removal seamless.
*When Megatron warns the Autobots against interfering with his plans, he refers to a "minicon" as a unit of measurement. This term would be later used as the name for the [[Mini-Con]]s, a race of small Transformers (primarily) from the [[Unicron Trilogy]].
*AKOM avoids [[The Core|screwing up]] Devastator's combination sequence by ''not actually showing it''. The pieces of Devastator just fly in from off-screen, already formed.
*Prime's vehicle mode gains toy-accurate cab stripes and his trailer has the additional blue stripes from the toy.
*This was one of several episodes subjected to the [[MSTF]] treatment at [[BotCon 2000]].

===Foreign localization===
'''French'''
:*''Title:'' "'''La cité d'acier'''" ("City of Steel")
:*''Original airdate:'' ?

'''Brazilian'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Cidade de Aço'''" ("City of Steel")
:*''Original airdate:'' ?

'''Italian'''
:*''Title (both dubs):'' "'''La città d'acciaio'''" ("City of Steel")
:*''Original airdate:'' ?

'''Japanese'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Steel City'''" (スチールシティ)
:*''Original airdate:'' [[December 13]], [[1985]]

'''Mandarin'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Gāng zhī Chéng '''" (钢之城, "City of Steel")
:*''Original airdate:'' ?

===Toys inspired by this episode===
*'''''[[The Transformers: Masterpiece|Masterpiece]]'' MP-21G [[Bumblebee (G1)/toys#G2Masterpiece|Bumble G-2 Ver.]] ([[TakaraTomy]], 2015)'''
:A redeco of ''Masterpiece'' Bumble (Bumblebee) with a metallic gold finish based on his ''[[Transformers: Generation 2 (toyline)|Generation 2]]'' toy (which is unrelated to this episode) that includes an "'''I ♥ NY'''" license plate decal based on the bumper sticker he sports at the end of this episode.

*'''''Masterpiece'' MP-45 [[Bumblebee (G1)/toys#MP45|Bumble]] (TakaraTomy, 2019)'''
:A completely new mold with more show-accurate robot and vehicle modes, among his accessories includes a "'''I ♥ NY'''" license plate/bumper sticker that attaches to the front of his altmode front grill.

==Home video releases==
{{homevidnote}}
;VHS
[[File:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 1999 — ''The Original Transformers'' — Volume 1: Prime Threat ([[The Original Transformers|Rhino Entertainment]])
;{{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]] [[2002]] — ''The Original Transformers'' — Season 2 Part 1 ([[The Original Transformers|Rhino Entertainment]]) 
[[File:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2002 — ''The Original Transformers'' — Season 2 Part 1: Vol. 1 (Rhino Entertainment) 
[[File:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] [[2003]] — ''Transformers'' — Season 2 Part 1 ([[Metrodome]]) 
[[File:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] [[2004]] — ''Transformers'' — Bumper Collection Special (Metrodome) 
[[File:Flag of Australia.png|20px|Australia]] 2004 — ''Transformers'' — Collection 2: Series 2.1 ([[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]] [[2007]] — ''The Transformers'' — Complete Collection (Madman Entertainment) 
[[File:Flag of Italy.png|20px|Italy]] [[2008]] — ''Transformers'' — Volume 03: Stagione Due Parte Prima ([[Medianetwork Communication]]) — English and Italian audio. 
[[File:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2009 — ''Transformers'' — Season Two: Part One (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)

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://cybertronchronicle.freewebspace.com/cartoon-dossier/season-2/synopses/700-18.html Episode Dossier at The Cybertron Chronicle]
*[[User:repowers]] [http://builtstlouis.net/tf/manic/s-cityofsteel.html rips this episode to tiny pieces in a September 2000 review]
*[https://drive.google.com/open?id=1xMY-X_NZ2AhmtkP3mLTK-W_9to2ghyWv Episode dialogue script]
*[https://drive.google.com/open?id=1iVQQoibKDCa6o4VYlIFiAhF1gypnVTah Storyboard samples including cover dates]

[[Category:The Transformers episodes]]
[[Category:Generation 2 episodes]]
[[Category:MSTF]]

S.O.S. Dinobots

2018-03-05T23:52:26Z

OptimusComboy: /* Rhino DVD release */

{{disambig2|the cartoon episode|the mobile game event|S.O.S. Dinobots (Legends)}}
{{episode
|series=G1toon
|ep=8
|series2=SRLFtoon
|ep2=7
|prev2=Divide and Conquer
|next2=War of the Dinobots
|series3=''[[Transformers: Generation 2 (cartoon)|Transformers: Generation 2]]''
|ep3=4
|prev3=More than Meets the Eye, Part 3
|next3=Heavy Metal War
|image=SOSDinobots fossilcavern.jpg
|caption=
|title="S.O.S. Dinobots"
|production code=#700-05
|airdate=[[October 27]], 1984
|written by=[[Donald F. Glut]]
|animation studio=[[Toei]]
|production company=[[Sunbow Productions]]
|continuity=[[Generation 1 cartoon continuity]]
}}
'''The Autobots create the Dinobots, but can barely control these new powerful warriors.'''

==Synopsis==
As the [[Autobot]]s discuss whether or not the [[Decepticon]]s are behind the tremors they've been experiencing recently, [[Spike Witwicky (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Spike Witwicky]] notices the tremors are stronger near one of the rock walls of the Autobot base. [[Ironhide (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ironhide]]'s sensors detect something odd behind the wall, so the Autobots break through, finding a cavern. Spike explains to the surprised Autobots that the bones scattered around the cave are [[dinosaur (dinosaur)|dinosaur]] fossils, which pique the curiosity of [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] and [[Wheeljack (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Wheeljack]].

Elsewhere, [[Soundwave (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Soundwave]] and [[Reflector (G1)|Reflector]] stake out the [[Great Falls]] hydroelectric power facility, and return to the Decepticon base once they have enough information.

Spike takes [[Hound (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Hound]] on a tour of a natural history museum to further illustrate his paleontological crash-course. Hound snaps a few holograms of dinosaur bone displays, which he played back for the other Autobots. Wheeljack and [[Ratchet (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ratchet]] are inspired, believing that they could construct robot versions to use against the Decepticons, and Optimus gives them permission. A laborious construction ensues, based on designs drawn up on [[Teletraan I]], with all of the Autobots taking part.

[[File:SOSDinobots Grimlockwrecks Teletraan.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|left|When the [[television|TV]] no work, Me know how to fix it!]]
Meanwhile [[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Megatron]] announces that the Great Falls constitute a perpetual power source that will let them take over the [[Universe (universe)|universe]] forever. On his order, the Decepticon forces fly out to take the dam.

Wheeljack unveils the three new additions to their ranks: the [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobots]] [[Grimlock (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Grimlock]], [[Slag (G1)|Slag]] and [[Sludge (G1)|Sludge]]. Impressed by the giant Dinobots and their ability to transform into dinosaurs, Optimus asks for a demonstration of their other abilities, and Wheeljack has them disintegrate the rubble from the earlier excavation. As Wheeljack explains that he's looking to upgrade the Dinobots' limited intelligence, the trio suddenly start attacking the Autobots. Grimlock heads for the control room, pursued by [[Bumblebee (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Bumblebee]] and Spike, but the pair are unable to prevent the Dinobot from trashing Teletraan I. Bumblebee does manage to lure Grimlock away from the room so Ratchet can start the long repair job. As the fight continues, Optimus orders the Dinobots destroyed, but Wheeljack manages to disable them with his [[magnetic inducer]]. Despite Wheeljack's pleas, Optimus orders them decommissioned, and the three Dinobots are sealed in the rock cavern, never to be activated again.

[[File:SOSDinobots Ravage window.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|Holy Hell!]]
The Decepticons arrive at the Great Falls, and the humans try to reach the Autobots via Teletraan I. Their distress signal goes unheard, as Teletraan I is currently offline thanks to the Dinobot rampage. [[Ravage (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ravage]] trashes the humans' communication equipment, and the facility falls under Decepticon control.

With Teletraan I out of commission, it's up to individual Autobot scouts like Hound to be on the lookout for Decepticon activity. Hound's sensors detect the ransacking of the Great Falls plant, and he alerts Optimus. Optimus leaves with a strike force, ordering Bumblebee to stay behind to guard the base.

The Decepticons are gathering energy from the dam as [[energon cube]]s, and Megatron assures [[Starscream (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Starscream]] that he has a plan for when the Autobots arrive. When the Autobots do arrive on a cliff overlooking the falls, they're unable to detect any Decepticons, but the foe soon pops out of their hiding places and attack. As his warriors keep the Autobots occupied, Megatron connects his [[fusion cannon]] directly into the Great Falls' power output. He blasts the cliff-face where the Autobots stand while [[Rumble (G1)|Rumble]] bashes at the ground, causing the cliff to crumble and sending the Autobots falling into the raging waters below.

Disobeying orders, Bumblebee arrives at the Great Falls and picks up Spike, as Megatron orders the Autobots retrieved and prepared for destruction. Bumblebee and Spike return to the Ark, informing Wheeljack and Ratchet of the Autobots' failure at the Great Falls. Wheeljack decides to reactivate the Dinobots. He has secretly developed a series of memory components that would upgrade the Dinobots' brains. Despite Bumblebee's protests that it goes against Optimus's orders, they install the new components, and the Dinobots awaken. Still relatively simple-minded, they are now much more intelligent than the mindless monsters that first appeared. Sludge, Slag and Grimlock agree to follow Wheeljack's orders, and blast their way out of the side of the volcano.

[[File:SOSDinobots Megatron falls.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.1|I've warned you about that, mighty Megatron.]]
The Decepticons have the Autobots trussed up with [[energon chains]]. Just as the Decepticons are about to execute the captives, the Dinobots arrive with Wheeljack. Wheeljack takes out Megatron with a [[gyro-inhibitor shell]], resulting in Starscream declaring himself leader on the grounds that Megatron has literally just fallen. The Decepticons take to the air, but even with air superiority, they find themselves being tossed around and battered by the Dinobots. As Megatron transforms and latches onto Starscream's jet mode, Wheeljack spots his fellow Autobots' weapons, and uses them to free his friends. The Dinobots blast Megatron, who finds himself faced with both the Dinobots and the freed Autobots. He quickly calls a retreat, and the Decepticons turn tail. Wheeljack and Bumblebee brace themselves for reprimands for disobeying Prime's direct orders, but Prime concedes he was wrong. He accepts the Dinobots as the newest members of the Autobot forces. The Autobots cheer the decision, and the Dinobots growl their approval.
{{--}}

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
{{collist|2|
*[[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] (1)
*[[Sideswipe (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Sideswipe]] (2)
*[[Ratchet (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ratchet]] (3)
*[[Ironhide (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ironhide]] (4)
*[[Wheeljack (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Wheeljack]] (6)
*[[Brawn (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Brawn]] (7)
*[[Hound (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Hound]] (8)
*[[Huffer (G1)|Huffer]] (11)
*[[Prowl (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Prowl]] (12)
*[[Bluestreak (G1)|Bluestreak]] (13)
*[[Mirage (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Mirage]] (14)
*[[Trailbreaker (G1)|Trailbreaker]] (19)
*[[Sunstreaker (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Sunstreaker]] (20)
*[[Jazz (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Jazz]] (21)
*[[Cliffjumper (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Cliffjumper]] (22)
*[[Windcharger (G1)|Windcharger]] (23)
*[[Gears (G1)|Gears]] (24)
*[[Bumblebee (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Bumblebee]] (25)
*[[Slag (G1)|Slag]] (27)
*[[Sludge (G1)|Sludge]] (28)
*[[Grimlock (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Grimlock]] (29)
}}
|c2=
*[[Soundwave (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Soundwave]] (8)
*[[Reflector (G1)|Reflector]] (9)
*[[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Megatron]] (15)
*[[Thundercracker (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Thundercracker]] (16)
*[[Starscream (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Starscream]] (17)
*[[Skywarp (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Skywarp]] (18)
*[[Ravage (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ravage]] (30)
*[[Rumble (G1)|Rumble]] (31)
|c3=
*[[Spike Witwicky (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Spike Witwicky]] (5)
*[[Sparkplug Witwicky]] (26)
}}

==Quotes==
"Well I'll be a Cybertronic [[bolt-bat]]!"
:—'''Sideswipe'''

[[File:SOSDinobots buildingSludge.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|"Heck, robot satanic hellspawn nuclear explosive suicide troops might be useful too. Whip us up some of those while you're at it."]]
"Robot dinosaurs might be useful. You have my authorization."
:—'''Optimus Prime''' gives the okay to make the Dinobots, because sure, why not?

"Maybe Hound's got [[Glitch mouse|glitch mice]] in his databanks again!"
:—'''Bluestreak''', mocking Hound's radar accuracy, to the amusement of no one

"Nice shootin', if you were aimin' for the sky!"
:—'''Rumble''' goading Bluestreak

[[File:SOSDinobots-Sludge Insignia.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1]]
"Which ones... friends?" 
"Ones with... face like this...uh, I think." 
"That... good enough for Slag."
:—'''Slag''' and '''Sludge''' determine friend from foe by using faction symbols.

"If on Decepticon turf you happen to tumble, look out robot, 'cause here comes Rumble!"
:—'''Rumble'''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s clever combat banter

"Heat seeking missiles seek heat!"
:—'''Skywarp'''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s slightly less clever combat banter

==Notes==
===Animation or technical glitches===
[[File:SOSDinobots-Miscolors.jpg|thumb|center|600px|[[Nelson Yomtov|Yomtov]]-licious!]]
[[File:SOSDinobots bluePrime.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|Don't even think about [[redeco|it]], [[e-HOBBY]]!]]
[[File:SOSDinobots Soundwave shoots Gears.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1]]
*Coloring errors:
**Wheeljack's ears flash orange in this episode, rather than the usual blue. It's a convention that also appeared in "[[Roll for It]]" (an episode which has a similar art style to this one.)
**Ironhide's cheekguards are gray instead of red as he explains his sonadar sensor.
**The exposition-spouting tourist visiting the Great Falls hydroelectric power plant has hair that turns from red to black from one shot to the next.
**In his introductory shot, Slag's head is miscolored, mostly gray instead of all-red. This is the first of many, many, many times that his head and face will get the wrong colors.
**Another frequent coloring error has Sludge with gray on the sides of his dino head, which should be all-gold. It pops up numerous times in this episode.
**When the Decepticons arrive at the Great Falls plant, Rumble is colored like Brawn.
**As Skywarp and another Decepticon land, a foreground Decepticon Seeker's leg is colored a deep yellow (an error, but as close as [[Sunstorm (G1)|Sunstorm]] ever came to appearing on Earth in a Generation 1 cartoon.)
**As Megatron claims control of the dam and the Decepticons strike silly poses, two background Seekers appear to have Bluestreak's colors.
**As Skywarp and Thundercracker strafe the Autobots, ''every single Autobot is miscolored'', including Sideswipe painted as Sunstreaker, Bluestreak as Trailbreaker, Brawn as Hound, Optimus Prime as Sideswipe, Hound as Ironhide, Trailbreaker as Gears, and Mirage as Bluestreak.
**Rumble's pile driver tips are the same blue-purple as the rest of him when he lands, but are red in a close-up shot a second later.
**Sunstreaker's hands are yellow in the shot of him, Jazz, etc. reacting to Rumble's earthquake.
**As Prime rolls toward the falls, his smokestacks are red.
**"Nice shootin'!" Rumble's eyeband is gray instead of red.
**When Gears flies up to Soundwave, his truck roof (on his back) is red instead of blue.
**Optimus's chest is the same blue as his head as he struggles in the water. As the Autobots move past camera, he morphs into his usual red.
**Ratchet's head crest is white instead of gray as he works on Teletraan-1.
**While the Autobots are trapped in Energon Chains, Optimus is colored entirely blue and Trailbreaker is a light grey rather than black.
**Starscream's entire cockpit cowling is yellow after the transforms, rather than just the canopy.
**Rumble's shin is all-yellow as he and the rest of the Decepticon group take off.
**When Skywarp drops bombs on Grimlock, Grimlock's an overly-dark shade of gray.
**Rumble's colors are reversed as Sludge's crevasse knocks him over.
**After they transform to retreat, all three Seekers have entirely gold nosecones. A pan across the three jets shows Starscream, Thundercracker, and a second Starscream in place of Skywarp.
**Sludge's face is black after he returns to [[robot mode]].
*Brawn's lines don't quite time up with the animation; he says "let's clean up this mess" while in the middle of tossing rocks everywhere; and he says "Hey, there's a cavern in there!" while gaping at a huge opening that must have been revealed much earlier in their dig.
*Wheeljack likewise says "Feels like stone" before he's even picked up one of the dinosaur bones. His ears don't flash for the first part of his line. And the top of his chest is colored windshield blue when it should be metal armor white.
*Jazz clearly isn't with the group that enters the cave; yet he abruptly pops up out of nowhere to say his line.
*Only the front of Wheeljack's ears flash for his "I'd sure like to know more about 'em" line.
*Spike identifies a ''Brontosaurus'' during his tour of the museum's dinosaur exhibit, though there does not appear to be a ''Brontosaurus'' on display. Though, to be fair, it may just be Spike's error, or the ''Brontosaurus'' skeleton might be out of the camera's view. (Also, at the time this episode took place, {{w|Brontosaurus|''Brontosaurus'' was a deprecated genus}}, but that's just picking nits, especially since the genus has now been reinstated.)
*Wheeljack's ears are drawn as mishapen white blobs as he and Prime first call up the image of the dinosaurs on Teletraan 1.
*Wheeljack is missing his wings as he works on the helmet-brain units.
*The Decepticon Headquarters docking tower is rather clumsily animated against the background matte, shaking a bit as it lowers. When the tower lowers, the source of the streaming bubbles lowers with it!
*"I suppose you've devised a brilliant plan..." Starscream's intakes are shown behind his shoulders, rather than on top of them.
*The top of the docking tower is missing as the Decepticons fly out it.
*Wheeljack's line of dialogue, "Autobots, meet Dinobots" is delivered by Ratchet.
*As Wheeljack introduces the Dinobots, the foreground characters slide magically against the background scenery due to an error in animation.
*As the Autobots react with shock upon seeing the Dinobots, all three audible lines in the scene—"Look at the size of those things", "Great Cybertron", and "Holy heterodyne"—are animated as being spoken by Bluestreak. The lines were evidently not scripted as belonging to any specific characters, as they are provided respectively by [[Peter Cullen]] (using neither Prime nor Ironhide's voice), [[Dan Gilvezan]] (sounding like himself) and [[Gregg Berger]] (who shouldn't be voicing ''any'' of the assembled Autobots!).
*Wheeljack's is missing his wings as he's introducing the Dinobots.
*As Huffer mocks the Dinobots, he says: "Dinobots, huh? I thought you were supposed to make ''dino''saurs!" The emphasis, of course, should be on the "saurs".
*Optimus Prime's line, "Interesting, but what else can they do?" is delivered by Cliffjumper.
*As he opens his mouth to clear the rubble, Grimlock's dinosaur head has whole bunch of extra joint lines, based on his toy's detail. This detail never appears again.
*Bluestreak gets Optimus Prime's laser rifle sound effect for his shoulder launcher blasts.
*As Slag shoots him, Sideswipe cries out in Bluestreak's voice.
*As Grimlock heads into the control room, he just slides across the frame, rather than being animated with leg motion, etc.
*Grimlock clearly destroys the big main screen with the lolipop next to it. Yet as Bumblebee tries to get away, he passes this same screen, totally intact, while the explosion comes from somewhere else (unless there's ''two'' big screens with lolipops?)
*Ratchet rights a tipped-over Bumblebee in the thick of the Dinobot rampage. After Bumblebee drives away, the section of Ratchet obscured by a foreground Bumblebee is still missing .
*As often happens, Prowl has Sideswipe's voice as he asks "Doesn't anything get to this guy?"
*Prime's missing his grille lines as he declares that the Dinobots must be destroyed.
[[File:SOSDinobots magnetic inducer.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1]]
*As he fires to deactivate the Dinobots, Wheeljack's missile launcher swings around and clicks into place, pointing forward. Only... it was already pointing forward just a second earlier. In fact, it's never shown pointing in any other direction.
*After standing in front of the cave lamenting the loss of his creations (aw, poor Wheeljack!), Wheeljack moves out of the way as the Autobots open fire to seal the cavern. Yet as the rocks come down, he's back in front of the cave.
*After Optimus signs off from Hound's transmission, his head does a strange little back-and-forth bob. As the view pans out from him, we see Bluestreak, whose headcrest is gray instead of red.
*As the Autobots roll out, they kind of slide sideways across the floor of Autobot Headquarters.
[[File:SOSDinobots Autobots in chains.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|They just left Gears and the others at the bottom of the river.]]
*Appearing/disappearing Autobots:
**Wheeljack is shown in the lineup of Autobots leaving HQ; yet a moment later, it's shown that he stayed behind to continue working on stuff.
**Not nearly enough Autobots are shown in the energon chain lineup.
*"Endless energy, Starscream!" Megatron is missing his waist details.
*When Optimus tells the Autobots to fight, his line is clipped off at the end, telling the Autobots to "fight ba-".
*Just before Gears tumbles into him, Bluestreak is standing there waving a fist in the air. It looks like he was supposed to be shooting, but the laser fire wasn't animated.
*Bluestreak is knocked over by Gears, and but is standing and firing in the next shot.
*Megatron is shown laughing, but there's no vocalization to go with it.
*Megatron's missing his insignia as he and Starscream look down from the cliff.
*"We shall retrieve their short-circuited carcasses..." Megatron's slow-moving lip-flap doesn't keep pace with his speech.
*"I've been working on a little research project." Once again, only the front of Wheeljack's ears flash.
*As the Autobots struggle against the chains, Megatron suffers another severe lip-flap malfunction. The energon chains to bounce and move like a single solid object; this is apparently supposed to show the Autobots struggling against their bonds, but it doesn't really work very well.
*Yet another vocal malfunction for Megatron after Wheeljack shoots him; he makes a falling-over "Whauurrrrrr!" sound long after he's already fallen over.
*"And whatever punishment you have in mind..." Bumblebee is missing his insignia, has yellow "cheeks" instead of white, and appears to have borrowed [[Bumper (G1)|Bumper]]'s rectangular chest.
*The closing scene features Optimus announcing that the Dinobots... will stay! And everyone is happy, and everybody cheers! Everybody except the background music, which is a tense, frantic piece normally reserved for cliffhanging crises and catastrophes.

===Continuity errors===
*Though the holographic dinosaurs illustrated in the episodes matched some of the concepts of the early ‘80s, their depiction is outdated by today's standards. The dinosaurs in the show are the sluggish, tail-dragging cold-blooded variety not in keeping with more modern theories of warm-blooded, bird-like animals.
*When the holographic dinosaurs are shown, a ''Brontosaurus'' is seen living alongside a ''Triceratops'' and a ''Tyrannosaurus''. In reality, ''Brontosaurus'' lived in the Jurassic Period, while ''Triceratops'' and ''Tyrannosaurus'' lived during the Cretaceous Period. So basically, they were separated by millions of years, {{w|Fantasia (film)|but apparently}}, {{w|The Flintstones|in a cartoon}}, {{w|The Land Before Time|that doesn't matter}}.
*So, why ''didn't'' Wheeljack just give the Dinobots their cognitive upgrades ''before'' he activated them and showed them off?
*The data gathered by Reflector and Soundwave leads Megatron to conclude with relish that the Great Falls contain enough energy to vanquish the Autobots and control the universe...but that's really nothing new. The Decepticons have targeted hydroelectric power sources before.
*What is it about falling into the river that is so devastating to the Autobots? We've seen that Autobots can deal with being in the water (Hound in "[[More than Meets the Eye, Part 2]]", various Autobots in "[[The Ultimate Doom]]", [[Springer (G1)|Springer]], [[Kup (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Kup]], and [[Arcee (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Arcee]] in ''[[The Transformers: The Movie]]'', etc.). It's possible that the fall itself damaged them, but the Autobots are clearly shown struggling around in the water. Then again, Optimus Prime needed Jazz's help to escape the rushing river in "More Than Meets the Eye, Part 2".
*It's possible the editorial pace of the show plays with time and space, but taken at face value, the Autobots build three Dinobots in the span of time it takes the Decepticons to decide to attack the Great Falls.

===Rhino DVD release===
[[File:dvd broadcast.jpg|thumb|Pretty colors are more important than things making sense!]]

*The chapter stops for this episode on the Rhino DVD are: Opening / Old Bones / "Dinobots Must Die" / Fusion Power / Permanent Dysfunction / Dinobots Will Stay.
*Though all G1 episodes released on DVD by Rhino were altered in some way, both with additional sound effects and unintentional changes induced by not using the finalized broadcast masters, this one is particularly screwed up:
**The Rhino version uses a faulty take for the shot where the Dinobots demonstrate their power by clearing rubble. In the DVD, the blasts from the Dinobots' mouths are missing, and the rubble does not vanish. The broadcast version, though, has both effects, which were reinstated on the Shout! Factory release. (See illustration).
**"Look at the size of those things!" In the shot where Bluestreak speaks the three lines in three different voices, the Rhino version features an additional error: Huffer's mouth is also moving in unison with Bluestreak's for all three lines.
**As the Autobots walk around the unnamed museum, they pass a pair of street punks looking at a display. While divided into grey and blue parts in the broadcast version, the display was [[:File:SOSDinobotsPunksDisplay.jpg|rendered entirely blue]] in the Kid Rhino version of the episode, making it look a bit like a computer terminal. This random color change was ''not'' undone in the Shout! Factory version.
**When Hound contacts Autobot Headquarters with a recon report, the glowing light on his chest and forehead are blue in the broadcast version, but red in the DVD version. This was changed back in the Shout! Factory release.
**…When Spike says the line "Is it much farther, Hound" the broadcast version has his mouth move with his speech but the Rhino version has his mouth stop at the word "much" with his mouth hanging open in the rest of the sentence and this error is uncorrected in Shout! Factory's version.
**When the Autobots arrive at the Great Falls and they transform from [[alternate mode|vehicle mode]] to [[robot mode]], the shot of Bluestreak is reversed, and he is shown transforming from robot to car. The broadcast version used the correct take, as does the Shout! Factory release.
**Not so much a goof, but the Rhino DVD version of this episode has a rainbow visible at the Great Falls when Megatron lands. This is not in the broadcast version and was removed when Shout Factory corrected the scene.
**When Megatron transforms into a gun to attack the Dinobots, the background matte is misaligned, showing only the sky and not the ground.
**And before the shot mentioned in the previous error, the camera pan from the Dinobots to Megatron is jumpy.

===Continuity notes===
*The natural history museum that Spike and Hound visit might be assumed to be in [[Central City (Earth)|Central City]], later shown in "[[Megatron's Master Plan, Part 1]]" to be located near Autobot Headquarters.
*After being almost totally ignored (or completely absent) for the first seven episodes, Windcharger finally gets his first speaking line.
*Wheeljack is shown working on the memory upgrades for the Dinobots before they're even built!
*Flying Autobots:
**Gears takes to the air to attack the Decepticons at the power plant, and Wheeljack flies alongside the Dinobots. These abilities are never explained within the cartoon itself. However, according to the [[Tech Spec]]s, these two (along with Sideswipe) are the original Autobots who are SUPPOSED to be flight-capable; Gears is equipped with compressed air boosters and Wheeljack has solid-fuel rockets in his arms. Gears would never be shown to use his flight capabilities again; Wheeljack, however, will fly again in "[[A Plague of Insecticons]]" and actually use his arm-rockets in "[[The Core]]" and "[[The Autobot Run]]".
**The Dinobots are also shown to be able to fly in robot mode under their own power; they will consistently retain this ability all the way through Season 2 and the Movie.
*"We do... as told... for now." Grimlock's first lines already foretell the trouble that the Autobots will have keeping the Dinobots in line.
*The Dinobots are shown to be incredibly tough and resistant to damage. Nothing the Decepticons do leaves so much as a scratch or scorch mark, not even shots from gun mode Megatron. This too is consistent through Season 2 and the Movie.
**Slag's triceratops frill can reflect Optimus Prime's laser rifle blast back at him.
[[File:Sosdinos sonadar sensors.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1]]
[[File:SOSDinobots Trailbreaker in force field.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1]]
[[File:SOSDinobot Hound radios in.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|As noted above, Hound's glowy bits were bright blue in the original broadcast version.]]
*Powers and gadgets:
**Ironhide is equipped with a [[sonodar]] sensor array that extends from his forearm, capable of penetrating solid rock. The findings of the sensor are displayed in the windshield in his chest.
**Sideswipe is equipped with piston arms, that allow him to punch through stone walls. Here, they are simply heavy protrusions that he slams into the rock to break it up, but when they show up again in "[[A Plague of Insecticons]]" they actually operate like pneumatic jackhammers. His pistons are also misinterpreted as a ''hand-held'' jackhammer in "[[Fire on the Mountain (episode)|Fire on the Mountain]]".
**Trailbreaker's force field is rendered as a glowing yellow sphere that comes from the space between his upraised hands. (Well, hand, since the other one is a gun.)
**Wheeljack fires a "magnetic inducer" from his shoulder cannon to stop the rampaging Dinobots, and later nails Megatron with a "[[gyro-inhibitor shell]]", launched from the same. Both of these are weapons Wheeljack's tech spec says he has and fires from his shoulder cannons.
**Hound uses a cheekguard-mounted communicator to contact Autobot Headquarters, along with a button on his stomach that lights up parts of his helmet while he's transmitting.
**Optimus has a similar cheekguard communicator, along with little antennae which slide out of the larger antennae on his head.
**Thundercracker attempts to torch the Dinobots with a flamethrower, which shows up again in "[[The Ultimate Doom, Part 2]]". This weapon is probably based on his tech spec's mention of incendiary guns.
**Skywarp still packs heat-seeking missiles, per his tech spec bio.
**Starscream drops small bomb-missiles on the Dinobots. These may or may not be the from the launchers concealed in his air ducts, which are used in "[[Fire on the Mountain (episode)|Fire on the Mountain]]".
[[File:Sosdinos rumble broken piledrivers.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1]]
*Megatron actually refers to his [[fusion cannon]] by that name.
*Laserbeak does not appear but is mentioned in this episode, as Megatron credits him for gathering intelligence at the Great Falls.
*Per his tech spec bio, Sludge proves adept in the water. He also uses his seismic stomp to retaliate against Rumble's earthquake power.
*Rumble getting hit by Sludge's quake while using his piledrivers causes them to break off.
*'''[[Transport to Oblivion|< <]]''' What makes Starscream the leader? Megatron's lost his equilibrium! '''[[Countdown to Extinction (episode)|> >]]'''

===Real-world references===
*Dinosaurs, obviously. And a natural history museum, and a lame joke about "heavy metal" in reference to Hound.
*''[[Star Wars (franchise)|Star Wars]]'' sound effects:
**[[Death Star]] turbolasers are used as the sound of Bluestreak firing at Rumble.
**[[Luke Skywalker|Luke]] repelling Seeker bolts with his [[lightsaber]] is used as the sound of the Decepticons lifting off under Starscream's command.
**Clashing lightsabers are used as the sound of Slag's horns powering up.
**More lightsabers as the Dinobots fire on Megatron and Starscream.

===Trivia===
[[File:SOSDinobots Great Falls.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66|The rules of Decepticon fashion dictate that no two members of a flying group can use the same arm pose.]]
*This episode shares the slightly stylized artistic style of "[[Roll for It]]". Note the strange poses that the Decepticons strike while flying, Optimus's unusually rounded head, Bumblebee's somewhat flattened head, and the little bits of shading seen on characters's faces in closeup.
*This was one of the six episodes featured on the ''[[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (Xbox 360/PS3/PC)|Revenge of the Fallen]]'' console game.

===Foreign localization===

'''German'''
:*''Title (Generation 2 dub):'' "'''Die Dinobots'''" ("The Dinobots")
:*''Original airdate:'' [[May 21]], [[1994]]

'''Italian'''
:*''Title (dub 1):'' "'''La nascita dei Dinorobot'''" ("Birth of the Dinobots")
:*''Title (dub 2):'' "'''S.O.S. Dinobots'''"
:*''Original airdate:'' ?

'''Japanese'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Dinobot Tanjō!'''" (ダイノボット誕生!, "The Dinobots Are Born!")
:*''Original airdate:'' [[August 17]], [[1985]]
:*The Dinobots' roars are replaced with library tracks of classic movie kaiju roars (mostly an altered version of Baragon's roar from Toho's ''Frankenstein Conquers the World'').
:*'''Cut:''' Following Spike's line, "There goes an Autobot with guts" and Ratchet charging, the close-up of Spike's head and Ratchet repairing Teletraan-1 have been cut. The sequence resumes at Sludge firing his laser eyes.
:*'''Cut:''' After Prime yells "Roll out!" and transforms, the following footage of the Autobots driving out of the Ark behind him, the pan across the base interior and the footage of Wheeljack working on the Dinobot brain upgrades have all been cut.

'''Mandarin'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Jǐnjí Hūjiào '''" (紧急呼叫, "Emergency Calls")
:*''Original airdate:'' ?

'''Russian'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Na pomoshch, Dinoboty!'''" (На помощь, Диноботы!, "Help us, Dinobots!")
:*''Original airdate:'' ?

'''Serbian'''
:*''Title:'' "'''S.O.S Dinoboti'''" (С.О.С Диноботи, "S.O.S Dinobot")
:*''Original airdate:'' ?

==Home video releases==
{{homevidnote}}
;VHS
[[File:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 1985 — ''The Transformers'' — Volume 3: "S.O.S. Dinobots" ([[Family Home Entertainment]]) 
[[File:Flag of Canada.png|20px|Canada]] 1997 — ''The Transformers'' — War of the Dinobots ([[Malofilm]])
;{{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 UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2002 — ''Transformers: Generation 2'' ([[Maverick Entertainment|Sony Wonder]]) 
[[File:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2002 — ''Transformers'' — Original Series: Volume Three (Sony Wonder) 
[[File:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2002 — ''Transformers'' — Complete Original Series: Deluxe Edition (Sony Wonder) 
[[File:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2002 — ''The Original Transformers'' — First Season Collector's Edition ([[The Original Transformers|Rhino Entertainment]]) 
[[File:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2002 — ''The Original Transformers'' — Volume Two (Rhino Entertainment) 
[[File:Flag of Australia.png|20px|Australia]] 2003 — ''Transformers'' — Collection 1: Series 1 ([[Madman Entertainment]]) 
[[File:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2004 — ''Transformers'' — Season 1 ([[Metrodome]]) 
[[File:Flag of Australia.png|20px|Australia]] 2006 — The Best of ''The Transformers'' (Madman Entertainment) 
[[File:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2006 — ''Transformers'' — The Complete Generation One Collection (Metrodome) 
[[File:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2007 — ''Transformers'' — The Classic Episodes (Metrodome) 
[[File:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2007 — ''Classic Transformers'' — Series One: Part One (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 01: Stagione Uno Parte Prima ([[Medianetwork Communication]]) — English and Italian audio. 
[[File:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2009 — ''Transformers'' — Season One (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'' — The Complete First Season: 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'' — The Complete First Season: 30th Anniversary Edition (Shout! Factory) 
[[File:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2014 — ''The Transformers'' — Roar of the Dinobots (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-1/synopses/700-05.html Episode Dossier at The Cybertron Chronicle]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sos Dinobots}}
[[Category:The Transformers episodes]]
[[Category:Generation 2 episodes]]

S.O.S. Dinobots

2018-03-05T23:51:03Z

OptimusComboy: /* Rhino DVD release */

{{disambig2|the cartoon episode|the mobile game event|S.O.S. Dinobots (Legends)}}
{{episode
|series=G1toon
|ep=8
|series2=SRLFtoon
|ep2=7
|prev2=Divide and Conquer
|next2=War of the Dinobots
|series3=''[[Transformers: Generation 2 (cartoon)|Transformers: Generation 2]]''
|ep3=4
|prev3=More than Meets the Eye, Part 3
|next3=Heavy Metal War
|image=SOSDinobots fossilcavern.jpg
|caption=
|title="S.O.S. Dinobots"
|production code=#700-05
|airdate=[[October 27]], 1984
|written by=[[Donald F. Glut]]
|animation studio=[[Toei]]
|production company=[[Sunbow Productions]]
|continuity=[[Generation 1 cartoon continuity]]
}}
'''The Autobots create the Dinobots, but can barely control these new powerful warriors.'''

==Synopsis==
As the [[Autobot]]s discuss whether or not the [[Decepticon]]s are behind the tremors they've been experiencing recently, [[Spike Witwicky (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Spike Witwicky]] notices the tremors are stronger near one of the rock walls of the Autobot base. [[Ironhide (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ironhide]]'s sensors detect something odd behind the wall, so the Autobots break through, finding a cavern. Spike explains to the surprised Autobots that the bones scattered around the cave are [[dinosaur (dinosaur)|dinosaur]] fossils, which pique the curiosity of [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] and [[Wheeljack (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Wheeljack]].

Elsewhere, [[Soundwave (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Soundwave]] and [[Reflector (G1)|Reflector]] stake out the [[Great Falls]] hydroelectric power facility, and return to the Decepticon base once they have enough information.

Spike takes [[Hound (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Hound]] on a tour of a natural history museum to further illustrate his paleontological crash-course. Hound snaps a few holograms of dinosaur bone displays, which he played back for the other Autobots. Wheeljack and [[Ratchet (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ratchet]] are inspired, believing that they could construct robot versions to use against the Decepticons, and Optimus gives them permission. A laborious construction ensues, based on designs drawn up on [[Teletraan I]], with all of the Autobots taking part.

[[File:SOSDinobots Grimlockwrecks Teletraan.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|left|When the [[television|TV]] no work, Me know how to fix it!]]
Meanwhile [[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Megatron]] announces that the Great Falls constitute a perpetual power source that will let them take over the [[Universe (universe)|universe]] forever. On his order, the Decepticon forces fly out to take the dam.

Wheeljack unveils the three new additions to their ranks: the [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobots]] [[Grimlock (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Grimlock]], [[Slag (G1)|Slag]] and [[Sludge (G1)|Sludge]]. Impressed by the giant Dinobots and their ability to transform into dinosaurs, Optimus asks for a demonstration of their other abilities, and Wheeljack has them disintegrate the rubble from the earlier excavation. As Wheeljack explains that he's looking to upgrade the Dinobots' limited intelligence, the trio suddenly start attacking the Autobots. Grimlock heads for the control room, pursued by [[Bumblebee (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Bumblebee]] and Spike, but the pair are unable to prevent the Dinobot from trashing Teletraan I. Bumblebee does manage to lure Grimlock away from the room so Ratchet can start the long repair job. As the fight continues, Optimus orders the Dinobots destroyed, but Wheeljack manages to disable them with his [[magnetic inducer]]. Despite Wheeljack's pleas, Optimus orders them decommissioned, and the three Dinobots are sealed in the rock cavern, never to be activated again.

[[File:SOSDinobots Ravage window.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|Holy Hell!]]
The Decepticons arrive at the Great Falls, and the humans try to reach the Autobots via Teletraan I. Their distress signal goes unheard, as Teletraan I is currently offline thanks to the Dinobot rampage. [[Ravage (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ravage]] trashes the humans' communication equipment, and the facility falls under Decepticon control.

With Teletraan I out of commission, it's up to individual Autobot scouts like Hound to be on the lookout for Decepticon activity. Hound's sensors detect the ransacking of the Great Falls plant, and he alerts Optimus. Optimus leaves with a strike force, ordering Bumblebee to stay behind to guard the base.

The Decepticons are gathering energy from the dam as [[energon cube]]s, and Megatron assures [[Starscream (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Starscream]] that he has a plan for when the Autobots arrive. When the Autobots do arrive on a cliff overlooking the falls, they're unable to detect any Decepticons, but the foe soon pops out of their hiding places and attack. As his warriors keep the Autobots occupied, Megatron connects his [[fusion cannon]] directly into the Great Falls' power output. He blasts the cliff-face where the Autobots stand while [[Rumble (G1)|Rumble]] bashes at the ground, causing the cliff to crumble and sending the Autobots falling into the raging waters below.

Disobeying orders, Bumblebee arrives at the Great Falls and picks up Spike, as Megatron orders the Autobots retrieved and prepared for destruction. Bumblebee and Spike return to the Ark, informing Wheeljack and Ratchet of the Autobots' failure at the Great Falls. Wheeljack decides to reactivate the Dinobots. He has secretly developed a series of memory components that would upgrade the Dinobots' brains. Despite Bumblebee's protests that it goes against Optimus's orders, they install the new components, and the Dinobots awaken. Still relatively simple-minded, they are now much more intelligent than the mindless monsters that first appeared. Sludge, Slag and Grimlock agree to follow Wheeljack's orders, and blast their way out of the side of the volcano.

[[File:SOSDinobots Megatron falls.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.1|I've warned you about that, mighty Megatron.]]
The Decepticons have the Autobots trussed up with [[energon chains]]. Just as the Decepticons are about to execute the captives, the Dinobots arrive with Wheeljack. Wheeljack takes out Megatron with a [[gyro-inhibitor shell]], resulting in Starscream declaring himself leader on the grounds that Megatron has literally just fallen. The Decepticons take to the air, but even with air superiority, they find themselves being tossed around and battered by the Dinobots. As Megatron transforms and latches onto Starscream's jet mode, Wheeljack spots his fellow Autobots' weapons, and uses them to free his friends. The Dinobots blast Megatron, who finds himself faced with both the Dinobots and the freed Autobots. He quickly calls a retreat, and the Decepticons turn tail. Wheeljack and Bumblebee brace themselves for reprimands for disobeying Prime's direct orders, but Prime concedes he was wrong. He accepts the Dinobots as the newest members of the Autobot forces. The Autobots cheer the decision, and the Dinobots growl their approval.
{{--}}

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
{{collist|2|
*[[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] (1)
*[[Sideswipe (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Sideswipe]] (2)
*[[Ratchet (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ratchet]] (3)
*[[Ironhide (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ironhide]] (4)
*[[Wheeljack (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Wheeljack]] (6)
*[[Brawn (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Brawn]] (7)
*[[Hound (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Hound]] (8)
*[[Huffer (G1)|Huffer]] (11)
*[[Prowl (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Prowl]] (12)
*[[Bluestreak (G1)|Bluestreak]] (13)
*[[Mirage (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Mirage]] (14)
*[[Trailbreaker (G1)|Trailbreaker]] (19)
*[[Sunstreaker (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Sunstreaker]] (20)
*[[Jazz (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Jazz]] (21)
*[[Cliffjumper (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Cliffjumper]] (22)
*[[Windcharger (G1)|Windcharger]] (23)
*[[Gears (G1)|Gears]] (24)
*[[Bumblebee (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Bumblebee]] (25)
*[[Slag (G1)|Slag]] (27)
*[[Sludge (G1)|Sludge]] (28)
*[[Grimlock (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Grimlock]] (29)
}}
|c2=
*[[Soundwave (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Soundwave]] (8)
*[[Reflector (G1)|Reflector]] (9)
*[[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Megatron]] (15)
*[[Thundercracker (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Thundercracker]] (16)
*[[Starscream (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Starscream]] (17)
*[[Skywarp (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Skywarp]] (18)
*[[Ravage (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ravage]] (30)
*[[Rumble (G1)|Rumble]] (31)
|c3=
*[[Spike Witwicky (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Spike Witwicky]] (5)
*[[Sparkplug Witwicky]] (26)
}}

==Quotes==
"Well I'll be a Cybertronic [[bolt-bat]]!"
:—'''Sideswipe'''

[[File:SOSDinobots buildingSludge.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|"Heck, robot satanic hellspawn nuclear explosive suicide troops might be useful too. Whip us up some of those while you're at it."]]
"Robot dinosaurs might be useful. You have my authorization."
:—'''Optimus Prime''' gives the okay to make the Dinobots, because sure, why not?

"Maybe Hound's got [[Glitch mouse|glitch mice]] in his databanks again!"
:—'''Bluestreak''', mocking Hound's radar accuracy, to the amusement of no one

"Nice shootin', if you were aimin' for the sky!"
:—'''Rumble''' goading Bluestreak

[[File:SOSDinobots-Sludge Insignia.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1]]
"Which ones... friends?" 
"Ones with... face like this...uh, I think." 
"That... good enough for Slag."
:—'''Slag''' and '''Sludge''' determine friend from foe by using faction symbols.

"If on Decepticon turf you happen to tumble, look out robot, 'cause here comes Rumble!"
:—'''Rumble'''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s clever combat banter

"Heat seeking missiles seek heat!"
:—'''Skywarp'''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s slightly less clever combat banter

==Notes==
===Animation or technical glitches===
[[File:SOSDinobots-Miscolors.jpg|thumb|center|600px|[[Nelson Yomtov|Yomtov]]-licious!]]
[[File:SOSDinobots bluePrime.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|Don't even think about [[redeco|it]], [[e-HOBBY]]!]]
[[File:SOSDinobots Soundwave shoots Gears.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1]]
*Coloring errors:
**Wheeljack's ears flash orange in this episode, rather than the usual blue. It's a convention that also appeared in "[[Roll for It]]" (an episode which has a similar art style to this one.)
**Ironhide's cheekguards are gray instead of red as he explains his sonadar sensor.
**The exposition-spouting tourist visiting the Great Falls hydroelectric power plant has hair that turns from red to black from one shot to the next.
**In his introductory shot, Slag's head is miscolored, mostly gray instead of all-red. This is the first of many, many, many times that his head and face will get the wrong colors.
**Another frequent coloring error has Sludge with gray on the sides of his dino head, which should be all-gold. It pops up numerous times in this episode.
**When the Decepticons arrive at the Great Falls plant, Rumble is colored like Brawn.
**As Skywarp and another Decepticon land, a foreground Decepticon Seeker's leg is colored a deep yellow (an error, but as close as [[Sunstorm (G1)|Sunstorm]] ever came to appearing on Earth in a Generation 1 cartoon.)
**As Megatron claims control of the dam and the Decepticons strike silly poses, two background Seekers appear to have Bluestreak's colors.
**As Skywarp and Thundercracker strafe the Autobots, ''every single Autobot is miscolored'', including Sideswipe painted as Sunstreaker, Bluestreak as Trailbreaker, Brawn as Hound, Optimus Prime as Sideswipe, Hound as Ironhide, Trailbreaker as Gears, and Mirage as Bluestreak.
**Rumble's pile driver tips are the same blue-purple as the rest of him when he lands, but are red in a close-up shot a second later.
**Sunstreaker's hands are yellow in the shot of him, Jazz, etc. reacting to Rumble's earthquake.
**As Prime rolls toward the falls, his smokestacks are red.
**"Nice shootin'!" Rumble's eyeband is gray instead of red.
**When Gears flies up to Soundwave, his truck roof (on his back) is red instead of blue.
**Optimus's chest is the same blue as his head as he struggles in the water. As the Autobots move past camera, he morphs into his usual red.
**Ratchet's head crest is white instead of gray as he works on Teletraan-1.
**While the Autobots are trapped in Energon Chains, Optimus is colored entirely blue and Trailbreaker is a light grey rather than black.
**Starscream's entire cockpit cowling is yellow after the transforms, rather than just the canopy.
**Rumble's shin is all-yellow as he and the rest of the Decepticon group take off.
**When Skywarp drops bombs on Grimlock, Grimlock's an overly-dark shade of gray.
**Rumble's colors are reversed as Sludge's crevasse knocks him over.
**After they transform to retreat, all three Seekers have entirely gold nosecones. A pan across the three jets shows Starscream, Thundercracker, and a second Starscream in place of Skywarp.
**Sludge's face is black after he returns to [[robot mode]].
*Brawn's lines don't quite time up with the animation; he says "let's clean up this mess" while in the middle of tossing rocks everywhere; and he says "Hey, there's a cavern in there!" while gaping at a huge opening that must have been revealed much earlier in their dig.
*Wheeljack likewise says "Feels like stone" before he's even picked up one of the dinosaur bones. His ears don't flash for the first part of his line. And the top of his chest is colored windshield blue when it should be metal armor white.
*Jazz clearly isn't with the group that enters the cave; yet he abruptly pops up out of nowhere to say his line.
*Only the front of Wheeljack's ears flash for his "I'd sure like to know more about 'em" line.
*Spike identifies a ''Brontosaurus'' during his tour of the museum's dinosaur exhibit, though there does not appear to be a ''Brontosaurus'' on display. Though, to be fair, it may just be Spike's error, or the ''Brontosaurus'' skeleton might be out of the camera's view. (Also, at the time this episode took place, {{w|Brontosaurus|''Brontosaurus'' was a deprecated genus}}, but that's just picking nits, especially since the genus has now been reinstated.)
*Wheeljack's ears are drawn as mishapen white blobs as he and Prime first call up the image of the dinosaurs on Teletraan 1.
*Wheeljack is missing his wings as he works on the helmet-brain units.
*The Decepticon Headquarters docking tower is rather clumsily animated against the background matte, shaking a bit as it lowers. When the tower lowers, the source of the streaming bubbles lowers with it!
*"I suppose you've devised a brilliant plan..." Starscream's intakes are shown behind his shoulders, rather than on top of them.
*The top of the docking tower is missing as the Decepticons fly out it.
*Wheeljack's line of dialogue, "Autobots, meet Dinobots" is delivered by Ratchet.
*As Wheeljack introduces the Dinobots, the foreground characters slide magically against the background scenery due to an error in animation.
*As the Autobots react with shock upon seeing the Dinobots, all three audible lines in the scene—"Look at the size of those things", "Great Cybertron", and "Holy heterodyne"—are animated as being spoken by Bluestreak. The lines were evidently not scripted as belonging to any specific characters, as they are provided respectively by [[Peter Cullen]] (using neither Prime nor Ironhide's voice), [[Dan Gilvezan]] (sounding like himself) and [[Gregg Berger]] (who shouldn't be voicing ''any'' of the assembled Autobots!).
*Wheeljack's is missing his wings as he's introducing the Dinobots.
*As Huffer mocks the Dinobots, he says: "Dinobots, huh? I thought you were supposed to make ''dino''saurs!" The emphasis, of course, should be on the "saurs".
*Optimus Prime's line, "Interesting, but what else can they do?" is delivered by Cliffjumper.
*As he opens his mouth to clear the rubble, Grimlock's dinosaur head has whole bunch of extra joint lines, based on his toy's detail. This detail never appears again.
*Bluestreak gets Optimus Prime's laser rifle sound effect for his shoulder launcher blasts.
*As Slag shoots him, Sideswipe cries out in Bluestreak's voice.
*As Grimlock heads into the control room, he just slides across the frame, rather than being animated with leg motion, etc.
*Grimlock clearly destroys the big main screen with the lolipop next to it. Yet as Bumblebee tries to get away, he passes this same screen, totally intact, while the explosion comes from somewhere else (unless there's ''two'' big screens with lolipops?)
*Ratchet rights a tipped-over Bumblebee in the thick of the Dinobot rampage. After Bumblebee drives away, the section of Ratchet obscured by a foreground Bumblebee is still missing .
*As often happens, Prowl has Sideswipe's voice as he asks "Doesn't anything get to this guy?"
*Prime's missing his grille lines as he declares that the Dinobots must be destroyed.
[[File:SOSDinobots magnetic inducer.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1]]
*As he fires to deactivate the Dinobots, Wheeljack's missile launcher swings around and clicks into place, pointing forward. Only... it was already pointing forward just a second earlier. In fact, it's never shown pointing in any other direction.
*After standing in front of the cave lamenting the loss of his creations (aw, poor Wheeljack!), Wheeljack moves out of the way as the Autobots open fire to seal the cavern. Yet as the rocks come down, he's back in front of the cave.
*After Optimus signs off from Hound's transmission, his head does a strange little back-and-forth bob. As the view pans out from him, we see Bluestreak, whose headcrest is gray instead of red.
*As the Autobots roll out, they kind of slide sideways across the floor of Autobot Headquarters.
[[File:SOSDinobots Autobots in chains.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|They just left Gears and the others at the bottom of the river.]]
*Appearing/disappearing Autobots:
**Wheeljack is shown in the lineup of Autobots leaving HQ; yet a moment later, it's shown that he stayed behind to continue working on stuff.
**Not nearly enough Autobots are shown in the energon chain lineup.
*"Endless energy, Starscream!" Megatron is missing his waist details.
*When Optimus tells the Autobots to fight, his line is clipped off at the end, telling the Autobots to "fight ba-".
*Just before Gears tumbles into him, Bluestreak is standing there waving a fist in the air. It looks like he was supposed to be shooting, but the laser fire wasn't animated.
*Bluestreak is knocked over by Gears, and but is standing and firing in the next shot.
*Megatron is shown laughing, but there's no vocalization to go with it.
*Megatron's missing his insignia as he and Starscream look down from the cliff.
*"We shall retrieve their short-circuited carcasses..." Megatron's slow-moving lip-flap doesn't keep pace with his speech.
*"I've been working on a little research project." Once again, only the front of Wheeljack's ears flash.
*As the Autobots struggle against the chains, Megatron suffers another severe lip-flap malfunction. The energon chains to bounce and move like a single solid object; this is apparently supposed to show the Autobots struggling against their bonds, but it doesn't really work very well.
*Yet another vocal malfunction for Megatron after Wheeljack shoots him; he makes a falling-over "Whauurrrrrr!" sound long after he's already fallen over.
*"And whatever punishment you have in mind..." Bumblebee is missing his insignia, has yellow "cheeks" instead of white, and appears to have borrowed [[Bumper (G1)|Bumper]]'s rectangular chest.
*The closing scene features Optimus announcing that the Dinobots... will stay! And everyone is happy, and everybody cheers! Everybody except the background music, which is a tense, frantic piece normally reserved for cliffhanging crises and catastrophes.

===Continuity errors===
*Though the holographic dinosaurs illustrated in the episodes matched some of the concepts of the early ‘80s, their depiction is outdated by today's standards. The dinosaurs in the show are the sluggish, tail-dragging cold-blooded variety not in keeping with more modern theories of warm-blooded, bird-like animals.
*When the holographic dinosaurs are shown, a ''Brontosaurus'' is seen living alongside a ''Triceratops'' and a ''Tyrannosaurus''. In reality, ''Brontosaurus'' lived in the Jurassic Period, while ''Triceratops'' and ''Tyrannosaurus'' lived during the Cretaceous Period. So basically, they were separated by millions of years, {{w|Fantasia (film)|but apparently}}, {{w|The Flintstones|in a cartoon}}, {{w|The Land Before Time|that doesn't matter}}.
*So, why ''didn't'' Wheeljack just give the Dinobots their cognitive upgrades ''before'' he activated them and showed them off?
*The data gathered by Reflector and Soundwave leads Megatron to conclude with relish that the Great Falls contain enough energy to vanquish the Autobots and control the universe...but that's really nothing new. The Decepticons have targeted hydroelectric power sources before.
*What is it about falling into the river that is so devastating to the Autobots? We've seen that Autobots can deal with being in the water (Hound in "[[More than Meets the Eye, Part 2]]", various Autobots in "[[The Ultimate Doom]]", [[Springer (G1)|Springer]], [[Kup (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Kup]], and [[Arcee (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Arcee]] in ''[[The Transformers: The Movie]]'', etc.). It's possible that the fall itself damaged them, but the Autobots are clearly shown struggling around in the water. Then again, Optimus Prime needed Jazz's help to escape the rushing river in "More Than Meets the Eye, Part 2".
*It's possible the editorial pace of the show plays with time and space, but taken at face value, the Autobots build three Dinobots in the span of time it takes the Decepticons to decide to attack the Great Falls.

===Rhino DVD release===
[[File:dvd broadcast.jpg|thumb|Pretty colors are more important than things making sense!]]

*The chapter stops for this episode on the Rhino DVD are: Opening / Old Bones / "Dinobots Must Die" / Fusion Power / Permanent Dysfunction / Dinobots Will Stay.
*Though all G1 episodes released on DVD by Rhino were altered in some way, both with additional sound effects and unintentional changes induced by not using the finalized broadcast masters, this one is particularly screwed up:
**The Rhino version uses a faulty take for the shot where the Dinobots demonstrate their power by clearing rubble. In the DVD, the blasts from the Dinobots' mouths are missing, and the rubble does not vanish. The broadcast version, though, has both effects, which were reinstated on the Shout! Factory release. (See illustration).
**"Look at the size of those things!" In the shot where Bluestreak speaks the three lines in three different voices, the Rhino version features an additional error: Huffer's mouth is also moving in unison with Bluestreak's.
**As the Autobots walk around the unnamed museum, they pass a pair of street punks looking at a display. While divided into grey and blue parts in the broadcast version, the display was [[:File:SOSDinobotsPunksDisplay.jpg|rendered entirely blue]] in the Kid Rhino version of the episode, making it look a bit like a computer terminal. This random color change was ''not'' undone in the Shout! Factory version.
**When Hound contacts Autobot Headquarters with a recon report, the glowing light on his chest and forehead are blue in the broadcast version, but red in the DVD version. This was changed back in the Shout! Factory release.
**…When Spike says the line "Is it much farther, Hound" the broadcast version has his mouth move with his speech but the Rhino version has his mouth stop at the word "much" with his mouth hanging open in the rest of the sentence and this error is uncorrected in Shout! Factory's version.
**When the Autobots arrive at the Great Falls and they transform from [[alternate mode|vehicle mode]] to [[robot mode]], the shot of Bluestreak is reversed, and he is shown transforming from robot to car. The broadcast version used the correct take, as does the Shout! Factory release.
**Not so much a goof, but the Rhino DVD version of this episode has a rainbow visible at the Great Falls when Megatron lands. This is not in the broadcast version and was removed when Shout Factory corrected the scene.
**When Megatron transforms into a gun to attack the Dinobots, the background matte is misaligned, showing only the sky and not the ground.
**And before the shot mentioned in the previous error, the camera pan from the Dinobots to Megatron is jumpy.

===Continuity notes===
*The natural history museum that Spike and Hound visit might be assumed to be in [[Central City (Earth)|Central City]], later shown in "[[Megatron's Master Plan, Part 1]]" to be located near Autobot Headquarters.
*After being almost totally ignored (or completely absent) for the first seven episodes, Windcharger finally gets his first speaking line.
*Wheeljack is shown working on the memory upgrades for the Dinobots before they're even built!
*Flying Autobots:
**Gears takes to the air to attack the Decepticons at the power plant, and Wheeljack flies alongside the Dinobots. These abilities are never explained within the cartoon itself. However, according to the [[Tech Spec]]s, these two (along with Sideswipe) are the original Autobots who are SUPPOSED to be flight-capable; Gears is equipped with compressed air boosters and Wheeljack has solid-fuel rockets in his arms. Gears would never be shown to use his flight capabilities again; Wheeljack, however, will fly again in "[[A Plague of Insecticons]]" and actually use his arm-rockets in "[[The Core]]" and "[[The Autobot Run]]".
**The Dinobots are also shown to be able to fly in robot mode under their own power; they will consistently retain this ability all the way through Season 2 and the Movie.
*"We do... as told... for now." Grimlock's first lines already foretell the trouble that the Autobots will have keeping the Dinobots in line.
*The Dinobots are shown to be incredibly tough and resistant to damage. Nothing the Decepticons do leaves so much as a scratch or scorch mark, not even shots from gun mode Megatron. This too is consistent through Season 2 and the Movie.
**Slag's triceratops frill can reflect Optimus Prime's laser rifle blast back at him.
[[File:Sosdinos sonadar sensors.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1]]
[[File:SOSDinobots Trailbreaker in force field.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1]]
[[File:SOSDinobot Hound radios in.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|As noted above, Hound's glowy bits were bright blue in the original broadcast version.]]
*Powers and gadgets:
**Ironhide is equipped with a [[sonodar]] sensor array that extends from his forearm, capable of penetrating solid rock. The findings of the sensor are displayed in the windshield in his chest.
**Sideswipe is equipped with piston arms, that allow him to punch through stone walls. Here, they are simply heavy protrusions that he slams into the rock to break it up, but when they show up again in "[[A Plague of Insecticons]]" they actually operate like pneumatic jackhammers. His pistons are also misinterpreted as a ''hand-held'' jackhammer in "[[Fire on the Mountain (episode)|Fire on the Mountain]]".
**Trailbreaker's force field is rendered as a glowing yellow sphere that comes from the space between his upraised hands. (Well, hand, since the other one is a gun.)
**Wheeljack fires a "magnetic inducer" from his shoulder cannon to stop the rampaging Dinobots, and later nails Megatron with a "[[gyro-inhibitor shell]]", launched from the same. Both of these are weapons Wheeljack's tech spec says he has and fires from his shoulder cannons.
**Hound uses a cheekguard-mounted communicator to contact Autobot Headquarters, along with a button on his stomach that lights up parts of his helmet while he's transmitting.
**Optimus has a similar cheekguard communicator, along with little antennae which slide out of the larger antennae on his head.
**Thundercracker attempts to torch the Dinobots with a flamethrower, which shows up again in "[[The Ultimate Doom, Part 2]]". This weapon is probably based on his tech spec's mention of incendiary guns.
**Skywarp still packs heat-seeking missiles, per his tech spec bio.
**Starscream drops small bomb-missiles on the Dinobots. These may or may not be the from the launchers concealed in his air ducts, which are used in "[[Fire on the Mountain (episode)|Fire on the Mountain]]".
[[File:Sosdinos rumble broken piledrivers.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1]]
*Megatron actually refers to his [[fusion cannon]] by that name.
*Laserbeak does not appear but is mentioned in this episode, as Megatron credits him for gathering intelligence at the Great Falls.
*Per his tech spec bio, Sludge proves adept in the water. He also uses his seismic stomp to retaliate against Rumble's earthquake power.
*Rumble getting hit by Sludge's quake while using his piledrivers causes them to break off.
*'''[[Transport to Oblivion|< <]]''' What makes Starscream the leader? Megatron's lost his equilibrium! '''[[Countdown to Extinction (episode)|> >]]'''

===Real-world references===
*Dinosaurs, obviously. And a natural history museum, and a lame joke about "heavy metal" in reference to Hound.
*''[[Star Wars (franchise)|Star Wars]]'' sound effects:
**[[Death Star]] turbolasers are used as the sound of Bluestreak firing at Rumble.
**[[Luke Skywalker|Luke]] repelling Seeker bolts with his [[lightsaber]] is used as the sound of the Decepticons lifting off under Starscream's command.
**Clashing lightsabers are used as the sound of Slag's horns powering up.
**More lightsabers as the Dinobots fire on Megatron and Starscream.

===Trivia===
[[File:SOSDinobots Great Falls.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66|The rules of Decepticon fashion dictate that no two members of a flying group can use the same arm pose.]]
*This episode shares the slightly stylized artistic style of "[[Roll for It]]". Note the strange poses that the Decepticons strike while flying, Optimus's unusually rounded head, Bumblebee's somewhat flattened head, and the little bits of shading seen on characters's faces in closeup.
*This was one of the six episodes featured on the ''[[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (Xbox 360/PS3/PC)|Revenge of the Fallen]]'' console game.

===Foreign localization===

'''German'''
:*''Title (Generation 2 dub):'' "'''Die Dinobots'''" ("The Dinobots")
:*''Original airdate:'' [[May 21]], [[1994]]

'''Italian'''
:*''Title (dub 1):'' "'''La nascita dei Dinorobot'''" ("Birth of the Dinobots")
:*''Title (dub 2):'' "'''S.O.S. Dinobots'''"
:*''Original airdate:'' ?

'''Japanese'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Dinobot Tanjō!'''" (ダイノボット誕生!, "The Dinobots Are Born!")
:*''Original airdate:'' [[August 17]], [[1985]]
:*The Dinobots' roars are replaced with library tracks of classic movie kaiju roars (mostly an altered version of Baragon's roar from Toho's ''Frankenstein Conquers the World'').
:*'''Cut:''' Following Spike's line, "There goes an Autobot with guts" and Ratchet charging, the close-up of Spike's head and Ratchet repairing Teletraan-1 have been cut. The sequence resumes at Sludge firing his laser eyes.
:*'''Cut:''' After Prime yells "Roll out!" and transforms, the following footage of the Autobots driving out of the Ark behind him, the pan across the base interior and the footage of Wheeljack working on the Dinobot brain upgrades have all been cut.

'''Mandarin'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Jǐnjí Hūjiào '''" (紧急呼叫, "Emergency Calls")
:*''Original airdate:'' ?

'''Russian'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Na pomoshch, Dinoboty!'''" (На помощь, Диноботы!, "Help us, Dinobots!")
:*''Original airdate:'' ?

'''Serbian'''
:*''Title:'' "'''S.O.S Dinoboti'''" (С.О.С Диноботи, "S.O.S Dinobot")
:*''Original airdate:'' ?

==Home video releases==
{{homevidnote}}
;VHS
[[File:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 1985 — ''The Transformers'' — Volume 3: "S.O.S. Dinobots" ([[Family Home Entertainment]]) 
[[File:Flag of Canada.png|20px|Canada]] 1997 — ''The Transformers'' — War of the Dinobots ([[Malofilm]])
;{{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 UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2002 — ''Transformers: Generation 2'' ([[Maverick Entertainment|Sony Wonder]]) 
[[File:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2002 — ''Transformers'' — Original Series: Volume Three (Sony Wonder) 
[[File:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2002 — ''Transformers'' — Complete Original Series: Deluxe Edition (Sony Wonder) 
[[File:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2002 — ''The Original Transformers'' — First Season Collector's Edition ([[The Original Transformers|Rhino Entertainment]]) 
[[File:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2002 — ''The Original Transformers'' — Volume Two (Rhino Entertainment) 
[[File:Flag of Australia.png|20px|Australia]] 2003 — ''Transformers'' — Collection 1: Series 1 ([[Madman Entertainment]]) 
[[File:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2004 — ''Transformers'' — Season 1 ([[Metrodome]]) 
[[File:Flag of Australia.png|20px|Australia]] 2006 — The Best of ''The Transformers'' (Madman Entertainment) 
[[File:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2006 — ''Transformers'' — The Complete Generation One Collection (Metrodome) 
[[File:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2007 — ''Transformers'' — The Classic Episodes (Metrodome) 
[[File:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2007 — ''Classic Transformers'' — Series One: Part One (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 01: Stagione Uno Parte Prima ([[Medianetwork Communication]]) — English and Italian audio. 
[[File:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2009 — ''Transformers'' — Season One (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'' — The Complete First Season: 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'' — The Complete First Season: 30th Anniversary Edition (Shout! Factory) 
[[File:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2014 — ''The Transformers'' — Roar of the Dinobots (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-1/synopses/700-05.html Episode Dossier at The Cybertron Chronicle]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sos Dinobots}}
[[Category:The Transformers episodes]]
[[Category:Generation 2 episodes]]

Primitive

2018-03-05T09:02:47Z

OptimusComboy:

:''The Primitives are a group of Transformers from the [[The Transformers (cartoon)|cartoon portion]] of the [[Generation 1 continuity family]]. ''

[[File:Primitives Calling.jpg|upright=2.8|thumb|Gathering of the most savage and destructive beings in the universe, or MENSA]]
The '''Primitives''' are a group of Transformers, all featuring robot animal [[alternate mode]]s.

==Fiction==
===''The Transformers'' cartoon===
[[Primacron (G1)|Primacron]] built some of the primitives in the ancient past. Over time, he improved his work, building them bigger and nastier until his greatest achievement, [[Unicron]] turned on him, deciding not to allow himself to be controlled by Primacron. Unicron attacked Primacron's lab. Primacron survived. [[Oracle (G1)|Primacron's assistant]]'s body was destroyed, but his life essence escaped.

In 2006, the Primitives were brought together by Primacron's assistant to combat the threat posed by the scientist and his latest creation, [[Tornedron]]. The assistant hoped that the Primitives' "simple instincts" could overcome the brilliant scientist's complex plans. The assistant was proved correct when Grimlock broke into Primacron's control room and toggled the "reverse switch," a solution that eluded Primacron himself. Reversing the energy polarity destroyed Tornedron and reversed all the destruction he caused. {{storylink|Call of the Primitives}}

==List of Primitives==
====Autobots====
{{collist|3|
*[[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobots]]
**[[Grimlock (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Grimlock]]
**[[Sludge (G1)|Sludge]]
**[[Slag (G1)|Slag]]
**[[Swoop (G1)|Swoop]]
**[[Snarl (G1)|Snarl]]
*[[Sky Lynx (G1)|Sky Lynx]]
*[[Mini-Cassette]]s
**[[Ramhorn (G1)|Ramhorn]]
**[[Steeljaw (G1)|Steeljaw]]
}}
====Decepticons====
{{collist|3|
*[[Predacon (G1)|Predacons]]
**[[Razorclaw (G1)|Razorclaw]]
**[[Divebomb (G1)|Divebomb]]
**[[Headstrong (G1)|Headstrong]]
**[[Rampage (G1)|Rampage]]
**[[Tantrum (G1)|Tantrum]]
*[[Terrorcon (G1)|Terrorcons]]
**[[Hun-Gurrr (G1)|Hun-Gurrr]]
**[[Blot (G1)|Blot]]
**[[Cutthroat (G1)|Cutthroat]]
**[[Rippersnapper (G1)|Rippersnapper]]
**[[Sinnertwin (G1)|Sinnertwin]]
*[[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]]
*[[Decepticon Mini-Cassette|Mini-Cassettes]]
**[[Ravage (G1)|Ravage]]
**[[Ratbat (G1)|Ratbat]]
**[[Overkill (G1)|Overkill]]
**[[Slugfest (G1)|Slugfest]]
}}
==Notes==
===Foreign Names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Beasts''' (野獣 ''yajū'')
[[Category:Generation 1 subgroups]]
[[Category:Generation 1 cartoon continuity]]

Five Faces of Darkness, Part 4

2018-03-05T08:24:02Z

OptimusComboy: /* Foreign localization */

{{episode
|series=G1toon
|ep=69
|series2=2010
|ep2=4
|prev2=Five Faces of Darkness, Part 3
|next2=Five Faces of Darkness, Part 5
|image=FFOD4 Rodimus journey.JPG
|caption=What the hell did [[Beachcomber (G1)|Beachcomber]] give me?
|title="Five Faces of Darkness, Part 4"
|production code=#700-89
|production company=[[Sunbow Productions]]
|animation studio=[[AKOM]]
|airdate=[[September 18]], 1986
|written by=[[Flint Dille]]
|continuity=[[Generation 1 cartoon continuity]]
}}
'''Seeking answers about their mysterious new foes, Rodimus Prime takes a journey through the Matrix to learn the truth about the Quintessons... and the origins of the Transformers.'''

==Synopsis==
[[File:FFOD4 Autobots no hit.JPG|left|upright=1.1|thumb|It's like they're being shot at by Decepticon Targetmasters.]]

On [[Goo 8739B|Goo]], the [[Decepticon]]s open fire on the [[Autobot]]s (and miss spectacularly). [[Deliberata|Judge Deliberata]] cheers them on, until Grimlock slams him into the goo. As they get closer, Galvatron arrives, intending to punish the Decepticons for their "disloyalty". Upon seeing (and being shot by) their long-lost leader, the Decepticons repledge their loyalty to Galvatron and tell him that they were bribed into following the [[Quintesson]]s for [[energon]]. Galvatron is not happy and decides to punish the Quintessons for their usurpation.

On Goo, the Autobots find the control center, and Rodimus Prime and Ultra Magnus find out that the planet is a garbage collection system for the [[Junkion (species)|Junkions]]. Contacting Wreck-Gar, they request assistance after managing to "talk [[Television|Teevee]]".

On [[Io]], Blurr and Wheelie are under attack by the [[lightpole]]s, who are ferociously flapping their wings in the two Autobots' faces. Wheelie is overtaken, but tells Blurr to leave him and take Metroplex's [[transformation cog]]. Instead of leaving his comrade to die, Blurr heads right into the thick of the swarm. [[Marissa Faireborn]] arrives and manages to drive off the lightpoles, but a number of them transform into missiles and destroy her ship. The three begin a search through the ship's wreckage, hoping that the communications are still working.

[[File:FFOD4 Autobots lightpoles.JPG|upright=1.1|thumb|"I'm Batman." "No, I'm Batman." "Hey, I'm Batman!" "I'm Man-bat."]]

Galvatron introduces himself by firing on the Quintesson ship. Realizing that Galvatron must be handled differently, the Quintessons offer an alliance with the Decepticons against the Autobots, but Galvatron says he never asked for their help. They offer Galvatron the [[Decepticon Matrix|Decepticon Matrix of Leadership]], but Galvatron simply demands it in exchange for letting them live. The Quintessons say that their lives are not enough, and that the Autobots must be destroyed.

Galvatron attacks the Autobots, but the Junkions arrive and melt the goo out from under the Autobots, sucking them right through the planet. Judge Deliberata winds up getting ejected in the process. Galvatron destroys Goo, but by the time he's done, the Junkions and Autobots have fled.

Heading back to the ship, Galvatron rants at the Quintessons, who counter that they would be powerful allies. Galvatron demands to know why the Quintessons haven't destroyed the Autobots themselves. They explain that the Autobots have been made unpredictable by their interactions with the [[human]]s. Sneering at the Quintessons' fear of the flesh creatures, Galvatron agrees to an alliance. The Decepticons cry "Hail Galvatron!" to affirm their support of their leader, and even the Quintessons give out a shout.

[[File:RodimusBack.jpg|left|upright=1.1|thumb|No thanks, I can hold down this pile by myself.]]

On [[Junkion (planet)|the Planet of Junk]], Wreck-Gar restores Springer to life. However, Rodimus is not as cheered up as expected. He has questions about the Quintessons—about their hostility towards the Autobots, how they know so much about them, and about their intentions. Rodimus has become convinced that the answers behind the Quintessons lie in the [[Matrix of Leadership|Matrix]], but he still doesn't know how to consult the wisdom of the ages. Springer makes a sarcastic suggestion, saying that he should just come close to death again. Although Arcee says not to do that, Springer assures her that Rodimus is not as stupid as he looks. Wandering off, the [[Supreme Commander|Autobot commander]] short-circuits himself and falls unconscious.

[[File:Ancientrobot ffod.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|Luke, you must go to the Dagobah system.]]

Rodimus enters the Matrix, where he is greeted by the spirits of the [[Ancient Autobots]], who show him the face of the creators of the Transformers...the Quintessons! Eons ago, the Quintessons used [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] as a factory to build two lines of robots: consumer goods and military hardware, who evolved into the Autobots and the Decepticons, respectively. Millennia of torturous abuse led the Autobots to rebel and drive the Quintessons off Cybertron. Afterwards, the Cybertronians warred with each other for control, which was ended when the Autobots developed the art of [[transformation]]. A [[Golden Age]] followed, which was ended when the Decepticons mastered transformation and created a new leader: [[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Megatron]]. He killed the [[Sentinel Prime (G1)|Matrix-bearer]], who passed the Matrix to [[Alpha Trion (G1)|Alpha Trion]], one of the oldest among them. However, Alpha Trion did not take the Matrix for himself, but gave it another who would challenge Megatron. This was [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]], who became the [[Prime (rank)|Autobot leader]] for the [[Great War (G1)|Third Cybertronian War]], which has raged for nine million years and continues to rage even now.

Rodimus reactivates to find Springer and Arcee seriously freaked out. Dismissing their concerns, he tells them that they need to get to Cybertron as soon as possible.

[[File:FFOD4 Trypticon lives.JPG|left|upright=1.1|thumb|When a guy has cannons for a tongue, it's time to panic.]]

Near Cybertron, Galvatron and the Quintessons plot their strategy. They will attack on two fronts: [[Autobot City (G1)|Autobot City]] and Cybertron. On [[Earth]], the [[Constructicon (G1)|Constructicons]] are making changes to a human city. At dawn, they activate a transformation sequence, and the city begins to change. As the humans flee, the dust settles to the ground. In the place of the city now stands...Trypticon!

On Cybertron, an [[Earth Defense Command]] ship requests emergency landing clearance. Perceptor warns that it might be a trick, but Kup refuses to allow a ship full of innocents to perish, giving them clearance to land. But the ship instead crashes into Cybertron's central power facility, shutting down the planet's defenses. Storming from the Quintesson ships, Galvatron leads the Decepticons in an attack. Aboard the vessels, the Quintessons are pleased, for soon the Autobots will be destroyed, and then they will deal with the Decepticons.

[[Five Faces of Darkness, Part 5|To be concluded...]]

{{-}}

==Featured characters==
(Characters in ''italic text'' appear only in the episode's Matrix-guided history flashbacks.) 
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
*[[Ultra Magnus (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ultra Magnus]] (5)
*[[Hot Rod/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Rodimus Prime]] (6)
*[[Arcee (G1)|Arcee]] (7)
*[[Grimlock (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Grimlock]] (8)
*[[Kup (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Kup]] (10)
*[[Slag (G1)|Slag]] (11)
*[[Skydive (G1 Aerialbot)|Skydive]] (18)
*[[Wreck-Gar (G1)|Wreck-Gar]] (19)
*[[Blaster (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Blaster]] (21)
*[[Blurr (G1)|Blurr]] (22)
*[[Wheelie (G1)|Wheelie]] (23)
*[[Air Raid (G1)|Air Raid]] (25)
*[[Hood Transformer]] (26)
*[[Pole vault Transformer]] (27)
*[[Springer (G1)|Springer]] (30)
*''[[Primon|Ancient Robot]]'' (31)
*''[[Prima|Powerful Robot]]'' (32)
*''[[Sentinel Prime (G1)|U-Haul Robot]]'' (33)
*''[[Prime Nova|Brooding Robot]]'' (34)
*''[[Guardian Prime|Pre-Transformer]]'' (36)
*''[[Zeta Prime|New Narrator]]'' (38)
*''[[Alpha Trion (G1)|Alpha Trion]]'' (48)
*[[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] (49)
*[[Perceptor (G1)|Perceptor]] (52)
*[[Cosmos (G1)|Cosmos]] (53)

|c2=
*[[Dead End (G1)|Dead End]] (1)
*[[Blast Off (G1)|Blast Off]] (2)
*[[Swindle (G1)|Swindle]] (3)
*[[Ramjet (G1)|Ramjet]] (12)
*[[Galvatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Galvatron]] (13)
*[[Scourge (G1)|Scourge]] (14)
*[[Cyclonus (G1)|Cyclonus]] (15)
*[[Sweep (G1)|Sweeps]] (16)
*[[Motormaster (G1)|Motormaster]] (17)
*[[Octane]] (28)
*[[Soundwave (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Soundwave]] (29)
*''[[Trannis|Early Decepticon leader]]'' (35)
*''[[ASD-324-ddd-3e3c1 model Decepticon|Ancient Decepticons]]'' (37)
*[[Bonecrusher (G1)|Bonecrusher]] (39)
*[[Long Haul (G1)|Long Haul]] (40)
*[[Mixmaster (G1)|Mixmaster]] (41)
*[[Scrapper (G1)|Scrapper]] (42)
*[[Hook (G1)|Hook]] (43)
*[[Scavenger (G1)|Scavenger]] (44)
*''[[Hauler]]?'' (45)
*''[[Gravedigger]]?'' (46)
*''[[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Megatron]]'' (47)
*[[Vortex (G1)|Vortex]] (50)
*[[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]] (51)

|c3=
*[[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike Witwicky]] (4)
*[[Marissa Faireborn]] (20)

|c4=
*[[Deliberata]] (9)
*Various [[Quintesson]]s (24)
}}

==Quotes==
"Last big party of the summer, folks! Let's go out with a bang!" 
"Just once, couldn't your attitude reflect the gravity of the situation?!" 
"Not if I can help it!"
:—'''Rodimus Prime''' and '''Ultra Magnus''' have rather different leadership styles.

"Yes! Yes! Even if it means my life is forfeit, destroy them! Destroy th—ooh!" 
''[Tail smack]'' 
"Me Grimlock say shut your faces!"
:—'''Judge Deliberata''' annoys '''Grimlock'''.

'''Galvatron''': Now, Decepticons, learn the price of your disloyalty! Attack! 
'''Cyclonus''': Attack whom? 
''[Galvatron shoots Cyclonus]'' 
'''Galvatron''': EVERYONE!
:—Galvatron isn't so good with specifics.

'''Wreck-Gar''': Bulletin: You are in danger of being canceled or losing your time slot. 
'''Ultra Magnus''': What's he talking about? 
'''Rodimus Prime''': We're gonna get killed.
:—Rodimus shows the value of knowing a second language.

"He ran right back into the danger! My digital watch is smarter than that!"
:—'''Marissa Faireborn''' isn't impressed with Blurr's tactics.

[[File:Ffod4 rodimus in matrix.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1]]
"Through all these centuries, they have waited for the proper moment to strike, to reclaim the planet that we Transformers took from them." 
"And now they're going for the gusto, right?"
:—'''Optimus Prime''' is an iconic figure. '''Rodimus Prime''' is the one you'd have a beer with.

"Are you crazy?! Why'd you short-circuit yourself?! Wake up, you - you ''moron''!" 
"It was the only way... into the Matrix." 
"I was wrong. He ''is'' as dumb as he looks." 
:—'''Springer''' has a love-hate thing goin' on with '''Rodimus Prime'''

==Season 5==
{{note|When this episode was rebroadcast in [[The Transformers (cartoon)#Season 5|the fifth season]] of ''The Transformers'', it contained new bookending segments with original story material.}}

[[File:SadTommy.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|right]]

[[Tommy Kennedy (G1)|Tommy]] and [[Powermaster]] [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] meet in the barren wasteland and Tommy seems troubled. He asks Prime if he's remembering the story correctly. Prime thinks Tommy's calling him a liar, but Tommy elaborates, saying that the odds are so stacked against the Autobots that there's no way they could've come out on top. Prime tells him that he hasn't exaggerated or misremembered a thing; times really ''were'' that bad...

{{bigquote|And Springer... was he ''really'' ground up into little pieces?}}
{{bigquote|Yes, Tommy.}}

After hearing the tale, Tommy is more disturbed than ever; he can't fathom how the Autobots will make it out alive. Optimus tells him that things will look up, as [[Sky Lynx (G1)|Sky Lynx]] enters the fray. Unfortunately, the Autobots on Earth still have to deal with [[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]], so it doesn't look ''that'' hopeful after all. Prime tells Tommy not to lose all hope, as the Autobots still have an ace up their sleeves... which he'll learn next time, when Optimus returns to transform his day into an adventure.

{{--}}

==Notes==
===Continuity notes===
[[File:Pretransformer ffod.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|Some looks never go out of style!]]
*This episode's act-long history lesson fills us in on the history of the Transformers in general and the Great Wars in particular. It jibes pretty well with the (extremely vague) history we saw in "[[Desertion of the Dinobots, Part 2]]".
*It also gives us good, long looks at lots of early Transformers and Autobot leaders. Apart from Optimus Prime and Alpha Trion, these ancient (pre-)Autobots were only given descriptive names in the episode's shooting script. More than 20 years later, ''[[Transformers Animated: The AllSpark Almanac II|The Allspark Almanac II]]'' would assign them identities derived from the many past Primes mentioned in various different continuities. Those descriptors and their ''Almanac''-assigned names are:
**[[Primon|Ancient Robot]] (Primon)
**[[Prima|Powerful Robot]] (Prima)
**[[Prime Nova|Brooding Robot]] (Prime Nova)
**[[Guardian Prime|Pre-Transformer]] (Guardian Prime)
**[[Zeta Prime|New Narrator]] (Zeta Prime)
**[[Sentinel Prime (G1)|U-Haul Robot]] (Sentinel Prime)
*It also portrays the origin of Megatron, though all we really learn is that he was created after the Decepticons had figured out how to transform.
*Trypticon is seemingly brought to life without the use of [[Vector Sigma]], which we were [[The Key to Vector Sigma, Part 1|previously assured]] is the only way to grant life and/or sentience and/or "cybernetic personalities" to new Transformers. Of course, it's not as if he is unique in that respect: the [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobots]] were also made without the use of the computer, and Trypticon wound up being as dim as they are. The Technobots would likewise be created without Vector Sigma.
*Hook and another Constructicon vehicle can be seen helping the Autobots on building work prior to the War starting suggesting they were not converted to evil which is consistent with "[[The Secret of Omega Supreme]]" only for the inconsistency to show up later in creating Megatron??
*This episode features the second and final instance of Rodimus referring to Springer with the nickname "Springo".

===Real-world references===
*''[[Star Wars (franchise)|Star Wars]]'' sound effects:
**The [[Prima|Powerful Robot]] attacks the [[Sentinel Prime (G1)|U-Haul Robot]] with the sound of [[Obi-Wan Kenobi|Ben Kenobi]] and [[Darth Vader]]'s [[lightsaber]]s clashing aboard the [[Death Star]], and [[Luke Skywalker]]'s lightsaber deflecting seeker bolts aboard the ''[[Millennium Falcon]]''.
**The Powerful Robot launches against his Quintesson overseers with the same Death Star firing/Alderaan exploding sound effect that Galvatron used in Part 2.
*Wreck-Gar's lines are mostly based on generic sales pitches ("Batteries not included", "for a limited time, your money back," "Doors closing at midnight!" hilariously timed to coincide with Galvatron confronting a closing donut hole of goo). A few lines have more specific origins, though:
**"Glad you used the dial, wish everybody would." parodies the "Aren't you glad you used Dial?" soap ad campaign.
**"Why'd you come on down to Goo?" is based on the famous "Come on down, you're the next contestant on..." catch phrase of ''The Price is Right''.
**"Wreck-Gar will put you in good hands" references the "You're in good hands with Allstate" insurance ad campaign.
**"You'll have Springer back faster than Snap Crackle Pop", the mascots of Rice Krispies cereal.
**"I believe in me" would reoccur as a Junkion mantra in "[[The Big Broadcast of 2006 (episode)|The Big Broadcast of 2006]]".
*Rodimus Prime's own fluency in TV/Junkion-speak is likewise mostly generic, however his request to "let's all be there?" references [http://youtu.be/Bhk7Vw1PROA a mid-80s NBC television network slogan].
*Galvatron gives the thumbs-down as he declares war on the Junkions, a gesture used by Roman gladatorial audiences to decide a defeated gladiator's fate.

===Animation and technical errors===
*[[Victor Caroli]]'s opening recap narration says that Quintessa "was detonated by the deadly Quintesson". Maybe a single Quint really did push the button all by himself, but the use of the singular is a bit odd.
*Like all AKOM episodes, this one features some incorrect color models:
**Rodimus and Galvatron are both consistently colored using outdated color models; Rodimus's shoulder indentations are red instead of white, his pelvis-windshield details are white instead of light burgundy, and his gun is red instead of black, while Galvatron has pale purple "underpants."
**The characters introduced in the Movie almost all have colored mouth interiors: Blurr and Magnus's mouths are blue, Galvatron and Cyclonus's are purple, Wreck-Gar's is red, Springer's is (very dark) green, and Kup's is slate blue.
[[File:FFOD4 mass mistakes.JPG|upright=1.1|thumb|"Dead End, are we the only ones here NOT colored wrong?" "Who cares? We're doomed either way."]]
[[File:Generic palette swap.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1]]
*The [[generic]] Decepticon army:
**The first two shots, of the Decepticons pouring out of the Quintesson ship and firing at the Autobots, are loaded with too many screwups to count, as a mixture of made-up characters and off-model characters with the wrong color scheme pads out the background. An off-model Blitzwing colored like Air Raid is just one example.
**A subsequent shot gives us a better look at the crowd-filler Decepticons. In addition to Air Raid/Blitzwing, we have Ramjet missing most of his wings, with a black head, and one of his lasers on backwards. Every other character in the shot is entirely made up, though two of them appear to be using Octane's wing design.
**In the next shot, as [[Dead End (G1)|Dead End]] and [[Blast Off (G1)|Blast Off]] are discussing how easy it is to destroy the Autobots, [[Motormaster (G1)|Motormaster]] is colored like Kup, [[Octane]] is colored like Grimlock, and an off-model [[Snarl (G1)|Snarl]] shows up colored like Rodimus Prime. Also there is an early version of [[Breakdown (G1)|Breakdown]]'s [[character model]] with Cyclonus' color scheme right behind Kup-colored Motormaster. What's more, standing near the miscoloured Snarl is a Decepticon coloured like Wheelie. Yikes.
**As the wimpy-sounding Decepticons hail Galvatron, two [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwaves]] are shown colored like [[Constructicon (G1)|Constructicons]], alongside a [[Seeker (body-type)|Seeker]] colored like [[Onslaught (G1)|Onslaught]].
**More Decepticon generics and off-models after Galvatron arrives. A shot of the tail end of the mob includes Soundwave, Scavenger, Swindle and Onslaught all in white, a generic with Octane's wings, a generic with what looks like Rodimus's spoiler, and several totally made-up generic guys.
**When Motormaster is blasted by Galvatron, Onslaught is in the background, with Six Gun's white-and-red color scheme.
**The horde of miscolored generic Decepticons is recycled for the attack on Cybertron.
*In the wide shot of the Autobots, Kup, Magnus, Arcee and Rodimus are in front. Grimlock and Deliberata are in back, and behind them are two guys that don't look like any of the Aerialbots (who remain AWOL throughout the sequence.)
*Just before Magnus starts to chastise Rodimus, Rodimus's torso is orange instead of red, and his waistline has climbed half way up his stomach, kinda like an old man being swallowed by his trousers.
*In the closeup shot of Rodimus and Magnus, yellow lasers are flying past them, despite the Decepticon lasers being pink in all the other scenes.
*How long do the Autobots intend to stand there without shooting back at the Decepticons? Why are they just strolling along without defending themselves?
*When Judge Deliberata is celebrating the impending destruction of the Autobots, [[Slag (G1)|Slag]] is shown with them, despite not being part of the group that landed on Goo.
*Coloring errors:
**Galvatron's lower helmet rim is gray instead of purple as he first appears. Man, AKOM sure does that a lot.
**Rodimus's spoiler ridge is so often colored yellow instead of orange that it's almost more noteworthy when they get it ''right''.
**Galvatron is colored with a gray "goatee" after he blasts the Decepticon ship, and again as he climbs aboard. As he scoffs at the Quintessons, the whole area around his mouth is gray; the gray disappears as he turns and fires. The goatee returns as he rants at the Quintessons after destroying Goo. Then the beard returns as well.
**As Galvatron accepts the Quintessons as allies, his left hand goes from purple to gray and back.
**When Rodimus deactivates himself, the Matrix is all-gray rather than silver and gold.[[File:FFODHaul.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|Not the A-list animation team. Not the B-list either. In fact they'd run out of letters by this point.]]
**When the Decepticons assemble Trypticon, [[Vortex (G1)|Vortex]] is colored like Octane and [[Long Haul (G1)|Long Haul]] is colored like the [[Sentinel Prime (G1)|U-Haul Robot]]. Seriously. Just Long Haul. Surrounded by the other, correctly colored Constructicons. How did AKOM miss that?
**When the Constructicons celebrate Trypticon's awakening, they're drawn as generics and colored like the core Movie Autobots: Magnus, Kup, Wheelie, and Arcee's color schemes are all visible.
**As Kup, Perceptor and Cosmos watch the incoming ship, Perceptor is colored like Grimlock, and Cosmos's arms are on backwards.
**The Aerialbots who fly to intercept the ship are all colored the same light gray and medium blue. Only Silverbolt and Skydive are on-model.
*Galvatron ''literally'' jogging through space right after the above shot.
*Motormaster has the wrong voice as he reacts to Galvatron's return. He has the right voice in his next line ("Spare me and I'm yours to command!")
*When Swindle and Motormaster fly up to pledge their allegiance to Galvatron, the Autobot [[Skydive (G1 Aerialbot)|Skydive]] is with them for two different consecutive shots.
*During his "Sloppiness. Disorganization." line, Magnus has much smaller eyes than usual.
*After the Decepticons break off their assault, Rodimus and Magnus once again just walk right out of the inescapable goo.
*As Marissa's ship enters the Jovian system, it passes over what looks like a post-Movie Cybertron!
*Improbable viewpoints:
**Marissa's screen shows Blurr and Wheelie from a surface point of view, even though she's still high above the moon's surface. She reacts to this full-screen image of the two by saying "I think I've spotted them", as if there were some doubt.
*As Blurr charges back into the lightpole swarm, most of the creatures aren't animated, despite being in the air.
*No wing-flapping in the shot of the lightpoles surrounding Wheelie, either. They just magically bob up and down in the air.
*How does Marissa's [[jet pack]] support her in mid-air when she's upside-down?
*The jetpack's flames change from non-existent, to blue, to orange when Marissa lands.
*Marissa loses her Mid-Atlantic accent for one line, when she says "Help me find out if the radio's still working!"
*"Tell me? What?" The Quintesson in this shot is missing his energy beam.
*The Quintessons are pretty clearly mechanical, yet one of them makes a squishy noise when Galvatron slams him into the ship's deck, and again when Galatron smacks Deliberata out of his way.
*Deliberata is missing his energy beam as Kup takes aim at Galvatron.
*As Kup and company open fire on Galvatron, Bonecrusher is firing with them! In the background are two pipe-cleaner-thin generics.
*Galvatron rises back into the frame after destroying Goo, as if he just returned to [[robot mode]], but there's no transformation noise.
*We see seven Sweeps aboard the Quintesson ship, the most we've seen so far in the whole mini-series. Some previous shots have indicated that there are as few as three.
*Seriously. No combination of known Decepticon voices would result in that lame-o chorus of "Hail Galvatron."
*And while they hail him, Galvatron's Decepticon logo is just a red square.
*On Junkion, Arcee continues to be without the bridgeline of her nose.
*When Arcee and the repaired Springer speak with Rodimus, the latter is drawn in his [[Hot Rod/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Hot Rod]] form.
*The sprawled, unconscious Rodimus changes positions between the end of Act 2 and the opening of Act 3; specifically, his arms move from eagle-spread to down by his sides.
*The [[Sentinel Prime (G1)|U-Haul Robot]]'s barbed mace phases through the foot of the [[Prima|Powerful Robot]] after it hits the ground.
*Vehicles based on Hook and Scavenger are used as generic construction vehicles during a shot showing the Transformers' freedom from the Quintessons (prior to inventing transformation). Or maybe all construction vehicles are green and purple on Cybertron.
*The "Matrix" Alpha Trion holds looks like a giant gold football rather than the sphere with handles; it was shown correctly earlier in the flashback.
*When he wakes up, Rodimus says that "''Ctyber''tron's in deadly danger."
*As Rodimus gets up and walks away, Arcee's Autobot symbol is missing (with only the outline of a square in its place).
*Cosmos's voice lacks its usual reverberated echo.
*Really makes you wonder how [[AKOM]] actually gets work, doesn't it?

===Continuity errors===
[[File:Lightpole missiles from Five Faces of Darkness.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1]]
*Dead End and Blast Off's conversation is screwed up more ways than one:
**"We owe this grand opportunity entirely to our new allies" is about as obvious a statement as one could make, yet Blast Off has to ask for an explanation.
**The explanation seems to come from Swindle, but he's not in the shot.
**The pointless explanation ("He means what other opportunities—") is suddenly truncated by Galvatron's arrival. Maybe he sensed the scene was going nowhere.
*The lightpoles have totally changed size since the last episode. Instead of a deep-throated growl, they now give off high-pitched squeaks. They aren't glowing anymore, either.
*The animation does absolutely nothing to tell us what's so bad about being swarmed by lightpoles. From what we see in this episode, it would seem to be little more than a mild annoyance.
*Why doesn't Wheelie transform and drive to escape the lightpoles?
*The animators and writers alike seem to have forgotten that Blurr's defining physical trait is that he's ''fast''. In this episode, he runs like a grandmother.
*Marissa's space suit has no visor or anything covering her face.
*Speaking of which, how can these creatures fly by flapping their wings when Io has only the thinnest of atmospheres?
*Marissa's demand that the lightpoles "eat null rays" doesn't make much sense, as an actual [[null-ray]] affects electronic circuits. Marissa's gun instead causes the lightpoles to violently explode.
*On the other hand, her assertion that they are "bags of protoplasm" doesn't make much since either, since they can ''transform'' (complete with the transforming noise) into ''rocket-propelled missiles''.
*There appears to be some missing lines in the [[Primon|Ancient Robot]]'s monologue: "Now, the machines could manufacture themselves. And before long, they grew too lazy and greedy even for that. There were simpler ways to wring performance out of their slaves." The "they" in the second sentence clearly refers to the Quintessons, not the machines.
*How does one recycle a robot by dumping it into a molten vat?
*Where did those dancing robots get the cloth sheet things they're waving around?
*The ancient Autobot that gets knocked off of the motorcycle is a recycled character model; he was last seen standing alongside Wreck-Gar on the Junkion ship, just a few scenes ago!
[[File:Megatronffod.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|Ve must have ze brain on ze table! Chop chop!]]
*One of the most famous continuity gaffs of the entire series comes as the Matrix journey wraps up. A scene showing Megatron's creation millions of years ago is illustrated with him surrounded by Constructicons. It's problematic because, according to "[[The Secret of Omega Supreme (episode)|The Secret of Omega Supreme]]", the Constructicons weren't actually ''evil'' until ''Megatron himself'' reprogrammed them to be Decepticons. And according to a one-off line in "[[Heavy Metal War]]", Megatron and the other Decepticons built the Constructicons on Earth in 1984!
*On top of that, there's eight Constructicons! None of them are really on-model; three appear to be entirely made up. Many years later, Japanese continuity would retroactively assign the identities of [[Hauler]] and [[Gravedigger]] to the two extra members of the group, while [[Fun Publications]]' "[[Transformers: Wings Universe|Wings Universe]]" would present all eight as being new, unnamed characters who belonged to the same pre-Decepticon faction as the main six.
[[File:Alphatrionagesbackwards.jpg|thumb|upright=0.85]]
*Somebody forgot that we'd already seen a 9-million-years-younger Alpha Trion, back in "[[War Dawn (episode)|War Dawn]]"... and he looked visibly different than the elderly Trion of 1985! He is shown in his "elderly" design when he receives the matrix from the dying Autobot leader; chronologically, the events of "[[War Dawn (episode)|War Dawn]]" happen after this, but in that episode he's portrayed with a much younger look.
*The Constructicons build (or rebuild, depending on whether you're watching ''[[Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers 2010 (franchise)|2010]]'') [[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]] out of a human city overnight. And no one notices.
*The idea of rebuilding a human city into a Transformer only makes any sense if the city was made ''entirely of metal''.
*Cybertron appears to have gotten a remodel since we saw it in the Movie. Who had time to patch up all those holes?

===Trivia===
*The original video cassette release of this episode featured some odd audio edits to the final scene: all of Cosmos's lines were missing, as were the fake pilot's claim that their "engines have just gone critical", and the Quintesson's declaration that their decoy worked and that Cybertron is helpless. The [[Rhino Entertainment|Kid Rhino]] DVD of this episode restores all the missing lines, but they are all once again missing on the subsequent [[Shout! Factory]] release.

===Foreign localization===

'''German'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Die fünf Gesichter der Finsternis, Teil 4'''" ("The five Faces of Darkness, Part 4")
:*''Original airdate:'' ?

'''Italian'''
:*''Title:'' "'''I cinque volti del male, Parte 4'''" (First dub, "The Five Faces of Evil, Part 4"), "'''Le cinque facce dell'oscurità, Parte 4'''" (Second dub, "The Five Faces of Darkness, Part 4")
:*''Original airdate:'' ?

'''Japanese'''
:*''Title:'' マトリクスの秘密 (''Matrix no Himitsu'', "The Secrets of the Matrix")
:*''Original airdate:'' [[December 5]], [[1986]]
:*Optimus Prime mentions the [[Unicron War]] during his appearance in Rodimus' Matrix vision instead of the Third Cybertronian War.

'''Mandarin'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Wǔmiànguài (4)'''" (五面怪 (四), "Five-Faced Monsters (4)")
:*''Original airdate:'' ?

==Home video releases==
{{homevidnote}}
;VHS
[[File:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 1990 — ''The Transformers'' — Five Faces of Darkness ([[Family Home Entertainment]])
;{{w|LaserDisc}}
[[File:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 1990 — ''The Transformers'' — Five Faces of Darkness (Family Home Entertainment) 
[[File:Flag of Japan.png|20px|Japan]] 1999 — ''The Transformers: 2010'' ([[Geneon Universal Entertainment|Pioneer LDC]]) — Japanese audio only.
;DVD
[[File:Flag of Japan.png|20px|Japan]] 2001 — ''The Transformers: 2010'' — DVD Box (Pioneer LDC) — Japanese audio only. 
[[File:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2002 — ''Transformers'' — Five Faces of Darkness: Parts 1-5 ([[Maverick Entertainment|Sony Wonder]]) 
[[File:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2003 — ''The Original Transformers'' — Season 3 Part 1 ([[The Original Transformers|Rhino Entertainment]]) 
[[File:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2003 — ''The Original Transformers'' — Season 3 Part 1: Vol. 1 (Rhino Entertainment) 
[[File:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2004 — ''Transformers'' — Season 3 and Season 4 ([[Metrodome]]) 
[[File:Flag of Australia.png|20px|Australia]] 2004 — ''Transformers'' — Collection 4: Series 3.1 ([[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]] 2007 — ''The Transformers'' — Complete Collection (Madman Entertainment) 
[[File:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2009 — ''Transformers'' — Season's Three & Four {{sic}} (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'' — The Complete Series: 25th Anniversary "Matrix of Leadership" Collection ([[Shout! Factory]]) 
[[File:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2010 — ''The Transformers'' — Seasons Three & Four: 25th Anniversary Edition (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'' — Seasons Three & Four: 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-3/synopses/700-89.html Episode Dossier at The Cybertron Chronicle]

[[Category:The Transformers episodes]]

Five Faces of Darkness, Part 4

2018-03-05T08:21:03Z

OptimusComboy: /* Foreign localization */

{{episode
|series=G1toon
|ep=69
|series2=2010
|ep2=4
|prev2=Five Faces of Darkness, Part 3
|next2=Five Faces of Darkness, Part 5
|image=FFOD4 Rodimus journey.JPG
|caption=What the hell did [[Beachcomber (G1)|Beachcomber]] give me?
|title="Five Faces of Darkness, Part 4"
|production code=#700-89
|production company=[[Sunbow Productions]]
|animation studio=[[AKOM]]
|airdate=[[September 18]], 1986
|written by=[[Flint Dille]]
|continuity=[[Generation 1 cartoon continuity]]
}}
'''Seeking answers about their mysterious new foes, Rodimus Prime takes a journey through the Matrix to learn the truth about the Quintessons... and the origins of the Transformers.'''

==Synopsis==
[[File:FFOD4 Autobots no hit.JPG|left|upright=1.1|thumb|It's like they're being shot at by Decepticon Targetmasters.]]

On [[Goo 8739B|Goo]], the [[Decepticon]]s open fire on the [[Autobot]]s (and miss spectacularly). [[Deliberata|Judge Deliberata]] cheers them on, until Grimlock slams him into the goo. As they get closer, Galvatron arrives, intending to punish the Decepticons for their "disloyalty". Upon seeing (and being shot by) their long-lost leader, the Decepticons repledge their loyalty to Galvatron and tell him that they were bribed into following the [[Quintesson]]s for [[energon]]. Galvatron is not happy and decides to punish the Quintessons for their usurpation.

On Goo, the Autobots find the control center, and Rodimus Prime and Ultra Magnus find out that the planet is a garbage collection system for the [[Junkion (species)|Junkions]]. Contacting Wreck-Gar, they request assistance after managing to "talk [[Television|Teevee]]".

On [[Io]], Blurr and Wheelie are under attack by the [[lightpole]]s, who are ferociously flapping their wings in the two Autobots' faces. Wheelie is overtaken, but tells Blurr to leave him and take Metroplex's [[transformation cog]]. Instead of leaving his comrade to die, Blurr heads right into the thick of the swarm. [[Marissa Faireborn]] arrives and manages to drive off the lightpoles, but a number of them transform into missiles and destroy her ship. The three begin a search through the ship's wreckage, hoping that the communications are still working.

[[File:FFOD4 Autobots lightpoles.JPG|upright=1.1|thumb|"I'm Batman." "No, I'm Batman." "Hey, I'm Batman!" "I'm Man-bat."]]

Galvatron introduces himself by firing on the Quintesson ship. Realizing that Galvatron must be handled differently, the Quintessons offer an alliance with the Decepticons against the Autobots, but Galvatron says he never asked for their help. They offer Galvatron the [[Decepticon Matrix|Decepticon Matrix of Leadership]], but Galvatron simply demands it in exchange for letting them live. The Quintessons say that their lives are not enough, and that the Autobots must be destroyed.

Galvatron attacks the Autobots, but the Junkions arrive and melt the goo out from under the Autobots, sucking them right through the planet. Judge Deliberata winds up getting ejected in the process. Galvatron destroys Goo, but by the time he's done, the Junkions and Autobots have fled.

Heading back to the ship, Galvatron rants at the Quintessons, who counter that they would be powerful allies. Galvatron demands to know why the Quintessons haven't destroyed the Autobots themselves. They explain that the Autobots have been made unpredictable by their interactions with the [[human]]s. Sneering at the Quintessons' fear of the flesh creatures, Galvatron agrees to an alliance. The Decepticons cry "Hail Galvatron!" to affirm their support of their leader, and even the Quintessons give out a shout.

[[File:RodimusBack.jpg|left|upright=1.1|thumb|No thanks, I can hold down this pile by myself.]]

On [[Junkion (planet)|the Planet of Junk]], Wreck-Gar restores Springer to life. However, Rodimus is not as cheered up as expected. He has questions about the Quintessons—about their hostility towards the Autobots, how they know so much about them, and about their intentions. Rodimus has become convinced that the answers behind the Quintessons lie in the [[Matrix of Leadership|Matrix]], but he still doesn't know how to consult the wisdom of the ages. Springer makes a sarcastic suggestion, saying that he should just come close to death again. Although Arcee says not to do that, Springer assures her that Rodimus is not as stupid as he looks. Wandering off, the [[Supreme Commander|Autobot commander]] short-circuits himself and falls unconscious.

[[File:Ancientrobot ffod.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|Luke, you must go to the Dagobah system.]]

Rodimus enters the Matrix, where he is greeted by the spirits of the [[Ancient Autobots]], who show him the face of the creators of the Transformers...the Quintessons! Eons ago, the Quintessons used [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] as a factory to build two lines of robots: consumer goods and military hardware, who evolved into the Autobots and the Decepticons, respectively. Millennia of torturous abuse led the Autobots to rebel and drive the Quintessons off Cybertron. Afterwards, the Cybertronians warred with each other for control, which was ended when the Autobots developed the art of [[transformation]]. A [[Golden Age]] followed, which was ended when the Decepticons mastered transformation and created a new leader: [[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Megatron]]. He killed the [[Sentinel Prime (G1)|Matrix-bearer]], who passed the Matrix to [[Alpha Trion (G1)|Alpha Trion]], one of the oldest among them. However, Alpha Trion did not take the Matrix for himself, but gave it another who would challenge Megatron. This was [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]], who became the [[Prime (rank)|Autobot leader]] for the [[Great War (G1)|Third Cybertronian War]], which has raged for nine million years and continues to rage even now.

Rodimus reactivates to find Springer and Arcee seriously freaked out. Dismissing their concerns, he tells them that they need to get to Cybertron as soon as possible.

[[File:FFOD4 Trypticon lives.JPG|left|upright=1.1|thumb|When a guy has cannons for a tongue, it's time to panic.]]

Near Cybertron, Galvatron and the Quintessons plot their strategy. They will attack on two fronts: [[Autobot City (G1)|Autobot City]] and Cybertron. On [[Earth]], the [[Constructicon (G1)|Constructicons]] are making changes to a human city. At dawn, they activate a transformation sequence, and the city begins to change. As the humans flee, the dust settles to the ground. In the place of the city now stands...Trypticon!

On Cybertron, an [[Earth Defense Command]] ship requests emergency landing clearance. Perceptor warns that it might be a trick, but Kup refuses to allow a ship full of innocents to perish, giving them clearance to land. But the ship instead crashes into Cybertron's central power facility, shutting down the planet's defenses. Storming from the Quintesson ships, Galvatron leads the Decepticons in an attack. Aboard the vessels, the Quintessons are pleased, for soon the Autobots will be destroyed, and then they will deal with the Decepticons.

[[Five Faces of Darkness, Part 5|To be concluded...]]

{{-}}

==Featured characters==
(Characters in ''italic text'' appear only in the episode's Matrix-guided history flashbacks.) 
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
*[[Ultra Magnus (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ultra Magnus]] (5)
*[[Hot Rod/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Rodimus Prime]] (6)
*[[Arcee (G1)|Arcee]] (7)
*[[Grimlock (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Grimlock]] (8)
*[[Kup (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Kup]] (10)
*[[Slag (G1)|Slag]] (11)
*[[Skydive (G1 Aerialbot)|Skydive]] (18)
*[[Wreck-Gar (G1)|Wreck-Gar]] (19)
*[[Blaster (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Blaster]] (21)
*[[Blurr (G1)|Blurr]] (22)
*[[Wheelie (G1)|Wheelie]] (23)
*[[Air Raid (G1)|Air Raid]] (25)
*[[Hood Transformer]] (26)
*[[Pole vault Transformer]] (27)
*[[Springer (G1)|Springer]] (30)
*''[[Primon|Ancient Robot]]'' (31)
*''[[Prima|Powerful Robot]]'' (32)
*''[[Sentinel Prime (G1)|U-Haul Robot]]'' (33)
*''[[Prime Nova|Brooding Robot]]'' (34)
*''[[Guardian Prime|Pre-Transformer]]'' (36)
*''[[Zeta Prime|New Narrator]]'' (38)
*''[[Alpha Trion (G1)|Alpha Trion]]'' (48)
*[[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] (49)
*[[Perceptor (G1)|Perceptor]] (52)
*[[Cosmos (G1)|Cosmos]] (53)

|c2=
*[[Dead End (G1)|Dead End]] (1)
*[[Blast Off (G1)|Blast Off]] (2)
*[[Swindle (G1)|Swindle]] (3)
*[[Ramjet (G1)|Ramjet]] (12)
*[[Galvatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Galvatron]] (13)
*[[Scourge (G1)|Scourge]] (14)
*[[Cyclonus (G1)|Cyclonus]] (15)
*[[Sweep (G1)|Sweeps]] (16)
*[[Motormaster (G1)|Motormaster]] (17)
*[[Octane]] (28)
*[[Soundwave (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Soundwave]] (29)
*''[[Trannis|Early Decepticon leader]]'' (35)
*''[[ASD-324-ddd-3e3c1 model Decepticon|Ancient Decepticons]]'' (37)
*[[Bonecrusher (G1)|Bonecrusher]] (39)
*[[Long Haul (G1)|Long Haul]] (40)
*[[Mixmaster (G1)|Mixmaster]] (41)
*[[Scrapper (G1)|Scrapper]] (42)
*[[Hook (G1)|Hook]] (43)
*[[Scavenger (G1)|Scavenger]] (44)
*''[[Hauler]]?'' (45)
*''[[Gravedigger]]?'' (46)
*''[[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Megatron]]'' (47)
*[[Vortex (G1)|Vortex]] (50)
*[[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]] (51)

|c3=
*[[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike Witwicky]] (4)
*[[Marissa Faireborn]] (20)

|c4=
*[[Deliberata]] (9)
*Various [[Quintesson]]s (24)
}}

==Quotes==
"Last big party of the summer, folks! Let's go out with a bang!" 
"Just once, couldn't your attitude reflect the gravity of the situation?!" 
"Not if I can help it!"
:—'''Rodimus Prime''' and '''Ultra Magnus''' have rather different leadership styles.

"Yes! Yes! Even if it means my life is forfeit, destroy them! Destroy th—ooh!" 
''[Tail smack]'' 
"Me Grimlock say shut your faces!"
:—'''Judge Deliberata''' annoys '''Grimlock'''.

'''Galvatron''': Now, Decepticons, learn the price of your disloyalty! Attack! 
'''Cyclonus''': Attack whom? 
''[Galvatron shoots Cyclonus]'' 
'''Galvatron''': EVERYONE!
:—Galvatron isn't so good with specifics.

'''Wreck-Gar''': Bulletin: You are in danger of being canceled or losing your time slot. 
'''Ultra Magnus''': What's he talking about? 
'''Rodimus Prime''': We're gonna get killed.
:—Rodimus shows the value of knowing a second language.

"He ran right back into the danger! My digital watch is smarter than that!"
:—'''Marissa Faireborn''' isn't impressed with Blurr's tactics.

[[File:Ffod4 rodimus in matrix.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1]]
"Through all these centuries, they have waited for the proper moment to strike, to reclaim the planet that we Transformers took from them." 
"And now they're going for the gusto, right?"
:—'''Optimus Prime''' is an iconic figure. '''Rodimus Prime''' is the one you'd have a beer with.

"Are you crazy?! Why'd you short-circuit yourself?! Wake up, you - you ''moron''!" 
"It was the only way... into the Matrix." 
"I was wrong. He ''is'' as dumb as he looks." 
:—'''Springer''' has a love-hate thing goin' on with '''Rodimus Prime'''

==Season 5==
{{note|When this episode was rebroadcast in [[The Transformers (cartoon)#Season 5|the fifth season]] of ''The Transformers'', it contained new bookending segments with original story material.}}

[[File:SadTommy.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|right]]

[[Tommy Kennedy (G1)|Tommy]] and [[Powermaster]] [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] meet in the barren wasteland and Tommy seems troubled. He asks Prime if he's remembering the story correctly. Prime thinks Tommy's calling him a liar, but Tommy elaborates, saying that the odds are so stacked against the Autobots that there's no way they could've come out on top. Prime tells him that he hasn't exaggerated or misremembered a thing; times really ''were'' that bad...

{{bigquote|And Springer... was he ''really'' ground up into little pieces?}}
{{bigquote|Yes, Tommy.}}

After hearing the tale, Tommy is more disturbed than ever; he can't fathom how the Autobots will make it out alive. Optimus tells him that things will look up, as [[Sky Lynx (G1)|Sky Lynx]] enters the fray. Unfortunately, the Autobots on Earth still have to deal with [[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]], so it doesn't look ''that'' hopeful after all. Prime tells Tommy not to lose all hope, as the Autobots still have an ace up their sleeves... which he'll learn next time, when Optimus returns to transform his day into an adventure.

{{--}}

==Notes==
===Continuity notes===
[[File:Pretransformer ffod.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|Some looks never go out of style!]]
*This episode's act-long history lesson fills us in on the history of the Transformers in general and the Great Wars in particular. It jibes pretty well with the (extremely vague) history we saw in "[[Desertion of the Dinobots, Part 2]]".
*It also gives us good, long looks at lots of early Transformers and Autobot leaders. Apart from Optimus Prime and Alpha Trion, these ancient (pre-)Autobots were only given descriptive names in the episode's shooting script. More than 20 years later, ''[[Transformers Animated: The AllSpark Almanac II|The Allspark Almanac II]]'' would assign them identities derived from the many past Primes mentioned in various different continuities. Those descriptors and their ''Almanac''-assigned names are:
**[[Primon|Ancient Robot]] (Primon)
**[[Prima|Powerful Robot]] (Prima)
**[[Prime Nova|Brooding Robot]] (Prime Nova)
**[[Guardian Prime|Pre-Transformer]] (Guardian Prime)
**[[Zeta Prime|New Narrator]] (Zeta Prime)
**[[Sentinel Prime (G1)|U-Haul Robot]] (Sentinel Prime)
*It also portrays the origin of Megatron, though all we really learn is that he was created after the Decepticons had figured out how to transform.
*Trypticon is seemingly brought to life without the use of [[Vector Sigma]], which we were [[The Key to Vector Sigma, Part 1|previously assured]] is the only way to grant life and/or sentience and/or "cybernetic personalities" to new Transformers. Of course, it's not as if he is unique in that respect: the [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobots]] were also made without the use of the computer, and Trypticon wound up being as dim as they are. The Technobots would likewise be created without Vector Sigma.
*Hook and another Constructicon vehicle can be seen helping the Autobots on building work prior to the War starting suggesting they were not converted to evil which is consistent with "[[The Secret of Omega Supreme]]" only for the inconsistency to show up later in creating Megatron??
*This episode features the second and final instance of Rodimus referring to Springer with the nickname "Springo".

===Real-world references===
*''[[Star Wars (franchise)|Star Wars]]'' sound effects:
**The [[Prima|Powerful Robot]] attacks the [[Sentinel Prime (G1)|U-Haul Robot]] with the sound of [[Obi-Wan Kenobi|Ben Kenobi]] and [[Darth Vader]]'s [[lightsaber]]s clashing aboard the [[Death Star]], and [[Luke Skywalker]]'s lightsaber deflecting seeker bolts aboard the ''[[Millennium Falcon]]''.
**The Powerful Robot launches against his Quintesson overseers with the same Death Star firing/Alderaan exploding sound effect that Galvatron used in Part 2.
*Wreck-Gar's lines are mostly based on generic sales pitches ("Batteries not included", "for a limited time, your money back," "Doors closing at midnight!" hilariously timed to coincide with Galvatron confronting a closing donut hole of goo). A few lines have more specific origins, though:
**"Glad you used the dial, wish everybody would." parodies the "Aren't you glad you used Dial?" soap ad campaign.
**"Why'd you come on down to Goo?" is based on the famous "Come on down, you're the next contestant on..." catch phrase of ''The Price is Right''.
**"Wreck-Gar will put you in good hands" references the "You're in good hands with Allstate" insurance ad campaign.
**"You'll have Springer back faster than Snap Crackle Pop", the mascots of Rice Krispies cereal.
**"I believe in me" would reoccur as a Junkion mantra in "[[The Big Broadcast of 2006 (episode)|The Big Broadcast of 2006]]".
*Rodimus Prime's own fluency in TV/Junkion-speak is likewise mostly generic, however his request to "let's all be there?" references [http://youtu.be/Bhk7Vw1PROA a mid-80s NBC television network slogan].
*Galvatron gives the thumbs-down as he declares war on the Junkions, a gesture used by Roman gladatorial audiences to decide a defeated gladiator's fate.

===Animation and technical errors===
*[[Victor Caroli]]'s opening recap narration says that Quintessa "was detonated by the deadly Quintesson". Maybe a single Quint really did push the button all by himself, but the use of the singular is a bit odd.
*Like all AKOM episodes, this one features some incorrect color models:
**Rodimus and Galvatron are both consistently colored using outdated color models; Rodimus's shoulder indentations are red instead of white, his pelvis-windshield details are white instead of light burgundy, and his gun is red instead of black, while Galvatron has pale purple "underpants."
**The characters introduced in the Movie almost all have colored mouth interiors: Blurr and Magnus's mouths are blue, Galvatron and Cyclonus's are purple, Wreck-Gar's is red, Springer's is (very dark) green, and Kup's is slate blue.
[[File:FFOD4 mass mistakes.JPG|upright=1.1|thumb|"Dead End, are we the only ones here NOT colored wrong?" "Who cares? We're doomed either way."]]
[[File:Generic palette swap.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1]]
*The [[generic]] Decepticon army:
**The first two shots, of the Decepticons pouring out of the Quintesson ship and firing at the Autobots, are loaded with too many screwups to count, as a mixture of made-up characters and off-model characters with the wrong color scheme pads out the background. An off-model Blitzwing colored like Air Raid is just one example.
**A subsequent shot gives us a better look at the crowd-filler Decepticons. In addition to Air Raid/Blitzwing, we have Ramjet missing most of his wings, with a black head, and one of his lasers on backwards. Every other character in the shot is entirely made up, though two of them appear to be using Octane's wing design.
**In the next shot, as [[Dead End (G1)|Dead End]] and [[Blast Off (G1)|Blast Off]] are discussing how easy it is to destroy the Autobots, [[Motormaster (G1)|Motormaster]] is colored like Kup, [[Octane]] is colored like Grimlock, and an off-model [[Snarl (G1)|Snarl]] shows up colored like Rodimus Prime. Also there is an early version of [[Breakdown (G1)|Breakdown]]'s [[character model]] with Cyclonus' color scheme right behind Kup-colored Motormaster. What's more, standing near the miscoloured Snarl is a Decepticon coloured like Wheelie. Yikes.
**As the wimpy-sounding Decepticons hail Galvatron, two [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwaves]] are shown colored like [[Constructicon (G1)|Constructicons]], alongside a [[Seeker (body-type)|Seeker]] colored like [[Onslaught (G1)|Onslaught]].
**More Decepticon generics and off-models after Galvatron arrives. A shot of the tail end of the mob includes Soundwave, Scavenger, Swindle and Onslaught all in white, a generic with Octane's wings, a generic with what looks like Rodimus's spoiler, and several totally made-up generic guys.
**When Motormaster is blasted by Galvatron, Onslaught is in the background, with Six Gun's white-and-red color scheme.
**The horde of miscolored generic Decepticons is recycled for the attack on Cybertron.
*In the wide shot of the Autobots, Kup, Magnus, Arcee and Rodimus are in front. Grimlock and Deliberata are in back, and behind them are two guys that don't look like any of the Aerialbots (who remain AWOL throughout the sequence.)
*Just before Magnus starts to chastise Rodimus, Rodimus's torso is orange instead of red, and his waistline has climbed half way up his stomach, kinda like an old man being swallowed by his trousers.
*In the closeup shot of Rodimus and Magnus, yellow lasers are flying past them, despite the Decepticon lasers being pink in all the other scenes.
*How long do the Autobots intend to stand there without shooting back at the Decepticons? Why are they just strolling along without defending themselves?
*When Judge Deliberata is celebrating the impending destruction of the Autobots, [[Slag (G1)|Slag]] is shown with them, despite not being part of the group that landed on Goo.
*Coloring errors:
**Galvatron's lower helmet rim is gray instead of purple as he first appears. Man, AKOM sure does that a lot.
**Rodimus's spoiler ridge is so often colored yellow instead of orange that it's almost more noteworthy when they get it ''right''.
**Galvatron is colored with a gray "goatee" after he blasts the Decepticon ship, and again as he climbs aboard. As he scoffs at the Quintessons, the whole area around his mouth is gray; the gray disappears as he turns and fires. The goatee returns as he rants at the Quintessons after destroying Goo. Then the beard returns as well.
**As Galvatron accepts the Quintessons as allies, his left hand goes from purple to gray and back.
**When Rodimus deactivates himself, the Matrix is all-gray rather than silver and gold.[[File:FFODHaul.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|Not the A-list animation team. Not the B-list either. In fact they'd run out of letters by this point.]]
**When the Decepticons assemble Trypticon, [[Vortex (G1)|Vortex]] is colored like Octane and [[Long Haul (G1)|Long Haul]] is colored like the [[Sentinel Prime (G1)|U-Haul Robot]]. Seriously. Just Long Haul. Surrounded by the other, correctly colored Constructicons. How did AKOM miss that?
**When the Constructicons celebrate Trypticon's awakening, they're drawn as generics and colored like the core Movie Autobots: Magnus, Kup, Wheelie, and Arcee's color schemes are all visible.
**As Kup, Perceptor and Cosmos watch the incoming ship, Perceptor is colored like Grimlock, and Cosmos's arms are on backwards.
**The Aerialbots who fly to intercept the ship are all colored the same light gray and medium blue. Only Silverbolt and Skydive are on-model.
*Galvatron ''literally'' jogging through space right after the above shot.
*Motormaster has the wrong voice as he reacts to Galvatron's return. He has the right voice in his next line ("Spare me and I'm yours to command!")
*When Swindle and Motormaster fly up to pledge their allegiance to Galvatron, the Autobot [[Skydive (G1 Aerialbot)|Skydive]] is with them for two different consecutive shots.
*During his "Sloppiness. Disorganization." line, Magnus has much smaller eyes than usual.
*After the Decepticons break off their assault, Rodimus and Magnus once again just walk right out of the inescapable goo.
*As Marissa's ship enters the Jovian system, it passes over what looks like a post-Movie Cybertron!
*Improbable viewpoints:
**Marissa's screen shows Blurr and Wheelie from a surface point of view, even though she's still high above the moon's surface. She reacts to this full-screen image of the two by saying "I think I've spotted them", as if there were some doubt.
*As Blurr charges back into the lightpole swarm, most of the creatures aren't animated, despite being in the air.
*No wing-flapping in the shot of the lightpoles surrounding Wheelie, either. They just magically bob up and down in the air.
*How does Marissa's [[jet pack]] support her in mid-air when she's upside-down?
*The jetpack's flames change from non-existent, to blue, to orange when Marissa lands.
*Marissa loses her Mid-Atlantic accent for one line, when she says "Help me find out if the radio's still working!"
*"Tell me? What?" The Quintesson in this shot is missing his energy beam.
*The Quintessons are pretty clearly mechanical, yet one of them makes a squishy noise when Galvatron slams him into the ship's deck, and again when Galatron smacks Deliberata out of his way.
*Deliberata is missing his energy beam as Kup takes aim at Galvatron.
*As Kup and company open fire on Galvatron, Bonecrusher is firing with them! In the background are two pipe-cleaner-thin generics.
*Galvatron rises back into the frame after destroying Goo, as if he just returned to [[robot mode]], but there's no transformation noise.
*We see seven Sweeps aboard the Quintesson ship, the most we've seen so far in the whole mini-series. Some previous shots have indicated that there are as few as three.
*Seriously. No combination of known Decepticon voices would result in that lame-o chorus of "Hail Galvatron."
*And while they hail him, Galvatron's Decepticon logo is just a red square.
*On Junkion, Arcee continues to be without the bridgeline of her nose.
*When Arcee and the repaired Springer speak with Rodimus, the latter is drawn in his [[Hot Rod/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Hot Rod]] form.
*The sprawled, unconscious Rodimus changes positions between the end of Act 2 and the opening of Act 3; specifically, his arms move from eagle-spread to down by his sides.
*The [[Sentinel Prime (G1)|U-Haul Robot]]'s barbed mace phases through the foot of the [[Prima|Powerful Robot]] after it hits the ground.
*Vehicles based on Hook and Scavenger are used as generic construction vehicles during a shot showing the Transformers' freedom from the Quintessons (prior to inventing transformation). Or maybe all construction vehicles are green and purple on Cybertron.
*The "Matrix" Alpha Trion holds looks like a giant gold football rather than the sphere with handles; it was shown correctly earlier in the flashback.
*When he wakes up, Rodimus says that "''Ctyber''tron's in deadly danger."
*As Rodimus gets up and walks away, Arcee's Autobot symbol is missing (with only the outline of a square in its place).
*Cosmos's voice lacks its usual reverberated echo.
*Really makes you wonder how [[AKOM]] actually gets work, doesn't it?

===Continuity errors===
[[File:Lightpole missiles from Five Faces of Darkness.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1]]
*Dead End and Blast Off's conversation is screwed up more ways than one:
**"We owe this grand opportunity entirely to our new allies" is about as obvious a statement as one could make, yet Blast Off has to ask for an explanation.
**The explanation seems to come from Swindle, but he's not in the shot.
**The pointless explanation ("He means what other opportunities—") is suddenly truncated by Galvatron's arrival. Maybe he sensed the scene was going nowhere.
*The lightpoles have totally changed size since the last episode. Instead of a deep-throated growl, they now give off high-pitched squeaks. They aren't glowing anymore, either.
*The animation does absolutely nothing to tell us what's so bad about being swarmed by lightpoles. From what we see in this episode, it would seem to be little more than a mild annoyance.
*Why doesn't Wheelie transform and drive to escape the lightpoles?
*The animators and writers alike seem to have forgotten that Blurr's defining physical trait is that he's ''fast''. In this episode, he runs like a grandmother.
*Marissa's space suit has no visor or anything covering her face.
*Speaking of which, how can these creatures fly by flapping their wings when Io has only the thinnest of atmospheres?
*Marissa's demand that the lightpoles "eat null rays" doesn't make much sense, as an actual [[null-ray]] affects electronic circuits. Marissa's gun instead causes the lightpoles to violently explode.
*On the other hand, her assertion that they are "bags of protoplasm" doesn't make much since either, since they can ''transform'' (complete with the transforming noise) into ''rocket-propelled missiles''.
*There appears to be some missing lines in the [[Primon|Ancient Robot]]'s monologue: "Now, the machines could manufacture themselves. And before long, they grew too lazy and greedy even for that. There were simpler ways to wring performance out of their slaves." The "they" in the second sentence clearly refers to the Quintessons, not the machines.
*How does one recycle a robot by dumping it into a molten vat?
*Where did those dancing robots get the cloth sheet things they're waving around?
*The ancient Autobot that gets knocked off of the motorcycle is a recycled character model; he was last seen standing alongside Wreck-Gar on the Junkion ship, just a few scenes ago!
[[File:Megatronffod.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|Ve must have ze brain on ze table! Chop chop!]]
*One of the most famous continuity gaffs of the entire series comes as the Matrix journey wraps up. A scene showing Megatron's creation millions of years ago is illustrated with him surrounded by Constructicons. It's problematic because, according to "[[The Secret of Omega Supreme (episode)|The Secret of Omega Supreme]]", the Constructicons weren't actually ''evil'' until ''Megatron himself'' reprogrammed them to be Decepticons. And according to a one-off line in "[[Heavy Metal War]]", Megatron and the other Decepticons built the Constructicons on Earth in 1984!
*On top of that, there's eight Constructicons! None of them are really on-model; three appear to be entirely made up. Many years later, Japanese continuity would retroactively assign the identities of [[Hauler]] and [[Gravedigger]] to the two extra members of the group, while [[Fun Publications]]' "[[Transformers: Wings Universe|Wings Universe]]" would present all eight as being new, unnamed characters who belonged to the same pre-Decepticon faction as the main six.
[[File:Alphatrionagesbackwards.jpg|thumb|upright=0.85]]
*Somebody forgot that we'd already seen a 9-million-years-younger Alpha Trion, back in "[[War Dawn (episode)|War Dawn]]"... and he looked visibly different than the elderly Trion of 1985! He is shown in his "elderly" design when he receives the matrix from the dying Autobot leader; chronologically, the events of "[[War Dawn (episode)|War Dawn]]" happen after this, but in that episode he's portrayed with a much younger look.
*The Constructicons build (or rebuild, depending on whether you're watching ''[[Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers 2010 (franchise)|2010]]'') [[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]] out of a human city overnight. And no one notices.
*The idea of rebuilding a human city into a Transformer only makes any sense if the city was made ''entirely of metal''.
*Cybertron appears to have gotten a remodel since we saw it in the Movie. Who had time to patch up all those holes?

===Trivia===
*The original video cassette release of this episode featured some odd audio edits to the final scene: all of Cosmos's lines were missing, as were the fake pilot's claim that their "engines have just gone critical", and the Quintesson's declaration that their decoy worked and that Cybertron is helpless. The [[Rhino Entertainment|Kid Rhino]] DVD of this episode restores all the missing lines, but they are all once again missing on the subsequent [[Shout! Factory]] release.

===Foreign localization===

'''German'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Die fünf Gesichter der Finsternis, Teil 4'''" ("The five Faces of Darkness, Part 4")
:*''Original airdate:'' ?

'''Italian'''
:*''Title:'' "'''I cinque volti del male, Parte 4'''" (First dub, "The Five Faces of Evil, Part 4"), "'''Le cinque facce dell'oscurità, Parte 4'''" (Second dub, "The Five Faces of Darkness, Part 4")
:*''Original airdate:'' ?

'''Japanese'''
:*''Title:'' マトリクスの秘密 (''Matrix no Himitsu'', "The Secrets of the Matrix")
:*''Original airdate:'' [[December 5]], [[1986]]
:*Optimus Prime mentions the [[Unicron War]] during his appearance in Rodimus' Matrix vision.

'''Mandarin'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Wǔmiànguài (4)'''" (五面怪 (四), "Five-Faced Monsters (4)")
:*''Original airdate:'' ?

==Home video releases==
{{homevidnote}}
;VHS
[[File:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 1990 — ''The Transformers'' — Five Faces of Darkness ([[Family Home Entertainment]])
;{{w|LaserDisc}}
[[File:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 1990 — ''The Transformers'' — Five Faces of Darkness (Family Home Entertainment) 
[[File:Flag of Japan.png|20px|Japan]] 1999 — ''The Transformers: 2010'' ([[Geneon Universal Entertainment|Pioneer LDC]]) — Japanese audio only.
;DVD
[[File:Flag of Japan.png|20px|Japan]] 2001 — ''The Transformers: 2010'' — DVD Box (Pioneer LDC) — Japanese audio only. 
[[File:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2002 — ''Transformers'' — Five Faces of Darkness: Parts 1-5 ([[Maverick Entertainment|Sony Wonder]]) 
[[File:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2003 — ''The Original Transformers'' — Season 3 Part 1 ([[The Original Transformers|Rhino Entertainment]]) 
[[File:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2003 — ''The Original Transformers'' — Season 3 Part 1: Vol. 1 (Rhino Entertainment) 
[[File:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2004 — ''Transformers'' — Season 3 and Season 4 ([[Metrodome]]) 
[[File:Flag of Australia.png|20px|Australia]] 2004 — ''Transformers'' — Collection 4: Series 3.1 ([[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]] 2007 — ''The Transformers'' — Complete Collection (Madman Entertainment) 
[[File:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2009 — ''Transformers'' — Season's Three & Four {{sic}} (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'' — The Complete Series: 25th Anniversary "Matrix of Leadership" Collection ([[Shout! Factory]]) 
[[File:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2010 — ''The Transformers'' — Seasons Three & Four: 25th Anniversary Edition (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'' — Seasons Three & Four: 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-3/synopses/700-89.html Episode Dossier at The Cybertron Chronicle]

[[Category:The Transformers episodes]]

Five Faces of Darkness, Part 4

2018-03-05T08:20:41Z

OptimusComboy: /* Foreign localization */

{{episode
|series=G1toon
|ep=69
|series2=2010
|ep2=4
|prev2=Five Faces of Darkness, Part 3
|next2=Five Faces of Darkness, Part 5
|image=FFOD4 Rodimus journey.JPG
|caption=What the hell did [[Beachcomber (G1)|Beachcomber]] give me?
|title="Five Faces of Darkness, Part 4"
|production code=#700-89
|production company=[[Sunbow Productions]]
|animation studio=[[AKOM]]
|airdate=[[September 18]], 1986
|written by=[[Flint Dille]]
|continuity=[[Generation 1 cartoon continuity]]
}}
'''Seeking answers about their mysterious new foes, Rodimus Prime takes a journey through the Matrix to learn the truth about the Quintessons... and the origins of the Transformers.'''

==Synopsis==
[[File:FFOD4 Autobots no hit.JPG|left|upright=1.1|thumb|It's like they're being shot at by Decepticon Targetmasters.]]

On [[Goo 8739B|Goo]], the [[Decepticon]]s open fire on the [[Autobot]]s (and miss spectacularly). [[Deliberata|Judge Deliberata]] cheers them on, until Grimlock slams him into the goo. As they get closer, Galvatron arrives, intending to punish the Decepticons for their "disloyalty". Upon seeing (and being shot by) their long-lost leader, the Decepticons repledge their loyalty to Galvatron and tell him that they were bribed into following the [[Quintesson]]s for [[energon]]. Galvatron is not happy and decides to punish the Quintessons for their usurpation.

On Goo, the Autobots find the control center, and Rodimus Prime and Ultra Magnus find out that the planet is a garbage collection system for the [[Junkion (species)|Junkions]]. Contacting Wreck-Gar, they request assistance after managing to "talk [[Television|Teevee]]".

On [[Io]], Blurr and Wheelie are under attack by the [[lightpole]]s, who are ferociously flapping their wings in the two Autobots' faces. Wheelie is overtaken, but tells Blurr to leave him and take Metroplex's [[transformation cog]]. Instead of leaving his comrade to die, Blurr heads right into the thick of the swarm. [[Marissa Faireborn]] arrives and manages to drive off the lightpoles, but a number of them transform into missiles and destroy her ship. The three begin a search through the ship's wreckage, hoping that the communications are still working.

[[File:FFOD4 Autobots lightpoles.JPG|upright=1.1|thumb|"I'm Batman." "No, I'm Batman." "Hey, I'm Batman!" "I'm Man-bat."]]

Galvatron introduces himself by firing on the Quintesson ship. Realizing that Galvatron must be handled differently, the Quintessons offer an alliance with the Decepticons against the Autobots, but Galvatron says he never asked for their help. They offer Galvatron the [[Decepticon Matrix|Decepticon Matrix of Leadership]], but Galvatron simply demands it in exchange for letting them live. The Quintessons say that their lives are not enough, and that the Autobots must be destroyed.

Galvatron attacks the Autobots, but the Junkions arrive and melt the goo out from under the Autobots, sucking them right through the planet. Judge Deliberata winds up getting ejected in the process. Galvatron destroys Goo, but by the time he's done, the Junkions and Autobots have fled.

Heading back to the ship, Galvatron rants at the Quintessons, who counter that they would be powerful allies. Galvatron demands to know why the Quintessons haven't destroyed the Autobots themselves. They explain that the Autobots have been made unpredictable by their interactions with the [[human]]s. Sneering at the Quintessons' fear of the flesh creatures, Galvatron agrees to an alliance. The Decepticons cry "Hail Galvatron!" to affirm their support of their leader, and even the Quintessons give out a shout.

[[File:RodimusBack.jpg|left|upright=1.1|thumb|No thanks, I can hold down this pile by myself.]]

On [[Junkion (planet)|the Planet of Junk]], Wreck-Gar restores Springer to life. However, Rodimus is not as cheered up as expected. He has questions about the Quintessons—about their hostility towards the Autobots, how they know so much about them, and about their intentions. Rodimus has become convinced that the answers behind the Quintessons lie in the [[Matrix of Leadership|Matrix]], but he still doesn't know how to consult the wisdom of the ages. Springer makes a sarcastic suggestion, saying that he should just come close to death again. Although Arcee says not to do that, Springer assures her that Rodimus is not as stupid as he looks. Wandering off, the [[Supreme Commander|Autobot commander]] short-circuits himself and falls unconscious.

[[File:Ancientrobot ffod.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|Luke, you must go to the Dagobah system.]]

Rodimus enters the Matrix, where he is greeted by the spirits of the [[Ancient Autobots]], who show him the face of the creators of the Transformers...the Quintessons! Eons ago, the Quintessons used [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] as a factory to build two lines of robots: consumer goods and military hardware, who evolved into the Autobots and the Decepticons, respectively. Millennia of torturous abuse led the Autobots to rebel and drive the Quintessons off Cybertron. Afterwards, the Cybertronians warred with each other for control, which was ended when the Autobots developed the art of [[transformation]]. A [[Golden Age]] followed, which was ended when the Decepticons mastered transformation and created a new leader: [[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Megatron]]. He killed the [[Sentinel Prime (G1)|Matrix-bearer]], who passed the Matrix to [[Alpha Trion (G1)|Alpha Trion]], one of the oldest among them. However, Alpha Trion did not take the Matrix for himself, but gave it another who would challenge Megatron. This was [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]], who became the [[Prime (rank)|Autobot leader]] for the [[Great War (G1)|Third Cybertronian War]], which has raged for nine million years and continues to rage even now.

Rodimus reactivates to find Springer and Arcee seriously freaked out. Dismissing their concerns, he tells them that they need to get to Cybertron as soon as possible.

[[File:FFOD4 Trypticon lives.JPG|left|upright=1.1|thumb|When a guy has cannons for a tongue, it's time to panic.]]

Near Cybertron, Galvatron and the Quintessons plot their strategy. They will attack on two fronts: [[Autobot City (G1)|Autobot City]] and Cybertron. On [[Earth]], the [[Constructicon (G1)|Constructicons]] are making changes to a human city. At dawn, they activate a transformation sequence, and the city begins to change. As the humans flee, the dust settles to the ground. In the place of the city now stands...Trypticon!

On Cybertron, an [[Earth Defense Command]] ship requests emergency landing clearance. Perceptor warns that it might be a trick, but Kup refuses to allow a ship full of innocents to perish, giving them clearance to land. But the ship instead crashes into Cybertron's central power facility, shutting down the planet's defenses. Storming from the Quintesson ships, Galvatron leads the Decepticons in an attack. Aboard the vessels, the Quintessons are pleased, for soon the Autobots will be destroyed, and then they will deal with the Decepticons.

[[Five Faces of Darkness, Part 5|To be concluded...]]

{{-}}

==Featured characters==
(Characters in ''italic text'' appear only in the episode's Matrix-guided history flashbacks.) 
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
*[[Ultra Magnus (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ultra Magnus]] (5)
*[[Hot Rod/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Rodimus Prime]] (6)
*[[Arcee (G1)|Arcee]] (7)
*[[Grimlock (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Grimlock]] (8)
*[[Kup (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Kup]] (10)
*[[Slag (G1)|Slag]] (11)
*[[Skydive (G1 Aerialbot)|Skydive]] (18)
*[[Wreck-Gar (G1)|Wreck-Gar]] (19)
*[[Blaster (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Blaster]] (21)
*[[Blurr (G1)|Blurr]] (22)
*[[Wheelie (G1)|Wheelie]] (23)
*[[Air Raid (G1)|Air Raid]] (25)
*[[Hood Transformer]] (26)
*[[Pole vault Transformer]] (27)
*[[Springer (G1)|Springer]] (30)
*''[[Primon|Ancient Robot]]'' (31)
*''[[Prima|Powerful Robot]]'' (32)
*''[[Sentinel Prime (G1)|U-Haul Robot]]'' (33)
*''[[Prime Nova|Brooding Robot]]'' (34)
*''[[Guardian Prime|Pre-Transformer]]'' (36)
*''[[Zeta Prime|New Narrator]]'' (38)
*''[[Alpha Trion (G1)|Alpha Trion]]'' (48)
*[[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] (49)
*[[Perceptor (G1)|Perceptor]] (52)
*[[Cosmos (G1)|Cosmos]] (53)

|c2=
*[[Dead End (G1)|Dead End]] (1)
*[[Blast Off (G1)|Blast Off]] (2)
*[[Swindle (G1)|Swindle]] (3)
*[[Ramjet (G1)|Ramjet]] (12)
*[[Galvatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Galvatron]] (13)
*[[Scourge (G1)|Scourge]] (14)
*[[Cyclonus (G1)|Cyclonus]] (15)
*[[Sweep (G1)|Sweeps]] (16)
*[[Motormaster (G1)|Motormaster]] (17)
*[[Octane]] (28)
*[[Soundwave (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Soundwave]] (29)
*''[[Trannis|Early Decepticon leader]]'' (35)
*''[[ASD-324-ddd-3e3c1 model Decepticon|Ancient Decepticons]]'' (37)
*[[Bonecrusher (G1)|Bonecrusher]] (39)
*[[Long Haul (G1)|Long Haul]] (40)
*[[Mixmaster (G1)|Mixmaster]] (41)
*[[Scrapper (G1)|Scrapper]] (42)
*[[Hook (G1)|Hook]] (43)
*[[Scavenger (G1)|Scavenger]] (44)
*''[[Hauler]]?'' (45)
*''[[Gravedigger]]?'' (46)
*''[[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Megatron]]'' (47)
*[[Vortex (G1)|Vortex]] (50)
*[[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]] (51)

|c3=
*[[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike Witwicky]] (4)
*[[Marissa Faireborn]] (20)

|c4=
*[[Deliberata]] (9)
*Various [[Quintesson]]s (24)
}}

==Quotes==
"Last big party of the summer, folks! Let's go out with a bang!" 
"Just once, couldn't your attitude reflect the gravity of the situation?!" 
"Not if I can help it!"
:—'''Rodimus Prime''' and '''Ultra Magnus''' have rather different leadership styles.

"Yes! Yes! Even if it means my life is forfeit, destroy them! Destroy th—ooh!" 
''[Tail smack]'' 
"Me Grimlock say shut your faces!"
:—'''Judge Deliberata''' annoys '''Grimlock'''.

'''Galvatron''': Now, Decepticons, learn the price of your disloyalty! Attack! 
'''Cyclonus''': Attack whom? 
''[Galvatron shoots Cyclonus]'' 
'''Galvatron''': EVERYONE!
:—Galvatron isn't so good with specifics.

'''Wreck-Gar''': Bulletin: You are in danger of being canceled or losing your time slot. 
'''Ultra Magnus''': What's he talking about? 
'''Rodimus Prime''': We're gonna get killed.
:—Rodimus shows the value of knowing a second language.

"He ran right back into the danger! My digital watch is smarter than that!"
:—'''Marissa Faireborn''' isn't impressed with Blurr's tactics.

[[File:Ffod4 rodimus in matrix.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1]]
"Through all these centuries, they have waited for the proper moment to strike, to reclaim the planet that we Transformers took from them." 
"And now they're going for the gusto, right?"
:—'''Optimus Prime''' is an iconic figure. '''Rodimus Prime''' is the one you'd have a beer with.

"Are you crazy?! Why'd you short-circuit yourself?! Wake up, you - you ''moron''!" 
"It was the only way... into the Matrix." 
"I was wrong. He ''is'' as dumb as he looks." 
:—'''Springer''' has a love-hate thing goin' on with '''Rodimus Prime'''

==Season 5==
{{note|When this episode was rebroadcast in [[The Transformers (cartoon)#Season 5|the fifth season]] of ''The Transformers'', it contained new bookending segments with original story material.}}

[[File:SadTommy.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|right]]

[[Tommy Kennedy (G1)|Tommy]] and [[Powermaster]] [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] meet in the barren wasteland and Tommy seems troubled. He asks Prime if he's remembering the story correctly. Prime thinks Tommy's calling him a liar, but Tommy elaborates, saying that the odds are so stacked against the Autobots that there's no way they could've come out on top. Prime tells him that he hasn't exaggerated or misremembered a thing; times really ''were'' that bad...

{{bigquote|And Springer... was he ''really'' ground up into little pieces?}}
{{bigquote|Yes, Tommy.}}

After hearing the tale, Tommy is more disturbed than ever; he can't fathom how the Autobots will make it out alive. Optimus tells him that things will look up, as [[Sky Lynx (G1)|Sky Lynx]] enters the fray. Unfortunately, the Autobots on Earth still have to deal with [[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]], so it doesn't look ''that'' hopeful after all. Prime tells Tommy not to lose all hope, as the Autobots still have an ace up their sleeves... which he'll learn next time, when Optimus returns to transform his day into an adventure.

{{--}}

==Notes==
===Continuity notes===
[[File:Pretransformer ffod.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|Some looks never go out of style!]]
*This episode's act-long history lesson fills us in on the history of the Transformers in general and the Great Wars in particular. It jibes pretty well with the (extremely vague) history we saw in "[[Desertion of the Dinobots, Part 2]]".
*It also gives us good, long looks at lots of early Transformers and Autobot leaders. Apart from Optimus Prime and Alpha Trion, these ancient (pre-)Autobots were only given descriptive names in the episode's shooting script. More than 20 years later, ''[[Transformers Animated: The AllSpark Almanac II|The Allspark Almanac II]]'' would assign them identities derived from the many past Primes mentioned in various different continuities. Those descriptors and their ''Almanac''-assigned names are:
**[[Primon|Ancient Robot]] (Primon)
**[[Prima|Powerful Robot]] (Prima)
**[[Prime Nova|Brooding Robot]] (Prime Nova)
**[[Guardian Prime|Pre-Transformer]] (Guardian Prime)
**[[Zeta Prime|New Narrator]] (Zeta Prime)
**[[Sentinel Prime (G1)|U-Haul Robot]] (Sentinel Prime)
*It also portrays the origin of Megatron, though all we really learn is that he was created after the Decepticons had figured out how to transform.
*Trypticon is seemingly brought to life without the use of [[Vector Sigma]], which we were [[The Key to Vector Sigma, Part 1|previously assured]] is the only way to grant life and/or sentience and/or "cybernetic personalities" to new Transformers. Of course, it's not as if he is unique in that respect: the [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobots]] were also made without the use of the computer, and Trypticon wound up being as dim as they are. The Technobots would likewise be created without Vector Sigma.
*Hook and another Constructicon vehicle can be seen helping the Autobots on building work prior to the War starting suggesting they were not converted to evil which is consistent with "[[The Secret of Omega Supreme]]" only for the inconsistency to show up later in creating Megatron??
*This episode features the second and final instance of Rodimus referring to Springer with the nickname "Springo".

===Real-world references===
*''[[Star Wars (franchise)|Star Wars]]'' sound effects:
**The [[Prima|Powerful Robot]] attacks the [[Sentinel Prime (G1)|U-Haul Robot]] with the sound of [[Obi-Wan Kenobi|Ben Kenobi]] and [[Darth Vader]]'s [[lightsaber]]s clashing aboard the [[Death Star]], and [[Luke Skywalker]]'s lightsaber deflecting seeker bolts aboard the ''[[Millennium Falcon]]''.
**The Powerful Robot launches against his Quintesson overseers with the same Death Star firing/Alderaan exploding sound effect that Galvatron used in Part 2.
*Wreck-Gar's lines are mostly based on generic sales pitches ("Batteries not included", "for a limited time, your money back," "Doors closing at midnight!" hilariously timed to coincide with Galvatron confronting a closing donut hole of goo). A few lines have more specific origins, though:
**"Glad you used the dial, wish everybody would." parodies the "Aren't you glad you used Dial?" soap ad campaign.
**"Why'd you come on down to Goo?" is based on the famous "Come on down, you're the next contestant on..." catch phrase of ''The Price is Right''.
**"Wreck-Gar will put you in good hands" references the "You're in good hands with Allstate" insurance ad campaign.
**"You'll have Springer back faster than Snap Crackle Pop", the mascots of Rice Krispies cereal.
**"I believe in me" would reoccur as a Junkion mantra in "[[The Big Broadcast of 2006 (episode)|The Big Broadcast of 2006]]".
*Rodimus Prime's own fluency in TV/Junkion-speak is likewise mostly generic, however his request to "let's all be there?" references [http://youtu.be/Bhk7Vw1PROA a mid-80s NBC television network slogan].
*Galvatron gives the thumbs-down as he declares war on the Junkions, a gesture used by Roman gladatorial audiences to decide a defeated gladiator's fate.

===Animation and technical errors===
*[[Victor Caroli]]'s opening recap narration says that Quintessa "was detonated by the deadly Quintesson". Maybe a single Quint really did push the button all by himself, but the use of the singular is a bit odd.
*Like all AKOM episodes, this one features some incorrect color models:
**Rodimus and Galvatron are both consistently colored using outdated color models; Rodimus's shoulder indentations are red instead of white, his pelvis-windshield details are white instead of light burgundy, and his gun is red instead of black, while Galvatron has pale purple "underpants."
**The characters introduced in the Movie almost all have colored mouth interiors: Blurr and Magnus's mouths are blue, Galvatron and Cyclonus's are purple, Wreck-Gar's is red, Springer's is (very dark) green, and Kup's is slate blue.
[[File:FFOD4 mass mistakes.JPG|upright=1.1|thumb|"Dead End, are we the only ones here NOT colored wrong?" "Who cares? We're doomed either way."]]
[[File:Generic palette swap.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1]]
*The [[generic]] Decepticon army:
**The first two shots, of the Decepticons pouring out of the Quintesson ship and firing at the Autobots, are loaded with too many screwups to count, as a mixture of made-up characters and off-model characters with the wrong color scheme pads out the background. An off-model Blitzwing colored like Air Raid is just one example.
**A subsequent shot gives us a better look at the crowd-filler Decepticons. In addition to Air Raid/Blitzwing, we have Ramjet missing most of his wings, with a black head, and one of his lasers on backwards. Every other character in the shot is entirely made up, though two of them appear to be using Octane's wing design.
**In the next shot, as [[Dead End (G1)|Dead End]] and [[Blast Off (G1)|Blast Off]] are discussing how easy it is to destroy the Autobots, [[Motormaster (G1)|Motormaster]] is colored like Kup, [[Octane]] is colored like Grimlock, and an off-model [[Snarl (G1)|Snarl]] shows up colored like Rodimus Prime. Also there is an early version of [[Breakdown (G1)|Breakdown]]'s [[character model]] with Cyclonus' color scheme right behind Kup-colored Motormaster. What's more, standing near the miscoloured Snarl is a Decepticon coloured like Wheelie. Yikes.
**As the wimpy-sounding Decepticons hail Galvatron, two [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwaves]] are shown colored like [[Constructicon (G1)|Constructicons]], alongside a [[Seeker (body-type)|Seeker]] colored like [[Onslaught (G1)|Onslaught]].
**More Decepticon generics and off-models after Galvatron arrives. A shot of the tail end of the mob includes Soundwave, Scavenger, Swindle and Onslaught all in white, a generic with Octane's wings, a generic with what looks like Rodimus's spoiler, and several totally made-up generic guys.
**When Motormaster is blasted by Galvatron, Onslaught is in the background, with Six Gun's white-and-red color scheme.
**The horde of miscolored generic Decepticons is recycled for the attack on Cybertron.
*In the wide shot of the Autobots, Kup, Magnus, Arcee and Rodimus are in front. Grimlock and Deliberata are in back, and behind them are two guys that don't look like any of the Aerialbots (who remain AWOL throughout the sequence.)
*Just before Magnus starts to chastise Rodimus, Rodimus's torso is orange instead of red, and his waistline has climbed half way up his stomach, kinda like an old man being swallowed by his trousers.
*In the closeup shot of Rodimus and Magnus, yellow lasers are flying past them, despite the Decepticon lasers being pink in all the other scenes.
*How long do the Autobots intend to stand there without shooting back at the Decepticons? Why are they just strolling along without defending themselves?
*When Judge Deliberata is celebrating the impending destruction of the Autobots, [[Slag (G1)|Slag]] is shown with them, despite not being part of the group that landed on Goo.
*Coloring errors:
**Galvatron's lower helmet rim is gray instead of purple as he first appears. Man, AKOM sure does that a lot.
**Rodimus's spoiler ridge is so often colored yellow instead of orange that it's almost more noteworthy when they get it ''right''.
**Galvatron is colored with a gray "goatee" after he blasts the Decepticon ship, and again as he climbs aboard. As he scoffs at the Quintessons, the whole area around his mouth is gray; the gray disappears as he turns and fires. The goatee returns as he rants at the Quintessons after destroying Goo. Then the beard returns as well.
**As Galvatron accepts the Quintessons as allies, his left hand goes from purple to gray and back.
**When Rodimus deactivates himself, the Matrix is all-gray rather than silver and gold.[[File:FFODHaul.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|Not the A-list animation team. Not the B-list either. In fact they'd run out of letters by this point.]]
**When the Decepticons assemble Trypticon, [[Vortex (G1)|Vortex]] is colored like Octane and [[Long Haul (G1)|Long Haul]] is colored like the [[Sentinel Prime (G1)|U-Haul Robot]]. Seriously. Just Long Haul. Surrounded by the other, correctly colored Constructicons. How did AKOM miss that?
**When the Constructicons celebrate Trypticon's awakening, they're drawn as generics and colored like the core Movie Autobots: Magnus, Kup, Wheelie, and Arcee's color schemes are all visible.
**As Kup, Perceptor and Cosmos watch the incoming ship, Perceptor is colored like Grimlock, and Cosmos's arms are on backwards.
**The Aerialbots who fly to intercept the ship are all colored the same light gray and medium blue. Only Silverbolt and Skydive are on-model.
*Galvatron ''literally'' jogging through space right after the above shot.
*Motormaster has the wrong voice as he reacts to Galvatron's return. He has the right voice in his next line ("Spare me and I'm yours to command!")
*When Swindle and Motormaster fly up to pledge their allegiance to Galvatron, the Autobot [[Skydive (G1 Aerialbot)|Skydive]] is with them for two different consecutive shots.
*During his "Sloppiness. Disorganization." line, Magnus has much smaller eyes than usual.
*After the Decepticons break off their assault, Rodimus and Magnus once again just walk right out of the inescapable goo.
*As Marissa's ship enters the Jovian system, it passes over what looks like a post-Movie Cybertron!
*Improbable viewpoints:
**Marissa's screen shows Blurr and Wheelie from a surface point of view, even though she's still high above the moon's surface. She reacts to this full-screen image of the two by saying "I think I've spotted them", as if there were some doubt.
*As Blurr charges back into the lightpole swarm, most of the creatures aren't animated, despite being in the air.
*No wing-flapping in the shot of the lightpoles surrounding Wheelie, either. They just magically bob up and down in the air.
*How does Marissa's [[jet pack]] support her in mid-air when she's upside-down?
*The jetpack's flames change from non-existent, to blue, to orange when Marissa lands.
*Marissa loses her Mid-Atlantic accent for one line, when she says "Help me find out if the radio's still working!"
*"Tell me? What?" The Quintesson in this shot is missing his energy beam.
*The Quintessons are pretty clearly mechanical, yet one of them makes a squishy noise when Galvatron slams him into the ship's deck, and again when Galatron smacks Deliberata out of his way.
*Deliberata is missing his energy beam as Kup takes aim at Galvatron.
*As Kup and company open fire on Galvatron, Bonecrusher is firing with them! In the background are two pipe-cleaner-thin generics.
*Galvatron rises back into the frame after destroying Goo, as if he just returned to [[robot mode]], but there's no transformation noise.
*We see seven Sweeps aboard the Quintesson ship, the most we've seen so far in the whole mini-series. Some previous shots have indicated that there are as few as three.
*Seriously. No combination of known Decepticon voices would result in that lame-o chorus of "Hail Galvatron."
*And while they hail him, Galvatron's Decepticon logo is just a red square.
*On Junkion, Arcee continues to be without the bridgeline of her nose.
*When Arcee and the repaired Springer speak with Rodimus, the latter is drawn in his [[Hot Rod/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Hot Rod]] form.
*The sprawled, unconscious Rodimus changes positions between the end of Act 2 and the opening of Act 3; specifically, his arms move from eagle-spread to down by his sides.
*The [[Sentinel Prime (G1)|U-Haul Robot]]'s barbed mace phases through the foot of the [[Prima|Powerful Robot]] after it hits the ground.
*Vehicles based on Hook and Scavenger are used as generic construction vehicles during a shot showing the Transformers' freedom from the Quintessons (prior to inventing transformation). Or maybe all construction vehicles are green and purple on Cybertron.
*The "Matrix" Alpha Trion holds looks like a giant gold football rather than the sphere with handles; it was shown correctly earlier in the flashback.
*When he wakes up, Rodimus says that "''Ctyber''tron's in deadly danger."
*As Rodimus gets up and walks away, Arcee's Autobot symbol is missing (with only the outline of a square in its place).
*Cosmos's voice lacks its usual reverberated echo.
*Really makes you wonder how [[AKOM]] actually gets work, doesn't it?

===Continuity errors===
[[File:Lightpole missiles from Five Faces of Darkness.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1]]
*Dead End and Blast Off's conversation is screwed up more ways than one:
**"We owe this grand opportunity entirely to our new allies" is about as obvious a statement as one could make, yet Blast Off has to ask for an explanation.
**The explanation seems to come from Swindle, but he's not in the shot.
**The pointless explanation ("He means what other opportunities—") is suddenly truncated by Galvatron's arrival. Maybe he sensed the scene was going nowhere.
*The lightpoles have totally changed size since the last episode. Instead of a deep-throated growl, they now give off high-pitched squeaks. They aren't glowing anymore, either.
*The animation does absolutely nothing to tell us what's so bad about being swarmed by lightpoles. From what we see in this episode, it would seem to be little more than a mild annoyance.
*Why doesn't Wheelie transform and drive to escape the lightpoles?
*The animators and writers alike seem to have forgotten that Blurr's defining physical trait is that he's ''fast''. In this episode, he runs like a grandmother.
*Marissa's space suit has no visor or anything covering her face.
*Speaking of which, how can these creatures fly by flapping their wings when Io has only the thinnest of atmospheres?
*Marissa's demand that the lightpoles "eat null rays" doesn't make much sense, as an actual [[null-ray]] affects electronic circuits. Marissa's gun instead causes the lightpoles to violently explode.
*On the other hand, her assertion that they are "bags of protoplasm" doesn't make much since either, since they can ''transform'' (complete with the transforming noise) into ''rocket-propelled missiles''.
*There appears to be some missing lines in the [[Primon|Ancient Robot]]'s monologue: "Now, the machines could manufacture themselves. And before long, they grew too lazy and greedy even for that. There were simpler ways to wring performance out of their slaves." The "they" in the second sentence clearly refers to the Quintessons, not the machines.
*How does one recycle a robot by dumping it into a molten vat?
*Where did those dancing robots get the cloth sheet things they're waving around?
*The ancient Autobot that gets knocked off of the motorcycle is a recycled character model; he was last seen standing alongside Wreck-Gar on the Junkion ship, just a few scenes ago!
[[File:Megatronffod.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|Ve must have ze brain on ze table! Chop chop!]]
*One of the most famous continuity gaffs of the entire series comes as the Matrix journey wraps up. A scene showing Megatron's creation millions of years ago is illustrated with him surrounded by Constructicons. It's problematic because, according to "[[The Secret of Omega Supreme (episode)|The Secret of Omega Supreme]]", the Constructicons weren't actually ''evil'' until ''Megatron himself'' reprogrammed them to be Decepticons. And according to a one-off line in "[[Heavy Metal War]]", Megatron and the other Decepticons built the Constructicons on Earth in 1984!
*On top of that, there's eight Constructicons! None of them are really on-model; three appear to be entirely made up. Many years later, Japanese continuity would retroactively assign the identities of [[Hauler]] and [[Gravedigger]] to the two extra members of the group, while [[Fun Publications]]' "[[Transformers: Wings Universe|Wings Universe]]" would present all eight as being new, unnamed characters who belonged to the same pre-Decepticon faction as the main six.
[[File:Alphatrionagesbackwards.jpg|thumb|upright=0.85]]
*Somebody forgot that we'd already seen a 9-million-years-younger Alpha Trion, back in "[[War Dawn (episode)|War Dawn]]"... and he looked visibly different than the elderly Trion of 1985! He is shown in his "elderly" design when he receives the matrix from the dying Autobot leader; chronologically, the events of "[[War Dawn (episode)|War Dawn]]" happen after this, but in that episode he's portrayed with a much younger look.
*The Constructicons build (or rebuild, depending on whether you're watching ''[[Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers 2010 (franchise)|2010]]'') [[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]] out of a human city overnight. And no one notices.
*The idea of rebuilding a human city into a Transformer only makes any sense if the city was made ''entirely of metal''.
*Cybertron appears to have gotten a remodel since we saw it in the Movie. Who had time to patch up all those holes?

===Trivia===
*The original video cassette release of this episode featured some odd audio edits to the final scene: all of Cosmos's lines were missing, as were the fake pilot's claim that their "engines have just gone critical", and the Quintesson's declaration that their decoy worked and that Cybertron is helpless. The [[Rhino Entertainment|Kid Rhino]] DVD of this episode restores all the missing lines, but they are all once again missing on the subsequent [[Shout! Factory]] release.

===Foreign localization===

'''German'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Die fünf Gesichter der Finsternis, Teil 4'''" ("The five Faces of Darkness, Part 4")
:*''Original airdate:'' ?

'''Italian'''
:*''Title:'' "'''I cinque volti del male, Parte 4'''" (First dub, "The Five Faces of Evil, Part 4"), "'''Le cinque facce dell'oscurità, Parte 4'''" (Second dub, "The Five Faces of Darkness, Part 4")
:*''Original airdate:'' ?

'''Japanese'''
:*''Title:'' マトリクスの秘密 (''Matrix no Himitsu'', "The Secrets of the Matrix")
:*''Original airdate:'' [[December 5]], [[1986]]
:Optimus Prime mentions the [[Unicron War]] during his appearance in Rodimus' Matrix vision.

'''Mandarin'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Wǔmiànguài (4)'''" (五面怪 (四), "Five-Faced Monsters (4)")
:*''Original airdate:'' ?

==Home video releases==
{{homevidnote}}
;VHS
[[File:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 1990 — ''The Transformers'' — Five Faces of Darkness ([[Family Home Entertainment]])
;{{w|LaserDisc}}
[[File:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 1990 — ''The Transformers'' — Five Faces of Darkness (Family Home Entertainment) 
[[File:Flag of Japan.png|20px|Japan]] 1999 — ''The Transformers: 2010'' ([[Geneon Universal Entertainment|Pioneer LDC]]) — Japanese audio only.
;DVD
[[File:Flag of Japan.png|20px|Japan]] 2001 — ''The Transformers: 2010'' — DVD Box (Pioneer LDC) — Japanese audio only. 
[[File:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2002 — ''Transformers'' — Five Faces of Darkness: Parts 1-5 ([[Maverick Entertainment|Sony Wonder]]) 
[[File:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2003 — ''The Original Transformers'' — Season 3 Part 1 ([[The Original Transformers|Rhino Entertainment]]) 
[[File:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2003 — ''The Original Transformers'' — Season 3 Part 1: Vol. 1 (Rhino Entertainment) 
[[File:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2004 — ''Transformers'' — Season 3 and Season 4 ([[Metrodome]]) 
[[File:Flag of Australia.png|20px|Australia]] 2004 — ''Transformers'' — Collection 4: Series 3.1 ([[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]] 2007 — ''The Transformers'' — Complete Collection (Madman Entertainment) 
[[File:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2009 — ''Transformers'' — Season's Three & Four {{sic}} (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'' — The Complete Series: 25th Anniversary "Matrix of Leadership" Collection ([[Shout! Factory]]) 
[[File:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2010 — ''The Transformers'' — Seasons Three & Four: 25th Anniversary Edition (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'' — Seasons Three & Four: 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-3/synopses/700-89.html Episode Dossier at The Cybertron Chronicle]

[[Category:The Transformers episodes]]

Dark Awakening (episode)

2018-03-05T08:08:46Z

OptimusComboy: /* Foreign localization */

{{featured}}
{{disambig2|the Generation 1 cartoon episode|the ''Legends'' event|Dark Awakening (Legends)}}
{{episode|
|series=G1toon
|series2=2010
|ep=73
|ep2=8
|prev2=Starscream's Ghost
|next2=Forever Is a Long Time Coming (episode)
|image=Optimusg1zombie.jpg
|caption=Yeah, let ''this'' be how the kids remember their hero.
|title="Dark Awakening"
|production code=700-93
|airdate=[[October 1]], [[1986]]
|written by=[[Antoni Zalewski]]
|production company=[[Sunbow Productions]]
|animation studio=[[AKOM]]
|continuity=[[Generation 1 cartoon continuity]]
}}
'''Optimus Prime is revived as a zombie by Quintessons.'''

==Synopsis==
[[File:G1-screencap darkawakening Optimus empty tomb.jpg|left|upright=1.1|thumb|Don't you hate when your stuff goes missing?]]
On the run from [[Galvatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Galvatron]], [[Hot Rod (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Rodimus Prime]], [[Arcee (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Arcee]], [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ultra Magnus]], [[Kup (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Kup]], [[Spike Witwicky (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Spike]] and [[Daniel Witwicky (G1)|Daniel]] try the old "detonate three-quarters of the ship" trick to lose their pursuers. What's left of the ship can't support human life for long, however, so they take refuge on board the nearby [[Autobot Mausoleum]], an interstellar tomb containing many of their deceased comrades, most notably the venerated [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]].

While exploring by himself, Daniel is stuck in a dark room with robot corpses and gets appropriately creeped out... particularly when he sees what looks like the fully animated form of Optimus Prime. When he finds the others he swears he has seen Optimus Prime alive. To satisfy his curiosity and against the opinions of the other Autobots, Rodimus opens Prime's tomb, only to find it empty. However, they cannot investigate further because the Decepticons have followed them inside and attack them (turns out Galvatron has wised up to the detonate-three-quarters thing.) The fierce battle that follows appears lost for the Autobots, when suddenly they are saved by none other than Optimus Prime. With their ranks bolstered by the mighty warrior's firepower, they quickly drive the freaked out Decepticons into retreat.

[[File:OptimusMatrixAwakening.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb|Uh uh. Nope. Had it. Done with it.]]
The Autobots are amazed and confused at Prime's presence. Optimus can give them no explanation to his apparent resurrection, just the typical near-death experience of seeing darkness and then a light at the end of the tunnel. Rodimus Prime eagerly (too eagerly) returns the [[Matrix of Leadership]] to him, despite Prime's bizarre behavior and damaged appearance, and against the advice of Kup and Ultra Magnus. Without the Matrix inside him, Rodimus reverts to Hot Rod and declares, "Let's party!" Optimus evidently has other plans and attacks the Autobots and sets the auto-destruct sequence to the mausoleum ship. He then departs and leaves the others stranded.

After returning to Cybertron, Optimus informs the [[Autobot]]s that Rodimus and the others were killed by the Quintessons. This puts everyone in a pretty bad mood ([[Springer (G1)|Springer]] swears vengeance - particularly for Arcee - while [[Grimlock (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Grimlock]] spends at least a minute stomping and thumping his tail). Optimus re-assumes command and orders an all-out attack on a supposed Quintesson base.

[[File:G1-screencap DarkAwakening Quintessons missiles.jpg|left|upright=1.1|thumb|Our budget only ran to six missiles.]]
Hot Rod and his group manage to escape, mere moments before the mausoleum ship plunges into a star and explodes. They return to Cybertron, but find nobody around but the Dinobots. Turns out most of the Autobots have left to attack the Quintessons. They pursue their friends in their own ship, but arrive to find the fleet already being decimated by Quintesson missile fire. Their frantic calls to stop the attack are dismissed by Optimus as Quintesson tricks.

Hot Rod and the others finally manage to board the lead ship, and the former Rodimus goes "Optimus hunting" after his [[zombie|zombified]] mentor. When the two meet, Optimus starts to pound on Hot Rod, but as he's kicking Hot Rod's tailpipe he begs Hot Rod to defeat him.

[[File:Zombiesmatrixmakesmetoostrong.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb|And that's for getting me killed!]]
Fighting against both Hot Rod and himself, Optimus flashes back to his own reanimation at the hands of the Quintessons, who stole his corpse and reanimated it with their own evil programming to lead all Autobots into a trap. Optimus is nothing more than a "mindless zombie", combined with "lingering remnants" of his personality and memories. Hot Rod is physically overcome by Prime, but the influence of the Matrix allows Prime to overcome the Quintessons' programming. Ending the fight, Optimus returns the Matrix to Hot Rod's chest cavity, restoring him to his status as Rodimus Prime. As Optimus Prime takes his leave, the other Autobots find their battered leader and inform him that the equally battered ship is being evacuated.

Optimus Prime takes control of the ship, and orders the Autobot fleet away from the Quintesson trap. As the stunned Quintessons watch, the Autobot fleet escapes. Optimus's final act is to pilot the Autobot flagship into the trigger zone of the Quintesson trap. With a massive explosion, the solar system is destroyed. As Kup bids his old friend farewell and the other Autobots mourn their lost leader a second time, Magnus remarks that the nova will be Optimus's memorial. Rodimus doubts he'll be the [[Prime (rank)|Autobot leader]] that Optimus Prime was, but vows to try.

{{note|A short narrative voiceover by [[Victor Caroli]] was tacked on to the final scene when this episode made its first re-run airing: 'But is this ''really'' the end of Optimus Prime? Find out in tomorrow's exciting episode, "[[The Return of Optimus Prime, Part 1|The Return of Optimus Prime]]"!' Baffled by such an ambiguous title, children the world over were left wondering if this was in fact the end of Optimus Prime.}}

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
*[[Hot Rod (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Rodimus Prime]] (2)
*[[Ultra Magnus (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ultra Magnus]] (3)
*[[Arcee (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Arcee]] (9)
*[[Kup (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Kup]] (11)
*[[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] (14)
*[[Perceptor (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Perceptor]] (15)
*[[Grimlock (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Grimlock]] (16)
*[[Springer (G1)|Springer]] (17)
*[[Skydive (G1 Aerialbot)|Skydive]] (18)
*[[Snarl (G1)|Snarl]] (19)
*[[Sludge (G1)|Sludge]] (20)
*[[Blurr (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Blurr]] (21)
*[[Wheelie (G1)|Wheelie]] (22)
|c2=
*[[Galvatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Galvatron]] (4)
*[[Scourge (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Scourge]] (5)
*[[Sweep (G1)|Sweeps]] (6)
*[[Cyclonus (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Cyclonus]] (8)
*[[Dirge (G1)|Dirge]] (12)
*[[Thrust (G1)|Thrust]] (13)
|c3=
*[[Spike Witwicky (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Spike Witwicky]] (1)
*[[Daniel Witwicky (G1)|Daniel Witwicky]] (10)
|c4=
*[[Quintesson]]s (7)
}}

==Quotes==
"Great. What'll Daniel and I do when the air runs out?" 
"Basically you'll have two choices: suffocate, or smother."
:—As '''Spike''' wonders about the limited oxygen for the first time in life in the Autobot life pod, '''Rodimus Prime''' takes "deadpan" to a whole new level.

"Hey, he's here, he's back, and who cares how!" 
"Must... complete... plan..." ''Optimus abruptly walks offscreen.'' 
"Yeah! What's the plan?"
:—'''Rodimus''' misses some critical clues from '''Optimus Prime'''<nowiki>'s</nowiki> behavior.

'''Arcee''': Sludge! Snarl! Oh, are we glad to see you. 
'''Sludge''': Me Sludge not glad to see ''you''. 
'''Snarl''': You all dead! Rarrr! 
'''Sludge''': ...Maybe ''we'' dead.
:—Arcee freaks out the Dinobots.

'''Kup''': Where is everybody? 
'''Sludge''': All go smash Quintessons. 
'''Ultra Magnus''': Quintessons? What have Quintessons got to do with any of this? 
'''Snarl''': They kill you! Optimus Prime say so! ...Uh-oh. Something not right.
:—The Dinobots start to comprehend that all is not well.

"This won't even be a war." 
"Merely an exercise in... extermination."
:—the '''Quintessons''' nonchalantly slaughter the Autobot fleet

"Not a game! ...Matrix makes me ''too strong''!" 
"Now ''there's'' a unique complaint!"
:—'''Optimus Prime''' wails on '''Hot Rod''', who takes it in stride

"Monsters... they made me a weapon, to destroy the very ones I loved in life. But you will save them... Rodimus Prime."
:—'''Optimus Prime''' hands over the Matrix.

"I don't know if I'll ever be the leader that you were, but for sure... I'm gonna try. So long... Prime."
:—'''Rodimus''' gives a eulogy in his own inimitable fashion.

==Season 5==
{{note|When this episode was rebroadcast in [[The Transformers (cartoon)#Season 5|the fifth season]] of ''The Transformers'', it contained new bookending segments with original story material.}}
[[File:TommyInterviewsPrime.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4]]
[[Tommy Kennedy|Tommy]] and [[Powermaster]] [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] meet in the barren wasteland where Tommy, apparently a reporter for [[Autobot City News]], asks to interview Prime. Tommy asks for the inside scoop on how Prime came back from the dead. Prime recalls how it all began...

{{bigquote|Okay, what would you like me to tell you?}}
{{bigquote|Tell us the real scoop! The behind the scenes, super secret story of how '''you''' came back from the dead!}}

:''22 minutes later...''

{{bigquote|You said you were going to tell me how you were brought back to life and instead you tell me a story where you weren't ''really'' brought back to life at all! And even if you ''were'', you'd be dead again by now!}}

Tommy is furious, accusing Prime of dodging the question and not telling him how he ''really'' cheated death. Prime informs him that there's "more than meets the eye" to this story. In fact, the story has only just begun. Tommy stops him, as his recorder has run out of tape. Tommy and Prime then blast off into outer space to... go to the store to buy more tape. Okay.
{{--}}

==Notes==
===Continuity notes===
*Galvatron still has some degree of alliance with the Quintessons, despite their betrayal in "Five Faces of Darkness". (Of course, it's leading to ''another'' betrayal, as the Quintessons are presumably luring him and the Autobots to zombie Optimus's trap.)
*As an episode built around the events of the animated movie, Galvatron's order to examine the debris of the destroyed Autobot ship is almost certainly a callback to the last time he blew up an Autobot vessel from afar - he's wised up to the Autobots' "detonate three quarters of the ship" trick!
*Kup alludes to the [[Great War (G1)|Great War]] when Daniel asks about Optimus Prime's inclusion in the Mausoleum.
*Besides Optimus, the interred Autobots whose names are read off by Daniel are [[Ironhide (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ironhide]], [[Prowl (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Prowl]], [[Ratchet (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ratchet]], and [[Huffer (G1)|Huffer]]. The first three were killed off in ''[[The Transformers: The Movie]]'', all in the same scene, in fact. This is the first time we learn of Huffer's death, however. The absence of [[Brawn (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Brawn]] (also killed off in the same scene) has led to joking fandom speculation that he must have survived getting shot in the shoulder (bolstered by his and Huffer's animation-error appearance in "[[Carnage in C-Minor]]"). [[Wheeljack (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Wheeljack]] and [[Windcharger (G1)|Windcharger]]'s bodies weren't even mentioned, despite their offscreen deaths in the movie.
[[File:DarkAwakening dead Autobot.jpg|thumb|200px]]
*The dead Autobot that nearly squashes Daniel isn't Ironhide, but follows his general design pattern: rounded head helmet, boxy torso with a front window chest. The details are off, though, and of course he's got a totally different color scheme (mostly gray, with an olive green chest.)
*Cyclonus pulls his gun out of thin air during the fight on the mausoleum; it simply appears in his hand in a flash of light, another instance supporting the fan-theories of "subspace" and the like.
*Springer reacts pointedly to the supposed death of Arcee, continuing the romantic overtones between them that first showed up back in "Five Faces of Darkness".
*The Autobot fleet shown in this episode causes some bizarre continuity hijinks. Character models for the Aerialbots, Powerglide, and Skyfire are used to pad out the fleet's ranks (see details under Animation and/or Technical Errors), and many of these "ships" are showing getting annihilated by the Quintessons. While one might be tempted to say that Skyfire is thus shown getting killed, you'd also have to say the same for the Aerialbots and Powerglide, who all show up alive and well in later episodes. You'd also have to accept Skydive getting killed and then being alive a few seconds later, and Slingshot getting killed twice.

===Real-world references===
[[File:Autobot shuttle lifepod.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1]]
*Writer Antoni Zalewski recycled his own work for the opening scene of this episode, which is copied almost note-for-note from the 1985 "Ghost Ship" episode of ''The Super Powers Team: Galactic Guardians''. The parallels include a pursuit through space, launching an escape pod ("We turned the cockpit into an escape ship just in time!"), right up to Spike's verbatim quote "It's the size of... Manhattan!"
*''Star Wars'' sound effects:
**The ''Star Wars'' effects are of a much higher fidelity of sound than the rest of the episode's effects, music and voiceovers, sitting higher in the mix and sounding rather out of place. Some are mixed to the point of being unidentifiable.
**A long X-Wing whine - from the Rebel squads approaching the Death Star - is heard in the opening shot as the Autobot ship flies past camera.
**As the Decepticons launch torpedos, sounds from one of the firefights on the Death Star can be heard.
**The whine of Luke's X-Wing about to crash on Dagobah (a rare use of a sound effect from ''Empire'') plays as the Mausoleum approaches the sun; the sound of branches hitting the fighter's canopy can still be heard.
**Death Star superlaser as the Autobots escape from the Mausoleum.
**X-Wing engine whine as the Quintesson asteroid-ship moves into firing position.

===Animation and technical errors===
[[File:DarkAwakening Magnus hands.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|Don't look at me either. I had my shot. I'm out.]]
[[File:DarkAwakening-Springer.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1]]
*An AKOM episode. Watch for off-model characters including:
**Rodimus and Galvatron are both consistently colored using outdated color models; Rodimus's shoulder indentations are red instead of white, his pelvis-windshield details are white instead of light burgundy, and his gun is red instead of black, while Galvatron has pale purple "underpants."
**Movie characters have colored mouths, such as Ultra Magnus with a red mouth, Cyclonus with purple, Blurr with blue and Springer with green.
**Optimus's running light rims are white, and the lights themselves are red, rather than vice versa; his backpack is white instead of red.
**The top part of Ultra Magnus' back is sometimes colored grey when it should be red (such as when he shoots at Galvatron).
*Coloring errors:
**In the first shot of the Decepticon mothership shooting at the Autobot shuttle, one of the two Sweeps flying alongside it is colored all white.
**"They're getting away!" - Cyclonus's jet windows are colored white instead of orange.
**As Rodimus delivers the "I'd hoped never to see it again" line, Kup's eyes are gray and the triangles below them blue, rather than the other way around.
**Rodimus's eyes flash blue-gray-blue as he details the location of Optimus's tomb.
**After driving the Decepticons off, Optimus walks up to the Autobots and the left side of his helmet is grey instead of blue.
**Right after Optimus Prime shoots Hot Rod, Kup, Arcee, Daniel and Spike, the top of his helmet is colored gray.
**As Optimus walks up to Hot Rod, his Autobot symbol is grey instead of red.
**Just before Optimus' flashback, his crotch piece and lower legs are dark grey instead of blue.
**When Rodimus tosses him, Optimus' face is entirely colored in blue. As he lands, the top of Optimus' helmet is grey.
*As the "torpedos" close in on the Autobot ship, it's suddenly no longer in the asteroid field, but in open space.
*The life pod's engine-roar sound effect flies past the camera long before the ship itself does.
*After they blow up the Autobot ship, a shot of the Decepticons flying shows their group to contain a 1984 Seeker design with Dirge's color-scheme. Thrust and Dirge are also flying alongside the ship - the first and only time they've been shown to be space flight capable. The Decepticon ship isn't all that much bigger than the Decepticons around it, either.
*As the Decepticon ship turns to intercept, the squad of Decepticons are no longer flying alongside it.
*The mausoleum first appears floating in empty open space, but as the Autobots approach it, it's suddenly got asteroids and a red sun nearby.
*As they approach the Mausoleum in their ship, the Autobots keep changing positions between shots. First Kup is up front on the right, then he's behind Rodimus on the left, then Rodimus is in the back right with Kup in front of him. Arcee moves from the front right to the back left, then back to the front right again.
**Also during the approach, the seats at the front of the ship appear and disappear between shots.
***''Also'' during the approach, the large door with the Autobot symbol has a grey frame around it (with parts that overlap the right and left sides), but when it opens, the frame is gone.
*As he walks up behind Daniel, Optimus is supposed to be obscured by darkness - but since the animation portrays the scene as not really dark at all, Optimus simply ''appears out of thin air'' when Daniel turns the lights back on.
**Also, he's covered with cobwebs, as if he's been standing immobile in one spot for ages, even though he was just walking around. Some of them even connect to the wall behind and above him! The cobwebs are gone in a closeup view in the very next shot. (Dare we even ''ask'' how there are ''spiders'' inside a Cybertronian tomb in space? What are they eating?)
*In that first closeup shot, Optimus has a much more damaged look (both his chest windows are broken, showing internal circuitry; his mouthplate is broken; and the overall look of the chest area is more worn out. For the remainder of the episode, he is drawn with the damaged look from the movie.
*After discovering Optimus's empty tomb, the Autobots are apparently supposed to be reacting to some sound, indicating the Decepticons' arrival - but there's no such sound. They just all turn at once in response to nothing.
*Rodimus is missing his spoiler after yelling "Take cover!"
*When Cyclonus shoots Arcee, the blast comes from WAY too low from the gun, coming instead from his third knuckle.
*When Optimus shoots at the Decepticons, Galvatron's Decepticon logo is missing its "eyes."
*Cyclonus steals Galvatron's cannon sound effect as he drags his wounded leader away.
*Ultra Magnus yells at the other Autobots to "Hold your fire, we've driven them off!" but they've already stopped shooting!
*After driving the Decepticons off, Spike is not in the shot, even though he was right next to Daniel earlier.
*After driving the Decepticons off, Optimus is still holding his gun, but when he asks about the Matrix, it's suddenly gone.
*Some weird shadows are drawn over Rodimus's face as he opens his chest to return the Matrix - but there's no light source shown to cause them.
*Layering problem: The flame pattern on Rodimus's chest opens sideways, leaving what ''appears'' to be a cavity in the same shape as the flame pattern - yet instead of reaching ''inside'', Rodimus's hand reaches ''behind'' it to retrieve the Matrix!
*After Optimus shoots him, Hot Rod lands on what seems to be the exterior surface of a planet, rather than the hangar bay of the Mausoleum.
*Optimus's mouthplate often doesn't move when he speaks, as when he relates the supposed fate of Rodimus and the others to the Autobots. After the Matrix overrides the Quintessons' programming, it consistently moves when he speaks. If it was an intentional effect, however, it's thrown off by the fact that it ''does'' move when he first appears and threatens the Decepticons.
*As Springer comments on going after the Quintessons, his lip flap stops a bit before his words do.
*When boarding Ultra Magnus' "little improvisation," the camera shake isn't synced with the frames of animation, so it looks like there are two Arcees, Kups and Hot Rods.
*The Autobot fleet contains all sorts of strange stuff; see also Continuity Notes, below:
**In the first pan shot: two Skydive, two Slingshots, an Air Raid, and lots of black-colored jets that may be various Aerialbot models.
**In the fly-over shot, the (much smaller) fleet is entirely light gray ships, some loosely based on Broadside's jet mode, but mostly generic science fiction style.
**As the Quintessons open fire, Skydive and two black jets are destroyed.
***On board one of those ships, a [[generic]] Autobot with Dead End's color scheme - including a purple Autobot symbol - gets blown away, followed by two more generics based on Dead End and Scamper.
**Next shot: Powerglide and Slingshot are destroyed. An all-white Skyfire, another Skyfire in Skydive's colore scheme, and a black jet are nearby.
**After the commercial break: the same shot repeats, but this time the missiles fly in and past without hitting anybody.
**Next shot: an all-white Skyfire with orange tailfins gets pummeled by missiles.
**Next shot: several generic white jets are blown up.
**Next shot: a generic white jet and Slingshot (again!) are destroyed. Two Skydives, two Air Raids, and someone in Powerglide's colors go untouched.
**A moment later, Skydive and Air Raid are seen manning laser cannons to destroy the interceptor ship.
**Four generic jets in white, gray and black are shown escaping at the end. In a second shot, two of them are loosely based on Skyfire's design.
**In the final shot, the escaping ships include generic ship/jets with Skydive and Air Raid's color schemes.
*When Perceptor shouts "They're alive!", Blaster (with a white helmet) and [[Jazz (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Jazz]] - completely miscolored in light and dark blue - are standing in the background. The space behind Perceptor was totally empty in the previous shot.
*Not a glitch so much as a strange shortcut: the Quintessons' lines, "Perhaps we should seek some cover." and "No. Place your faith in our defense systems." are both recycled from "[[Five Faces of Darkness, Part 2]]".
*As Hot Rod announces he's going "Optimus hunting," Wheelie is missing his Autobot symbol.
*"Optimus, front and center!" - Hot Rod is drawn as his Rodimus self for a couple of shots.
**After Optimus returns the Matrix to him and walks off, Rodimus is still drawn as Hot Rod for the rest of the scene.
*When he puts Rodimus in the wrestling hold, Optimus' nose isn't drawn in.
*When Rodimus tosses him, Optimus clearly hits a display monitor (which doesn't break) in its upper left corner, but when he lands, he's way over on the right side of the console.
*Whatever the burbling thing that melts through Hot Rod's torso is, it's gone in the next shot - then back again, then gone for good in the following shots.
*When Optimus gives the Matrix back to Hot Rod, Hot Rod's door is made up of the entire yellow (flame) part of his chest. In "Five Faces of Darkness, Part 4," the door was split in half and opened around the center of his chest.
*When Optimus is in control of the flagship and orders the other Autobots to return, he has his left arm again... and the hand colored wrong (red).
**In the first shot of him on the bridge, the bridge design is completely different than the one shown at the start of the attack.
*As the Autobots watch the explosion, Ultra Magnus' (red) mouth is shown gaping open and not moving when he speaks; his eyes are connected together like a visor.

===Continuity errors===
[[File:DarkAwakening Mausoleum.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|Just in case you weren't clear that Prowl, Ratchet, etc. are dead - this episode goes and kills them ''even more dead''.]]
*[[Revenge (G1)|Galvatron's starship]] is shown to be perfectly intact here, despite being smashed by Unicron in the movie.
*Rodimus Prime and his crew were surprised to find the Autobot Mausoleum, suggesting they forgot where it was. Why didn't the Autobots just put the Mausoleum somewhere on Cybertron?
*Why are the tomb's light controls at human child level?
*Rodimus Prime states that Optimus has been dead "for years". While it's not always wise to take the flippant Rodimus [[The Burden Hardest to Bear|at face value]], Prime has actually been dead for a year at most. (The cartoon's timeframe is rarely made explicit, but "[[Five Faces of Darkness]]" was stated in narration to take place in [[2005]], while later episodes like "[[The Big Broadcast of 2006 (episode)|The Big Broadcast of 2006]]" indicate the series has moved on into [[2006]] as time as gone on. Also, Daniel is the same age he was when Optimus died. This works a little better in Japan, though, where the series takes place in [[2010]].)
*It's never explained where Hot Rod and company obtained the ship that carries them away from the Mausoleum. Magnus just comments vaguely about "this little improvisation" in reference to the vessel.
*Optimus returns to Cybertron still beat to hell, fine. But... then he rushes everyone off into battle and ''nobody'' stops him to say, hey, get yourself to repair bay first?
*During the flashback to the Quintessons discussing Optimus Prime over his dead body, shouldn't the body still be grey (as it appeared after his death in the movie)? It's the usual colors instead.
*Kup tells Rodimus the ship is being blown to pieces, but it seems perfectly calm (until the Quintessons notice it's heading for the detonator and fire on it, of course).

===Other trivia===
*This episode originally aired early in Season 3. However, it was re-aired as the season drew to a close, as a lead-in to the latest episode, "The Return of Optimus Prime". The voiceover by Victor Caroli, described above, was added at this time, and subsequently became the more well-known ending. The original version was released on VHS by [[Rhino Entertainment|Kid Rhino]], but when the company released the episode on DVD, the altered ending was the only one included (despite the presence of no less than ''three'' audio tracks on the disc). Observing the frustration this caused among American fans, DVD consultant [[Chris McFeely]] helped ensure the restoration of the original ending for [[Metrodome]] DVD release of the episode, with the alternate ending included as an easter egg. The original ending is also the version featured on the [[Shout! Factory]] DVD sets.
*The ''Transformers 2010'' story pages would run with this story's events, having the Quintessons analyze Optimus Prime's specifications and use them to build [[Guiltaur]]. {{storylink|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers 2010 (story page)|Transformers 2010 Part 4}}
*This is easily the most gruesome episode of the original cartoon, and perhaps the only one with a certifiable body count - even if you don't include the named character models that are shown.
*That sure is some chipper, happy, peppy, upbeat music that plays as Daniel walks about reading the names of the dead, opening tombs, and running into zombies!

===Foreign localization===
'''German'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Das Erwachen im Dunkeln'''" ("The Awakening in the Dark")
:*''Original airdate:'' ?
*This was one of twelve episodes of [[The Transformers (cartoon)|the original cartoon]] released as audio adventures by the [[Germany|German]] company [[Karussell|Karussell Musik und Video]].

'''Italian'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Fantasmi dal passato'''" (First dub, "Ghosts from the Past"), "'''Risveglio oscuro'''" (Second dub, "Dark Awakening")
:*''Original airdate:'' ?

'''Japanese'''
:*''Title:'' コンボイの影 (''Convoy no Kage'', "Convoy's Shadow")
:*''Original airdate:'' [[January 9]], [[1987]]
:*As Kup explains about the Autobot Mausoleum, he mentions the [[Unicron War]] instead of the Great War.

'''Mandarin'''
:*''Title:'' Wǔmiànguài de Guǐjì (五面怪的诡计, "Quintesson's Ruse")
:*''Original airdate:'' ?

==Home video releases==
{{homevidnote}}
;VHS
[[File:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] [[1988]] — ''Transformers'' — Dark Awakening / Grimlock's New Brain ([[Tempo Video]]) 
[[File:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] [[1990]] — ''Transformers'' — Dark Awakening ([[Tempo Video|Collins Video]]) 
[[File:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 1990 — ''Transformers'' — Dark Awakening / Grimlock's New Brain ([[Tempo Video|Abbey Home Entertainment]]) 
[[File:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] [[1999]] — ''The Original Transformers'' — Volume 2: Revenge of the Decepticons ([[The Original Transformers|Rhino Entertainment]])
;{{w|LaserDisc}}
[[File:Flag of Japan.png|20px|Japan]] 1999 — ''The Transformers: 2010'' ([[Geneon Universal Entertainment|Pioneer LDC]]) — Japanese audio only.
;DVD
[[File:Flag of Japan.png|20px|Japan]] [[2001]] — ''The Transformers: 2010'' — DVD Box (Pioneer LDC) — Japanese audio only. 
[[File:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] [[2003]] — ''The Original Transformers'' — Season 3 Part 1 ([[The Original Transformers|Rhino Entertainment]]) 
[[File:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2003 — ''The Original Transformers'' — Season 3 Part 1: Vol. 2 (Rhino Entertainment) 
[[File:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] [[2004]] — ''Transformers'' — Season 3 and Season 4 ([[Metrodome]]) 
[[File:Flag of Australia.png|20px|Australia]] 2004 — ''Transformers'' — Collection 4: Series 3.1 ([[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 UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] [[2009]] — ''Transformers'' — Season's Three & Four {{sic}} (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'' — The Complete Series: 25th Anniversary "Matrix of Leadership" Collection ([[Shout! Factory]]) 
[[File:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] [[2010]] — ''The Transformers'' — Seasons Three & Four: 25th Anniversary Edition (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'' — Seasons Three & Four: 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-3/synopses/700-93.html Episode Dossier at The Cybertron Chronicle]
*[http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0808822/ IMDb's page for this episode]
*[https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B1_CN1s80MHOZDFaY1ZWV2Y4UUk/view?usp=sharing Orignal dialogue script]

[[Category:The Transformers episodes]]
[[Category:MSTF]]

Dark Awakening (episode)

2018-03-05T07:59:46Z

OptimusComboy: /* Foreign localization */

{{featured}}
{{disambig2|the Generation 1 cartoon episode|the ''Legends'' event|Dark Awakening (Legends)}}
{{episode|
|series=G1toon
|series2=2010
|ep=73
|ep2=8
|prev2=Starscream's Ghost
|next2=Forever Is a Long Time Coming (episode)
|image=Optimusg1zombie.jpg
|caption=Yeah, let ''this'' be how the kids remember their hero.
|title="Dark Awakening"
|production code=700-93
|airdate=[[October 1]], [[1986]]
|written by=[[Antoni Zalewski]]
|production company=[[Sunbow Productions]]
|animation studio=[[AKOM]]
|continuity=[[Generation 1 cartoon continuity]]
}}
'''Optimus Prime is revived as a zombie by Quintessons.'''

==Synopsis==
[[File:G1-screencap darkawakening Optimus empty tomb.jpg|left|upright=1.1|thumb|Don't you hate when your stuff goes missing?]]
On the run from [[Galvatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Galvatron]], [[Hot Rod (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Rodimus Prime]], [[Arcee (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Arcee]], [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ultra Magnus]], [[Kup (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Kup]], [[Spike Witwicky (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Spike]] and [[Daniel Witwicky (G1)|Daniel]] try the old "detonate three-quarters of the ship" trick to lose their pursuers. What's left of the ship can't support human life for long, however, so they take refuge on board the nearby [[Autobot Mausoleum]], an interstellar tomb containing many of their deceased comrades, most notably the venerated [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]].

While exploring by himself, Daniel is stuck in a dark room with robot corpses and gets appropriately creeped out... particularly when he sees what looks like the fully animated form of Optimus Prime. When he finds the others he swears he has seen Optimus Prime alive. To satisfy his curiosity and against the opinions of the other Autobots, Rodimus opens Prime's tomb, only to find it empty. However, they cannot investigate further because the Decepticons have followed them inside and attack them (turns out Galvatron has wised up to the detonate-three-quarters thing.) The fierce battle that follows appears lost for the Autobots, when suddenly they are saved by none other than Optimus Prime. With their ranks bolstered by the mighty warrior's firepower, they quickly drive the freaked out Decepticons into retreat.

[[File:OptimusMatrixAwakening.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb|Uh uh. Nope. Had it. Done with it.]]
The Autobots are amazed and confused at Prime's presence. Optimus can give them no explanation to his apparent resurrection, just the typical near-death experience of seeing darkness and then a light at the end of the tunnel. Rodimus Prime eagerly (too eagerly) returns the [[Matrix of Leadership]] to him, despite Prime's bizarre behavior and damaged appearance, and against the advice of Kup and Ultra Magnus. Without the Matrix inside him, Rodimus reverts to Hot Rod and declares, "Let's party!" Optimus evidently has other plans and attacks the Autobots and sets the auto-destruct sequence to the mausoleum ship. He then departs and leaves the others stranded.

After returning to Cybertron, Optimus informs the [[Autobot]]s that Rodimus and the others were killed by the Quintessons. This puts everyone in a pretty bad mood ([[Springer (G1)|Springer]] swears vengeance - particularly for Arcee - while [[Grimlock (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Grimlock]] spends at least a minute stomping and thumping his tail). Optimus re-assumes command and orders an all-out attack on a supposed Quintesson base.

[[File:G1-screencap DarkAwakening Quintessons missiles.jpg|left|upright=1.1|thumb|Our budget only ran to six missiles.]]
Hot Rod and his group manage to escape, mere moments before the mausoleum ship plunges into a star and explodes. They return to Cybertron, but find nobody around but the Dinobots. Turns out most of the Autobots have left to attack the Quintessons. They pursue their friends in their own ship, but arrive to find the fleet already being decimated by Quintesson missile fire. Their frantic calls to stop the attack are dismissed by Optimus as Quintesson tricks.

Hot Rod and the others finally manage to board the lead ship, and the former Rodimus goes "Optimus hunting" after his [[zombie|zombified]] mentor. When the two meet, Optimus starts to pound on Hot Rod, but as he's kicking Hot Rod's tailpipe he begs Hot Rod to defeat him.

[[File:Zombiesmatrixmakesmetoostrong.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb|And that's for getting me killed!]]
Fighting against both Hot Rod and himself, Optimus flashes back to his own reanimation at the hands of the Quintessons, who stole his corpse and reanimated it with their own evil programming to lead all Autobots into a trap. Optimus is nothing more than a "mindless zombie", combined with "lingering remnants" of his personality and memories. Hot Rod is physically overcome by Prime, but the influence of the Matrix allows Prime to overcome the Quintessons' programming. Ending the fight, Optimus returns the Matrix to Hot Rod's chest cavity, restoring him to his status as Rodimus Prime. As Optimus Prime takes his leave, the other Autobots find their battered leader and inform him that the equally battered ship is being evacuated.

Optimus Prime takes control of the ship, and orders the Autobot fleet away from the Quintesson trap. As the stunned Quintessons watch, the Autobot fleet escapes. Optimus's final act is to pilot the Autobot flagship into the trigger zone of the Quintesson trap. With a massive explosion, the solar system is destroyed. As Kup bids his old friend farewell and the other Autobots mourn their lost leader a second time, Magnus remarks that the nova will be Optimus's memorial. Rodimus doubts he'll be the [[Prime (rank)|Autobot leader]] that Optimus Prime was, but vows to try.

{{note|A short narrative voiceover by [[Victor Caroli]] was tacked on to the final scene when this episode made its first re-run airing: 'But is this ''really'' the end of Optimus Prime? Find out in tomorrow's exciting episode, "[[The Return of Optimus Prime, Part 1|The Return of Optimus Prime]]"!' Baffled by such an ambiguous title, children the world over were left wondering if this was in fact the end of Optimus Prime.}}

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
*[[Hot Rod (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Rodimus Prime]] (2)
*[[Ultra Magnus (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ultra Magnus]] (3)
*[[Arcee (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Arcee]] (9)
*[[Kup (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Kup]] (11)
*[[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] (14)
*[[Perceptor (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Perceptor]] (15)
*[[Grimlock (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Grimlock]] (16)
*[[Springer (G1)|Springer]] (17)
*[[Skydive (G1 Aerialbot)|Skydive]] (18)
*[[Snarl (G1)|Snarl]] (19)
*[[Sludge (G1)|Sludge]] (20)
*[[Blurr (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Blurr]] (21)
*[[Wheelie (G1)|Wheelie]] (22)
|c2=
*[[Galvatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Galvatron]] (4)
*[[Scourge (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Scourge]] (5)
*[[Sweep (G1)|Sweeps]] (6)
*[[Cyclonus (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Cyclonus]] (8)
*[[Dirge (G1)|Dirge]] (12)
*[[Thrust (G1)|Thrust]] (13)
|c3=
*[[Spike Witwicky (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Spike Witwicky]] (1)
*[[Daniel Witwicky (G1)|Daniel Witwicky]] (10)
|c4=
*[[Quintesson]]s (7)
}}

==Quotes==
"Great. What'll Daniel and I do when the air runs out?" 
"Basically you'll have two choices: suffocate, or smother."
:—As '''Spike''' wonders about the limited oxygen for the first time in life in the Autobot life pod, '''Rodimus Prime''' takes "deadpan" to a whole new level.

"Hey, he's here, he's back, and who cares how!" 
"Must... complete... plan..." ''Optimus abruptly walks offscreen.'' 
"Yeah! What's the plan?"
:—'''Rodimus''' misses some critical clues from '''Optimus Prime'''<nowiki>'s</nowiki> behavior.

'''Arcee''': Sludge! Snarl! Oh, are we glad to see you. 
'''Sludge''': Me Sludge not glad to see ''you''. 
'''Snarl''': You all dead! Rarrr! 
'''Sludge''': ...Maybe ''we'' dead.
:—Arcee freaks out the Dinobots.

'''Kup''': Where is everybody? 
'''Sludge''': All go smash Quintessons. 
'''Ultra Magnus''': Quintessons? What have Quintessons got to do with any of this? 
'''Snarl''': They kill you! Optimus Prime say so! ...Uh-oh. Something not right.
:—The Dinobots start to comprehend that all is not well.

"This won't even be a war." 
"Merely an exercise in... extermination."
:—the '''Quintessons''' nonchalantly slaughter the Autobot fleet

"Not a game! ...Matrix makes me ''too strong''!" 
"Now ''there's'' a unique complaint!"
:—'''Optimus Prime''' wails on '''Hot Rod''', who takes it in stride

"Monsters... they made me a weapon, to destroy the very ones I loved in life. But you will save them... Rodimus Prime."
:—'''Optimus Prime''' hands over the Matrix.

"I don't know if I'll ever be the leader that you were, but for sure... I'm gonna try. So long... Prime."
:—'''Rodimus''' gives a eulogy in his own inimitable fashion.

==Season 5==
{{note|When this episode was rebroadcast in [[The Transformers (cartoon)#Season 5|the fifth season]] of ''The Transformers'', it contained new bookending segments with original story material.}}
[[File:TommyInterviewsPrime.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4]]
[[Tommy Kennedy|Tommy]] and [[Powermaster]] [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] meet in the barren wasteland where Tommy, apparently a reporter for [[Autobot City News]], asks to interview Prime. Tommy asks for the inside scoop on how Prime came back from the dead. Prime recalls how it all began...

{{bigquote|Okay, what would you like me to tell you?}}
{{bigquote|Tell us the real scoop! The behind the scenes, super secret story of how '''you''' came back from the dead!}}

:''22 minutes later...''

{{bigquote|You said you were going to tell me how you were brought back to life and instead you tell me a story where you weren't ''really'' brought back to life at all! And even if you ''were'', you'd be dead again by now!}}

Tommy is furious, accusing Prime of dodging the question and not telling him how he ''really'' cheated death. Prime informs him that there's "more than meets the eye" to this story. In fact, the story has only just begun. Tommy stops him, as his recorder has run out of tape. Tommy and Prime then blast off into outer space to... go to the store to buy more tape. Okay.
{{--}}

==Notes==
===Continuity notes===
*Galvatron still has some degree of alliance with the Quintessons, despite their betrayal in "Five Faces of Darkness". (Of course, it's leading to ''another'' betrayal, as the Quintessons are presumably luring him and the Autobots to zombie Optimus's trap.)
*As an episode built around the events of the animated movie, Galvatron's order to examine the debris of the destroyed Autobot ship is almost certainly a callback to the last time he blew up an Autobot vessel from afar - he's wised up to the Autobots' "detonate three quarters of the ship" trick!
*Kup alludes to the [[Great War (G1)|Great War]] when Daniel asks about Optimus Prime's inclusion in the Mausoleum.
*Besides Optimus, the interred Autobots whose names are read off by Daniel are [[Ironhide (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ironhide]], [[Prowl (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Prowl]], [[Ratchet (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ratchet]], and [[Huffer (G1)|Huffer]]. The first three were killed off in ''[[The Transformers: The Movie]]'', all in the same scene, in fact. This is the first time we learn of Huffer's death, however. The absence of [[Brawn (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Brawn]] (also killed off in the same scene) has led to joking fandom speculation that he must have survived getting shot in the shoulder (bolstered by his and Huffer's animation-error appearance in "[[Carnage in C-Minor]]"). [[Wheeljack (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Wheeljack]] and [[Windcharger (G1)|Windcharger]]'s bodies weren't even mentioned, despite their offscreen deaths in the movie.
[[File:DarkAwakening dead Autobot.jpg|thumb|200px]]
*The dead Autobot that nearly squashes Daniel isn't Ironhide, but follows his general design pattern: rounded head helmet, boxy torso with a front window chest. The details are off, though, and of course he's got a totally different color scheme (mostly gray, with an olive green chest.)
*Cyclonus pulls his gun out of thin air during the fight on the mausoleum; it simply appears in his hand in a flash of light, another instance supporting the fan-theories of "subspace" and the like.
*Springer reacts pointedly to the supposed death of Arcee, continuing the romantic overtones between them that first showed up back in "Five Faces of Darkness".
*The Autobot fleet shown in this episode causes some bizarre continuity hijinks. Character models for the Aerialbots, Powerglide, and Skyfire are used to pad out the fleet's ranks (see details under Animation and/or Technical Errors), and many of these "ships" are showing getting annihilated by the Quintessons. While one might be tempted to say that Skyfire is thus shown getting killed, you'd also have to say the same for the Aerialbots and Powerglide, who all show up alive and well in later episodes. You'd also have to accept Skydive getting killed and then being alive a few seconds later, and Slingshot getting killed twice.

===Real-world references===
[[File:Autobot shuttle lifepod.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1]]
*Writer Antoni Zalewski recycled his own work for the opening scene of this episode, which is copied almost note-for-note from the 1985 "Ghost Ship" episode of ''The Super Powers Team: Galactic Guardians''. The parallels include a pursuit through space, launching an escape pod ("We turned the cockpit into an escape ship just in time!"), right up to Spike's verbatim quote "It's the size of... Manhattan!"
*''Star Wars'' sound effects:
**The ''Star Wars'' effects are of a much higher fidelity of sound than the rest of the episode's effects, music and voiceovers, sitting higher in the mix and sounding rather out of place. Some are mixed to the point of being unidentifiable.
**A long X-Wing whine - from the Rebel squads approaching the Death Star - is heard in the opening shot as the Autobot ship flies past camera.
**As the Decepticons launch torpedos, sounds from one of the firefights on the Death Star can be heard.
**The whine of Luke's X-Wing about to crash on Dagobah (a rare use of a sound effect from ''Empire'') plays as the Mausoleum approaches the sun; the sound of branches hitting the fighter's canopy can still be heard.
**Death Star superlaser as the Autobots escape from the Mausoleum.
**X-Wing engine whine as the Quintesson asteroid-ship moves into firing position.

===Animation and technical errors===
[[File:DarkAwakening Magnus hands.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|Don't look at me either. I had my shot. I'm out.]]
[[File:DarkAwakening-Springer.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1]]
*An AKOM episode. Watch for off-model characters including:
**Rodimus and Galvatron are both consistently colored using outdated color models; Rodimus's shoulder indentations are red instead of white, his pelvis-windshield details are white instead of light burgundy, and his gun is red instead of black, while Galvatron has pale purple "underpants."
**Movie characters have colored mouths, such as Ultra Magnus with a red mouth, Cyclonus with purple, Blurr with blue and Springer with green.
**Optimus's running light rims are white, and the lights themselves are red, rather than vice versa; his backpack is white instead of red.
**The top part of Ultra Magnus' back is sometimes colored grey when it should be red (such as when he shoots at Galvatron).
*Coloring errors:
**In the first shot of the Decepticon mothership shooting at the Autobot shuttle, one of the two Sweeps flying alongside it is colored all white.
**"They're getting away!" - Cyclonus's jet windows are colored white instead of orange.
**As Rodimus delivers the "I'd hoped never to see it again" line, Kup's eyes are gray and the triangles below them blue, rather than the other way around.
**Rodimus's eyes flash blue-gray-blue as he details the location of Optimus's tomb.
**After driving the Decepticons off, Optimus walks up to the Autobots and the left side of his helmet is grey instead of blue.
**Right after Optimus Prime shoots Hot Rod, Kup, Arcee, Daniel and Spike, the top of his helmet is colored gray.
**As Optimus walks up to Hot Rod, his Autobot symbol is grey instead of red.
**Just before Optimus' flashback, his crotch piece and lower legs are dark grey instead of blue.
**When Rodimus tosses him, Optimus' face is entirely colored in blue. As he lands, the top of Optimus' helmet is grey.
*As the "torpedos" close in on the Autobot ship, it's suddenly no longer in the asteroid field, but in open space.
*The life pod's engine-roar sound effect flies past the camera long before the ship itself does.
*After they blow up the Autobot ship, a shot of the Decepticons flying shows their group to contain a 1984 Seeker design with Dirge's color-scheme. Thrust and Dirge are also flying alongside the ship - the first and only time they've been shown to be space flight capable. The Decepticon ship isn't all that much bigger than the Decepticons around it, either.
*As the Decepticon ship turns to intercept, the squad of Decepticons are no longer flying alongside it.
*The mausoleum first appears floating in empty open space, but as the Autobots approach it, it's suddenly got asteroids and a red sun nearby.
*As they approach the Mausoleum in their ship, the Autobots keep changing positions between shots. First Kup is up front on the right, then he's behind Rodimus on the left, then Rodimus is in the back right with Kup in front of him. Arcee moves from the front right to the back left, then back to the front right again.
**Also during the approach, the seats at the front of the ship appear and disappear between shots.
***''Also'' during the approach, the large door with the Autobot symbol has a grey frame around it (with parts that overlap the right and left sides), but when it opens, the frame is gone.
*As he walks up behind Daniel, Optimus is supposed to be obscured by darkness - but since the animation portrays the scene as not really dark at all, Optimus simply ''appears out of thin air'' when Daniel turns the lights back on.
**Also, he's covered with cobwebs, as if he's been standing immobile in one spot for ages, even though he was just walking around. Some of them even connect to the wall behind and above him! The cobwebs are gone in a closeup view in the very next shot. (Dare we even ''ask'' how there are ''spiders'' inside a Cybertronian tomb in space? What are they eating?)
*In that first closeup shot, Optimus has a much more damaged look (both his chest windows are broken, showing internal circuitry; his mouthplate is broken; and the overall look of the chest area is more worn out. For the remainder of the episode, he is drawn with the damaged look from the movie.
*After discovering Optimus's empty tomb, the Autobots are apparently supposed to be reacting to some sound, indicating the Decepticons' arrival - but there's no such sound. They just all turn at once in response to nothing.
*Rodimus is missing his spoiler after yelling "Take cover!"
*When Cyclonus shoots Arcee, the blast comes from WAY too low from the gun, coming instead from his third knuckle.
*When Optimus shoots at the Decepticons, Galvatron's Decepticon logo is missing its "eyes."
*Cyclonus steals Galvatron's cannon sound effect as he drags his wounded leader away.
*Ultra Magnus yells at the other Autobots to "Hold your fire, we've driven them off!" but they've already stopped shooting!
*After driving the Decepticons off, Spike is not in the shot, even though he was right next to Daniel earlier.
*After driving the Decepticons off, Optimus is still holding his gun, but when he asks about the Matrix, it's suddenly gone.
*Some weird shadows are drawn over Rodimus's face as he opens his chest to return the Matrix - but there's no light source shown to cause them.
*Layering problem: The flame pattern on Rodimus's chest opens sideways, leaving what ''appears'' to be a cavity in the same shape as the flame pattern - yet instead of reaching ''inside'', Rodimus's hand reaches ''behind'' it to retrieve the Matrix!
*After Optimus shoots him, Hot Rod lands on what seems to be the exterior surface of a planet, rather than the hangar bay of the Mausoleum.
*Optimus's mouthplate often doesn't move when he speaks, as when he relates the supposed fate of Rodimus and the others to the Autobots. After the Matrix overrides the Quintessons' programming, it consistently moves when he speaks. If it was an intentional effect, however, it's thrown off by the fact that it ''does'' move when he first appears and threatens the Decepticons.
*As Springer comments on going after the Quintessons, his lip flap stops a bit before his words do.
*When boarding Ultra Magnus' "little improvisation," the camera shake isn't synced with the frames of animation, so it looks like there are two Arcees, Kups and Hot Rods.
*The Autobot fleet contains all sorts of strange stuff; see also Continuity Notes, below:
**In the first pan shot: two Skydive, two Slingshots, an Air Raid, and lots of black-colored jets that may be various Aerialbot models.
**In the fly-over shot, the (much smaller) fleet is entirely light gray ships, some loosely based on Broadside's jet mode, but mostly generic science fiction style.
**As the Quintessons open fire, Skydive and two black jets are destroyed.
***On board one of those ships, a [[generic]] Autobot with Dead End's color scheme - including a purple Autobot symbol - gets blown away, followed by two more generics based on Dead End and Scamper.
**Next shot: Powerglide and Slingshot are destroyed. An all-white Skyfire, another Skyfire in Skydive's colore scheme, and a black jet are nearby.
**After the commercial break: the same shot repeats, but this time the missiles fly in and past without hitting anybody.
**Next shot: an all-white Skyfire with orange tailfins gets pummeled by missiles.
**Next shot: several generic white jets are blown up.
**Next shot: a generic white jet and Slingshot (again!) are destroyed. Two Skydives, two Air Raids, and someone in Powerglide's colors go untouched.
**A moment later, Skydive and Air Raid are seen manning laser cannons to destroy the interceptor ship.
**Four generic jets in white, gray and black are shown escaping at the end. In a second shot, two of them are loosely based on Skyfire's design.
**In the final shot, the escaping ships include generic ship/jets with Skydive and Air Raid's color schemes.
*When Perceptor shouts "They're alive!", Blaster (with a white helmet) and [[Jazz (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Jazz]] - completely miscolored in light and dark blue - are standing in the background. The space behind Perceptor was totally empty in the previous shot.
*Not a glitch so much as a strange shortcut: the Quintessons' lines, "Perhaps we should seek some cover." and "No. Place your faith in our defense systems." are both recycled from "[[Five Faces of Darkness, Part 2]]".
*As Hot Rod announces he's going "Optimus hunting," Wheelie is missing his Autobot symbol.
*"Optimus, front and center!" - Hot Rod is drawn as his Rodimus self for a couple of shots.
**After Optimus returns the Matrix to him and walks off, Rodimus is still drawn as Hot Rod for the rest of the scene.
*When he puts Rodimus in the wrestling hold, Optimus' nose isn't drawn in.
*When Rodimus tosses him, Optimus clearly hits a display monitor (which doesn't break) in its upper left corner, but when he lands, he's way over on the right side of the console.
*Whatever the burbling thing that melts through Hot Rod's torso is, it's gone in the next shot - then back again, then gone for good in the following shots.
*When Optimus gives the Matrix back to Hot Rod, Hot Rod's door is made up of the entire yellow (flame) part of his chest. In "Five Faces of Darkness, Part 4," the door was split in half and opened around the center of his chest.
*When Optimus is in control of the flagship and orders the other Autobots to return, he has his left arm again... and the hand colored wrong (red).
**In the first shot of him on the bridge, the bridge design is completely different than the one shown at the start of the attack.
*As the Autobots watch the explosion, Ultra Magnus' (red) mouth is shown gaping open and not moving when he speaks; his eyes are connected together like a visor.

===Continuity errors===
[[File:DarkAwakening Mausoleum.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|Just in case you weren't clear that Prowl, Ratchet, etc. are dead - this episode goes and kills them ''even more dead''.]]
*[[Revenge (G1)|Galvatron's starship]] is shown to be perfectly intact here, despite being smashed by Unicron in the movie.
*Rodimus Prime and his crew were surprised to find the Autobot Mausoleum, suggesting they forgot where it was. Why didn't the Autobots just put the Mausoleum somewhere on Cybertron?
*Why are the tomb's light controls at human child level?
*Rodimus Prime states that Optimus has been dead "for years". While it's not always wise to take the flippant Rodimus [[The Burden Hardest to Bear|at face value]], Prime has actually been dead for a year at most. (The cartoon's timeframe is rarely made explicit, but "[[Five Faces of Darkness]]" was stated in narration to take place in [[2005]], while later episodes like "[[The Big Broadcast of 2006 (episode)|The Big Broadcast of 2006]]" indicate the series has moved on into [[2006]] as time as gone on. Also, Daniel is the same age he was when Optimus died. This works a little better in Japan, though, where the series takes place in [[2010]].)
*It's never explained where Hot Rod and company obtained the ship that carries them away from the Mausoleum. Magnus just comments vaguely about "this little improvisation" in reference to the vessel.
*Optimus returns to Cybertron still beat to hell, fine. But... then he rushes everyone off into battle and ''nobody'' stops him to say, hey, get yourself to repair bay first?
*During the flashback to the Quintessons discussing Optimus Prime over his dead body, shouldn't the body still be grey (as it appeared after his death in the movie)? It's the usual colors instead.
*Kup tells Rodimus the ship is being blown to pieces, but it seems perfectly calm (until the Quintessons notice it's heading for the detonator and fire on it, of course).

===Other trivia===
*This episode originally aired early in Season 3. However, it was re-aired as the season drew to a close, as a lead-in to the latest episode, "The Return of Optimus Prime". The voiceover by Victor Caroli, described above, was added at this time, and subsequently became the more well-known ending. The original version was released on VHS by [[Rhino Entertainment|Kid Rhino]], but when the company released the episode on DVD, the altered ending was the only one included (despite the presence of no less than ''three'' audio tracks on the disc). Observing the frustration this caused among American fans, DVD consultant [[Chris McFeely]] helped ensure the restoration of the original ending for [[Metrodome]] DVD release of the episode, with the alternate ending included as an easter egg. The original ending is also the version featured on the [[Shout! Factory]] DVD sets.
*The ''Transformers 2010'' story pages would run with this story's events, having the Quintessons analyze Optimus Prime's specifications and use them to build [[Guiltaur]]. {{storylink|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers 2010 (story page)|Transformers 2010 Part 4}}
*This is easily the most gruesome episode of the original cartoon, and perhaps the only one with a certifiable body count - even if you don't include the named character models that are shown.
*That sure is some chipper, happy, peppy, upbeat music that plays as Daniel walks about reading the names of the dead, opening tombs, and running into zombies!

===Foreign localization===
'''German'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Das Erwachen im Dunkeln'''" ("The Awakening in the Dark")
:*''Original airdate:'' ?
*This was one of twelve episodes of [[The Transformers (cartoon)|the original cartoon]] released as audio adventures by the [[Germany|German]] company [[Karussell|Karussell Musik und Video]].

'''Italian'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Fantasmi dal passato'''" (First dub, "Ghosts from the Past"), "'''Risveglio oscuro'''" (Second dub, "Dark Awakening")
:*''Original airdate:'' ?

'''Japanese'''
:*''Title:'' コンボイの影 (''Convoy no Kage'', "Convoy's Shadow")
:*''Original airdate:'' [[January 9]], [[1987]]
:*As Kup explains about the Autobot Mausoleum, he mentions the [[Unicron War]].

'''Mandarin'''
:*''Title:'' Wǔmiànguài de Guǐjì (五面怪的诡计, "Quintesson's Ruse")
:*''Original airdate:'' ?

==Home video releases==
{{homevidnote}}
;VHS
[[File:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] [[1988]] — ''Transformers'' — Dark Awakening / Grimlock's New Brain ([[Tempo Video]]) 
[[File:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] [[1990]] — ''Transformers'' — Dark Awakening ([[Tempo Video|Collins Video]]) 
[[File:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 1990 — ''Transformers'' — Dark Awakening / Grimlock's New Brain ([[Tempo Video|Abbey Home Entertainment]]) 
[[File:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] [[1999]] — ''The Original Transformers'' — Volume 2: Revenge of the Decepticons ([[The Original Transformers|Rhino Entertainment]])
;{{w|LaserDisc}}
[[File:Flag of Japan.png|20px|Japan]] 1999 — ''The Transformers: 2010'' ([[Geneon Universal Entertainment|Pioneer LDC]]) — Japanese audio only.
;DVD
[[File:Flag of Japan.png|20px|Japan]] [[2001]] — ''The Transformers: 2010'' — DVD Box (Pioneer LDC) — Japanese audio only. 
[[File:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] [[2003]] — ''The Original Transformers'' — Season 3 Part 1 ([[The Original Transformers|Rhino Entertainment]]) 
[[File:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2003 — ''The Original Transformers'' — Season 3 Part 1: Vol. 2 (Rhino Entertainment) 
[[File:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] [[2004]] — ''Transformers'' — Season 3 and Season 4 ([[Metrodome]]) 
[[File:Flag of Australia.png|20px|Australia]] 2004 — ''Transformers'' — Collection 4: Series 3.1 ([[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 UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] [[2009]] — ''Transformers'' — Season's Three & Four {{sic}} (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'' — The Complete Series: 25th Anniversary "Matrix of Leadership" Collection ([[Shout! Factory]]) 
[[File:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] [[2010]] — ''The Transformers'' — Seasons Three & Four: 25th Anniversary Edition (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'' — Seasons Three & Four: 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-3/synopses/700-93.html Episode Dossier at The Cybertron Chronicle]
*[http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0808822/ IMDb's page for this episode]
*[https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B1_CN1s80MHOZDFaY1ZWV2Y4UUk/view?usp=sharing Orignal dialogue script]

[[Category:The Transformers episodes]]
[[Category:MSTF]]

Unicron War

2018-03-05T07:52:55Z

OptimusComboy: /* Notes */

:''The Unicron War is a campaign from the [[Generation 1 continuity family]].''
[[File:UnicronWarMagami01.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb]]
The '''Unicron War''' refers to [[Unicron]]'s attack upon [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] and his efforts to destroy the [[Matrix of Leadership]]. Unicron's threat is successfully repelled by a joint effort between the [[Autobot]]s and the [[Decepticon]]s (but mostly the [[Matrix of Leadership]]).

==Fiction==
===Generation 1 cartoon continuity===
====''The Transformers'' cartoon====
The Unicron War spun directly out of the events of the [[Battle of Autobot City]]. The planet-eater [[Unicron/Generation 1|Unicron]] was first drawn to the Transformers on [[Earth]] and [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] when the dying [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] bequeathed the [[Autobot]] [[Matrix of Leadership]] to [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ultra Magnus]]. Unicron recognized the Matrix as the only thing capable of eliminating him and so, seeking a means to destroy it, began what would be known as the "Unicron War".

Following the Battle of Autobot City, [[Decepticon]] leader [[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Megatron]] and several of his injured subordinates were thrown out of [[Astrotrain (G1)|Astrotrain]] and set adrift in outer space. Unicron sought to use these discarded Decepticons as his servants. Upgrading Megatron into [[Galvatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Galvatron]] and the other Decepticons into [[Cyclonus (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Cyclonus]], [[Scourge (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Scourge]], and the [[Sweep (G1)|Sweeps]], he charged them with the mission of destroying the Matrix.

[[File:TFTM UltraMagnus dies.jpg|left|upright=1.1|thumb]]
After a brief trip to Cybertron to reassert his authority as leader of the Decepticons, Galvatron then led his forces back to [[Autobot City (G1)|Autobot City]] on Earth. Now under the command of Unicron, Galvatron's single goal was to destroy Ultra Magnus and the Matrix within him. When Ultra Magnus and several other Autobots fled in shuttles, Galvatron and the Decepticons gave chase, shooting one shuttle down on the planet [[Quintessa (planet)|Quintessa]], and seemingly destroying the shuttle piloted by Ultra Magnus. Galvatron, thinking his mission a success, returned to Unicron.

It was a ruse, however, and Ultra Magnus and his Autobots had escaped to the Planet of [[Junkion (planet)|Junk]]. Informing Galvatron of his failure, Unicron dispatched his servants to Junk to finish the job. Galvatron was more successful on his second attempt, blowing Ultra Magnus to pieces and stealing the Matrix for himself.

Galvatron, desiring freedom from Unicron, attempted to wield the Matrix against his master. Unfortunately, he was not capable of opening the device and was promptly eaten. Enraged by his servant's behavior, Unicron transformed to [[robot mode]] and swore to destroy all of Cybertron in retaliation. [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]] quickly ordered all Decepticons to engage in a counterattack on their foe, though their firepower proved ineffective.

[[File:TFTM Unicron smashes cybertron.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1]]
The Autobots, both those who had been stranded on Quintessa and on Junk, arrived to aid in defending Cybertron, joining forces with the Decepticons in battle. Several Autobots invaded Unicron by flying their ship through his eye, though were met by his inner defenses. The Autobot [[Hot Rod (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Hot Rod]] became separated from his teammates and ran afoul of Galvatron (still carrying the Matrix). Galvatron initially asked for Hot Rod's aid in destroying their common foe, but still under Unicron's control, was forced to fight his would-be-comrade, instead.

The battle continued until Hot Rod removed the Matrix from Galvatron's possession, transforming himself into Rodimus Prime. Throwing Galvatron into deep space, Rodimus Prime then opened the Matrix, causing a devastating chain reaction within Unicron's body. Rodimus and the other Autobots escaped just as Unicron's body exploded, with only his head left to sightlessly orbit Cybertron. {{storylink|The Transformers: The Movie}}

Following the end of the Unicron War, the Decepticons, who had previously been in control of Cybertron, were driven from the planet by the Autobots. The Decepticons would eventually seek asylum on planet [[Chaar]]. {{storylink|Five Faces of Darkness, Part 1}}

Galvatron would eventually crash-land into a plasma pit on the planet [[Thrull]]. {{storylink|Five Faces of Darkness, Part 2}}

Unicron's head would continue to orbit Cybertron for many years, causing various sorts of trouble. {{storylink|Ghost in the Machine (G1)|Ghost in the Machine}} {{storylink|Grimlock's New Brain}}

====''Beast Wars Neo'' cartoon====
The energy released by his destruction would be known as [[Angolmois]] energy. It would eventually be used to resurrect the planet-eater, who would make a second attempt to destroy Cybertron many hundreds of years later. {{storylink|Unicron Revived!?}}

===Marvel Comics continuity===
====Marvel ''The Transformers'' comics====
{{Storylink|On the Edge of Extinction!}}

{{Stub}}

====''Classics''====
{{noteclassics}}
In [[2012]] when facing off against his [[Octopunch (SG)|negative polarity counterpart]], [[Octopunch (G1)|Octopunch]] boasted that he had survived the Unicron War. {{storylink|Invasion (issue)|Invasion}}

===Ask Vector Prime===
In a hybrid universe created by the machinations of [[Sideways (RID)|Sideways]] and [[gbwiki:Gong|Gong]], the Unicron War incorporated the [[GoBot]]s. After a few quantum destabilizations—first pitting the Autobots against the [[Renegade]]s, and later the Decepticons against the [[Guardian (GoBots)|Guardian]]s—the reality coalesced into an amalgamated universe that incorporated both GoBots and Transformers. In this strange timeline, [[Leader-1 (GoBots)|Leader-1]] perished at the hands of Megatron, passing the Guardian Matrix of Leadership on to [[gbwiki:Major Mo|Major Mo]]. Unicron reformatted Megatron into Galvatron to seize the Matrix, with [[Fracture (Movie)|Fracture]] and [[Deadlift]] in place of Cyclonus and Scourge.

Kup, Hot Rod, and the Dinobots crashed on [[Antares 3|Antares III]], where they battled [[Master Renegade]] and his [[Monster GoBot]]s, while Springer, Arcee, and Major Mo encountered and allied with the [[Rock Lord]]s on [[Quartex (planet)|Quartex]].

During Unicron's final assault on Cybertron, [[Vector Prime]] managed to intervene from behind the scenes. The two universes were set back on their correct courses, allowing Hot Rod to open the '''Autobot''' Matrix of Leadership and save the day. {{storylink|Echoes and Fragments}}
{{--}}

==Notes==
*In Japan, the term "Unicron War" was coined by the writers of the ''[[Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers 2010 (story page)|Transformers 2010]]'' [[story page]]s (most likely by [[Masumi Kaneda]]) as a means to describe the events of ''[[The Transformers: The Movie]]'', which would not be released in Japan until 1989. With the events of the Unicron War being referred to extensively but never ''seen'', it gained a mysterious and almost legendary quality, both among the characters in the series and the audience observing the fiction. The term was also used in multiple episodes of the [[Transformers 2010]] dub, often by the narrator at the start of episodes like [[Five Faces of Darkness, Part 2]] and in [[Secret Files of Teletraan II]] segments, and is still used in Japanese fiction to refer to the conflict to this day.

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Unicron Sensō''' (ユニクロン戦争, "Unicron War")

[[Category:Generation 1 history]]
[[Category:Wars]]

Teeth

2018-03-05T07:22:54Z

OptimusComboy:

[[File:Teeth.jpg|right|upright=1.1|thumb|Green spittle not always included.]]
'''Teeth''' are a part of [[Transformer]] anatomy sometimes found inside the mouth, surrounding the [[tongue]]. Though Transformer teeth seem similar in structure and appearance to the teeth of [[human]]s, what function they serve on Transformers can be a subject of debate.

Humans use teeth primarily for breaking down the foods they consume into digestible portions, but Transformers fuel is mostly, if not entirely, [[Energon|liquid]]. Human teeth are also used to help form certain sounds in their language, in conjunction with the tongue. Transformers are capable of human speech, and sometimes are shown to have both teeth and a tongue, so it's possible their teeth may be used for communication. Two functions of teeth definitely shared between humans and Transformers are [[Galvatron II|using them as a weapon]] and baring them to indicate hostility.

Transformers who have animal-based [[alternate mode]]s tend to have [[Mecha molar|teeth]] in those adopted forms. Most of these alternate modes were acquired after contact with other planets such as [[Earth]], so the inclusion of teeth in Transformer anatomy is often irrelevant to understanding why some Transformers have them. However, eons of conflict have taught the Transformers to take advantage of whatever weapons one can find, and [[Dinobot (G1)|some]] have taken quite a liking to teeth.

{{quote|I'll rip you to pieces with my ''bare claws'', tear out your circuits with my teeth and spit your diodes back at you!|[[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]] demonstrates one use of Transformer teeth|[[On the Edge of Extinction!]]}}

{{-}}
{{note|The only medium which ultimately avoided Transformer teeth entirely was the [[The Transformers (cartoon)|original cartoon]], in which the inside of the mouth was for the majority of the time depicted as a solid dark gray. Occasional shots from the series' [[The Transformers (cartoon)#Season 1|first season]] do show Transformers with gray teeth (matching the inside of their mouths), but these numerous instances are now regarded as [[Animation error|goofs]]. In all other media, teeth were either uniformly used (such as in ''[[Beast Wars: Transformers (cartoon)|Beast Wars]]'') or their appearance varied by artist (such as in [[The Transformers (Marvel comic)|Marvel Comics]]).}}

<center>
<gallery>
File:Megatronmarvelteeth.jpg|[[Don Perlin]] gave [[Marvel Comics continuity]] [[Megatron (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Megatron]] teeth when he felt like it. {{storylink|I, Robot-Master!}} {{storylink|Gone but Not Forgotten!}}
File:Noteethcartoon.jpg|Transformer mouths had no interior detail in the original cartoon. {{storylink|The Transformers: The Movie|TFTM}}
File:HeavyMetalWar Ironhide teeth.jpg|Most of the time. {{storylink|Heavy Metal War}}
File:Galvatroniiteeth.jpg|"Using teeth as a weapon," check. {{storylink|The Last Autobot?}}
File:BWDinobot arrival.jpg|Many animal-based alternate modes require teeth. {{storylink|Beast Wars (Part 1)}}
File:Megatronbwteeth.jpg|Teeth are helpful in creating a variety of facial expressions. {{storylink|The Agenda (Part III)}}
File:Opoptooth.jpg|One of [[Optimus Primal/Beast Wars cartoon continuity|Optimal Optimus]]'s teeth was knocked out during a fight. {{storylink|Nemesis Part 2}}
File:Hotshotarmada.jpg|Teeth are helpful in demonstrating a love of [[JaAm]]. {{storylink|Palace}}
File:Override-Teeth.jpg|A vanishingly-brief moment of somebody actually having a [[Dull surprise|facial expression]] in ''[[Transformers: Cybertron (cartoon)|Cybertron]]''. {{storylink|Ambush (episode)|Ambush}}
File:15arm.jpg|Double-check that "Using teeth as a weapon" bit, will ya? {{storylink|Galvatron Volume 2}}
File:LegionRape1.jpg|''[[Transformers: Kiss Players (franchise)|Kiss Players]]'' found a way to make them MORE sinister. {{storylink|Kiss Players issue 1}}
File:Movie Megatron teeth.JPG|You don't even want to ''know'' why he has teeth. {{storylink|Transformers (film)|Transformers}}
File:Barnicle bots.jpg|Specialized teeth, called fangs, are EXTREMELY useful in creating a more menacing appearance. {{storylink|Nature Calls}}
File:SG-Ricochet-bio.jpg|Teeth are instrumental in making terrifying evil grins of doom... {{storylink|Transformers: Shattered Glass (franchise)|Shattered Glass}}
File:Darknessrising3 Megatronglowy.jpg|...which can be made even ''more'' terrifying through [[Dark Energon]]. {{storylink|Darkness Rising, Part 3}}
File:DOTM-Shockwavecloseup.jpg|How does he even have a ''mouth''?? {{storylink|Transformers: Dark of the Moon (film)|Dark of the Moon}}
</gallery>
</center>

[[Category:Transformer anatomy]]

File:HeavyMetalWar Ironhide teeth.jpg

2018-03-05T06:51:53Z

OptimusComboy: {{G1cap|An animation error where Ironhide was drawn with teeth and a tongue.|Heavy Metal War|4}}

{{G1cap|An [[animation error]] where [[Ironhide (G1)|Ironhide]] was drawn with [[teeth]] and a [[tongue]].|Heavy Metal War|4}}

Heavy Metal War

2018-03-05T06:40:52Z

OptimusComboy: /* Technical or animation glitches */

{{disambig2|the Generation 1 cartoon episode|the ''[[Transformers Legends (mobile game)|Transformers Legends]]'' episode|Heavy Metal War - Part 1}}
{{episode
|series=G1toon
|ep=16
|series2=SRLFtoon
|ep2=10
|prev2=Countdown to Extinction (episode)
|next2=Autobot Spike
|series3=''[[Transformers: Generation 2 (cartoon)|Transformers: Generation 2]]''
|ep3=5
|prev3=S.O.S. Dinobots
|next3=The Autobot Run
|image=HeavyMetalWar Primedefeated.jpg
|caption=The agony of defeat.
|title="Heavy Metal War"
|production code=#700-13
|airdate=[[December 15]], 1984
|written by=[[Donald F. Glut]]
|animation studio=[[Toei]]
|production company=[[Sunbow Productions]]
|continuity=[[Generation 1 cartoon continuity]]
}}
'''Megatron challenges Optimus Prime to a one on one battle to end the war.'''

==Synopsis==
[[File:HeavyMetalWar Megatron invitation.jpg|left|upright=1.1|thumb|Silly Megs, tricks are for kids!]]
A busy construction site is attacked by driver-less construction equipment, and several components are stolen. The construction vehicles return to Decepticon headquarters and are revealed to be the newly built [[Constructicon (G1)|Constructicons]]. The components they stole are parts to a machine that will allow [[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Megatron]] to absorb the [[power chip rectifier]]s from his [[Decepticon]] warriors.

While the final preparations are completed on the machine, Megatron flies to [[Autobot]] headquarters and makes [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] an offer he cannot refuse. Megatron offers the Autobot leader a one on one battle with the winner staying on [[Earth]] to do as he pleases, and the loser taking his army and exiling themselves to deep space. Confident in his own abilities, Prime accepts the challenge and sets the match.

[[File:HeavyMetalWar Megatron powerup.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb|Fear me, for I have the power of... poo gas!!]]
Knowing that Prime would be unable to resist a chance to honorably end their conflict, Megatron returns to the Decepticon base and uses the newly completed machine to gain all of the special powers of his warriors. [[Skywarp (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Skywarp]]'s teleportation, [[Thundercracker (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Thundercracker]]'s sonic boom, [[Rumble (G1)|Rumble]]'s seismic attack, etc. Knowing that Megatron would now be unbeatable, [[Starscream (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Starscream]] voices concerns that the Autobot computer [[Teletraan I]] would be able to detect what Megatron had done. Anticipating this problem, Megatron dispatches the Constructicons to take care of the computer.

The two armies arrive at the battle site, and the contest begins. Megatron unleashes a barrage of powers (while Starscream gives a running commentary), and Prime is outclassed at every step. Not knowing that he has been deceived, Prime concedes the fight and comments that he underestimated Megatron. The shocked Autobots begin the trek back to base, and the Decepticons follow to make sure they leave.

[[File:Heavy Metal War Devastator.JPG|left|upright=1.1|thumb|Not Brawl.]]
Meanwhile, the Constructicons have nearly tunneled their way into the [[Ark (G1)|Ark]] and Teletraan I. Sensing the imminent danger, Teletraan I activates the [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobots]]. The Dinobots respond and start pounding on the Constructicons, opening up a lava channel in the process. The battle not going in their favor, the Constructicons pull out one last trick and combine into the super warrior, [[Devastator (G1)|Devastator]]. The returning Autobots see the battle, but are unable to help. Inside the Ark, Teletraan I is able to show that Megatron cheated, and the Autobots rush outside to help the Dinobots.

[[File:Heavy Metal War Decepticons beat.JPG|upright=1.1|thumb|You'd think Starscream would be used to this, but no...]]
Despite the arrival of the rest of the Autobots to the fight, Devastator is still too powerful to be defeated, so [[Hound (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Hound]] distracts the monstrous Decepticon with a [[hologram]] of [[Halonix Maximus|a colossal Autobot]]. Stunned at the sudden appearance of a robot even bigger than he is, Devastator is shot by Optimus Prime and falls apart. The Constructicons try to drive away, but the Dinobots blast them into the lava. The other Decepticons are routed by the Autobots and also pushed or knocked back by gunfire into the lava. There is much rejoicing.

...Until Megatron rises from the lava, vowing that the Decepticons will rise again.
{{-}}

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
*[[Wheeljack (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Wheeljack]] (13)
*[[Bumblebee (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Bumblebee]] (14)
*[[Ratchet (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ratchet]] (15)
*[[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] (16)
*[[Cliffjumper (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Cliffjumper]] (20)
*[[Ironhide (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ironhide]] (21)
*[[Jazz (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Jazz]] (24)
*[[Hound (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Hound]] (25)
*[[Teletraan I]] (26)
*[[Trailbreaker (G1)|Trailbreaker]] (27)
*[[Bluestreak (G1)|Bluestreak]] (28)
*[[Brawn (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Brawn]] (29)
*[[Prowl (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Prowl]] (30)
*[[Sunstreaker (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Sunstreaker]] (31)
*[[Sideswipe (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Sideswipe]] (32)
*[[Mirage (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Mirage]] (33)
*[[Huffer (G1)|Huffer]] (36)
*[[Grimlock (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Grimlock]] (37)
*[[Snarl (G1)|Snarl]] (38)
*[[Slag (G1)|Slag]] (39)
*[[Swoop (G1)|Swoop]] (40)
*[[Sludge (G1)|Sludge]] (41)
*[[Halonix Maximus|Giant Autobot]] hologram (43)
|c2=
*[[Hook (G1)|Hook]] (2)
*[[Scrapper (G1)|Scrapper]] (3)
*[[Bonecrusher (G1)|Bonecrusher]] (4)
*[[Long Haul (G1)|Long Haul]] (5)
*[[Scavenger (G1)|Scavenger]] (6)
*[[Mixmaster (G1)|Mixmaster]] (7)
*[[Starscream (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Starscream]] (8)
*[[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Megatron]] (9)
*[[Soundwave (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Soundwave]] (10)
*[[Skywarp (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Skywarp]] (11)
*[[Thundercracker (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Thundercracker]] (12)
*[[Rumble (G1)|Rumble]] (22)
*[[Reflector (G1)|Reflector]] (23)
*[[Ravage (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ravage]] (34)
*[[Laserbeak (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Laserbeak]] (35)
*[[Devastator (G1)|Devastator]] (42)
|c3=
*Construction Workers (1)
*[[Sparkplug Witwicky]] (17)
*[[Chip Chase]] (18)
*[[Spike Witwicky (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Spike Witwicky]] (19)
}}

==Quotes==
"Forgive me, but I believe your boast sounds vaguely familiar."
:—'''Starscream''', after hearing another of Megatron's promises to destroy the Autobots.

[[File:Shockblastcannon.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66|I'm alright! I'm alright. That was supposed to happen.]]
"Let's see how he likes my new [[Shock blast cannon|shockblast cannon]]! ''[The cannon explodes in his hands]'' Uhh... hnh... that's a shock, all right."
:—'''Wheeljack'''

"But I need my power chip rectifier. Besides, the Cybertron Code of Combat requires each warrior to fight as he is, without additional reinforcement. You wouldn't want to cheat, would you, Megatron?" 
"I will win by any means! At any cost! Even if it means terminating ''you'', Starscream!" 
"I was only raising a legal point..."
:—'''Starscream''' and '''Megatron'''

"Doesn't this remind you of the gladiatorial combats in ancient Rome?" 
"Maybe it would if I knew what you were talkin' about."
:—'''Chip''' and '''Ironhide''' on the duel between Optimus and Megatron.

"Sludge not see these Decepticons before." 
"Not see again either. Because we dino-mite them to pieces!" 
:—'''Sludge''' and '''Snarl''' vs. the Constructicons.

"It is ended." 
"Is it really over, Optimus? I mean, have we seen the end of this war? Forever?" 
"Who can say, Spike? In this vast universe, is anything truly forever?"
:—'''Optimus Prime''' and '''Spike''', with a question that is quickly answered, at least for the audience

==Notes==
===Technical or animation glitches===
*It seems the artists might have had only script directions to go by when drawing the Constructicons' vehicular attack modes, and not actual character models. Both Long Haul and Mixmaster deploy weapons that are of similar description to their toys' attack forms (cab-mounted cannon, twin missile launchers), but look nothing like them.
*Coloring errors:
**As Long Haul deploys his missiles, his Decepticon symbol is red, and missing its "cheeks".
**The top of Hook's head is green as Scrapper bows to Megatron... and again in the very next shot.
**Scavenger's face is colored all-green as he welds. If it was a stylistic decision to show the light from his welding, then it should flicker along with the welding lights.
**As Scrapper directs the others working on the infuser, his head is green instead of black, and Mixmaster's drum and torso are purple instead of green.
**The top of Wheeljack's chest is colored glass-blue instead of white after the shock cannon blows up.
**During the pan across the Decepticons before the strength transfer, Soundwave is missing the line in the middle of his mask, and his yellow stripes are mostly colored blue.
**Megatron's waist is red instead of silver after the transfer.
**When Megatron talks to Starscream after that, Starscream's air vent "boobs" are colored white instead of black.
**The front of Scrapper's head is red instead of black as Megatron orders him to move out.
**As Scrapper transforms, his whole helmet is green.
**As Optimus explains the code to Spike, Ironhide's forehead isn't fully drawn in.
**"Defeat, Megatron?" Megatron's fusion cannon is white instead of black during this line.
**At the end of the across the Decepticons seating themselves, Soundwave's optic visor is blue instead of red.
**Laserbeak's head is light gray as he ejects from Soundwave.
**Megatron's faction emblem is missing before he teleports.
**And it's missing again as he says the Autobots must exile themselves.
**Starscream's right arm is colored dark gray for a moment, while he talks to Skywarp about the rectifiers.
**Wheeljack's missing one of the lines on his "ears" as he and the others listen to Optimus say he was not prepared.
**Prime's tires are light gray as he transforms to truck mode, and his headlights aren't colored in.[[File:Heavymetalwar constructicons target teletraan.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|Oh, and Scavenger's chest shouldn't be purple, either.]]
**Scrapper's helmet is green in two shots as he and the others run into Autobot Headquarters.
**Scavenger's back is purple as he and the others back away from the Dinobots.
**Snarl's helmet is the same medium gray as his body as he joins Sludge.
**As Devastator walks toward the Dinobots, Swoop's head is white, while Sludge and Slag are block-colored gray.
**Devastator's hand is green instead of purple as he throws Grimlock.
**The top of Starscream's chest is red instead of gray as Megatron rants about the hologram.
*"Besides, the Cybertron code of combat requires..." Starscream's hand phases behind the transfer machine's light during his monologue.
*There's a discontinuity between shots as Megatron is infused; in one shot he's moving and reacting in visible pain to the power transfer; in the next, he's just standing there like a statue.
*Also in the above scene, when Megatron says "I now possess all your powers in addition to my own" his "helmet" is significantly wider than his usual onscreen character model's, and in the NEXT shot ("Optimus Prime and the Autobots... are FINISHED!! Huhuhwarhahahahaha!!") his helmet suddenly shrinks back to its usual narrow width. It would therefore be reasonable to surmise the animators were using Megatron's G1 Toy as a drawing reference for the former shot, as his helmet IS significantly wider than the "normal" Megatron's onscreen model.
*After Megatron talks of the Constructicons destroying Teletraan I, he's suddenly no longer attached to the machine.
*When Megatron laughs maniacally after being infused with the power of the other Decepticons, his head is disproportionately small, and his Decepticon insignia moves independently of his body.
*When the Autobots transform into their alternate modes right before leaving to the duel, Trailbreaker transforms outside the Ark somehow.
*When the Autobots transform back into robot mode when they arrive at the duel, Ironhide, already in robot mode, transforms into his alternate mode. The next scene shows him in robot mode again.
*When Starscream lands behind Megatron before the latter's duel with Optimus Prime, the animators forgot to animate the dust Starscream's feet stir up, so we can see that his legs are not fully drawn, and instead of feet, they end in paint blotches.
*Chip is drawn speaking Spike's line "It's Earth history, Ironhide!"
*During the duel, what are the Autobots supposed to be sitting on? Air?
*After the boulder Prime threw at Meagtron splits in two, it completely disappears before the shot ends.
[[File:HeavyMetalWar Huffer towing Prime's trailer.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1]]
*Huffer is drawn with six wheels instead of four as he takes Prime's trailer.
*Only a moment after Huffer takes Prime's trailer, as the Autobots depart the battlefield, the animators have drawn Prime towing his trailer again, but covered up their error by coloring him orange like Huffer.
*Mixmaster's cab-weapon changes color and form between scenes (it's a gray sphere when the Constructicons start tunneling; it's a green gun when they reach Autobot Headquarters.)
*Mixmaster's acid-laser changes from pink to orange between shots. The weapon that fires it has gone back to gray in the second shot.
*The animation doesn't really show a hole ''melting'' in the floor; a section of the floor just vanishes and is replaced with a melted hole.
*Grimlock has his original head design in this episode, rather than the later, toy-based one he normally is drawn with.
*Grimlock's Galaxial Rocket Launcher is drawn as one of the barrels of his laser rifle shooting off.
*The Dinobots' voices are ''heavily'' processed in his episode, far beyond the norm, giving them a crunchy, gravely sound.
*The inside of Sludge's [[robot mode]] mouth is glowing orange ''again''. Clearly this is part of his character model, but why and how did such a bizarre choice come about in the first place?
*As Scrapper clutches his wounded shoulder, he has two small eyes instead of a visor. (It makes him look a lot like [[Rewind (G1)|Rewind]].)
[[File:G1DevastatorHeads.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|But let's face it - he looks much, much cooler with the visor.]]
*Much like [[A Plague of Insecticons|Kickback's insect head]], the cartoon could never quite make up its mind whether Devastator was supposed to have two small eyes or one big visor. This episode shows him with eyes as he monologues, then the visor shows up just a shot or two later.
*"Then -- Then Megatron cheated!" Ironhide's mouth is drawn with [[teeth]] and a [[tongue]].
*When the Autobots cheer inside their headquarters, [[Bumblebee (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Bumblebee]]'s insignia is missing, Wheeljack's ears aren't flashing, and Jazz's mouth is blinking on and off.
*As the hologram fades out, Hound isn't shown in the nearby cave from which he's supposed to be projecting it.
*When [[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Megatron]] finds out the "Giant [[Autobot]]" is a hologram, his cannon [[kibble]] is gone for a brief second.
*In the final closeup of Megatron's face, several of the lava streams are flowing ''behind'' his eyes and back out. OUCH!
*When we first see the Autobots in the Ark after the duel, Ironhide punches empty air, the whole screen shakes, and he says, “Uh, sorry about that” to no-one.

===Rhino DVD release===
More than most episodes, the [[Rhino Entertainment|Kid Rhino]] DVD version of this episode is full of animation errors that do not appear in the original broadcast version or prior home video releases (as a result of incomplete film masters being used for the DVD), as well as crude attempts made by Rhino to fix some of these errors.

Some are merely aesthetic complaints:
*In one shot, the camera pans sideways to follow the Constructicons, however they aren't moving, so they actually lag behind the screen. Then, as they round a corner, they are animated above the animation cel of the building they drive around, and you can see they are not fully drawn. Their [[alternate mode|vehicle mode]]s end in unfinished lines and paint blotches until they come fully into view.
*As the Constructions make their big introductory transformations, the camera doesn't pan up with Bonecrusher, Long Haul, and Mixmaster, leaving them cut out of the shot from the thighs upward. Bonecrusher is also visibly floating above the ground.
*After Long Haul transforms, the equipment he's supposedly carrying simply pops into view. As the outlines tell us, it has been retroactively shopped into the image.
*The Rhino DVD portrays the power-chip smelter as a featureless rectangular smear, lacking all the light effects and animation that should be present.
*When Megatron says "Scrapper, you have your orders...", the Constructicons' eyes / eye visors no longer glow red in response.
*As he drives up to start digging, [[Mixmaster (G1)|Mixmaster]] is constantly jumping a bit back and forth while driving, as if the animation frames are not ordered properly.
*When the Autobots transform to leave base for the battlefield, Optimus Prime's left headlight blinks in and out a couple of times.
*Then, as they all drive out of the Ark, the screen freezes for a moment. The Autobots seem to have teleported after the animation finally continues.
*The sky behind Ironhide, when he is informing us of his ignorance of Earth's history, jumps noticeably at the beginning of the shot, and the shadowy outlines around him vibrate wildly.
*The audience isn't actually sitting on the edge of the pit, rather they are all somehow seated on the slopes.
*At two points during the duel with Optimus Prime (one of them recycled as him landing at Autobot Headquarters), Megatron is colored dark gray.
*When the miscolored Megatron blasts Prime away, the background isn't moving to simulate the camera pan, whereas Prime's animation is.
*The humans in one shot are drawn horribly off-model, with terrible looking teeth, may we add. Spike shows his pre-final print uppers again in a later shot.
*When Skywarp boasts that Megatron acquired the power of teleportation from him, he is colored like Starscream, who is seen sitting right next to him.
*During the Dinobots' fight scene with the Constructicons, some of the laser-firing animation is missing, leaving the characters with huge "holes" and gaps on their bodies where said laser shots should have been animated. This also renders the shot of Sludge firing his eye-beams completely pointless.
*And as Swoop fires his missiles, the background art isn't moving, making it look like he is floating.
*Also in one shot, the rock covering the Constructicons is missing from the foreground, and again, we see incomplete drawings instead of fully-drawn robots.
**However a later shot has a cave mouth drawn over the screen's outer rim, which shouldn't be there, as the scene takes place outside.

However, some of the screwups actually confuse the plot:
*Power chip rectifier only appear in the finished animation as little more than small glowing pink dots. When Starscream removes his, this glowing effect is missing, meaning he's holding nothing, and that none of the rectifiers ever actually appear on-screen in the Rhino version.
*When Rhino DVD Optimus Prime hurls a boulder at Megatron, Megatron still lights up to use Skywarp's teleportation ability to get out of the way... but after the teleporation glow effect fades, Megatron is ''still standing there''. The boulder ''flies straight through him'' with nobody seeming to care, including Megatron himself.
*When Megatron is talking to Starscream while the Constructicons are building the infuser machine, Starscream is colored like Skywarp.
**Speaking about the Constructicons being hard at work, this sequence is completely missing. We are instead treated to a shot of Megatron and Starscream standing silently for seconds.
*When [[Cliffjumper (G1)|Cliffjumper]] runs up and uses his [[glass gas]], he is coloured like [[Bumblebee (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Bumblebee]].
[[File:HeavyMetalWar Mixmaster spray.JPG|thumb|upright=1.1|That sure isn't a cave you're in there, Mixmaster.]]
*The animation sequence of Megatron landing at the Autobot base ''is missing entirely'', and is replaced by looped animation from later in the episode of Megatron landing after a jump, along with a recycled snippet of Cliffjumper looking elated after encasing Megatron in ice from just a few seconds earlier.
*When Megatron lands, there are two Optimus Primes and Ironhides there to greet him.
*As the Autobots help Prime make his decision, the camera pans are missing, and the scene is instead shown as multiple, separate shots. Secondly, Wheeljack's light effects are mis-aligned. Finally, the added lens-effects in Prime's optics makes him look like he's about to cry.
*When the Constructicons move out to dig the passage to the Autobot headquarters, they're all shown outdoors instead of inside the base.
*A transformation sequence for Trailbreaker, recycled from "[[More than Meets the Eye, Part 1]]", still retains its exterior background even though it's supposed to happen inside Autobot Headquarters.
*When the Autobots arrive at the pit in vehicle mode, Ironhide is seen transforming from robot mode to vehicle mode. Then, he is back in his robot form.
*Where the finished episode tries to disguise the fact that the animators have drawn Prime towing his own trailer by coloring him life Huffer, in the unfinished animation used for the DVD, Prime is colored in his normal colors.
*Instead of using the finished shot, we see recycled animation of a standing Prime being hit when Megatron delivers his final blow. He should be lying on the ground.
*The animation of the lava is absent in a couple of shots.

But, uhhh, hey, that silver DVD case sure is shiny and pretty!

===Shout! Factory DVD release===
*Like "[[Countdown to Extinction (episode)|Countdown to Extinction]]" before it, the sound effects of this episode are cranked down to near-inaudibility, compared to the music and vocal tracks.
*This episode is also one of several affected by Shout!'s inability to obtain complete master reels to restore the incomplete animation used in the Kid Rhino releases, resulting in 1-inch tape versions being used instead. Picture quality is thus all over the map. The scenes of Megatron approaching Autobot Headquarters are noticeably under-lit. Several scenes are in visibly softer focus compared to shots before and after, such as the pan of Autobots as Cliffjumper says "I don't trust 'im!"

===Continuity errors===
[[File:Lineup.jpg|thumb|upright=2.2|"Where'd you get the Constructicons?" "We found them." "Found them? On Earth? Constructicons are Cybertronian!" "The Cosmos may fly into the sun or the Omega Supreme or the Astrotrain may seek warmer climes in winter, yet these are not strangers to our land." "Are you suggesting that Constructicons migrate?"]]
*This episode gives the first of [[Constructicon (G1)|three contradictory origins]] for the Constructicons.

*The building site that the Constructicons raid is a power plant. One of the construction workers states that it will be able to provide the whole planet with limitless energy, raising the question of why the Decepticons didn't raid such a powerful energy source for energon.

*So this head worker guy sees driverless, talking construction vehicles, that turn into giant malevolent thieving robots with the Decepticon symbol on 'em... but somehow he only figures out that they're Decepticons when Scrapper says they work for Megatron. Is Megatron's name more famous than all the defining aspects of his faction?

*Ironhide is apparently able to detect the Decepticons by himself, without relying on Teletraan I. However, in "[[The Ultimate Doom, Part 1]]", the Autobots were unable to detect the approaching Decepticons with Teletraan I sabotaged.

*Optimus Prime takes out Devastator with a single shot from his laser rifle, something rather at odds with the later portrayal of combiners as nigh-invulnerable. Maybe they were upgraded?

*It's a bit strange that Starscream of all mechs should be concerned with legalities and suggest that Megatron try to fight honorably... but there ''is'' a touch of sarcasm when he says "You wouldn't want to ''cheat'', would you, Megatron?"

*There is a rather ''huge'' hole in Megatron's "Destroy Teletraan I" plot: When the Autobots come back from Optimus Prime's defeat, wouldn't a burning-and-smoking Teletraan I ''immediately'' scream "Megatron DID cheat" rather than cover that fact up?

[[File:DinobotsG1.jpg|thumb|upright=2.2]]
*The Autobots return to headquarters as the Dinobots have begun their battle with Devastator. They have time enough to repair Optimus Prime and detect the Decepticon deception, and meanwhile, the Dinobots are ''still'' fighting Devastator.
**On that note the Autobots don't even try to tell the Dinobots that they were leaving and the fight was over. Were the Autobots going to leave the Dinobots behind and strand them on Earth!?

*Speaking of which, didn't anybody notice the big flaming hole in the floor of Autobot Headquarters?

*So the Decepticons couldn't '''FLY''' out of the lava when they fell in?

*Doesn't anybody notice Megatron down there floating in the lava?

===Continuity notes===
*This episode introduces the [[Constructicon (G1)|Constructicons]] and [[Devastator (G1)|Devastator]].
[[File:Heavymeatlwar megatron powers.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|This fist of mine glows with an awesome power chip rectifier!]]
[[File:HeavyMetalWar Scavenger.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|This shovel of mine glows with an awesome sensor reading!]]
[[File:Heavymetalwar constructicons target teletraan.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|This computer of mine glows with an awesome lollipop!]]
*Gadgets and powers:
**The Constructicons show off a variety of armaments and abilities, such as Mixmaster melting a whole steam roller into goop and later firing a stream of rock-melting liquid, Long Haul having dump truck mode missile launchers (perhaps a nod to his toy's "attack mode"), and Scavenger's shovel-based sensors.
**Long Haul has the rather ''amazing'' ability to fill up his cargo bed with a payload, transform to robot mode, then convert back to dump truck mode... and still have the cargo be there!
**Ironhide detects Megatron's approach using a sensor that displays on his chest, not unlike abilities he displayed in "[[S.O.S. Dinobots]]" and "[[The Ultimate Doom, Part 1]]".
**Cliffjumper's [[glass gas]], if that's what it's supposed to be, acts a lot more like Ironhide's liquid nitrogen. He shoots a huge stream of it from his retracted wrists, and it encases Megatron in ice.
**Speaking of which, being encased in ice does not affect Megatron's ability to fly.
**Ironhide doesn't even bother retracting his fists; he just shoots lasers right out of them. It's an unusual conceit for ''Transformers'', though [[Megatron's Master Plan, Part 2|not]] [[Dinobot Island, Part 2|unheard of]].
**As explained in this episode, [[power chip rectifier]]s are what give Transformers their unique special abilities.
**The episode gives us a showcase of the Decepticons' most notable abilities, as Megatron uses Starscream's [[cluster bomb]]s and null rays, Reflector's light-generating abilities, Rumble's earthquakes, Skywarp's teleportation, and Thundercracker's sonic abilities.
***Incidentally, this is the first time said sonic abilities have been used explicitly. And it's not even by the guy they belong to.
**Optimus shows the strange ability to fire lasers out of his palm. He's blocking Megatron's shot with the other arm at the same time, almost like he's [[Optimus Primal/Beast Wars cartoon continuity#Beast Machines cartoon|absorbing the energy and shooting it back]].
**Teletraan-1 can make up its own mind to wake up the Dinobots when a threat is detected.
**Grimlock actually uses his rocket launcher, though it's drawn as one of the barrels of his laser rifle shooting off like a rocket (similar to the future fate of [[Haywire]]'s gun mode).
**Snarl's sword can fire energy blasts from its tip. The Dinobots actually using their swords is something that doesn't happen often, but this is the second time Snarl has been shown with his. Instead of being red, as per the toy and comics, it uses the gray coloring it has in Snarl's package art.
**While the lasers in the Dinobots' dinosaur modes come out of their eyes, horns or mouths, Snarl's dinosaur mode lasers come out of his nostrils. ''Yeah.''
**Hound projects one of his holograms out of both fists.
**Hey, turns out the Constructicons can turn themselves all into one big robot! Wonder if the toys can do that??
*When the Constructicons are tunneling, Scrapper refers to [[Scavenger (G1)|Scavenger]] with his working name "[[Scrounge (G1)|Scrounge]]". In their [[Transformers: More than Meets the Eye|''More than Meets the Eye'']] bio, Dreamwave would paint this as a deliberate derogatory term other Decepticons sometimes refer to him as.
*Soundwave totally pets Ravage on the head like a kittycat. Adorable!
*This episode is also the "source" of the aborted "Lava Bath Safety" deco for the original Megatron toy.
*The ''Law of Cybertron'' will be invoked again many years later, to resolve the Generation 2 War. {{storylink|Transformers: G-2 (story page)|The Autobots Triumph in the Battle of Good Vs. Evil!}}

===Real-world references===
*''[[Star Wars (franchise)|Star Wars]]'' sound effects:
**''[[Millennium Falcon]]'' engine burst/whine as the Constructions take off from the construction site.
**Same effect as Megatron leaves Autobot Headquarters.
**[[Lightsaber]] ignition sound when Megatron activates Reflector's light powers.
*Chip provides the episode's requisite dose of "Oh, it's ''educational''" by likening the leaders' combat to the gladiatorial matches of ancient Rome.
*Mixmaster gets in on the act by naming a couple of acids by formula: H2SO4 (sulfuric acid) and HCl (hydrochloric acid).
*Oh, and the construction site will make energy from the earth's magnetic field. "Magnetic field" sounds like science, right??

===Trivia===
[[File:SnarlG1.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|And we don't just mean the "horrible rape-related imagery" aspect, either.]]
*The art style of this episode has a distinctively Japanese flavor to it (in a handful of scenes), similar to that of "[[Roll for It]]". [[Masami Ōbari]]'s believed to be involved with this episode.<ref>http://mimizun.com/log/2ch/ranime/1118994758/</ref>
*The animation pretty much gets Devastator's transformation spot-on. Enjoy it while you can; it [[The Core|won't]] [[The Autobot Run|last]].
*Storyboards for this episode indicate that at one point in the scripting process, power chip rectifiers were also tied into the ability to transform. Upon giving up their rectifiers, the Decepticons lose their ability to transform, and during the fight, Megatron transforms into a jet! <ref>[http://cartoonpaperwork.com/network/dt/003.shtml "Heavy Metal War" storyboards at CartoonPaperwork.com]</ref>
*Scenes and dialogue deleted from this episode include Wheeljack showing off the latest improvements he has made to the Dinobots outside Autobot Headquarters (during which Megatron arrives), Scavenger referring to Scrapper with his working name "[[Gravedigger]]", Megatron using Soundwave's mind-reading powers on Optimus Prime during their fight, and Starscream sarcastically pointing out that the other Decepticons could help Devastator fight the Dinobots - except that they don't have their powers (to which Megatron retorts that "my Devastator needs no help").
**An extended portion of dialogue is also cut from Megatron's address to Optimus Prime, resulting in the rather clumsy line in the finished episode, "Our war has gone on for millions of years — Decepticons fighting Autobots — in which opposing leaders — you and I, Optimus Prime — may do battle." In the episode's dialogue script, following "Decepticons fighting Autobots," Megatron finishes his first sentence by lamenting the endless nature of the war. Prime shares in his regret, but deems it necessary as long as Megatron continues his pursuit of conquest. Megatron then speaks again, raising the topic of the "age-old law of combat," then picking up the finished line from "in which opposing leaders..."
**Ironhide's "sorry about that" non-sequitur is the result of a cut to the start of the scene: while watching the battle through the hole blasted out the side of the volcano and frustrated at not being able to join in, Ironhide slams his fist against the cavern wall, causing it to shake. He sheepishly apologizes.
[[File:RumbleisRed.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|The "red robot" is clearly blue.]]
*During Teletraan I's montage of the sources of Megatron's acquired powers, the descriptions for the individual Decepticons are verbatim quotes from the [http://tfarchive.com/cartoons/bible/ Transformers Series Bible's "Decepticon Rollcall" page], albeit including several lost-in-translation typographical errors ("Decepticon Lider", "Decepticon Commicator", "Sky Warp"). The most notable of those is [[Rumble (G1)|Rumble]] (misspelled as "Runble") being identified as a [[FIRRIB|"red robot"]]. Furthermore, the seemingly random numbers listed on those screens are actually Hasbro's product codes for the respective toys. Interestingly enough, [[Reflector (G1)|Reflector]] is given a product number, even though he was never released at mass retail. However, the renditions of the Decepticons are ''not'' the official [[character model]] poses for those characters, but rather all-new drawings.
*The head construction worker's cry as Scavenger drops him is recycled from "[[The Ultimate Doom, Part 2]]" (from when Laserbeak kidnaps two security guards.)
*The episode's ending sure seems intended as a potential conclusion to the series, just in case it wasn't renewed for a second season. Turns out that ''Transformers'' was a bit of a hit, so that whole falling-into-lava thing was ignored (though it was alluded to in the [[title sequence]] animation for season two, as the Insecticons traverse in lava).
*The giant Autobot hologram image Hound projected went anonymous for 26 years until it received an identity at [[BotCon 2010]] as the [[Cybertron Elite Guard|Elite Guard member]] [[Halonix Maximus]].
[[File:RavagePet.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|Who's a good widdle killy-kitty? YOU IS!]]
*When the Autobots and Decepticons are getting ready to watch the fight, Soundwave lets Ravage out and Ravage then sits beside Soundwave and auidbly ''purrs'' while Soundwave pets him. This is both very cute and very creepy.
*Devastator referring to himself as "the Devastator" might be a leftover reference to the character's working name of "the Destructoid".
*When aired on [[Hub Network]]'s video-on-demand, the Kid Rhino version is used for some reason, even though Hub Network always airs the original pre-Kid Rhino versions

===Foreign localization===
'''Brazilian'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Guerra dos Metaleiros'''" ("War of Metalheads")
:*''Original airdate:'' ?

'''German'''
:*''Title (Generation 2 dub):'' "'''Der Zweikampf'''" ("The Duel")
:*''Original airdate:'' [[May 28]], [[1994]]

'''Italian'''
:*''Title (both dubs):'' "'''Il duello'''" ("The Duel")
:*''Original airdate:'' ?

'''Japanese'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Cybertron-sei no Okite'''" (せイバートロン星の掟, "The Laws of Planet Cybertron")
:*''Original airdate:'' [[September 7]], [[1985]]
:*In Japanese anime fashion, Megatron yells the names of several of the special attacks he's purloined from his minions; namely, Reflector's "Flash Beam" and Thundercracker's "Sonic Beam".

'''Mandarin'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Shuāng Xióng Dàzhàn '''" (双雄大战, "Fight between Double Leaders")
:*''Original airdate:'' ?

'''Russian'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Voyna tyazhelogo metalla'''" (Война тяжёлого металла, "Heavy Metal War")
:*''Original airdate:'' ?

'''Serbian'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Sukob metalnih ratnika'''" (Сукоб металних ратника, "Battle of the Metal Warriors")
:*''Original airdate:'' ?

'''Spanish title'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Fuerte Guerra de Metal'''" ("Heavy Metal War")
:*''Original airdate:'' ?

==Home video releases==
{{homevidnote}}
;VHS
[[File:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 1986 — ''The Transformers'' — Volume 10: "Heavy Metal War" ([[Family Home Entertainment]]) 
[[File:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 1987 — ''Transformers'' — Heavy Metal Wars / The Girl Who Loved Powerglide ([[Tempo Video]]) 
[[File:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 1989 — ''Transformers'' — A Ghost in the Machine / Heavy Metal Wars (Tempo Video) 
[[File:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 1990 — ''Transformers'' — Heavy Metal Wars / The Girl Who Loved Powerglide ([[Tempo Video|Abbey Home Entertainment]]) 
[[File:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2000 — ''The Original Transformers'' — Volume 6: Evolution Revolution ([[The Original Transformers|Rhino Entertainment]])
;{{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 UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2002 — ''Transformers: Generation 2'' ([[Maverick Entertainment|Sony Wonder]]) 
[[File:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2002 — ''Transformers'' — Original Series: Volume Three (Sony Wonder) 
[[File:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2002 — ''Transformers'' — Complete Original Series: Deluxe Edition (Sony Wonder) 
[[File:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2002 — ''The Original Transformers'' — First Season Collector's Edition ([[The Original Transformers|Rhino Entertainment]]) 
[[File:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2002 — ''The Original Transformers'' — Volume Three (Rhino Entertainment) 
[[File:Flag of Australia.png|20px|Australia]] 2003 — ''Transformers'' — Collection 1: Series 1 ([[Madman Entertainment]]) 
[[File:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2004 — ''Transformers'' — Season 1 ([[Metrodome]]) 
[[File:Flag of Australia.png|20px|Australia]] 2006 — The Best of ''The Transformers'' (Madman Entertainment) 
[[File:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2006 — ''Transformers'' — The Complete Generation One Collection (Metrodome) 
[[File:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2007 — ''Transformers'' — The Classic Episodes (Metrodome) 
[[File:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2007 — ''Classic Transformers'' — Series One: Part Two (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 02: Stagione Uno Parte Seconda ([[Medianetwork Communication]]) — English and Italian audio. 
[[File:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2009 — ''Transformers'' — Season One (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'' — The Complete First Season: 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'' — The Complete First Season: 30th Anniversary Edition (Shout! Factory) 
[[File:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2014 — ''The Transformers'' — Roar of the Dinobots (Shout! Factory) 
[[File:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2014 — ''Transformers'' — The Classic Animated Series (Metrodome)

==References==
{{reflist}}
==External links==
*[http://cybertronchronicle.freewebspace.com/cartoon-dossier/season-1/synopses/700-13.html Episode Dossier at The Cybertron Chronicle]

[[Category:The Transformers episodes]]
[[Category:Generation 2 episodes]]
[[Category:MSTF]]

Energy absorber

2018-03-01T18:18:46Z

OptimusComboy:

An '''energy absorber''' is a vital component of [[Transformer]] anatomy that allows them the capacity to refuel, presumably with [[energon]].

==Fiction==
===''The Transformers'' cartoon===
[[Starscream (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Starscream]] "neglected" to equip his newly created [[Combaticon (G1)|Combaticons]] with energy absorbers in order to control them. He told them to obey him and they would capture and remove the energy absorbers from other Transformers and equip them in the Combaticons. Starscream and the Combaticons kidnapped [[Jazz (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Jazz]] and [[Cliffjumper (G1)|Cliffjumper]] but Starscream refused to give their energy absorbers to the any of the Combaticons until they had three more, so he wouldn't be playing favorites. [[Ramjet (G1)|Ramjet]] and [[Dirge (G1)|Dirge]] were left behind after a battle where Starscream failed to depose Megatron, bringing the number of available absorbers up to four.

Inexplicably, Starscream and all five Combaticons then power up at a power plant while their four captives are tied up. The Decepticons attacked and in the confusion, the Autobots rescued Jazz and Cliffjumper. The Decepticons won the battle and banished Starscream and the Combaticons to an asteroid. {{storylink|Starscream's Brigade}} They still didn't have energy absorbers, but it didn't make any difference after that.

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Energy Absorber''' (エネルギーアブソバー ''Enerugii Abusoobaa'')

[[Category:Generation 1 Transformer anatomy]]
[[Category:Generation 1 cartoon continuity]]

Decepticon Headquarters (G1 Earth)

2018-03-01T18:08:06Z

OptimusComboy: /* Notes */

{{disambig3|Decepticon Headquarters}}
:''Decepticon Headquarters is a base from the [[The Transformers (cartoon)|cartoon portion]] of the [[Generation 1 continuity family]].''

[[File:DivideAndConquer-UnderseaBase.jpg|center|700px|thumb|...and Namor complains about the dwellers of the surface.]]

Built around the undersea crash site of their [[Victory (G1)|former starship]], '''Decepticon Headquarters''' serves as the main base of operations for [[Decepticon|Megatron's troops]] on [[Earth]]. The base includes several buildings that surround the starship, a docking tower, a giant telescoping "elevator" which allows the Decepticons to reach the surface without having to get wet and risk getting [[rust]]y.

==Fiction==
===''The Transformers'' cartoon===
In the months after the Decepticons' space cruiser crashed into the ocean, they built several buildings around it to serve as their main base. {{storylink|Transport to Oblivion (episode)|Transport to Oblivion}}

[[File:TheImmobilizer Laserbeak returns with Carly.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.3|It's supposed to be cats that bring things home to their masters, not birds.]]
Being located underwater, Decepticon Headquarters was quite prone to flooding; its walls were breached on at least four known occasions. The first was due to enemy action. The Decepticons had kidnapped [[Sparkplug Witwicky]]; in the process of rescuing him, Cliffjumper used his [[glass gas]] to burn a hole in the base. Brawn later punched another hole in the wall before the Autobots made their escape. {{storylink|The Ultimate Doom, Part 1}}

When the Decepticons used the [[space bridge]] to move Cybertron to Earth's orbit, it caused massive natural disasters which the Decepticons hoped to make [[energon]] with. Unfortunately, the space cruiser was damaged, with rocks from a nearby extension falling on the base and breaching the hull. Also, the docking tower snapped in half due to a tidal wave, flooding much of the base. That's what happens when [[Rumble (G1)|Rumble]] is responsible for material acquisition. {{storylink|The Ultimate Doom, Part 2}} The Decepticons spent some time repairing the damage and cleaning up the flooding. {{storylink|Countdown to Extinction (episode)|Countdown to Extinction}}

[[File:GirlWhoLovedPowerglide Decepticons in HQ.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4]]
When [[Carly]] allied herself with the Autobots, she took it upon herself to sabotage Decepticon Headquarters, placing bombs on the hull. Unfortunately, when it went off, she had been captured and placed in the very room that was being flooded. The Decepticons sealed off the rest of the base, keeping it dry, and left the human to drown, unaware that [[Ironhide (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ironhide]] rescued her. {{storylink|The Immobilizer}}

Later, after the [[Sky Platform]], a hovering energy collecting station built by the [[Constructicon (G1)|Constructicons]], was lost, the Decepticons fled back to the space cruiser. However, [[Powerglide (G1)|Powerglide]] directed the station to sink directly above the space cruiser's location. Megatron ordered [[Soundwave (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Soundwave]] to activate the base's [[force field]]s, only to learn that the Decepticons had never installed force fields. As the station came crashing down, Megatron assigned the Decepticons to their most difficult task to date... clean up the mess the station's impact had made of the base. They probably made Starscream do it. {{storylink|The Girl Who Loved Powerglide}}

Yet another big leaky hole was blasted into the base when Autobot prisoners Beachcomber, Perceptor, and Seaspray made their escape, flooding a section of the base. {{storylink|The Golden Lagoon (episode)|The Golden Lagoon}}

It is unknown what happened to the base when the Decepticons fully conquered Cybertron and abandoned Earth.

===''Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers'' manga===
[[File:TF manga 3 Decepticon Headquarters.jpg|upright=1.4|left|thumb]]
It seems the Decepticons occasionally used a ship to travel to and from Decepticon Headquarters. {{storylink|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers issue 7|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers #7}}

[[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Megatron]] coordinated an attack on [[Tokyo]] from Decepticon Headquarters. {{storylink|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers issue 1|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers #1}} During the construction of [[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]], Megatron had [[Astrotrain (G1)|Astrotrain]] and [[Reflector (G1)|Reflector]] spy on the [[Autobot]]s' construction of [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]]. When they returned to the undersea base, Megatron found the data in their report reason not to be the least bit worried about the new Autobot soldier. {{storylink|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers issue 3|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers #3}} When the Autobots [[Scramble Power|gained control]] over [[Bruticus (G1)|Bruticus]]'s and [[Menasor (G1)|Menasor]]'s movement, the battle was effectively won. [[Kenji]] suggested they'd just drop the two [[combiner]]s off over the ocean. {{storylink|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers issue 5|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers #5}} The Decepticons had been doing experiments on a [[Murdered puppy|dog]] to give and extract [[Decepticon super science]] to and from it. Despite the base being at the bottom of an ocean, the dog managed to escape. {{storylink|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers issue 8|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers #8}}

===''The Battle of the Star Gate''===
[[File:Stargate Battles Decepticon Headquarters.jpg|upright=1.4|thumb]]
In Decepticon Headquarters' command center, [[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Megatron]], [[Starscream (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Starscream]] and [[Soundwave (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Soundwave]] were watching a human newscast on the repairs being performed on the ''[[Trigger]]'' when Megatron and Starscream got in an argument about the latter's competence. Starscream left the command center angrily, after which Megatron and Soundwave moved on to a reconnaissance report made by [[Laserbeak (G1)|Laserbeak]] on the development of the human-made [[C-X]] [[drone]]s. The drones went haywire, which Megatron thought to be Laserbeak's doing, but Soundwave assured him Laserbeak had no part in it. He did, however, detect the interference of another, unidentified party. {{storylink|Divided Views}} Following an [[energon cube]] "theft" in [[Japan]], Starscream was put in charge of the team that had to get them to headquarters despite the [[Autobot]]s' best efforts to prevent it. In the end, it was not the Autobots who stopped the energon cubes from reaching Decepticon Headquarters, but the ghost of Starscream that had traveled to the past to ensure his survival. {{storylink|Activation}} Future Starscream took Past Starscream and the energon cubes with him to the ''Trigger''. Megatron was informed of this when he returned to headquarters and issued the order to attack the traitors and stop whatever they were planning to do. {{storylink|The Battle of the Star Gate}}

===''Robotmasters'' online manga===
{{storylink|The Usurper Decepticon Takes Control}} {{storylink|Starscream Grins 3 Times...}} {{storylink|Strategic Meeting: The Mysterious New Warrior}} {{storylink|And Then}}

{{locationstub}}

==Merchandise==
===Diamond Select===
[[File:DecepticonSnowGlobe.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4]]
*'''Decepticon Snow Globe''' (2007)

:Decepticon Headquarters acts as the base to this snow globe, resting against an underwater cliff which [[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Megatron]] sits atop of. The globe was sculpted by [[Art Asylum]] and released by [[Diamond Select Toys]].

==Notes==
* According to the [[production bible]] of the [[The Transformers (cartoon)|original ''The Transformers'' cartoon]], one of the ideas involving the space bridge was that its end on Earth would be located in a room within Decepticon Headquarters. Evidently, this idea was nixed in order to allow the Autobots a chance to use the space bridge once in a while.
* During the cartoon's course, the Decepticons were very keen on getting another headquarters or at least not being limited to one base. In order, they built [[New Cybertron]] as a new headquarters, created a [[Temporary Decepticon base|giant Decepticon insignia]]-shaped temporary mountain base, possessed an [[incredibly tall rocket]] that served as a mobile base, obtained a [[hangar]] at an airport, constructed a [[Decepticon lunar dome base|moonbase]], started work on a [[Auto-Bop|new headquarters that was never finished]] and owned the [[Sky Platform]]. Going by the Japanese continuity, [[Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers issue 6|''Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers'' #6]] presents [[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]] as a new base meant to be taken in use while the undersea base was still fully functional. Finally, when the Decepticons reinstated their presence on Earth during ''[[Transformers: The Headmasters (cartoon)|The Headmasters]]'', they set up a [[Decepticon Earth Base (Headmasters)|new main base]]. Since it has been 25 years since the undersea base was last seen, it seems likely the new base is its replacement.

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Destron Underwater Base''' (デストロン海底基地 ''Desutoron Kaitei Kichi'')

[[Category:Decepticon bases on Earth]]
[[Category:Generation 1 cartoon locations‎]]

Decepticon Headquarters (G1 Earth)

2018-03-01T18:07:52Z

OptimusComboy: /* Merchandise */

{{disambig3|Decepticon Headquarters}}
:''Decepticon Headquarters is a base from the [[The Transformers (cartoon)|cartoon portion]] of the [[Generation 1 continuity family]].''

[[File:DivideAndConquer-UnderseaBase.jpg|center|700px|thumb|...and Namor complains about the dwellers of the surface.]]

Built around the undersea crash site of their [[Victory (G1)|former starship]], '''Decepticon Headquarters''' serves as the main base of operations for [[Decepticon|Megatron's troops]] on [[Earth]]. The base includes several buildings that surround the starship, a docking tower, a giant telescoping "elevator" which allows the Decepticons to reach the surface without having to get wet and risk getting [[rust]]y.

==Fiction==
===''The Transformers'' cartoon===
In the months after the Decepticons' space cruiser crashed into the ocean, they built several buildings around it to serve as their main base. {{storylink|Transport to Oblivion (episode)|Transport to Oblivion}}

[[File:TheImmobilizer Laserbeak returns with Carly.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.3|It's supposed to be cats that bring things home to their masters, not birds.]]
Being located underwater, Decepticon Headquarters was quite prone to flooding; its walls were breached on at least four known occasions. The first was due to enemy action. The Decepticons had kidnapped [[Sparkplug Witwicky]]; in the process of rescuing him, Cliffjumper used his [[glass gas]] to burn a hole in the base. Brawn later punched another hole in the wall before the Autobots made their escape. {{storylink|The Ultimate Doom, Part 1}}

When the Decepticons used the [[space bridge]] to move Cybertron to Earth's orbit, it caused massive natural disasters which the Decepticons hoped to make [[energon]] with. Unfortunately, the space cruiser was damaged, with rocks from a nearby extension falling on the base and breaching the hull. Also, the docking tower snapped in half due to a tidal wave, flooding much of the base. That's what happens when [[Rumble (G1)|Rumble]] is responsible for material acquisition. {{storylink|The Ultimate Doom, Part 2}} The Decepticons spent some time repairing the damage and cleaning up the flooding. {{storylink|Countdown to Extinction (episode)|Countdown to Extinction}}

[[File:GirlWhoLovedPowerglide Decepticons in HQ.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4]]
When [[Carly]] allied herself with the Autobots, she took it upon herself to sabotage Decepticon Headquarters, placing bombs on the hull. Unfortunately, when it went off, she had been captured and placed in the very room that was being flooded. The Decepticons sealed off the rest of the base, keeping it dry, and left the human to drown, unaware that [[Ironhide (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ironhide]] rescued her. {{storylink|The Immobilizer}}

Later, after the [[Sky Platform]], a hovering energy collecting station built by the [[Constructicon (G1)|Constructicons]], was lost, the Decepticons fled back to the space cruiser. However, [[Powerglide (G1)|Powerglide]] directed the station to sink directly above the space cruiser's location. Megatron ordered [[Soundwave (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Soundwave]] to activate the base's [[force field]]s, only to learn that the Decepticons had never installed force fields. As the station came crashing down, Megatron assigned the Decepticons to their most difficult task to date... clean up the mess the station's impact had made of the base. They probably made Starscream do it. {{storylink|The Girl Who Loved Powerglide}}

Yet another big leaky hole was blasted into the base when Autobot prisoners Beachcomber, Perceptor, and Seaspray made their escape, flooding a section of the base. {{storylink|The Golden Lagoon (episode)|The Golden Lagoon}}

It is unknown what happened to the base when the Decepticons fully conquered Cybertron and abandoned Earth.

===''Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers'' manga===
[[File:TF manga 3 Decepticon Headquarters.jpg|upright=1.4|left|thumb]]
It seems the Decepticons occasionally used a ship to travel to and from Decepticon Headquarters. {{storylink|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers issue 7|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers #7}}

[[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Megatron]] coordinated an attack on [[Tokyo]] from Decepticon Headquarters. {{storylink|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers issue 1|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers #1}} During the construction of [[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]], Megatron had [[Astrotrain (G1)|Astrotrain]] and [[Reflector (G1)|Reflector]] spy on the [[Autobot]]s' construction of [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]]. When they returned to the undersea base, Megatron found the data in their report reason not to be the least bit worried about the new Autobot soldier. {{storylink|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers issue 3|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers #3}} When the Autobots [[Scramble Power|gained control]] over [[Bruticus (G1)|Bruticus]]'s and [[Menasor (G1)|Menasor]]'s movement, the battle was effectively won. [[Kenji]] suggested they'd just drop the two [[combiner]]s off over the ocean. {{storylink|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers issue 5|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers #5}} The Decepticons had been doing experiments on a [[Murdered puppy|dog]] to give and extract [[Decepticon super science]] to and from it. Despite the base being at the bottom of an ocean, the dog managed to escape. {{storylink|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers issue 8|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers #8}}

===''The Battle of the Star Gate''===
[[File:Stargate Battles Decepticon Headquarters.jpg|upright=1.4|thumb]]
In Decepticon Headquarters' command center, [[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Megatron]], [[Starscream (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Starscream]] and [[Soundwave (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Soundwave]] were watching a human newscast on the repairs being performed on the ''[[Trigger]]'' when Megatron and Starscream got in an argument about the latter's competence. Starscream left the command center angrily, after which Megatron and Soundwave moved on to a reconnaissance report made by [[Laserbeak (G1)|Laserbeak]] on the development of the human-made [[C-X]] [[drone]]s. The drones went haywire, which Megatron thought to be Laserbeak's doing, but Soundwave assured him Laserbeak had no part in it. He did, however, detect the interference of another, unidentified party. {{storylink|Divided Views}} Following an [[energon cube]] "theft" in [[Japan]], Starscream was put in charge of the team that had to get them to headquarters despite the [[Autobot]]s' best efforts to prevent it. In the end, it was not the Autobots who stopped the energon cubes from reaching Decepticon Headquarters, but the ghost of Starscream that had traveled to the past to ensure his survival. {{storylink|Activation}} Future Starscream took Past Starscream and the energon cubes with him to the ''Trigger''. Megatron was informed of this when he returned to headquarters and issued the order to attack the traitors and stop whatever they were planning to do. {{storylink|The Battle of the Star Gate}}

===''Robotmasters'' online manga===
{{storylink|The Usurper Decepticon Takes Control}} {{storylink|Starscream Grins 3 Times...}} {{storylink|Strategic Meeting: The Mysterious New Warrior}} {{storylink|And Then}}

{{locationstub}}

==Merchandise==
===Diamond Select===
[[File:DecepticonSnowGlobe.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4]]
*'''Decepticon Snow Globe''' (2007)

:Decepticon Headquarters acts as the base to this snow globe, resting against an underwater cliff which [[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Megatron]] sits atop of. The globe was sculpted by [[Art Asylum]] and released by [[Diamond Select Toys]].

==Notes==
* According to the [[production bible]] of the [[The Transformers (cartoon)|original ''The Transformers'' cartoon]], one of the ideas involving the space bridge was that its end on Earth would be located in a room within Decepticon Headquarters. Evidently, this idea was nixed in order to allow the Autobots a chance to use the space bridge once in a while.
* During the cartoon's course, the Decepticons were very keen on getting another headquarters or at least not being limited to one base. In order, they built [[New Cybertron]] as a new headquarters, created a [[Temporary Decepticon base|giant Decepticon insignia]]-shaped temporary mountain base, possessed an [[incredibly tall rocket]] that served as a mobile base, obtained a [[hangar]] at an airport, constructed a [[Decepticon lunar dome base|moonbase]], started work on a [[Auto-Bop|new headquarters that was never finished]] and owned the [[Sky Platform]]. Going by the Japanese continuity, [[Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers issue 6|''Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers'' #6]] presents [[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]] as a new base meant to be taken in use while the undersea base was still fully functional. Finally, when the Decepticons reinstated their presence on Earth during ''[[Transformers: The Headmasters (cartoon)|The Headmasters]]'', they set up a [[Decepticon Earth Base (Headmasters)|new main base]]. Since it has been 25 years since the undersea base was last seen, it seems likely the new base is its replacement.

[[Category:Decepticon bases on Earth]]
[[Category:Generation 1 cartoon locations‎]]

Decepticon Headquarters (G1 Earth)

2018-03-01T18:07:38Z

OptimusComboy: /* Merchandise */

{{disambig3|Decepticon Headquarters}}
:''Decepticon Headquarters is a base from the [[The Transformers (cartoon)|cartoon portion]] of the [[Generation 1 continuity family]].''

[[File:DivideAndConquer-UnderseaBase.jpg|center|700px|thumb|...and Namor complains about the dwellers of the surface.]]

Built around the undersea crash site of their [[Victory (G1)|former starship]], '''Decepticon Headquarters''' serves as the main base of operations for [[Decepticon|Megatron's troops]] on [[Earth]]. The base includes several buildings that surround the starship, a docking tower, a giant telescoping "elevator" which allows the Decepticons to reach the surface without having to get wet and risk getting [[rust]]y.

==Fiction==
===''The Transformers'' cartoon===
In the months after the Decepticons' space cruiser crashed into the ocean, they built several buildings around it to serve as their main base. {{storylink|Transport to Oblivion (episode)|Transport to Oblivion}}

[[File:TheImmobilizer Laserbeak returns with Carly.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.3|It's supposed to be cats that bring things home to their masters, not birds.]]
Being located underwater, Decepticon Headquarters was quite prone to flooding; its walls were breached on at least four known occasions. The first was due to enemy action. The Decepticons had kidnapped [[Sparkplug Witwicky]]; in the process of rescuing him, Cliffjumper used his [[glass gas]] to burn a hole in the base. Brawn later punched another hole in the wall before the Autobots made their escape. {{storylink|The Ultimate Doom, Part 1}}

When the Decepticons used the [[space bridge]] to move Cybertron to Earth's orbit, it caused massive natural disasters which the Decepticons hoped to make [[energon]] with. Unfortunately, the space cruiser was damaged, with rocks from a nearby extension falling on the base and breaching the hull. Also, the docking tower snapped in half due to a tidal wave, flooding much of the base. That's what happens when [[Rumble (G1)|Rumble]] is responsible for material acquisition. {{storylink|The Ultimate Doom, Part 2}} The Decepticons spent some time repairing the damage and cleaning up the flooding. {{storylink|Countdown to Extinction (episode)|Countdown to Extinction}}

[[File:GirlWhoLovedPowerglide Decepticons in HQ.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4]]
When [[Carly]] allied herself with the Autobots, she took it upon herself to sabotage Decepticon Headquarters, placing bombs on the hull. Unfortunately, when it went off, she had been captured and placed in the very room that was being flooded. The Decepticons sealed off the rest of the base, keeping it dry, and left the human to drown, unaware that [[Ironhide (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ironhide]] rescued her. {{storylink|The Immobilizer}}

Later, after the [[Sky Platform]], a hovering energy collecting station built by the [[Constructicon (G1)|Constructicons]], was lost, the Decepticons fled back to the space cruiser. However, [[Powerglide (G1)|Powerglide]] directed the station to sink directly above the space cruiser's location. Megatron ordered [[Soundwave (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Soundwave]] to activate the base's [[force field]]s, only to learn that the Decepticons had never installed force fields. As the station came crashing down, Megatron assigned the Decepticons to their most difficult task to date... clean up the mess the station's impact had made of the base. They probably made Starscream do it. {{storylink|The Girl Who Loved Powerglide}}

Yet another big leaky hole was blasted into the base when Autobot prisoners Beachcomber, Perceptor, and Seaspray made their escape, flooding a section of the base. {{storylink|The Golden Lagoon (episode)|The Golden Lagoon}}

It is unknown what happened to the base when the Decepticons fully conquered Cybertron and abandoned Earth.

===''Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers'' manga===
[[File:TF manga 3 Decepticon Headquarters.jpg|upright=1.4|left|thumb]]
It seems the Decepticons occasionally used a ship to travel to and from Decepticon Headquarters. {{storylink|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers issue 7|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers #7}}

[[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Megatron]] coordinated an attack on [[Tokyo]] from Decepticon Headquarters. {{storylink|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers issue 1|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers #1}} During the construction of [[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]], Megatron had [[Astrotrain (G1)|Astrotrain]] and [[Reflector (G1)|Reflector]] spy on the [[Autobot]]s' construction of [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]]. When they returned to the undersea base, Megatron found the data in their report reason not to be the least bit worried about the new Autobot soldier. {{storylink|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers issue 3|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers #3}} When the Autobots [[Scramble Power|gained control]] over [[Bruticus (G1)|Bruticus]]'s and [[Menasor (G1)|Menasor]]'s movement, the battle was effectively won. [[Kenji]] suggested they'd just drop the two [[combiner]]s off over the ocean. {{storylink|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers issue 5|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers #5}} The Decepticons had been doing experiments on a [[Murdered puppy|dog]] to give and extract [[Decepticon super science]] to and from it. Despite the base being at the bottom of an ocean, the dog managed to escape. {{storylink|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers issue 8|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers #8}}

===''The Battle of the Star Gate''===
[[File:Stargate Battles Decepticon Headquarters.jpg|upright=1.4|thumb]]
In Decepticon Headquarters' command center, [[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Megatron]], [[Starscream (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Starscream]] and [[Soundwave (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Soundwave]] were watching a human newscast on the repairs being performed on the ''[[Trigger]]'' when Megatron and Starscream got in an argument about the latter's competence. Starscream left the command center angrily, after which Megatron and Soundwave moved on to a reconnaissance report made by [[Laserbeak (G1)|Laserbeak]] on the development of the human-made [[C-X]] [[drone]]s. The drones went haywire, which Megatron thought to be Laserbeak's doing, but Soundwave assured him Laserbeak had no part in it. He did, however, detect the interference of another, unidentified party. {{storylink|Divided Views}} Following an [[energon cube]] "theft" in [[Japan]], Starscream was put in charge of the team that had to get them to headquarters despite the [[Autobot]]s' best efforts to prevent it. In the end, it was not the Autobots who stopped the energon cubes from reaching Decepticon Headquarters, but the ghost of Starscream that had traveled to the past to ensure his survival. {{storylink|Activation}} Future Starscream took Past Starscream and the energon cubes with him to the ''Trigger''. Megatron was informed of this when he returned to headquarters and issued the order to attack the traitors and stop whatever they were planning to do. {{storylink|The Battle of the Star Gate}}

===''Robotmasters'' online manga===
{{storylink|The Usurper Decepticon Takes Control}} {{storylink|Starscream Grins 3 Times...}} {{storylink|Strategic Meeting: The Mysterious New Warrior}} {{storylink|And Then}}

{{locationstub}}

==Merchandise==
===Diamond Select===
[[File:DecepticonSnowGlobe.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4]]
*'''Decepticon Snow Globe''' (2007)

:Decepticon Headquarters acts as the base to this snow globe, resting against an underwater cliff which [[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Megatron]] sits atop of. The globe was sculpted by [[Art Asylum]] and released by [[Diamond Select Toys]].

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Destron Underwater Base''' (デストロン海底基地 ''Desutoron Kaitei Kichi'')

==Notes==
* According to the [[production bible]] of the [[The Transformers (cartoon)|original ''The Transformers'' cartoon]], one of the ideas involving the space bridge was that its end on Earth would be located in a room within Decepticon Headquarters. Evidently, this idea was nixed in order to allow the Autobots a chance to use the space bridge once in a while.
* During the cartoon's course, the Decepticons were very keen on getting another headquarters or at least not being limited to one base. In order, they built [[New Cybertron]] as a new headquarters, created a [[Temporary Decepticon base|giant Decepticon insignia]]-shaped temporary mountain base, possessed an [[incredibly tall rocket]] that served as a mobile base, obtained a [[hangar]] at an airport, constructed a [[Decepticon lunar dome base|moonbase]], started work on a [[Auto-Bop|new headquarters that was never finished]] and owned the [[Sky Platform]]. Going by the Japanese continuity, [[Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers issue 6|''Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers'' #6]] presents [[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]] as a new base meant to be taken in use while the undersea base was still fully functional. Finally, when the Decepticons reinstated their presence on Earth during ''[[Transformers: The Headmasters (cartoon)|The Headmasters]]'', they set up a [[Decepticon Earth Base (Headmasters)|new main base]]. Since it has been 25 years since the undersea base was last seen, it seems likely the new base is its replacement.

[[Category:Decepticon bases on Earth]]
[[Category:Generation 1 cartoon locations‎]]

Nemesis (G1)

2018-03-01T18:05:24Z

OptimusComboy: /* Notes */

{{disambigm|Nemesis (disambiguation)|Lemuria (disambiguation)}}
:''The ''Nemesis'' is a space ship from the [[Generation 1 continuity family|Generation 1]] [[continuity family]].''

[[File:NemesisDreamwave1.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|"Prepare for ship-to-ship intimacy."]]
The '''''Nemesis''''' is a legendary [[Decepticon]] warship, famous for being the Decepticon ship which ambushed the [[Ark (G1)|Ark]].

==Fiction==
===Marvel Comics continuity===
====Marvel ''The Transformers'' comics====
{{noteukonly}}

[[Megatron (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Megatron]] and his crew of Decepticons used the ''Nemesis'' to chase [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Optimus Prime]] and his crew of Autobots out into deep space. Eventually, the Decepticons boarded the Ark, the Autobots' ship, and left the ''Nemesis'' orbiting Earth. The Ark then crashed into Earth with all the Transformers on board, deactivating them and leaving the ''Nemesis'' in orbit with [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]] to watch it. {{storylink|The Transformers (issue)|The Transformers}}

''The ''Nemesis'' remained undisturbed, hidden from Earthling view with superior cloaking technology. In 2006, [[Galvatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Galvatron]] traveled back in time to the year 1986 in order to build a large laser cannon to destroy [[Unicron]]. Upon completing the cannon, Galvatron tested its effectiveness on the orbiting ''Nemesis'', destroying the ship with a single blast.'' {{storylink|Target: 2006}}

During the Decepticon Civil War, Shockwave's base was the ''Nemesis'', which he had parked at the bottom of the ocean 4 million years ago when he fought the Dinobots.

{{note|The ship's identity and part of its backstory was revealed in the letters page,{{fact}} which directly conflicts the earlier UK story. Simon Furman wrote both stories, though not necessarily the letters page.}}

====Crew====
*[[Megatron (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Megatron]]
*[[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]]
*[[Soundwave (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Soundwave]]
*[[Rumble (G1)|Rumble]]
*[[Laserbeak (G1)|Laserbeak]]
*[[Ravage (G1)|Ravage]]
*[[Frenzy (G1)|Frenzy]]
*[[Buzzsaw (G1)|Buzzsaw]]
*[[Starscream (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Starscream]]
*[[Thundercracker (G1)|Thundercracker]]
*[[Skywarp (G1)|Skywarp]]
*[[Spectro]]
*[[Spyglass]]
*[[Viewfinder]]
*[[Decepticon medics|A medic]]

===Generation 1 cartoon continuity===
[[File:Nemesis astroids.jpg|left|upright=1.1|thumb|When the Decepticons play a game of Asteroids, it's quite literal.]]
The ''Nemesis'' was the ship used by the Decepticons to pursue the [[Autobot]]s. All the Decepticons left the ship to board the Ark and both ships ended-up crashing on prehistoric [[Earth]]. {{storylink|More than Meets the Eye, Part 1}}

Before the crash, however, several objects were ejected from the ship, including an escape pod {{storylink|A Plague of Insecticons}} and what would become the [[Pearl of Bahoudin]]. {{storylink|Trans-Europe Express}}

[[File:NemesisMicrobots1.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb|Eh, it's not so big]]
In 1985, archaeologists eventually discovered the wreck of the ''Nemesis'' in South America. Once [[Soundwave (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Soundwave]] relayed the news to [[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Megatron]], the Decepticons deployed immediately. Upon arriving, Megatron removed the ''Nemesis'''s power-source, the [[Heart of Cybertron]] and had [[Hook (G1)|Hook]] then install it in him. Imbued with near-limitless power, Megatron then attempted to destroy the Autobots, and almost succeeded, until the Heart of Cybertron was removed from his body and destroyed by [[Perceptor (G1)|Perceptor]], [[Brawn (G1)|Brawn]] and [[Bumblebee (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Bumblebee]]. {{storylink|Microbots}}

{{-}}
====Crew====
*[[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Megatron]]
*[[Starscream (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Starscream]]
*[[Soundwave (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Soundwave]]
**[[Laserbeak (G1)|Laserbeak]]
**[[Rumble (G1)|Rumble]]
**[[Ravage (G1)|Ravage]]
**[[Frenzy (G1)|Frenzy]]
**[[Buzzsaw (G1)|Buzzsaw]]
*[[Thundercracker (G1)|Thundercracker]]
*[[Skywarp (G1)|Skywarp]]
*[[Reflector (G1)|Reflector]]
*Various [[Air Warrior]]s
*[[Shrapnel (G1)|Shrapnel]]
*[[Bombshell (G1)|Bombshell]]
*[[Kickback (G1)|Kickback]]

===''Beast Wars'' cartoon===
[[File:BWNemesisPt1 rises.jpg|left|upright=1.1|thumb|And in four million years, [[Victory (G1)|its sister ship]] crashes into the ocean, coming full circle.]]
The ''Nemesis'' was the flagship of the [[Decepticon fleet]], and the most powerful warship ever built.

[[File:BWNemesisPt1 Nemesisname.jpg|upright=0.85|thumb|Megs wanted his victims to know who it was that blew them up.]]
According to myth, it was responsible for shooting down the ''Ark''. It was revealed that [[Tarantulas (BW)|Tarantulas]] had discovered the wreckage of the ''Nemesis'' deep under water, and had been refurbishing it for unknown purposes. While he'd finished rebuilding it and outfitting it with [[transwarp]] capabilities, Tarantulas was killed before he could use it; [[Megatron (BW)/Beast Wars cartoon continuity|Megatron]] found out about the ''Nemesis'' soon after, and commandeered it as a last ditch attempt to rewrite history and destroy the Ark. {{storylink|Nemesis Part 1|Nemesis Part 1}}

Using the ''Nemesis''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s awesome power, Megatron managed to kill [[Tigerhawk]], as well as [[Inferno (BW)|Inferno]] and [[Quickstrike (BW)|Quickstrike]] by accident when he tried to avenge himself on the [[Protohuman]] leader. He soon began to tear at [[Mount St. Hilary]], intending to obliterate the slumbering Ark! In the final battle, the ''Nemesis''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s controls were severely damaged when [[Rhinox (BW)|Rhinox]] crashed an [[Autobot Shuttle Omega Delta|Autobot shuttle]] ''through'' the warship. Out of control, the ship flew eastwards into the rising sun, turning slowly south and eventually crashing (unseen) several thousand miles away. {{storylink|Nemesis Part 2|Nemesis Part 2}}
{{-}}
====Tactical systems====
{{quote|I will say this for my namesake; he liked the artillery big, and plentiful.|Beast Wars Megatron on ''Nemesis's'' armaments|"[[Nemesis Part 2]]"}}
[[File:Nemesis missiles.JPG|left|upright=0.85|thumb|Skywarp, Rumble, and Thrust liked to write messages on the missiles.]]
Even for the flagship of the Decepticon space fleet, one might have considered the armament on the ''Nemesis'' to be overkill. In addition to the standard energy weapons used by the Decepticons, the vessel carried a massive amount of [[missile]]s, which could be fired slowly in a swarm of rocket propelled death. A tractor beam could pull anything beneath it up to be sliced and grounded up by rotating blades and drills. The blades were incredibly sharp, being able to slice through solid rock.

[[File:Nemesis fusion cannon.JPG|125px|thumb|"A second fusion cannon is unworkable, Megatron." "Silence, Starscream!"]]
Given that Megatron himself would have be the ship's normal commander, it should not be surprising that the primary weapon on the ''Nemesis'' was a [[fusion cannon]]. The fusion cannon was powered by its own reactor, apparently separate from the main [[Energon]] supply. The reactor needed to be at one hundred percent capacity to fire a blast, and would require a powerup time between blasts.

The ship also featured systems to enable the forced boarding of enemy ships. A pair of magnetic couplings amidships allowed for the Nemesis to forcibly establish a magnetic junction between herself and the unfortunate target, and a boarding chute could be released from within the hull to allow crew-members to cross the gap between ships. The tip of the chute could also be heated to cut through hull plating at least as thick as that used on the [[Ark (G1)|Ark]].

Tactically the ship had two main weaknesses. During the flight from Cybertron a heavy meteor shower required so much power to maintain the shields that ''Nemesis'' was forced to fly in the Ark's wake in order to survive. Given that a similar energy crisis shortly affected the Ark as well, it would seem that both ships were weakened by the lack of energy on Cybertron. Ergo, the Nemesis functioned best when well-fueled, otherwise her size and power requirements could make the ship a liability.

The second weakness was placing all the main tactical, command and fire-control systems in the prominent dorsal conning tower. Though the location provided an excellent viewpoint for piloting the ship and directing combat (and was presumably well armored and shielded), it also made for a compelling target, as happened in the final act of the Beast Wars when [[Rhinox (BW)|Rhinox]] piloted an [[Autobot Shuttle Omega Delta|Autobot shuttle]] straight into the conning tower in a kamikaze run, taking out the bridge and crippling the ship, which flew rudderless until crashing in [[South America]], where in the 20th century human excavations would unearth her. {{storylink|Nemesis Part 2}} {{storylink|Microbots}}
{{-}}

===Dreamwave ''Generation One'' continuity===
After returning to Earth following Shockwave's defeat on Cybertron, [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]] used the ''Nemesis'' as his base of operations. It is unknown if the warship had previously been used for this purpose by the Decepticons or if Starscream rediscovered it after returning to Earth. {{storylink|Black Sunshine}}

The technical specifications for the ''Nemesis'' were:

*Estimated length: 2.5 miles
*Wingspan: 1.75 miles
*Height: 1.25 miles

{{storylink|Transformers: More than Meets the Eye|More Than Meets The Eye #8}}

===IDW Generation 1 continuity===
The ''Nemesis'' was described by Optimus Prime as a Decepticon worldburner. Its intended purpose was to raze a planet {{storylink|Earthfall Chapter 5: I Dream of Wires|I Dream of Wires}} Wheeljack identified it as a Decepticon capitol ship. Starscream claimed it was a '''Cybertronian''' capitol ship, suggesting that after Starscream seized control of Iacon, the ship was seized from the Decepticons. {{storylink|The World of Tomorrow}}

After Megatron defected to the Autobots, [[Galvatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Galvatron]] took command of the Decepticons and led them to Earth on board the ''Nemesis''. It was kept in high orbit and brought to the EDC's base on Bikini Atoll after the 'mind bomb" was used on the Decepticons. {{storylink|Earthfall Chapter 4: Full Fathom Five|Full Fathom Five}} When Prowl hacked into the EDC mainframe he unleashed all the missiles on the ''Nemesis'' crippling it and causing it to crash instantly. {{storylink|Earthfall Chapter 5: I Dream of Wires| I Dream of Wires}} The wreck of the ship ended up on the bottom of the Indian Ocean; it was used as the main base of the Decepticons {{storylink|Onyx Interface Part One: Signals, Calls, and Marches|Signals, Calls, and Marches}} and later, following its near-destruction by the Autobots {{storylink|All Hail Optimus Part 5: As Above...So Below|As Above...So Below}} and capture by the [[Earth Defense Command|E.D.C]], {{storylink|White Heat}} [[G.I. Joe (team)|G.I. Joe]], moved in turning into a stationary base that they rechristened ''Lemuria''. {{storylink|G.I. Joe vol. 5 issue 1|G.I. Joe vol. 5 #1}}

===''Beast Wars: Uprising''===
The legendary vessel that carried the Decepticons to Earth, by the late 24th century a surviving piece of the ''Nemesis'' was part of the collection in the office of [[Dynamic Energon Distillery|D.E.D.]] administrator [[Megatron (BW)|Gnashteeth]]. {{storylink|Identity Politics}}

==Games==
===''Transformers: Mystery of Convoy''===
At the end of the [[Subspace Zone]], [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]] fought and defeated the Destron Boat. {{storylink|Transformers: Mystery of Convoy}}

==Notes==
*The name "Nemesis" wasn't used until the ''[[Beast Wars: Transformers (cartoon)|Beast Wars]]'' cartoon. Before the show, the ship was simply called "Decepticon Space Cruiser".<ref name=bwu-p35>''[[Beast Wars Universe]]'', page 35</ref>
*According to ''[[The Transformers (cartoon)|The Transformers]]'' episode "[[Microbots]]", the star drive on board the Nemesis contains a Cybertronian alloy known as [[Cybertroid alloy]].
*According to ''[[Beast Wars Universe]]'', the Nemesis originally crashed into Atlantic Ocean. After the event from the episode "[[Nemesis Part 2]]", this time the Nemesis crashed into a mountain located in Mexico.<ref name=bwu-p35/>
*''[[Transformers: Energon (franchise)|Energon]]'' [[Sharkticon (Energon)|Sharkticon]]'s [[alternate mode|vehicle mode]] was originally designed to resemble the ''Nemesis'', and his early working name was "Decepticon Nemesis".
* In the IDW continuity the ship is called the ''Nemesis'', looks like the ''[[Revenge (G1)|Revenge]]'' and shares the fate of the ''[[Victory (G1)|Victory]]''. This is why we love [[John Barber]].

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''''Nemesis''''' (ネメシス ''Nemeshisu''), '''Destron Boat''' (''[[Transformers: Mystery of Convoy|Mystery of Convoy]]'', デストロンボート ''Desutoron Bōto'')
*''Mandarin:'' '''Fùchóu Nǘshén''' (復仇女神, "[[Wikipedia:Nemesis (mythology)|Nemesis]]", lit. "Goddess of Revenge"), '''Bàoyìng Hào''' (China, 报应号, "Retribution")
*''French:'' '''''Némésis'''''

==See also==
*{{i|Lemuria}} at the IDW Hasbro Wiki

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Beast Wars starships]]
[[Category:Beast Wars: Uprising vehicles]]
[[Category:Decepticon bases]]
[[Category:Decepticon starships]]
[[Category:Generation 1 locations]]
[[Category:Generation 1 starships]]
[[Category:IDW Generation 1 starships]]
[[Category:Predacon starships]]

Nemesis (G1)

2018-03-01T18:03:34Z

OptimusComboy: /* Foreign names */

{{disambigm|Nemesis (disambiguation)|Lemuria (disambiguation)}}
:''The ''Nemesis'' is a space ship from the [[Generation 1 continuity family|Generation 1]] [[continuity family]].''

[[File:NemesisDreamwave1.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|"Prepare for ship-to-ship intimacy."]]
The '''''Nemesis''''' is a legendary [[Decepticon]] warship, famous for being the Decepticon ship which ambushed the [[Ark (G1)|Ark]].

==Fiction==
===Marvel Comics continuity===
====Marvel ''The Transformers'' comics====
{{noteukonly}}

[[Megatron (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Megatron]] and his crew of Decepticons used the ''Nemesis'' to chase [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Optimus Prime]] and his crew of Autobots out into deep space. Eventually, the Decepticons boarded the Ark, the Autobots' ship, and left the ''Nemesis'' orbiting Earth. The Ark then crashed into Earth with all the Transformers on board, deactivating them and leaving the ''Nemesis'' in orbit with [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]] to watch it. {{storylink|The Transformers (issue)|The Transformers}}

''The ''Nemesis'' remained undisturbed, hidden from Earthling view with superior cloaking technology. In 2006, [[Galvatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Galvatron]] traveled back in time to the year 1986 in order to build a large laser cannon to destroy [[Unicron]]. Upon completing the cannon, Galvatron tested its effectiveness on the orbiting ''Nemesis'', destroying the ship with a single blast.'' {{storylink|Target: 2006}}

During the Decepticon Civil War, Shockwave's base was the ''Nemesis'', which he had parked at the bottom of the ocean 4 million years ago when he fought the Dinobots.

{{note|The ship's identity and part of its backstory was revealed in the letters page,{{fact}} which directly conflicts the earlier UK story. Simon Furman wrote both stories, though not necessarily the letters page.}}

====Crew====
*[[Megatron (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Megatron]]
*[[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]]
*[[Soundwave (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Soundwave]]
*[[Rumble (G1)|Rumble]]
*[[Laserbeak (G1)|Laserbeak]]
*[[Ravage (G1)|Ravage]]
*[[Frenzy (G1)|Frenzy]]
*[[Buzzsaw (G1)|Buzzsaw]]
*[[Starscream (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Starscream]]
*[[Thundercracker (G1)|Thundercracker]]
*[[Skywarp (G1)|Skywarp]]
*[[Spectro]]
*[[Spyglass]]
*[[Viewfinder]]
*[[Decepticon medics|A medic]]

===Generation 1 cartoon continuity===
[[File:Nemesis astroids.jpg|left|upright=1.1|thumb|When the Decepticons play a game of Asteroids, it's quite literal.]]
The ''Nemesis'' was the ship used by the Decepticons to pursue the [[Autobot]]s. All the Decepticons left the ship to board the Ark and both ships ended-up crashing on prehistoric [[Earth]]. {{storylink|More than Meets the Eye, Part 1}}

Before the crash, however, several objects were ejected from the ship, including an escape pod {{storylink|A Plague of Insecticons}} and what would become the [[Pearl of Bahoudin]]. {{storylink|Trans-Europe Express}}

[[File:NemesisMicrobots1.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb|Eh, it's not so big]]
In 1985, archaeologists eventually discovered the wreck of the ''Nemesis'' in South America. Once [[Soundwave (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Soundwave]] relayed the news to [[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Megatron]], the Decepticons deployed immediately. Upon arriving, Megatron removed the ''Nemesis'''s power-source, the [[Heart of Cybertron]] and had [[Hook (G1)|Hook]] then install it in him. Imbued with near-limitless power, Megatron then attempted to destroy the Autobots, and almost succeeded, until the Heart of Cybertron was removed from his body and destroyed by [[Perceptor (G1)|Perceptor]], [[Brawn (G1)|Brawn]] and [[Bumblebee (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Bumblebee]]. {{storylink|Microbots}}

{{-}}
====Crew====
*[[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Megatron]]
*[[Starscream (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Starscream]]
*[[Soundwave (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Soundwave]]
**[[Laserbeak (G1)|Laserbeak]]
**[[Rumble (G1)|Rumble]]
**[[Ravage (G1)|Ravage]]
**[[Frenzy (G1)|Frenzy]]
**[[Buzzsaw (G1)|Buzzsaw]]
*[[Thundercracker (G1)|Thundercracker]]
*[[Skywarp (G1)|Skywarp]]
*[[Reflector (G1)|Reflector]]
*Various [[Air Warrior]]s
*[[Shrapnel (G1)|Shrapnel]]
*[[Bombshell (G1)|Bombshell]]
*[[Kickback (G1)|Kickback]]

===''Beast Wars'' cartoon===
[[File:BWNemesisPt1 rises.jpg|left|upright=1.1|thumb|And in four million years, [[Victory (G1)|its sister ship]] crashes into the ocean, coming full circle.]]
The ''Nemesis'' was the flagship of the [[Decepticon fleet]], and the most powerful warship ever built.

[[File:BWNemesisPt1 Nemesisname.jpg|upright=0.85|thumb|Megs wanted his victims to know who it was that blew them up.]]
According to myth, it was responsible for shooting down the ''Ark''. It was revealed that [[Tarantulas (BW)|Tarantulas]] had discovered the wreckage of the ''Nemesis'' deep under water, and had been refurbishing it for unknown purposes. While he'd finished rebuilding it and outfitting it with [[transwarp]] capabilities, Tarantulas was killed before he could use it; [[Megatron (BW)/Beast Wars cartoon continuity|Megatron]] found out about the ''Nemesis'' soon after, and commandeered it as a last ditch attempt to rewrite history and destroy the Ark. {{storylink|Nemesis Part 1|Nemesis Part 1}}

Using the ''Nemesis''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s awesome power, Megatron managed to kill [[Tigerhawk]], as well as [[Inferno (BW)|Inferno]] and [[Quickstrike (BW)|Quickstrike]] by accident when he tried to avenge himself on the [[Protohuman]] leader. He soon began to tear at [[Mount St. Hilary]], intending to obliterate the slumbering Ark! In the final battle, the ''Nemesis''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s controls were severely damaged when [[Rhinox (BW)|Rhinox]] crashed an [[Autobot Shuttle Omega Delta|Autobot shuttle]] ''through'' the warship. Out of control, the ship flew eastwards into the rising sun, turning slowly south and eventually crashing (unseen) several thousand miles away. {{storylink|Nemesis Part 2|Nemesis Part 2}}
{{-}}
====Tactical systems====
{{quote|I will say this for my namesake; he liked the artillery big, and plentiful.|Beast Wars Megatron on ''Nemesis's'' armaments|"[[Nemesis Part 2]]"}}
[[File:Nemesis missiles.JPG|left|upright=0.85|thumb|Skywarp, Rumble, and Thrust liked to write messages on the missiles.]]
Even for the flagship of the Decepticon space fleet, one might have considered the armament on the ''Nemesis'' to be overkill. In addition to the standard energy weapons used by the Decepticons, the vessel carried a massive amount of [[missile]]s, which could be fired slowly in a swarm of rocket propelled death. A tractor beam could pull anything beneath it up to be sliced and grounded up by rotating blades and drills. The blades were incredibly sharp, being able to slice through solid rock.

[[File:Nemesis fusion cannon.JPG|125px|thumb|"A second fusion cannon is unworkable, Megatron." "Silence, Starscream!"]]
Given that Megatron himself would have be the ship's normal commander, it should not be surprising that the primary weapon on the ''Nemesis'' was a [[fusion cannon]]. The fusion cannon was powered by its own reactor, apparently separate from the main [[Energon]] supply. The reactor needed to be at one hundred percent capacity to fire a blast, and would require a powerup time between blasts.

The ship also featured systems to enable the forced boarding of enemy ships. A pair of magnetic couplings amidships allowed for the Nemesis to forcibly establish a magnetic junction between herself and the unfortunate target, and a boarding chute could be released from within the hull to allow crew-members to cross the gap between ships. The tip of the chute could also be heated to cut through hull plating at least as thick as that used on the [[Ark (G1)|Ark]].

Tactically the ship had two main weaknesses. During the flight from Cybertron a heavy meteor shower required so much power to maintain the shields that ''Nemesis'' was forced to fly in the Ark's wake in order to survive. Given that a similar energy crisis shortly affected the Ark as well, it would seem that both ships were weakened by the lack of energy on Cybertron. Ergo, the Nemesis functioned best when well-fueled, otherwise her size and power requirements could make the ship a liability.

The second weakness was placing all the main tactical, command and fire-control systems in the prominent dorsal conning tower. Though the location provided an excellent viewpoint for piloting the ship and directing combat (and was presumably well armored and shielded), it also made for a compelling target, as happened in the final act of the Beast Wars when [[Rhinox (BW)|Rhinox]] piloted an [[Autobot Shuttle Omega Delta|Autobot shuttle]] straight into the conning tower in a kamikaze run, taking out the bridge and crippling the ship, which flew rudderless until crashing in [[South America]], where in the 20th century human excavations would unearth her. {{storylink|Nemesis Part 2}} {{storylink|Microbots}}
{{-}}

===Dreamwave ''Generation One'' continuity===
After returning to Earth following Shockwave's defeat on Cybertron, [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]] used the ''Nemesis'' as his base of operations. It is unknown if the warship had previously been used for this purpose by the Decepticons or if Starscream rediscovered it after returning to Earth. {{storylink|Black Sunshine}}

The technical specifications for the ''Nemesis'' were:

*Estimated length: 2.5 miles
*Wingspan: 1.75 miles
*Height: 1.25 miles

{{storylink|Transformers: More than Meets the Eye|More Than Meets The Eye #8}}

===IDW Generation 1 continuity===
The ''Nemesis'' was described by Optimus Prime as a Decepticon worldburner. Its intended purpose was to raze a planet {{storylink|Earthfall Chapter 5: I Dream of Wires|I Dream of Wires}} Wheeljack identified it as a Decepticon capitol ship. Starscream claimed it was a '''Cybertronian''' capitol ship, suggesting that after Starscream seized control of Iacon, the ship was seized from the Decepticons. {{storylink|The World of Tomorrow}}

After Megatron defected to the Autobots, [[Galvatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Galvatron]] took command of the Decepticons and led them to Earth on board the ''Nemesis''. It was kept in high orbit and brought to the EDC's base on Bikini Atoll after the 'mind bomb" was used on the Decepticons. {{storylink|Earthfall Chapter 4: Full Fathom Five|Full Fathom Five}} When Prowl hacked into the EDC mainframe he unleashed all the missiles on the ''Nemesis'' crippling it and causing it to crash instantly. {{storylink|Earthfall Chapter 5: I Dream of Wires| I Dream of Wires}} The wreck of the ship ended up on the bottom of the Indian Ocean; it was used as the main base of the Decepticons {{storylink|Onyx Interface Part One: Signals, Calls, and Marches|Signals, Calls, and Marches}} and later, following its near-destruction by the Autobots {{storylink|All Hail Optimus Part 5: As Above...So Below|As Above...So Below}} and capture by the [[Earth Defense Command|E.D.C]], {{storylink|White Heat}} [[G.I. Joe (team)|G.I. Joe]], moved in turning into a stationary base that they rechristened ''Lemuria''. {{storylink|G.I. Joe vol. 5 issue 1|G.I. Joe vol. 5 #1}}

===''Beast Wars: Uprising''===
The legendary vessel that carried the Decepticons to Earth, by the late 24th century a surviving piece of the ''Nemesis'' was part of the collection in the office of [[Dynamic Energon Distillery|D.E.D.]] administrator [[Megatron (BW)|Gnashteeth]]. {{storylink|Identity Politics}}

==Games==
===''Transformers: Mystery of Convoy''===
At the end of the [[Subspace Zone]], [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]] fought and defeated the Destron Boat. {{storylink|Transformers: Mystery of Convoy}}

==Notes==
*The name "Nemesis" wasn't used until the ''[[Beast Wars: Transformers (cartoon)|Beast Wars]]'' cartoon. Before the show, the ship was simply called "Decepticon Space Cruiser".<ref name=bwu-p35>''[[Beast Wars Universe]]'', page 35</ref>
*According to ''[[The Transformers (cartoon)|The Transformers]]'' episode "[[Microbots]]", the star drive on board the Nemesis contains a Cybertronian alloy known as [[Cybertroid alloy]].
*According to ''[[Beast Wars Universe]]'', the Nemesis originally crashed into Atlantic Ocean. After the event from the episode "[[Nemesis Part 2]]", this time the Nemesis crashed into a mountain located in Mexico.<ref name=bwu-p35/>
*''[[Transformers: Energon (franchise)|Energon]]'' [[Sharkticon (Energon)|Sharkticon]]'s [[alternate mode|vehicle mode]] was originally designed to resemble the ''Nemesis'', and his early working name was "Decepticon Nemesis".
* In the IDW continuity the ship is called the ''Nemesis'', looks like the ''[[Revenge (G1)|Revenge]]'' and shares the fate of the ''[[Victory (G1)|Victory]]''. This is why we love [[John Barber]].

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''''Nemesis''''' (ネメシス ''Nemeshisu''), '''Destron Underwater Base''' (''[[Starscream's Brigade]]'', デストロン海底基地 ''Desutoron Kaitei Kichi''), '''Destron Boat''' (''[[Transformers: Mystery of Convoy|Mystery of Convoy]]'', デストロンボート ''Desutoron Bōto'')
*''Mandarin:'' '''Fùchóu Nǘshén''' (復仇女神, "[[Wikipedia:Nemesis (mythology)|Nemesis]]", lit. "Goddess of Revenge"), '''Bàoyìng Hào''' (China, 报应号, "Retribution")
*''French:'' '''''Némésis'''''

==See also==
*{{i|Lemuria}} at the IDW Hasbro Wiki

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Beast Wars starships]]
[[Category:Beast Wars: Uprising vehicles]]
[[Category:Decepticon bases]]
[[Category:Decepticon starships]]
[[Category:Generation 1 locations]]
[[Category:Generation 1 starships]]
[[Category:IDW Generation 1 starships]]
[[Category:Predacon starships]]

Guadalcanal

2018-03-01T18:00:38Z

OptimusComboy:

[[File:StarscreamsBrigade Guadalcanal.jpg|upright=1.67|thumb]]
'''Guadalcanal''' is an island located in the Pacific Ocean on [[Earth]]. In the year [[1943]], [[human]] troops from the [[United States of America]] and [[Japan|Empire of Japan]] clashed there during [[World War II]].

==Fiction==
===''The Transformers'' cartoon===
In [[1985]], after one of [[Starscream (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Starscream]]'s numerous attempts at overthrowing [[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Megatron]], he found himself banished from the [[Decepticon]]s and abandoned on Guadalcanal by [[Laserbeak (G1)|Laserbeak]]. Wandering the island, Starscream discovered several broken-down human military vehicles from the old war, and had the idea of building them into [[Combaticon (G1)|his own troops]]. {{storylink|Starscream's Brigade}}

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Guadalcanal Island''' (ガダルカナル島 ''Gadarukanaru Tou'')

==External links==
*[[wikipedia:Guadalcanal|Guadalcanal at Wikipedia]]

[[Category:Asian islands]]
[[Category:Generation 1 cartoon locations‎]]

Cyclonus's Armada (G1)

2018-02-28T02:43:28Z

OptimusComboy:

{{factions|decepticon|unicron}}
{{disambig3|Armada}}
{{disambig2|the Armada that belongs to [[Cyclonus (G1)|Cyclonus]]|the Cyclonus that belongs to ''[[Transformers: Armada (franchise)|Armada]]''|Cyclonus (Armada)}}
:''Cyclonus's Armada is one or more [[Decepticon]]s from the [[The Transformers (cartoon)|cartoon portion]] of the [[Generation 1 continuity family|Generation 1]] [[continuity family]].''
[[File:Cyclonus armada tftf.jpg|upright=1.4|thumb|Who cares if the President doesn't exist? He's a great American!]]

'''Cyclonus's Armada''' is the [[Decepticon]] or group thereof that [[Unicron]] put under [[Cyclonus (G1)|Cyclonus]]'s command. Any details beyond that are a contentious matter; it may be a single Cyclonus-lookalike, a squadron of them, or instead simply [[Scourge (G1)|Scourge]] and the [[Sweep (G1)|Sweep]]s. It may even be a group including those plus [[Thundercracker (G1)|Thundercracker]] and [[Skywarp (G1)|Skywarp]]! And don't even get us started on who the Cyclonus-bot(s) might've been created ''from.''

==Fiction==
===''Generation 1'' cartoon continuity===
====''The Transformers'' cartoon====
[[File:Cycloni ffod5.jpg|left|thumb|Because this is from "Five Faces of Darkness, Part 5", we assume it to be in error. It's meant to be [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ultra Magnus]] and [[Munka Spanka]] with the [[Witwicky]] family on [[Earth]].]]
[[File:Cyclonus oddity armadaesque.jpg|thumb|upright=0.85|Shockingly, something [[e-HOBBY]] failed to consider for ''[[Henkei! Henkei! Transformers (toyline)|Gentei! Gentei!]]''.]]

When [[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Megatron]] agreed to submit himself to Unicron and be re-created as [[Galvatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Galvatron]], Unicron also turned several fallen Decepticons into new warriors. He announced their names as he did so, first "Scourge the tracker and his huntsmen, the Sweeps" and then "Cyclonus the warrior and his armada". As Cyclonus was created, a duplicate of him could also be seen. But this doppelganger quickly disappeared and was rarely seen again. {{storylink|The Transformers: The Movie}}

At least four jets of Cyclonus's design were seen on two occasions during an assault on [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]]. One even sported a unique paint job which, oddly, resembled [[Dirge (G1)|Dirge]]'s! {{storylink|Five Faces of Darkness, Part 5}}

{{note|It is possible to dismiss all of these duplicate Cyclonuses as animation errors, especially the ones in the notoriously poorly-made "[[Five Faces of Darkness]]".}}
{{-}}

====IDW ''Transformers: The Animated Movie'' comic====
[[File:Armada idw20th boom.jpg|left|thumb|For a guy who died so quickly, he sure created a lot of problems.]]

A jet identical to Cyclonus was destroyed by a blast of [[Grimlock (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Grimlock]]'s fire-breath. {{storylink|To the Death—and Beyond!}}

{{note|Although Grimlock did indeed use his fire-breath in this manner in the movie itself, his target was unambiguously Cyclonus himself with Galvatron inside. While Cyclonus survived that encounter with little damage, his lookalike in the comic goes kersplodey with equal unambiguity.}}
{{--}}

====Rodimus vs. Cyclonus====
Not long after their creation, Cyclonus and Scourge hunted down [[Hot Rod/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Hot Rod]], [[Kup (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Kup]], and the [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobot]]s while they fled from [[Quintessa]] to [[Junkion (planet)|the planet of Junk]]. The hunters split up, and Cyclonus found the [[Autobot]]s on his own. Boarding their ship, he fought with Hot Rod, who taunted him. Cyclonus responded bitterly, complaining about how he'd been overlooked and undervalued "all his lives"; he said that even Unicron had failed to deliver on his promise of personal troops. He was jealous of Scourge's Sweeps, and in fact when Scourge caught up with them, the two ended up fighting each other instead of the Autobots. {{storylink|Rodimus vs. Cyclonus}}

====Ask Vector Prime====
In an unstable [[Iocus]] reality created by the machinations of [[Sideways (RID)|Sideways]] and [[gbwiki:Gong|Gong]] wherein the [[Unicron War]] played out with [[GoBot]]s involved, [[gbwiki:Slicks|Slicks]] was reformatted into the Armada, which was built off of [[Fracture (Movie)|Fracture]]'s template instead. {{storylink|Echoes and Fragments}}

===Marvel future timelines===
[[File:CyclonusArmadaMarvel.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|Cyclonus's Armada Shadow Mode.]]

Several additional ships in the shape of Cyclonus were present above the surface of [[Unicron]] shortly after Galvatron's creation. When Galvatron decided that he needed to take care of [[Starscream (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Starscream]] before going after the [[Matrix of Leadership|Autobots' Matrix]], the ships followed Cyclonus to Cybertron. {{storylink|Judgment Day!}}

{{-}}
===3H comics===
[[File:Wreckersskywarpcyclonus.jpg|left||thumb|Well, that clears ''that'' up.]]

During the [[Vehicon (BM)|Vehicon]] conquest of Cybertron Cyclonus and Skywarp coexisted, surviving by taking on [[Aero Drone]] forms. {{storylink|Departure}} They joined the [[Wrecker]]s, though Cyclonus eventually betrayed them because he was secretly on a mission from [[Cryotek (Universe)|Cryotek]]. {{storylink|Disclosure}}

When the Wreckers caught up with Cyclonus in the bowels of Cybertron, for a moment Skywarp appeared to switch to his side. Cyclonus attributed this to Skywarp having once been his "Armada". Skywarp shot him and told him he had always hated that and hated him, even when Cyclonus had been [[Bombshell (G1)|"a bug"]]. {{storylink|Wreckers: Finale Part II}}

{{--}}

==Origins==
[[File:TFTMCyclonusArmadaCloseup.jpg|left|upright=0.95|thumb|My shade of blueish purple may be almost 5% different!]]

The Armada is, in general, a monumental headache for a number of reasons. The basic idea was for Cyclonus to have a group of followers identical to him in design as a natural counterpart to Scourge's Sweeps. This is evidenced by the movie script:

:<tt>CYCLONUS is CREATED and then his "armada" of similar, but smaller and similarly colored and clad creatures are formed.</tt><ref>[http://www.camphortree.net/tf/tidbits/tftm_script.txt Final version of the ''Transformers: The Movie'' script]</ref>

However, while the [[#Marvel The Transformers: The Movie comic adaptation|original comic adaptation of the movie]] follows through with this, the actual movie itself does anything but. Only ''one'' Armada robot is shown to be created and then promptly vanishes from the film mere seconds later, while the number of Sweeps seems to increase from the two who are shown being created to... well, as many as they need.

Consequently, opinions differ on the Armada's actual existence, with some arguing that since Cyclonus's personal army was dropped in production and removed from the film immediately after being introduced, its inclusion is an error that should be ignored. But then, if the Armada ''is'' seen to exist, precisely ''who'' was turned into a Cyclonus-bot is the subject of yet another debate. (See [[Cyclonus (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity#Who is Cyclonus?|"Who is Cyclonus?"]] for more on that.)

[[File:Armadadecepticon.jpg|86px|thumb|Unicron even made them t-shirts.]]

Some interpret the "and his armada" line to refer to Scourge and the Sweeps. This is a somewhat awkward reading because they had been created and called out by name already, but in recent times a bit of evidence has emerged in favor of that view: The [[The Transformers: Masterpiece|Masterpiece]] Thundercracker and Skywarp toys came packed with [[:File:MPSkywarp stickers.jpg|a sticker-sheet featuring multiple Decepticon-themed emblems]] such as "[[Seeker (body-type)|Jetron]] Airforces", "[[Kremzeek]] Attack", and "Skywarp Teleport". One of these says "Armada Decepticon" and shows a Cyclonus-shaped silhouette with several Sweep-shapes behind it. This leaves ''lots'' of room for interpretation, as it's impossible to tell whether the actual Cyclonus and Scourge are among the silhouettes, and the idea of this somehow applying to Thundercracker and Skywarp in their pre-Unicronian forms is just icing on the cake of confusion.

{{--}}

==Toys==
While there have been no toys of the Armada released, anyone interested in [[army-building|assembling an armada]] is not without options! As the Armada are physically identical to Cyclonus, enterprising fans can purchase multiples of the [[Cyclonus (G1)/toys|Cyclonus toy]] of their choosing and [[personal canon|make pretend]].

==Notes==
* The capitalization of "Armada" is inconsistent in the fiction. The movie script, treating it as a generic term for a group of soldiers, leaves it uncapitalized. The ''Wreckers'' story, treating it as a singular identifier for Skywarp's Unicronian form, capitalizes it. We default to the proper-name form unless the specific fiction dictates otherwise.

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''The Invincible Fleet''' (その無敵艦隊 ''So no Muteki Kantai'')

==References==
<references />

{{DEFAULTSORT:Armada}}
[[Category:Fandom]]
[[Category:Generation 1 Decepticons]]
[[Category:Unicron-related characters]]

Mizuho Suzuki

2018-02-27T20:02:14Z

OptimusComboy:

'''Mizuho Suzuki''' (鈴木瑞穂, Suzuki Mizuho) is a Japanese screen and voice actor (born [[October 23]], [[1927]]). He is primarily a screen actor, appearing in numerous films and television dramas, including ''[[Godzilla|''The Return of Godzilla'']]'' and ''Makai Tenso'' (aka, ''Samurai Resurrection''). In terms of anime voice over work, however, he is perhaps best recognized as Dr. Onishi from ''Akira''. In the world of dubbing, Suzuki mostly sticks to live action films (though he was the narrator for Disney's ''Beauty and the Beast''), having dubbed Vito Corleone in the TV version of ''The Godfather'' and [[Darth Vader]] in all Nippon TV broadcasts of the ''[[Star Wars (franchise)|Star Wars]]'' trilogy.

==Voice roles==
===''The Transformers: The Movie''===

*[[Unicron]]

==External links==

*[http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E9%88%B4%E6%9C%A8%E7%91%9E%E7%A9%82 Mizuho Suzuki at Japanese Wikipedia]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Suzuki, Mizuho}}
[[category:Japanese voice actors]]

The Transformers: The Movie/dubs

2018-02-27T19:58:13Z

OptimusComboy: /* Japan */

'''''[[The Transformers: The Movie]]''''' has been translated and dubbed into many languages, each with its own set of quirks and oddities.

==Brazil==
The Movie was released in Brazilian theaters almost simultaneously with the launch of the series on television. It was later released on home video on the late '80s, but on a very small scale, which made it very hard to find in video stores. The movie was aired on television just once and received a new dub for this.

The most probable reason for this is that the home video version was based on the one released in the United States and the television one was based on the European release, as it had the ''Star Wars''-type text in the beginning and the narrator at the end stating that [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus]] would return. Which dubbing is the best is a regular debate topic among Brazilian fans.

These dubs are different not only in the choice of some voice actors, but in the translation. Brazilian fans usually debate about which dub is the best, but as with many things in franchise, this is simply a matter of taste. After all, both dubs have their share of problems—though neither of them allowed Spike to swear.

===Home video dub===
The home video was released a few years before ''The Movie'' was shown on television, but a few years after the television series had stopped being broadcast on Brazilian networks. Because of this, it was the only way the fans could have a little taste of the franchise for years.

In this dubbing, all of the pre-''Movie'' main characters are dubbed by the same voice actors who played them on the television series. [[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Megatron]] does not receive a new voice when he is transformed into [[Galvatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Galvatron]].

This dubbing is the most localized of the two translations but is also the most "childish". For example, when [[Hot Rod/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Hot Rod]] and [[Kup (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Kup]] are running toward [[Autobot City (G1)|Autobot City]] and see the [[Insecticon (G1)|Insecticons]], Kup states, "The Insecticons are in the way," and Hot Rod replies, "Wrong, they're on their way to the hole!", something that made no sense at all and the translator probably thought would be fun for the kids watching ''The Movie''.

When Kup and [[Wreck-Gar (G1)|Wreck Gar]] are conversing, both make references to Brazilian television series. Kup says "plim-plim", which is a reference to a vignette program on Rede Globo, the Brazilian network that aired ''The Transformers'' during the '80s.

Instead of casting a deep-voiced actor for [[Unicron]], they heavily distorted Unicron's voice, making him sound menacing but almost unintelligible. The same thing was done to the [[Quintesson]]s and their servants. A similar situation occurred with [[Blurr (G1)|Blurr]]; since the voice actor who played Blurr could not talk as fast as [[John Moschitta]], his voice was also distorted to make it sound faster. It worked, but it also made him difficult to understand.

Finally, the "mechanization" of the voice actors playing the robots was not the same as used in the television series; they sound more like characters talking through a radio.

[[Wheelie (G1)|Wheelie]] does not rhyme.

===Television dub===
''The Movie'' was broadcast only once on Rede Globo during a special week dedicated to children. Most of the pre-''Movie'' characters retained the same voices they had on the home video release, but all of the new Transformers got new voice actors, including Galvatron. The dubbing also lost the "localization" the home video release received; many lines were more faithful translations, while others lost all sense to Brazilian audiences.

The characters possess the same "robotic" distortion on their voices that they had in the television series; no kind of heavy modulation was used. An actor with a deep voice was cast as Unicron, and no distortion was used for the character, which made it possible for the fans to understand his dialogue. On the other hand, no distortion was used on Blurr, so the actor was forced to try to emulate John Moschitta's impossibly fast speaking, with debatable results.

One notable dubbing error occurs when Hot Rod opens the Matrix at the end of ''The Movie'': The line "Light our darkest hour" is delivered by Optimus Prime's voice actor instead of Hot Rod's. Brazilian fans who'd only watched the television version debated that at this moment, Optimus's spirit was speaking through Rodimus, approving of him becoming leader while imbuing him with his courage. Of course, all this debate ceased when ''The Movie'' was released on DVD on the United States, which made it more accessible to Brazilian fans.

Wheelie rhymes.

==Denmark==
The first time the movie was shown was on Danish national television broadcaster DR in the fall of 2009. While there had been dubbed episodes of the original television show made in the 1980s for home video and later TV airings, the movie was not dubbed at that point. Rather a completely new cast was used for the movie, possibly made for this specific airing. The dubbed movie was re-broadcast 2 years later on a sub-station of DR.

The dubbing had a larger cast of voice actors than the late-80s dub of the TV series with one or two actors returning to the franchise after 25 years. However, some lines were omitted by mistake (a few characters could be seen moving their lips visibly but without any sound being heard) while others appeared at completely random times (a line uttered by Galvatron missing earlier in the movie "appearing" towards the end in a completely unrelated scene possibly due to a bad time code in the dubbing software).

This version was based on the UK print of the movie and has yet to see a public release on any kind of media.

==France/Quebec==
For French-speaking audiences, who had thus far been given two separate dubs of the TV series (one done in France and one done in Quebec, a very common occurrence), a single dub was made for all French releases of the film. This release used a brand-new voice actor team rather than using either dub team from the series. Whereas the old dubs used the French names from the toy packages, the movie used all of the characters' English names. Two characters were given gender changes for this dub; Starscream and Shrapnel both become females. One notable change to the dialog occurs when Starscream asks "Megatron? Is that you?" Galvatron's original answer, "Here's a hint!", is now much more direct: "Yes, but stronger than before!" ("Oui, mais plus fort qu'avant!" [obliterates her])
Another Megatron-related change is that he retains his "original" voice once he becomes Galvatron (unlike the original dub).

==Germany==
Germany also got two different dubs over the years:

As the movie had never been shown in German theaters, the first dub, titled ''Transformers: Der Kampf um Cybertron'' (''Transformers: The Battle for Cybertron''), was made in 1994 for airing on the German TV station RTL, to serve as a "pilot" for the [[Transformers: Generation 2 (cartoon)|''Generation 2'' cartoon series]] which would be subsequently broadcast. (One might argue that the initial omission of the movie from the [[The Transformers (cartoon)|original cartoon's]] German airing schedule resulted in an information gap regarding the shift from the season 2 setting to the season 3 setting; but then again, the cartoon ''started'' with episodes from season 3 in Germany, and only ''six'' episodes from the first two seasons were ever aired during the entire original "Generation 1" run of the show, so it's not like context problems weren't already all over the place.)

Even though the dub was made only five years after the dub of the Generation 1 cartoon had started on German TV, only a few of the German voice actors returned, most of them not even in the same roles they had played before. Optimus Prime, for example, was now dubbed by Thomas Rau, who had originally voiced Rodimus Prime, Blaster and Scourge in the cartoon itself. As in the dub of the cartoon before, all the characters retained their English names... with the exception of [[Devastator (G1)|Devastator]], whose name was translated as "Der Vernichter" for reasons unknown (he was "Devastator" in the dub of the cartoon itself). This version of the movie was only shown twice (not counting late-night reruns following those airings), on its TV premiere in April 1994 and one year later, in May of 1995. It was never released on VHS either. (Contrary to a widespread rumor,<ref>[http://www.ofdb.de/view.php?page=fassung&fid=7489&vid=38680 German movie database still listing the rumor about Starscream's "edited death" in TF:TM]</ref> the German TV edition of the movie was ''not'' edited to omit Starscream's death scene.)

In 2003, the movie, this time simply titled ''Transformers'', was finally released on DVD in Germany, by a little-known, low-budget label. Since the TV edition of the movie had been used as a "pilot" for the G2 cartoon, and it had been archived under the title "Der Kampf um Cybertron", the dubbing masters were not located until more than a year later, so the DVD company assigned an entirely new dub... which makes the [[Omni Productions]] dub and the [[Voicebox Productions|Voicebox]] dub of ''[[Transformers: Energon (cartoon)|Energon]]'' look like masterpieces. Numerous translation errors resulted from the apparent lack of an original script, thus requiring the dubbers to translate simply from listening to the original audio; coupled with a lack of experience with the source material and a lack of professional knowledge in the English (and German) language in general, resulting in look-it-up-in-a-dictionary-use-first-suggestion translations, sentences that ''make no sense whatsoever at all'' in context, and generally stilted and unnatural-sounding dialogue.

In addition, none of the voice actors sounded like they were particularly experienced in the field of dubbing, especially since none of their voices were recognizable from other productions. (It's not like the original TV dub was exactly a masterpiece, but there were some genuine gems, such as Bernd Simon's rendition of Starscream, or the [[Junkion (species)|Junkions]]' dialogue; and major technical and translation errors were by far fewer than the rampant across-the-board error-fest that was the DVD dub.)

The DVD is also notorious for its packaging, which does its best to obscure ''what exactly it contains'' (i.e. a feature-length animated movie). The front cover uses the cover artwork of the old Panini Generation 1 sticker album, while the back cover depicts stills from "[[The Golden Lagoon (episode)|The Golden Lagoon]]", "[[The Return of Optimus Prime, Part 1]]" and "[[The Autobot Run]]", coupled with an (incorrect) summary of the general setting of the first two seasons of the Generation 1 cartoon, with the term "Transformers" translated into German for whatever reason. A second edition of this DVD was released in 2006, this time featuring artwork of [[Optimus Prime (Armada)|Armada Optimus Prime]] on the front cover, with Earth (from the [[Transformers (film)|2007 movie's]] promo poster) as the background, plus the 1984 back-of-the-box artwork rotated by 270 degrees as an overlay, and the "Transformers" title logo from the 2007 movie. The back cover depicts a screencap from the [[Transformers (PS2)|''Armada'' video game]], [[Don Figueroa]]'s "All Optimus" poster and the 1984 back-of-the-box battle scene, plus the same sleeve text as featured on the 2003 release of the DVD, with none of the errors fixed.

==Hungary==
The movie has two dubs even in Hungary. The first, created for a 1992 VHS release by a company called Televideo is rather unprofessional, the second, distributed by Mirax in 2004, is more recent and somewhat more professional. Both versions include the scrolling text and other European edits; the Mirax one even has the "gong man". Issues they both have in common include a small dubbing cast, inconsistent voices and translation errors. Further, neither dub used the name translations popularized by the Hungarian release of the [[The Transformers (Marvel comic)|G1 comics]].

===Televideo===

Similar to the comics, the title is translated here as ''Alakváltók'' (''Shape-shifters''). Fans have counted a total of five actors in the dub (four men for random characters, while a female actress grants her voice to Arcee, Daniel, and most of Wheelie's dialog). Lip-sync is practically non-existent, the actors at times continue talking even when another character is moving its lips. Certain lines are missing or spoken at the wrong time (most notably Megatron's "Die, Autobots!" shout), Grimlock rhymes after meeting Wheelie instead of the latter, and Cliffjumper and Springer share the same name. Meanwhile, Blaster, for instance, changes his voice three times during one scene. Due to the small dubbing cast and the early voice-altering techniques, the dialog of the Junkions is rather easily understood, and it appears the translator actually made an effort to write an occasional Hungarian commercial line or catch phrase into the script. (It is not known where the line was derived from or what it refers to, however, so it is entirely possible that it's nothing more than a spark of individual creativity on the translator's part. Even if that's true, it's a point in the dub's favor). There's also a curious translation gaffe during the Decepticons' reformation scene, where Unicron claims that there's only one Sweep, even naming him "Karmos" (roughly, "Claws").

In general, mistakes aside, the translation is surprisingly witty, and some of the lines are quite catchy – Blurr's cheesy tongue-twister about shooting Decepticons is especially famous among older fans. The problem is that the dialog is also drastically ''compressed'', leading to many awkward moments of characters silently mouthing unspoken words.

Even so, this first version remains popular, and only those fans who have only recently been introduced to it seem to hate it. As for why the word Decepticon was translated to "Toad", well, that remains a mystery to this day. It may be a tribute to an old German sci-fi TV series, ''Raumpatrouille – Die phantastischen Abenteuer des Raumschiffs Orion'' (''Space patrol – The Fantastic Adventures of the Spaceship Orion''), which was quite popular in Hungary in the late Sixties. In this series, the main enemy alien race is called "Frogs", but it was translated as "Varangyok" ("Toads") in the Hungarian version. Some fans like to give the nickname "Darth Vader" to Optimus Prime when talking about this dub, as (most of) Prime's lines were delivered by the same voice actor, the late Lajos Kránitz, who supplied the voice of the Sith Lord in the most recent ''Star Wars'' dubs. He had also played the part of Unicron in this dub, and later returned in ''[[Transformers: Energon (cartoon)|Transformers: Energon]]'' to shout "Transform!" as the same character.

===Mirax===

The second and more disliked dub has a reputation among the fans for including more profanities than the original version of the film. Although Spike's "Oh, shit!" line was cut, [[Ironhide (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ironhide]], Galvatron and the [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobots]] say terms akin to "asshole" (from Grimlock to Blurr), "bastards" (Galvatron to the Autobots), "stupid", "brainless, wee-brained moron" ([[Slag (G1)|Slag]] to [[Grimlock (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Grimlock]]), "sons of bitches" (this one even twice, in place of the original's "Decepti-chops" and "Decepti-creeps"), and "candyass" (from Galvatron, regarding Hot Rod). Quite interesting, seeing as the dubs produced in that era have been known for freeing the movies of their swear words.

This dub is also infamous for using untranslated or incorrectly translated names, and random voice actors for random characters with random voice-pacing. These names include Unicornis (Unicron), Mega-robot (Devastator), Constructors ([[Constructicon (G1)|Constructicons]]), Deceptors ([[Decepticon]]s, but only said once), Gettison ([[Astrotrain (G1)|Astrotrain]], derived and mis-interpreted from the line "Jettison some weight."), Astro (again, Astrotrain), and Eject (this refers to no one, it was mistranslated from Soundwave's "Eject" call). Unicron's last line in particular, which translates to "History cannot destroy m-e-e-e!" suggests that the translator had no script to work from, and thus had to rely solely on her hearing.

Other oddities are a non-rhyming Wheelie, and [[Soundwave (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Soundwave]] and Unicron at first talking in a seg-men-ted, ro-bo-tic man-ner.

The switching of voices is also common in this version. An interesting blooper occurs during the attack on the Autobot shuttle: Ironhide speaks his final words in [[Starscream (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Starscream]]'s voice ("Please, have mercy!"), and curiously, the translation of Megatron's "Such heroic nonsense" line corresponds with this sudden change of personality, as he says to (supposedly) Starscream, "Death to all traitors" before blasting him – actually blasting Ironhide, of course. Now ''this'' is a foreshadowing of later events.

The DVD case has G.I. Joe pictures printed on the back side, as well as on the DVD itself. Spiffy. On a positive note, the summary on the back of the case is actually competently written, even if the references to the cartoon series (which wasn't released in the country) and to the movie's place in its timeline are worded a bit confusingly, and unlike the dub, it renders Unicron's name correctly.

An interesting tidbit is that Bumblebee in the 2007 movie has the same voice he had in the Mirax dub of ''The Transformers: The Movie'' – this, however, is probably a coincidence, seeing as that guy supplied half of the voices for the cast in this dub.

Mirax, working with the dubbing studio Masterfilm Digital would later localize ''[[Transformers: Armada (cartoon)|Armada]]'', sadly still maintaining some of the general incompetence displayed by their handling of this movie.

==Italy==
There are two Italian dubs: the original one and a 2007 redub made when the live movie arrived in cinemas.

===Original dub===
This dub uses the original names for the new characters, except for Wheelie, named here "Saetta" (which was already Wheeljack's Italian name, curiously). Lots of lines are completely different from the original script: Devastator's "Prepare for extermination!" became "I'll destroy you, Transformers!", Grimlock's "Me Grimlock like challenge!" is replaced with "We Dinobots ready for great battle!" Optimus's line "Soon I shall be all one with the Matrix" turns into "The most important thing now is the passage of the Matrix" and "Arise, Rodimus Prime" was changed to "Now rise up, Hot Rod!"

===2007 redub===
The redub uses the Italian names for everyone except Ravage, Laserbeak, Ratbat and Rodimus Prime (Hot Rod, although, is called "Folgore"). "Soundwave superior, Constructicons inferior" becomes "The Soundwave is superior, the Constructicon is inferior!" (no, seriously.)

There are many mispronounciations: Constructicons is pronounced "Con-STROOK-ticons", Laserbeak is named "Laserback" and [[Junk]] is called "Yoonk".

Blurr's speech is fast, and for some reason he also speaks in rhymes, probably to make it sound more repetitive.

Also, for some reason, there is a flub on Optimus Prime and Ultra Magnus's voices: At the beginning of the movie Optimus is voiced by [[Fabrizio Pucci]]. Ultra Magnus is voiced by [[Sergio Di Giulio]] in his first line, and then Fabrizio Pucci takes the role starting from the character's second line. Then, after the "Dinobots, destroy Devastator!" line, Optimus's voice is [[Claudio Sorrentino]] for the remainder of the movie.

Another amusing error is in the Junkion's chant of "remove the toughest stains", that is translated as "remove the toughest Slags"... as in "taking away an army of clones of [[Slag (G1)|the Dinobot who transforms into a Triceratops]]", since the actual Italian line is "rimuovere i Tricex più duri" ("Tricex" is Slag's Italian name). What.

The script is more faithful to the original version otherwise. The redub was poorly received by Italian fans.

==Japan==
[[File:UnicronWarMagami01.jpg|right|upright=1.4|thumb]]

Although '''''Transformers: The Movie''''' (トランスフォーマーザ・ムービー) was advertised during 1987, and was even originally scheduled for a theatrical release in the summer of that year, unknown circumstances resulted in a delay of the Japanese release. It was not released in Japan until August 1989, first through limited charity screenings for UNICEF in Tokyo and Osaka (where a man in a Powermaster Optimus Prime costume greeted guests), followed immediately by a [[Wikipedia:LaserDisc|LaserDisc]] and VHS release. A precise reason for the delay has never been confirmed. Footage taken during the charity screenings was included in the straight-to-video promotional film, "Transformers Theatrical Version!! Video Finally Here" (トランスフォーマー劇場公開バージョン!!ビデオついに登場).

Unfortunately, the delay would later cause some continuity problems in future Japanese-penned ''Transformers'' fiction, as characters killed in the movie (notably [[Prowl (G1)|Prowl]] and [[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]]) appear in later series ''[[Transformers: The Headmasters (cartoon)|The Headmasters]]'' and ''[[Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers: Victory (cartoon)|Victory]]'' respectively.

Despite not being released in Japan in 1987 as intended, the events of the movie were [[Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers 2010 (story page)|summarized]] in ''[[TV Magazine]]'' with accompanying artwork by [[Ban Magami]] so that children tuning into ''[[Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers 2010 (franchise)|Transformers 2010]]'' would not be lost. The events of the movie would regularly be referred to as the "[[Unicron War]]", gaining something of a mysterious and legendary quality, as their events were constantly referred to but never ''seen''.

Although ''Transformers: The Movie'' was dubbed several years after ''[[Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers (franchise)|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers]]'' and ''Transformers 2010'' had ended, the majority of cast members from those series returned to reprise their roles.

The Japanese dub is notable for adding a lot of lines and voice effects to moments which had been silent in the English version, including the following:

*The shuttle attack scene originally doesn't have much talking during combat, but the Japanese dub adds numerous lines to many characters on both sides of the fight. For example, after killing Brawn, Starscream cheerfully asks who's next while waving Megatron around.
*During Optimus Prime's attack on the Decepticons and his fight with Megatron, every Decepticon Prime shoots can be heard screaming in pain, while his battle with Megatron has numerous grunts and curses added in.

[[File:TFTMMagnusJapCaption01.jpg|left|200px|thumb|"Hang on, there's something on the screen down here. Let me get that..."]]

Some of the additions were quite goofy (e.g., Blitzwing begs Prime not to run him over before getting out of the way) but some were actually quite disturbing. For example, when Starscream is killed by Galvatron, he gives off a long, tortured scream. In addition, the destruction of Lithone is made more horrifying by the sounds of the natives dying (some of them even being cut off mid-scream).

There are also a few slight dialogue alterations, such as Megatron ''specifically'' ordering the Insecticons to breach the Autobot defenses, to which [[Shrapnel (G1)|Shrapnel]] and [[Kickback (G1)|Kickback]] respond in unison with a high-pitched ''"Yessss siirrr!"'' Soundwave's famous "Soundwave superior, Constructicons inferior," is modified into "Soundwave is intelligent, the Constructicons are just idiots!"

The only other alteration of note in regards to the Japanese version is that whenever a character appears on screen for the first time, their name and function appears with them (written in Japanese, of course).

{{-}}

==Latin America==
The Latin American Spanish dub was done in [[Los Angeles]] and is notable because it kept all the voice actors from the cartoon and the new characters remained with the same voices for the remainder of the show. Every character is referred to by his/her original English name, since none of the characters' names were translated when the cartoon was dubbed into Spanish (except Ravage, who was called "Destructor" on the cartoon, but kept his English name on the movie).

Features the Star Wars-type text in the beginning and the narrator at the end stating that Optimus Prime will return.

Though it is one of the most popular dubs of the movie, it has only been released domestically on home video once and is very difficult to find nowadays. In addition, it hasn't been shown on TV since the early Nineties. Despite this, the dub has been included in many international releases of the movie.

This dub removes all swearing and makes Optimus Prime's death scene even more traumatic by having Daniel ''actually'' crying when Optimus flatlines.

Galvatron sounds exactly like Megatron and Wheelie occasionally rhymes because his dialogue was ''literally'' translated.

==Spain==
In Spain, the movie was aried once in Latin American on the channel ''Antena 3''. However, when the Generation 1 DVDs were published by the company Selecta Visión, they included both the Latin American dub and a new Spanish one (Castilian) that recycled the first's translations, but adding some errors in the character's names. It was aired for the first and only time in Castilian the year 2008 in ''Local Media TV'', but the audio quality wasn't very good, probably due to emission problems.

==Poland==
In Poland, the movie was never professionally dubbed. In the only official (and cult classic) release on VHS in 1992, all the dialogue was read by a single voice-over actor, while the original sound was left intact and could be heard in the background. To this day, that characteristic form of "narrating" is a very popular solution in Poland when it comes to translating movies for TV or DVDs. Thanks to this method, you can both understand the story and hear all the original voices. In the case of ''The Transformers: The Movie'' it also forced translators to leave (almost) all the original names intact. (Yay!)

==Footnotes==
{{Reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Transformers: The Movie/dubs}}
[[Category:Generation 1 media]]
[[Category:Real world films]]

Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers 2010 (story page)

2018-02-27T19:36:15Z

OptimusComboy: /* Part 1 */

{{nav-2010}}

The '''''Transformers 2010''''' [[story page]]s were published in ''[[TV Magazine]]'' from December, 1986, to June, 1987. The stories were primarily provided by [[Masumi Kaneda]] while the art was provided by both [[Studio OX]] and [[Ban Magami]].

Much like the story pages associated with ''[[Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers (story page)|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers]]'', the ''2010'' story pages were not particularly concerned with telling ''stories'' like later series were, instead featuring mostly character fact files, match-ups and the occasional hypothetical situation. They did have one great task, however: As ''[[The Transformers: The Movie]]'' was not released in Japan until 1989, the burden of transitioning audiences from ''[[The Transformers (cartoon)|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers]]'' (US seasons 1 and 2) into ''[[The Transformers (cartoon)|Transformers 2010]]'' (US season 3) fell solely on the shoulders of the story pages. To spice things up, various "tricks" were employed, such as "subtly" implying that [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]] may be a reborn [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]] in order to maintain an air of mystery to the circumstances that led to the state of affairs in the ''Transformers 2010'' cartoon. A more detailed account of the events of ''The Transformers: The Movie'' was gradually revealed over the course of several story pages, but with the events always referred to as the "[[Unicron War]]".

==Issues==
===Part 1===
[[Image:G1DeadOptimusPrimeMegatronTVMagazine1986December.jpg‎|thumb|right|300px|By the time The Movie actually came out in Japan, little Hiroshi reading this story page probably didn't even care about Transformers anymore.]]
:'''Published:''' December, 1986
:'''''Special Report! Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers 2010'''''
:'''Illustrated by:''' Studio Ox and Ban Magami

[[Supreme Commander]] [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] has died and [[Emperor of Destruction]] [[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Megatron]] has gone missing, though the circumstances behind these events remain a mystery. The [[Matrix of Leadership]] has been passed to [[Hot Rod]], transforming him into [[Hot Rod|Rodimus Prime]], the new leader of the [[Autobot]]s. Alongside him are new warriors [[Arcee (G1)|Arcee]], [[Springer (G1)|Springer]], [[Kup (G1)|Kup]], [[Wreck-Gar (G1)|Wreck-Gar]], [[Wheelie (G1)|Wheelie]] and [[Blurr (G1)|Blurr]]. [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]], who was passed over for leadership, also joins him.

:'''''These Are the New Autobot Members!'''''
:'''Illustrated by:''' Ban Magami and toy box art

The newest members of the Autobots are introduced: [[Sandstorm (G1)|Sandstorm]], [[Broadside (G1)|Broadside]], Arcee, Springer, Wreck-Gar, Kup, Wheelie and Blurr. All are represented by box art, save Arcee, who has new artwork commissioned (due to lack of box art).

:'''''These Are the New Decepticon Members!'''''
:'''Illustrated by:''' Ban Magami and toy box art

The newest members of the [[Decepticon]]s are introduced: [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]] (who is rumored to be a reborn Megatron, though the facts behind this are cloudy), [[Scourge (G1)|Scourge]], [[Cyclonus (G1)|Cyclonus]], the [[Predacon (G1)|Predacon]]s, [[Octane]] and the [[Sharkticon (G1)|Sharkticons]].

:'''''Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers Secret Info: Battle Chronicles'''''
:'''Illustrated by:''' Ban Magami

The ''[[The Transformers (cartoon)|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers]]'' episodes "[[More than Meets the Eye (mini-series)|More than Meets the Eye]]", [[S.O.S. Dinobots]]", "[[Heavy Metal War]]", "[[Triple Takeover]]", "[[The Search for Alpha Trion]]", "[[The Key to Vector Sigma, Part 1|The Key to Vector Sigma]]", "[[Starscream's Brigade]]" and "[[War Dawn (episode)|War Dawn]]" are detailed. It is also explained that the [[Protectobot (G1)|Protectobots]] were built in response to the threat of the [[Combaticon (G1)|Combaticons]]. The mystery behind Optimus Prime's death and Megatron's disappearance also thickens.

[[Image:GanbareMetroplexAdvertisement01.jpg|right|300px|thumb|Who's a good dinocity? Who is? You is a good dinocity! Yes you is! Does the dinocity want a treat? Does he? Does he?]]

:'''''New TV Series: Transformers 2010'''''
:'''Illustrated by:''' Ban Magami'''

The ''[[The Transformers (cartoon)|Transformers 2010]]'' episodes "[[Five Faces of Darkness, Part 1]]", "[[Five Faces of Darkness, Part 2]]" and "[[Five Faces of Darkness, Part 3]]" are detailed.

:'''''Hang in There, Metroplex!'''''
:'''Illustrated by:''' ?

Optimus Prime has died, leaving [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]] to defend his corpse from an attack by Megatron and [[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]]. This makes absolutely no sense. It's just a toy advertisement. A whacked-out toy advertisement.

{{-}}

===Part 2===
:'''Published:''' January, 1987
:'''''New Leaders Power Comparison'''''
:'''Illustrated by''': Studio Ox and Ban Magami

Rodimus Prime and Galvatron do battle. Even with the power of the [[Matrix of Leadership]] he inherited from Optimus Prime, Rodimus's power is evenly matched by Galvatron's!

:'''''New Transformers Power Comparison!'''''
:'''Illustrated by:''' Ban Magami and Studio Ox

The [[Tech Spec]]s of the new Autobots (Hot Rod, Blurr, Wheelie, Wreck-Gar, Kup, Sandstorm, Springer and Broadside), and Decepticons (Cyclonus, Scourge, Octane, Razorclaw, Rampage, Tantrum, Divebomb, Headstrong and the Sharkticons) are profiled. The spotlight is also shone upon the new second-in-commands, Ultra Magnus and Cyclonus, who are joined in their fight by teams of previously-enlisted warriors.

:'''''The Decepticons Begin Their Counterattack!'''''
:'''Illustrated by''': Studio Ox and Ban Magami

The Decepticons ally themselves with the alien menace of the [[Quintesson]]s and attack with their newest combiner warrior, Predaking. In a sidebar, Rodimus Prime gives a hearty thumbs up to the offer of a "Transformers secret notebook" that readers can mail away for.

[[File:TVMagazineStarscreamsGhost1.jpg|right|thumb|200px|Sometimes the artists worked from different scripts...]]

:'''''TV News: Birth of the Transformers!'''''
:'''Illustrated by:''' Ban Magami

The events of "[[Five Faces of Darkness, Part 4]]" are detailed.

:'''''Rise, Metroplex!'''''
:'''Illustrated by:''' Ban Magami

The events of "[[Five Faces of Darkness, Part 5]]" are detailed, and "[[Thief in the Night]]" and "[[Starscream's Ghost]]" are previewed. The preview image for the latter is the infamous picture with [[Blitzwing (G1)|Blitzwing]] in place of Octane.

{{--}}

===Part 3===
:'''Published:''' February, 1987
:'''''Autobot/Decepticon: Everything on the New Battalions!'''''
:'''Illustrated by:''' Studio Ox

The [[Predacon (G1)|Predacons]] [[Razorclaw (G1)|Razorclaw]], [[Divebomb (G1)|Divebomb]], [[Headstrong (G1)|Headstrong]], [[Rampage (G1)|Rampage]] and [[Tantrum (G1)|Tantrum]] are introduced. They have been created by the [[Quintesson]]s to serve the [[Decepticon]]s.

The [[Autobot]] [[Triple Changer]]s [[Broadside (G1)|Broadside]], [[Sandstorm (G1)|Sandstorm]] and [[Springer (G1)|Springer]] are introduced. They have been built to counter the threat of the Decepticon Triple Changers.

The [[Sweep (G1)|Sweeps]], led by [[Scourge (G1)|Scourge]], are introduced. They were created from Decepticons who perished in the [[The Transformers: The Movie|Unicron War]]. The [[Junkion (species)|Junkions]], led by [[Wreck-Gar (G1)|Wreck-Gar]], are introduced next. They were built from rusted scrap metal and spaceship debris. The [[Sharkticon (G1)|Sharkticons]] are introduced last, having been built to serve the Quintessons.

:'''''This is the Latest Autobot/Decepticon Chain of Command!'''''
:'''Illustrated by:''' Ban Magami

The new chains of command are introduced.

For the Autobots, [[Hot Rod|Rodimus Prime]] is the new [[Supreme Commander]]. Beneath him, [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]] commands the [[Metroplex (G1)|Scramble City]] teams, the [[Aerialbot (G1)|Aerialbots]] and the [[Protectobot (G1)|Protectobots]]. Then there are other subgroups, such as the [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobots]], [[Triple Changer]]s, [[Mini Vehicle|Minibots]], [[Autobot Mini-Cassette]]s, [[Junkion (species)|Junkions]], [[Autobot Cars]] and [[Female Autobots]], who are all commanded by [[Jazz (G1)|Jazz]].

For the Decepticons, [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]] is the new [[Emperor of Destruction]]. Beneath him, [[Cyclonus (G1)|Cyclonus]] commands [[Scourge (G1)|Scourge]] and his [[Sweep (G1)|Sweeps]] as well as the remaining [[Seeker (body-type)|Seekers]]. Cyclonus also commands the [[Trypticon (G1)|Dinobase]] teams, the [[Stunticon (G1)|Stunticons]] and the [[Combaticon (G1)|Combaticons]]. Cyclonus has additional authority over the Decepticon [[Triple Changer]]s, the [[Constructicon (G1)|Constructicons]] and the [[Insecticon (G1)|Insecticon]]s (who are listed as independents). However, [[Soundwave (G1)|Soundwave]] and the [[Decepticon Mini-Cassette]]s report directly to Galvatron. Galvatron also bears authority over the [[Quintesson]]s, who in turn command the [[Sharkticon (G1)|Sharkticons]] and the [[Predacon (G1)|Predacons]].

:'''''TV News: Commander Optimus Prime Lives!'''''
:'''Illustrated by:''' Ban Magami

The events of "[[Dark Awakening (episode)|Dark Awakening]]" are retold in detail.

:'''''Special Feature: Who is Stronger? Optimus Prime and Rodimus Prime Strength Comparison'''''
:'''Illustrated by:''' Ban Magami

The differences between Optimus Prime and Rodimus Prime are detailed.

:'''''These are the Ancient Autobots!'''''
:'''Illustrated by:''' Ban Magami

The episodes "[[Forever Is a Long Time Coming (episode)|Forever Is a Long Time Coming]]", "[[The Killing Jar (episode)|The Killing Jar]]" and "[[Chaos (episode)|Chaos]]" are previewed.

===Part 4===
:'''Published:''' March, 1987
:'''''The Great Decepticon Counter Offensive!'''''
:'''Illustrated by:''' Studio Ox

The threat of the newly reorganized Decepticons is revealed. They have added a new group to their team, the [[Battlecharger]]s [[Runabout (G1)|Runabout]] and [[Runamuck (G1)|Runamuck]]. The Sharkticons are described as the "pride of the Quintessons" and often team up with the Decepticons. Galvatron's other troops, such as Cyclonus, Scourge, the Sweeps and the Predacons, also increase the threat of the Decepticons.

:'''''Will the Autobots Triumph?'''''
:'''Illustrated by:''' ???

The Autobots are caught in a battle with [[Bruticus (G1)|Bruticus]]. They have underestimated the strength of the Decepticons' many [[combiner]] warriors, which is a mistake that will cost them.

:'''''The Ultimate Decepticon Combiner Soldier. This is Predaking!'''''
:'''Illustrated by:''' Studio Ox

Hoping to continue the success of [[Devastator (G1)|Devastator]], [[Menasor (G1)|Menasor]] and [[Bruticus (G1)|Bruticus]], the Decepticons have teamed up with the Quintessons to build their newest combiner, [[Predaking (G1)|Predaking]].

[[Image:Guiltaur.jpg|right|300px|thumb]]

:'''''A Mysterious Decepticon Soldier Appears. He is the Colossal Cannon Soldier Guiltaur!'''''
:'''Illustrated by:''' Studio OX

The Decepticons have once again teamed with the Quintessons and created [[Guiltaur]], a mammoth soldier combining the powers of [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] and [[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Megatron]]. The Quintessons obtained Optimus Prime's specifications when they brought him back from the dead as a zombie [[Dark Awakening (episode)|in the past]]. Guiltaur is built from the same [[Cybertonium]] alloys which made Prime so resilient. On top of that, his "Destrogun" is modeled after Megatron's gun-mode but powered up intensely. When he combines his shoulder artillery, Active Revolver and Destrogun, he can create the all-powerful "Bazooka Storm" attack.

[[The Story of Super Robot Lifeforms: The Transformers issue 4|Can the Autobots hope to defeat him!?]]

:'''''The Secrets of Super Car Mode'''''
:'''Illustrated by:''' Ban Magami

Up until now, the Autobots typically adopted vehicle modes based on modern [[Earth]] vehicles. Now, however, they have taken to becoming "super cars". The reason for this is because they are often active on other planets, and these are merely how the vehicles on other planets look.

:'''''Autobot Triple Mission'''''
:'''Illustrated by:''' Ban Magami

Predaking is on the move! The Autobots dispatch the Triple Changers to take him on, as they can challenge him with a total of nine different forms.

:'''''TV News: More and More, the Plot Thickens!'''''
:'''Illustrated by:''' Ban Magami

The episodes "[[Carnage in C-Minor]]", "[[Madman's Paradise]]", "[[Fight or Flee (episode)|Fight or Flee]]" and "[[Surprise Party]]" are previewed.

===Part 5===
:'''Published:''' April, 1987
:'''''Clash! Rivals at War!'''''
:'''Illustrated by:''' Studio Ox

For the month of April, a special look at rivals between the Autobot and Decepticon factions is presented.

'''''Part 1: New Strongest Rivals. Sky Lynx (Autobot) vs. Predaking (Decepticon)'''''.

[[Sky Lynx (G1)|Sky Lynx]] is revealed to be the only Autobot strong enough to stand up to [[Predaking (G1)|Predaking]], who is the greatest threat to the Autobots.

:'''''Which Leader is the Strongest?'''''
:'''Illustrated by:''' Studio Ox

'''''Part 2: Original Leader Rivals. Optimus Prime (Autobots) vs. Megatron (Decepticons)'''''.

The most evenly matched rivalry in Transformer history, their fate following the end of the [[Unicron War]] remains a mystery.

'''''Part 3: Subleader Rivals. Ultra Magnus (Autobots) vs. Cyclonus (Decepticons)'''''.

These days, though, all attention is on the rivalry between these two, as they are both capable warriors for their faction.

'''''Part 4: 2nd Leader Rivals. Rodimus Prime (Autobots) vs. Galvatron (Decepticons)'''''.

Their battles tend to end in a draw, though Galvatron at times, despite his craziness, can give a hint of his true power.

'''''Part 5: Cassette Leader Rivals. Blaster (Autobots) vs. Soundwave (Decepticons)'''''.

Soundwave was initially more powerful, but Blaster has evened the odds with his own legion of cassette warriors. The cassette warriors themselves are all evenly matched.

:'''''Giant Robot Power Comparison!'''''
:'''Illustrated by:''' Studio Ox

'''''Part 6: Giant Base Robot Rivals. Metroplex (Autobots) vs. Trypticon (Decepticons)'''''.

Their battles shake the earth, though they are each evenly matched.

'''''Part 7: Scramble Combination Rivals A. Superion (Autobots) vs. Menasor (Decepticons)'''''.

There is next to no gap in power between these two, apparently.

'''''Part 8: Scramble Combination Rivals B. Defensor (Autobots) vs. Bruticus (Decepticons)'''''.

Defensor has the upper hand in power!

'''''Part 9: Heavyweight Robot Rivals. Omega Supreme (Autobots) vs. Devastator (Decepticons)'''''.

Omega Supreme holds a grudge against Devastator from long ago, when Devastator [[The Secret of Omega Supreme (episode)|betrayed him]] back on Cybertron.

[[Image:studioox_combiners_whatif.jpg|right|300px|thumb]]

:'''''Transformers Dream Teams. What if These Rivals Joined Forces?'''''
:'''Illustrated by:''' Studio Ox

'''''Part 1: Grand Scramble Team'''''.

Bruticus forms with the combination of [[Onslaught (G1)|Onslaught]], [[First Aid (G1)|First Aid]], [[Slingshot (G1)|Slingshot]] and [[Skydive (G1 Aerialbot)|Skydive]]. Superion forms with the combination of [[Silverbolt (G1)|Silverbolt]], [[Blades (G1)|Blades]], [[Drag Strip (G1)|Drag Strip]], [[Wildrider (G1)|Wildrider]] and [[Brawl (G1)|Brawl]]. Menasor forms with the combination of [[Motormaster (G1)|Motormaster]], [[Vortex (G1)|Vortex]], [[Streetwise (G1)|Streetwise]], [[Groove (G1)|Groove]] and [[Fireflight (G1)|Fireflight]]. Defensor forms with the combination of [[Hot Spot (G1)|Hot Spot]], [[Blast Off (G1)|Blast Off]], [[Swindle (G1)|Swindle]] and [[Breakdown (G1)|Breakdown]]. Superion and Menasor shake hands while beneath them, [[Dead End (G1)|Dead End]] and [[Air Raid (G1)|Air Raid]] do the same. Apparently, if these rivals could consent to get along, their team up would be full of wild combinations.

'''''Part 2: Cassette Team'''''.

Since the Decepticon and Autobot cassette warriors are built at the same scale, they could go live in whoever's tummy they want.

'''''Part 3: Triple Team'''''.

The six [[Triple Changer]]s shared between the Autobots and Decepticons each have 3 modes, which means that if they teamed up, they'd have ''18'' unique transformations with which to devise strategies.

:'''''Special News: Galvatron's True Form was Megatron All Along!'''''
:'''Illustrated by:''' Ban Magami

Everyone suspected that Galvatron was the same as Megatron because they looked the same, sounded the same and acted the same...but no one could figure it out! As it turns out, Megatron was injured during the Unicron War and sent drifting helplessly through space until he was rebuilt by [[Unicron]].

:'''''Special News: Transformation Patterns Revealed! These Are the New Transformations!'''''
:'''Illustrated by:''' Ban Magami

The transformations of the new Autobots and Decepticons are faster and cooler than ever! The transformations of Rodimus Prime, Wreck-Gar, Blurr and Cyclonus are illustrated in detail. Oddly, Rodimus Prime's trailer is shown impossibly transforming into his legs rather than separating into his [[Mobile Defense Bay]].

[[File:UnicronWarMagami01.jpg|right|thumb|250px]]

:'''''TV Info'''''
:'''Illustrated by:''' Ban Magami

The episodes "[[Ghost in the Machine (G1)|Ghost in the Machine]]", "[[Webworld]]" and "[[The Dweller in the Depths]]" are previewed. New Scramble Combiners and Minibots are teased as appearing soon.

{{--}}

===Part 6===
:'''Published:''' May, 1987

The [[Throttlebot]]s are introduced and battle Predaking.

===Part 7===
:'''Published:''' June, 1987

The [[Technobot (G1)|Technobots]] and [[Terrorcon (G1)|Terrorcons]] make their debut.

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters|c1=
*
}}
{{issuestub}}

==External links==
*[http://www.allspark.com/content/blogcategory/10/44/ Translated Transformers 2010 story pages at the Allspark/TF Pulp]

{{DEFAULTSORT:2010 (story page)}}
[[Category:Generation 1 media]]
[[Category:Story pages]]

Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers 2010 (story page)

2018-02-27T19:35:10Z

OptimusComboy: /* Issues */

{{nav-2010}}

The '''''Transformers 2010''''' [[story page]]s were published in ''[[TV Magazine]]'' from December, 1986, to June, 1987. The stories were primarily provided by [[Masumi Kaneda]] while the art was provided by both [[Studio OX]] and [[Ban Magami]].

Much like the story pages associated with ''[[Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers (story page)|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers]]'', the ''2010'' story pages were not particularly concerned with telling ''stories'' like later series were, instead featuring mostly character fact files, match-ups and the occasional hypothetical situation. They did have one great task, however: As ''[[The Transformers: The Movie]]'' was not released in Japan until 1989, the burden of transitioning audiences from ''[[The Transformers (cartoon)|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers]]'' (US seasons 1 and 2) into ''[[The Transformers (cartoon)|Transformers 2010]]'' (US season 3) fell solely on the shoulders of the story pages. To spice things up, various "tricks" were employed, such as "subtly" implying that [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]] may be a reborn [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]] in order to maintain an air of mystery to the circumstances that led to the state of affairs in the ''Transformers 2010'' cartoon. A more detailed account of the events of ''The Transformers: The Movie'' was gradually revealed over the course of several story pages, but with the events always referred to as the "[[Unicron War]]".

==Issues==
===Part 1===
[[Image:G1DeadOptimusPrimeMegatronTVMagazine1986December.jpg‎|thumb|right|300px|By the time [[The Transformers: The Movie|The Movie]] actually came out in Japan, little Hiroshi reading this story page probably didn't even care about Transformers anymore.]]
:'''Published:''' December, 1986
:'''''Special Report! Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers 2010'''''
:'''Illustrated by:''' Studio Ox and Ban Magami

[[Supreme Commander]] [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] has died and [[Emperor of Destruction]] [[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Megatron]] has gone missing, though the circumstances behind these events remain a mystery. The [[Matrix of Leadership]] has been passed to [[Hot Rod]], transforming him into [[Hot Rod|Rodimus Prime]], the new leader of the [[Autobot]]s. Alongside him are new warriors [[Arcee (G1)|Arcee]], [[Springer (G1)|Springer]], [[Kup (G1)|Kup]], [[Wreck-Gar (G1)|Wreck-Gar]], [[Wheelie (G1)|Wheelie]] and [[Blurr (G1)|Blurr]]. [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]], who was passed over for leadership, also joins him.

:'''''These Are the New Autobot Members!'''''
:'''Illustrated by:''' Ban Magami and toy box art

The newest members of the Autobots are introduced: [[Sandstorm (G1)|Sandstorm]], [[Broadside (G1)|Broadside]], Arcee, Springer, Wreck-Gar, Kup, Wheelie and Blurr. All are represented by box art, save Arcee, who has new artwork commissioned (due to lack of box art).

:'''''These Are the New Decepticon Members!'''''
:'''Illustrated by:''' Ban Magami and toy box art

The newest members of the [[Decepticon]]s are introduced: [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]] (who is rumored to be a reborn Megatron, though the facts behind this are cloudy), [[Scourge (G1)|Scourge]], [[Cyclonus (G1)|Cyclonus]], the [[Predacon (G1)|Predacon]]s, [[Octane]] and the [[Sharkticon (G1)|Sharkticons]].

:'''''Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers Secret Info: Battle Chronicles'''''
:'''Illustrated by:''' Ban Magami

The ''[[The Transformers (cartoon)|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers]]'' episodes "[[More than Meets the Eye (mini-series)|More than Meets the Eye]]", [[S.O.S. Dinobots]]", "[[Heavy Metal War]]", "[[Triple Takeover]]", "[[The Search for Alpha Trion]]", "[[The Key to Vector Sigma, Part 1|The Key to Vector Sigma]]", "[[Starscream's Brigade]]" and "[[War Dawn (episode)|War Dawn]]" are detailed. It is also explained that the [[Protectobot (G1)|Protectobots]] were built in response to the threat of the [[Combaticon (G1)|Combaticons]]. The mystery behind Optimus Prime's death and Megatron's disappearance also thickens.

[[Image:GanbareMetroplexAdvertisement01.jpg|right|300px|thumb|Who's a good dinocity? Who is? You is a good dinocity! Yes you is! Does the dinocity want a treat? Does he? Does he?]]

:'''''New TV Series: Transformers 2010'''''
:'''Illustrated by:''' Ban Magami'''

The ''[[The Transformers (cartoon)|Transformers 2010]]'' episodes "[[Five Faces of Darkness, Part 1]]", "[[Five Faces of Darkness, Part 2]]" and "[[Five Faces of Darkness, Part 3]]" are detailed.

:'''''Hang in There, Metroplex!'''''
:'''Illustrated by:''' ?

Optimus Prime has died, leaving [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]] to defend his corpse from an attack by Megatron and [[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]]. This makes absolutely no sense. It's just a toy advertisement. A whacked-out toy advertisement.

{{-}}

===Part 2===
:'''Published:''' January, 1987
:'''''New Leaders Power Comparison'''''
:'''Illustrated by''': Studio Ox and Ban Magami

Rodimus Prime and Galvatron do battle. Even with the power of the [[Matrix of Leadership]] he inherited from Optimus Prime, Rodimus's power is evenly matched by Galvatron's!

:'''''New Transformers Power Comparison!'''''
:'''Illustrated by:''' Ban Magami and Studio Ox

The [[Tech Spec]]s of the new Autobots (Hot Rod, Blurr, Wheelie, Wreck-Gar, Kup, Sandstorm, Springer and Broadside), and Decepticons (Cyclonus, Scourge, Octane, Razorclaw, Rampage, Tantrum, Divebomb, Headstrong and the Sharkticons) are profiled. The spotlight is also shone upon the new second-in-commands, Ultra Magnus and Cyclonus, who are joined in their fight by teams of previously-enlisted warriors.

:'''''The Decepticons Begin Their Counterattack!'''''
:'''Illustrated by''': Studio Ox and Ban Magami

The Decepticons ally themselves with the alien menace of the [[Quintesson]]s and attack with their newest combiner warrior, Predaking. In a sidebar, Rodimus Prime gives a hearty thumbs up to the offer of a "Transformers secret notebook" that readers can mail away for.

[[File:TVMagazineStarscreamsGhost1.jpg|right|thumb|200px|Sometimes the artists worked from different scripts...]]

:'''''TV News: Birth of the Transformers!'''''
:'''Illustrated by:''' Ban Magami

The events of "[[Five Faces of Darkness, Part 4]]" are detailed.

:'''''Rise, Metroplex!'''''
:'''Illustrated by:''' Ban Magami

The events of "[[Five Faces of Darkness, Part 5]]" are detailed, and "[[Thief in the Night]]" and "[[Starscream's Ghost]]" are previewed. The preview image for the latter is the infamous picture with [[Blitzwing (G1)|Blitzwing]] in place of Octane.

{{--}}

===Part 3===
:'''Published:''' February, 1987
:'''''Autobot/Decepticon: Everything on the New Battalions!'''''
:'''Illustrated by:''' Studio Ox

The [[Predacon (G1)|Predacons]] [[Razorclaw (G1)|Razorclaw]], [[Divebomb (G1)|Divebomb]], [[Headstrong (G1)|Headstrong]], [[Rampage (G1)|Rampage]] and [[Tantrum (G1)|Tantrum]] are introduced. They have been created by the [[Quintesson]]s to serve the [[Decepticon]]s.

The [[Autobot]] [[Triple Changer]]s [[Broadside (G1)|Broadside]], [[Sandstorm (G1)|Sandstorm]] and [[Springer (G1)|Springer]] are introduced. They have been built to counter the threat of the Decepticon Triple Changers.

The [[Sweep (G1)|Sweeps]], led by [[Scourge (G1)|Scourge]], are introduced. They were created from Decepticons who perished in the [[The Transformers: The Movie|Unicron War]]. The [[Junkion (species)|Junkions]], led by [[Wreck-Gar (G1)|Wreck-Gar]], are introduced next. They were built from rusted scrap metal and spaceship debris. The [[Sharkticon (G1)|Sharkticons]] are introduced last, having been built to serve the Quintessons.

:'''''This is the Latest Autobot/Decepticon Chain of Command!'''''
:'''Illustrated by:''' Ban Magami

The new chains of command are introduced.

For the Autobots, [[Hot Rod|Rodimus Prime]] is the new [[Supreme Commander]]. Beneath him, [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]] commands the [[Metroplex (G1)|Scramble City]] teams, the [[Aerialbot (G1)|Aerialbots]] and the [[Protectobot (G1)|Protectobots]]. Then there are other subgroups, such as the [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobots]], [[Triple Changer]]s, [[Mini Vehicle|Minibots]], [[Autobot Mini-Cassette]]s, [[Junkion (species)|Junkions]], [[Autobot Cars]] and [[Female Autobots]], who are all commanded by [[Jazz (G1)|Jazz]].

For the Decepticons, [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]] is the new [[Emperor of Destruction]]. Beneath him, [[Cyclonus (G1)|Cyclonus]] commands [[Scourge (G1)|Scourge]] and his [[Sweep (G1)|Sweeps]] as well as the remaining [[Seeker (body-type)|Seekers]]. Cyclonus also commands the [[Trypticon (G1)|Dinobase]] teams, the [[Stunticon (G1)|Stunticons]] and the [[Combaticon (G1)|Combaticons]]. Cyclonus has additional authority over the Decepticon [[Triple Changer]]s, the [[Constructicon (G1)|Constructicons]] and the [[Insecticon (G1)|Insecticon]]s (who are listed as independents). However, [[Soundwave (G1)|Soundwave]] and the [[Decepticon Mini-Cassette]]s report directly to Galvatron. Galvatron also bears authority over the [[Quintesson]]s, who in turn command the [[Sharkticon (G1)|Sharkticons]] and the [[Predacon (G1)|Predacons]].

:'''''TV News: Commander Optimus Prime Lives!'''''
:'''Illustrated by:''' Ban Magami

The events of "[[Dark Awakening (episode)|Dark Awakening]]" are retold in detail.

:'''''Special Feature: Who is Stronger? Optimus Prime and Rodimus Prime Strength Comparison'''''
:'''Illustrated by:''' Ban Magami

The differences between Optimus Prime and Rodimus Prime are detailed.

:'''''These are the Ancient Autobots!'''''
:'''Illustrated by:''' Ban Magami

The episodes "[[Forever Is a Long Time Coming (episode)|Forever Is a Long Time Coming]]", "[[The Killing Jar (episode)|The Killing Jar]]" and "[[Chaos (episode)|Chaos]]" are previewed.

===Part 4===
:'''Published:''' March, 1987
:'''''The Great Decepticon Counter Offensive!'''''
:'''Illustrated by:''' Studio Ox

The threat of the newly reorganized Decepticons is revealed. They have added a new group to their team, the [[Battlecharger]]s [[Runabout (G1)|Runabout]] and [[Runamuck (G1)|Runamuck]]. The Sharkticons are described as the "pride of the Quintessons" and often team up with the Decepticons. Galvatron's other troops, such as Cyclonus, Scourge, the Sweeps and the Predacons, also increase the threat of the Decepticons.

:'''''Will the Autobots Triumph?'''''
:'''Illustrated by:''' ???

The Autobots are caught in a battle with [[Bruticus (G1)|Bruticus]]. They have underestimated the strength of the Decepticons' many [[combiner]] warriors, which is a mistake that will cost them.

:'''''The Ultimate Decepticon Combiner Soldier. This is Predaking!'''''
:'''Illustrated by:''' Studio Ox

Hoping to continue the success of [[Devastator (G1)|Devastator]], [[Menasor (G1)|Menasor]] and [[Bruticus (G1)|Bruticus]], the Decepticons have teamed up with the Quintessons to build their newest combiner, [[Predaking (G1)|Predaking]].

[[Image:Guiltaur.jpg|right|300px|thumb]]

:'''''A Mysterious Decepticon Soldier Appears. He is the Colossal Cannon Soldier Guiltaur!'''''
:'''Illustrated by:''' Studio OX

The Decepticons have once again teamed with the Quintessons and created [[Guiltaur]], a mammoth soldier combining the powers of [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] and [[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Megatron]]. The Quintessons obtained Optimus Prime's specifications when they brought him back from the dead as a zombie [[Dark Awakening (episode)|in the past]]. Guiltaur is built from the same [[Cybertonium]] alloys which made Prime so resilient. On top of that, his "Destrogun" is modeled after Megatron's gun-mode but powered up intensely. When he combines his shoulder artillery, Active Revolver and Destrogun, he can create the all-powerful "Bazooka Storm" attack.

[[The Story of Super Robot Lifeforms: The Transformers issue 4|Can the Autobots hope to defeat him!?]]

:'''''The Secrets of Super Car Mode'''''
:'''Illustrated by:''' Ban Magami

Up until now, the Autobots typically adopted vehicle modes based on modern [[Earth]] vehicles. Now, however, they have taken to becoming "super cars". The reason for this is because they are often active on other planets, and these are merely how the vehicles on other planets look.

:'''''Autobot Triple Mission'''''
:'''Illustrated by:''' Ban Magami

Predaking is on the move! The Autobots dispatch the Triple Changers to take him on, as they can challenge him with a total of nine different forms.

:'''''TV News: More and More, the Plot Thickens!'''''
:'''Illustrated by:''' Ban Magami

The episodes "[[Carnage in C-Minor]]", "[[Madman's Paradise]]", "[[Fight or Flee (episode)|Fight or Flee]]" and "[[Surprise Party]]" are previewed.

===Part 5===
:'''Published:''' April, 1987
:'''''Clash! Rivals at War!'''''
:'''Illustrated by:''' Studio Ox

For the month of April, a special look at rivals between the Autobot and Decepticon factions is presented.

'''''Part 1: New Strongest Rivals. Sky Lynx (Autobot) vs. Predaking (Decepticon)'''''.

[[Sky Lynx (G1)|Sky Lynx]] is revealed to be the only Autobot strong enough to stand up to [[Predaking (G1)|Predaking]], who is the greatest threat to the Autobots.

:'''''Which Leader is the Strongest?'''''
:'''Illustrated by:''' Studio Ox

'''''Part 2: Original Leader Rivals. Optimus Prime (Autobots) vs. Megatron (Decepticons)'''''.

The most evenly matched rivalry in Transformer history, their fate following the end of the [[Unicron War]] remains a mystery.

'''''Part 3: Subleader Rivals. Ultra Magnus (Autobots) vs. Cyclonus (Decepticons)'''''.

These days, though, all attention is on the rivalry between these two, as they are both capable warriors for their faction.

'''''Part 4: 2nd Leader Rivals. Rodimus Prime (Autobots) vs. Galvatron (Decepticons)'''''.

Their battles tend to end in a draw, though Galvatron at times, despite his craziness, can give a hint of his true power.

'''''Part 5: Cassette Leader Rivals. Blaster (Autobots) vs. Soundwave (Decepticons)'''''.

Soundwave was initially more powerful, but Blaster has evened the odds with his own legion of cassette warriors. The cassette warriors themselves are all evenly matched.

:'''''Giant Robot Power Comparison!'''''
:'''Illustrated by:''' Studio Ox

'''''Part 6: Giant Base Robot Rivals. Metroplex (Autobots) vs. Trypticon (Decepticons)'''''.

Their battles shake the earth, though they are each evenly matched.

'''''Part 7: Scramble Combination Rivals A. Superion (Autobots) vs. Menasor (Decepticons)'''''.

There is next to no gap in power between these two, apparently.

'''''Part 8: Scramble Combination Rivals B. Defensor (Autobots) vs. Bruticus (Decepticons)'''''.

Defensor has the upper hand in power!

'''''Part 9: Heavyweight Robot Rivals. Omega Supreme (Autobots) vs. Devastator (Decepticons)'''''.

Omega Supreme holds a grudge against Devastator from long ago, when Devastator [[The Secret of Omega Supreme (episode)|betrayed him]] back on Cybertron.

[[Image:studioox_combiners_whatif.jpg|right|300px|thumb]]

:'''''Transformers Dream Teams. What if These Rivals Joined Forces?'''''
:'''Illustrated by:''' Studio Ox

'''''Part 1: Grand Scramble Team'''''.

Bruticus forms with the combination of [[Onslaught (G1)|Onslaught]], [[First Aid (G1)|First Aid]], [[Slingshot (G1)|Slingshot]] and [[Skydive (G1 Aerialbot)|Skydive]]. Superion forms with the combination of [[Silverbolt (G1)|Silverbolt]], [[Blades (G1)|Blades]], [[Drag Strip (G1)|Drag Strip]], [[Wildrider (G1)|Wildrider]] and [[Brawl (G1)|Brawl]]. Menasor forms with the combination of [[Motormaster (G1)|Motormaster]], [[Vortex (G1)|Vortex]], [[Streetwise (G1)|Streetwise]], [[Groove (G1)|Groove]] and [[Fireflight (G1)|Fireflight]]. Defensor forms with the combination of [[Hot Spot (G1)|Hot Spot]], [[Blast Off (G1)|Blast Off]], [[Swindle (G1)|Swindle]] and [[Breakdown (G1)|Breakdown]]. Superion and Menasor shake hands while beneath them, [[Dead End (G1)|Dead End]] and [[Air Raid (G1)|Air Raid]] do the same. Apparently, if these rivals could consent to get along, their team up would be full of wild combinations.

'''''Part 2: Cassette Team'''''.

Since the Decepticon and Autobot cassette warriors are built at the same scale, they could go live in whoever's tummy they want.

'''''Part 3: Triple Team'''''.

The six [[Triple Changer]]s shared between the Autobots and Decepticons each have 3 modes, which means that if they teamed up, they'd have ''18'' unique transformations with which to devise strategies.

:'''''Special News: Galvatron's True Form was Megatron All Along!'''''
:'''Illustrated by:''' Ban Magami

Everyone suspected that Galvatron was the same as Megatron because they looked the same, sounded the same and acted the same...but no one could figure it out! As it turns out, Megatron was injured during the Unicron War and sent drifting helplessly through space until he was rebuilt by [[Unicron]].

:'''''Special News: Transformation Patterns Revealed! These Are the New Transformations!'''''
:'''Illustrated by:''' Ban Magami

The transformations of the new Autobots and Decepticons are faster and cooler than ever! The transformations of Rodimus Prime, Wreck-Gar, Blurr and Cyclonus are illustrated in detail. Oddly, Rodimus Prime's trailer is shown impossibly transforming into his legs rather than separating into his [[Mobile Defense Bay]].

[[File:UnicronWarMagami01.jpg|right|thumb|250px]]

:'''''TV Info'''''
:'''Illustrated by:''' Ban Magami

The episodes "[[Ghost in the Machine (G1)|Ghost in the Machine]]", "[[Webworld]]" and "[[The Dweller in the Depths]]" are previewed. New Scramble Combiners and Minibots are teased as appearing soon.

{{--}}

===Part 6===
:'''Published:''' May, 1987

The [[Throttlebot]]s are introduced and battle Predaking.

===Part 7===
:'''Published:''' June, 1987

The [[Technobot (G1)|Technobots]] and [[Terrorcon (G1)|Terrorcons]] make their debut.

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters|c1=
*
}}
{{issuestub}}

==External links==
*[http://www.allspark.com/content/blogcategory/10/44/ Translated Transformers 2010 story pages at the Allspark/TF Pulp]

{{DEFAULTSORT:2010 (story page)}}
[[Category:Generation 1 media]]
[[Category:Story pages]]

File:G1DeadOptimusPrimeMegatronTVMagazine1986December.jpg

2018-02-27T19:26:40Z

OptimusComboy: In the first story page for Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers 2010 published in TV Magazine in December, 1986, a shadowy Megatron looks upon the [[The many ...

In the first [[story page]] for [[Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers 2010 (story page)|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers 2010]] published in [[TV Magazine]] in December, 1986, a shadowy [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]] looks upon the [[The many deaths of Optimus Prime|dead]] [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]]. Art by [[Koichi Usami]] (宇佐見皓一) of [[Studio OX]].

{{storypage|source=[[Transformers Visualworks]]}}

[[category:Generation 1 images]]
[[category:Images by Studio OX]]
[[Category:Optimus Prime images]]

Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers (story page)

2018-02-27T19:08:20Z

OptimusComboy: /* Issues */

{{nav-fsrltf}}

The '''''Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers''''' [[story page]]s were published in ''[[TV Magazine]]'' from August, [[1985]] until November, [[1986]]. The stories were primarily provided by [[Masumi Kaneda]] while the artwork was provided by both [[Studio OX]] and [[Ban Magami]]. A staple of these early pages was a feature titled "Anime Theater", producing stories which occasionally ran up to four pages, which is unusual for story pages, which typically end at two.

==Issues==
===Part 1===
:'''Published:''' August, 1985

'''''Broadcasting on TV! Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers'''''

:'''Illustrated by:''' Studio Ox

The primary members of the [[Autobot]]s are introduced: [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]], [[Wheeljack (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Wheeljack]], [[Jazz (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Jazz]], [[Prowl (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Prowl]], [[Bumblebee (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Bumblebee]], [[Hound (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Hound]], [[Huffer (G1)|Huffer]], [[Sideswipe (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Sideswipe]], [[Sunstreaker (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Sunstreaker]], [[Mirage (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Mirage]], [[Cliffjumper (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Cliffjumper]], [[Trailbreaker (G1)|Trailbreaker]], [[Ratchet (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ratchet]] and [[Red Alert (G1)|Red Alert]].

The primary members of the [[Decepticon]]s are introduced: [[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Megatron]], [[Laserbeak (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Laserbeak]], [[Skywarp (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Skywarp]], [[Thundercracker (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Thundercracker]], [[Starscream (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Starscream]], [[Soundwave (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Soundwave]], [[Rumble (G1)|Rumble]], [[Reflector (G1)|Reflector]], [[Ravage (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ravage]].

The story of the Transformers' arrival on Earth is related, and the Autobots save [[New York City]] from a Decepticon attack.

===Part 2===
[[File:SuperRobotLifeSicEmHound01.jpg|250px|thumb|Soundwave's laugh is rendered "Fufufufu!" Never forget that.]]

:'''Published:''' September, 1985

:'''''Anime Theater: Sic 'em, Hound!'''''

:'''Illustrated by:''' Ban Magami

The Autobots decide to test their skills with a friendly race. Prime waves a checkered flag, and the Autobots head out, unaware that Soundwave has learned of their race and is plotting a way to defeat them (snickering to himself as he does so). Soundwave and Laserbeak wait until the Autobots enter a narrow canyon and ambush them. The rocky terrain keeps the Autobots from fighting back, and Wheeljack, Sideswipe and Jazz are taken out. Unfortunately for Soundwave, Hound is a Jeep and has no trouble driving over rocky terrain. Hound transforms to robot mode and drives his fist straight through Soundwave's glass chest window. Meanwhile, Jazz transforms and takes out Laserbeak.

===Part 3===
:'''Published:''' October, 1985

Red Alert and Sideswipe battle Thundercracker and Skywarp over a human space shuttle.

===Part 4===
:'''Published:''' November, 1985

The [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobots]] make their debut, and defend [[Ark (G1)|Autobot Headquarters]] against a Decepticon attack.

===Part 5===
:'''Published:''' December, 1985

Soundwave and his [[Decepticon Mini-Cassette|cassettes]] take on the two newest Autobot members, [[Blaster (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Blaster]] and [[Perceptor (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Perceptor]].

===Part 6===
[[File:FSRLstorypage devastator.jpg|right|thumb|300px]]
:'''Published:''' January, 1986

Spotlight on the [[Constructicon (G1)|Constructicons]].

===Part 7===
:'''Published:''' February, 1986

The [[Aerialbot (G1)|Aerialbots]] and [[Stunticon (G1)|Stunticons]] are introduced, and the [[Metroplex (G1)|Scramble City]] project begins.

===Part 8===
:'''Published:''' March, 1986

[[Menasor (G1)|Menasor]] has [[Superion (G1)|Superion]] outmatched in a city battle, but the tables turn when the Aerialbots separate and bind the combiner, making him an easy target for Scramble City's firepower.

===Part 9===
[[File:EarlyGalvatronTVMagazine1.jpg|300px|thumb|With enough retcons, ''anything'' can make sense!]]

:'''Published:''' April, 1986

Focus on Scramble City's robot mode, [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]], and his drones. Optimus Prime and Scramble City commander [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ultra Magnus]] battle Megatron and his new lieutenant, [[Galvatron II|Galvatron]].

Regular publication of the eight-part [[Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers (manga)|''Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers'' manga]] begins with this issue, running concurrently with the story pages every month until their end.

===Part 10===
:'''Published:''' May, 1986

The Autobot [[Mini Vehicle]]s are spotlighted, plus Optimus Prime and the Aerialbots battle the Decepticon jets in [[Egypt]].

===Part 11===
:'''Published:''' June, 1986

Showcasing the Autobot and Decepticon [[Mini-Cassette]]s.

===Part 12===
:'''Published:''' July, 1986

The Stunticons and Constructicons are giving the Autobots trouble, but their newest combiner team, the [[Protectobot (G1)|Protectobots]], form [[Defensor (G1)|Defensor]] to send them packing.

===Part 13===
:'''Published:''' August, 1986

The Decepticons introduce their newest combiners, the [[Combaticon (G1)|Combaticon]]s, who, when they are attacked from above by the Aerialbots, display their ability to combine both with Menasor, and with each other to form [[Bruticus (G1)|Bruticus]]. The Aerialbots combine with Defensor to give him the power boost needed to take the dimwitted Decepticon down.

===Part 14===
:'''Published:''' September, 1986

The Decepticons' answer to Metroplex, [[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]], is activated.

===Part 15===
[[File:G1GalvatronOptimusPrimeUltraMagnusTVMagazine1986October.jpg|250px|right|thumb]]
:'''Published:''' October, 1986

A detailed run-down of Optimus Prime's strengths, abilities and components. The Autobot leader proves his power over fellow truck [[Motormaster (G1)|Motormaster]], and together with Ultra Magnus, battles and apprehends Galvatron.

===Part 16===
:'''Published:''' November, 1986

Spotlight on Megatron, and a major battle between the Autobots and Decepticons brings the ''Fight! Super Robot Lifeform'' story pages to an end.

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters|c1=
*[[Wheeljack (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Wheeljack]] (1)
*[[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] (2)
*[[Prowl (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Prowl]] (3)
*[[Jazz (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Jazz]] (4)
*[[Bumblebee (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Bumblebee]] (5)
*[[Hound (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Hound]] (6)
*[[Sideswipe (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Sideswipe]] (7)
*[[Huffer (G1)|Huffer]] (8)
*[[Cliffjumper (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Cliffjumper]] (9)
*[[Mirage (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Mirage]] (10)
*[[Ratchet (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ratchet]] (11)
*[[Sunstreaker (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Sunstreaker]] (12)
*[[Trailbreaker (G1)|Trailbreaker]] (13)
*[[Red Alert (G1)|Red Alert]] (14)
|c2=
*[[Soundwave (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Soundwave]] (15)
*[[Starscream (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Starscream]] (16)
*[[Rumble (G1)|Rumble]] (17)
*[[Reflector (G1)|Reflector]] (18-20)
*[[Thundercracker (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Thundercracker]] (21)
*[[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Megatron]] (22)
*[[Ravage (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ravage]] (23)
*[[Skywarp (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Skywarp]] (24)
*[[Laserbeak (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Laserbeak]] (25)
}}
{{issuestub}}

==External links==

*[http://tfarchive.com/comics/gallery.php?g2_itemId=14547 Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers story pages at TFArchive]

[[Category:Generation 1 media]]
[[Category:Story pages]]

File:G1GalvatronOptimusPrimeUltraMagnusTVMagazine1986October.jpg

2018-02-27T18:59:03Z

OptimusComboy: "New Leader" (新幹部) Galvatron (or maybe Galvatron II) is subdued by Optimus Prime and Ultra Magnus in art for the October, 1986 issue of TV Magazine. Art by Asao Takahashi...

"New Leader" (新幹部) [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]] (or maybe [[Galvatron II]]) is subdued by [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] and [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]] in art for the October, 1986 issue of [[TV Magazine]]. Art by [[Asao Takahashi]] of [[Studio OX]]. Sourced from [[Transformers Visualworks]] page 38.

{{storypage|source=Transformers Visualworks}}

[[category:Generation 1 images]]
[[category:Images by Studio OX]]
[[Category:Optimus Prime images]]

Talk:Four Warriors Come out of the Sky

2017-02-22T00:17:02Z

OptimusComboy:

Should it be considered some sort of error that Optimus Prime defeats ''Devastator'' with a single freakin' jumpkick? --[[User:DrSpengler|DrSpengler]] 00:48, 16 July 2007 (UTC)

I'm just gonna make a wild guess that the Shout! release is ''also'' missing the opening prologue. [[User:Takeshi357|Takeshi357]] ([[User talk:Takeshi357|talk]]) 15:33, 7 January 2016 (EST)

== Aw, hell!! ==

I didn't realize I'd passed the one-year anniversary of my starting to do the Takara series pages - I wanted to try and do them all before then! Well, phooey! - [[User:Chris McFeely|Chris McFeely]] 00:33, 13 June 2008 (UTC)

errors in the English translated

1. Grimlock, Wreak-Gar, and Blur are speaks normal
2. Spike is called Sparkle
3. Hot Rod is called Rodimus Prime even though at the end of Return of Optimus Prime Optimus has the Matrix{{unsigned|Chasemarc1701}}

== Most of the flashback missing? ==

In the version of Headmasters I own (which includes both Japanese and English versions) the flashback in this episode is not full, it misses the part were Prime dies. Did they cut it out in some versions? [[User:Wavage|I am Wavage! Fear mweee!!! ]] ([[User talk:Wavage|talk]]) 04:15, 1 June 2016 (EDT)

==Episode Title==
In the episode's title (空から来た四人の戦士), the verb 来た is the past tense of 来る (come) . The translation should be "Four Warriors that Came from the Sky," rather than than the current "Four Warriors Come out of the Sky." --[[User:OptimusComboy|OptimusComboy]] 21 February 2017

Talk:Four Warriors Come out of the Sky

2017-02-22T00:15:17Z

OptimusComboy:

Machtackle

2016-10-16T04:39:51Z

OptimusComboy:

{{factions|autobot}}
:''Machtackle is an [[Autobot]] from the [[Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers: Victory (franchise)|Victory]] portion of [[Generation 1 continuity family|Generation 1]] [[continuity family]].''

[[File:Machtackle.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|They're Engines. Engines! I'm not a fem-bot! Ask Tacklemach!]]
'''Machtackle''' (マッハタックル ''Mahhatakkuru'') is a dynamic duo of a machine composed of the [[Multiforce]] members [[Mach (Victory)|Mach]] and [[Tackle]]. As a combatant he is skilled enough to defeat the [[Dinoforce]], though typically he is ordered into reserve when [[Breastforce]] becomes involved.

Ordinarily Mach forms the top half of this combiner, but when Tackle forms the top half, their combined form is called '''Tacklemach''' (タックルマッハ ''Takkurumahha'').

==Fiction==
===Japanese Generation 1 cartoon continuity===
====''Victory'' cartoon====
{{voiceactor|[[Yūki Satō]] (Japanese)}}

Machtackle helped wipe the floor with the Dinoforce during an assault on a power plant, though it became necessary to become [[Landcross (Victory)|Landcross]] to defeat the powerful [[Dinoking]]. {{storylink|Unite!! Multiforce}} Machtackle investigated the sudden appearance of a large sinkhole on [[Tom]]'s farm in [[Canada]]. Machtackle split up into [[Mach (Victory)|Mach]] and [[Tackle]] to investigate. There they discovered a Decepticon base. They were forced to deal with the [[Breastforce]] on their own until reinforcements arrived. During the fight, Tackle suggested they combine with him forming the top half, forming Tacklemach. After the fight Tackle said he would rather form the legs from now on since his battle tactics weren't as good as Mach's. {{storylink|Mach and Tackle}}
{{charstubfiction|{{storylink|The Brave Hero of the Universe - Star Saber}} {{storylink|Sneak Attack! Dinoking}} {{storylink|Attack! Leozack}} {{storylink|Infiltration... The Uranium Mine}} {{storylink|Explosion!! The Energy Base}} {{storylink|Attack the Shuttle Base!!}} {{storylink|Tanker Hijack Operation}} {{storylink|Rescue Jan!!}} {{storylink|A Fierce Battle!! The Asteroid}} {{storylink|Battle Up of Wrath!!}} {{storylink|Fight to the Death!! Antarctic Battle}} {{storylink|Ginrai Dies!!}} {{storylink|Fight!! Victory Leo}} {{storylink|Awaken! Victory Leo}} {{storylink|The Tide Is Turned! The Ultimate Weapon, the Victory Unification}} {{storylink|The Death-Bringing Space Insects!!}} {{storylink|The Terror of the Giant Tidal Waves}} {{storylink|The Wrath of the Resurrected Giant Fortress!}} {{storylink|Showdown! The Fortress vs the Victory Unification}}}}

====''Micromaster''====
After stumbling into the past through a dimensional rift, Mach, Tackle, and the rest of the Multiforce joined forces with the Autobots from the local timeframe. Mach and Tackle combined into Machtackle to take on [[Decepticon Sixbuilder]]s, but struggled with fending off the Decepticons when [[Sixwing|Berserker Sixwing]] joined the fight. Machtackle then separated into his components so that they could recombine into [[Landcross (Victory)|Landcross]] and defeat the more formidable opponent. {{storylink|The Menace of Landcross's Combining Formation!}}

===''Victory'' manga===
After receiving an S.O.S. from the Earth, Star Saber had Machtackle, Dashtacker and Wingwaver join him in battling the Decepticons causing trouble there. They battled [[Dinoking]] as Landcross. {{storylink|Magnificent! Our Friend, Star Saber!}}

When Star Saber was alerted that [[Leozack]] was terrorizing the Earth, he left Machtackle, Dashtacker, and Wingwaver stationed at the [[Galaxy Shuttle]] while he dealt with the situation himself. {{storylink|Leozack Rumbles Violently!}}

==Toys==
===Victory===
*'''Machtackle''' (1989)
**''Japanese ID number:'' '''C-318'''
{{charstubtoys}}
::*''[http://www.tfu.info/1989/Cybertron/MachTackle/machtackle.htm More information on Machtackle at TFU.info]''

===Foreign Names===
*''Mandarin:'' '''Xiàng Fēng''' (China, 向风 ''Face the Wind'' ([[The_Transformers_(Chinese_toyline)|Victory toyline]]))

[[Category:Combined forms]]
[[Category:Multiforce]]

Dashtacker

2016-10-16T04:34:02Z

OptimusComboy: /* Foreign names */

{{factions|autobot}}
{{picsneeded|Toy}}
:''Dashtacker is a two-[[Autobot]] [[Multiforce]] member from the [[Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers: Victory (franchise)|''Victory'' portion]] of the [[Generation 1 continuity family]].''

[[File:Dashtacker.jpg|right|upright=1.4|thumb|"My card art looks surprisingly like a cassette-bot!"]]

'''Dashtacker''' (ダッシュタッカー ''Dasshutakkā'') is an important member of the [[Multiforce]] team. He also happens to be the background member of Multiforce. Strong and reliable, Dashtacker is also the least noted member of the team. Fittingly he is composed of the [[Autobot]]s [[Dash (Victory)|Dash]] and [[Tacker]], warriors even less noticeable than Dashtacker himself. He is the perfect backbone for the group and makes a great right side to [[Landcross (Victory)|Landcross]].

==Fiction==
===Japanese Generation 1 cartoon continuity===
====''Victory'' cartoon====
{{voiceactor|[[Yoshikazu Hirano]] (Japanese)}}

Dashtacker served aboard the Sector One base of the Galactic Defense Forces under the [[Brainmaster]] Car Trio. He got offended at the idea that his boss, [[Wingwaver]], might be left on Planet V while the rest transferred to Earth. He went so far as to shout this at [[Star Saber (Victory)|Star Saber]] who quickly pointed out that, before he was so rudely interrupted, he was including Wingwaver in the transfer. Everyone except Dashtacker thought it was quite a laugh. During a search mission in the Amazon, Tacker got stuck in the mud which helped reveal the Autobot position. Big oops.
{{charstubfiction|{{storylink|The Brave Hero of the Universe - Star Saber}} {{storylink|Sneak Attack! Dinoking}} {{storylink|Attack! Leozack}} {{storylink|Unite!! Multiforce}} {{storylink|Infiltration... The Uranium Mine}} {{storylink|Explosion!! The Energy Base}} {{storylink|Attack the Shuttle Base!!}} {{storylink|Tanker Hijack Operation}} {{storylink|Rescue Jan!!}} {{storylink|Mach and Tackle}} {{storylink|A Fierce Battle!! The Asteroid}} {{storylink|Battle Up of Wrath!!}} {{storylink|Fight to the Death!! Antarctic Battle}} {{storylink|Ginrai Dies!!}} {{storylink|Fight!! Victory Leo}} {{storylink|Awaken! Victory Leo}} {{storylink|The Tide Is Turned! The Ultimate Weapon, the Victory Unification}} {{storylink|The Death-Bringing Space Insects!!}} {{storylink|The Terror of the Giant Tidal Waves}} {{storylink|The Wrath of the Resurrected Giant Fortress!}} {{storylink|Showdown! The Fortress vs the Victory Unification}}}}

{{-}}

====''Micromaster''====
After stumbling into the past through a dimensional rift, Dash, Tacker, and the rest of the Multiforce joined forces with the Autobots from the local timeframe. Dash and Tacker combined into Dashtacker to take on [[Decepticon Sixbuilder]]s, but struggled with fending off the Decepticons when [[Sixwing|Berserker Sixwing]] joined the fight. Dashtacker then separated into his components so that they could recombine into [[Landcross (Victory)|Landcross]] and defeat the more formidable opponent. {{storylink|The Menace of Landcross's Combining Formation!}}

===''Victory'' manga===
After receiving an S.O.S. from the Earth, Star Saber had Dashtacker, Wingwaver and Machtackle join him in battling the Decepticons causing trouble there. They battled [[Dinoking]] as Landcross. {{storylink|Magnificent! Our Friend, Star Saber!}}

When Star Saber was alerted that [[Leozack]] was terrorizing the Earth, he left Dashtacker, Machtackle, and Wingwaver stationed at the [[Galaxy Shuttle]] while he dealt with the situation himself. {{storylink|Leozack Rumbles Violently!}}
{{-}}

===Dreamwave ''Generation One'' continuity===
Dashtacker was one of several angry Autobots who were sick of listening to [[Prowl (G1)|Prowl]] on Cybertron, after the overthrow of [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]]. Luckily, [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]] was there to quiet down the mob, giving Prowl a chance to go off and get drunk with [[Ironhide (G1)|Ironhide]]. {{storylink|Skyfire (issue)|Skyfire}}

==Toys==
===Victory===
*'''Dashtacer''' {{sic}} (Multiforce, 1989)
**''ID number'': '''C-317'''
**''Accessories'': Multi-Dash Gun, Multi-Tacker Gun, Landcross right fist, Landcross footplate

: Dashtacker was always sold as a set in the [[Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers: Victory (toyline)|''Victory'' toyline]]; the "individual" version had both [[Dash (Victory)#Toys|Dash]] and [[Tacker#Toys|Tacker]] in a single box. Of course, this meant you also had "Tackerdash".

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/1989/Cybertron/DashTacker/dashtacker.htm More information on Dashtacker at TFU.info]''

{{-}}{{anchor|Landcross}}
*'''Landcross''' (Gift set, 1989)
**''ID number'': '''C-319'''
**''Accessories'': Multi-Dash Gun, Multi-Tacker Gun, Landcross right fist, Landcross footplate

:Dashtacker was also available as part of the complete Multiforce/[[Landcross (Victory)#Toys|Landcross]] gift set. The toys are identical to their individual releases, though the packaging lacked the [[bio]]s and [[Tech Spec]]s for the "individual" members.

{{-}}

===Micromaster===
*'''Dash''' (DX Micromaster, 2004)
**''Multiforce number'': '''3'''
*'''Tacker''' (DX Micromaster, 2004)
**''Multiforce number'': '''4'''

: For ''[[The Transformers: Micromaster]]'', the Multiforce members were only sold as true individuals, one per box. As such, Dashtacker had to be assembled by purchasing his components. This release saw the original versions' [[sticker]]s replaced with [[paint operation]]s.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2004/Cybertron/DashTacker/dashtacker.htm More information on ''Micromaster'' Dashtacker at TFU.info]''

{{-}}{{anchor|Stealth}}
*'''Dash Stealth Mode''' (DX Micromaster, 2004)
**''Multiforce number'': '''3'''
*'''Tacker Stealth Mode''' (DX Micromaster, 2004)
**''Multiforce number'': '''4'''

: In every case of 12 DX Micromasters, two were black-plastic "Stealth Mode" versions. Since the toys were in boxes that only indicated which of the six ''molds'' were in any given box, buyers had no ability to tell which two were the chasers. All six Multiforce members were available in black.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2004/Cybertron/BlackDashTacker/dashtacker.htm More information on Stealth Mode Dashtacker at TFU.info]''

==Notes==
===Foreign names===
*''English:'' '''Batchtaster''' ([[Omni Productions]] dub)
*''Russian:'' '''Bombardir''' (Бомбардир, "Bombardier")
*''Mandarin:'' '''Storm''' (China, 疾风 ''Jí Fēng'' ([[The_Transformers_(Chinese_toyline)|Victory toyline]]))

[[Category:Combined forms]]
[[Category:Multiforce]]

Braver

2016-10-16T04:28:21Z

OptimusComboy: /* Notes */

{{factions|autobot|eliteguard}}
:''Braver is an [[Autobot]] [[Brainmaster]] from the [[Generation 1 continuity family]].''

[[File:Braver.jpg|325px|thumb|You really have to be braver with this fashion sense.]]
'''Braver''' (ブレイバー ''Bureibā'') is the brains of his team—and when his team is named the [[Brainmaster]]s, that's really saying something. Braver loves to tinker and create, being something of a mad scientist, but his childlike charm and creativity are tempered with the good sense to work on a small scale and not to turn on his creations until the kinks are worked out, leaving him a little less prone to self-injury than [[Wheeljack (G1)|certain other scientists]]. And just because he's a brain doesn't mean Braver is lacking as a warrior—he is an accomplished fighter, capable of holding his own against two or three opponents at a time and employing complicated strategies and manoeuvres on the battlefield with ease.

As a Brainmaster, Braver possesses incredible skill, strength, intelligence and courage. Among the group, it should not be surprising to learn that Braver exemplifies intelligence in particular; his smallest robot form is the '''Brain of Intelligence''' (知恵のブレイン ''Chie no Brain'') which combines with a [[Transtector]] that transforms into a sports car. In [[robot mode]], Braver can eject oil from the soles of his feet and then proceed to run around his opponents at super speed, igniting the oil in a technique known as his blazing "Brain Hellfire" attack. Braver combines with his fellow Brainmasters [[Blacker]] and [[Laster]] into [[Road Caesar]], forming the left leg of the super robot.

==Fiction==
===Japanese Generation 1 cartoon continuity===
====''Victory'' cartoon====
{{voiceactor|[[Hirohiko Kakegawa]] (Japanese)}}

[[File:Braver is smart.jpg|left|215px|thumb|Crap, look at that timetable. I'm gonna miss my flight!]]
As a member of the Sector One unit of the [[Galactic Peace Alliance]]'s [[Galactic Defense Force]], Braver helped his fellow Brainmasters defend the sector against the evil advances of [[Decepticon]] [[Emperor of Destruction]] [[Deathsaurus (Victory)|Deathsaurus]]. Eventually, the villains' attacks escalated to the point where Autobot [[Supreme Commander]] [[Star Saber (Victory)|Star Saber]] was forced to join the fight. On the day Star Saber was due to arrive to take command of the Sector One force, the Decepticon [[Dinoforce]] attacked the human [[Lunar Base (Victory)|Lunar Base]] on [[Earth]]'s [[Moon (moon)|moon]], and Braver and the Brainmasters engaged the bumbling do-badders in battle. During the course of the fight, Braver was knocked into a chasm by [[Goryu (Victory)|Goryu]], and by the time he was able to extricate himself, Star Saber had arrived and ended the trouble. {{storylink|The Brave Hero of the Universe - Star Saber}}

[[File:Braver sonicdrill.jpg|215px|thumb|In ''Transformers vs. Street Fighter'', the Hadouken beats Brain of Intelligence.]]
Braver and the Brainmasters later helped save [[Wingwaver]] from the menace of the Dinoforce's combined form of [[Dinoking]], {{storylink|Sneak Attack! Dinoking}} after which they established a base on Earth with the other Autobots, and they combined into Road Caesar to help Star Saber battle [[Leozack]] and Dinoking on [[Jan Minakaze|Jan]]'s first day of school. {{storylink|Attack! Leozack|Attack! Leozack}} The Brainmaster trio later battled the [[Breastforce]] at a desert energy plant, {{storylink|Unite!! Multiforce}} and once more combined into Road Caesar to battle Dinoking at the Ocean Exhibition amusement park. {{storylink|Move Out! Rescue Team}}

When word reached the Autobots of a Decepticon attack on the Neo Uranium Mines, Braver, Laster and Wingwaver used a sonic drill to burrow through the cave wall and get the drop on the Decepticons. When the team hit bedrock, Braver came up with the plan to have the trio use their own energy to super-charge the drill. The tactic proved successful, and the Breastforce were routed, {{storylink|Infiltration... The Uranium Mine}} but it wasn't long before they returned for a rematch, and Braver and the other Brainmasters found themselves at the mercy of their vicious [[Breast Animal]]s in the subway tunnels of [[United States of America|America]]. {{storylink|Big City - Underground Terror}}

[[File:Braver brainwavescanner.jpg|left|upright=1.15|thumb]]
Looking for a way to make the Autobots more proactive in their war against the Decepticons, Braver invented a brainwave scanner that could pick up Decepticon signals. Jan and [[Holi]] arrived in his lab just as he was putting the finishing touches to the prototype device, and when he turned it on to show them how it worked, all three were quite surprised to discover it was picking up a Decepticon signal in the vicinity. The signal belonged to the newest member of the Breastforce, [[Hellbat (Victory)|Hellbat]], and the Autobots immediately headed out to ambush the new Deception and his teammates. Unfortunately, Hellbat's hypnosis powers had the team on the ropes until Braver had a literal brainstorm and inverted the polarity of his brainwave scanner, turning it into a brainwave ''scrambler''. The scrambling waves quickly forced the Decepticon to retreat, although just as they were pulling out, Leozack snatched the brainwave scanner and spirited it away with him. Although he knew the Decepticons couldn't use the device for evil, since it only worked on their brains, Braver was irritated at having his only copy of the device stolen, knowing it would take him some time before he would be able to build a new scanner. {{storylink|The New Warrior - Hellbat}}

[[File:Braver bombdisposal.jpg|thumb|Even Braver can't get a handle on Ikea instructions.]]
After escorting an oil tanker safely into port, {{storylink|Attack the Shuttle Base!!}} Braver found that oil tankers seemed to be the order of the day, as he soon found himself attempting to thwart a Decepticon plot to steal the fuel from the tanker ''Big Baron''. Blacker discovered that the Breastforce were threatening to blow up [[Marine City]] with a neutron bomb if ''Baron'''s payload was not delivered to them. Braver and the Brainmasters scoured the city for the bomb and came up empty-handed, until Blacker snuck out to sea and listened in on the villains as they pillaged the ''Baron'', discovering that the bomb was hidden in the city's Marine Tower. While his teammates took on the Decepticons, Braver raced to the top of the tower and put his scientific expertise to use defusing and dismantling the bomb, accomplishing the task without a second to spare. {{storylink|Tanker Hijack Operation}} This still wasn't the end of the oil tanker fad, though, as the Brainmasters soon found themselves fending off another attempt by the Breastforce to plunder a fleet of the ships. {{storylink|Rescue Jan!!}}

[[File:Braver schaefferenergy.jpg|left|205px|thumb|Arise, Bravimus Prime!]]
When Star Saber ventured into the asteroid belt to expose a hidden Decepticon kidnapping operation, he soon called in Braver and the Brainmasters to help rescue the captive humans while he battled the Decepticons. {{storylink|A Fierce Battle!! The Asteroid}} Not long after, the Brainmasters and [[Multiforce]] were left to defend Earth alone when Star Saber headed off to planet [[Micro]] with Jan and the [[Rescue Patrol Team]], {{storylink|Planet Micro - The Mysterious Warrior}} and when they returned, Braver took Jan and Holi on a tour of the [[Schaeffer Energy]] plant in America. The Schaeffer plant soon came under attack from the Decepticons, and Braver merged with his fellow Brainmasters into Road Caesar to aid Star Saber in battle against the Breastforce's merged form of [[Liokaiser]]. {{storylink|Battle Up of Wrath!!}}

[[File:Braver laster sandtrap.jpg|215px|thumb|This is ''someone's'' fetish, we just know it.]]
When the Brainmasters were lured into the desert by the Breastforce, Braver and Laster found themselves unable to fight when their heavy bodies began sinking into the shifting sands. Blacker's dune buggy mode enabled him to keep moving, but even with the aid of the wandering samurai Autobot [[Greatshot]], he was unable to escape serious injury. Star Saber soon arrived to pluck Braver and Laster from the desert's grainy grip, and they quickly took Blacker back to the [[Shuttle Base]] for medical attention. {{storylink|Crisis! Ambush in the Desert}} As Blacker convalesced, Braver and Laster were ordered by Star Saber to stay behind and watch over the him, and to keep secret the fact that Star Saber—himself badly wounded—had gone into battle. Before long, the Brainmaster leader had the truth of the matter wrung from his subordinates and ordered Braver and Laster to aid Star Saber on the battlefield. Unfortunately, the two Brainmasters failed to arrive before Star Saber's ally [[Ginrai (robot)|God Ginrai]] was fatally wounded by Deathsaurus, but their presence did convince the Decepticons to retreat before more lives were taken. {{storylink|A Deadly Battle}}

[[File:Braver and starsaber.jpg|left|225px|thumb]]
With the Autobot forces in disarray, the Decepticons continued their high-pressure attack techniques. Braver and Laster joined Star Saber in battling the Breastforce at a solar power station, but Star Saber soon received a summons from the Shuttle Base, calling him to the dying Ginrai's beside. As Star Saber hesitated, Braver barked at his commander to depart right away. Braver reasoned that Ginrai was aware that Star Saber would not readily leave a battle, and so must have had good reason to call on him. Star Saber followed Braver's advice, but without their commander's power, the two Brainmasters were soon defeated. {{storylink|Ginrai Dies!!}} Soon after, Braver, Laster and [[Landcross (Victory)|Landcross]] went up against Leozack, Hellbat and Dinoking on America's "[[Energy Road]]", and they emerged triumphant through the aid of [[Victory Leo]], the reborn form of God Ginrai. {{storylink|Fight!! Victory Leo}}

When Deathsaurus unleashed his newest weapon—super smart-missiles launched from an orbital weapons platform that could strike anywhere on Earth faster than the Autobots could react—the Autobots were forced to stay their hands and allow the Decepticons to carry out energy thefts for fear of explosive reprisal. Braver and the Brainmasters had to speed to Pakistan to inform Victory Leo of the situation before he attacked the Dinoforce. Unable to do anything but watch the Dinoforce steal right in front of them, the Brainmasters were pushed to the breaking point, until Star Saber and Victory Leo revealed their new power: They combined into Victory Saber and outraced Deathsaurus's missile launch system, successfully destroying it and freeing up the Brainmasters to make short work of the Decepticons. {{storylink|The Tide Is Turned! The Ultimate Weapon, the Victory Unification}}

[[File:Brainmasters vs victoryleo.jpg|upright=1.4|thumb]]
While Star Saber was off-planet attending a Galactic Peace Alliance conference, Leozack exploited his absence by donning an exo-skeleton that allowed him to pose as the Autobot leader and infiltrate the Shuttle Base. Victory Leo could tell that something was not right, but Braver and the Brainmasters would not hear his allegations. They were nearly duped into attacking Victory Leo by the faux Star Saber, but the return of the real deal and the exposure of Leozack's plot left them eating crow. {{storylink|A Mystery?! The Deception of the Base Bombs}} Later, the Brainmasters came to Star Saber's rescue when the Decepticons attacked him with the metal-eating [[Doriya]] insects, and they suffered the pain of the bugs' bite themselves before it was discovered that intense cold stopped the little critters. {{storylink|The Death-Bringing Space Insects!!}}

A month of Decepticon inactivity finally allowed Braver to recreate, perfect and mass-produce his brainwave scanner. Five completed units were distributed amongst the Autobots, and they successfully allowed the heroes to discover the Decepticons were in the process of raising [[Atlantis]]. Braver and the Brainmasters aided in relief efforts for the coastal cities devastated by tidal waves caused by the raising of the continent, {{storylink|The Terror of the Giant Tidal Waves}} and then headed out into space alongside [[Greatshot]] to serve as the first line of defense against Deathsaurus's [[Planet-Destroying Fortress]], which had finally been reactivated by the energy stolen from the ancient ruins. The Brainmasters combined into Road Caesar, but were no match for the fortress's power, so they were sent back to Earth to recuperate by Victory Saber when he arrived to take up the fight. {{storylink|The Wrath of the Resurrected Giant Fortress!}} The team's injuries prevented them from aiding their commander in the final battle with the fortress, but in the end, Star Saber emerged victorious and destroyed the planet-killing weapon.

With the threat of Deathsaurus at last ended and Star Saber fulfilling his duties as Supreme Commander, Braver, Blacker and Laster were appointed joint commanders of the Sector One defense force. {{storylink|Showdown! The Fortress vs the Victory Unification}}

====''Zone'' cartoon====
When the injured Star Saber appointed Autobot [[Powered Master]] [[Dai Atlas (Zone)|Dai Atlas]] the new Supreme Commander, Braver, Laster and Blacker were all present, standing on stage in their combined form of Road Caesar. {{storylink|Enter the New Supreme Commander, Dai Atlas!}}

===''Victory'' manga===
[[File:Braver manga.jpg|left|upright=1.4|thumb]]
When Deathsaurus began his campaign against the Earth in 2025, Braver and the Brainmasters didn't roll onto the battlefield right away, being instructed by Star Saber to remain behind on [[Victory (planet)|Planet V]] while he and the Multiforce took on Deathsaurus and the Dinoforce. {{storylink|Magnificent! Our Friend, Star Saber!}} They later got their chance to join the fighting when Deathsaurus started a massive forest fire, but even as Road Caesar, they were thrashed by the Decepticon Emperor thanks to the power boost he gained by absorbing energy from the fire. {{storylink|Great Turn-Around! Star Saber}}

When Star Saber's human son Jan befriended two old human allies of the Autobots, [[Shūta Gō]] and [[Cab (human)|Cab]], the three young lads soon formed the "Autobot Boy Team" known as the [[Victories]], donning armor based on the Brainmasters. Shūta wore a suit of armor inspired by Braver. {{storylink|The Star of Friendship, Jan and Star Saber!}}

Combined as Road Caesar, the Brainmasters arrived in time to see the tail end of Star Saber's battle with Deathsaurus, Dinoking and Liokaiser, which was won thanks to the sudden arrival of Victory Leo, with whom Star Saber combined to form Victory Saber. {{storylink|The Strongest Partners, the Combination of Victory!}} When Deathsaurus tried to counter the power of this combination by creating a mech for his own human cyborg son [[Solon Kitakaze (Victory)|Solon]], Braver and the Brainmasters delivered an intelligence report to Star Saber informing him of what the villain was up to. {{storylink|Mighty! Victory Saber}}

Braver later participated in a battle against Deathsaurus and Liokaiser, merging with his teammates into Road Caesar to join Victory Saber in combat. The Autobots and the Victories united their power to perform the "Five Stars of Victory" attack, with each of the Victories transferring his power into his Autobot counterpart for a super-charged attack. Shūta channelled his intelligence into Braver, and together, the power of the attack took out both Deathsaurus and Liokaiser in one blast. {{storylink|Shine! The Five Stars of Victory}}

When Deathsaurus unleashed his "Space Stronghold" upon the Earth, Braver and the Brainmasters joined in the united Autobot attack against it, but were left dumbfounded when they discovered that the fortress was actually home to the Decepticons' families, and that all along, they had been committing their evil deeds in order to keep them safe. Inspired by the example their two sons had set, Star Saber and Deathsaurus declared a truce, and peace came to the Transformers...the truest victory of all! {{storylink|Heroic! The Victory War}}

===Dreamwave ''Generation One'' continuity===
[[File:Brainmasters dreamwave.jpg|thumb]]
Braver, Blacker and Laster were all seen on [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]], looking out a window while [[Electro]] and [[Volt]] sat and talked nearby. {{storylink|Atonement}}
{{-}}

===''Wings Universe''===
Nine million years before the Transformers woke on [[Earth]], Braver was part of [[Magnum]]'s military experiment, the [[Cybertron Elite Guard|Autobot Elite Guard]]. His unit, led by [[Ranger]], was known as the [[Fast Attack Team]]. Although briefly successful at culling the [[Decepticon Warlord]]s and their troops, the Elite Guard eventually fell before one of their own squads. The Special Ops Team, aka the [[Combaticon (G1)|Combaticon]]s, joined forces with [[Deathsaurus (Victory)|Deathsaurus]] and were upgraded into the towering gestalt, [[Bruticus (G1)|Bruticus]]. Braver and his teammates were among the first Elite Guardsmen who fell before Bruticus's rampage through the team's headquarters. {{storylink|The Coming Storm: Part 6}}

==Toys==
===Victory===

*'''Braver''' (1989)
**''Japanese ID number'': '''C-322'''[[File:Braver g1toy.jpg|upright=1.95|thumb]]
**''Accessories'': "Brain of Intelligence" Brainmaster figure, sword, "Strong Blur Rifle" blaster/Road Caesar fist, shield/Road Caesar shin guard & foot

:Braver transforms into Ferrari F40 sports car. His transformation is notably simplistic for his size, but is a consequence of the Brainmaster gimmick which dominates his torso. Placing the small "Brain of Intelligence" figure into the open chest cavity then closing the plate pushes the inner core of the small robot up, forming the larger robot's face. As with the other Brainmasters, the Brain of Intelligence is designed to look like a miniature version of Braver's larger [[robot mode]]. While Braver is in [[alternate mode|vehicle mode]], the Brain of Intelligence rides in his hinged cockpit.

:Braver is equipped with a quite a few weapons, coming with a sword, a chunky blaster, and a shield with additional gun barrels built in that mounts on his arm. When Braver is in vehicle mode, his shield and blaster combine to form an elaborate weapons array that mounts on his roof. Braver also combines with Laster and Blacker (sold separately) to form Road Caesar, forming the left leg of the super robot. His weapons form integral parts of Road Caesar; his blaster transforms into the right fist, his shield unfolds into a large shin-guard-esque plate that forms the front of his left leg, with foot attached, and his sword combines with those of his teammates to create a large blade for Road Caesar to wield.

: This mold was later used to make the [[Motorvator]] [[Lightspeed (Motorvator)|Lightspeed]].

::*[http://www.tfu.info/1989/Cybertron/Braver/braver.htm More information on Braver at TFU.info]

{{-}}{{anchor|RoadCaesar}}
*'''Road Caesar''' (Multi-pack, 1989)
**''Japanese ID number'': '''C-323'''

: All three smaller Brainmasters were available in Japan both in individual boxes and in a complete Road Caesar gift-set. The gift-set versions are identical to their individual releases.

==Notes==
[[File:Hound braver roadking armada generics.jpg|thumb]]
*Braver's Brainmaster figure has for years been (and continues to be) incorrectly referred to by fans with the names "Chie" and "Siet", mistakenly derived from Japanese words meaning "intelligence". In truth, like all Brainmaster units, it does not have a proper name, but is known simply by the title used in this article, the "Brain of Intelligence".
*Braver was among the [[Generation 1 continuity family|Generation 1]] characters whose [[Character model|animation models]] were recycled and recolored as [[generic]] Transformers in the [[Transformers: Armada (cartoon)|''Armada'' animated series]]. A purple Braver with an extra shoulder shield (sans guns) was seen on [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] in the episode "[[First Encounter]]" (seen at right), while two versions of the model (one blue and red, the other blue and white, both with his gun-shield on the wrong arm) appeared in a flashback in "[[Prehistory]]".

===Foreign names===
*''Mandarin:'' '''Lín Ch'īn''' (Taiwan, 林青), '''Bù Lǐ Bā''' (China, 布里巴 ([[The_Transformers_(Chinese_toyline)|Victory toyline]]))
*''Russian:'' '''Khrabrets''' (Храбрец, "Brave")

[[Category:Japanese-original Transformers]]
[[Category:Victory Autobots]]
[[Category:Wings Universe Autobots]]

Laster

2016-10-16T04:24:31Z

OptimusComboy: /* Foreign names */

{{faction|autobot|eliteguard}}
:''Laster is an [[Autobot]] [[Brainmaster]] from the [[Generation 1 continuity family]].''

[[File:Laster.jpg|right|thumb|325px|Oddly, usually the first into battle.]]

'''Laster''' (ラスター ''Rasutā'') is so cool, he's practically coated with ice. He is constantly observing everything and everyone around him, and there are very few places one can escape to that do not fall under his watchful eye. But Laster is not watchful because it is his job to be: he's watchful because he's anti-social, preferring to simply observe others, rather than interact with them. His social detachment suits the other Autobots just fine, too, because his icy demeanour constantly puts them on edge.

As a [[Brainmaster]], Laster possesses incredible skill, strength, intelligence and courage. While his teammates [[Blacker]] and [[Braver]] exemplify strength and intelligence in particular, Laster embodies the slightly less-definable endowment of "skill", which essentially seems to mean that he is "good at stuff"; the "all-rounder" of the Brainmaster trio, if you will. While he does not have Blacker's raw warrior instincts on the battlefield, he can evade any trap with the agility and talent of a veteran of hundreds of conflicts. And while he may not match Braver in the laboratory, Laster knows his way around a circuit board, and has invented many simple devices that have helped the Autobots in battle against the [[Decepticon]]s.

Laster's smallest robot form is the '''Brain of Skill''' (技のブレイ ''Waza no Brain'') which combines with a [[Transtector]] that transforms into a sports car. In this mode, Laster's figuratively "icy" personality takes on a literal bent when he spins his wheels at full speed, activating climate control devices mounted within them to freeze his enemies solid with sub-zero temperatures. Laster combines with his fellow Brainmasters Blacker and Braver into [[Road Caesar]], forming the right leg of the super robot.

==Fiction==
===Japanese Generation 1 cartoon continuity===
====''Victory'' cartoon====
{{voiceactor|[[Shingo Hiromori]] (Japanese)|[[Rik Thomas]] (English, Omni Productions dub)}}
[[File:Laster robotmode toon.jpg|left|thumb|upright=0.85]]
As a member of the Sector One unit of the [[Galactic Peace Alliance]]'s [[Galactic Defense Force]], Laster helped his fellow Brainmasters defend the sector against the evil advances of [[Decepticon]] [[Emperor of Destruction]] [[Deathsaurus (Victory)|Deathsaurus]]. Eventually, the villains' attacks escalated to the point where Autobot [[Supreme Commander]] [[Star Saber (Victory)|Star Saber]] was forced to join the fight. On the day Star Saber was due to arrive to take command of the Sector One force, the Decepticon [[Dinoforce]] attacked the human [[Lunar Base (Victory)|Lunar Base]] on [[Earth]]'s [[moon (moon)|moon]], and Laster and the Brainmasters engaged the bumbling do-badders in battle. During the course of the fight, Braver was knocked into a chasm by [[Goryu (Victory)|Goryu]], leaving the team unable to combine, but Star Saber soon arrived to end the trouble. {{storylink|The Brave Hero of the Universe - Star Saber}}

[[File:Laster flasher.jpg|right|thumb|upright=1.2|Work it harder,
Make it better,
Do it faster,
Makes us stronger,
More than ever,
Hour after,
Our work is never over.]]

A little later, as the Autobots awaited the arrival of [[Wingwaver]] from [[Victory (planet)|Planet V]] so that they could all travel to [[Earth]] aboard their [[Rocket Base|Shuttle Base]] together, Laster was putting the finishing touches to his newest invention when [[Dashtacker]], [[Machtackle]], [[Holi]] and Star Saber's human son [[Jan Minakaze|Jan]] dropped in to visit. Intruiged by Laster's new creation, a blinding flare device named the "Flasher", Dashtacker asked if he could keep it, and Laster agreed. When word arrived that Wingwaver had been attacked en route by the Dinoforce, Laster and the Brainmasters headed out to help him, while the Multiforce used the Flasher to defend the Shuttle Base against an attack by the Dinoforce's [[Pretender|shells]]. {{storylink|Sneak Attack! Dinoking}}

The Autobots all subsequently relocated to Earth, and it wasn't long before trouble reared its head. The Brainmasters combined into Road Caesar to help Star Saber fend off an attack by [[Leozack]] and [[Dinoking]] on Jan's first day of school, {{storylink|Attack! Leozack}} then battled the [[Breastforce]] at a desert energy plant, {{storylink|Unite!! Multiforce}} and later clashed with Dinoking again at the Ocean Exhibition amusement park. {{storylink|Move Out! Rescue Team}}

[[File:Laster sonicdrill.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.15|Bring it on, Simon!]]

When word reached the Autobots of a Decepticon attack on the Neo Uranium Mines, Laster came up with the idea to reconfigure a sonic blaster into a "sonic drill" that would allow him, Braver and Wingwaver to burrow through the cave wall and get the drop on the Decepticons. The tactic proved successful, and the Breastforce were routed, {{storylink|Infiltration... The Uranium Mine}} but it wasn't long before they returned for a rematch, and Laster and the other Brainmasters found themselves as the mercy of their vicious [[Breast Animal]]s in the subway tunnels of [[United States of America|America]]. {{storylink|Big City - Underground Terror}}

Following a battle with the Breastforce's hypnotic new member [[Hellbat (Victory)|Hellbat]], {{storylink|The New Warrior - Hellbat}} Laster was ordered into action to help Dashtacker and Machtackle when Leozack and Hellbat attacked a shuttle port. {{storylink|Attack the Shuttle Base!!}} Soon after, Laster and the Brainmasters defended [[Marine City]] against an attempt by the Breastforce to destroy it with a neutron bomb, {{storylink|Tanker Hijack Operation}} and then defended a fleet of oil tankers against a Decepticon attack. {{storylink|Rescue Jan!!}}

[[File:Braver laster sandtrap.jpg|right|thumb|upright=1.4]]

When Star Saber ventured into the asteroid belt to expose a hidden Decepticon kidnapping operation, he soon called in Laster and the Brainmasters to help rescue the captive humans while he battled the Decepticons. {{storylink|A Fierce Battle!! The Asteroid}} Not long after, the Brainmasters and [[Multiforce]] were left to defend Earth alone when Star Saber headed off to planet [[Micro]] with Jan and the [[Rescue Patrol Team]], {{storylink|Planet Micro - The Mysterious Warrior}} and when they returned, Laster and the Brainmasters combined into Road Caesar to help their commander battle the Breasforce's new combined form of [[Liokaiser]]. {{storylink|Battle Up of Wrath!!}}

Lured into the desert by the Breastforce, Laster and Braver found themselves unable to fight when their heavy bodies began sinking into the shifting sands. Blacker's dune buggy mode enabled him to keep moving, but even with the aid of the wandering samurai Autobot [[Greatshot]], he was unable to escape seriously injury. Star Saber soon arrived to pluck Laster and Braver from the desert's grainy grip, and they quickly took Blacker back to the [[Shuttle Base]] for medical attention. {{storylink|Crisis! Ambush in the Desert}} As Blacker convalesced, Laster and Braver were ordered by Star Saber to stay behind and watch over the him, and to keep secret the fact that Star Saber—himself badly wounded—had gone into battle. Before long, the Brainmaster leader had the truth of the matter wrung from his subordinates and ordered Laster and Braver to aid Star Saber on the battlefield. Unfortunately, the two Brainmasters failed to arrive before Star Saber's ally [[Ginrai (robot)|God Ginrai]] was fatally wounded by Deathsaurus, but their presence did convince the Decepticons to retreat before more lives were taken. {{storylink|A Deadly Battle}}

[[File:Victory31 illumina2.jpg|left|thumb|235px]]

With the Autobot forces in disarray, the Decepticons continued their high-pressure attack techniques. Laster and Braver joined Star Saber in battling the Breastforce at a solar power station, but when Star Saber was called away to the dying Ginrai's beside, the two Brainmasters were defeated. {{storylink|Ginrai Dies!!}} Soon after, Laster, Braver and [[Landcross (Victory)|Landcross]] went up against Leozack, Hellbat and Dinoking on America's "[[Energy Road]]", and victory was claimed through the aid of [[Victory Leo]], the reborn form of God Ginrai. {{storylink|Fight!! Victory Leo}}

When Deathsaurus unleashed his newest weapon—super smart-missiles launched from an orbital weapons platform that could strike anywhere on Earth faster than the Autobots could react—the Autobots were forced to stay their hands and allow the Decepticons to carry out energy thefts for fear of explosive reprisal. Laster and the Brainmasters had to speed to Pakistan to inform Victory Leo of the situation before he attacked the Dinoforce. Unable to do anything but watch the Dinoforce steal right in front of them, the Brainmasters were pushed to the breaking point, until Star Saber and Victory Leo revealed their new power: They combined into Victory Saber and outraced Deathsaurus's missile launch system, successfully destroying it and freeing up the Brainmasters to make short work of the Decepticons. {{storylink|The Tide Is Turned! The Ultimate Weapon, the Victory Unification}} Soon after, Laster put his technical expertise to use constructing a personal mech for Jan, which the boy named the "[[Illumina II]]". {{storylink|Jan - Defend the Campus!!}}

[[File:Brainmasters vs victoryleo.jpg|right|thumb|240px]]

While Star Saber was off-planet attending a Galactic Peace Alliance conference, Leozack exploited his absence by donning an exo-skeleton that allowed him to pose as the Autobot leader and infiltrate the Shuttle Base. Victory Leo could tell that something was not right, but Laster and the Brainmasters would not hear his allegations. They were nearly duped into attacking Victory Leo by the faux Star Saber, but the return of the real deal and the exposure of Leozack's plot left them eating crow. {{storylink|A Mystery?! The Deception of the Base Bombs}} Later, the Brainmasters came to Star Saber's rescue when the Decepticons attacked him with the metal-eating [[Doriya]] insects, and they suffered the pain of the bugs' bite themselves before it was discovered that intense cold stopped the little critters. {{storylink|The Death-Bringing Space Insects!!}}

[[File:Brainmasters tidalwave rescue.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.2]]

Laster and the Brainmasters aided in relief efforts for the coastal cities devastated by tidal waves caused by the Decepticons' raising of [[Atlantis]], {{storylink|The Terror of the Giant Tidal Waves}} and then headed out into space alongside Greatshot to serve as the first line of defence against Deathsaurus's [[Planet-Destroying Fortress]], which had finally been reactivated by the energy stolen from the lost continent. The Brainmasters combined into Road Caesar, but were no match for the fortress's power, so they were sent back to Earth to recuperate by Victory Saber when he arrived to take up the fight. {{storylink|The Wrath of the Resurrected Giant Fortress!}} The team's injuries prevented them from aiding their commander in the final battle with the fortress, but in the end, Star Saber emerged victorious and destroyed the planet-killing weapon.

With the threat of Deathsaurus at last ended and Star Saber fulfilling his duties as Supreme Commander, Laster, Braver and Blacker were appointed joint commanders of the Sector One defense force. {{storylink|Showdown! The Fortress vs the Victory Unification}}

====''Zone'' cartoon====
When the injured Star Saber appointed Autobot [[Powered Master]] [[Dai Atlas (Zone)|Dai Atlas]] the new Supreme Commander, Laster, Braver and Blacker were all present, standing on stage in their combined form of Road Caesar. {{storylink|Enter the New Supreme Commander, Dai Atlas!}}

===''Victory'' manga===
[[File:Laster manga.jpg|right|upright=1.4|thumb]]

When Deathsaurus began his campaign against the Earth in 2025, Laster and the Brainmasters didn't roll onto the battlefield right away, being instructed by Star Saber to remain behind on [[Victory (planet)|Planet V]] while he and the Multiforce took on Deathsaurus and the Dinoforce. {{storylink|Magnificent! Our Friend, Star Saber!}} They later got their chance to join the fighting when Deathsaurus started a massive forest fire, but even as Road Caesar, they were thrashed by the Decepticon Emperor thanks to the power boost he gained by absorbing energy from the fire. {{storylink|Great Turn-Around! Star Saber}}

When Star Saber's human son Jan befriended two old human allies of the Autobots, [[Shūta Gō]] and [[Cab (human)|Cab]], the three young lads soon formed the "Autobot Boy Team" known as the [[Victories]], donning armor based on the Brainmasters. Cab wore a suit of armor inspired by Laster. {{storylink|The Star of Friendship, Jan and Star Saber!}}

Combined as Road Caesar, the Brainmasters arrived in time to see the tail end of Star Saber's battle with Deathsaurus, Dinoking and Liokaiser, which was won thanks to the sudden arrival of Victory Leo, with whom Star Saber combined to form Victory Saber. {{storylink|The Strongest Partners, the Combination of Victory!}} When Deathsaurus tired to counter the power of this combination by creating a mech for his own human cyborg son [[Solon Kitakaze (Victory)|Solon]], Laster and the Brainmasters delivered an intelligence report to Star Saber informing him of what the villain was up to. {{storylink|Mighty! Victory Saber}}

Laster later participated in a battle against Deathsaurus and Liokaiser, merging with his teammates into Road Caesar to join Victory Saber in combat. The Autobots and the Victories united their power to perform the "Five Stars of Victory" attack, with each of the Victories transferring their power into their Autobot counterpart for a super-charged attack. Cab channelled his skill into Laster, and together, the power of the attack took out both Deathsaurus and Liokaiser in one blast. {{storylink|Shine! The Five Stars of Victory}}

When Deathsaurus unleashed his Space Stronghold upon the Earth, Laster and the Brainmasters joined in the united Autobot attack against it, but were left dumbfounded when they discovered that the fortress was actually home to the Decepticons' families, and that all along, they had been committing their evil deeds in order to keep them safe. Inspired by the example their two sons had set, Star Saber and Deathsaurus declared a truce, and peace came to the Transformers... the truest victory of all! {{storylink|Heroic! The Victory War}}

===Dreamwave ''Generation One'' continuity===
[[File:Brainmasters dreamwave.jpg|left|thumb]]
Laster, Blacker and Braver were all seen on [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]], looking out a window while [[Electro]] and [[Volt]] sat and talked nearby. {{storylink|Atonement}}
{{-}}

===''Wings Universe''===
Nine million years before the Transformers woke on [[Earth]], Laster was part of [[Magnum]]'s military experiment, the [[Cybertron Elite Guard|Autobot Elite Guard]]. His unit, led by [[Ranger]], was known as the [[Fast Attack Team]]. Although briefly successful at culling the [[Decepticon Warlord]]s and their troops, the Elite Guard eventually fell before one of their own squads. The Special Ops Team, aka the [[Combaticon (G1)|Combaticon]]s, joined forces with [[Deathsaurus (Victory)|Deathsaurus]] and were upgraded into the towering gestalt, [[Bruticus (G1)|Bruticus]]. Laster and his teammates were among the first Elite Guardsmen who fell before Bruticus's rampage through the team's headquarters. {{storylink|The Coming Storm: Part 6}}

==Toys==
===Victory===
*'''Laster''' (1989)
**''Japanese ID number'': '''C-321'''[[File:Laster g1toy.jpg|right|thumb|325px|Sunstreaker's ultimate dream.]]
**''Accessories'': "Brain of Skill" Brainmaster figure, sword, "Laster Laser" blaster/Road Caesar fist, shield/Road Caesar shin guard & foot
: Laster transforms into Lamborghini Countach sports car. His transformation is notably simplistic for his size, but is a consequence of the Brainmaster gimmick which dominates his torso. Placing the small "Brain of Skill" figure into the open chest cavity then closing the plate pushes the inner core of the small robot up, forming the larger robot's face. As with the other Brainmasters, the Brain of Skill is designed to look like a miniature version of Laster's larger [[robot mode]]. While Laster is in [[alternate mode|vehicle mode]], the Brain of Skill rides in his hinged cockpit.

:Laster is equipped with a quite a few weapons, coming with a sword, a chunky blaster, and a shield with additional gun barrels built in that mounts on his arm. When Laster is in [[alternate mode|vehicle mode]], his shield and blaster combine to form an elaborate weapons array that mounts on his roof. Laster also combines with Braver and Blacker (sold separately) to form Road Caesar, forming the right leg of the super robot. His weapons form integral parts of Road Caesar; his blaster transforms into the left fist, his shield unfolds into a large shin-guard-esque plate that forms the front of his right leg, with foot attached, and his sword combines with those of his teammates to create a large blade for Road Caesar to wield.

: This mold was later used to make [[Flame (Motorvator)|Flame]].

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/1989/Cybertron/Laster/laster.htm More information on Laster at TFU.info]''

*'''Road Caesar''' (Multi-pack, 1989)
**''Japanese ID number'': '''C-323'''

: All three smaller Brainmasters were available in Japan both in individual boxes and in a complete Road Caesar gift-set.

==Notes==
*Laster's Brainmaster figure has for years been (and continues to be) incorrectly referred to by fans with the names "Waza" and "Razou", mistakenly derived from Japanese words meaning "skill". In truth, like all Brainmaster units, it does not have a proper name, but is known simply by the title used in this article, the "Brain of Skill".

===Foreign names===
*''Mandarin:'' '''Bowie''' (Taiwan, 柏威 ''Pó Wēi''), '''Laster''' (China, 拉斯达 ''Lā Sī Dá'' ([[The_Transformers_(Chinese_toyline)|Victory toyline]]))
*''Russian:'' '''Raster''' (Растер)

[[Category:Japanese-original Transformers]]
[[Category:Victory Autobots]]
[[Category:Wings Universe Autobots]]

Wingwaver

2016-10-16T04:12:07Z

OptimusComboy:

{{factions|autobot}}
:''Wingwaver is '''two''' [[Autobot]]s from the [[Generation 1 continuity family]].''

[[File:Wingwaver.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|Laughed so hard at his own name that his sides are splitting.]]
'''Wingwaver''' (ウイングウェーバー ''Uinguwēbā'') is the combined form of the [[Autobot]] [[Multiforce]] members [[Wing (Victory)|Wing]] and [[Waver]]. Possibly one of the most bizarre combination groups, converting to vehicle mode typically leaves half of him sitting high and dry. Wing, as leader of the Multiforce, is typically the dominant member of this pairing and as such is sure to always be the top.

While cocky and self-assured, Wingwaver feels very much like the lesser counterpart to [[Brainmaster]] leader [[Blacker]].

==Fiction==
===Generation 1 Japanese cartoon continuity===
====''Victory'' cartoon====
{{voiceactor|[[Masashi Hironaka]] (Japanese)}}

Wingwaver was the somewhat hot-headed leader of the Autobot Multiforce, operating under [[Star Saber (Victory)|Star Saber]]'s supervision when the latter was promoted to become [[Supreme Commander]] of all the Autobots. {{storylink|The Brave Hero of the Universe - Star Saber}} The Multiforce comprised a sizeable portion of Star Saber's forces, and settled on Earth shortly after their leader's promotion. Wingwaver was still something of a junior officer, leader of his own troops but still a rookie in the eyes of Star Saber's other troops, the [[Brainmaster]]s, especially their veteran leader [[Blacker]]. Wingwaver often felt like he needed to justify himself to Blacker, and made careless mistakes at times because of that. He once accidentally gave away the Autobots' position during a covert mission that depended on reaching the Decepticon installation undetected. Despite this, Blacker took responsibility for his actions when questioned by Star Saber, and this eased Wingwaver's self-doubt somewhat. {{storylink|Explosion!! The Energy Base}}
{{charstubfiction|{{storylink|Attack! Leozack}} {{storylink|Unite!! Multiforce}} {{storylink|Infiltration... The Uranium Mine}} {{storylink|Attack the Shuttle Base!!}} {{storylink|Tanker Hijack Operation}} {{storylink|Rescue Jan!!}} {{storylink|Mach and Tackle}} {{storylink|A Fierce Battle!! The Asteroid}} {{storylink|Battle Up of Wrath!!}} {{storylink|Fight to the Death!! Antarctic Battle}} {{storylink|Ginrai Dies!!}} {{storylink|Fight!! Victory Leo}} {{storylink|Awaken! Victory Leo}} {{storylink|The Tide Is Turned! The Ultimate Weapon, the Victory Unification}} {{storylink|The Death-Bringing Space Insects!!}} {{storylink|The Terror of the Giant Tidal Waves}} {{storylink|The Wrath of the Resurrected Giant Fortress!}} {{storylink|Showdown! The Fortress vs the Victory Unification}}}}

====''Zone'' cartoon====
The Multiforce, as [[Landcross (Victory)|Landcross]], continued to be an active element in the Autobot forces even after [[Star Saber (Victory)|Victory Saber]] retired and passed on command to [[Dai Atlas (Zone)|Dai Atlas]]. {{storylink|Enter the New Supreme Commander, Dai Atlas!}}

====''Micromaster''====
After stumbling into the past through a dimensional rift, Wing, Waver, and the rest of the Multiforce joined forces with the Autobots from the local timeframe. Wing and Waver combined into Wingwave to take on [[Decepticon Sixbuilder]]s, but struggled with fending off the Decepticons when [[Sixwing|Berserker Sixwing]] joined the fight. Wingwaver then separated into his components so that they could recombine into [[Landcross (Victory)|Landcross]] and defeat the more formidable opponent. {{storylink|The Menace of Landcross's Combining Formation!}}

===''Victory'' manga===
After receiving an S.O.S. from the Earth, Star Saber had Wingwaver, Dashtacker and Machtackle join him in battling the Decepticons causing trouble there. They battled [[Dinoking]] as Landcross. {{storylink|Magnificent! Our Friend, Star Saber!}}

When Star Saber was alerted that [[Leozack]] was terrorizing the Earth, he left Wingwaver, Machtackle, and Dashtacker stationed at the [[Galaxy Shuttle]] while he dealt with the situation himself. {{storylink|Leozack Rumbles Violently!}}
{{-}}

===Dreamwave ''Generation One'' continuity===
[[File:Buttwaver.jpg|left|169px|thumb|Dumps like a tru—No, wait, that's Dashtacker.]]
Wingwaver was among a crowd of Autobots that had assembled to hear Prowl totally fail to give a speech about how great things were really going to be on Cybertron after the toppling of [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]]'s supposedly-benevolent rule. {{storylink|Skyfire (issue)|Skyfire}}
{{--}}

==Toys==
===Victory===
*'''Wingwaver''' (Multiforce, 1989)
**''Japanese ID number'': '''C-316'''

*'''Landcross''' (Multi-pack, 1989)
**''Japanese ID number'': '''C-319'''

: All six individual members of Multiforce were also made available in a gigantic gift set. The set only contained the bio-card for the combined form, and none of the individuals.

===Micromaster===
: Wingwaver was never made available as a "complete" robot, you had to separately-purchase his individually-boxed components Wing and Waver. This release replaces all of the decals with [[Paint operation|paint applications]], plus each individual robot also has a solid black "stealth mode" "chase" variant.

==Notes==
===Foreign names===
*''Russian:'' '''Volnokryl''' (Волнокрыл, "Wavewinger")
*''Mandarin:'' '''Fēi Yì''' (China, 飞翼, "Flying Wing" ([[The_Transformers_(Chinese_toyline)|Victory toyline]]))

==External links==
*[http://www.tfu.info/1989/Cybertron/WingWaver/wingwaver.htm Wingwaver at TFU.info]

{{charstub}}

[[Category:Combined forms]]
[[Category:Multiforce]]

Blacker

2016-10-16T04:04:53Z

OptimusComboy:

{{factions|autobot|eliteguard}}
:''Blacker is an [[Autobot]] [[Brainmaster]] from the [[Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers: Victory (franchise)|Victory]] portion of the [[Generation 1 continuity family]].''

[[File:Blacker.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|''At last those coming came and they never looked back/With blinding stars in their eyes but all they saw was black.'']]
'''Blacker''' (ブラッカー ''Burakkā'') is the commanding officer of the [[Brainmaster]]s car trio and [[Second-in-command|second in rank]] to [[Star Saber (Victory)|Star Saber]] among the [[Earth]] [[Autobot]]s. Blacker is possibly the most experienced warrior among the Autobots on Earth, making him one of the most respected Autobots around, and Blacker takes this reputation very seriously. He is constantly trying to set a proper example for his fellow warriors, but as he's not really a people person, he does so in the bluntest, curtest manner imaginable. This failure to pull any metaphorical punches leaves him coming off very patronizing, particularly in the eyes of [[Wingwaver]] and the [[Multiforce]], but most Autobots take this in stride and tell them to do the same. Regardless, Blacker really couldn't care less what others think of him, and he doesn't let their opinions impede him in his duties—in fact, he is more than willing to put himself at risk for the sake of others and has been crippled several times doing so.

As a Brainmaster, Blacker possesses incredible skill, strength, intelligence and courage. Among the group, Blacker exemplifies strength in particular; his smallest robot form is the '''Brain of Strength''' (力のブレイン ''Chikara no Brain''), which combines with a [[Transtector]] that transforms into a dune buggy. In this mode, Blacker can expand his tires and fire their needle-like studs at his enemies in a technique known as the "Needle Wheel Attack". Blacker combines with his fellow Brainmasters [[Braver]] and [[Laster]] into [[Road Caesar]], forming both the torso and arms of the super robot.

==Fiction==
===Japanese Generation 1 cartoon continuity===
====''Victory'' cartoon====
{{voiceactor|[[Kōji Totani]] (Japanese), [[Simon Broad]] (English, Omni Productions dub)}}

[[File:Brainmaster trio cartoon.jpg|left|upright=1.4|thumb|Autobot Boy Band.]]
In the run-up to the year 2025, Blacker was the commander of the "Sector One" contingent of the [[Galactic Defense Force]], protecting [[Earth]] and other planets in his sector from the renewed threat of the [[Decepticon]]s and their emperor, [[Deathsaurus (Victory)|Deathsaurus]]. When Deathsaurus began focusing his attacks on Sector One, Autobot [[Supreme Commander]] Star Saber decided to take command of Blacker's forces himself, with Blacker operating under him as his Lieutenant Commander. As they were old friends, this didn't bother Blacker in the slightest. {{storylink|The Brave Hero of the Universe - Star Saber}}

On the day that Star Saber was due to arrive to take command, Blacker was seeing visiting [[Second Army]] commander [[Ginrai (robot)|God Ginrai]] off when [[Holi]] and Star Saber's human son [[Jan Minakaze|Jan]] informed him that the Decepticons' [[Dinoforce]] had attacked the human [[Lunar Base (Victory)|Lunar Base]] on Earth's [[Moon (moon)|moon]]. Blacker, Braver and Laster immediately headed to the Moon and engaged the bumbling villains in combat, during which Braver was knocked into a chasm, leaving the team unable to combine into Road Caesar. Luckily, Star Saber arrived to save the day. {{storylink|The Brave Hero of the Universe - Star Saber}} The Brainmasters subsequently battled [[Dinoking]] in space while the staff of the lunar base were transported back to Earth aboard the Autobots' [[Shuttle Base]]. {{storylink|Sneak Attack! Dinoking}}

With the Shuttle Base now established as their Earth-based headquarters, the Autobots set about scanning the planet for Decepticon activity. The first attack came on Jan's first day at school, when the Dinoforce and [[Leozack]] pursued Star Saber to the school and attacked. Blacker and the other Brainmasters arrived on the scene to aid their commander and merged into Road Caesar, defeating Dinoking while Star Saber dealt with the [[Breastforce]]r. {{storylink|Attack! Leozack}} The trio later battled the Breastforce at a desert energy plant, {{storylink|Unite!! Multiforce}} and again combined into Road Caesar to battle Dinoking once more at the Ocean Exhibition amusement park. {{storylink|Move Out! Rescue Team}}

[[File:Blacker and wingwaver.jpg|upright=1.3|thumb]]
When Wingwaver volunteered to join Laster and Braver on a mission to rescue humans trapped in the Neo Uranium mines, Blacker cautioned the over-eager "kid" that he might lose his life in the process. Wingwaver was adamant on going, grumbling to Laster and Braver about Blacker's patronizing attitude all the way, but when the mission resulted in success, Blacker was first to congratulate Wingwaver on a job well done. {{storylink|Infiltration... The Uranium Mine}} That didn't really do much to improve their relationship, however; Blacker still doubted Wingwaver's judgment and later insisted that he be allowed to lead the Multiforce on a mission into the Amazon to locate a Decepticon energy base. Infuriated by Blacker's consistently condescending commands, Wingwaver wound up striking a tree in his anger, startling a flock of birds and inadvertently giving away the Autobots' position to the Decepticons. In the ensuing attack, Blacker risked life and limb hauling [[Dashtacker]] out of a river when he got stuck in its muddy bed, and then broke off from the Multiforce to lead the pursuing Dinoforce away from them. Guilty over his mistake, Wingwaver followed Blacker and aided him in holding off the Dinoforce. With the two Autobots keeping the Dinoforce busy, Star Saber was able to destroy the Decepticons' energy base. Blacker wrote off the shambles the mission had descended into on his own carelessness. Star Saber could clearly see that he was attempting to cover for Wingwaver, but said nothing, merely requesting that Blacker stop referring to Wingwaver as a "kid". {{storylink|Explosion!! The Energy Base}}

[[File:Blacker legstab.jpg|left|upright=1.66|thumb|Blacker. Is. Hard. Core.]]
Blacker later accompanied Star Saber and the other Brainmasters on a mission into the tunnels of an American subway system, where he battled Leozack and [[Killbison]] in the confined quarters. {{storylink|Big City - Underground Terror}} When the Breastforce were joined by [[Hellbat (Victory)|Hellbat]], Blacker and the Brainmasters ambushed the sneaky new warrior, only to fall victim to the full force of his hypnotic wave power. Never one to allow risks to his health to deter him, Blacker ''stabbed himself in the freaking leg with his own damn sword'' to keep the waves from making him drowsy, but was then attacked by Hellbat's [[Kōmoribreast]]. Braver saved him by redirecting a blast from Killbison's cannons, and then used his recently invented brainwave scanner to scramble the Decepticons' brains and force them to flee. {{storylink|The New Warrior - Hellbat}}

After escorting an oil tanker safely into port, {{storylink|Attack the Shuttle Base!!}} Blacker discovered that oil tankers seemed to be the order of the day, as he soon found himself attempting to thwart a Decepticon plot to steal fuel from the tanker ''Big Baron''. Grappling with the cowardly Dinoforcer [[Kakuryu]], Blacker forced him to reveal that the Breastforce were planning to destroy [[Marine City]] with a neutron bomb if the tanker was not delivered to them. Heading out to sea and clinging to the side of the tanker, Blacker was able to spy on the villains and learn the hidden location of the bomb. With this information, the Autobots were able to find and defuse the bomb and rout the Decepticons once again. {{storylink|Tanker Hijack Operation}} Later, oil tankers were still all the rage, as Blacker and the Brainmasters again stopped the Breastforce from purloining fuel from a fleet of them. {{storylink|Rescue Jan!!}}

[[File:Blacker disarmed.jpg|upright=1.4|thumb|I fell...on his keys...ow.]]
When Star Saber ventured into the asteroid belt to expose a hidden Decepticon kidnapping operation, he soon called in Blacker and the Brainmasters to help rescue the captive humans while he battled the Decepticons. {{storylink|A Fierce Battle!! The Asteroid}} The Brainmasters and Multiforce were subsequently left to protect Earth alone while Star Saber headed off to planet [[Micro]], but the Breastforce had also left the planet, meaning they only had the Dinoforce to deal with. Not exactly a challenge. {{storylink|Rescue! Guyhawk}} Upon the return of both groups from space, Blacker and the Brainmasters found themselves merging into Road Caesar to go up against the Breastforce's combined form of [[Liokaiser]]. {{storylink|Battle Up of Wrath!!}}

Lured into the desert by the Breastforce, Blacker suddenly found himself fighting alone when Laster and Braver's heavy [[alternate mode|vehicle mode]]s caused them to sink beneath the shifting sands, just as the villains had planned. As a dune buggy, Blacker was able to manoeuvre just fine, but found himself badly outnumbered and at the mercy of the Breastforce until the wandering samurai Autobot [[Greatshot]] arrived to help him. When Greatshot was nearly overwhelmed, Blacker leapt to his aid, but had his arm blown off by Decepticon fire. Fortunately, Star Saber arrived to pluck Braver and Laster out of the sand so that they could get Blacker to safety while he dispatched the Decepticons. {{storylink|Crisis! Ambush in the Desert}}

[[File:Blacker wounded.jpg|left|205px|thumb|What is the color when Blacker is burned?]]
With both Blacker and Star Saber injured, the Decepticons increased the frequency of their attacks, until Star Saber was left with no choice but to go into battle despite his wounds. He instructed Braver and Laster to keep this fact from the invalid Blacker, but Blacker easily wrung the truth from his subordinates and promptly pulled rank on them, ordering them to join Star Saber in battle while he looked after the Shuttle Base alone. {{storylink|A Deadly Battle}} A little later, his wounds healed somewhat, Blacker decided it was time to get back into action and joined the Multiforce and [[Rescue Patrol Team]] in battling the Dinoforce in Cheyenne. His transformation systems were still a little rough, though, as he found out when he attempted to transform in mid-air and failed. Ever proud, Blacker refused first aid from [[Pīpō]] and got on with the fighting, but ultimately, the Autobots were stretched too thin and were defeated. {{storylink|Ginrai Dies!!|Ginrai Dies!!}} Even though this had proven he was not entirely over his injuries, Blacker was all set to go into battle with the Decepticons on "[[Energy Road]]" in America, but Star Saber stopped him and sent [[Victory Leo]] instead. {{storylink|Fight!! Victory Leo}}

Blacker was finally healed by the time Deathsaurus unleashed his newest weapon: super smart-missiles launched from an orbital weapons platform that could strike anywhere on Earth faster than the Autobots could react. Forced to stay their hands and allow the Decepticons to carry out energy thefts for fear of explosive reprisal, Blacker and the Brainmasters had to speed to Pakistan to inform Victory Leo of the situation before he attacked the Dinoforce. Unable to do anything but watch the Dinoforce steal right in front of them, the Brainmasters were pushed to the breaking point, until Star Saber and Victory Leo revealed their new power: They combined into Victory Saber and outraced Deathsaurus's missile launch system, successfully destroying it and freeing up the Brainmasters to make short work of the Decepticons. {{storylink|The Tide Is Turned! The Ultimate Weapon, the Victory Unification}}

[[File:Brainmasters vs victoryleo.jpg|upright=1.4|thumb|Don't pull a gun unless you plan to use it, son.]]
While Star Saber was off-planet attending a [[Galactic Peace Alliance]] conference, Leozack exploited his absence by donning an exo-skeleton that allowed him to pose as the Autobot leader and infiltrate the Shuttle Base. Victory Leo could tell that something was not right, but Blacker and the Brainmasters would not hear his allegations. They were nearly duped into attacking Victory Leo by the faux Star Saber, but the return of the real deal and the exposure of Leozack's plot left them eating crow. {{storylink|A Mystery?! The Deception of the Base Bombs}} Later, the Brainmasters came to Star Saber's rescue when the Decepticons attacked him with the metal-eating [[Doriya]] insects, and they suffered the pain of the bugs' bite themselves before it was discovered that intense cold stopped the little critters. {{storylink|The Death-Bringing Space Insects!!}}

[[File:Brainmasters tidalwave rescue.jpg|left|upright=1.3|thumb|Paint the black hole, Blacker.]]
Blacker and the Brainmasters aided in relief efforts for the coastal cities devastated by tidal waves caused by the Decepticons' raising of [[Atlantis]], {{storylink|The Terror of the Giant Tidal Waves}} and then headed out into space alongside [[Greatshot]] to serve as the first line of defence against Deathsaurus's [[Planet-Destroying Fortress]], which had finally been reactivated by the energy stolen from the sunken continent. The Brainmasters combined into Road Caesar, but were no match for the fortress's power, so they were sent back to Earth to recuperate by Victory Saber when he arrived to take up the fight. {{storylink|The Wrath of the Resurrected Giant Fortress!}} The team's injuries prevented them from aiding their commander in the final battle with the fortress, but in the end, Star Saber emerged victorious and destroyed the planet-killing weapon.

With the threat of Deathsaurus at last ended and Star Saber fulfilling his duties as Supreme Commander, Blacker, Braver and Laster were appointed joint commanders of the Sector One defense force. {{storylink|Showdown! The Fortress vs the Victory Unification}}
{{-}}

====''Zone'' cartoon====
When the injured Star Saber appointed Autobot [[Powered Master]] [[Dai Atlas (Zone)|Dai Atlas]] the new Supreme Commander, Blacker, Laster and Braver were all present, standing on stage in their combined form of Road Caesar. {{storylink|Enter the New Supreme Commander, Dai Atlas!}}

===''Victory'' manga===
[[File:Blacker victories.jpg|left|325px|thumb]]
When Deathsaurus began his campaign against the Earth in 2025, Blacker and the Brainmasters didn't roll onto the battlefield right away, being instructed by Star Saber to remain behind on [[Victory (planet)|Planet V]] while he and the Multiforce took on Deathsaurus and the Dinoforce. {{storylink|Magnificent! Our Friend, Star Saber!|Magnificent! Our Friend, Star Saber!}} They later got their chance to join the fighting when Deathsaurus started a massive forest fire, but even as Road Caesar, they were thrashed by the Decepticon Emperor thanks to the power boost he gained by absorbing energy from the fire. {{storylink|Great Turn-Around! Star Saber}}

Blacker took a bath once. {{storylink|Warrior of Love, Star Saber!}}

Travelling from Earth to Planet V, Blacker was greeted upon arrival by [[Shūta Gō]] and [[Cab (human)|Cab]], two old human allies of the Autobots who had befriended Star Saber's son, Jan. Together with Jan, the young lads had formed the "Autobot Boy Team" known as the [[Victories]], donning armor based on the Brainmasters. Eyeing Shūta and Cab's Braver- and Laster-inspired suits, Blacker grinned at the assumption Jan was wearing a suit based on him, only to have his dreams quashed by the revelation that Jan was wearing armor styled after Star Saber. {{storylink|The Star of Friendship, Jan and Star Saber!}}

[[File:Blacker and solon.jpg|225px|thumb]]
Combined as Road Caesar, the Brainmasters arrived in time to see the tail end of Star Saber's battle with Deathsaurus, Dinoking and Liokaiser, which was won thanks to the sudden arrival of Victory Leo, with whom Star Saber combined to form Victory Saber. {{storylink|The Strongest Partners, the Combination of Victory!}} When Deathsaurus tried to counter the power of this combination by creating a mech for his own human cyborg son [[Solon Kitakaze (Victory)|Solon]], Blacker and the Brainmasters delivered an intelligence report to Star Saber informing him of what the villain was up to. In the ensuing battle, Solon was confronted with the truth of his human heritage, {{storylink|Mighty! Victory Saber}} and in the midst of a later conflict, Blacker approached the boy on the battlefield in an attempt to convince him further to do the right thing. Solon had always considered himself apart from humans and the Earth because of his cyborg body, but Blacker confronted him with the fact that being human was so much more than simply being organic or mechanical. Leaving Solon with this wisdom and a suit of Victories armor crafted in his own likeness, Blacker sped off to rejoin the battle, but his words were soon revealed to have struck home, as Solon turned on his Decepticon father and joined up with the Victories, choosing to fight to save his homeworld. The united forces of the Autobots and Victories then performed the "Five Stars of Victory" attack, with each of the Victories transferring their power into their Autobot counterpart for a super-charged attack. Solon channelled his strength into Blacker, and together, the power of the attack took out both Deathsaurus and Liokaiser in one blast. {{storylink|Shine! The Five Stars of Victory}}

When Deathsaurus unleashed his "Space Stronghold" upon the Earth, Blacker and the Brainmasters joined in the united Autobot attack against it, but were left dumbfounded when they discovered that the fortress was actually home to the Decepticons' families, and that all along, the Decepticons had been committing their evil deeds in order to keep those families safe. Inspired by the example their two sons had set, Star Saber and Deathsaurus declared a truce, and peace came to the Transformers... the truest victory of all! {{storylink|Heroic! The Victory War}}
{{-}}

===Dreamwave ''Generation One'' continuity===
[[File:Brainmasters dreamwave.jpg|thumb]]
Blacker, Braver and Laster were all seen on [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]], looking out a window while [[Electro]] and [[Volt]] sat and talked nearby. {{storylink|Atonement}}
{{-}}

===''Wings Universe''===
Blacker and the [[Fast Attack Team]] were on hand to defend Elite Guard headquarters with [[Sentinel Major]] when the [[Combaticon (G1)|Combaticons]] returned leading [[Deathsaurus (Victory)|Deathsaurus]]'s troops. {{storylink|The Coming Storm: Part 5}}

==Toys==
===Victory===
[[File:Blacker g1toy.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|There's something about this that's so black, it's like, how much Blacker could this be? And the answer is, none. None more Blacker.]]
*'''Blacker''' (1989)
**''Japanese ID number'': '''C-320'''
**''Accessories'': "Brain of Strength" Brainmaster figure, sword, blaster/Road Caesar head, shield/Road Caesar chestplate

: Blacker transforms into a racing buggy with oversized studded tires. His transformation is notably simplistic for his size, but is a consequence of the Brainmaster gimmick which dominates his torso. Placing the small "Brain of Strength" figure into the open chest cavity then closing the plate pushes the inner core of the small robot up, forming the larger robot's face. As with the other Brainmasters, the Brain of Strength is designed to look like a miniature version of Blacker's larger [[robot mode]]. While Blacker is in vehicle mode, the Brain of Strength rides in his hinged cockpit.

:Blacker is equipped with quite a few weapons, coming with a sword, a double-barrelled blaster, and a shield that mounts on his arm. When Blacker is in vehicle mode, his shield and blaster combine to form an elaborate weapons array that mounts on his roof. Blacker also combines with Laster and Braver (sold separately) to form Road Caesar, and his weapons form integral parts of the super robot; his blaster transforms into Road Caesar's head, his shield becomes his chestplate, and his sword combines with those of his teammates to create a large blade for Road Caesar to wield. The team's combination is rather non-standard, with Blacker forming everything above the knees.

: Reportedly, there is a variation on the Brainmaster figure: Initial releases of the toy gave the large robot face yellow optics, while later releases gave it the cartoon-Autobot medium blue.

: This mold was later used to make [[Gripper (G1)|Gripper]].

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/1989/Cybertron/Blacker/blacker.htm More information on Blacker at TFU.info]''

*'''Road Caesar''' (Multi-pack, 1989)
**''Japanese ID number'': '''C-323'''

: Blacker, Braver, and Laster were available in Japan both in individual boxes and in a complete Road Caesar gift-set.

==Notes==
[[File:Victory blacker.jpg|thumb|When is Blacker blacker? When he's a little Blacker.]]
*The Brainmasters, despite it being their central toy gimmick, never use their smaller robot components in the anime outside of stock footage sequences. Because he's the leader of the team and the star of their stock footage sequence, Blacker has the most shots of his brain unit visible in these cut scenes—including the ''only'' close-up shot of any kind from the trio's brain units. This shot appears for about one second.
*Blacker's Brainmaster figure has for years been (and continues to be) incorrectly referred to by fans with the names "Riki" and "Sala", mistakenly derived from Japanese words meaning "strength" (力 ''chikara''). In truth, like all Brainmaster units, it does not have a proper name, but is known simply by the title used in this article, the "Brain of Strength".

===Foreign names===
*''English:'' '''Roader''' ([[Omni Productions]] dub), '''Gripper''' ([[Shout! Factory]] sub)
*''Mandarin:'' '''Rhode''' (Taiwan, 羅德 ''Lúo Dé''), '''Bù Lì Jiā''' (China, 布力加 ([[The_Transformers_(Chinese_toyline)|Victory toyline]]))
*''Russian:'' '''Blaster''' (Бластер)

[[Category:Combiners]]
[[Category:Japanese-original Transformers]]
[[Category:Victory Autobots]]
[[Category:Wings Universe Autobots]]

The Transformers (Chinese toyline)

2016-08-17T11:02:23Z

OptimusComboy: /* Packaging */ added detail about Chinese "Victory" releases

{{nav-G1}}
Although the original '''''The Transformers''''' toyline was hugely popular throughout much of the world during the mid-1980s, [[Hasbro]] held out for several years before introducing Transformers into the People's Republic of China.

In August 1989, [[Hasbro International]] resumed production of toys from the first three years of Generation 1 at Chinese factories for the local market. The Chinese G1 toyline would eventually include many of the toys that had been available in the United States, from select Autobot cars and select minibots to Fortress Maximus and Megatron. In its final year (1995), it incorporated several otherwise Japanese-exclusive toys from the [[Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers: Victory (franchise)|Victory]] franchise. The total number of toys in the Chinese Generation 1 line is a little more than 100.

==Toys==
The toys were basically identical to the original US or Japanese releases with some small variations. For example, the [[Triggerbot]]s and [[Triggercon]]s had [[Rubsign|rub signs]] and cassettes had painted cassette-side details instead of stickered cassette-side details.

Although the toys are largely identical to the original releases, they all share one key difference: an augmented [[copyright]] stamp. The early releases have no "Takara" or country stamp. The later releases still have no "Takara" stamp, but do have a "China" stamp.

Note that there is evidence to suggest that these toys were made by the same factory that made the [[Classics (Europe)|European Classics]] reissues. Both of them share the same augmented copyright stamp on the toy, both were made in China, and both were made starting around the same time. Also, some [[Classics (Europe)|European Classics]] reissues have surfaced with a Chinese name sticker in the corner.

==Packaging==
Most Chinese Generation 1 toys came in the same boxes as their American (or sometimes European) counterparts, only with small stickers in the corner giving the characters' Chinese names. The copyright and manufacturing information on the back of the box was also shortened to remove the no-longer-true statements "Made in Japan", "Made in Taiwan", etc. and omit references to Takara. The manufacturing information was instead applied as a sticker in Chinese on the back of the box. By 1994, when the [[Power Master]]-era toys were released, "Made in China" was added to the box.

Other differences exist as well on the packaging, depending on the toy. For example, the Chinese [[Optimus Prime (G1)/toys|Optimus Prime]] has black boxes around his toy images instead of white boxes, and a too-high window cut. Chinese Autobot cars and jets have thick tape instead of the normal thinner tape.

The Victory toys released in 1995, unlike the US toys released before them, basically used augmented Japanese packaging, with the characters' names now written in Chinese, and the Japanese Transformers logo replaced with a similarly styled Chinese language logo saying "Battles of Victory" (胜利之斗争). These versions are easily recognizable if you don't know Chinese or Japanese, because the "Takara" logo is printed in English instead of Japanese on the boxes.

==Availability outside of mainland China==
Chinese Generation 1 toys were widely exported to Taiwan and South Korea, with additional stickers applied to the packaging for those markets.

In 1991, [[TakaraTomy|Takara]] sold a set of Chinese [[Aerialbot (G1)|Aerialbots]] as a mail-away offer, complete with the American-style packaging. It is suspected, but yet to be confirmed, that the set of [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobots]] that was another Takara mail-away offer the following year was also of Chinese origin.

Many Western collectors who have come into possession of Chinese Generation 1 toys have mistaken them for [[knockoff]]s, due to both the nature of their packaging and the recent trend of shady Chinese companies manufacturing counterfeit vintage Generation 1 toys.

==External links==
*[http://highendtfs.com/?q=node/15 Chinese G1 Reissue ID Guide]
*[http://www.allspark.com/content/view/1743/37/ The Little Sticker in the Corner: The Truth about Early-1990's Chinese G1 Transformers Toys]
* [http://www.danwei.org/tv/fighting_transformer_fever.php Fighting "Transformer Fever"]

{{toystub}}

[[Category:Generation 1 toylines|Chinese]]

Talk:'Til all are one

2015-01-09T14:30:55Z

OptimusComboy:

Sure, [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Till_%28disambiguation%29 Till is a word] :D Among british-derived nations, its also another word for 'cash register.' --[[User:FFN|FFN]] 20:28, 22 December 2006 (UTC)
: Till with an apostrophe at the beginning, however, is NOT a word. Which is, uh, what I corrected. --[[User:ItsWalky|ItsWalky]] 20:52, 22 December 2006 (UTC)
:: Uh, its a joke. --[[User:FFN|FFN]] 04:28, 23 December 2006 (UTC)

==Till vs. 'Til==
Does the script for [[TFTM]] actually use apostrophe-tee-eye-el? Because, honestly, it makes me twitch. Tee-eye-el-el "till" has been around for 700 years, and apostrophe-tee-eye-el has been around for seventy . . . [[User:JW|JW]] 12:35, 8 March 2008 (UTC)
:We've got a fair number of comics that render it the way the article title has it, not to mention it makes more grammatical sense (as it's a contraction of "Until").--[[User:Rosicrucian|Rosicrucian]][[User Talk:Rosicrucian|Talk]] 12:55, 8 March 2008 (UTC)
::[http://www.bartleby.com/64/C003/0284.html Please read this article.]
::"Till", "until", and "'til" all mean exactly the same thing, "up to", and all three can be used interchangeably. "Till" came first, shortly followed by "until", both around 750 years ago. "'Til" with an apostrophe first appeared around 1940, and while it's now acceptable, was originally a mistake.
::While I agree that the with-apostrophe spelling appears in TF comics, I would still like to know what appears in the TFTM script, since the first ''official'' spelling should probably be the title of this article. [[User:JW|JW]] 13:19, 8 March 2008 (UTC)

:::[http://www.physics.ohio-state.edu/~sstoneb/tf/tidbits/tftm_script.txt Your faith in the TF:TM script will be your undoing...] -NotHere
::::[clicky, search] . . . Oh, fer bootin' up cold. The script says, '''"until"?''' [grumble, grumble] [[User:JW|JW]] 02:42, 13 March 2008 (UTC)

== "And this way it will remain..." ==

"...'til the day when all are one!"
Maybe I'm being overly cautious here, but I just wanted to check: Are we keeping this strictly in-universe, or should there be a mention of its use in the ''[[The Transformers: The Movie]]'' theme? [[User:Caswin|Caswin]] 04:27, 18 March 2008 (UTC)

== The Skyfire episode ==

I thought at the end of that episode during his eulogy Optimus said till all are one and the autobots repeated it. Am I wrong?
Okay i watched it I am wrong lols disregard.

== Shockwave invented it? ==
I thought I read somewhere that Shockwave coined the phrase in the Dreamwave continuity. Is that true or am I totally bonkers?

== Matrix Blade ==

If it's written on the hilt in the cartoon, I'm not seeing it. Is it on the toy, perhaps? --[[User:Abates|abates]] 07:57, 19 April 2010 (EDT)
:Yes, with the letters in the same font & arrangement that Don later copied for the temple walls in War Within. --[[User:Thylacine 2000|Thylacine 2000]] 10:46, 19 April 2010 (EDT)

==Japanese Continuity==
In the Japanese dub of The Movie, the phrase became "宇宙を一つに" (uchū wo hitotsu ni). I'm not sure what a good translation for this would be, though. --[[User:OptimusComboy|OptimusComboy]] 08:03, 9 January 2015
:It should be noted though, that although this is how the phrase was translated most of the time in The Movie, it was different in the scene where Optimus dies. The part where Optimus says "Until that day. 'Til all are one..." became "Until that day when the universe becomes peaceful." (この宇宙が平和になるその日まで) --[[User:OptimusComboy]] 8:30, 9 January 2015

Talk:'Til all are one

2015-01-09T14:03:49Z

OptimusComboy:

Shout! Studios

2015-01-09T13:18:37Z

OptimusComboy: /* Errors */ Wasn't actually in kanji

{{factions|dvd|blu-ray|usa}}
[[Image:Shoutfactory.jpg|right|180px|thumb|If there's some weird sound / on your DVD / who you gonna call?]]
'''Shout! Factory''' is the latest company to hold the U.S. [[home video]] distribution rights to the original [[The Transformers (cartoon)|''Transformers'' cartoon]]. They also have released DVD versions of many other nostalgic cartoons, like ''[[wikipedia:C.O.P.S. (animated TV series)|C.O.P.S.]]'', ''[[wikipedia:Captain N|Captain N: The Game Master]]'', and ''[[wikipedia:Wheeled Warriors|Jayce and the Wheeled Warriors]]''. Oh, and [[G.I. Joe (franchise)|that one show]] that always gets mixed up with the Transformers.

'''Shout! Factory''' releases are manufactured and distributed by [[wikipedia:Vivendi Entertainment|Vivendi Entertainment]].
{{TOCclear}}

==Releases==
===Generation 1===
For their Generation 1 DVDs, Shout! Factory have notably cleaned up the extra sound effects and animation errors introduced by [[Rhino Entertainment|Kid Rhino]] and [[Magno Sound & Video]] that have previously been present in many different companies' releases worldwide. Though ''much'' closer to the originals, the cleanup was not perfect; some scenes required mastering from lower-quality records, resulting in noticeable jumps in visual and aural quality within episodes.

*'''''The Transformers'': Season One [25th Anniversary Edition]''' ([[June 16]], [[2009]])
:Contains the entire first season across two discs, plus a third disc of bonus material including a featurette on "the origins of the Transformers", [[commercial]]s, [[Public service announcement|PSA]]s, and the script for "[[Transport to Oblivion]]". This set also includes a magnet in the form of the G1 [[Autobot]] [[insignia]].

*'''''The Transformers'': More than Meets the Eye''' ([[September 1]], 2009)
:Contains the episodes "[[More than Meets the Eye (episode)|More than Meets the Eye]]" parts 1-3, "Transport to Oblivion" and "[[Roll for It]]".

*'''''The Transformers'': Season Two, Vol. 1 [25th Anniversary Edition]''' ([[September 15]], 2009)
:Contains 28 episodes of the second season across four discs.

<center><gallery perrow=3>
Image:ShoutFactory Season1 DVD.jpg|'''Complete First Season'''
Image:ShoutFactory MTMTE DVD.jpg|'''More than Meets the Eye'''
Image:ShoutFactory Season2Vol1 DVD.jpg|'''Season Two, Volume One'''
</gallery></center>
{{-}}

*'''''The Transformers'': The Complete Series: 25th Anniversary "Matrix of Leadership" Collection''' ([[October 20]], 2009)
:Sixteen-disc set compiling the four individual "25th Anniversary Edition" season releases, with extra bonus material including more episode scripts, an exclusive interview with [[Bob Budiansky]], and a featurette on "voicing the robots in disguise". This set also includes a 60-page book and Autobot and [[Decepticon]] insignia magnets.

*'''''The Transformers'': Season Two, Vol. 2 [25th Anniversary Edition]''' ([[January 12]], [[2010]])
:Contains the remaining 21 episodes of the second season across three discs, plus a fourth disc of bonus material including a featurette on "forming the ''Transformers'' animated series", a concept art gallery, excerpts from the show's [[production bible]], commercials and PSAs.

*'''''The Transformers'': Seasons Three and Four [25th Anniversary Edition]''' ([[April 20]], 2010)
:Contains the third and fourth seasons across four discs, plus a fifth disc of bonus material including "The Autobots, The Decepticons & the Fans" featurette, a concept art gallery, production bible excerpts, commercials and PSAs.

*'''''The Transformers'': The Complete Original Series''' ([[May 24]], [[2011]])
:Fifteen-disc set compiling the four individual "25th Anniversary Edition" season releases. The slipcase used on this release can be purchased separately [http://www.shoutfactorystore.com/prod.aspx?pfid=5257413&sid=B38F1A2254B348ED8741B2887226EC58 on Shout!'s website] for those that already bought the four individual volumes.

<center><gallery perrow=3>
Image:ShoutFactory CompleteSeries DVD.jpg|'''Complete Series "Matrix of Leadership" Collection'''
Image:ShoutFactory Season2Vol2 DVD.jpg|'''Season Two, Volume Two'''
Image:ShoutFactory Seasons3and4 DVD.jpg|'''Seasons Three and Four'''
</gallery></center>
{{-}}

*'''''The Transformers'': Season One [30th Anniversary Edition]''' ([[April 29]], [[2014]])
:Three-disc set comprising 16 episodes.

*'''''The Transformers'': Season Two, Vol. 1 [30th Anniversary Edition]''' ([[April 29]], 2014)
:Four-disc set comprising 28 episodes.

*'''''The Transformers'': Season Two, Vol. 2 [30th Anniversary Edition]''' ([[April 29]], 2014)
:Four-disc set comprising 21 episodes.

*'''''The Transformers'': Seasons Three And Four [30th Anniversary Edition]''' ([[April 29]], 2014)
:Four-disc set comprising 33 episodes.

*'''''The Transformers: Roar of the Dinobots''''' ([[June 3]], 2014)
:One-disc set comprising 6 episodes: "[[S.O.S. Dinobots]]", "[[War of the Dinobots]]", "[[Heavy Metal War]]", "[[Desertion of the Dinobots, Part 1]]", "[[Desertion of the Dinobots, Part 2]]" and "[[Grimlock's New Brain]]".

===Beast Wars===
*'''''Transformers Beast Wars'': Season One''' ([[June 7]], [[2011]])
: Contains the first season of ''[[Beast Wars: Transformers (cartoon)|Beast Wars]]'' on four discs. Bonus material consists of the "Maximize! Creating A New Breed Of Transformer" featurette, an art gallery, and character models.

*'''''Transformers Beast Wars'': The Complete Series''' ([[June 7]], 2011)
: Eight-disc set compiling the Season 1 and Seasons 2 & 3 sets. Also included is the ''[[Transformers Timelines (fiction)|Transformers: Timelines]]'' prequel comic "[[Dawn of Future's Past]]". This set was originally given away at [[BotCon 2011]], and then released as an online exclusive to Shout! Factory's website. It was later released to retail on [[November 11]], 2011.

*'''''Transformers Beast Wars'': Seasons 2 & 3''' ([[October 4]], 2011)
: Contains the second and third seasons on four discs. Bonus material consists of the "Remembering the Spark" featurette, "Original Making Of Beast Wars" featurette, an art gallery, and character models.

*'''''Transformers Beast Wars'': Chain Of Command''' ([[June 17]], [[2014]])
: Single disc containing "[[Beast Wars (Part 1)]]", "[[Beast Wars (Part 2)]]", "[[The Web]]", "[[Equal Measures]]", "[[Chain of Command (BW)|Chain of Command]]", "[[Power Surge]]" and "[[Fallen Comrades]]".

*'''''Transformers Beast Machines: The Complete Series''''' ([[September 2]], 2014)
:Four-disc set comprising 26 episodes.
:Bonus Features: Includes Interviews and Commentaries

===Japanese Collection===
*'''Transformers Japanese Collection''': '''''Headmasters''''' ([[July 5]], [[2011]])
:Four-disc set forming the first North American release of the Japanese ''[[Transformers: The Headmasters (cartoon)|The Headmasters]]'' cartoon. All thirty-five episodes are included in the same slightly edited format previously evidenced on [[Metrodome]] and [[Madman Entertainment]]'s earlier releases of the series; unlike those two companies' versions, the [[Omni Productions]] dub is absent, its inclusion vetoed by [[Hasbro]], who [[Brian Ward]] has noted appeared resistant to the idea of releasing the series at all. Hasbro did, however, oversee the new English subtitles produced for the set, modified from those created by Metrodome—and it shows, with some very anachronistic Transformers-specific terminology being substituted in where appropriate, such as [[Sixshot (G1)|Sixshot]] being referred to as a "[[Phase Sixer|phase six officer]]" instead of a "ninja staff officer", or the Autobot and Decepticon [[Mini-Cassette]]s being called "[[Deployer]]s". Curses on the set have been replaced with Transformers-specific [[Scrap|expressions]]. An art gallery is the sole extra.

<center><gallery perrow=3>
Image:Shout_headmasters.jpg|'''Headmasters'''
</gallery></center>

*'''''Transformers'': The Japanese Collection''' ([[January 10]], [[2012]])
:Thirteen-disc set compiling the ''Transformers [[Transformers: The Headmasters (cartoon)|The Headmasters]]'', ''[[Transformers: Super-God Masterforce (cartoon)|Super-God Masterforce]]'', and ''[[Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers: Victory (cartoon)|Victory]]'' cartoons.

*'''Transformers Japanese Collection''': '''''Super-God Masterforce''''' ([[May 1]], 2012)
:Five-disc set comprising the first North American release of the Japanese ''[[Transformers: Super-God Masterforce (cartoon)|Super-God Masterforce]]'' cartoon. The subtitles identify most of the characters by their American names, so [[Phoenix (Masterforce)|Phoenix]] is [[Cloudburst]], [[Bullhorn (Masterforce)|Bullhorn]] is [[Horri-Bull (G1)|Horri-Bull]], and so on. However, the Autobot [[Headmaster Junior]]s, [[Sixknight]], and the Godmasters [[Ginrai]], [[Ranger]], [[Hydra (Masterforce)|Hydra]], and [[Buster (Masterforce)|Buster]] all keep their Japanese names. Aside from the Headmaster [[Cab]], all of those characters had toys that were redecos of their American counterparts. It's possible that [[Hasbro]], who provided character names for Shout! Factory, decided that if a character looked different enough from their toys, the Japanese name should be used, and otherwise American names should be used. Besides Cab, the only exception to this theoretical rule is [[Diver (Masterforce)|Diver]], whose toy is slightly different from [[Waverider]], but is still called by his American name. [[Clouder|Doubleclouder]], [[Guzzle (G1)|Guzzle]], and [[Javil]] are all identified by their American names even though their Japanese and American toys were different, but their animation models are actually based on the colors of their American toys, not the Japanese toys.

*'''Transformers Japanese Collection''': '''''Victory''''' ([[August 28]], 2012)
:Four-disc set comprising the first North American release of the Japanese ''[[Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers: Victory (cartoon)|Transformers: Victory]]'' cartoon. It contains thirty-eight of the forty four episodes of the series, including the six clip shows that were left out of the [[Metrodome]] and [[Madman Entertainment]] DVD releases. As with Shout! Factory's other DVD sets of the Japanese cartoons, subtitles sometimes refer to characters by Japanese names and sometimes by alternate names. The Autobot [[Micromaster]]s, which were the only Victory-related toys released in North America, are referred to by their American names; Deszaras is called by the common English rendering [[Deathsaurus (Victory)|Deathsaurus]]; [[Breastforce]] is called Chestforce; and [[Blacker]] is called [[Gripper (G1)|Gripper]], the name of his [[Motorvator]] redeco. However, in a few episodes subtitles use the original Japanese names, and sometimes the other [[Brainmaster]]s are called by their Motorvator names.

===Prime===
*'''''Transformers Prime'': Darkness Rising''' ([[December 6]], [[2011]])
:The five-part pilot of ''[[Transformers: Prime (cartoon)|Transformers: Prime]]'', "[[Darkness Rising]]", was released on DVD with storyboards and character models as bonus material.

*'''''Transformers Prime'': Season One''' ([[March 6]], [[2012]])
:Contains the first season of the ''Transformers: Prime'' series, available on both Blu-Ray and DVD.

*'''''Transformers Prime'': One Shall Stand''' ([[July 31]], 2012)
:Contains the seven episode story arc from [[One Shall Fall]] to [[Orion Pax, Part 3]].

*'''''Transformers Prime'': Season Two''' ([[November 27]], 2012)
:Contains the second season of the ''Prime'' series, available on both Blu-Ray and DVD.

*'''''Transformers Prime'': [[Predacons Rising (Prime)|Beast Hunters — Predacons Rising]]''' ([[October 8]], [[2013]])
:Contains the finale of the ''Prime'' series, available on both Blu-Ray and DVD.

*'''''Transformers Prime'': Beast Hunters — Season Three''' ([[December 3]], 2013)
:Contains the third season of the ''Prime'' series, available on both Blu-Ray and DVD.

*'''''Transformers Prime'': Ultimate Bumblebee''' ([[February 25]], [[2014]])
:Single disc containing "[[Masters & Students|Masters and Students]]", "[[Operation Bumblebee, Part 1|Operation: Bumblebee, Part 1]]", "[[Operation Bumblebee, Part 1|Operation: Bumblebee, Part 2]]" and "[[Deadlock (episode)|Deadlock]]".

*'''''Transformers Prime'': Ultimate Autobots''' ([[September 23]], 2014)
:Single disc containing "[[Scrapheap (episode)|Scrapheap]]", "[[Predatory]]", "[[Metal Attraction]]", "[[Stronger, Faster]]" and "[[Legacy]]".

===Rescue Bots===
*'''''Transformers: Rescue Bots'': Roll to the Rescue''' ([[October 2]], [[2012]])
:Contains the early episodes of the ''[[Transformers: Rescue Bots (cartoon)|Transformers: Rescue Bots]]'' series: "[[Family of Heroes]]", "[[Under Pressure]]", "[[Hotshots]]", "[[Flobsters on Parade]]", "[[The Alien Invasion of Griffin Rock]]" and "[[Four Bots and a Baby]]".

*'''''Transformers: Rescue Bots'': Energize''' ([[June 11]], [[2013]])
:Contains the next set of ''Rescue Bots'' episodes: "[[Cody on Patrol]]", "[[Walk on the Wild Side]]", "[[Christmas in July]]", "[[Deep Trouble]]" and "[[Return of the Dino Bot|Return of the Dinobot]]".

*'''''Transformers: Rescue Bots'': Griffin Rock Rescue''' ([[October 22]], 2013)
:Continues with the next five ''Rescue Bots'' episodes: "[[The Other Doctor]]", "[[The Reign of Morocco]]", "[[Small Blessings]]", "[[The Griffin Rock Triangle]]" and "[[Rules and Regulations]]".

*'''''Transformers: Rescue Bots'': Heroes on the Scene''' ([[March 18]], [[2014]])
:Contains five more season one episodes (not in order): "[[The Lost Bell]]", "[[You've Been Squilshed]]", "[[Little White Lies]]", "[[Shake Up]]" and "[[Rescue Boy]]".

*'''''Transformers: Rescue Bots'': Mystery Rescue''' ([[September 2]], 2014)
:Contains two season one episodes and three from season two (in no particular order): "[[Countdown (RB)|Countdown]]", "[[The Haunting of Griffin Rock]]", "[[Spellbound]]", "[[Blame the Gremlins]]" and "[[Feed the Beast]]".

*'''''Transformers: Rescue Bots'': Jurassic Adventure''' ([[February 10]], [[2015]]) ''SCHEDULED''
:Contains two season one episodes (previously released) and four from season two (in no particular order): "[[Family of Heroes]]", "[[Return of the Dino Bot|Return of the Dinobot]]", "[[What Lies Below]]", "[[What Rises Above]]", "[[In Search of the Griffin's Nest]]" and "[[Movers and Shakers]]".

===Unicron Trilogy===
*'''''Transformers Armada: The Complete Series''''' ([[March 11]], [[2014]])
:Eight-disc set comprising all 52 episodes of ''[[Transformers: Armada (cartoon)|Transformers: Armada]]''.

*'''''Transformers Energon: The Complete Series''''' ([[May 6]], 2014)
:Seven-disc set comprising all 51 episodes of ''[[Transformers: Energon (cartoon)|Transformers: Energon]]''.

*'''''Transformers Cybertron: The Complete Series''''' ([[August 5]], 2014)
:Seven-disc set comprising all 52 episodes of ''[[Transformers: Cybertron (cartoon)|Transformers: Cybertron]]''.

===Animated===
*'''''Transformers Animated: The Complete Series''''' ([[June 10]], [[2014]])
:Six-disc set comprising all three seasons of ''[[Transformers Animated (cartoon)|Transformers Animated]]''
:Bonus Features: Audio Commentaries

*'''''Transformers Animated: Season Three''''' ([[June 10]], 2014)
:Two-disc set, featuring only the third season of ''Animated''
:Bonus Features: Audio Commentaries

{{-}}

==Notes==
{{picsneeded|maybe a couple of quality comparisons, pre- & post-restoration screens etc.}}
*The episode order as used by Shout! Factory for season one (in production order), and season two (mostly in airdate order), actually stems from utilizing the episode order as suggested in the unofficial guidebook [[Unofficial guidebooks#Prime Targets|''Prime Targets'']]. The book presents a list which places priority on the over-arching continuity of the series, rearranging the latter half of season two and the whole of season three into neither production, nor airdate order.
**When publicising their ''Season Two, Volume One'' DVD, Shout! somewhat bizarrely initially claimed that [[Hasbro]] had [[canon]]ised the episode order presented in the unofficial book. Shortly afterwards however, they were instructed to restore season three's airdate order for the ''Matrix of Leadership Collection'', regardless of continuity between some of the episodes. Shout! obliged, but this instruction came too late to change the disc covers or accompanying booklet, leading to much confusion about various season three episodes being on the 'wrong' discs.<ref>[http://www.shoutfactory.com/community/1551/thread.aspx Shout! Factory Community - The Definitive Transformers Thread]</ref>
*On the first season set's "Triple Changer: The Origins of the Transformers" featurette, and the ''Matrix of Leadership Collection'''s interview with Bob Budiansky, there is a deliberate obfuscation of [[Marvel Comics]]' involvement in fashioning much of the Transformers' early backstory and no direct mention that they were the publisher behind the 1980s comics. Clips from the [[Commercial/Generation 1#1984|very first]] Transformers commercial for [[The Transformers (issue)|issue #1 of the comic]] are shown, but are cut off before [[Victor Caroli]]'s narration can mention it will be coming "from Marvel Comics", with even the brief image of the comic in the commercial also having Marvel's logo blurred out. The tiptoeing around Marvel's name is particularly noticeable in Budiansky's solo interview as he only ever refers to working for "the comic book company", even when mentioning receiving a fan letter from someone named [[wikipedia:Stan Lee|Stan Lee]], who was apparently well-known for being associated with "the comic book company".
*The ''[[Secret Files of Teletraan II]]'' no longer appear after their respective season three episodes, but are instead all included separately as isolated extras.
*Following the precedent of [[Sony]]'s ''The Transformers: The Movie 20th Anniversary Special Edition'' DVD, all the commercials on the Shout! discs have the kids' faces blurred out due to clearance issues.
**These commercials are of unfortunately low quality; the commercial for the [[Insecticon (G1)|Insecticon]]s, for example, contains the horizontal distortion lines common to degraded VHS videotapes. No original masters were saved or archived for the commercials, hence the quality issues.
*Shout! looked into obtaining the U.S. home video rights to include "[[Scramble City: Mobilization]]" for the ''Matrix of Leadership Collection'', but were unsuccessful, simply stating that "[[Toei]] has no interest in licensing to third parties". Previous and future third party releases of "Scramble City" get around Toei's blockade by using the low quality fansubbed version of the OVA, or simply omitting the Japanese audio track and replacing it with commentaries. Shout! was likewise denied by Toei in their attempts to release the ''[[Enter the New Supreme Commander, Dai Atlas!|Zone]]'' OVA in America.
*In the 60-page booklet that accompanies the ''Complete Series'' set, selected character profiles are mixed in with episode summaries. These profiles are taken from [[Dreamwave Productions|Dreamwave]]'s ''[[Transformers: More than Meets the Eye|More than Meets the Eye]]'' profile books and paired with art from varying sources (some brand new). This means that [[Unicron]]'s profile mentions his cosmic battle with [[Primus]], for example, and [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]]'s profile is randomly mean and sarcastic since it was written as being from [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]]'s [[datatrax]]—a detail that goes unmentioned.
*In the concept art montage that was on the Special Features disk of Season Two: Part Two, [[Hook (G1)|Hook's]] character design is omitted from the collection of [[Constructicon (G1)|Constructicon]] artwork, making it seem like [[Devastator (G1)|Devastator]] is a [[Constructicon Maximus|five-piece Combiner]].

===Errors===

* The Headmasters episode guides in the package does not jive with the disc content. As in the 9th episode recorded on Disc One is stated to be on Disc two while episode 18 is stated to be on three and so on.
* The entire collection, from "The Headmasters" down to "Victory" sported the Japanese "Headmasters" logo.
* The decal on the Super-God Masterforce Collection states that it contained "52 episodes" when in reality the entire collection only contains 42 episodes.
* In the Masterforce art gallery, Cab is designated as Go Shooter.

===Restoration===
[[Image:HeavyMetalWar-Rhino_VS_Shout.jpg|thumb|right|420px|A comparison between Shout! and Rhino's versions of [[Heavy Metal War]], showing an example of a Rhino error they fixed.]]
*Shout! Factory conducted a painstaking editing process to correct the animation errors and sound effect additions made by Kid Rhino and Magno Sound & Video.
**From the DVD insert: "''Transformers'' DVDs released prior to our 25th Anniversary Edition were missing animation seen in the original broadcast. We did extensive research, found the discrepancies between the original broadcast masters and the restored masters used for the last DVD release, reinserted the correct animation, and color corrected it as best we could to match the shots before and after. But because a one-inch master tape simply can't hold up to the quality of the restored masters, you may notice occasional shots—or even scenes—in some episodes that seem slightly softer than others. Just take comfort in knowing that laser blasts have been reinserted, backgrounds have been corrected and [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]] is Starscream once again."
**Some of the fixed scenes are indeed "softer" than the surrounding animation—though since the last time the correct versions were released for North American purchase was on VHS circa 1999-2000, by this point the Shout! versions probably look as good as or better than them. Though not absolutely every Kid Rhino coloring error was fixed, the vast majority were, and certainly all of the [[Heavy Metal War|sequences of mistaken animation that confused the plot]] were fixed.
**Shout! even repaired some ''audio'' errors that had been present on several prior releases of "[[Fire on the Mountain (episode)|Fire on the Mountain]]," and also included the <s>totally better</s> original, non-narrated closing sequence for "[[Dark Awakening (episode)|Dark Awakening]]" where Kid Rhino had used the later version. A few episodes did however have their soundtracks incorrectly tweaked; for example, many of the sound effects in "[[Countdown to Extinction (episode)|Countdown to Extinction]]" are almost inaudible, despite being prominent before.
*A version of the [[theme song]] including all of the extra sound effects introduced by Magno is used on the DVD title menu, but not in the actual episodes.

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External link==
*[http://www.shoutfactory.com Official website]
*[[wikipedia:Shout! Factory|Shout! Factory]] article at Wikipedia.

[[Category:Home entertainment]]
[[Category:Companies]]

Eiji Suganuma

2015-01-09T11:53:18Z

OptimusComboy:

'''Eiji Suganuma''' (菅沼栄治 ''Suganuma Eiji'') is a Japanese animator. He served as the animation director for "[[Call of the Primitives]]", as well as the ''[[Transformers: The Headmasters (cartoon)|Headmasters]]'' episodes "[[Miraculous Warriors, Targetmasters (Part 1)]]" and "[[My Friend Sixshot!]]".

==External links==
*{{w|Eiji Suganuma}} at Wikipedia
*[http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/people.php?id=10173| Eiji Suganuma at Anime News Network]

{{creatorstub}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Suganuma, Eiji}}
[[Category:Directors]]
[[Category:Illustrators]]