Editing Decisive Battle

{{episode|
|series=Armada
|ep=21
|prev=Reinforcement
|next=Vow
|title="Decisive Battle"
|furigana=きざし
|japanese=前兆<!--decisive battle-->
|romaji=Kizashi
|translation=Omen
|image=Megsmeteor.jpg
|caption=You and I are a lot alike, meteor, except I'm a Decepticon, and you're dust!
|production code=TF: A-21
|production company=[[TV Tokyo]], [[Nihon Ad Systems|NAS]]
|writer=[[Isao Shizuya]]
|englishadaptation=[[Terry Klassen]] and [[Heather Ann Puttock]]
|director=[[Mitsuko Ohya]]
|animation studio=[[Actas Inc.]]
|airdate=[[January 24]], [[2003]] (English)<br>[[May 30|30 May]] [[2003]] (Japanese)
|continuity=[[Unicron Trilogy]]
}}

'''With the power of the Skyboom Shield at his disposal, Megatron invites the Autobots to what could be the last battle.'''

==Synopsis==
Testing the power of the [[Skyboom (Armada)|Skyboom]] shield, [[Megatron (Armada)/Cartoon continuity|Megatron]] disintegrates an entire comet. Satisfied with his new toy's power, Megatron anticipates the next conflict will allow the [[Decepticon]]s to end the routine of battling for new [[Mini-Con]]s and finish the [[Autobot]]s.

In the Autobots' base, [[Hot Shot (Armada)|Hot Shot]] is running through an obstacle course of suspended metal pieces, while the Mini-Cons try to slow him down by tossing stuff at him. But before Hot Shot can win, [[Blurr (Armada)|Blurr]] catches up and captures the flag. [[Smokescreen (Armada)|Smokescreen]] arrives and asks to join in the training, and Blurr goads Smokescreen to attempt a run by challenging his performance hardware. While taking several hits in the process, Smokescreen eventually manages to grab the flag.

[[File:Screenshot-arm-21-2.jpg|left|thumb|Autobots have the best screensavers.]]
In the Autobot control room, [[Optimus Prime (Armada)/Cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] receives a direct challenge from Megatron. Optimus knows that despite being hopelessly overpowered, it is his job to accept the challenge. The Autobots all rush out to teleport to the location Megatron specified.

When the Autobots arrive to battle the Decepticons, Megatron summons his [[Star Saber (Armada)|Star Saber]] and Skyboom shield and tells [[Demolishor (Armada)|Demolishor]] to hold back, as he anticipates that with his new weapons, he can defeat the Autobots on his own. The shield blocks attacks from Hot Shot and Blurr, and then all of the Autobots' firepower. Megatron moves forward and slices apart Optimus's rifle. [[Cyclonus (Armada)|Cyclonus]] and Demolishor contribute by raining down gunfire on the scattering Autobots, allowing Megatron and Optimus to be separated from the rest of the group. [[File:Whyourshouldershurt.jpg|thumb|Surrender now maggots and you will not be harmed! <br> <br> Psyche!]]

Hot Shot and Blurr notice Optimus Prime fighting Megatron by himself, and the two transform and rush to aid their leader. [[Starscream (Armada)/Cartoon continuity|Starscream]] and Cyclonus chase the duo from the air. Hot Shot provides cover fire while Blurr attempts to lose his pursuers. Blurr and Hot Shot trade positions, and eventually Cyclonus and Starscream fly out of range. Powerlinking with [[Swindle (Armada)|Swindle]], Starscream "lays a pounding" on the two cars.

In a move even Demolishor finds unwise, [[Sideways (Armada)|Sideways]] dives directly onto [[Red Alert (Armada)|Red Alert]], but is soundly blasted away. Smokescreen, tired of the Decepticons holding an advantage, powerlinks with [[Liftor]] and disrupts Starscream. Demolishor rolls a large boulder at Smokescreen, who is pinned to the ground. When Cyclonus observes that the Decepticons are maintaining their advantage, he's blasted out of the sky by Sideways, whom neither side sees.

Near a crevice, Optimus is still surviving against Megatron. Hot Shot and Blurr arrive to distract Megatron, allowing Optimus to grab onto the Skyboom shield while Megatron is still holding it. Trying to slice Optimus away, Megatron accidentally tosses the shield into the crevice. Angry, he attempts to impale Optimus but is halted by [[Sparkplug (Armada)|Sparkplug]].

[[File:Tinyhead.jpg|left|thumb|[[Rob Ruffolo|Ruffolo]]?]] 
With Megatron intending to get at Optimus by slicing through Sparkplug, the Skyboom shield activates and levitates from the crevice to protect the Autobot. The two weapons used against each other send out a bright light that [[Rad White|Rad]] notes is similar to the light that reactivated all the Mini-Cons in the [[First Encounter|start]] of their Earth encounters.

The Decepticons, having lost the shield, retreat to their base again. The Autobots congratulate Smokescreen for changing the tide of battle (that is, before he was caught under a rock), and [[Fred (Armada)|Fred]] hugs [[Carlos Lopez|Carlos]].
{{--}}

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters|c1=
*[[Hot Shot (Armada)|Hot Shot]] (6)
*[[Blurr (Armada)|Blurr]] (11)
*[[Smokescreen (Armada)|Smokescreen]] (17)
*[[Optimus Prime (Armada)/Cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] (18)
*[[Scavenger (Armada)|Scavenger]] (19)
*[[Red Alert (Armada)|Red Alert]] (20)

|c2=
*[[Megatron (Armada)/Cartoon continuity|Megatron]] (1)
*[[Sideways (Armada)|Sideways]] (2)
*[[Starscream (Armada)/Cartoon continuity|Starscream]] (3)
*[[Demolishor (Armada)|Demolishor]] (4)
*[[Cyclonus (Armada)|Cyclonus]] (5)

|c3=
*[[Fred (Armada)|Fred]] (12)
*[[Rad White]] (13)
*[[Alexis Thi Dang|Alexis]] (14)
*[[Carlos Lopez]] (15)
*[[Billy (Armada)|Billy]] (16)

|h4=[[Mini-Con]]s|c4=
*[[High Wire (Armada)|High Wire]] (7)
*[[Sureshock (Armada)|Sureshock]] (8)
*[[Grindor (Armada)|Grindor]] (9)
*[[Jolt (Armada)|Jolt]] (10)
*[[Air Defense Mini-Con Team (Armada)|Air Defense Mini-Con Team]] (21)
*[[Race Mini-Con Team]] (22)
*[[Incinerator (Armada)|Incinerator]] (23)
*[[Swindle (Armada)|Swindle]] (24)
*[[Liftor]] (25)
*[[Mirror]] (26)
*[[Sparkplug (Armada)|Sparkplug]] (27)
}}

==Quotes==
"He kinda reminds me of myself when I was working out more."<br>
"Somehow I find that a little hard to believe, Fred."
:—'''Fred''' pays '''Blurr''' a dubious compliment.


"We've been expecting you, Optimus."<br>
"Didn't think we'd show, did ya, ya overgrown motherboard?"
:—'''Megatron''' and '''Hot Shot''', who should really have his audio receptors checked


"Lock onto shield."
:—'''Sparkplug''' gives us the first words spoken by a Mini-Con.

==Notes==
===Differences with ''Micron Legend''===
===Animation and technical errors===
[[File:Dotscream.jpg|thumb|]]
The animation in this episode is just largely atrocious in general. It's arguably the worst ''Armada'' episode in terms of how many errors can be found:
* When Smokescreen first appears, he is again missing his antenna/horn... and again when he's swinging his crane arm in circles... and AGAIN when the Autobots show up for the decisive battle.
* In several scenes, Starscream was drawn horribly off-model and was even seen flying backward at one point.
* Starscream appears in a couple of shots as a solid black dot with wings.
* When the Autobots all shoot at Megatron at the start of the battle, Optimus' mouthplate is blue.
* Many insignias are missing throughout the episode.
* At one point, Hot Shot's Autobot insignia is just a red upside-down pentagon.
* There is another time where Megatron's insignia on his right shoulder is just a jumbled, purple mess of a polygon.
* The same stock footage of Megatron slashing at Optimus with the Star Saber and him dodging is used again a minute later.
* When Blurr and Hot Shot try to save Optimus by transforming into vehicle mode and racing over to Megatron, Hot Shot proceeds to turn around, transform, and then turn around again and drive after Blurr... but why?
* There are various instances of what should be glowing energy appearing black, such as Starscream's exhaust, and the shot that takes down Cyclonus.
* There is an unnecessary freeze-frame when Blurr drives away from Stasrcream's and Cyclonus' fire. He is in the middle of driving, floats in the air while the sound of fire continues, and then appears on the ground with dust still in the air.
* At one point when Blurr transforms, he drives away mid-transformation in the front.
* Demolishor's Decepticon insignia is gone in one shot, and instead the whole "box" where it should be is colored purple.
* The boulder chasing Smokescreen jumps back and forth in one shot.
* The short scene where Cyclonus is shot down by Sideways is plainly reused from [[Overmatch]] where he was struck down by flying shard of Starscream's sword, making it look like the shot takes place at night. The only changes being the shard being replaced with flying black disk, and Cyclonus missing his spinning rotor.
* Before Megatron strikes Optimus with the final blow, he is holding the Skyboom Shield upside-down. In its next visible frame, this is corrected.
* A few seconds later, when Megatron attempts to hurt Hot Shot with the Star Saber, the screen awkwardly turns all black for two seconds.
* When the Skyboom Shield falls into the very large crevice, it appears to be falling smack in the middle. In the next shot, however, it catches on the side, and sticks into solid air.
* After Megatron loses the shield, he raises Star Saber, and the arm which should be holding it is totally missing.
* After Megatron forms the Star Saber and Skyboom Shield, Demolisher has two mouths.

===Continuity errors===
*When Megatron goes to summon the Star Saber and Skyboom Shield for the fight against Optimus, he refers to ''both'' weapons by the name "Star Saber" in the English dub.

===Trivia===
*The kanji 前兆 would be pronounced as "''zenchō''", while "''kizashi''" uses 兆しor 萌し.
*This is the first time a Mini-Con speaks English.
*This is one of the three ''Armada'' episodes with more than one word in the title.
*Sideways's poorly thought out attack on Red Alert could have been to intentionally get himself disabled, helping the sides stay level so the conflict endures. This is consistent with his secret long-term agenda. He has also been shown to try and not make this battle the "final battle" by telling Megatron that he is not ready to use the Skyboom Shield so they should not fight just yet.
*The opening narration has changed for this episode. It did not set up the whole Mini-Con premise but rather the small plot point of the rogue meteor heading for the Decepticon base.

===Foreign localization===
'''Hungarian'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Döntő ütközet'''" ("Decisive Clash")

'''Polish'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Decydująca bitwa'''" ("Decisive Battle")

'''French'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Une bataille décisive'''" ("A Decisive Battle")

'''Korean'''
:*''Title:'' "'''운명의 결투'''" ("Destiny's Duel")

==Home video releases==
{{homevidnote}}
;DVD
[[File:Flag of Japan.png|20px|Japan]] 2003 — ''Transformers: Micron Legend'' — Volume 6 ([[Columbia Music Entertainment]]) — Japanese audio only.<br>
[[File:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2004 — ''Transformers: Armada'' — Best Battles ([[Rhino Entertainment]])<br>
[[File:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2004 — ''Transformers: Armada'' — Season One: Part One (Rhino Entertainment)<br>
[[File:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2007 — ''Transformers: Armada'' — The Collector's Edition ([[Universal]])<br>
[[File:Flag of Germany.png|20px|Germany]] 2008 — ''Transformers: Armada'' — Volume One ([[New KSM]]) — English and German audio.<br>
[[File:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2014 — ''Transformers: Armada'' — The Complete Series ([[Shout! Factory]])

;Video Now
[[File:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2003 ''Transformers: Armada'' ([[Tiger Electronics]])

[[Category:Armada episodes]]