Editing Autobot Spike

{{episode
|series=G1toon
|ep=17
|series2=SRLFtoon
|ep2=11
|prev2=Heavy Metal War
|next2=Changing Gears
|series3=''[[Transformers: Generation 2 (cartoon)|Transformers: Generation 2]]''
|ep3=37
|prev3=The Search for Alpha Trion
|next3=The Girl Who Loved Powerglide
|image=AutobotSpike Autobotx concealed weapon.jpg
|caption=''I'm a teenage Frankenstein!<br>The local freak with the twisted mind!''
|title="Autobot Spike"
|season=2
|season ep=1
|production code=#700-16
|airdate=[[September 23]], [[1985]]
|written by=[[Donald F. Glut]]
|production company=[[Sunbow Productions]]
|animation studio=[[Toei Animation|Toei]], [[Nakamura Production]], [[Kaname Production]]
|continuity=[[Generation 1 cartoon continuity]]
|video=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q1C1W-jy0P4
|videosite=YouTube
}}
'''A wounded Spike is turned into an Autobot Frankenstein's monster to save his life.'''

==Synopsis==
[[File:AutobotSpike-AutobotXTabled.jpg|left|upright=1.1|thumb|"Elevate me." <br>"...now? Right here?"]]
The Autobots gather around [[Sparkplug Witwicky|Sparkplug]]'s worktable in [[Ark (G1)|Autobot Headquarters]] for a demonstration. Using spare parts and human ingenuity, Sparkplug has cobbled together a large robot he has dubbed [[Autobot X (G1)|Autobot X]], and with a flip of a switch sets him loose. He immediately runs amok—groaning, growling and smashing everything in sight. It takes [[Trailbreaker (G1)|Trailbreaker]], [[Prowl (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Prowl]] and [[Ironhide (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ironhide]] to bring him down. Sparkplug apologizes to [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] for the mess and recommends Autobot X be put in storage. 

Before this can be done, the party is interrupted by an alarm. Decepticons are attacking the new Air Force rocket base. The Autobots roll out to the base and engage the Decepticons. During the battle, the rockets and their fuel are inadvertently destroyed, and [[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Megatron]] orders a retreat. 

To cover their escape, Megatron creates a diversion for the Autobots; he blasts [[Bumblebee (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Bumblebee]] while [[Spike Witwicky (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Spike Witwicky]] is riding in him. The attack leaves Bumblebee damaged and Spike comatose. Spike is taken to Metro Hospital, where the doctors suggest that if Spike's mind could be transferred somewhere else, they would be able to operate on his fragile body. 

[[File:BotX.JPG|right|upright=1.1|thumb|"Abby.... Normal."]]
[[Wheeljack (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Wheeljack]] and Sparkplug transfer Spike's mind into Autobot X's body. However, as a side effect of the transferral process, Spike's mind is in an extremely unstable state. Angry and confused about his new body, Autobot Spike rampages, destroying several computers and machines in Wheeljack's shop. 

Optimus Prime is able to subdue Autobot Spike without damaging his mind. To keep Spike calm, Wheeljack tunes [[Teletraan I]] to a television station, where cruel Fate just happens to have scheduled an airing of a movie featuring [[Frankenstein|Doctor Frankenstein]]'s unholy attempt to create life. Spike is roused to anger, convinced that he, like [[Frankenstein's monster|the Doctor's creation]], is a "monster." He again rampages throughout the Ark, then escapes. 

[[File:AutobotSpike-Moping.jpg|left|upright=1.1|thumb|Quiet dignity and grace.]]
Alone in the wilderness, Spike suffers from the conflict between his own mind and what there is of Autobot X. Will he use his new body and powers to help the world like Optimus Prime, or conquer all Humanity? 

[[Laserbeak (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Laserbeak]] informs Megatron of Spike's new Autobot body and unstable mind, and Megatron forms a plan to trick Autobot Spike into destroying the Autobots. Megatron soon finds Spike with [[Reflector (G1)|Reflector]]'s help. Autobot Spike attacks, but Megatron has other plans. Spike's unstable mind makes it hard for him to think, and he is easily twisted by Megatron to side with him against the Autobots.

Bumblebee brings the Autobots to Spike's location, but they are unable to fight against the vengeful being for fear of destroying Spike's mind. Only after Autobot Spike shoots his father off the edge of a cliff does he realize what he has done. At once, he saves his father and turns on the [[Decepticon]]s. 

Finally, Spike's mind is returned to his [[human]] body after the surgical operation is successfully completed.

Spike will never be placed in a robot's body again. [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Never?]]
{{--}}

==Featured Characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
*[[Wheeljack (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Wheeljack]] (1)
*[[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] (3)
*[[Bumblebee (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Bumblebee]] (5)
*[[Ratchet (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ratchet]] (6)
*[[Prowl (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Prowl]] (7)
*[[Autobot X (G1)|Autobot X]] (8)
*[[Trailbreaker (G1)|Trailbreaker]] (9)
*[[Ironhide (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ironhide]] (10)
*[[Windcharger (G1)|Windcharger]] (11)
*[[Brawn (G1)|Brawn]] (12)
*[[Sideswipe (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Sideswipe]] (20)
*[[Sunstreaker (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Sunstreaker]] (21)
*[[Huffer (G1)|Huffer]] (25)
*[[Hound (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Hound]] (26)
*[[Bluestreak (G1)|Bluestreak]] (27)
*[[Jazz (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Jazz]] (28)
|c2=
*[[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Megatron]] (14)
*[[Thundercracker (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Thundercracker]] (15)
*[[Starscream (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Starscream]] (16)
*[[Soundwave (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Soundwave]] (17)
*[[Skywarp (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Skywarp]] (18)
*[[Laserbeak (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Laserbeak]] (22)
*[[Rumble (G1)|Rumble]] (23)
*[[Reflector (G1)|Reflector]] (24)
|c3=
*[[Sparkplug Witwicky]] (2)
*[[Spike Witwicky (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Spike Witwicky]] (4)
*Air Force General (13)
*Spike's doctor (19)
|c4=
'''On TV'''
*[[Frankenstein]]
*[[Frankenstein's assistant]]
*[[Frankenstein's monster]]
}}

==Quotes==
"Another Autobot? Even if it works, who needs it?"
:—'''Ratchet''' is a [[GEEWUN|1984 purist]].


"It's not supposed to do that!"
:—'''Sparkplug''' referring to Autobot X destroying Autobot headquarters


"So you Decepticreeps like to fly, eh? Well, take off!"
:—'''Brawn''' after kicking Soundwave


"Hmmm...if only there were a way of separating Spike's mind from his body while we work..."
:—'''Spike's doctor''' clumsily moves the narrative along within earshot of Autobot X's creator. 


"He wants a battle—let's give him one!"
:—'''Starscream''', referring to the now-mechanized Spike


"I must say, you've improved your appearance since our last encounter, Spike!"
:—'''Megatron''', upon meeting Spike in Autobot form


[[File:Autobotspike spike and bee.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.1|Yes, yes! Say it! He was MY BOYFRIEND!]]
'''General''': Aren't they a gorgeous sight?<br>
'''Optimus Prime''': Impressive. ''[To Ironhide]'' For primitive rocket technology.
:—Only Optimus Prime could both praise and diss humanity at the same time.


[''Crazed laughter'']"Man, I've got powers I haven't even discovered yet!"
:—A mentally-deteriorated '''Spike''' as he fires on the Autobots.


"Hmmm, I wonder—I wonder what it would be like for a robot mind to be transferred to a human?"
:—'''Bumblebee''', being [[Only Human|eerily prophetic]]

==Notes==

===Continuity notes===
[[File:AutobotSpike Prime firing from shoulder height.jpg|right|upright=1.1|thumb|Stand back, for the love of God! He's got a rotten brain!]]
*The three Reflector components, while speaking in unison, refer to themselves as "I".
*It's also the last time Reflector has a speaking part in an episode. The rest of his appearances are silent cameos.
*Autobot X/Spike demonstrates a few abilities that his component parts have never shown. None of the 1984 Autobots shoot lasers from their fingertips; Trailbreaker's gun arm has never been shown to be an extendable grappling hook; Bluestreak has never fired lasers from the headlights on his chest. 
*When Optimus Prime tries to subdue Autobot X/Spike, he fires his ion blaster from his shoulder, like an RPG launcher.
*[[Furmanism]] alert: The phrase "What's that?" is said not once ... not twice ... but ''three times'' in this episode alone - First by the rocket general, then by Bumblebee hanging from cliff, and then by Ironhide at the rocket base.
*It's not the [[The Human Factor|last time]] a human mind is placed in a robot's body.
[[File:AutobotSpike Brawn's almighty foot.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.1|Walk ''this'' way.]]
*[[The Ultimate Doom, Part 3|<<]] '''Brawn vs. Soundwave''', Round 3: Brawn gives Soundwave a good proper kick to the tail! Brawn 3, Soundwave 0 [[Attack of the Autobots (episode)|>>]]

===Real-world references===
[[File:Autobot spike - dr frankenstein.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.1|Two nasty-looking switches over there, but I'm not going to be the first.]]
*So obviously, this episode has the whole Frankenstein thing goin' on. That this script came from the pen of Don Glut is no coincidence, as he has written many novels, articles, short stories and non-fiction books about Frankenstein.
**Given Glut's knowledge, it's no surprise then that when talking about Autobot X, Spike correctly makes the reference to "Frankenstein's monster", instead of making the common mistake that usually sees the monster referred to simply as "Frankenstein".
**Glut refrains from directly copying the dialogue of any existing film version of the Frankenstein story, scripting his own scene from whole cloth. It portrays the "Igor" character as someone who warns Dr. Frankenstein against creating a "monster" which is very different from his film portrayals:
***"Ygor" (note the spelling) was actually an original character created by Universal for their film series and wasn't in the original Mary Shelley story.
***Ygor did not appear in the original 1931 Universal movie (which also invented the "flat top and neck bolts" appearance of the creature created my Universal makeup artist Jack Pierce) where Dr. Frankenstein created the monster, his assistant was named Fritz. Ygor actually first appeared in Son of Frankenstein from 1939 where he helps Dr. Henry Frankenstein's son Wolf Frankenstein bring the monster back to life.
***Far from the character denounces the creature as a "monster," Ygor is actually a villain with his own agenda who plots to use the monster to accomplish it: he wants to get revenge on a jury that sentenced him to death by hanging. The hanging failed, but it left him with a hunchback.
*The 1967 Hammer Film ''Frankenstein Created Woman'' has a plot element that asserts the human soul can be transferred from one body to another. Baron Frankenstein (Peter Cushing) even states that the transfer of souls from one body to another would be of great use to "medical science". Could be just a coincidence, but if Don Glut is a Frankenstein fan, he was probably familiar with the Hammer series while scripting this episode.

===Animation and technical errors===
All in all, remarkably few errors:
*There are many shots when the eyes of the robots get sparkly, making them look very anime-like. This can create jarring instances where one robot will have the standard solid eyes while another has the added in shines.
*The beginning of Sparkplug's line "It's not working" is cut off, as if the sound dropped out for a split second.
*''Technically'' it's not an error, but Ratchet maintains his "who needs it?" arm gesture for a ''very'' long time after he finishes speaking.
*Coloring errors:
**After Autobot X fires on Ironhide, Trailbreaker and Prowl, Ironhide's face is colored red.
**Skywarp has an all-yellow chest as the Decepticons prepare to retreat from the rocket base. Only his cockpit canopy should be yellow.
**Optimus's bumper is completely yellow when the Autobots pull up to the rocket base.
**Rumble's visor is blue when Megatron addresses Autobot X.
**Immediately after that when Autobot X says, "The way I see it, I've become a monster... like you!", the white portion of his upper body changes to black as he turns to his side.
**As he flies out of Spike's hand, [[Throwback Blaster|Megatron's gun-mode]] handle is colored gray instead of black.
**Just before Megatron orders a retreat, Soundwave has Skywarp's colors, and Skywarp is firing a laser beam that somehow passes in front of Starscream's air intake, even though Starscream is in the foreground.
*Autobot X's demise in the Ark is animated without the accompanying in between frames. When the animations play later on after the Seekers down him (now with Spike's mind inside), it has them.
*When commenting on Spike's need for medical attention, Optimus Prime's mouthplate is briefly missing at the beginning of the shot.
*Spike's hospital room is hilarious. Not only is it completely devoid of any medical equipment whatsoever (not even so much as an IV drip), but Spike's ancient-looking dormitory-style bed is placed ''directly in the middle of the room''. Despite this, the ticking of a heart monitor can be heard. 
*Sideswipe's voice is off as he and Sunstreaker rush to contain Autobot X. The delivery's a bit off, too: he sounds like he's discussing the weather, not rushing into battle.
*The docking tower for [[Decepticon Headquarters (G1 Earth)|Decepticon Headquarters]] is right off of a rocky coast. Usually it's in open water.
*Spike's second round of fire on the Decepticons hits ''[[generic|three]]'' Thundercrackers.
*Okay, it's a cartoon and all, but... when Spike blasts him off the cliff, Sparkplug falls for an ''incredibly'' long time.
*Several scenes in the Rhino DVD release appear to be taken from a lower-quality broadcast copy of the episode, possibly to hide incomplete animation. Spike's rampage aboard the Ark and his fight against the Decepticons are particularly muddy.

===Continuity errors===
*Throughout the episode, Spike struggles with unpredictable destructive urges and freaks out at the slightest provocation. Sparkplug and the rest repeatedly assume that this is a side-effect of the mental transfer process, rather than the fault of the body they put it in. Did they forget that the body itself goes on similar rampages even ''without'' Spike's mind in it? Spike even says himself that it feels like "something" is telling him to do "bad things."
*A body's dead if a body's dead, right? How does it help the medical process if he isn't in his body?

===Trivia===
*The episode begins with a narrative voice-over from [[Victor Caroli]]. Most such narratives recap events from previous episodes; however, this one is solely to introduce the episode's opening events. After a couple more tries ("[[Day of the Machines]]", "[[Atlantis, Arise!]]"), this convention would be dropped entirely.
*Ratchet is standing behind Wheeljack when Wheeljack "volunteers" him to help improve Autobot X. Ratchet has a comical surprised reaction to the news. Wheeljack later looks visibly depressed that his mind transfer device has burned itself out.
*This episode features a curiously large amount of extreme close ups with the camera constantly going straight into characters' faces for no reason.
*The episode finally addresses that it's incredibly unsafe to bring a teenager to a battle between two factions of giant robot killing machines. Except that Spike continues to tag along in the future...
*Thirty years later, the device which accomplished the consciousness transfer was given a name in the pages of [[Ask Vector Prime]]... the [[Cortexitron]].

===Foreign localization===
'''French'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Frankenstein chez les Autobots'''" ("Frankenstein among the Autobots")
:*''Original airdate:'' ?
::*This episode is one of those that has never been released on DVD in French.
::*[[Albert Augier]], [[Jacques Ferrière]] and [[Georges Atlas]] are all absent from this episode, depriving the usual dub of many characters. Some of them are taken over by the other regular members of the cast, like the narrator, Sideswipe and Ratchet, while a yet unidentified actor comes to the rescue to voice Sparkplug, Soundwave, Reflector and Starscream.
::*When Optimus Prime names all the Autobots to transform, he skips Windcharger.

'''Italian''' 
:*''Title (dub 1):'' "'''Il mostro Frankenstein'''" ("The Frankenstein Monster")
:*''Original airdate:'' ?
::*Prowl is misnamed as Ratchet at the beginning.

:*''Title (dub 2):'' "'''L'Autobot Spike'''" ("The Autobot Spike")
:*''Original airdate:'' ?

'''Japanese'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Frankenstein Spike'''" (フランケンシュタイン・スパイク)
:*''Original airdate:'' [[September 14]], [[1985]]
:**This episode was actually broadcast in Japan ''before'' it aired in the United States; one of the few episodes of ''The Transformers'' to do so.

'''Mandarin'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Qìchērén Spike'''" (汽车人斯派克, "Autobot Spike")
:*''Original airdate:'' ?

'''Brazilian Portuguese''' 
:*''Title:'' "'''Autobot Spike'''"
:*''Original airdate:'' ?

==Home video releases==
{{homevidnote}}
;{{w|LaserDisc}}
[[File:Flag of Japan.png|20px|Japan]] [[1994]] — ''Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers'' — Convoy Set ([[TakaraTomy|Takara]]) — Japanese audio only.<br>
[[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.<br>
[[File:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] [[2002]] — ''The Original Transformers'' — Season 2 Part 1 ([[The Original Transformers|Rhino Entertainment]])<br>
[[File:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2002 — ''The Original Transformers'' — Season 2 Part 1: Vol. 1 (Rhino Entertainment)<br>
[[File:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] [[2003]] — ''Transformers'' — Season 2 Part 1 ([[Metrodome]])<br>
[[File:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] [[2004]] — ''Transformers'' — Bumper Collection Special (Metrodome)<br>
[[File:Flag of Australia.png|20px|Australia]] 2004 — ''Transformers'' — Collection 2: Series 2.1 ([[Madman Entertainment]])<br>
[[File:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] [[2006]] — ''Transformers'' — The Complete Generation One Collection (Metrodome)<br>
[[File:Flag of Australia.png|20px|Australia]] [[2007]] — ''The Transformers'' — Complete Collection (Madman Entertainment)<br>
[[File:Flag of Italy.png|20px|Italy]] [[2008]] — ''Transformers'' — Volume 03: Stagione Due Parte Prima ([[Medianetwork Communication]]) — English and Italian audio.<br>
[[File:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] [[2009]] — ''Transformers'' — Season Two: Part One (Metrodome)<br>
[[File:Flag of Australia.png|20px|Australia]] 2009 — ''The Transformers'' — Complete Collection: Decepticon Edition (Madman Entertainment)<br>
[[File:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2009 — ''The Transformers'' — Season Two, Volume One: 25th Anniversary Edition ([[Shout! Factory]])<br>
[[File:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2009 — ''The Transformers'' — The Complete Series: 25th Anniversary "Matrix of Leadership" Collection (Shout! Factory)<br>
[[File:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] [[2011]] — ''The Transformers'' — The Complete Original Series (Shout! Factory)<br>
[[File:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] [[2014]] — ''The Transformers'' — Season Two, Volume One: 30th Anniversary Edition (Shout! Factory)<br>
[[File:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2014 — ''Transformers'' — The Classic Animated Series (Metrodome)

==External links==
*[https://drive.google.com/open?id=15mn7Wvxrb0qc5vTZKRVjPyAXX-M6jQmC Episode dialogue script]
*[https://drive.google.com/file/d/1lApsdDAjzfKFCpvUlUmvHuAemxmiQYT6/view?usp=drive_link Model sheets and background layouts]
*[https://sunbowmarvelarchive.blogspot.com/p/the-transformers-mp-700-16-autobot_5.html Gallery of storyboards for Act II of this episode]

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