Editing Autobot Spike

{{episode
|series=G1toon
|ep=17
|series2=SRLFtoon
|ep2=11
|prev2=Heavy Metal War
|next2=Changing Gears
|image=AutobotSpike Autobotx concealed weapon.jpg
|caption=That kid's gonna need a lot of therapy.
|title="Autobot Spike"
|production code=#700-16
|airdate=[[September 23]], 1985
|written by=[[Donald F. Glut]]
|production company=[[Sunbow Productions]]
|continuity=[[Generation 1 cartoon continuity]]
}}

'''A wounded Spike is turned into an Autobot Frankenstein's monster to save his life.'''

:''Japanese title:'' フランケンシュタイン・スパイク (''Frankenstein Spike'')

==Synopsis==
[[Image:AutobotSpike-AutobotXTabled.jpg|left|200px|thumb|In the future, Autobot X will be revived to systematically battle groups of eight [[Predacons (G1)|animal-themed robots]].]]

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]], 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)|Prowl]] and [[Ironhide (G1)|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)|Bumblebee]] while [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|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. 

[[Image:BotX.JPG|right|200px|thumb|This happens whenever you see [[Kiss Players|certain things]].]]

[[Wheeljack (G1)|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 (G1)|Teletraan I]] to a television station, where cruel Fate just happens to have scheduled an airing of a movie featuring [[Dr. 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. 

[[Image:AutobotSpike-Moping.jpg|left|200px|thumb|At least he's not a Headmaster.]]

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)|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|Decepticons]]. 

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)|Wheeljack]] (1)
*[[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] (3)
*[[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]] (5)
*[[Ratchet (G1)|Ratchet]] (6)
*[[Prowl (G1)|Prowl]] (7)
*[[Autobot X]] (8)
*[[Trailbreaker (G1)|Trailbreaker]] (9)
*[[Ironhide (G1)|Ironhide]] (10)
*[[Windcharger (G1)|Windcharger]] (11)
*[[Brawn (G1)|Brawn]] (12)
*[[Sideswipe (G1)|Sideswipe]] (20)
*[[Sunstreaker (G1)|Sunstreaker]] (21)
*[[Huffer (G1)|Huffer]] (25)
*[[Hound (G1)|Hound]] (26)
*[[Bluestreak]] (27)
*[[Jazz (G1)|Jazz]] (28)

|c2=
*[[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Megatron]] (14)
*[[Thundercracker (G1)|Thundercracker]] (15)
*[[Starscream (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Starscream]] (16)
*[[Soundwave (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Soundwave]] (17)
*[[Skywarp (G1)|Skywarp]] (18)
*[[Laserbeak (G1)|Laserbeak]] (22)
*[[Rumble (G1)|Rumble]] (23)
*[[Reflector (G1)|Reflector]] (24)

|c3=
*[[Sparkplug Witwicky]] (2)
*[[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike Witwicky]] (4)
*Air Force General (13)
*Spike's doctor (19)

|c4=
'''On TV'''
*[[Doctor Frankenstein]]
*[[Igor]]
*[[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


'''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.


"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==
===Animation and technical errors===
All in all, remarkably few errors:

* 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.

* Bumblebee can be seen rolling out from Autobot Headquarters along with Prime's team, even though he wasn't called out by Prime to be part of the attack force.  He ''does'' arrive at the rocket base after the battle is over, so... maybe he just fell behind?

* Skywarp has an all-yellow chest as the Decepticons prepare to retreat from the rocket base.  Only his cockpit canopy should be yellow.

* 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]] 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.

* As he flies out of Spike's hand, 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.

===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."

===Continuity notes===
* 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.

===Real-world references===
* Autobot Spike watches the movie ''[[Frankenstein]]''.  Nice going Wheeljack...have an unstable guy who's a patchwork of parts watch a movie about a monster who is a patchwork of parts.  That won't cause problems.
* The scene he watches doesn't correspond to any film adaptation of Frankenstein. The writers scripted the scene from whole cloth.

===Trivia===
[[Image:AutobotSpike Prime firing from shoulder height.jpg|right|200px|thumb|I'm shooting him gently!]]
* While this episode originally aired in the United States on [[September 23]], 1985, it aired in Japan on [[September 14]], 1985, making it the only episode of the [[The Transformers (cartoon)|original series]] to be aired in Japan ''before'' the United States.

* 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...

==Home video releases==
{{note|All releases listed are in English audio unless otherwise noted.}}
;Laserdisc
*1998 — ''The Transformers'' — Autobot Edition ([[Geneon Universal Entertainment|Pioneer LDC]]) — Japanese audio only.
;DVD
*2001 — ''The Transformers'' — DVD Box 1 (Pioneer LDC) — Japanese audio only.
*2003 — ''Transformers'' — Season 2 Part 1 ([[Metrodome]])
*2004 — ''Transformers'' — Bumper Collection Special (Metrodome)
*2004 — ''Transformers'' — Collection 2: Series 2.1 ([[Madman Entertainment]])
*2006 — ''Transformers'' — The Complete Generation One Collection (Metrodome)
*2007 — ''The Transformers'' — Complete Collection (Madman Entertainment)
*2008 — ''Transformers'' — Volume 03: Stagione Due Parte Prima ([[Medianetwork Communication]]) — English and Italian audio.
*2009 — ''Transformers'' — Season Two: Part One (Metrodome)
*2009 — ''The Transformers'' — Complete Collection: Decepticon Edition (Madman Entertainment)
*2009 — ''The Transformers'' — Season Two, Volume One: 25th Anniversary Edition ([[Shout! Factory]])
*2009 — ''The Transformers'' — The Complete Series: 25th Anniversary "Matrix of Leadership" Collection (Shout! Factory)

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


[[Category:Generation 1 episodes]]