Editing Speed Metal

{{episode|
|otherseries=''[[Transformers: Prime (cartoon)|Transformers: Prime]]'' ep 11
|prev=Deus ex Machina
|next=Predatory
|image=SpeedMetal-startyourengines.jpg
|caption=Temptation, thy name is woman!
|title="Speed Metal"
|airdate=[[April 9]], [[2011]]
|written by=[[Dean Stefan]]
|directed by=[[Vinton Heuck]]
|animation studio=[[Polygon Pictures]]
|production company=[[Hasbro Studios]]
}}

'''Knock Out and Jack are both drawn into the world of street racing.'''

==Synopsis==
Cruising along a road at night, [[Knock Out (Prime)|Knock Out]] listens to a news report about illegal street racing. Switching it off, he pulls up alongside three other cars waiting to race. The [[Fast Willy|driver of one]] decides to put a long scratch in Knock Out's paintwork, rousing the [[Decepticon]]'s ire. After the race starts, Knock Out runs the other driver off the mountain road, informing the stunned human, "You scratch my paint, I scratch yours," before racing off.

[[Image:SpeedMetal-whispering.jpg|left|thumb|250px|There are so many captions for this, all of them dirty.]]

Outside the high school, [[Jack Darby|Jack]] encounters school bully [[Vince]], who mocks [[Arcee (Prime)|Arcee]]'s vehicle mode. Jack and Arcee leave, but while stopped at a traffic light, Jack's called out to by [[Sierra]], who's keen on a ride. Before Jack can answer, Vince pulls up and challenges him to a race. Jack's still thinking about it when the light changes and Arcee takes off, reminding Jack of the rules about abusing their power. Vince catches up with them at the next light and insults Arcee's motorcycle mode, goading her to suspend the rules, just this once. The pair let Vince know they're ready for the race, and Sierra and [[Sierra's friend|her friend]] turn out at an old dirt road to spectate. Arcee's driving abilities far outstrip Vince's, and they win easily, but Arcee turns down Jack's suggestion that they should offer Sierra a lift.

On the ''[[Nemesis (Prime)|Nemesis]]'', [[Breakdown (Prime)|Breakdown]] is buffing the comatose [[Megatron (Prime)|Megatron]]. [[Starscream (Prime)|Starscream]] wanders in to check on the patient and wonders aloud where Knock Out's got to. The 'Con himself walks in a few moments later, complaining about the scratch some "skinjob" put in his finish. Starscream is most disapproving that Knock Out's been street racing again, though what ''really'' annoys him is Knock Out's failure—and glib refusal—to refer to Starscream as "Lord".

Back at [[Autobot Outpost Omega One|base]], Arcee reminds Jack not to tell anyone about the race, but it turns out [[Miko Nakadai|Miko]] and [[Raf Esquivel|Raf]] already know, having heard about it at school. Jack swears them to secrecy.

At school, Sierra tells Jack she was impressed with the outcome of the race, but Vince challenges Jack to race again, this time at the circuit. Jack's compelled to agree, but Arcee flatly refuses to race.

Knock Out is out cruising a road somewhere near [[Jasper]], when a speeding street racer car gets his attention, and he heads toward the town.

Jack asks Raf if he can borrow [[Bumblebee (Prime)|Bumblebee]] so he can go street racing. Raf isn't so sure (much to Bumblebee's dismay), but Miko and Jack talk him into it. Jack and Bumblebee haul up at the race track, as does Knock Out. As the race begins and Bumblebee and Vince jostle for lead position, Knock Out recognizes Bumblebee and begins chasing the Autobot while firing. Jack finds he has problems overcoming the communications barrier with 'Bee.

Back at base, Miko and Raf are playing a [[Generic racing game|video game]] when Arcee asks them if they've seen Jack. They attempt to cover for their friend, but Arcee immediately works out what's up, and a short time later, Bumblebee's distress call comes though.

Bumblebee dumps some oil to slow Knock Out down, then ducks under a bridge. At first, it seems they've lost the Decepticon, but Vince hauls in to confront Jack and demand he finish the race. Jack tries to warn Vince of the danger, but Vince's headlights have attracted Knock Out, who grabs the boy, renders him unconscious, drives off. Knock Out contacts Breakdown to announce he's captured Bumblebee's human "friend". Arcee and Bulkhead join Bumblebee, but before Arcee can start a lecture, Jack tells her about Vince, and they head off to mount a rescue.

[[Optimus Prime (Prime)|Optimus Prime]] walks into the base and wonders where everyone else is. Raf and Miko give him the least convincing replies ever.

[[Image:PrimeScreamer'sFingerOfDoom.JPG|right|thumb|250px|"Not the gumdrop buttons!"]]

The three Autobots track Knock Out to a warehouse area, and Bulkhead and Bumblebee stroll in while Arcee scales a nearby water tower. Bulkhead and Bumblebee are ambushed by Breakdown. Just as Knock Out is wondering where Arcee is, she jumps on top of him. Knock Out decides to bail, but at least has the courtesy to radio Breakdown and let him know. Unfortunately, the call distracts Breakdown long enough for Bulkhead to deck him with a street lamp. Knock Out streaks down a road with Arcee in pursuit, but is suddenly sideswiped by Optimus, who knocks him onto the embankment. With the 'Con unable to flee, Optimus rips his door off and retrieves the unconscious Vince. Knock Out is outraged at the damage done to him, but retreats when the rest of the Autobots arrive. Vince finally recovers in Bumblebee on the way back to his car, and Jack spins a story to cover the whole thing.

Starscream is ''very'' upset with Knock Out's antics. Knock Out assures Starscream that he's learned his lesson and paid the price. Unfortunately for Knock Out, he once again addresses Starscream as "Commander" instead of "Lord", so Starscream gives him some more scratches as punishment.

At school again, Sierra asks Jack for a ride, but he turns her down. Arcee, however, is feeling more accommodating—just this once—and soon Jack and Sierra are zooming through town.

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
*[[Arcee (Prime)|Arcee]] (4)
*[[Bumblebee (Prime)|Bumblebee]] (13)
*[[Bulkhead (Prime)|Bulkhead]] (14)
*[[Optimus Prime (Prime)|Optimus Prime]] (15)

|c2=
*[[Knock Out (Prime)|Knock Out]] (1)
*[[Breakdown (Prime)|Breakdown]] (8)
*[[Megatron (Prime)|Megatron]] (9)
*[[Starscream (Prime)|Starscream]] (10)
* [[Vehicon (Prime)|Decepticon drones]] (16)

|c3=
*[[Fast Willy]] (2)
*[[Jack Darby]] (3)
*[[Vince]] (5)
*[[Sierra]] (6)
*[[Sierra's friend]] (7)
*[[Miko Nakadai]] (11)
*[[Raf Esquivel]] (12)
}}

==Quotes==
"Uh, Jack? A lady's vital stats are her own business."
:—'''Arcee''' doesn't want Jack bragging about the different aspects of her body.


"Winning isn't enough, Jack. You want to make him ''cry''."
:—'''Arcee''' explains her method of getting even.


"No worries, ''herr commandant''."<br>
"It is 'Lord' to you."<br>
"Only if Megatron takes a nosedive."<br>
"''Hhhnnn.'' The day our master emerges from stasis, I will graciously relinquish the title. But I believe that outcome is unlikely. Something to do with the quality of medical care around here. So continue ''buffing''. We do want Megatron looking his best for the memorial."<br>
(''Starscream leaves the room.'')<br>
"Buff ''this''."
:—'''Knock Out''' and '''Starscream''' don't exactly see eye-to-eye.


'''Arcee''': Have you guys seen Jack?<br>
'''Miko''': ...not since we last saw him.<br>
'''Arcee''': They're racing, aren't they?<br>
'''Raf''': Just this once.<br>
'''Arcee''': Did you know about this?<br>
'''Bulkhead''': NO. Maybe. A little.
:—No one on [[Team Prime]] can lie.


"'Bee, do not engage. Your first priority is to keep Jack safe. [''murmurs''] Until I get my hands on him."
:—'''Arcee''' is a scary guardian.


[[Image:SpeedMetal-OptimusEyebrow.jpg|thumb|250px|Highly [[Leonard Nimoy|illogical]].]]

'''Raf''': We should just tell Optimus the truth.<br>
'''Miko''': Absolutely not! We made a deal. Just act completely normal.<br>
'''Optimus''': Raf, Miko, do either of you know where the others have gone?<br>
'''Miko''': Why, no, sir. We do not know.<br>
'''Raf''': ''(stiffly)'' Miko is correct. We do not know.<br>
'''Miko''': Why would we know?<br>
'''Optimus''': Hmm.
:—Seriously, it's a minor miracle the kids haven't blown their cover with their parents yet.


"Do you know how hard that is to replace?!"
:—'''Knock Out''' loses a door to Optimus Prime.


"Knock Out! Was I not clear? You have defied my orders yet again!"<br>
"My mistake, Commander Starscream. But, I've learned my lesson... and paid the price.<br>
"It. Is. '''LORD'''! And you have paid when I say you have paid! ''[extends a sharpened finger]'' Do not worry, your punishment shall be merely... cosmetic."<br>
"No, not the finish! Anything but the finish! ''[the "cosmetic punishment" begins offscreen]'' NNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"
:—<s>Commander</s> '''LORD Starscream''' reminds '''Knock Out''' where he stands.

==Notes== 
===Animation and technical errors===
*Sierra and her friend hold their books back-to-front. This is not [[The Jasper Daily|uncommon]].
*When Jack and Arcee stop at the second traffic light, Arcee's front wheel is shown not moving at all, as if it were sliding on the asphalt instead of spinning.
*When Arcee and Jack drive along the street (while debating Jack's decision to accept Vince's second challenge), all the traffic lights are shown as if they were upside down; red lights are in the place of green lights and vice versa.
* Like in the [[Deus ex Machina|previous episode]], the clear parts of Arcee's chest are pink.
*While Knock Out drives away (after kidnapping Vince), and Jack turns to talk to Bumblebee, the former's rear-lights are white instead of red.
*Simply driving on oil, or bumping into another car, would not make any car spin-out. However, we see this many times in T.V. shows and in movies.

===Continuity errors===
*Despite school just getting out, when Jack, Vince, and Sierra are talking, the roads are empty.
*Vince challenges Jack to a race on a "dirt road", but the road they race on is sealed and marked.

===Real-world references===
*Knock Out calls Fast Willy a "skinjob," a derogatory slang term used to refer to the human-like [[Wikipedia:Cylon (reimagining)|Cylons]] in the 2004 re-imagining of ''[[Wikipedia:Battlestar Galactica (2004 TV series)|Battlestar Galactica]]'', itself an homage to ''[[Wikipedia:Blade Runner|Blade Runner]]''.
*Vince refers to Jack as "Ponch", a motorcycle-based reference to Erik Estrada's cycle-riding cop character from ''[[Wikipedia:CHiPs|CHiPs]]''.
*Knock Out calls Starscream "Herr Kommandant", a reference to ''[[Wikipedia:Hogan's Heroes|Hogan's Heroes]]''.
* "Drucker's Ranch" is presumably a reference to [[Steve Drucker]], longtime [[Hasbro]] creative person.

===Foreign localization===
'''German''' 
:*''Title:'' "'''Nur dieses eine Mal!'''" ("Only Once This Time!")
:*''Original airdate:'' [[December 2|2 December]] [[2011]]

'''Hungarian''' 
:*''Title:'' "'''Gyorsulási verseny'''" ("Drag  Race")
:*''Original airdate:'' [[January 23|23 January]] [[2012]]

'''Italian'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Gare su strada'''" ("Road Races")
:*''Original airdate:'' [[October 30|30 October]] [[2011]]

'''Korean''' 
:*''Title:'' "'''Jilju Bonneung'''" (질주 본능, "Instinct for Speed")
:*''Original airdate:'' [[October 3|3 October]] [[2011]]

'''Polish''' 
:*''Title:'' ?
:*''Original airdate:'' [[December 19|19 December]] [[2011]]

'''Portguese''' 
:*''Title:'' ?
:*''Original airdate:'' [[January 16|16 January]] [[2012]]

===Trivia===
* This is the first episode to premiere on a Saturday.
* Several of the other street racing cars in this episode are simply recolored variations of Bumblebee and [[Cliffjumper (Prime)|Cliffjumper]]'s alternate modes (sans horns in the case of the latter). Hello, easy [[redeco]]es! 
* At least two of said cars never actually leave the starting line once the race begins. 
* Sierra's friend continues to remain nameless, despite having appeared in more episodes than Sierra herself at this point. This girl really needs to introduce herself!
* Bumblebee's [[license plate]] is 936 SOH.
*How Many Rule 'No. #1's can the Autobots ''have''?
*In point-of-fact, it may have been better for Knock Out to stay with Breakdown rather than leave, seeing as he lost a door in addition to a nasty scratch.


[[Category:Prime episodes]]