Autorollers Roll Out!

« Beast Wars II: Super Lifeform Transformers ep 10 »
"Autorollers Roll Out!" オートローラーズ出撃せよ! () (Autorollers Shutsugeki Seyo!)
Production company	TV Tokyo, NAS, Ashi Productions
Airdate	3 June 1998
Writer	Kazuhiko Gōdo
Director	Hideki Takayama
Animation studio	Ashi Productions
Continuity	Japanese Generation 1 cartoon continuity

The Autorollers seek to form a new faction and use Bigmos's debt to Autostinger to boost their ranks with the Insectrons.

Synopsis

Gooooo, TEAM!

Up in the sky, the Insectrons Bigmos and Tonbot are buzzing perilously close to the Galvaburg II, hoping the Predacons don't catch wind of them. Within the Galvaburg II, Megastorm is observing footage of Galvatron's defeat and seeming demise due to the combined efforts of the Insectrons and the Maximals. With his brother seemingly dead, Megastorm has taken complete command of the Predacons. The Autorollers then approach him, requesting permission to set out on their own and hunt down their arch-enemies: the Insectrons. Starscream laughs at their having the gall to make requests, being of such low rank, but to Starscream's astonishment and displeasure Megastorm allows them their diversion.

Out in the jungle, Lio Convoy and Tasmania Kid are on patrol, as they know the Predacons are looking for energy in the area. Tasmania Kid wonders if they can really trust the Insectrons who have chosen not to fight in the war, but Lio Convoy states that since they are not the Predacons, they have nothing to worry about.

Back at the Galvaburg II, Starscream is worried about the Autorollers; that they might steal the Combatrons' place among the Predacons now that power has shifted. Dirge and BB think he's overreacting, a statement which causes Starscream to angrily lovetap BB over the head with a paper fan.

Outside, the Autorollers split up into two groups, the duo ofAutocrusher and Autolauncher and the duo of Autojetter and Autostinger, unaware that they're being watched by Bighorn and Diver. Autojetter and Autostinger arrive at the top of a cliff overlooking the jungle, pondering where down there the Insectrons might be. As they ponder this, they are suddenly soaked in a shower of spit raining down from the mouth of Tonbot, who encourages them to "Go home". Autostinger says he wishes to speak with them, but they say they have nothing to say to Predacons. Autostinger then reminds Bigmos of the time he saved his life. Bigmos suddenly recognizes him as his old war comrade, Stinger. The Insectrons transform and meet with the Autorollers.

Many years ago, on Dross, the entire surface and all its cities had been devastated by a battle between Maximals and Predacons. In the battle, Stinger had cornered the wounded Bigmos and prepared to execute him. However, out of mercy, he spared his life.

With this debt now laid onto the table, Autostinger asks that Bigmos and the Insectrons either join them or not interfere with their plans. As this conversation takes place, Diver observes from behind a rock and grows suspicious. He leaves to tell the Maximals. As the sun sets, Tonbot asks Bigmos what he's going to do. Bigmos simply tells him to be silent.

Animal abuse has never been so kawaii!

Up on the moon, Artemis is confused over Bigmos's confliction. Moon explains that Bigmos is indebted to Autostinger and, due to honor, cannot leave a debt unpaid. Artemis says she still doesn't understand, leaving Moon to claim she doesn't understand honor. This upsets Artemis, who proceeds to chase Moon around their base.

Down at the Maximal sub-base, Diver reports his findings. Fearing the Insectrons may be in cahoots with the enemy, but wishing to give them the benefit of the doubt, Lio Convoy orders the crew to split up and find the Insectrons. Bighorn and Tasmania Kid aren't searching for long when they are suddenly attacked by Autostinger and Autojetter. Tasmania Kid spots Bigmos and Tonbot flying obediently behind Autojetter and pleads for them to help, but instead, they fly away. Kid and Bighorn give the Autorollers the slip and decide to go find Lio Convoy.

At the Galvaburg II, the Combatrons observe the footage of the Insectrons fighting alongside the Autorollers. Starscream decides he can use their alliance to kill two birds with one stone.

Elsewhere, in a cave, Bigmos explains the situation to Mantis, who is not interested in doing any fighting, only wanting to be left alone and such. Bigmos flies away, upset.

At the Maximal sub-base, Tasmania Kid and Bighorn show footage of their battle to Lio Convoy and the others. Apache decides to go confront Bigmos and Tonbot to get their story straight. He finds them atop the cliff Diver had been to earlier, but as soon as they begin to speak, Autojetter and Autostinger attack. As Apache gets hit by missiles, Autostinger warns Bigmos to stand by their agreement and not interfere. The Insectrons sit idly by as Apache begs for their aid and continues to be hit by missiles. Lio Convoy suddenly arrives and fires a round of missiles at Autostinger. Bigmos then swoops down and lifts him out of the way. Autostinger thanks Bigmos for saving his life. Bigmos then tells Autostinger that they are now even, though Autostinger refuses to accept the debt as paid. The Maximals hear this, at last understanding the Insectrons' behavior. Autostinger then has Autojetter lift him off the ground so that he and the Insectrons can find a secluded place to do fair battle on the field of honor. Lio Convoy and Apache give chase.

Meeting at the cave, the Insectrons and Autorollers prepare for a two-on-two showdown. Outside, the Maximals are having trouble finding the entrance to the cave. Tasmania Kid eventually locates it (nearly crushing Apache with a boulder in the process) and they all head inside. Starscream and BB then show up as the battle inside gets underway. Starscream orders BB to fire a volley of missiles into the cliff-side, hoping to bury both the Insectrons and the Autorollers alive. As everything caves in, Lio Convoy leads the Autorollers and the Insectrons out through the secret entrance Tasmania Kid had found.

Having escaped, the Autorollers agree to part with the Insectrons on equal terms, though they shall remain enemies.

Artemis & Moon II Report

In this installment of "Artemis & Moon II Report", after Artemis is done pondering whether Starscream is hotter than Scuba, they decide to figure out what a "mercenary unit" is. To help them figure it out, Bigmos steps in and explains how the war between the Maximals and the Predacons drove him and the other Insectrons to strike out on their own.

Featured characters

(Numbers indicate order of appearance.)

Maximals	Predacons	Insectrons	Others
Lio Convoy (13) Tasmania Kid (14) Bighorn (15) Diver (16) Apache (19)	Megastorm (3) Dirge (4) Thrust (5) Starscream (6) BB (7) Galvatron (8, flashback) Autojetter (9) Autocrusher (10) Autostinger (11) Autolauncher (12)	Bigmos (1) Tonbot (2) Mantis (20)	Artemis (17) Moon (18) Assistant Ball (21)

Notes

Continuity notes

• Galvatron was believed killed in "The Strongest Tag Team?"
• This is the second time Starscream hits BB with a harisen, following on "The Lake Trap".
• All Autorollers move out to deal with the Insectrons, but they split up and only the story involving Autostinger, Autojetter, Bigmos, Tonbot, and Mantis is presented by the episode. Based on the conversation the other three Insectrons have in "Danger! Scissor Boy", Autocrusher and Autolauncher plain failed to locate them.
• Artemis last attacked Moon in "The Insect Corps Arrive" by going for his neck. Here, she grabs him by the ears. Next time, in "The Space Pirate Seacons!", Moon will hit her instead and the gag resumes as usual in "Megastorm's Reckoning".

Real world references

• Starscream hits BB with a harisen like the tsukkomi would the boke in a manzai act.

Continuity errors

• The Autorollers' newly-established backstory in this episode as mercenaries who existed as distinct individuals before arriving on Gaia flies into contradiction with their original portrayal as upgraded Combatants in "White Lion, Run!" No attempt so far has been made to reconcile those different portrayals.

Animation and technical errors

• The Autorollers do a hand huddle. During the closeup, the order clockwise is Autostinger, Autojetter, Autolauncher, and Autocrusher. The next shot presents the order as Autostinger, Autocrusher, Autolauncher, and Autojetter.
• When patting Bigmos, Autostinger's right arm ends in the same cap as his left arm. The cap is colored purple like the auto missiles he should be shooting from his right.
• Improbable viewpoints:
  • The Combatrons and later the Maximals watch the fight between the Autorollers and the Maximals by means of reused footage. That means a lower front shot of Autostinger as he shoots at the enemy, a lower front shot of Autojetter flying through the air, a side shot of Autojetter flying through the air, and a moving shot of Bighorn running away.
• The nose of Lio Convoy's lion mode's head is white when he runs up to warn the Insectrons and the Autorollers to leave the collapsing cave.

Trivia

• This is the second time Starscream hits BB with a harisen, which follows from "The Lake Trap". There is a bit of a irony in Starscream performing a quintessential manzai gag when he's always putting down Dirge and Thrust as a manzai duo.

Home video releases

All releases listed are in Japanese audio unless otherwise noted.

VHS

1998 — Beast Wars II: Super Lifeform Transformers — ACT. 4 (Pioneer LDC)

DVD

2011 — Beast Wars II: Super Lifeform Transformers — DVD-BOX (Video Maker)