New Recruit

This article is about the Prime episode. For the Rescue Bots episode, see The New Recruits.

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Superboy meets Superman for the first time.
"New Recruit"
Season	2
No. in season	18
Production company	Hasbro Studios
Airdate	September 7, 2012
Written by	Marty Isenberg
Directed by	Vinton Heuck
Animation studio	Polygon Pictures
Watch this episode on YouTube

A Decepticon escape pod lands on Earth and the Autobot Smokescreen emerges, while Starscream uses the Apex Armor to go on a quest for Red Energon.

Synopsis

Jane Fonda would be doing a facepalm at this.

Raf and Jack cruise the Internet for pictures of Bumblebee to replace with tap-dancing monkey pictures, while Miko forces Bulkhead to exercise so his legs don't atrophy. Jack notices a picture which Raf identifies as a Cybertronian escape pod. Arcee suggests bringing in Wheeljack as Bulkhead still isn't combat-ready, which Ratchet promptly shoots down due to recent events. Optimus orders Ratchet to come along with them instead, as there might be an injured Autobot in the pod. They GroundBridge into the crash site to find it's a Decepticon pod, and they're immediately under attack from their foe. The Vehicons, augmented by Insecticons, turn out to be a challenge, but then a new figure appears running through the trees. The newcomer's fire accidentally hits the energon leaking from the pod, and the Autobots take cover as it explodes, taking out the Decepticons. The over-enthusiastic newcomer happens to be Smokescreen, an Autobot rookie who becomes in awe when he meets the Optimus Prime. The Autobots are initially suspicious, remembering the last time a new Autobot turned up, but Smokescreen's tales of Alpha Trion and guarding the Hall of Records convinces Prime that he is legitimate.

Back at base, Miko's excited to meet the new Autobot. Smokescreen relates the story of the last days of Iacon and how he was captured by Decepticons during the siege, before escaping from a Decepticon transport ship in an escape pod. Smokescreen thinks with him there they'll have the war ended in no time, and Bulkhead drags himself in to show the newcomer how the war is going. Miko volunteers Jack to show Smokescreen around.

So many gifs of animals, so little time.

In the Harbinger, Starscream searches the Internet for interesting stuff and happens on an image of Red Energon at a construction site.

Jack shows Smokescreen around where the Cybertronian relics and Airachnid are stored. Bulkhead is upset that the others have brought in a replacement for him, but as they point out, Smokescreen is a newbie and needs a lot of training. Raf finds the same Red Energon photo that Starscream did. Smokescreen's keen to go out on the mission, but the others point out his need for training and an alternate mode.

Starscream arrives at the construction site, only to find it deserted and the Red Energon gone.

Smokescreen and Jack scope out vehicles driving near Jasper, and the Autobot is disappointed in the available vehicle forms. Meanwhile, Prime, Arcee and Bumblebee arrive at the dock where the Red Energon's been moved, and discover Starscream is already there. The Decepticon activates the Apex Armor and Optimus sends Arcee and Bumblebee to get the energon while he takes on Starscream. He reports back to base what's happening, and Smokescreen wants to go help, but is overruled by Ratchet.

Having dealt with Optimus, Starscream climbs up the crane after Arcee and Bumblebee. At base, Bulkhead urges Ratchet to let him go help, but Ratchet ignores him until they realize Smokescreen is missing. Ratchet finds him in the storeroom looking at the phase shifter. Meanwhile, Starscream reaches Arcee, only for Optimus to punch him right off the crane. Starscream tries to grab some of the Red Energon on the way down, breaking off a chunk. As Optimus starts hauling up the basket with the energon in it, Starscream grabs the bottom of the crane and tips it. He's interrupted by the arrival of Smokescreen through the GroundBridge. Using the phase shifter, the new Autobot kicks Starscream right out of the Apex Armor. While Smokescreen stands triumphant, Starscream fires off a missile at the crane, the ensuing explosion destroying the Red Energon meteor. Though the Autobots atop it survive, Starscream gets away with a chunk of Red Energon he broke off.

After they return to base, Smokescreen returns the phase shifter and the Apex Armor, after which Optimus officially welcomes him to Team Prime. Bulkhead looks on sadly, and though Miko tries to give him some encouraging words, he turns and limps back down the corridor.

Featured characters

(Numbers indicate order of appearance.)

Autobots	Decepticons	Humans	Others
Bumblebee (1) Ratchet (4) Bulkhead (6) Optimus Prime (7) Arcee (8) Smokescreen (11)	Vehicons (9) Insecticons (10)	Raf Esquivel (2) Jack Darby (3) Miko Nakadai (5)	Starscream (12) Airachnid (13)

Quotes

"The tap-dancing monkey strikes again!"

—Jack on Raf's latest anti-Bumblebee-sighting hack.

"All these Cons came out of one pod?"
"Humans refer to the phenomenon as a 'clown car'!"

—Arcee and Ratchet

"A trillion gigabytes of data, none of it useful! Though some... oddly engrossing."

—Starscream manages to sum up the internet in the best way possible.

Miko: What's your story, Smoke? Where did you come from? How did you get here? How many blasters are you packing?
Smokescreen: So these are the lifeforms we're supposed to protect? Are they all like this?
Ratchet: Fortunately not.

"The Red Energon is mine, humans, for you are powerless in the face of the mighty Star- What? Where is it?!"

—Starscream's entrance is deflated.

"Any last words, Smokescreen?"
"Just four—kiss your armor goodbye!"

—Starscream and Smokescreen

Notes

Continuity notes

• Bumblebee has gained more pictures of himself on conspiracy websites since "One Shall Fall".
• The Autobots remember when Wheeljack first arrived and how that turned out.
• Ratchet is still upset at Wheeljack for pulling that "revenge stunt" with Miko in "Hurt".
• Bulkhead is still recovering from the injuries he suffered in "Toxicity". By now, he can walk unaided (albeit at a slow limp), and a conversation with Ratchet implies that he can transform and drive around to some extent.
• The spark extractor ("Operation Bumblebee, Part 1"), immobilizer ("Partners"), phase shifter ("Tunnel Vision"), and Airachnid ("Armada") are part of Jack's tour.
• Starscream still has the Apex Armor he obtained in "Triangulation". Well, had.

Transformers references

• Smokescreen references Constructicons, Halogen, Alpha Trion, the Elite Guard, and the High Council.
• As in Transformers: Exodus, Alpha Trion is the master archivist of Iacon's Hall of Records.
• Smokescreen bears the Autobot Elite Guard symbol from Transformers Animated, and upon scanning an Earth mode, continues the tradition of Smokescreens wearing the number "38".
• In a likely coincidence (but with a chance of being intentional given the "Binder of Revelation"), the "Fast" Energon Crystals of the TakaraTomy Prime toyline are bright salmon.
• The Decepticon warship Smokescreen was held captive aboard is similar in shape to Jhiaxus' ship, Twilight.
• Smokescreen states that the Elite Guard was like a boot camp for him.
• The recovery of an empty Decepticon escape pod, complete with a red, dirt-covered insignia, could be a callback to the Generation 1 episode "A Plague of Insecticons", which had a similar scene, and the appearance of Insecticons.

Real-world references

• "Clown cars" are a real and horrifying phenomenon, where a large number of clowns cram themselves into a tiny vehicle then pile out for the "amusement" of an audience, and like Insecticons, must be purged, preferably by fire.

Errors

• The Insecticons seem to die very easily in this episode. Arcee and Bumblebee take out one in a few seconds when last time it took them an entire episode. Things will not get any better for them in future episodes.
• Shortly after Bumblebee first exits the GroundBridge portal, a part sticks out that disappears when he transforms
• Arm weapons silently transform twice in this episode; Optimus' when he's running from the exploding pod, and Bumblebee's when he's about to climb the crane.
• The Apex Armor doesn't allow room for Starscream's wings—as Smokescreen kicks him out of the armor, his wings just suddenly appear into his back.
• The Apex Armor has a set of spikes on the back of its disc form when Starscream puts it on, something it hasn't had before or since.
• Even Optimus Prime can't pronounce the name of his former profession, referring to Alpha Trion as an "ar-KIVE-ist."
• When Smokescreen looks into the Phase Shifter vault during Jack's tour, for a brief moment one can see his doorwings bear the checkered 38 design, in spite of him not having scanned such a paint-job yet.
• As Optimus' report didn't mention the Apex Armor, how did Smokescreen know to take the phase shifter to defeat it?
• So... Smokescreen can use the Phase Shifter to shift into the Apex Armor, somehow maintain enough density to kick Starscream while he's still shifted partway through the armor's front, and then somehow transfer the Shifter's properties to Starscream so that he flies out of the armor's back despite not being in contact with the Shifter? What the heck?

Trivia

• Starscream finds Earth humor funny, even though he previously said he didn't. Guess Ratchet isn't the only one.
• As usual, the vehicle mode Smokescreen chooses completely matches his body. However, this is the first time a Transformer changes his paint job after getting a new vehicle mode; Smokescreen's Elite Guard logos are exchanged for his number "38" and checker racer decal.
• Smokescreen is also the first character to refer to a vehicle mode as a "v. mode" in Transformers fiction.
• Smokescreen refers to Starscream as having stiletto heels, despite Starscream's feet more closely resembling french/spool heels. Clearly, Smokescreen knows very little about the finer details of women's footwear.

Foreign localization

French

• Title: "Nouvelle Recrue" ("New Recruit")
• Original airdate: ?

• Throughout the episode, Alpha Trion is constantly referred to as "the Alpha Trion". This will be corrected in subsequent episodes.
• Halogen is called "Halogun".
• While in "Tunnel Vision", the phase shifter was called "multiphase", Jack now refers to it as "modificateur de phase" ("phase modifier"). Around eight minutes later, Starscream calls it "déphaseur" ("phase shifter"). The translators were not very focused.
• Instead of saying "Cement truck?" as a proposal, Jack says it with astonishment, as if it were Smokescreen's choice.

German

• Title: "Der neue Rekrut" ("The New Recruit")
• Original airdate: 9 February 2013

Japanese

• Title: "Shinsei Henkei! Smokescreen Sanjō!" (新星変形!スモークスクリーン参上!, "New Star Transformation! Enter Smokescreen!")
• Original airdate: 2 February 2013

Brazilian Portuguese

• Title: "Novo Recruta" ("New Recruit")
• Original airdate: 26 June 2013

Italian

• Title: "La Nuova Recluta" ("The New Recruit"), "Una Nuova Recluta" (2017 airing, "A New Recruit")
• Original airdate: 8 February 2013

Home video releases

All releases listed are in English audio unless otherwise noted.

DVD

2012 — Transformers Prime — Season Two (Shout! Factory)
2013 — Transformers Prime — Vol. 22 (Avex Trax) — Japanese audio only.
2013 — Transformers Prime — Folge 11: Die Omega-Schlüssel (EDEL:kids) — English and German audio.
2014 — Transformers Prime — Volume 4: Unclear Objectives (Madman Entertainment)
2014 — Transformers Prime — Season Two Collection (Madman Entertainment)
2014 — Transformers Prime — Season 2 Vol. 3: Toxicity (Primal Screen)
2014 — Transformers Prime — Saison 2 Vol. 3: La course aux reliques (Primal Screen)
2015 — Transformers Prime — Stagione 2 Vol. 3: Il Tox-En (Primal Screen) — English, Italian, Swedish, Finnish, Danish and Norwegian audio.
2015 — Transformers Prime — Intégrale Saison 2 (Primal Screen)
2015 — Transformers Prime — The Complete Season 2 (Primal Screen)
2015 — Transformers Prime — La Seconda Stagione Completa (Primal Screen) — English, Italian, Swedish, Finnish, Danish and Norwegian audio.

Blu-ray

2012 — Transformers Prime — Season Two (Shout! Factory)
2015 — Transformers Prime — Season Two Collection (Madman Entertainment)