The Need for Speed

« Transformers: Rescue Bots ep 98 »
"The Need for Speed"
Production company	Hasbro Studios
Airdate	August 22, 2016 (UK) September 10, 2016 (US)
Writer	Mairghread Scott
Director	Patrick Archibald
Animation studio	DHX Media Top Draw Animation

A mysterious criminal and unexpected visitor challenge Blurr's future as a Rescue Bot.

Synopsis

Blurr races around the model racetrack in the training center, narrating his own imaginary race, however he's stopped short of the finishing line by Heatwave, who tells him there's an emergency and only he and Blurr are available to respond. The pair head to the GroundBridge, though over-excited Blurr speeds through. They head to coordinates provided by Cody and find Kade standing surrounded by green sludge. Blurr charges in, skids in the substance and ends up showering Kade with it. Fortunately it's just Doc Greene's self-replicating cake frosting, as Heatwave reveals the whole thing was a training exercise. Blurr is upset that the others still think he needs training, and takes off when Heatwave suggests they review his performance.

Racing through town, he almost takes out Mrs Neederlander, but while he's sitting there feeling sorry for himself, he suddenly notices Cybertronian graffiti on a nearby billboard. It doesn't take long to find the culprit, a Cyclone Mini-Con which Blurr assumes is another test. He takes off in pursuit and calls it in to Cody, who alerts the rest of the team. The others converge in the park, where the human team members start setting up a perimeter to keep the townsfolk out. The Bots attempt to grab the Mini-Con, but it proves too tricky for them to catch, even when they temporarily corner it in a pipe. Meanwhile Jerry accidentally breaks through the perimeter and his cargo of gas canisters spills. Moments later the Mini-Con crashes into his truck and the street is littered with leaking canisters of nitrous oxide, which result in some laughing humans and some confused Bots. Boulder buries the canisters.

Meanwhile Blurr chases the Mini-Con into the countryside, where he's suddenly joined by a red sports car. His annoyance at having to deal with a civilian turns to surprise when the sports car turns out to be an Autobot. Sideswipe's attempt to catch Bounce halts when he spots Blurr and assumes the other Bot is a Decepticon and attacks. While Bounce escapes, Blurr tries frantically to explain he's an Autobot, but it's only when the rest of the team arrives that Sideswipe stands down. He makes a valiant attempt to mimic a robot when he spots the humans, but they soon explain that they already know about Cybertronians. After introductions are made, they return to the fire house where Sideswipe explains how Bounce escaped into the GroundBridge and Sideswipe pursued him to Griffin Rock. Blurr asks for some tips to help in rescues, but Sideswipe isn't interested in the rescue side of things, though he promises to recommend Blurr to join Bumblebee's team. Graham shows off the electromagnetic trap they have for use on Trex which might work on the Mini-Con.

Blurr and Sideswipe are assigned to drive Bounce towards the park so the trap can be sprung. Cruising the streets, they soon spot the Mini-Con and give chase, however he's too quick for them. An attempt to grab Bounce goes awry, and Blurr almost runs into some humans at a cafe. After Bounce disappears into the sewers, Blurr decides they need to use their smarts instead of their speed. The pair return to the fire house where he pulls out some energize equipment, and they enlist Cody and Servo to go in and flush Bounce out, though Cody is unhappy that Blurr's thinking of leaving. The ploy works, however Bounce's antics endanger humans as he recklessly speeds along the roads. Blurr automatically jumps in to help, while Sideswipe continues chasing Bounce. He drives the Mini-Con to where the rest of the team are waiting with the trap, and with some deft work with their energize tools, Bounce is safely ensconced in an electromagnetic field. Blurr is unhappy that he didn't catch Bounce, believing he messed up again, but the others point out that he just saved two humans without thinking twice. He ultimately decides to stick with being a Rescue Bot, and Sideswipe heads off with the Mini-Con captive.

Featured characters

(Numbers indicate order of appearance.)

Autobots	Mini-Cons	Humans	Others
Blurr (1) Heatwave (2) Blades (8) Chase (9) Boulder (10) Sideswipe (15) Servo (16)	Bounce (7)	Cody Burns (3) Kade Burns (4) Mrs Neederlander (5) Graham Burns (11) Charlie Burns (12) Dani Burns (13) Jerry (14) Don (17)	Mister Pettypaws (6)

Quotes

"Come and get me, you bucket of... blots?! Oh! Bolts! Why would one of the Bots deface a human billboard? And who doesn't know how to spell bolts?!"
"Autobots smell like- OK, that's just rude."

—Blurr checks out Bounce's graffiti.

"What did he write on me?"
"Nothing I care to repeat in polite company."

—Blades and Chase

"Do all these humans have to be here? They kinda creep me out."
"I'm sure once you get to know them, they'll feel the same about you."

—Sideswipe and Heatwave

Notes

Continuity notes

• This is the first time an antagonistic Cybertronian sets foot on Griffin Rock.
• Sideswipe refused to believe that Blurr was a Rescue Bot due to them having been almost wiped out. Optimus was also surprised when he first met the team.

Transformers references

• Blurr name checks Override, Racemaster and Circuit.
• Sideswipe, who's a main cast member from Robots in Disguise, makes reference to the other members of his team over there, including Strongarm and Grimlock.
• Chase claims Bounce called him a close relative of a Scraplet

Trivia

• This episode marks the first usage of the word 'Decepticon' in the entire series.