Ruin

This article is about the Armada episode. For one half of the Wreckers' duo, see Rack'n'Ruin (disambiguation).

« Transformers: Armada ep 11 »
"Ruin" 記憶 (みやこ) (Miyako) "Remembrance: Capital"
Production code	TF: A-11
Production company	TV Tokyo, NAS
Airdate	November 15, 2002 (English) 21 March 2003 (Japanese)
Writer	Ryō Motohira
Director	Shigeki Awai
Animation studio	Actas Inc.
Continuity	Unicron Trilogy

The Transformers track a new Mini-Con to a ruined undersea city which was once the scene of a great disaster.

Synopsis

Carlos races frantically through the Autobot base, ducking into a lift. He bursts in on the other Autobots, who are working on Optimus. They observe he appears to be somewhat impatient, speculating it's about the holographic girl from whom they've been receiving a transmission. Carlos runs to the control center where Alexis is waiting, and they watch as the pretty holographic girl pleads for help on the monitor. Finally, the Autobots are ready, and they launch, arriving somewhere underwater. They fire up the turbines they attached to themselves and begin looking for a Mini-Con, much to Carlos's dismay—he'd thought they were looking for the girl.

"Help me, Obi-Wan Kenobi. You're my only hope."

Hot Shot scouts ahead and almost drives into a ravine before reporting he's found an undersea city, which Rad thinks is Atlantis. The Autobots drive through the city and soon encounter the Decepticons. Megatron dispatches Leader-1 and Bonecrusher to find the entrance to the ruins. While Hot Shot and Red Alert fight the Decepticons, Optimus and Smokescreen also try to find the entryway. Weapons fire from Megatron begins to fracture Optimus's windows, much to the children's alarm, but Carlos tells Optimus to keep going. Smokescreen yanks open the doors to the ruins, and Optimus drives through, his passenger compartment rapidly filling with water. Fortunately, the ruins contain an air pocket, and he lets the kids out once inside. While the kids try to find the Mini-Con, Optimus goes back to help fight the Decepticons.

Where's a Ghostbuster when you need one?!

The kids ride their Mini-Cons through tropical gardens. Rad points out the odd vibrations, which he believes mean there's something beneath them. A sharp jolt sends them to the ground and knocks over Megatron, who sends his men in to face Optimus and Smokescreen. The three kids recover to find that the ruins suddenly populated by people in ancient clothing, including the girl from the transmission, who says she's been expecting them. Carlos runs after the girl, and Rad attempts to follow and finds himself passing through one of the ruins' inhabitants—they're all holograms.

Meanwhile, Carlos discovers much the same thing when his hand passes through the girl. She explains to the kids that she's from a long-lost civilization, destroyed in a war started by three Mini-Cons combined into a flaming sword. Her people were able to harness the sword's power and use it as a weapon to enslave the other peoples, but their enemies overcame them in time, toppling their civilization. Outside, the Autobots pin down the Decepticons. Megatron combines with Leader-1 and begins blasting, causing the Autobots to scramble for cover.

The animators took tips from José Delbo and AKOM in character model tracing.

The girl continues her story, telling how the Mini-Cons fell dormant and the fallen nation preserved themselves as holograms to warn people not to reactivate them. Despite her dire warnings, the kids resolve to try to find the Mini-Con. Carlos wants to try taking the girl with them, which Rad interprets as not letting the Decepticons destroy the holograms. At this point, Megatron bursts through the wall, and the kids' Mini-Cons combine into Perceptor to wrestle with Leader-1. Optimus also arrives and attacks Megatron. Leader-1 finally spots the Mini-Con stuck in a damaged pillar, and Megatron retrieves it. The ground begins to shake, and the ruins start collapsing, so the Decepticons leave with their prize.

Atlantis won't be arising anymore...

As the Autobots begin retreating, Carlos says goodbye to the holographic girl. Although he still wants to help her, the water closes in, forcing him to get into Red Alert. The ruined temple sinks further underwater as the Autobots depart.

On the Moon, Megatron announces they've captured one of the strongest Mini-Cons. The Autobots explain to Alexis that Megatron caught only one of the Mini-Cons required to create the sword. Outside the base, Carlos mourns losing the holographic girl and speculates she was a princess while Rad comforts him.

Featured characters

(Numbers indicate order of appearance.)

Autobots	Decepticons	Humans	Mini-Cons
Optimus Prime (2) Smokescreen (3) Red Alert (6) Hot Shot (7)	Megatron (11) Starscream (12) Cyclonus (13) Demolishor (14)	Carlos Lopez (1) Rad White (4) Alexis (8) Amphitrite (9)	High Wire (5) Jolt (10) Leader-1 (15) Bonecrusher (16) Grindor (17) Sureshock (18) Sonar (19) Jetstorm (20) Runway (21) Perceptor (22)

Quotes

Hot Shot: "Whoa, you're not gonna believe this!"
Rad: "Come on! Tell us!"
Hot Shot: "There's a city down here!"
Carlos: "OK, guys, it's official: Hot Shot has finally gone off the deep end."

—The Autobots find the lost city

"And that girl we saw was..."
"It's just a hologram! I hope you're not disappointed."
"No! Of course not."
"Yeah, like I'm buying that one, Rad."
"Hey, would you just get off my case already?"
"Hmph!"

—Rad and Alexis discuss how the ruin's populated by holograms.

"Boys. Huh."
"What is she talking about?!"

—Alexis and Rad, who doesn't understand girls.

Notes

Differences with Legends of the Microns

• Between the two dubs, the dialogue in the opening scene differs, but the English one has some glaring errors: In Armada, Carlos runs in a frenzy, saying that something is driving him nuts! When he runs out into the launch bay, the Autobots attach turbines onto Optimus's truck form. Carlos calls out to Rad and asks if the Autobots have figured it out yet, but Hot Shot says they're still working on it. Rad tries to make Carlos calm down since "these things take time," but Carlos says they don't have any and runs off. After Hot Shot makes the point about the girl on the monitor being a hologram, Rad blushes and says to him defensively, "So what?" Legends of the Microns begins with Carlos asking if someone is in danger, removing Carlos's panting and needless mumbling as he enters the elevator. On the launch bay, instead of calling Rad, Carlos asks if the Autobots have finished preparing, and Hot Shot answers no. Rad tries to make Carlos relax, but Carlos blows up at him for being calm and runs off frustrated. Hot Shot asks Rad if he doesn't care about the girl on the monitor, and the blushing Rad sheepishly replies, "Not particularly."
• The holographic girl is named Amphitrite; she's unnamed in Armada.
• When he runs into the control room in Armada, Carlos asks Alexis if the girl on the monitor is there, and Alexis's line to Carlos is extended. During the shot panning up to the monitor, Carlos has an extra line as he expresses relief the girl's image is "back." Legends of the Microns removes the additional dialogue and corrects the grammar errors. Alexis and Carlos are also unable to decipher what the girl is saying on the monitor.
• Just before launching, Legends of the Microns removes the countdown as Prime just says the launch command, and the rest of the warping scene is silent.
• When Carlos expresses concern about the kids being underwater, Rad explains the Autobots prepared equipment to be switched on for the kids to use. Then, in Armada, Carlos asks why they're underwater since the girl's transmission didn't look like it originated there. Upon learning the Autobots are trying to find a newly detected Mini-Con, Carlos feels stupid for believing they were looking for the girl, but no one listens to him. In Legends of the Microns, Optimus says they've detected a panel in undersea wreckage, and Carlos calls the Autobots clueless since people can't live underwater.
• After the above dialogue in Armada, Alexis says. "There it is!" (without saying what exactly) and that they're getting closer to it according to the radar. Legends of the Microns simplifies this to Alexis saying that something is there, and the scene is silent when the dolphins appear.
• The shot from behind Hot Shot and Jolt going off into the distance is silent. Alexis later asks Hot Shot if he's found anything; he says, "Just cliffs. Lots of sea too!" before mentioning the underwater city. After hearing this, Carlos asks how a city can be underwater before Rad confirms there being a city as the others stop on the cliff's edge. In Armada, Carlos reacts as soon as the scene changes, but he doesn't respond until the ruin is visible in the shot in Legends of the Microns.
• After Alexis makes the Armada-exclusive Atlantis reference, Rad notes how it's an incredible find instead of wondering who built the city.
• Rather than Optimus saying that he and Smokescreen find the ruins' entrance, Optimus tells Smokescreen to find the entryway alone while Red Alert and Hot Shot provide cover.
• Before firing at them, Megatron only notices Optimus and Smokescreen approaching in Legends of the Microns. In Armada, he says, "It's time to get serious." Optimus doesn't tell the kids to hang on in the Japanese dub.
• When the window of Prime's cab cracks, Carlos is silent, Alexis points it out, and Rad says the pressure will crush them. After more windows crack, Carlos is presented as straight-up irrational and suicidal in Armada, telling Optimus not to surface because the girl might be there, and if she can survive underwater, so can they. Legends of the Microns improves it a bit since Carlos tells Optimus to use his weapons, and if the girl is in the ruins, then there must be air.
• As more water flows in, Carlos says he, Rad, and Alexis will be fine and tells Optimus to go through the entrance quickly. Megatron wonders if the Autobots found the entry and, upon seeing Smokescreen at it, Megatron announces it has been opened and for the Decepticons to gather.
• The scene of Optimus driving up the stairs towards the air pocket is silent. Then Armada adds Megatron's line to remove the silence as Optimus shoots him on the stairs.
• Amphitrite doesn't say she was expecting the kids and only welcomes them, and the shot of her after the commercial bumper is silent.
• Instead of introducing himself and asking for the girl's name, Carlos says how amazing the city is.
• Between the two dubs, the dialogue between Amphitrite and the kids differs:
  • Her voice remains stoic throughout in Armada, but she sounds despondent in Legends of the Microns.
  • In Legends of the Microns, Amphitrite says her culture existed because it relied on the teachings of wisdom and power from the "Orichalcums," their name for the Mini-Cons. In Armada, she says her civilization became lost after the Mini-Cons' arrival. In the Japanese version, Amphitrite doesn't acknowledge Rad, and her nodding to Carlos makes sense as he asks her about the metal that gave her people their wisdom.
  • Alexis recognizes Jetstorm as the Mini-Con laying dormant in Mount Astrogate. In Armada, she says the Autobots probably detected one of the Star Saber Mini-Cons on the radar.
  • Amphitrite calls the Star Saber the "Sword of the Sun." Rad has a line just before Alexis speaks, and her line doesn't overlap with the scene after, which is partially silent before Amphitrite continues her story. In Armada, she says her people became obsessed with controlling the Mini-Cons' power, which led them to wage wars with civilizations on other continents. In Legends of the Microns, Amphitrite says her people used the Star Saber's strength against another Orichalcum (the Skyboom Shield), and this led to a continental war; the scenes of the Star Saber unleashing a green whirlwind of energy are silent.
  • Alexis asks the Mini-Cons if Amphitrite is telling the truth in Armada but if the other Orichalcum also consisted of Mini-Cons in Legends of the Microns.
  • In Armada, Amphitrite's line begging the question of why people can't learn that trying to gain power over everything leads to self-destruction overlaps with the scene showing people fighting. Then she says her people believed the sword would protect them, but they became the world's enemies before their cities fell, and the people didn't survive their enemies' wrath. Carlos says that's harsh and Amphitrite explains how her people realized they were fighting a war they couldn't win and resigned themselves to their fate before their cities sank. Rad says what happened is terrible and that he never realized how much power the Mini-Cons have on their own. Then Amphitrite says her civilization barely managed to survive for years since it sank. In Legends of the Microns, Amphitrite asks why people should be obsessed with power and the need to show it off. The following scene of people fighting is silent, and then she says the battles brought great harm: the city was destroyed, mountains were leveled, and the flames of war engulfed people. Distraught, Carlos asks how that could have happened. Amphitrite says her people continued to destroy themselves until both of their civilizations ended up underwater. Then Rad asks her if the people couldn't control the Mini-Cons' power and killed themselves, and Amphitrite says they've barely been able to do anything since the city sank.
• After being shot back by Red Alert, Starscream says the Autobots are putting up a fight. Then Megatron notes their cleverness and decides to eradicate them in one shot with his Full Burst Mode. In Armada, Starscreams complains about having a bad day before Megatron has enough of the chess game and decides to "bring out the heavy artillery."
• In Armada, Amphitrite says after the Mini-Cons went dormant, she and her people preserved themselves as holograms to warn those in the future not to disturb the Mini-Cons; otherwise, their cities would suffer the same fate as hers. However, her dialogue doesn't make sense with the scene depicting two men taking the two panels. Then Alexis determines Amphitrite won't tell them the Mini-Cons' location. In Legends of the Microns, Amphitrite says the Orichalcums went dormant after having their power exhausted. To prevent history from repeating itself, her people agreed to split up the panels; thus, two were given to travelers, giving Alexis the idea the third panel is still in the ruins.
• Amphitrite reveals that if the kids can see her hologram, it means the Orichalcums have awoken and asks if they are looking for them. She says she can't let the kids repeat her people's mistakes, and if they insist on finding the panels, then the ruins and her people's history will sink further into the ocean, foreshadowing the event. In Armada, Amphitrite tells the children to heed her warning about the Mini-Cons' power, leave the ruins, forget about the Mini-Cons, and save themselves as they are doomed if they continue seeking out the Mini-Cons and because of history repeating itself.
• Armada has Rad believe that Carlos wants to save the girl's image, so they need to ensure the Decepticons don't destroy the holograms. In Legends of the Microns, Rad says Amphitrite and her people's memories will survive.
• When the Street Action Mini-Con Team combines into Perceptor, the title sequence theme and transforming sound effect are removed, with the previous scene's music continuing. Then Megatron says he doesn't have time to deal with Perceptor.
• Megatron says Optimus is getting on his nerves, and then he tells Leader-1 to find the panel with Bonecrusher.
• Amphitrite's pleading is more urgent in Legends of the Microns while her voice remains stoic in Armada.
• Rad says the city is sinking further underwater instead of there being an earthquake. In Armada, Rad insensitively tells Carlos to forget about Amphitrite since they need to escape. In Legends of the Microns, he tells Carlos that he's wrong to think he failed to protect Amphitrite and that this doesn't mark the end for her since the people's memories will persist in the ruins.
• Back on the Moon, Armada has Megatron boast about the Decepticons' victory as they got "one of the most powerful combinations in the universe." Legends of the Microns ties it back to Megatron seeing the Star Saber projection. He says the sword is strong enough for him to conquer the universe and demands that the other panels be found and ensure that they awaken.
• Instead of fuming about Rad and Carlos "going gaga over a girl," Alexis says they also need to wake up.
• The ending scene between Rad and Carlos goes differently between the dubs. Armada has them only talk about Amphitrite while Legends of the Microns connects their discussion to the overall Transformers conflict:
  • In Armada, Rad understands how Carlos feels but tells him to remember Amphitrite was just a hologram. Carlos says how she looked real to him, and he let his heart get in his head's way as a result. The boys agree that she was lifelike and pretty, and Carlos surmises that Amphitrite was a princess who became a queen, to which Rad says Carlos has quite the imagination. Carlos says he'll never forget her, and Rad believes they might see her again as her hologram might still exist and come to the surface one day, much to Carlos's excitement. Then Rad does a 180 and tells Carlos to forget about Amphitrite since they're still "buds for life," with Carlos agreeing.
  • In Legends of the Microns, Rad tells Carlos that the others understand. Rad says it's not always possible for the Autobots to avoid fighting, and protecting everyone is something Optimus must always consider. Carlos says he knows and there must be a way to stop the fighting since he feels sorry for Amphitrite, and Rad shares the sentiment. Then Rad says Amphitrite was cute but had lots of sadness on her face, bashfully confirming he also thought she was pretty when Carlos asks him. Then Carlos says that Amphitrite might've been an actress or even a top-class idol in her day. He says he wanted to see her smile, which Rad says Carlos may imagine when the fight against the Decepticons finally ends. Carlos asks Rad if that's what he imagined; Rad says it's crucial to have an imagination, to which Carlos adds inspiration.

Animation and technical errors

How ominous...

• The turbines fitted to the Autobots appear and disappear depending on the shot.
• Despite the girl's hologram showing static, the static sound effect is missing, making the girl's message clear to understand. Legends of the Microns adds the effect and obscures the girl's dialogue accordingly.
• During the shot of Alexis and Carlos discussing Amphitrite's message, both of their mouths move although they speak one after the other.
• Optimus calls Smokescreen "Hot Shot." Specifically, he says, "Cover me, Hot Shot!" which Smokescreen interprets as a command to open the doors to the ruin while Optimus covers him.
• After the kids and their Mini-Cons go through the ruins' arched corridor, Rad's hair is miscolored brown. This mistake happens again when Rad passes through a hologram.
• The ancient name used for the Mini-Cons, Orichalcum, was fumbled during production and warped into "Olihalicons." After this, the English dub has Amphitrite use the Mini-Con term.
• Alexis asks what is happening after the ruin shakes despite already knowing before Rad says they need to find "those Mini-Cons," a noticeable grammar error. Legends of the Microns corrects these to have Alexis wondering if the Autobots are alright. Then Rad talks about finding a single Mini-Con panel, using the correct singular terms instead of plural.
• The shot of Megatron dispatching Leader-1 and Bonecrusher is reused when he sicks them on Perceptor in the ruins but without the distorted colors.
• Megatron somehow knows Sonar will remain dormant until the other two awaken. Legends of the Microns corrects this to have him say that the Mini-Con is still dormant.
• Before the rest of the 'Cons retreat after Megatron, Demolishor speaks with Cyclonus's voice because Armada extends the latter's line. The Japanese dub doesn't have this error, so Demolishor talks after Cyclonus.
• After Hot Shot enters vehicle mode in the ruins, Jolt suddenly appears on him in the next shot.
• Megatron tells Leader-1 to find the Mini-Cons (plural) while he deals with Optimus. The Japanese dub corrects this error.

Continuity errors

• Despite everyone seeming to be quite clear that they're seeing a holographic girl in the transmission, the kids are surprised later when the ruin's inhabitants turn out to be holograms. In Legends of the Microns, Alexis isn't surprised as she already expected them to be holograms.
• None of the kids seem to notice that one of the Mini-Cons shown is one they've already found. However, in the Japanese dub, Alexis recognizes Jetstorm.
• Megatron somehow knows Sonar will remain dormant until the other two awaken. Legends of the Microns corrects this to have him say that the Mini-Con is still dormant.
• At the end of the episode, Alexis and the Autobots discuss how Megatron now has Sonar and how they need to find the other two before the Decepticons, despite already obtaining Jetstorm six episodes ago. Legends of the Microns fixes it to have Alexis explain that Megatron got one of the three Star Saber Mini-Cons. Then Red Alert and Optimus say the Mini-Cons combine into the sword, and Hot Shot declares they should keep it out of Decepticon hands.

Continuity notes

• Megatron thanks Smokescreen for opening the entrance into the ruin, following it up with "remind me to destroy you later". Poor Smokescreen won't realize how true this will prove to be.
• Gadgets and powers:
  • The Autobots equip their vehicle modes with Aqua Boosters to move through the water.
    • Being Powerlinxed with Jolt helps Hot Shot move through the water as well as his Aqua Boosters.
  • Starscream fires lasers from his forearms... somehow. He also fires lasers from his shoulder intakes.
  • Hot Shot uses Jolt's double-barrelled gun as a hand-held weapon for the first time. He uses it to fire a flare.
  • Optimus fires lasers from his container missile pod in vehicle mode again.
  • Like Starscream, Smokescreen fires lasers from his forearms too.
  • Megatron Powerlinx with Leader-1 to form his "Full Blast Mode" for the first time.

Transformers references

• Seen in the flashback for the first time are the Star Saber and the Air Defense Mini-Con Team. Also making its debut, in silhouette, is the Skyboom Shield.

Real-world references

• In the English dub, Alexis compares the city to Atlantis.
• In Legends of the Microns, Amphitrite refers to the Mini-Cons as "Orichalcums," a legendary substance from Atlantis.
• Legends of the Microns reveals the holographic girl is named Amphitrite, the Greek goddess of the same name.

Trivia

• The kanji 記憶 would be pronounced as "kioku," while "miyako" is used for the kanji 都 or 京.
• This episode has Megatron using his Full Blast Mode toy gimmick for the first time.
• This episode marks the only time in the English dub that a Transformer says "Evolution," the Japanese term for powerlinxing with a Mini-Con, courtesy of Megatron debuting his "Full Blast Mode".
• This episode is one of the only ones without an opening and closing narration.

Foreign localization

German

• Title: "Das Mädchen vom Meeresgrund" ("The Girl from the Bottom of the Sea")
• Original airdate: This episode was never shown on TV, but was dubbed in 2003. The dub premiered in 2009 with the German DVD release of the show.

Hungarian

• Title: "Romok a víz alatt" ("Ruins Under the Sea")

Polish

• Title: "Ruiny" ("Ruins")

French

• Title: "La cité engloutie" ("The Sunken City")

Korean

• Title: "해저도시의 비밀" ("Ocean City's Secret")

Portuguese

• Title: "Ruínas" ("Ruins")

Home video releases

All releases listed are in English audio unless otherwise noted.

DVD

2003 — Transformers: Legends of the Microns — Volume 3 (Columbia Music Entertainment) — Japanese audio only.
2003 — Transformers: Armada — Vol:04 (Warner Music Video)
2004 — Transformers: Armada — Season One: Part One (Rhino Entertainment)
2005 — Transformers: Armada — Vol:04 (Universal)
2007 — Transformers: Armada — Le combat recommence... (TFou Vidéo) — French audio only.
2008 — Transformers: Armada — Volume One (New KSM) — English and German audio.
2014 — Transformers: Armada — The Complete Series (Shout! Factory)