The Rebirth, Part 2

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File:Rebirth 2 title shot.JPG The first sight the kiddies see is their heroes' severed heads littered around the ground. Comforting, isn't it?
"The Rebirth, Part 2"
Production code	6701-2
Production company	Sunbow Productions
Airdate	November 10, 1987
Written by	David Wise
Animation studio	AKOM
Continuity	Generation 1 cartoon continuity

The Autobot Headmasters prove to be a smashing success, but the Decepticons soon find Nebulan partners of their own.

Japanese title: デストロンの反撃 (Destron no hangeki, "The Decepticons' Counter-Attack")

German title: "Die Wiedergeburt, Teil 2" ("The Rebirth, Part 2")

Russian title: "Vozrozhdenye, Chast 2" (Возрождение, часть 2, "The Rebirth, Part 2")

Synopsis

Hardhead was the first Cannon head master, and the last.

On Nebulos, the modifications to the Autobots' heads are nearly complete. All that is left is to select their partners. Duros, the combat veteran, takes Hardhead; Arcana, the oldest and wisest among them, takes Brainstorm; Stylor takes Chromedome; Gort takes Highbrow; and Daniel is placed in Arcee. Upon activating, the Autobots feel different and decide to make a test run. The Headmaster process is thus proven as good an idea as Brainstorm believed, as with the rebels' guidance, the Autobots trash the Hive's machines. Satisfied with their trial run, the Autobots and rebels decide that it's time to get the Key to the Plasma Energy Chamber. But the Hive is watching and recognizes Gort and Arcana within the robots. Some of them decide it's time to bring the pain, but their leader decides to watch...

Meanwhile, on Cybertron, the battle between the Autobots and the Decepticons appears evenly matched. However, there is no sign of Hot Rod and Kup's team, or the Key. Optimus Prime decides that it's time to find some answers, and leaves the battle, with Ultra Magnus following.

All right, does anyone have more scrap those guys could turn into?

Back on Nebulos, Scourge is torturing the captive Autobots for the key, to the amusement of Apeface. However, Cyclonus realizes that these Autobots don't have the Key, or the others would be all over them. Bad choice of words, as the Autobot Headmasters appear. They quickly overwhelm the Decepticons and free the captives, taking the Decepticon ship in the process. Some of the Hive members believe that the Decepticons should be destroyed as well, but their leader has other plans. Capturing the Decepticons, Lord Zarak offers them a deal: Submit to the Headmaster process and allow the Hive to be their partners, giving them the strength to destroy the Autobots. Scourge tells them to get bent, but Zarak reveals that the offer was only a formality. Grabbing the Decepticons, Cyclonus and Scourge agree to deal, but only with the heads of the animals. Apeface objects, but Cyclonus shows him who is boss. The "vehicle" Decepticons offer their weapons. Zarak agrees, and the modifications begin.

Come closer little boy...

Back on Cybertron, Optimus and Magnus have reached the source of the Autobot leader's quest: the chamber of Vector Sigma. Using the Matrix as an interface, Prime activates the supercomputer to communicate with the spirit of Alpha Trion. Alpha explains that the Key is on Nebulos, and that Vector Sigma arranged for Galvatron to learn of it. All of this is being done to bring about a second Golden Age, which depends on the merging of a human with an Autobot. Before the discussion is ended, Alpha Trion tells Prime to preserve the key at all costs. Prime is confused, but it's kinda hard to argue with God's will, after all. Optimus departs for Nebulos, leaving Ultra Magnus in command of the Autobots until his return.

On Nebulos, the modifications are complete, and the Hive members bond with the Decepticons. Zarak, however, remains behind, having plans for the Hive's city. Meanwhile, the Autobots are dragging the ship to the rebel base, when Cerebros arrives, badly damaged and mumbling that he found a city. The Autobots are able to stabilize him, but the Decepticons show up. Brainstorm is pissed that the Decepticons have their own Headmasters. He's even more pissed when Mindwipe takes the Key from him. However, Brainstorm manages to run a scan on Nightstick before the Decepticons run off. Using the scans gives Hot Rod and Kup an idea. Sometime later, Optimus Prime lands and is introduced to the Headmasters and the Targetmasters. With this force, the Autobots prepare to retake the Key.

Upon seeing Scorponok, the other Decepticons had to reassure Trypticon that Galvatron still loved him more.

Elsewhere, the Decepticons are getting grumpy, having to wait for Zarak and with nothing to shoot. Their boredom is relieved when Prime leads the Autobots in an attack. Arcee and Daniel manage to take the Key and get it to Prime. The Autobots circle Prime and Arcee, vowing to let nothing get through. However, from beneath them, Zarak raises the Hive's city. Suddenly, it begins to transform into something else. The city lands on the ground, and from the dust rises... Scorponok!

To be concluded...

Featured characters

(Numbers indicate order of appearance.)

Autobots	Decepticons	Humans	Nebulons
Brainstorm (1) Arcee (2) Highbrow (3) Chromedome (4) Hardhead (5) Skydive (16) Slingshot (17) Fireflight (18) Air Raid (19) Optimus Prime (21) Ultra Magnus (22) Punch (23) Fastlane (24) Cloudraker (25) Blurr (36) Hot Rod (37) Kup (38) Crosshairs (39) Vector Sigma (40) Pointblank (41) Sureshot (42) Alpha Trion (43) Cerebros (54)	Abominus (20) Skullcruncher (26) Apeface (27) Snapdragon (28) Weirdwolf (29) Mindwipe (30) Triggerhappy (31) Misfire (32) Slugslinger (33) Scourge (34) Cyclonus (35) Scorponok (58)	Spike Witwicky (6) Daniel Witwicky (14)	Gort (7) Stylor (8) Duros (9) Spoilsport (10) Pinpointer (11) Arcana (12) Peacemaker (13) Lord Zarak (15) Nightstick (44) Aimless (45) Caliburst (46) Blowpipe (47) Fracas (48) Spasma (49) Krunk (50) Vorath (51) Monzo (52) Grax (53) Recoil (55) Haywire (56) Firebolt (57)

Quotes

"Open the hatch! Anything you put in there will totally scramble the machine's circuits!"
"Like what?"
"Like your fist!"

—Duros and Highbrow, discussing combat tactics.

"I am Zarak. I have a little deal to offer you, one which will enable you to defeat your adversaries. And all it will cost you is...your heads."

—Zarak, addressing the Decepticons.

"Did you get your questions answered?"
"Yes. And every answer led to a bigger question."

—Ultra Magnus and Optimus Prime after the Autobot leader's communion with Vector Sigma.

"The boys all call me Nightstick. I hope ya like bustin' heads! AHAHAHAHAHA!"
"I like busting Autobot Headmasters better."

—Nightstick and Cyclonus see eye-to-eye.

"You can call me Caliburst! because I've never missed a shot in my life!"
"But you've never taken a shot in your life"

—Caliburst tells Slugslinger about his life.

"It's me, I'm Fracas! And if you think Blowpipe was bad, I'm worse!
"And you're louder."

—Fracas fails to impress Scourge.

"Those creeps, swiping my idea, I'll sue!"

—Brainstorm considers the legal approach when meeting the Decepticon Headmasters and Targetmasters.

"Autobots! Prepare to feel the sting of...SCORPONOK!"

—Zarak attacks the Autobots.

Notes

Animation or technical glitches

• Arcee's chest is entirely pink in several shots (like when Daniel first merges with her).
• The Autobot's heads are depicted as huge next to the Nebulons, and positively cavernous inside. Later, the heads are shown to transform into human-scaled exo-suits.
• When Hardhead rips off the tentacle from the machine, the electricity effects are not backlit to glow.
• Magnus is missing some of the blue at the top of his chest as Punch drives up to report.
• In the first shot across the Decepticon camp, someone - Slugslinger, presumably, though he's pretty off-model - is colored like Sinnertwin.
• As Blurr and Kup are interrogated, Blurr has sprouted a pair of lips (which lap over his "goatee" as he talks), and Kup is using his alternate character model (previously used in "Chaos" as Kup's younger self).
• When Kup is being stretched on the wrack, the channels that are supposed to be pulling at his wrists are missing.
• Apeface's ape head is all white during his "Yuck!" lines.
• When the newly created Autobot Headmasters attack the Decepticons to reclaim their Targetmaster-to-be comrades, Sureshot is missing.
• Scourge's gun (as well as most of the Headmaster's guns) use the same sound effect as Optimus Prime's rifle.
• Nobody can make up their mind how to pronounce Scourge's name; in barely 30 seconds, we get "Skerge" two times with a "Skoorge" in-between.
• Arcana transforms and lands on top of Brainstorm's cockpit, rather than riding inside it.
• How in the world does Arcee's head turn into an exosuit identical to Daniel and Spike's standard suits?
• Cyclonus and Scourge leap off the Decepticon ship and run away from it... then are immediately shown running up to it as it starts to explode from the Autobot assault.
• Vector Sigma is transparent as it rises into place.
• The Matrix shell glows in this episode; it was burned out ("empty") the last time we saw it.
• Optimus' mouthplate isn't moving in several shots as he talks with Alpha Trion.
• After speaking with Alpha Trion, the vertical line in missing on Optimus' abs/grille.
• The first claws to lunge toward Scourge and Cyclonus are showing coming out of the clear blue cloudy pink sky.
• Triggerhappy is colored entirely in shades of gray as the claws grab Scourge and Cyclonus.
• Snapdragon and Skullcruncher are missing as the Decepticons get to their feet inside the Hive's base.
• After the first commercial break, Zarak and company are depicted as larger than the Decepticons.
• Several Hive members recycle the character models for Kranix and other Lithone inhabitants - who are robots.

Isn't that Brainstorm's old head? It's got that weird Count Dracula-looking giant brow.

• Throughout the episode, Mindwipe's face changes back and forth between two large square eyes and a conjoined eyeband. When he removes his head, he has a new face altogether - maybe one of the otherwise-unused pre-Headmaster head designs.
• As he says, "We don't make deals with organic creatures," Scourge's head crest is overly huge and red, and his face has a black line through the middle of it.
• In the group shot after the to-be Decepticon Headmasters remove their heads, one of the Decepticons with a missing head is Triggerhappy, who's destined to become a Targetmaster.
• Among the line of waiting Hive exo-suits are Triggerhappy, Slugslinger and Misfire. In the same scene, all the Hive members are shown as beige Lithone robots, even though some have already been shown to be green-skinned organic humanoids.
• Odd shot blocking makes Nightstick look almost as tall as Cyclonus as he walks up to him.
• Nightstick has gone from black to purple as Cyclonus holds him in weapon mode.
• Aimless and Caliburst don't seem to have any gun handles. This is reinforced in the third act, when Misfire is shown holding Aimless with two hands.
• Caliburst's blue disappears during his "See, would I lie to ya?" line.
• Vorath is drawn as Monzo when Mindwipe hypnotises him, and is colored entirely gray (not the right color for either character.)
• Monzo is drawn as Vorath and has Grax's voice. And he's looking at Skullcruncher (who already bonded with Grax) colored as Weirdwolf. In the following shot, Monzo and Weirdwolf bond.
• The Decepticon ship being towed by the Autobots is suddenly completely intact. It's also ridiculously small - barely large enough for one robot to fit inside of, if the whole bridge opened like a cockpit. In the same shot, an unidentifiable truck that's not Kup is colored like him.
• In the shot where Hot Rod says, "We've got company!," the top part of Arcee's head is missing.
• Everyone suddenly has Optimus Prime's rifle sound effect as the Decepticons attack the Autobots at the caves.
• When Weirdwolf transforms, his head (Monzo) detaches and transforms... and a second copy of his head (ie, another Monzo) flies out from behind Mindwipe and also transforms.
• Brainstorm's face is completely gray (instead of gold) when he says "Go hang upside down from a tree, Mindwipe!"
• In the big group shot as Prime walks up, Sureshot has been replaced by some red guy with white lower legs. Hot Rod and Blurr appear to have all-gray heads. Arcee's head is squished into a cylinder shape.
• In the only shot in the whole story of Blurr holding Haywire, Haywire is drawn as Blurr's regular gun. The very next shot shows gun-mode Recoil instead.
• "Zarak's modifications are nearly finished!" Once again, the Head/Targetmaster partners are nearly as large as the Transformers themselves.
• As Optimus stands on the hill above the Hive facility, the sides of his chest which should be grey are red instead.
• As he taunts Optimus, Scourge's face is black on the bottom
• Optimus Prime accidentally refers to Scourge as 'Sclurge' when the latter taunts the Autobots. Immediately after, Cyclonus gives the order to "Ennihilate them!" Riiiight.

Continuity errors

• Superhuman Spike has become super-genius Spike, magically rebuilding Autobot heads into transformable exo-suits with virtually no tools or facilities.
• If the rebels are so pathologically afraid of machines, why do they have the claws that re-attach the Autobots' heads to their bodies?
• Daniel is supposed to be critically injured and on life support machines, yet there's no sign of them aside from a funky helmet. And then even that goes away when he's placed into Arcee's head.
• Where do Chromedome and Arcee go during the fight with the Hive machines?
• Brainstorm addresses his first line to Scourge... but it's in response to something that Cyclonus said.
• When the Decepticons are abducted by the Hive, they land next to a machine based on Scorponok's city mode... right down to the Decepticon symbol already in place on it.
• Last episode, Gort claimed that "the Hive's bodies are withered and useless" due to their extreme hibernation and dependency of technology as a means of survival. Yet Lord Zarak is freaking jacked and ripped like Franco Columbu when we finally see him. Intel must not be too good on Nebulos.
• Optimus correctly guesses that the Matrix could activate Vector Sigma. That idea didn't strike him when Alpha Trion sacrificed his life to activate it in "The Key to Vector Sigma, Part 2". The real-world answer, of course, is that the concept didn't exist back then.
• Alpha Trion's description of plasma energy's effects is gibberish. "Any entity that transforms matter into energy" includes pretty much any form of life, including the organic life which he then says is immune.
• What seems to be a cut script line results in one of the most awesome errors in the whole series. Aimless walks up to Misfire and says, "I live only to destroy our mutual enemies!" Misfire responds "I think the name Aimless suits you better!" As many fans have wondered, did Misfire think his partner was introducing himself as "I, Live-Only-To-Destroy-Our-Mutual-Enemies"?
• A character model incongruity becomes apparent when Apeface and Snapdragon join with their new partners. On both their toys, the Headmaster figure becomes the head of both the robot and the creature mode. However, the model designers (or the animators, or both) didn't get the memo. Both robots are shown in their beast modes while separated from their smaller partners... who clearly have the beast mode faces on their backs!
• Right after the Decepticons steal the key from the Autobots, Spike says that "they can fly and you guys can't"... to Brainstorm and Highbrow, who both transform into flying vehicles.
• When Krunk is removing the key to the Plasma Energy Chamber from Brainstorm's body and declares, "The key, I have it!", Brainstorm's Headmaster partner Arcana replies, "Ah ha, but I have you, Nightstick!" before Krunk leaves with the Key. Why not just, you know, grab Krunk?
• What kind of great strategy is it to throw away your gun as soon as the battle starts? Instead of a robot with a big gun, you wind up with a weaponless robot and a little guy firing a much smaller gun.
• In the Autobots' counterattack after Prime's arrival, how does Arcee know Scourge has the key? Cyclonus is the highest-ranking Decepticon in the bunch.

Continuity notes

• Both Vector Sigma and Alpha Trion make a reappearance here, after long absences.
• Vector Sigma suddenly gains a whole lot of new powers, having complex plans and motives of its own, and arranging for certain events to happen in the outside world. Outside the realm of the cartoon, this would eventually be retconned as Primus working his god shtick.

Real-world references

• The Hive line "exterminate, exterminate" is the catch-phrase of Doctor Who's Daleks, deliberately included by writer David Wise, who is a huge Doctor Who fan. It's appropriate, too, since the Daleks were also alien beings who lived in mechanical bodies to compensate for the severe atrophy of their real bodies.

Trivia

• Optimus seems rather dazed and confused throughout this entire episode. It's as if coming back from the dead left him as more of an old man than the hero from earlier episodes.
• Scourge seems frighteningly willing to murder Apeface over a minor disaggreement. Why not just let Apeface be a Targetmaster instead? Considering how few soldiers are on hand right now it seems like quite a risk to start shooting them right and left and still expect to be able to take on the Autobots.

Home video releases

All releases listed are in English audio unless otherwise noted.

VHS

1987 — Transformers — Die Wiedergeburt (Zweiter Teil) (Polyband) — German audio only.
1988 — Transformers — Headmasters: The Rebirth (Parts, 1, 2 & 3) (Tempo Video)
1989 — Transformers — Headmasters / The Return of Optimus Prime (Tempo Video)
1991 — Transformers — Headmasters / The Return of Optimus Prime / Cosmic Rust (Tempo Video)
1998 — The Transformers: Generation 2 — Rebirth: The Movie (Behaviour Entertainment)
2001 — The Original Transformers — Heroes: The Rebirth (Rhino Entertainment)

Laserdisc

1996 — Transformers: The Headmasters Set (Takara) — Japanese audio only.
1999 — The Transformers: 2010 (Pioneer LDC) — English and Japanese audio.

DVD

2001 — The Transformers: 2010 — DVD Box (Pioneer LDC) — English and Japanese audio.
2001 — The Original Transformers — Heroes: The Rebirth (Rhino Entertainment)
2002 — Transformers — The Rebirth: Parts 1-3 (Sony Wonder)
2004 — The Original Transformers — Season 3 Part 2 & Season 4 (Rhino Entertainment)
2004 — Transformers — Season 3 and Season 4 (Metrodome)
2005 — Transformers — Collection 6: Series 4 (Madman Entertainment)
2006 — Transformers — The Complete Generation One Collection (Metrodome)
2007 — The Transformers — Complete Collection (Madman Entertainment)
2007 — Transformers — Box-Set (3DVDs) (Flex Media) — German audio only.
2008 — Transformers — Box-Set (2DVDs) (Flex Media) — German audio only.
2009 — Transformers — Season's Three & Four [sic] (Metrodome)
2009 — The Transformers — Complete Collection: Decepticon Edition (Madman Entertainment)
2009 — The Transformers — The Complete Series: 25th Anniversary "Matrix of Leadership" Collection (Shout! Factory)
2010 — The Transformers — Seasons Three & Four: 25th Anniversary Edition (Shout! Factory)

External link

• Dossier at the Cybertron Chronicle