Challenge

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<tr style="font-size:14px;"> <td class="tti_buttonlink">« </td><td>Transformers: Cybertron ep <strong class="selflink">43 </strong>

</td><td class="tti_buttonlink">» </td></tr> <tr class="tt1_secondarynav"> <td class="tti_buttonlink"> </td><td>Galaxy Force ep <strong class="selflink">44</strong> </td><td class="tti_buttonlink"> </td></tr></table> </td></tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" style="font-size: 12px; background-color:#ffffff;" align="center"> <img alt="" src="/w2/images2/thumb/c/c8/Challenge-title.jpg/300px-Challenge-title.jpg" width="300" height="225" border="0" /><br />Are you asking for a challeeenge? </td></tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" style="font-size: 14px; background-color:#e7d492; color:black;font-weight:bold;" align="center"> "Challenge" <div style="font-size:x-small;font-weight:normal;">プラネットXの秘密 <br />(Planet X no Himitsu) <br />"The Secret of Planet X"</div> </td></tr>

<tr> <td> Airdate </td><td> 5 November 2005 (Japanese) </td></tr>

<tr> <td> Animation studio </td><td> GONZO </td></tr>

</table> The Autobot search teams continue to explore the depths of Gigantion.

Synopsis

On Earth, Colonel Franklin and Dr. Suzuki watch as Primus fires his main cannons in another attempt to stall the expansion of the Unicron Singularity, which has begun to form warp-gates around Earth. Crosswise and Mudflap remark on the expansion as well, and worry about the Jungle Planet, which seems to be getting the worst effects of all the colony worlds. On Jungle Planet, Brimstone is struck by lightning and plummets from the sky, but is saved by Backstop.

Meanwhile on Gigantion, Snarl can feel the pain of his homeworld and howls into the (artificial) night sky. Leobreaker wonders why he can't feel the same connection, and Snarl assures him he should be glad he can't with what's going on now.

Elsewhere on the Giant Planet, Ransack and Crumplezone come out of hiding in a rubble-strewn room. The two decide that once they get the "Cyber Planet Thingy" they'll be strong enough to take on all the Autobots... and promptly fall through the weakened floor to a lower level, directly in the path of Optimus Prime's team. Again. Optimus transforms to super mode and uses his Cyber-Key-enhanced blasters to send the pair flying off. Again.

"We just use Autobots as a distraction for the populace, to draw attention away from our crippling lug-nut shortage!"

Another elsewhere, Soundwave and Sideways are scanning for something. They're interrupted by the Cybertron Defense Team, who demand to know what they're doing. The two tell the Autobots about the invasion of Gigantion by the inhabitants of Planet X, how the inhabitants used Gigantion's Cyber Planet Key to increase their size, fighting Planet X to a standstill. Planet X created more powerful weapons, but one colossal planet-busting cannon backfired, and Planet X was destroyed completely... and the two survivors planned to make Gigantion share the same fate. Soundwave ejects Laserbeak, who produces a thick smog to blind the Autobots, and the two Planet X agents use their special abilities to attack and confuse the Autobots: Sideways creates multiple illusions of himself that assault Red Alert, while Soundwave alters his voice and image to make Hot Shot and Scattorshot accidentally attack each other.

Soundwave, disguised as Hot Shot, and the real Hot Shot both end up reaching out to Scattorshot at the same time, and Scattorshot tricks Soundwave by asking the Hot Shots if they remembered an event that in reality never happened. Scattorshot fires on the fake, nailing Laserbeak and dissipating the smoke, and a second volley takes down Soundwave. Sideways' location revealed, Scattorshot sends him flying with a leaping kick, and the three Autobots use their Cyber-Key-enhanced wepaons to bury the two Planet X agents under a ton of rubble.

Someone hit someone or we're going back to our porn!

On another section of Gigantion, Snarl and Leobreaker run across Scourge. Scourge berates the two, and Leobreaker challenges Scourge for leadership of Jungle Planet, proclaiming Scourge is unfit to rule, since he only cares about himself. The two combatants shift to beast mode, and the two battle across rooftops and through buildings. After some nasty blows, Leobreaker drops to one knee, and Scourge begins to walk away. Snarl informs Scourge of Jungle Planet's suffering, and Scourge says he already knows, his connection to his homeworld is just as strong. Leobreaker isn't done yet though, and Snarl has had enough, transforming to wolf mode to tackle Scourge as well. All three robots battle with their Cyber-Key-enhanced weapons, a fight that decimates several buildings... and leaves Scourge the only one standing in the end. In another part of the planet, Coby notices that the two beast-bots' signals have stopped.

Bring us the sports section.

Back on the highway Optimus Prime's team is travelling on, Ransack and Crumplezone accidentally fall through the ceiling and land in front of the Autobots. Again again. The two indignantly refuse to give up, and plunk themselves down in the Autobots' path. Coby radios Bud about Snarl and Leobreaker, and Wing Saber arrives on the scene as well. He and Optimus combine into Sonic Wing Mode, and blast the two Decepticon dopes, with predictable results. Override and Lori show up shortly afterwards, Lori promising a good story....

Featured characters

(Numbers indicate order of appearance.)

<table border="5" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="5" align="center" style="border:#800000"> <tr> <th style="background:#FFEEEE"> Autobots</th><th style="background:#EEEEFE"> Decepticons</th><th style="background:antiquewhite"> Humans</th><th style="background:#FFEEB8"> Others </th></tr> <tr> <td style="background:#FFEEEE" valign="top">

• Primus (1)
• Crosswise (4)
• Mudflap (5)
• Backstop (7)
• Snarl (8)
• Leobreaker (9)
• Six-Speed (12)
• Jolt (13)
• Optimus Prime (14)
• Metroplex (15)
• Reverb (16)
• Vector Prime (17)
• Scattorshot (21)
• Hot Shot (22)
• Red Alert (23)
• Jetfire (27)
• Landmine (28)
• Quickmix (29)
• Evac (30)
• Wing Saber (31)
• Override (32)

</td><td style="background:#EEEEFE" valign="top">

• Brimstone (6)
• Ransack (10)
• Crumplezone (11)
• Scourge (25)

</td><td style="background:antiquewhite" valign="top">

• Colonel Franklin (2)
• Dr. Lucy Suzuki (3)
• Bud Hansen (18)
• Coby Hansen (26)
• Lori (33)

</td><td style="background:#FFEEB8" valign="top">

• Soundwave (19)
• Sideways (20)
• Laserbeak (24)

</td></tr></table>

Quotes

Optimus Prime: "Well, well, look what the cybercat dragged in!"<br /> Ransack: "Ow, my head..."<br /> Metroplex: "At least nothin' important was hurt."

"You know, sometimes being us is no fun at all!!"

—Ransack

"Your disc scratched, homes? You keep laying down the same beat and I keep giving the same answer: it isn't here."

—Soundwave

"You'll understand how we feel once your homeworld says peace out. But for now, since we can't have you all up in our grill, it's time to clear the dance floor... and get rid of you."

—Soundwave

"Battle isn't just about actual fighting, Scourge! It's about what you're fighting for! Optimus Prime and the rest of us are fighting for what's right!"<br /> "Huh! Don't lie to youself. You're fighting for something different, not better."

—Leobreaker and Scourge

"But first, we gotta deal with these schmoes."<br /> "Hey! Don't call us that! ... what does that mean, anyway?"

—Bud and Ransack

Notes

Transformers references

• Ransack says he'll rebuild himself with a "gi-normous" cannon. In the original Transformers movie, Jazz uses "gi-normous" to describe Unicron. Intentional? "Gi-normous" was a made-up word...

• Hot Shot claims the fog Laserbeak emits is "thicker than Nebulan pea soup". This is actually one of two references to the homeworld of the Generation 1 aliens in the Cybertron series: the other comes from Jetfire's Key Code data file.

Miscellaneous trivia

• Fair bit of stock and non-stock-but-recycled footage in this one.