Cramp: Difference between revisions
| Line 137: | Line 137: | ||
* The English-language version of "Cramp" first aired in the United Kingdom on the [[Wikipedia:Sky1|Sky One]] channel, at the time the network was running a round-the-clock promotion of American magician/"endurance artist" [[Wikipedia:David Blaine|David Blaine]]'s controversial London stunt, complete with an obnoxious '''DAVID BLAINE''' on-screen overlay. | * The English-language version of "Cramp" first aired in the United Kingdom on the [[Wikipedia:Sky1|Sky One]] channel, at the time the network was running a round-the-clock promotion of American magician/"endurance artist" [[Wikipedia:David Blaine|David Blaine]]'s controversial London stunt, complete with an obnoxious '''DAVID BLAINE''' on-screen overlay. | ||
*The Star Saber is significantly weaker than usual in this episode. Optimus Prime blocked it with his hands and Starscream blocked it with his sword. | *The Star Saber is significantly weaker than usual in this episode. Optimus Prime blocked it with his hands and Starscream blocked it with his sword. | ||
*Similarly, Tidal Wave is also significantly smaller and weaker than previously depicted. Jetfire, shown not much smaller than Tidal Wave, in a single movement, shoulder-blocks and lifts off with him. | |||
==Home video releases== | ==Home video releases== | ||
Revision as of 12:03, 24 July 2010
| |||||||||
| File:Cramp.JPG | |||||||||
| Cramp (Kesshi [Shinnen]) "Preparedness for death (Conviction)" | |||||||||
| Production code | TF: A-48 | ||||||||
| Production company | TV Tokyo, NAS | ||||||||
| Airdate | September 29, 2003 (UK) December 8, 2003 (US) 28 November 2003 (Japan) | ||||||||
| Writer | Akira Okeya | ||||||||
| Director | Osamu Kamijō, Mitsuru Kawasaki (asst. dir.) | ||||||||
| Animation studio | Actas | ||||||||
| Continuity | Unicron Trilogy | ||||||||
Starscream prepares to do whatever it takes to convince Galvatron the threat of Unicron is real.
Detailed Synopsis
Starscream pleads to Galvatron, hoping to convince his leader that the threat of Unicron is real (as Starscream has first hand experience in the beast's bowels) and that perhaps an Alliance between the Autobots and Decepticons is the safest course to ensure the survival of Cybertron. When Starscream refuses to stop pleading, Galvatron slaps his subordinate into a wall to silence him. The Decepticon leader is confident his military can overcome both the Autobots and Unicron. Starscream continues to stress the danger of Unicron, and Galvatron starts to swing his Star Saber.
The Autobots are still optimistic, believing there's a chance a diplomatic conference could lead to a truce between the two sides. Which means the Autobots can't take aggressive action against the Decepticons, only defensive. Megatron, armed with the Star Saber and Tidal Wave, flies into battle, ready to negotiate with Prime using firepower. Prime responds by combining with Jetfire and Overload and heading away from the thick of the battle.
By a monolithic statue of Megatron, Starscream wonders who is he is and what he needs to do. Alexis' words of encouragement run through his head.
Away from the armies, Galvatron and Optimus send their men away, leaving the two leaders to battle one on one. Through the battle, Galvatron admits that he still considers Unicron to be an Autobot hoax, and with the Star Saber, he has the upper hand against Prime. As soon as Megatron breaks Prime's metal, an explosion disturbs the showdown. Starscream walks from the smoke.
The rest of the Autobots are struggling to hold their ground, unable to cause any real damage to the Decepticons. Alexis has faith that things will be okay. Thousands of miles away, Unicron's lunar shell peels off and the behemoth attacks the assembled Mini-Con cluster.
Starscream quits the Decepticons and challenges Galvatron to one-on-one combat. The two clash, quickly cutting into each other. Starscream displays a show of skill beyond the last time he battled Megatron. Lightning from Unicron carves into the landscape, but the two warriors ignore the weather and continue their struggle. But in an instant, the Star Saber plunges into Starscream's torso, and the impaled Decepticon falls.
Lying with the blade sticking out of him, Starscream speaks earnestly to Galvatron, pointing out that it was Megatron's own arrogance that drove the situation to be what it is. Despite his injury, Starscream stands up and reiterates his wishes for a truce between the two Cybertronian factions against Unicron. His final wish said, Starscream joins with his Mini-Con to fire his Proton cannons upwards at Unicron. Unicron fires back, disintegrating Starscream.
Galvatron remembers all the experiences he had with Starscream, and finally decides to join forces with Optimus.... BUT from the crater Starscream died in, a dark cloud emerges and grabs the Star Saber! The cloud forms into Sideways, who escapes the two leaders and escapes through the underground portal, making sure to collapse them so he can't be followed.
Aboard the Axalon, Alexis's luck charm breaks, and she runs outside to look out the window just to see Starscream's laser blast fade away. Hearing news of Starscream's death over the video screen, the kids become sad, most notably Alexis, who begins crying. She runs out of the room and slams her fist on the window that displays Unicron, in grief. When Rad appears behind her, she smacks his shoulders with her hands, asking why Starscream would do that. Rad does his best to try and console her.
Featured characters
(Numbers indicate order of appearance.)
| Autobots | Decepticons | Humans | Mini-Cons | Other |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
Quotes
"How long have we been adversaries, Optimus? It seems like since the beginning of time. And I suppose I do have a certain respect for you but I digress, you might have fooled Starscream with your little Truce ploy, but I am nobody's fool. Now let's end this charade, shall we?"
- —Galvatron faces off against Optimus Prime in the 'negotiations'.
"May I suggest that you have lost your mind?!"
- —Galvatron to Starscream, who has just challenged him to a duel.
Cyclonus: "Am I nuts, or are they missing on purpose?"
Demolishor: "The obvious answer, Cyclonus, is you're nuts!"
Wheeljack: "Knock it off, you two!"
"Oh no, the horror! The horror!"
- —Fred, reacting to Unicron firing his lightning at the Mini-Cons
"I tried to gain favour from you. But nothing was ever good enough. No matter how many battles I fought, you always found fault. Then I saw how Optimus treated his men, and I realized he was a leader of integrity. Unlike you."
"You were too weak to ever gain my respect."
"None of that matters now. You must listen — do as Optimus says and join forces with the Autobots, or else every last one of us is doomed! Please sir... do it for me..."
- —Starscream pours his spark out to Galvatron after being impaled by the Star Saber
"It's time to finish this once and for all! Activate Proton Cannon! You're all mine, Unicron!"
- —Starscream's last words as he rips the Star Saber out of his chest and fires his cannons at Unicron
Notes
- Optimus calls Starscream's Mini-Con Swindle instead of Zapmaster. So logically, this means that Swindle received a color-change like Starscream did (instead of Starscream exchanging his Mini-Con for a new one in different colors).
- Starscream's photon cannon blasts don't even make it all the way up to Unicron. You can see them dissipate before Alexis's eyes before they reach him. Most heart-wrenching suicide ever?
Differences with Micron Legend
- In earlier episodes of Micron Legend, the title card usually shows up with Optimus against a white background. In this episode, there's no title card. Instead, the title shows up over Starscream.
Animation/technical glitches
- In the first scene of the episode, Demolishor has four fingers and one thumb on each hand.
Transformers references
- Starscream's death by crumbling into a pile of debris is very similar to the death scene of Generation 1 Starscream's in The Transformers: The Movie.
- Bizarrely, Starscream's death "defending" a Galvatron from Unicron has parallels with the death that Generation 1 Starscream (untruthfully) claims to have suffered during the Beast Wars episode "Possession". In fact, in the flashback scene of G1 Starscream's fictitious death in "Possession", Starscream perishes from an energy blast emitted from Unicron, vaguely similar to how his Armada counterpart is disintegrated by the planet-eater.
Real-world references
- Fred's "The horror!" line is from Heart of Darkness, the novel adapted into the film Apocalypse Now.
- Megatron gives Starscream one last chance not to fight, and when Starscream declines, Megatron's, "Is that your final answer?" line might be a reference to Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?.
Miscellaneous trivia
- The English-language version of "Cramp" first aired in the United Kingdom on the Sky One channel, at the time the network was running a round-the-clock promotion of American magician/"endurance artist" David Blaine's controversial London stunt, complete with an obnoxious DAVID BLAINE on-screen overlay.
- The Star Saber is significantly weaker than usual in this episode. Optimus Prime blocked it with his hands and Starscream blocked it with his sword.
- Similarly, Tidal Wave is also significantly smaller and weaker than previously depicted. Jetfire, shown not much smaller than Tidal Wave, in a single movement, shoulder-blocks and lifts off with him.
Home video releases
- DVD
2003 — Transformers: Armada — Vol:14 (Warner Music Video)
2004 — Transformers: Micron Legend — Volume 12 (Columbia Music Entertainment) — Japanese audio only.
2006 — Transformers: Armada — Season One: Part Two (Rhino Entertainment)
2007 — Transformers: Armada — The Collector's Edition (Universal)
2009 — Transformers: Armada — Volume Two (New KSM) — English and German audio.
