Transformers: Cybertron (cartoon)
| The name or term "Cybertron" refers to more than one character or idea. For a list of other meanings, see Cybertron (disambiguation). |
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The Cybertron cartoon series ran in the United States in the years 2005-2006. US continuity has connected this series to the Armada-Energon continuity. The series premiered in the United States in July 2005.
The series' Japanese counterpart Galaxy Force was presented as a continuity reboot... but was then retconned into a continuation of Super Link by later materials.
Criticism
Like Energon before it, Cybertron was animated using shaded CGI for the Transformers characters, and cel animation for everything else. Though more advanced than that of Energon, the CGI still suffers from most of the problems of its predecessor: No facial expressions beyond "mouth open" and "mouth closed", restricted range of motion, a tendency for the Transformers to stand around like statues, etc. The shading techniques used on the Transformer characters also means they look very strange alongside their traditionally-animated human cohorts.
While the basic plot of Cybertron is far more focused and coherent than that of Energon, it still drags at times, stretching and milking plot points for all they're worth, and heavily padding episodes with stock transformation sequences.
Praise
On the plus side, the three kids who serve as central human characters aren't quite as annoying as many of their predecessors. (We're looking at you, Kicker.)
The dub is much more polished than that of Energon or Armada, giving characters distinct voices and accents (which totally never happened before, really), and throwing a lot of pop-culture and Transformers references into the mix. It also makes the excessive stock footage — which seems to make up 50% of some episodes — mildly entertaining to listen to by having the characters talk during them. As time went on, the stock-footage banter got a little self-referential and fourth-wall-pokey, showing that the writers were well aware of what they were working with.
Since the scripts had comprehensible context and some actual work put into them, the voice actors were likewise able to turn in stronger performances.
Episode Guide
- Fallen
- Haven
- Hidden
- Landmine
- Space
- Rush
- Speed
- Collapse
- Time
- Search
- Deep
- Ship
- Hero
- Race
- Detour
- Savage
- Sand
- Champion
- Ice
- Honor
- Primal
- Trust
- Trap
- Invasion
- Retreat
- Revelations
- Critical
- Assault
- Starscream
- United
- Cybertron
- Balance
- Darkness
- Memory
- Escape
- Family
- Titans
- Warp
- Giant
- Fury
- City
- Ambush
- Challenge
- Scourge
- Optimus
- Showdown
- Guardian
- Homecoming
- End
- Unfinished
- Beginning
- Inferno ("Lost" episode)
Animated continuity?
It is possible that the Cybertron animated series is a sequel to the unfinished Energon comic book series from Dreamwave. Unsubstantiated rumors state that Hasbro wanted the Energon animated series to end in a specific way, but when it turned out this would not be the case, it was decided that Cybertron would instead follow the Energon comic book, which, for some reason, they must have had more editorial control over. This rumor would probably be completely without merit if not for a few details:
- Dark Scorponok's packaging bio references the death he had in the comic book series, not the death he had in the cartoon.
- The Cybertron comic published in the fan club magazine, written by Hasbro, is clearly taking place in the same universe as the Cybertron cartoon series. However, Downshift seems to recall events that occurred only in the comic book and not in the cartoon. (For example, he remembers the Mini-Con Over-Run hooking himself into the Planetary Database.)
- It would explain many inconsistencies between the Cybertron cartoon and the previous animated installments in the Unicron Trilogy (such as Prime's statement that he had never heard of two autobots linking together, despite the fact that that was the gimmick of Energon).
This idea is not without problems. While Dark Scorponok's packaging bio appears to reference events of the Energon comic book series, Wing Saber's references events of the Energon animated series. Additionally, Hasbro material presents many explanations for contradictions between the previous series and the current cartoon. Why explain why Jetfire sounds different if we've never heard the comic book version? Why have Vector Prime attempt to reconcile inconsistencies by claiming they were caused by temporal disturbances created by the Unicron Singularity?
On the other hand, it is possible that the Cybertron cartoon takes place in a universe where it follows the Energon cartoon, but an Energon cartoon that includes major events from the Energon comic book. (This "amalgamated" approach towards backstory was also used by the Beast Wars cartoon.)
Until further evidence is presented, it's impossible to say. The ambiguity may be intentional, and, as such, the question may never be resolved.
