Fractured
| ||||||
 "Screw love." | ||||||
| "Fractured" | ||||||
| Production company | Hasbro Studios | |||||
| Airdate | August 27, 2018 (CN app) September 1, 2018 (US) | |||||
| Writer | Randolph Heard | |||||
| Directors | Robert Cullen, Ehud Landsberg | |||||
| Animation studio | Boulder Media Studio | |||||
Windblade arrives on Earth before the Decepticons and meets her old friend Bumblebee, who has no idea who she is.
Synopsis
Bumblebee enjoys himself while driving around and eventually attempts to drive off a cliff, but becomes distracted by Windblade's voice and falls. She rescues him shortly after, and speaks to him in regards to why he was on Earth. She reveals Optimus Prime and his team left in search of the AllSpark, while the other Autobots stayed and fought, despite believing they won't win. The Decepticons figured out the AllSpark was on Earth, and left Cybertron to travel there. When Windblade received no word from Optimus, she traveled to Earth through a one-way space bridge repaired by Perceptor. After answering a series of questions, she realizes Bumblebee has amnesia, just in time for Thundercracker to show up. He bests Windblade, until Bumblebee shows up to stop him. Thundercracker then attempts to kill Bumblebee using Windblade's sword before Bumblebee momentarily paralyzes him with his stinger. Thundercracker breaks free, but Windblade blows him off the cliff before he can deal more damage. Bumblebee and Windblade leaves to find a safe place so she can enter his mind using a Cortical psychic patch. This, however, fails and inflicts pain on both of them and leaves them unconsciousness. Thundercracker and Nova Storm then fly overhead.
Featured characters
(Numbers indicate order of appearance.)
| Autobots | Decepticons |
|---|---|
|
|
Quotes
"Again, again, again, I want another ride!"
"Bumblebee, I can't believe it! Wait, I thought Ratchet fixed your voice box."
- — Bumblebee's excitement rises and Windblade sneaks in a name drop.
"We have to figure this thing out. You really don't remember anything? Bumblebee?
"Oh, you brought a friend. Are they staying for dinner?"
"A friend?"
- — Windblade realizes Bumblebee has amnesia, only for him to tell her a friend arrived.
"Decepticons. You don't even remember Decepticons? Never trust a Decepticon because, well... they're deceptive."
- — Windblade explains to everyone the meaning of Decepticons about as well as someone saying "stranger danger."
Notes
Transformers references
- The cortical psychic patch that Windblade uses on Bumblebee comes directly from the Transformers: Prime cartoon series; in addition to looking exactly like its Prime counterpart, its ability to allow the user and their patient to recall specific memories seems inspired by the Prime episode "Patch."
- Bumblebee having a damaged voice box that Ratchet attempted to repair and speaking in media quotes or bleeps is akin to the Movieverse and Aligned versions respectively.
- Perceptor's overall design is similar to his IDW counterpart, in particular one of his eyes being an enlarged viewfinder. This is most likely a result of the universal evergreen designs.
Trivia
- For the streaming release on the Cartoon Network app, this episode was split into two approximately five-minute episodes, listed as "Part 1" and "Part 2".
Animation and technical errors
- During the 360° spin of Thundercracker and Windblade's fight, Bumblebee is nowhere to be seen, despite clearly not hiding behind rocks and being close enough to grab Thundercracker's arm without being heard running towards him in the subsequent shots.
- Between shots of Windblade and Thundercracker charging at each other, his wings are compressed into his body. Later, when Thundercracker is throwing Bumblebee, between shots, his wings are suddenly extended out.
