Enemy Line
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| "Enemy Line" | ||||||
| Production company | Allspark Animation | |||||
| Airdate | February 21, 2020 (UK) | |||||
| Writer | Gavin Hignight | |||||
| Director | Jean Texier | |||||
| Animation studio | Boulder Media Studio | |||||
In an attempt to find his missing friend, Bumblebee goes on a spy mission into Decepticon territory.
Synopsis
Border guards Clobber and Lockdown exchange curiosities, amazed by the new powers that some bots have gained from Megatron. Bumblebee arrives and shows off his new skills before heading into the Decepticon territory. Both guards then remember the rules and Clobber is scolded by Lockdown for letting Bumblebee through.
As Optimus Prime brings in Grapple's latest masterpiece, a statue of Prima, Jetfire bombards him with petty redesign questions as he attempts a speech, forcing Prime to get more supplies as an excuse for peace and quiet. Meanwhile, Bumblebee is sneaking through the Decepticon half of Cybertron on a mission. Upon seeing Sky-Byte recite a poem, he claims it as the most disturbing thing he knows before witnessing feeding Insecticons. Passing, he sees Megatron issuing orders out to Astrotrain, who goes to check the border as Megatron walks off.
Helping Rack'n'Ruin with heavy lifting, Optimus once again finds Jetfire asking him questions. Mainly to get him out of his hair, Prime promotes Jetfire so he can make his own independent decisions. Upon finishing, Prime becomes overwhelmed by a line of other Autobots who prove quick to bombard him with further questions.
In Croaton City, Bumblebee finds Windblade to be absent from the Cityspeaker chamber only to be cornered by Shadow Striker, who takes him to Windblade. Shadow Striker had rescued Windblade due to having suffered a similar fate and gives Bumblebee three astrocycles to get her out... but shortens it to two after he thanks her. Bumblebee manages to make it out the door but is soon caught by Alphastrike. He throws her off by detonating Windblade's stretcher, sending her crashing into Sky-Byte. Bumblebee calls for extraction before running into hungry Insecticons and gets overwhelmed. Luckily Hot Rod is able to notify Optimus of Bumblebee's absence. Whirl comes to his rescue and the two fly off with Windblade.
Unfortunately, the alarm had been sounded. The trio are blocked off and surrounded by Megatron and his now-empowered forces who prepare to execute them. However, Optimus and the Autobots arrive ready to fight, citing Windblade as prisoner Decepticon territory to be just as much of an offense to the peace treaty. A reluctant Megatron lets them off... but with a warning that the next time they cross the barrier, Bumblebee and Whirl will be terminated on sight. In the Autobot medical lab, Ratchet proves unable to do much help for Windblade though hope arrives in the form of a knowing Chromia.
Featured characters
(Numbers indicate order of appearance.)
| Autobots | Decepticons |
|---|---|
|
Quotes
Notes
Continuity notes
- The Grand Imperium and its statue of Prima debuted back in "Matrix of Leadership."
- It is revealed that Astrotrain and the Insecticons were recruited to the Decepticons when Megatron freed him from a tyrant known only as "The Other One".
- Hot Rod is back to his original red coloration, which was last seen in "Battle For Cybertron III".
Transformers references
- Jetfire questions Optimus about the reconstruction of Trion Square, a location in Iacon first introduced in the 2005 IDW continuity.
- Astrotrain's train mode is modeled after his Generation 1 counterpart's Titans Return toy.
- Sky-Byte is seen speaking poetry to several other Decepticons, much like his 2001 Robots in Disguise counterpart often did.
- This is the first (and only) time Dead End uses his battle mask. The way the battle mask is colored further proves the similarities his color scheme and that of Revenge of the Fallen Dead End.
Real-world references
- TBA
Trivia
- Astrotrain is seen in his robot mode for the first time, revealing that this incarnation's vehicle mode is to scale with his robot mode, as he towers over even Megatron.
- Clobber's an Autobot now! Let's hope her tenure's longer than Drift's was.
- Optimus, Bumblebee and Megatron have now taken Cybertronian alternate modes. However, aside from Megatron, they barely show traces of their kibble being altered in robot mode.
Animation and technical errors
- In the first shot, Clobber's insignia is still the Decepticon one. It doesn't change into the Autobot emblem until we zoom in on her.
- Skywarp has Slipstream's color palette when she first appears.
Foreign localization
- TBA
Home video releases
- TBA
