Virtually Reality
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| "Virtually Reality" | ||||||
| Production company | Allspark Animation | |||||
| Airdate | August 25, 2020 | |||||
| Director | Mickey Lee Willy Shih | |||||
| Animation studio | Counter656 | |||||
 Watch this episode on YouTube
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To show up the Autobots, the Decepticons film a reality TV show.
Synopsis
[edit]Megatron grows angry upon seeing how well-liked the K-drama the Autobots made is and storms off. Barricade wants to do something to strike back, but Starscream thinks he's just kissing up. Soundwave comes up with an idea, turning on Love Is Blind. As all the Decepticons sit and watch, an angry Megatron notices the screen and comes up with a plan: make a reality TV show!
Shockwave enters a bedroom, wondering where Lionizer is. The scene cuts to an interview with Shockwave. Labeling him as Mad Scientist / Animal Lover, he declares his affection for his pet Lionizer. Cutting back to the bedroom, Shockwave searches everywhere with no success. In the interview, he wonders where he could have gone.
Shockwave goes to see Megatron and is shocked to see him forcing Lionizer to drink Synthetic Energon. In an interview, Megatron makes it clear he thinks the substance is totally safe for pets to drink. Shockwave is infuriated and storms out, donning his combat armor before returning to confront Megatron. The two face off, ready to attack one, but are interrupted when the smart speaker announces that fighting is prohibited in the house. Megatron gloats while Shockwave leave in dejection. In subsequent interviews, Shockwave is absolutely enraged while Megatron is all too smug at his "victory".
As the Autobots watch the video, Optimus Prime is unimpressed at first, but this changes when he sees how many views it has. He gets an idea, calling all the Autobots around to listen.
Featured characters
[edit](Numbers indicate order of appearance.)
| Autobots | Decepticons | Others |
|---|---|---|
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Quotes
[edit]"I'm sorry, you cannot fight in this house."
- —The smart speaker puts an end to Megatron and Shockwave's fight.
"😄😆🤣😩"
- —Megatron showing how much he loves being a jerk to Shockwave.
Notes
[edit]- The short was initially released via the Netflix Japan Anime account on Twitter in August 2020, though this has since been deleted, followed by releases on Counter656's YouTube channel in September and the English Netflix Anime YouTube channel in December.
- Various BotBots appear throughout the video as props. At the Decepticon headquarters, Angry Cheese, Burrito Favorito, Carb O'Nate, Duderoni, Fizzkick, two Hawt Diggitys, S'up Dawg, Sippy Slurps, Spud Muffin, The Vengeful Terror-Yaki, and Twerple Burple can all be seen on the table as snacks. Arctic Guzzlerush, Batsby, Dinger, Kidd Klobber, Kikmee, Laceface, and Poo-Shoo are on shelves on the side wall. Greeny Rex and Rootwing can be seen on top of the piano near Megatron's throne. In the video, Cuddle Wuddle pops up on the bed and Ranger Lampton is on a shelf in the living room. At the Autobot headquarters, Brotato, Duderoni, Hawt Diggity, Shredder Jack, Sippyberry, The Fizz, and Twerple Burple are on the snack table. Finally, Bogus Pocus and Professor Wellread are on the bookshelf next to Optimus, while Greeny Rex and Smerg the Sad decorate the side wall.
- The Netflix version of the video replaces all allusions to Synthetic Energon with water, presumably to downplay the implied comparisons to alcohol in the context of the short.
Animation and technical errors
[edit]- When Soundwave comes up with his idea, Laceface is sitting next to Kidd Klobber on the shelf behind him. In the shots following, Kikmee replaces Laceface.
Transformers references
[edit]- Shockwave's bedroom has multiple posters for other Transformers properties on the wall. Many of them are for the War for Cybertron: Siege animated series, including a large poster of Ultra Magnus. Several are based on various comic covers, such as Marvel issue 5 (obviously), Transformers vs. The Terminator issue 1 cover A, Optimus Prime issue 5 Subscription cover A, Optimus Prime issue 22 cover B, War Within: The Age of Wrath issue 1 incentive cover, Bumblebee Movie Prequel issue 3 cover A, Megatron Origin issue 1 cover A, Windblade vol. 2 issue 4 convention cover, and Unicron issue 3 cover B. Other posters seen on the wall spotlight the Prime, Rescue Bots and Combiner Wars cartoons, the War for Cybertron and Fall of Cybertron video games, and the Transformers, Revenge of the Fallen and Bumblebee live-action films.
- A large picture of Cybertron, as seen in the first episode of Transformers: Prime, can be seen on the wall in Autobot headquarters.
Real-world references
[edit]- Love is Blind is a dating reality series that premiered on February 13, 2020. Like all other shows featured in the shorts, it is a Netflix exclusive series.
- Two mini prop bottles of Coca-Cola appear below the television in the Decepticon headquarters.
