The Face of the Nijika
The Autobots discover a race of aliens who have also experienced persecution from the Quintessons.
Detailed synopsis
Sky Lynx, who is carrying Rodimus Prime, Ultra Magnus, Blurr, and Perceptor, detects a disturbance nearby and discovers Galvatron bashing on some strange disk. They also detect a Quintesson ship heading for that same location. Perceptor speculates that the Quintessons don't want Galvatron meddling with the disk, so Rodimus decides to meddle with the Decepticons and the Quintessons.
At the disk, Galvatron continues bashing away, taking a moment to bash Cyclonus when he warns the Decepticon leader that the Quintessons are approaching. The Quintessons fire at Galvatron and are thankful that the quadrant lock is not damaged. However, the Autobots then arrive. The Quintessons refuse to let the Autobots learn anything about the lock...unless, say, they learn from the other side. Opening the lock, the Quintessons drive their ship through, taking Rodimus, Magnus, Blurr, and Perceptor with them. Unwilling to let the Autobots learn its secrets, Galvatron throws Cyclonus at them so he is also drawn through the lock, which closes. Unfortunately for the Quints, their isolator key has been damaged, and it is the only thing that can open the quadrant lock. However, Perceptor has a universal emulator, which could serve as a replacement.
Falling into the gravity well of a nearby planet, Perceptor announces that he is suffering from transformation paralysis, and is stuck in microscope mode. However, the other Autobots do not respond. On the planet, a members of a primitive, humanoid civilization see their decent. One man declares that the "devils" have returned. However, a blacksmith outside the city sees them and goes to investigate, recovering Perceptor. Meanwhile, the Autobots are not doing so well after their crash-landing. Rodimus and Magnus hit the trees, which are as hard as rocks, while Blurr hit an actual rock and is so injured he cannot walk. Rodimus tells him to lean on "fearless leader", while Magnus wonders where Perceptor crashed.
At his hut, the blacksmith removes Perceptor's insignia, which also contains his universal emulator. Having tracked Perceptor's descent, the Quintessons dispatch a pair of Sharkticons to deal retrieve the scientist, but someone follows them. The blacksmith places Perceptor's insignia on a small, female robot called Nijika. The Sharkticons arrive, but the blacksmith fights them off, damaging their armor with his bare hands. (Holy slag!) Meanwhile, Perceptor, having taken control of Nijika, asks the blacksmith, named Katzudan, what is going on. Perceptor learns that the Samojen were once advanced and that they had developed interstellar travel, protected by the guardian Kojure. Katzudan's ancestor, Nikodan, built Nijika as an exploration drone, hoping to make contact with other races. However, the Quintessons attacked, damaging Kojure and Nijika, then sealed them with the quadrant lock, which blacked out the stars. The Samojen were reduced from technologically advanced to primitive within a very short amount of time and have been that way since. Perceptor concludes that something about the Samojen terrified the Quintessons so much that they locked them in this part of space, and now he and the blacksmith need to warn the latter's people that the Quintessons have returned.
Elsewhere, Rodimus, Magnus, and Blurr are moving, but Blurr is slowing them down. (That's a turnaround.) Blurr tels them to leave him and find Perceptor, as only he can repair Blurr. Though not happy, they agree. This proves a mistake, for moments later, a band of warriors finds Blurr. On the Quintesson ship, the Quintessons are debating what to do. One of them will have to go to the surface, but if a single Samojen damaged two Sharkticons, what chance do they have? Cyclonus appears and offers them a deal: Give Galvatron the secrets of the quadrant lock, and he will go with one of them to retrieve Perceptor. Looking for Perceptor, Rodimus and Magnus and attacked by a group of warriors but are able to drive them off. They locate Perceptor's body, but without the emulator, he is offline. Rodimus and Magnus decide to search the city.
At the city, the Samojen are preparing to melt Blurr, but he is not that worried. Cyclonus shouts out "burn him", inciting the Samojen to lower him in. For a Con who shows no emotion, Cyclonus has apparently studied mob psychology. However, the Samojen Empress commands them to stop. She reveals Perceptor/Nijika, who tries to explain the situation. However, the Quintesson shouts that the doll is malfunctioning, but Cyclonus grabs Perceptor and orders the Quintesson to bring their ship. Katzudan grabs Cyclonus's legs, but the remaining Quintesson orders Perceptor to hand over the emulator, or Katzudan will die. Perceptor complies, while the other Quintesson shots Blurr's rope, causing him to fall into the molten liquid...which he describes as a nice soak that is repairing his injuries. Blurr jumps out, with Rodimus and Magnus following. Blurr frees Katzudan, while Magnus takes on Cyclonus. Rodimus throws Katzudan out, while Blurr grabs the emulator and Magnus takes Cyclonus, who follows after the Quintessons.
The Samojen Empress fears what the Quintessons will take, but Perceptor, now in his real body, says that the Quintessons are about to give the Samojen something. The Quintesson ship passes through the quadrant lock...and it fades, revealing the stars. Perceptor sabotaged the lock, and the Autobots realize the Samojen's technology is telepathic in nature and powered by starlight. The intelligence of the Samojen advances rapidly, and they repair Kojure. As Sky Lynx lands, Perceptor asks Katzudan if he will continue his ancestor's research. Katzudan vows that Perceptor will meet Nijika again...out among the stars.
Stats
Original airdate: ???
Written by: Mary Skrenes and Steve Skeates
Notable quotes
Notes
Animation and/or technical glitches
- References
Continuity errors
- The Samojen hate robots and have an idea of what the Quintessons look like, yet don't seem to mind Cyclonus and a Quintesson standing in the middle of a crowd with them.
Transformers references
- This episode marks the last appearance of Perceptor in the western cartoon.
Real-world references
- References
Miscellaneous trivia
Keywords
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