The More Things Stay the Same
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| "The More Things Stay the Same" | ||||||
| Season | 4 | |||||
| No. in season | 13 | |||||
| Production company | Hasbro Studios | |||||
| Airdate | June 3, 2016 (UK) July 9, 2016 (US) | |||||
| Writer | Brian Hohlfeld | |||||
| Director | Kevin Altieri | |||||
| Animation studio | DHX Media Top Draw Animation | |||||
 Watch this episode on YouTube
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The Bots' Mainland Training Center is in danger of being discovered and, to make matters worse, the Rescue Team is trapped inside with a glitching hologram.
Synopsis
[edit]
Quickshadow records a report to Optimus Prime on the status of the training center — the computer system is out of control, the holographic disguise is failing, and she and Blurr are both tiny. After she signs off, Graham reports to the others on the failing hologram disguise which will reveal the base to Dani and her test flight team when they pass overhead. Dani doesn't take kindly to Kade's suggestion that she break her leg as a delaying tactic to prevent her test flight from taking off. Fixing the holograms will require replacing the cloaking device on the exterior landing pad. Cody tries to command the Elma Hendrickson hologram to run diagnostics but she refuses. While Heatwave takes Kade and Cody to install the cloaking device, Quickshadow and Blurr head off to use a small exterior hatch to access the palm tree projectors.
Back at the firehouse, Salvage isn't having much luck getting the GroundBridge working. Blades and Chase head out with Chief to fix a broken traffic light.
Quickshadow and Blurr encounter a problem in the form of the base's automated cleaning bot which threatens to vacuum them up. The pair split up, but fail to evade the device and are in danger of being sucked up until Servo lends a paw and disables the device before giving them a ride. Meanwhile, Graham and Boulder continue trying to debug the computer.
Heatwave accesses the maintenance shaft for the Zoom Tube, but it's too narrow for a bot. Kade starts climbing, only to be startled partway up by the Elma hologram. Luckily Heatwave saves him from a nasty fall. Though Kade's willing to try again, Cody has an idea for an alternate exit — the boat dock in the Rescue Arena.
Repairs to the traffic light on Griffin Rock aren't going well, and after Chase takes off to pursue Don, the intersection jams up. Blades gets a call from Cody requesting he fly to the mainland and lend a hand.
Dani lets Cody know that the test flight is about to take off. Cody, Kade and Heatwave head towards the dock, however Elma has other ideas and starts a fire simulation, trapping them in a ring of burning houses, then hits Heatwave with collision foam after the humans take shelter in him. Servo reaches the front door, and helps Quickshadow and Blurr access the outside hatch. Meanwhile, Heatwave escapes the foam by transforming, and manages to get through the boat dock even as Elma closes it. He contacts Blades who's still a few minutes out and distracted by Dani's test flight. Quickshadow and Blurr manage to get out of the base and ready themselves by the palm trees. Boulder reports that the hologram coverage is down to 30%, but fortunately Heatwave is clear of the tunnel and gets a lift from Blades up to the landing pad on top of the base.
Once the new cloaking device is in base and rebooted, Quickshadow and Blurr manage to reactivate the palm trees by ramming the buttons. Dani's test flight passes overhead but sees only the hangar hologram disguise — the training center is still a secret.
The Bots return to the ground and pick up Quickshadow and Blurr. Elma won't let them in until Cody has an idea and prefaces his request with "Simon says". Graham and Boulder discover that CeCe Greene's scan was somehow uploaded into Elma's personality subroutines, so Elma is playing games like she would. Blurr requests to be returned to his normal size and is met with jokes.
The team returns to Griffin Rock through and now-working GroundBridge. Chase reminds everyone that their first duty is to the island, and Heatwave brings his training post back through, announcing that Griffin Rock is their home.
Featured characters
[edit](Numbers indicate order of appearance.)
| Autobots | Humans |
|---|---|
|
Quotes
[edit]"Pshh. I'm a fireman, remember? And what do firemen do?"
"Um, put out f--"
"Yeah, yeah, that too. We also climb."
- —Kade and Cody
"Doesn't Graham usually do this? Are you sure that goes there? I'm sorry, am I not helping?"
- —Blades helps.
Blurr: Okay, I get it. Simon Says tell her to turn on the Maximizer now.
Kade: I guess we have to. On the other hand...
Quickshadow: I know a dresser drawer he'd fit into nicely. Very cozy, out of the way.
Blurr: Ha-ha. Very funny. Yeah. You are joking, right?
Notes
[edit]Continuity notes
[edit]- The hologram of Elma Hendrickson was first introduced in "The Haunting of Griffin Rock".
- As noted back in "New Normal", Dani now has a side job as a test pilot.
- Gadgets and Powers:
- Quickshadow has a grappling hook, rocket boots, and can extend her grill and front bumper as a battering ram.
Transformers references
[edit]- (tbd)
Real-world references
[edit]- The incidental music channels the James Bond theme when Quickshadow uses her grappler.
Animation and technical errors
[edit]- (tbd)
Trivia
[edit]- (tbd)
Foreign localization
[edit]French
- Title: "Et plus les choses restent les mêmes..." ("The more things stay the same...")
- Original airdate: ?
Italian
