Thief in the Night
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 Looks more like a "Thief in the Day" to us. | |||||||||
| "Thief in the Night" | |||||||||
| Production code | 700-96 | ||||||||
| Production company | Sunbow Productions | ||||||||
| Airdate | October 6, 1986 | ||||||||
| Written by | Paul Davids | ||||||||
| Continuity | Generation 1 cartoon continuity | ||||||||
Octane steals Trypticon in an attempt to use him to control the Decepticons.
- Japanese title: メトロフレックスVSダイナザウラー (Metroflex VS Dinosaurer)
- German title: "Wie ein Dieb in der Nacht" ("Like a Thief in the Night")
Synopsis
Rodimus Prime, Grimlock, Perceptor, and the Aerialbots are reviewing the footage of Metroplex's battle with Trypticon. Grimlock declares that he wants to see the "good part", where Metroplex destroyed Trypticon, but Teletraan II states that Trypticon survived the encounter. Broadside and Seaspray travel to where Trypticon landed in the ocean, and learn that he walked underwater to avoid being caught.
Meanwhile, the Triple Changer Octane is nursing Trypticon back to health, using Energon made from the oil of Carbombya. Octane hopes that with Trypticon to back him up, he can overthrow Galvatron and become leader of the Decepticons. However, Abdul Fakkadi, the leader of the desert nation, is unhappy with Trypticon's constant consumption of oil. Fakkadi demands that the two Decepticons leave, or he will call the Autobots. Octane offers to bring Fakkadi gold in exchange for being able to stay, but Fakkadi declares that it would take all the gold of the United States to allow them to stay. The simple answer? Octane has Trypticon steal Fort Knox.
Pacified, Fakkadi agrees to allow the Decepticons to remain in Carbombya until the next crescent moon, and Trypticon is put under strict ration of one thousand barrels a day. Octane declares that Trypticon will starve, and negotiates a new plan: give Fakkadi a new palace, and he will let them stay and have more oil. To make Fakkadi "more happy", Trypticon steals the Taj Mahal.
While the Autobots investigate the disappearance of Fort Knox ('cause that's something that directly involves the Autobots), Grimlock finds Energon cubes which he says "smell different". As Perceptor begins analyzing the Energon, Grimlock also smells Dinosaur transform static, and fears one of his own Dinobots may have been involved. Metroplex decides to interrogate all the Dinobots.
At Carbombya, Fakkadi is pleased, declaring that with enough monuments, they will soon have a thriving tourist attraction. However, Galvatron has been tracking down Trypticon. He declares Octane a traitor, saying he stole Trypticon from Dinobot Island. Thinking fast, Octane claims that he brought Trypticon to Carbombya to help him get better, with a more powerful form of Energon, and tosses Galvatron a cube. As Trypticon says nothing to contradict the story, Galvatron takes a swig, and finds that it is stronger.
Meanwhile, Six-Gun and Scamper are interrogating the Dinobots, as well as Sky Lynx, under the watchful eye of Metroplex. Sky Lynx angrily objects to being called a Dinobot, and refuses to participate. Perceptor runs in declaring that the Energon Grimlock found was made via a Decepticon formula, with Carbombyan oil. Perceptor believes that Trypticon is responsible for the thefts. Broadside takes the Aerialbots to investigate, and spots the two stolen buildings. However, Trypticon surfaces, carrying the Eiffel Tower. Galvatron and Octane are explaining to Fakkadi that the Decepticons will supply Carbombya with more buildings, such as the Kremlin, while they take over the oil fields. However, Trypticon spots the Aerialbots, and converts to battle mode, forcing the Aerialbots to retreat.
Having learned that Trypticon intends to take the Kremlin, the Autobots head to Moscow, but Metroplex is late. In the night fog, Trypticon arrives and steals the Kremlin, but Metroplex interrupts him. Metroplex takes back the Kremlin while Trypticon flees, and the Soviet government accuses the Autobots of the theft, as does India. Grimlock laments the Autobots' sad fate.
At Carbombya, Fakkadi is recording a message to send to the Autobots, authorizing them to invade Carbombya and attack the Decepticons. Galvatron, however, simply locks up the dictator. Rodimus, the Dinobots, the Aerialbots, Metroplex, and Broadside arrive to fight off the Decepticons, and Metroplex throws Trypticon into the ocean (again). Without Trypticon to even the odds, Galvatron orders the 'Cons to retreat. Metroplex returns the monuments, clearing the Autobots' name. Rodimus asks Fakkadi to never ally with the Decepticons again. Fakkadi promises the Autobot leader that he will not, swearing by the livestock of his various family members.
Featured characters
(Numbers indicate order of appearance.)
| Autobots | Decepticons | Humans |
|---|---|---|
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Quotes
"Trypticon and me wanna turn your country into a paradise!"
"It already is a paradise"
- —Octane's offer elicits an icy response from Abdul Fakkadi.
Galvatron: You're a traitor, Octane! You had no permission to take Trypticon away from Dinobot Island! I needed Trypticon for my plans of conquering the Earth. Now, thanks to you, he may never recover!
Octane: But you got it all wrong, Galvatron! Me and Trypticon found this fantastic new type of Energon. It's helping Trypticon get all better real quick! Try some, you'll love it!
Trypticon: Drink! Drink and CRUSH!
Galvatron: That's good! Makes me feel stronger, more powerful!
- —Galvatron is soothed by Octane and Trypticon
"Why am I under investigation? I'm not a Dinobot."
"Ya got Dinosaur electrons in yer circuits, Sky Lynx."
"Never the less, I am definitely not a Dinobot! I refuse to participate in this...kangaroo court!"
- —Sky Lynx denounces Six-Gun's prosecution skills.
"Me Grimlock say this grim. Whole world thinks Autobots are building snatchers."
- —Grimlock laments the Autobots' sad fate.
Notes
Animation or technical glitches
- When Rodimus Prime, Perceptor, Grimlock, and the Aerialbots are watching the footage on the battle of Metroplex and Trypticon, Grimlock is seen in robot mode from behind. When he starts to talk, he is in dinosaur mode.
- When the Autobots are shown firing after Trypticon is hurled into the ocean, there are two Rodimus Primes, two Perceptors, and two Blurrs.
- Despite the dialogue, the building Trypticon attempts to steal from Moscow is not the Kremlin but nearby Saint Basil's Cathedral.
Continuity errors
- This episode is actually set before "Starscream's Ghost" as it explains why Galvatron has it in for Octane.
Transformers references
- Trypticon had been taken to Dinobot Island in an attempt to help him recover. When the Decepticons last visited the island, they had been attacked by the natives.
Real-world references
- While the title is a rather literal description of Trypticon's activities, the phrase comes from the Bible, regarding the second coming of Jesus: "the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night."[1]
Trivia
- It's pretty weird that Teletraan II didn't immediately inform the Autobots that a robot as dangerous as Trypticon was still alive.
- Trypticon is the most energy inefficient robot ever. Seriously.
- Amazing that the various buildings that Trypticon stole weren't damaged while he stole them.
- Amazing that Abdul wasn't held slightly accountable for the deaths of the soldiers crushed by the falling gold in Fort Knox.
- Amazing that after being carried by hand to a separate hemisphere the gold bars are still stacked neatly in Fort Knox.
- Amazing that all the gold of the United States was stacked so neatly when it was last seen falling on soldiers.
- Amazing that all the gold of the United States was not slathered in red, human blood after crushing and smashing American soldiers.
- Okay, seriously...dinosaur transform static? WTF?
- Although this episode is set in the year 2006, the Soviet Union still exists. In the real world, the Soviet Union dissolved in 1991.
- Last appearance of Seaspray.
- First (and last) appearance of Six-Gun
References
- ↑ http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Thessalonians%204:16-5:2;&version=31; 1 Thessalonians 4:16-5:2 at BibleGateway.com]
