A Friendly Contest
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 You know, if we tried this hard to find the real O-Parts, we'd probably have them by now. | ||||||
| "A Friendly Contest" (Gelshark no Wana) "Gelshark's Trap" | ||||||
| Production company | TV Tokyo, NAS, Studio Gallop | |||||
| Airdate | 1 November 2000 (Japanese) November 10, 2001 (English) | |||||
| Written by | Yukiyoshi Ōhashi (Japanese) Matthew V. Lewis (English) | |||||
| Director | Akira Katō | |||||
| Animation studio | Studio Gallop | |||||
Searching for O-Parts
Sky-Byte's plans all fail badly
So no change there then.
Synopsis
The Autobot Brothers look for the O-Parts using an O-Part detector developed by T-AI. The Build Team arrives with another detector as Side Burn finds the first O-Part, and they decide to turn finding the rest into a friendly contest between the two teams. At this point Scourge arrives with the rest of the Decepticons, and the Autobots retreat via the Global Space Bridge. Sky-Byte creates a fake O-Part, and he and Slapper attempt to bury it as a decoy. However before they're finished, the Autobots turn up, swipe the real O-Part while under fire from Movor and Ro-Tor, and are gone again.
Sky-Byte's plan B involves hiding more of the fake O-Parts around some Grecian ruins. Unfortunately, he then realises they can tell the fake O-Parts from the real ones, and has to make the fakes with an S. Scourge arrives and quickly locates the real O-Part, but the Autobots promptly arrive along with Ultra Magnus and take it from him.
The Build Team locates another O-Part, and Sky-Byte attempts to convince them that it's a fake so he can swap it with one of his fake ones. After a moment of confusion, Scourge confiscates one of them and the Decepticons blast the Autobots off a cliff. Scourge is somewhat deflated when Sky-Byte points out he confiscated the fake O-Part, and contacts Megatron who is even less impressed.
Wedge locates the last O-Part in a pyramid in Egypt, thus the Build Team wins the contest 3-2. Side Burn is depressed, at least until the arrival of Kelly in a bright-red jeep cheers him up. Before he can pursue her, the Decepticons and Megatron all turn up. Optimus Prime, and Ultra Magnus both arrive ready to protect the O-Parts.
Megatron manages to take Wedge hostage and demands all the O-Parts. The Autobots decide to make the trade. Sky-Byte, who has been watching the fight from the sidelines, makes an ill-conceived plan to somehow switch the real parts with some fake ones he is carrying. As Optimus approaches Megatron to make the hostage exchange, Sky-Byte collides with him and scatters the real and fake O-Parts together.
In the commotion, Optimus Prime and Ultra Magnus merge to form Omega Prime. This startles Megatron who drops Wedge. The Autobots open fire and Megatron and the Decepticons flee.
Back at base, the Autobots combine the O-Parts to form a key which Dr. Onishi believes will open up a brave new world. T-AI has misgivings which she doesn't share with the rest of the group.
Featured characters
(Numbers indicate order of appearance.)
| Autobots | Decepticons | Humans |
|---|---|---|
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Quotes
"Why I... cynical newt! The plan's perfect, it can't fail."
- —Sky-Byte's famous last words.
"WHy does this always happen when I arrive?!"
- —Ultra Magnus on his lot in life
"Hey, since your plan failed miserably, can I have the fake O-Parts? They're kind of cool!"
- —Slapper is easily impressed.
"Slapper, you're about to witness an acting tour de force. I'm going to pull off the biggest hoax of my career. I'll tell them, dullards that they are, that the O-Parts that they've been collecting up to now are all my fakes."
- —Sky-Byte overestimates both his own acting ability and the gullibility of the Autobots.
"Don't worry about them, shark. The real O-Part's here."
"...actually not. The real one's down there."
"Then, uh...what's this?"
"That, my slow friend, is the fake."
"Then why did you give them the real one?"
"I didn't, you half-witted tanker! It was an act! A beautiful, award-winning act! And you ruined it!"
- —Scourge doesn't understand Sky-Byte's plan. He isn't the only one.
"Please don't be angry, Megatron! It's really not my fault!"
"If you meddle further, you're cat food."
- —Sky-Byte pushes Megatron's paitence.
"Attention, public service announcement for all those not in Build Team. Don't start by removing the blocks at the bottom of the pyramid."
- —Heavy Load loads on the condescension.
"I'll show you all what I'm really made of. I'm going to make Optimus and the rest of the Autobots prouder of me than ever before!"
- —Wedge, preparing to compromise his allies' strategic advantage by obliviously charging into danger and getting captured. Again.
"You are so busted, Sky-Byte."
- —Side Burn rubs it in.
Notes
Differences with Car Robots
Animation and/or technical glitches
- The 'webbings' on Slapper's arms disappear when he catches the O-Part from Sky-Byte.
- When Sky-Byte and Slapper are being buried under the soil, Slapper's mouth are moving even though he's not speaking.
- Slapper's lower teeth are coloured like the interior of his mouth after he pops out of the ground.
- Wedge's right shoulder scoop kibble occasionally disappears when he is being held hostage by Megatron.
- When Sky-Byte runs and trips into Optimus Prime, he seems to disappear from view before he's actually reached the edge of the screen.
Trivia
- Having taken all of thirty episodes to find just two O-Parts, the Autobots are able to retrieve the remaining five pretty much in one fell swoop, thanks to Dr. Onishi's help. Almost makes you think they should have made some effort to rescue him earlier.
- The O-Parts are all hidden in ancient monuments from around the world.
- Scourge continues to regain memories regarding the purpose of his original mission to Earth as an Autobot.
- According to Sky-Byte, three days pass between the location of the second and third O-Parts. Somehow this seems unlikely.
- Where are Dark Scream and Gas Skunk anyway?
Home video releases
- DVD
2001 — Transformers: Car Robots — Vol. 8 (Pony Canyon) — Japanese audio only.
2005 — Transformers: Robots in Disguise — Three-Disc Box Set: Part 2 of 2 (Maximum Entertainment)
2007 — Transformers: Robots in Disguise — Season Two (Maximum Entertainment)
2007 — Transformers: Robots in Disguise — Ultimate Collection (Maximum Entertainment)
