WTF Primetime - 44 - Project Predachain of Command - May 29 2013

Discussion in 'WTF @ TFW Transformers Podcast' started by Vangelus, May 31, 2013.

  1. Vangelus

    Vangelus Long Live the New Flesh Moderator Content Contributor

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    WTF Primetime - 44 - Project Predachain of Command - May 29 2013

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    After a programming break (and a mental lapse), Vangelus returns with Aaron and Omegus Prime to talk about two more episodes of Beast Hunters - Project Predacon and Chain of Command.

    iTunes users - You can subscribe to and review the podcast here:
    iTunes Store

    Zune users - You can subscribe here:

    zune://subscribe/?WTF@TFW=http://www.tfw2005.com/boards/external.php?type=rss2&forumids=404

    The RSS feed which includes a media link for the m4a file is:

    WTF @ TFW Transformers Podcast - TFW2005.com

    And if you want an MP3 version, it's linked below:
    http://www.tfw2005.net/podcast/WTF_Primetime_-_44_-_Project_Predachain_of_Command_-_May_29_2013.mp3
     
  2. Noizemaze

    Noizemaze Noisemaze Collector

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    Damn right you mention me in your podcast!
     
  3. Baltan

    Baltan Space Ninja

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    I keep forgetting Prime episodes are airing and it's already early Friday! Only up to Project Predacon.
     
  4. MovieGodOptimus

    MovieGodOptimus Well-Known Member

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    You're not alone!
    I never heard of Arrested Development until you brought it up!
     
  5. Sideways77

    Sideways77 #1 flareup simp

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    Oh these smashed together names... I've missed them so.
     
  6. Decitron

    Decitron The Heavy

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    The Miko thing annoyed me, and I was wondering how, when she did take hits, why she wasn't thrashed around the helmet area like Starscream was when he was trying to tame the Predacon.

    Even more so, I was wondering why Bulkhead or someone hadn't called out Wheeljack on his INSANELY neglectful endangerment of humans. To say he doesn't think things through wouldn't be going nearly far enough; he's throwing what must be a multi-ton metal sphere at high speeds in a room full of squishy human beings that would easily be turned into toothpaste if they were hit by it, and dragging around an EXTRA squishy, borderline sociopathic (or maybe just foolish) CHILD into missions where there are several multi-ton robots running around and shooting.

    Apex or no, someone needs to lock Miko in a VERY secure room before anyone goes on any mission. Maybe even just ship her off somewhere clear away from the conflict.

    Where's Jack's mom or Optimus for this sort of thing?
     
  7. LordGigaIce

    LordGigaIce A Chair!

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    Gotta disagree with the bashing of Ultra Magnus. Nothing he did seemed out of line to me. Wheeljack just came across as a whiny brat.
     
  8. Aaron

    Aaron Master of Crystalocution Moderator Content Contributor

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    Yeah, Miko's always a loose cannon, but it seems that Wheeljack and Bulkhead see her as an equal of heart if not body. She seems to have a warrior's spirit and the Wrecker Two see that. Squishy or not that's a motivation to bring her along.

    There's a time to dress someone down and a time to get to it. Right after you dig yourselves out of rubble with another member of your group missing and likely in the line of fire isn't that time. Team Prime, and especially Wheeljack, have played looser with the rules. UM needs to get it in his brain that yelling at a bunch of seasoned troops like they're recruits isn't going to get him anything.
     
  9. Gojira Prime

    Gojira Prime Narf

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    Not watching Arrested Development is not something to be proud of *said the guy who's still only seen three episodes*

    In all seriousness, am I the only one who saw the way Megatron was treating Shockwave as being like an over-protective father to his daughter?
     
  10. BlackHawkOmega

    BlackHawkOmega Just trying my best.

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    That's a good way to see it, considering Project Predacon can't really be done, even if they got all the fossils, without Shockwave.
     
  11. LordGigaIce

    LordGigaIce A Chair!

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    I'm not so much looking at that as I am looking at the whole episode. UM chews out Wheeljack for four things. Using a giant metal ball indoors that almost killed three human allies, not waiting for his teammates to provide cover when he advances on an enemy position, bringing a fragile native life form with them into the middle of their giant robot war, and for using a grenade in a confined space that contained his teammates. Nothing here seems unreasonable. Magnus even admits he was wrong about Miko when she proves useful.

    As for the grenade thing, Wheeljack took a gamble. When a gamble works out you're the hero. When it doesn't, you have to eat crow. It didn't work out for Wheeljack here. Predaking got the better of him.
    Maybe it wasn't the best time for Magnus to dress Wheeljack down, but two things need to be considered. The fact that Wheejack abandoned Magnus' command before (and thus Magnus is probably inclined to come down on him harder then he would anyone else) and the needs of the narrative of the episode. Part of the episode's theme was that Wheeljack and Ultra Magnus do no get along. While it would have made more sense for UM to dress Wheeljack down after they returned to base the narrative was better served by having the dressing down occur earlier to establish the tension between the two, so the episode could end on the symbolic note of Wheeljack deserting. Incidentally they were in Scotland. If Wheeljack no longer has access to the Autobot ground bridge then I'll be a bit curious to know how he got off the island of Great Britain if he's anywhere else come the next time we see him.

    Which brings me to my larger point. UM didn't seem unreasonable here. Prime's put him in command of the Wreckers twice now (back on Cybertron and here), and it's been mentioned that Magnus was Prime's right hand man during the war. Optimus isn't going to see this as Magnus messing up a team dynamic here. He trusts Magnus. That much is clear. If anything Wheeljack's proving to be a poor solider by being unable to separate his personal dislike of his CO from the larger picture. Abandoning your team because you don't get your way is worse off then anything Magnus did this episode, in my opinion.
     
  12. Decitron

    Decitron The Heavy

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    I'm pretty sure Wheeljack is just, some sort of delusional sociopath bringing a CHILD TO A BATTLEFIELD with no regard for her safety, or the safety of his comrades of whom he's jeopardizing by bringing in someone for whom the team has to collectively go out of their way to protect.

    I think I get why Ultra Magnus is on Wheeljack's case; dude has probably stepped on any number of indigenous species of planets he fought on because he thought they were cool and brought them along, and probably was responsible for a good few Wrecker deaths with his callous methods.
     
  13. Tikin

    Tikin Well-Known Member

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    With regards to the flashback discussion, it was definitely Skystalker in Predaking's flashback. If you look at the wings you can see the same rings the toy has. As for the guys in Megatron's flashback and the Autobot scene there seem to be more than a couple of toy designs.

    Megacons.jpg
    Autocons.png

    So I guess the question is are they actually using them or just basing the pictures off the toys? Quality wise the ones in Megatrons flashback at least almost seem like models made to blend in to the picture, though that may be my wishful thinking.
     
  14. Sideways77

    Sideways77 #1 flareup simp

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    The one in the top right looks like Ripclaw.


    I'm in the Magnus blame vote as well. He treats them like rookies when they've faced crazier shit than Magnus himself. Unicron, zombies, and living space ships, amongst other things
     
  15. Seth Buzzard

    Seth Buzzard R.I.P. Buzzbeak Content Contributor

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    I'm stupefied not a single one of you have seen Arrested Development. I wouldn't have expected all of you to do have but at lest ONE of you.
     
    Last edited: Jun 2, 2013
  16. Aaron

    Aaron Master of Crystalocution Moderator Content Contributor

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    I kind of was too. It'll get put on the "what else do I have to do" list.
     
  17. Pendragon

    Pendragon New Member

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    Ultra Magnus isn't entirely wrong. With that in mind, his problem is that he doesn't realize that this isn't Cybertron, so to speak. His determination to play it 'by the book' is admirable, but detrimental. The rules and regulations are fine in a traditional war, with army against army and both sides being fairly evenly matched. This is NOT that situation, and Magnus fails to understand that. The Autobots are 8 bots on an alien planet, scavenging for supplies, and up against an enemy army with vastly superior numbers, supplies, and technology. They are guerilla fighters, and they need suitable tactics. Blind adherence to the book will just get them killed. Wheeljack may be slightly wreckless, but he's right. Wrecker tactics are their best bet shot at success. Magnus' flaw is his failure to understand that.
     
  18. Hypershock

    Hypershock Well-Known Member

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    Yeah, i agree. I, like Aaron, thought they might do something like the comics, where Ultra Magnus upholds the rules for rules' sake. This Magnus doesn't really seem to follow specific protocol, he's just a bit of an anal control freak. He wasn't really coming up with any plans other than "kill the predacon" at that time either. And whoever said that stuff about the gamble was right, you DO have to eat crow, but more like "ah shoot i was wrong, that didn't work. my bad. new plan." not "okay, i am going to to stop everything we're doing just to tell you i disagreed with what you did." I get the sense that if someone had gotten hurt, Wheeljack would have owned up to it, but no one did, so he sees it as not a big deal.

    Also, do we know if this season is 13 episodes plus the Predacons rising tv movie, or 13 episodes including the movie?
     
  19. Vangelus

    Vangelus Long Live the New Flesh Moderator Content Contributor

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    I've been assuming it's 13 episodes including the movie, but I haven't done much digging.
     
  20. Draqua

    Draqua Well-Known Member

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    It's interesting that you guys compare Jackie Chan Adventures and Transformers Prime, since Jeff Kline served as executive producer on both shows...