Note: This review thread is identical to one on the City of Heroes forums; here. I just figured I would also post them here since I would have a better audience.

So recently I have fully integrated myself into the Transformers fandom. I mean I watched Beast Wars a bunch as a kid, but never really was a massive fan of it. It was really the live action movies (and Revenge of the Fallen in particular) to start buying the toys and watching all the older series. I have already watched all of Animated, Beast Wars, and Beast Machines, and have just gotten my hands on the one that started it all, G1.

So, once a day, I will try and watch one episode, and post a review of it. The reviews follow this basic format:

-A Plot overview, complete with spoilers, so be warned. (Not that it really matters, this series is 25 years old)
-A list of comments on things I found funny, cool, odd, or just plain stupid.
-A score, out of ten.

So without further ado, let us begin.

Note: I reviewed up through "The Ultimate Doom, part 3", before I decided to post this here. So I'm posting all of those at once.

 

-More than Meets the Eye, Parts 1, 2, and 3.

Plot summary: A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away...On the planet Cybertron lived the Transformers. Millions of years of civil warfare between the heroic Autobots and nefarious Decepticons have bled the planets resources dry, and driven the Autobots to the brink of extinction.

So the episode opens with the Autobots planning to leave Cybertron on a mission to search for new sources of energy. The Decepticons however, being the evil bastards that they are, decide to follow them, hoping that they will lead them to the same energy source. The two ships (A.K.A. The Ark and The Nemesis), meet in space and a battle breaks out which results in both ships crashing onto earth.

Four million years later, the volcano in which the Autobot's ship crashed erupts, and reactivates the ship's onboard computer, which revives all the Decepticons and reformats them into new earth vehicle modes. Due to Starscream's idiocy, The Autobots end up revived as well, unbenownst to the Decepticons.

Megatron then declares that their mission is to search for sources of energy which can be used to build a new space cruiser. Their search leads them to an oil rig where the Autobots intercept them and a battle breaks out. Megatron ends up blasting the oil rig, engulfing it in flames, and leaving the Autobots and the human workers for dead.

To be continued...

Part 2 opens with The Autobots still trapped on the burning oil rig from last episode. Apparently not hampered by having bodies made of metal, the Autobots manage to rescue the humans aboard, two of which introduce themselves as Sparkplug and Spike Witwicky, and offer to help the Autobots with their knowledge of earth.

Both humans and Autobots return to the Ark, where Spike stumbles across Soundwave, still in tape deck mode. Displaying a stupidity that will be demonstrated time and time again across the course of the series, he carries him right on in, where Soundwave and Ravage use the onboard computer to learn of earth's resources.

Reporting back to Megatron, the Decepticons now move to attack Sherman Dam, and convert it's electrical power into energon cubes. Predictably enough, the Autobots show up, only to have their collective butts handed to them as the Decepticons get away with their energon booty.

The Decepticons now have almost enough energon to return to Cybertron, but it will still require two more energy sources. First they decide to strike the Ruby Crystal mines of Burma. However, the Autobots tail them to the mines and plant an explosive charge inside, with Bumblebee and Sparkplug acting as the demolitions experts. They are discovered by the Decepticons though, and in the struggle the bomb goes off, presumably trapping them inside...

To be continued...

The explosion from the mines sends Optimus Prime tumbling down the hill, injuring him. Fortunately, the Autobots discover Sparkplug and Bumblebee in the rubble unharmed after only a brief dig. However, their enemies are not as vanquished as they might think, as the Decepticons blast their way out of the top of the mine and fly away, Energon in tow.

Tired of this string of defeats, the Autobots begin to formulate a plan. They will lure the Decepticons to a holographic rocket base, whereupon they will ambush them. The plan fails though, as the Decepticons are revealed to be poorly made decoys, and the real Decepticons are off blowing the everloving crap out of the real rocket base. Now with all the fuel they need, the Decepticons prepare to return to Cybertron.

Refusing to admit defeat, Optimus Prime persues the fleeing space cruiser, but is shot down. It is only once he hits ground that he realizes Mirage is missing. Mirage meanwhile, has used his invisibility powers to sneak onboard the space cruiser and sabotage it, sending it hurtling into the ocean. The Autobots return to their base to celebrate their victory.

Little do they know that though the battle is over, the war has just begun.

Comments:

-If you wanted to watch the series in chronological order, you would watch the first eight and a half minutes of this episode, pause it, watch the entirety of Beast Wars, and then watch the rest of G1. Time travel is weird.

-So Cybertron is in another galaxy right? There's all of two and a half minutes between the ships blasting off and them arriving on earth. These things are FAST.

-Megatron leaves Shockwave in charge of the entire planet. So he's just been killing time for FOUR MILLION YEARS. Yow.

-Wait, so all the Transformers can just fly like Superman? Why even have vehicle modes then?

-What kind of name is Sparkplug? I doubt that's his real name, but even so, where the hell would you get that kind of nickname?

-The 2007 movie also had it's climax occur partly on a dam, only the good guys won.

-So Megatron can fly by spinning his flail around his head...huh...

-Wait, Rubies are a source of energy? I thought they were Jewelry, not explosives!

-Why would Megatron even bother building decoys? Wouldn't it make more sense to just attack the rocket base and leave the Autobots waiting for you?

Rating: This whole three parter just BLEEDS kitchy 80's charm to me. I can't help but smile the whole way through in spite of all the plot holes. A good start to the series. 8/10

 

-Transport to Oblivion

Plot Summary: The Decepticons have not been seen in months, and most of the Autobots have assumed them dead for good. Optimus Prime however, harbors doubts. Indeed he is right, as Megatron has rebuilt his space cruiser into a massive underwater complex known as Decepticon Headquarters.

Meanwhile back on Cybertron, Shockwave finally decides that calling the guy who left him in charge of the planet four million years ago might be a good move, and calls Megatron to inform him of the situation; energy reserves are dangerously low, but he has just completed a space bridge capable of warping people and objects to and from Cybertron. However, it needs some power on the receiving end to work properly.

The Decepticons set out, and after a series of raids, have the necessary Energon to test the Space Bridge. Fortuitously enough, Bumblebee and Spike, who are on patrol, stumble upon the Decepticons at the test site. Unfortunately, the Decepticons discover their presence, and shove them into the test vehicle, forcing them to guide the vehicle across the Space Bridge. A test malfunction though allows a window of escape, and Bumblebee and Spike make a break for it.

Both however, are recaptured, and Megatron alters Bumblebee's memory chips to lead the Autobots into a trap. Reporting back to Autobot HQ, Bumblebee, under the influence of modified memory, tells the others that the Space Bridge is in a nearby cave. The Autobots rush off, only to have the Decepticons waiting for them. A battle breaks out, but the Decepticons are forced to leave as the Space Bridge reactivates. Entombed in the cave, Ratchet discovers that Bumblebees memory has been altered, and learns the true location of the Space Bridge.

Blasting their way out of the cave, the Autobots follow the Decepticons to the true location of the Space Bridge, where in the ensuing battle, Megatron is knocked into the Bridge, and presumed dead. Starscream, never once to pass up a chance to seize power, declares himself new leader of the Decepticons, even though Megatron still lives on Cybertron.

Comments:

-This episode sets up one of the most common plot points of the series; The Space Bridge. This little gizmo ensures that Cybertron will see a lot of airtime past the first episode.

-Cliffjumper thinks a ROCK is a Decepticon and blows it to bits. Seriously, it was a weird looking rock but it was just a ROCK.

-Cliffjumper also punches Megatron right in the nuts! No really! And Megatron doesn't even flinch!

-It seems that the Space Bridge runs on Arbitrarium, seeing as how it activates and deactivates exactly at the most convenient moments.

-There is a WEIRD animation error about halfway through the episode. Granted, this series has a TON of animation errors but this one was weirder than most. So Bumblebee and Spike are sitting in the car about to go through the space bridge. Cut to the space bridge firing off and the line "Space Bridge test aborted". Whats weird is that they recycled the animation from the first test in which the car was ALREADY IN the space bridge, and even though Shockwave says the above line, it's MEGATRON's lips who move!

-Haven't these guys learned that trapping someone in a cave does nothing? They're just going to blow their way back out. I mean we are only four episodes in and its happened like eight times already!

Score: Still setting up the status quo at this point, so I'm willing to let some of the more nagging errors slide. Still a fun little introduction to an important plot device. 7/10

 

-Roll for It.

Plot Summary: Still in command of the Decepticons, Starscream leads a raid on yet another hydroelectric dam only to have Optimus Prime and a team of Autobots foil his treachery. A piece of equipment thrown during the battle hits the stockpile of Energon cubes and destroys them. With nothing to show for their efforts, Starscream and the others retreat. Back on Cybertron, Megatron contacts the others and tells them to get repaired and be ready for a planned attack at an antimatter laboratory, as he boards the Space Bridge back to earth.

Back on earth, Bumblebee along with Spike and his new friend Chip Chase, head to said antimatter laboratory, as Chip just so happens to be a child prodigy working there. Inside they meet Dr. Alcazar, who gives Chip a floppy disk that will allow his computer at home to interface with the one at the lab.

As they drive away though, Laserbeak attacks Bumblebee (for some reason). Megatron realizes this may have tipped off Optimus to their plan to attack the lab, and orders an immediate assault. Bumblebee attempts to contact Bluestreak and Prowl, only to find that they are busy fighting Starscream and the other seekers at a nearby aircraft factory. Megatron's group marches into the antimatter lab, only to have Dr. Alcazar send it to Chip.

Meanwhile, back at the aircraft factory, prowl has his battle computer damaged during the fight, and begins to seek a remote source to control him. He happens to link up with Chip's computer, who begins to remotely command him (?!) and defeat Starscream and his crew. Chip then memorizes the antimatter formula, and rips up the disk containing it.

This doesn't stop the Decepticons however, as they kidnap Chip so Soundwave can read his mind (?!?!) and extract the formula. Now in possession of the formula, the Decepticons begin churning out Antimatter powered Energon cubes, only to have the Autobots attack. Megatron hurls one of the cubes at Optimus though, causing a massive explosion. With almost all of the Autobots injured, they limp back to the ark to repair themselves.

The next day, Megatron reveals his plan for the Antimatter. To charge himself and the other Decepticons up with it, and use the extra firepower to eliminate the Autobots. Wheeljack has a plan though. As Megatron transforms to gun mode and jumps into Skywarp's hands, Chip and Spike sneak up and plant a device on his leg, causing him to wildly start firing at the Decepticons! Megatron, realizing his plan has gone awry, discharges the remaining Antimatter and orders a retreat, swearing that he will have vengeance.

Comments:

-80's computer technology is so damn cute. They even call a 5 and 1/2 inch floppy disk "The most advanced storage device known to man". Awww....

-In that same vein, a computer that can't even run minesweeper can somehow remotely command a million year old alien robot. And you thought Independence Day was bad.

-Holy crap, Chip ripped a floppy disk in half with his BARE HANDS!

-Once again, I am amazed at how bafflingly stupid Megatron's gun mode is. Why does he even need it? I mean he never tries to use it for disguise, and he has a giant freaking gun right on his arm, so why bother handing over control to someone else? I mean Megatron would have won in this episode had he just stayed in his damn robot mode!

-*ahem* ANTIMATTER DOES NOT WORK THAT WAY!

Score: Probably the weakest episode yet, due to countless instances of not doing the research. 5/10

 

-Divide and conquer.

The presence of the Autobots and Decepticons has become common knowledge on earth by this point, and already earth's factories have begun churning out weapons to combat the Decepticons. This of course, does not stop Starscream and his cadre of seekers from smashing right through the wall of one of said factories and trying to steal all the energy he can.

Optimus Prime arrives on the scene to put a halt to the Decepticons shenanigans, but a computer bank is damaged during the battle, causing a massive explosion and leaving Optimus Prime gravely injured. The Decepticons retreat with their supply of Energon cubes, while the Autobots return to headquarters to repair Optimus. Laserbeak, under order from Megatron however, follows the Autobots to spy on Optimus's condition.

Laserbeak takes this opportunity to attack the vulnerable Prime, leaving him hanging onto life by a thread. Wheeljack reveals that they need a Mcguffin known as a Cosmotron to repair Optimus. However, the only available one is back in Wheeljack's lab...on Cybertron...

The Autobots hatch a plan to locate the next opening of the space bridge, ride it back to Cybertron, and use Chip and his l33t hacker skillz to break in. They run into Starscream near the entrance to the space bridge and a battle (as well as a thunderstorm) breaks out. All at once Megatron orders the attack ceased, as the thunderstorm has given him an idea. Allowing the Autobots to arrive on Cybertron, where he orders a trio of Decepticons there to somehow seed the clouds and cause acid rain to fall (!?).

Crippled by the rain, the Autobots are saved when Chip implores them not to give up. Trailbreaker manages to muster enough energy to put up a force shield, and protect them from the rain. The rain dispersed and Cosmotron in hand, the Autobots return to earth, where Optimus Prime is revived and Megatron defeated yet again.

Comments:

-Optimus Prime proves once again that he is a complete badass. After Laserbeak attacks him, his ENTIRE CHEST EXPLODES. And he's still fine!

-Anyone else find it kind of funny how easy it is for The Transformers to just waltz on back to Cybertron? It kind of defeats the point.

-Why did the Autobots need Chip to break into their lab? Chip can't possibly know Cybertronic technology better then Wheeljack.

-So...the Decepticons can cause acid rain to fall by shooting the clouds with lasers...huh...

Score: It's honestly kind of hard to come up with a score for this one, as nothing particularly memorable happens. Still not BAD though. 6/10.

 

-Fire in the Sky

The episode opens with Spike and the Autobots having a snowball fight outside the base. Many chortles and laughs are had by all, until Spike points out that they are in fact still in the middle of the desert. Optimus Prime checks Teletraan one's scans, and realizes that global temperatures are 40 degrees less than normal. Clearly the Decepticons are up to no good!

Indeed they are! They have found a new source of energy in fact! By accessing a crystal shaft in the arctic (?!?!?) they can tap into the earth's core (!??!?!?!?!?) and pump heat directly out! (!?!?!??!?!!??!?!?). The Decepticons soon make another discovery though. A Transformer trapped in the ice, who Starscream recognizes as his old friend Skyfire (A.K.A. Jetfire when not on the show). Hauling him out of the ice Starscream explains that he and Skyfire used to be explorers and once found their way to earth, where a storm separated them and entombed Skyfire in the ice.

Skyfire awakens, and Megatron informs him of the situation (The Decepticons are awesome, and everyone else needs to die or get out of their way). Begrudgingly, Skyfire agrees to join the Decepticon cause. Skyfire immediately flies off to attack the Autobots, scattering their numbers. Spike and Sparkplug end up trapped on an icefloe, and still not knowing the real situation here, Skyfire attempts to befriend them. They explain that the Decepticons are evil and the Autobots are good, but Skyfire cannot believe what he is hearing, and takes them to Megatron to show that the Decepticons are really quite nice once you get to know them.

Megatron immediately alienates his new ally by ordering Sparkplug and Spike imprisoned. Meanwhile, the Autobots head into the icy caves to rescue the humans, but are separated by a cave in. One group manages to find the crystal shaft but are discovered by Megatron, who orders Skyfire to kill them to prove his loyalty. Skyfire refuses, and Starscream blasts his old friend in a fit of rage, causing him to reflexively fire off a shot that blows the Autobots to pieces.

Well not really. Hound manages to conjure up another hologram that made it look like they were blown to bits. Revealing themselves to the ailing Skyfire, they begin to repair him. However, Laserbeak, who has been watching the entire time, reports back to Megatron with the news of the prisoners survival. Furious, Megatron orders his forces to attack.

However, his assault is stopped cold by Skyfire, who proudly declares himself an Autobot and attacks the Decepticons...Only to crash into Starscream in midair and get buried in an avalanche...yeah... The Autobots mourn his sacrifice, and return to their base.

Comments:

-Seriously, the Decepticons find a giant crystal in the arctic that runs all the way into the Earth's core, somehow tap into it, and drain the heat energy out of the planet's core THUS CAUSING THE GLOBAL TEMPERATURE TO DROP.

-SERIOUSLY. WHAT. THE. ****.

-And also, a 40 degree drop is nothing to sneeze at. Thats way colder than what you need for an ice age to occur.

-Starscream imprisons Spike and Sparkplug by tossing them into a corner of the ice cave and shooting the ceiling in front of them so it melts and forms into bars made of ice...huh...

Score: I was originally going to give this a much lower score because of the HORRIBLE science in this episode, but it's actually kind of so bad it loops back around to cute. Plus character introductions are always nice and Skyfire is pretty dang cool. Screw it. 8/10

 

S.O.S. Dinobots

Plot Summary:

The episode opens with a series of earthquakes rocking Autobot headquarters. Suspecing Decepticon foul play, Ironhide uses his sonar capabilities to scan the surrounding rocks. He finds no Decepticons, but does come across something equally interesting; Dinosaur fossils! Spike explains that Dinosaurs were creatures that lived on earth millions of years ago, and even takes Hound to a museum to look at complete fossils.

Wheeljack and Ratchet then come to the perfectly logical conclusion that they should build robotic versions of Dinosaurs, since everyone should have a few Dinosaurs on hand right?

Meanwhile, the Decepticons are once again up to no good. Having Discovered YET ANOTHER Hydroelectric Dam, Megatron orders his forces to attack at once!

Back at Autobot HQ, Wheeljack unveils the three Dinobots; Grimlock, Slag, and Sludge. But like all good mad scientist creations, the Dinobots immediatley turn against their masters, trashing Autobot HQ and destroying Teletraan 1. Optimus (probably wondering what the hell he was thinking in the first place), declares that the Dinobots are too dangerous, and entombs them in a cave on the mountain.

The Decepticons have now begun their attack on the dam, and have already stockpiled numerous Energon cubes. Hound however, picks up their activity on his sensors and alerts Optimus and crew, who assemble a strike force to go and put a stop to their nefarious schemes. Bumblebee however, is ordered to remain behind and guard the base.

The battle quickly turns sour for the Autobots though, as Megatron hooks up his fusion cannon directly to the dam's power output and blows away the cliff on which the Autobots are standing, sending them plunging into the river below.

Realizing that something is amiss, Bumblebee picks up Spike and returns to HQ, alerting Wheeljack and Ratchet to the failure of the Autobots. Wheeljack decides the only remaining option is to reactivate the Dinobots and equip them with new memory upgrades to make them smarter. Blasting their way out of the cave, the Dinobots and Wheeljack fly off to the rescue.

Showing up in the nick of time, the Dinobots arrive on the scene and begin kicking the everloving crap out of the Decepticons. With the Decepticons once again defeated, Wheeljack admits that he disobeyed Optimus and prepares to be punished. To his surprise, Optimus lauds him for his heroic actions, and declares that the Dinobots will now be permanent additions to the Autobot cause!

Comments:

-In this series the Dinobots are created when Wheeljack decides to build a couple of robotic dinosaurs because...hey, why not?! In Transformers Animated the Dinobots are created when the Autobots visit a dinosaur theme park and when the animatronic Dinosaurs end up getting mind controlled by Megatron, zap them with the Allspark, thus infusing them with Cybertronic technology. Which is the sillier origin story? Please discuss.

-Apparently earth has warmed up to the Autobots very quickly, as Hound can just waltz into a museum without hardly anyone batting an eye.

-Seriously, ANOTHER Hydroelectric Dam? There are other kinds of power plants you know!

-There's a pretty funny animation error about 2/3rds of the way through the episode. Right after Megatron hooks up his arm cannon to the dam, there is a shot of him laughing. Thing is, they forgot to add the sound, so it looks like he is just hopping up and down in glee.

-At the beginning of the final battle Wheeljack blasts Megatron in the gut, causing him to double over in pain. Starscream IMMEDIATELY declares that Megatron has fallen and that he is now the new leader of the Decepticons! Jeez, way to jump to conclusions Screamy!

Score: For an introductory episode, this one features precious little of the characters it is introducing doing anything cool. The Dinobots just spend most of their time standing in place and growling, which is just as boring as it sounds. Hopefully the animators will learn how to make them actually MOVE in future episodes, but due to its lackluster animation and completely silly origin for the Dinobots, I can only give this one a 4/10.

 

Fire on the Mountain

Plot Summary: While on patrol in a steel mill, Trailbreaker and Brawn spot Starscream and Thundercracker stealing...um...steel. Though the two Autobots fight valiantly, the two seekers still get away with their ill gotten goods. Returning to Headquarters, Optimus begins to wonder about the Decepticon's motives, and dispatches a satellite to spy on Decepticon activity, which picks up strange energy readings in the Peruvian Andes.

Indeed, the Decepticons have found their way to an ancient Incan temple, which rests on a shaft leading to the earth's core capped by the CRYSTAL OF POWER. With the metal acquired by Starscream, the Decepticons have built a weapon frame for the CRYSTAL OF POWER, thus converting it into an incredibly powerful energy weapon. Megatron tests the weapon by blowing the Autobot satellite out of the sky. The metal however, proves to be sub par, and with the first shot the weapon frame melts. Once again calling out Starscream for being such an idiot, Megatron flies to a nearby mining town to get better steel.

Meanwhile, the nearby town is abuzz with the news of the activity on the mountain. The village elder thinks that the Elder Gods must have reawakened, but her daughter (who is never given a name, so I'll just call her Princess Pancakes on account of the massive pancake shaped earrings she wears), Princess Pancakes, surmises that the CRYSTAL OF POWER must have been stolen.

Up at the North Pole however, Wheeljack and Sideswipe are hard at work digging Skyfire out of the ice. Upon reawakening, Wheeljack orders him to fly back to headquarters, pick up Windcharger and Brawn, and head to the Andes. In short order the three bots have arrived in the Andes, where Brawn and Windcharger attempt to distract the Decepticons while Skyfire investigates the Decepticon's activities. Brawn and Windcharger quickly find themselves in over their heads though, and call for Skyfire to return before he manages to investigate. Airlifting the two out of danger, Skyfire returns to Autobot HQ. Thus making the entirety of the last battle scene completely pointless.

Skyfire, having picked up Autobot reinforcements, returns to the Andes, where he drops off the Autobots at the mining town Megatron is raiding. During the battle, Spike and Bumblebee encounter Princess Pancakes, who explains that the CRYSTAL OF POWER has been stolen, and leads them to a secret entrance to the temple. Skyfire meanwhile, is investigating the temple, only to be knocked out by Starscream and hauled inside to be reprogrammed into a Decepticon.

Megatron, stolen steel in tow, returns to the temple, where he builds a new weapon frame capable of handling the CRYSTAL OF POWER's...um...power. Bumblebee, Spike and Princess Pancakes infiltrate the temple and discover the dormant form of Skyfire. Spike begins to repair him while Bumblebee holds off Ravage. The battle topside is not going too well for the Autobots though, as the fire from the weapon frame powered by the CRYSTAL OF POWER is keeping them from moving in close. The tide is turned by the newly repaired Skyfire, who destroys the weapon frame along with the CRYSTAL OF POWER and forces Megatron to retreat.

The Decepticons defeated and the power of the mountain sealed away, Spike and Princess Pancakes climb into Bumblebee, and head back to the mining town. (Presumably to act out the very last scene of the first live action Transformers movie)

Comments:

-The CRYSTAL OF POWER looks almost identical to that crystal shaft the Decepticons found in Fire in the Sky. Did the writers think green crystals and Geothermal power were somehow related?

-Megatron blasts a Satellite out of ORBIT with the weapons frame. That's one hell of a shot.

-Why did the Autobots need Skyfire anyway? Surely if they are capable of driving to the north pole to dig him out they could have just driven to Peru. The answer: To sell toys of course!

-The Autobots manage to stop an Avalanche by BLOWING EVERY SINGLE BOULDER ROLLING DOWN THE MOUNTAIN INTO GRAVEL. The cast of Gurren Lagann would be impressed.

-Brawn also shoots Megatron's fusion cannon right off his arm, drives by, grabs it, AND BLASTS HIM IN THE CHEST WITH IT.

-At one point Sideswipe remarks that "It's cold enough to freeze the ailerons off a titanium moosebot!" Cybertron is home to flying mechanical Moose. THAT IS AWESOME.

-Brawn also remarks at one point "Ain’t no one calling me a robot chicken!" Possible inspiration for the title of the Adult Swim series?

-Replace Peru with Egypt and the CRYSTAL OF POWER with the Solar Harvester and you have the end of Revenge of the Fallen!

Score: All in all this episode was pretty disjointed. So far the Decepticons have just been after things like power plants and whatnot. Here they acted more like Indiana Jones villains. Not to mention how clumsily Skyfire was shoehorned in. Still, the few awesome moments of this episode buoy it up enough to warrant a 6/10.

 

War of the Dinobots

Plot Summary: Chip makes a starling discovery! A meteor is hurtling towards earth, possibly carrying an energy source the fiendish Decepticons could use! Optimus and the other Autobots roll out to investigate, and bring the Dinobots along.

Megatron meanwhile, is not pleased by the Dinobots presence. Feeling humiliated that his forces were defeated by such "Primitive peabrained beasts", he orders Soundwave to search for their weaknesses.

Arriving at the meteor's crash site, the Autobots take a sample and order the Dinobots to stand guard. Optimus muses over how useful the Dinobots are, and instructs Wheeljack and Ratchet to build two more, since, well, why the hell not?

Soundwave however, has been listening to the Dinobots as they guard the meteor, and comes to a very simple conclusion. The Dinobots are IDIOTS. He reports back to base to tell Megatron what everyone else already figured out.

Hatching a plan, Megatron appears before the Dinobots and asks them why they follow Optimus Prime, who is obviously much weaker then they are. The Dinobots realize that they are the strongest, and that they should lead! While the Dinobots prepare an ambush for prime, the Decepticons steal the meteorite.

Back at Autobot HQ, Prime and Ratchet unveil the two newest members of the Dinobots, Snarl and Swoop. Wheeljack however has made a horrifying discovery! The meteor is highly explosive, and while they manage to contain the fragments explosion within a forcefield, they wonder what the full blast of the entire meteor would do. Outside, the two new Dinobots give a demonstration of their powers by beating the everloving crap out of Bluestreak, Ironhide, Prowl, and Sideswipe.

Prime heads back to the crash site to check on the meteor, only to discover it missing and the Dinobots hostile! Though he puts up a valiant fight, the Dinobots knock him out cold. But respecting Optimus's strength, Grimlock refuses to destroy him, choosing instead to take him to Megatron.

Meanwhile the Decepticons have begun using the meteor's energy to make energon cubes. Starscream worries about the apparent instability of the energy, but Megatron just blows him off. The Dinobots arrive with Optimus Prime in tow, causing Megatron to wonder why is he not dead yet. However, he is soon interupted by the explosion of the Energon Cubes!

Swoop and Snarl arrive, and engage the old Dinobots in battle, fighting them to a standstill. During the battle, the meteor hits critical mass, and Optimus Prime shoves Grimlock out of the way of the explosion.

Realizing that Prime is both strong and caring, Grimlock orders the Dinobots to attack Megatron. Megatron takes his usual course of action and retreats, and the Dinobots ask Prime for forgiveness. Prime accepts them back into the Autobot fold, and they all head back to HQ.

Comments:

-Spike suggests that they name the Meteor after Chip, and calls it "Meteorini Chipperoni". Did he have Italian food for lunch or something?

-I know EVERYONE has brought this up, but I still have to ask. Where the hell does Optimus Prime's trailer go when he transforms? I mean did the animators even think about that? Whenever he transforms the camera just pans up and the trailer just slinks out of sight. According to Transformers Animated, not even Optimus Prime is sure.

-Just like I am starting to wonder why Megatron keeps Starscream around, I am also starting to wonder why Optimus keeps the Dinobots around.

-I am also starting to wonder if Starscream would actually make a better leader. Megatron makes a lot of DUMB decisions. (In my opinion, the biggest one being the decisions to turn into a gun instead of something like, a tank, or a jet, or a helicopter.

Score: A much better showing then the Dinobot's debut episode, but still a rather boring one. 6/10.

 

The Ultimate Doom, Part 1. Brainwash

Plot Summary: The episode opens with Starscream, Skywarp, and Thundercracker attacking a solar power station off the coast of India, and the Autobots spring into action to fend them off! Little do they know that this attack was merely a diversion hatched by Megatron and the fiendish evil scientist Dr. Arkeville. While Prime and his cadre of Autobots are fighting the seekers, Laserbeak swoops into the (slightly less unguarded) Autobot HQ and kidnaps Sparkplug! Their plan a success, the seekers retreat, and Optimus and his crew realize they were set up.

Back at Dr. Arkeville's lab in Decepticon HQ, Dr. Arkeville plants a "Hypno-Chip" in Sparkplug's brain, the first of an intended army of human slaves for the Decepticons. Megatron then calls Shockwave on Cybertron, who confirms that the new Space Bridge is ready. Ready for what though? Well, we shall see!

The Autobots are not about to let Sparkplug remain in Decepticon clutches, and attack Decepticon HQ, recovering Sparkplug. Back at Autobot HQ, everyone seems to notice that Sparkplug is acting oddly, and repairing every single Autobot he can get his hands on, even those who don't need repairs. Suddenly, the Decepticons strike! The Autobots try to repel the invaders but Sparkplug has sabotaged their weaponry! Spike realizes that Sparkplug must have sabotaged Teletraan 1 as well, and reactivates it. Teletraan 1 responds by unleashing the SINGLE MOST DEVASTATING WEAPON KNOWN TO TRANSFORMER KIND.
FIRE. ******ANT. FOAM.

Helpless in the face of such an awesome weapon, the Decepticons retreat to the site of the new space bridge, where Megatron unveils his plan! The new space bridge will teleport CYBERTRON ITSELF to Earth, whereupon Megatron will harness the energy generated by the colossal tidal forces as the Earth rips itself apart!

No seriously, that's his plan.

The Autobots attack the site of the space bridge, but the Decepticons succeed in activating two of the three pylons necessary to open the bridge. Megatron prepares to activate the third, but Optimus stops him in his tracks. Megatron however, informs Optimus that HE will activate the final pylon, for if he doesn't, the space bridge will malfunction, catapulting Cybertron into oblivion. Optimus concedes, and activates the final pylon, warping Cybertron to earth, but he wonders if in saving Cybertron, he has doomed earth in the process.

to be continued...

Comments:

-For once the Autobots pull a new gadget out of their ***** and explain where it came from. This time, they sprout a bunch of hydrofoils to drive over the ocean itself, and explain that Wheeljack built them.

-Holy crap, apparently Hypnosis gives you super strength! Right after Sparkplug's Hypno Chip is activated, he picks up a full scale model of Optimus Prime WITH HIS BARE HANDS, AND HURLS IT ACROSS THE ROOM.

-So, let me get this straight Megatron. Your plan is to teleport an ENTIRE PLANET from one galaxy to another, a process that you admit will use up a titanic amount of energy, just so you could use the gravitational pull of that planet to cause natural disasters on ANOTHER planet, and somehow harness the energy generated by said disasters to make MORE energy?



Why not just leave Cybertron where it is? Why not teleport it to a closer planet? Why not just yank the moon closer? Why not build a device that converts YOUR OWN DAMN STUPIDITY INTO ENERGY!!?!?!?

God, no wonder Starscream wants to lead.

Score: Not going to give this one a score until I have seen the other two parts, but seriously, WTF, Megatron.

 

The Ultimate Doom, Part 2. Search

Plot Summary: As Cybertron appears within Earth's orbit, massive windstorms, tidal waves, and earthquakes rock the globe. In the midst of the chaos a battle breaks out between the Autobots and the Decepticons, but is cut short when Soundwave produces "Audio Disruptor Waves", causing the Autobots to flee in pain. The Disruptor waves also have the side effect of shorting out the Hypno Chips (except for Sparkplug for some reason), causing the slaves to run away in terror.

Dr. Arkeville realizes that the Hypno Chips are flawed, but needs more hostages to test an improved chip. After a brief experiment on Sparkplug, he is sure he has figured it out.

Megatron then begins to use seekers, each carrying a human slave, to transport Energon cubes to Cybertron. Dr. Arkeville is furious at Megatron for using his slaves this way, but Megatron assures him that having a slave inside each seeker will prevent the Autobots from attacking them. Dr. Arkeville reminds Megatron that he promised Earth to him after he was done with it, and Megatron agrees. What he does not specify is how much will be left...

Back at Autobot HQ, Optimus ponders how best to prevent the natural disasters from occurring. Wheeljack suggests using the Dinobots, as their natural toughness will protect them from the raging elements outside. The Dinobots set to work, using a bizarre network of trees and trenches to stop a tidal wave. (???)

However, the same disasters ravaging the rest of the globe strike Autobot HQ, as the volcano the Ark is embedded in erupts! The autobots abandon ship, aided by Skyfire, but Ironhide charges back into the inferno to "turn off the volcano" (uh, what?). He does this by simply blasting some rocks from the top of the volcano so that they plug up the magma shaft (um, okay...).

Optimus then learns that Sparkplug has been taken to Cybertron, and spike immediately asks to head off with the other Autobots and rescue him. Optimus concedes, and Skyfire, Wheeljack, Brawn, Trailbreaker, and Bumblebee head to the rescue. Sneaking into Shockwave's HQ, the Autobots discover the computer controlling the Hypno Chips, but before they can shut it down, Sparkplug appears! Spike attempts to reason with him and bring his old dad back, but Sparkplug is still working for the Decepticons, as he sets off the alarm...

to be continued...

Comments:

-Apparently Megatron's means of "harvesting energy" involve just sticking a bunch of weird looking drum things all over and having lightning strike them. Thanks for giving an explanation as to HOW he planned to benefit from hauling another planet into Earth's orbit, but I still think you would have been better off just attacking another Hydroelectric dam.

-Starscream comments that Megatron's plan is flawed, as it doesn't make much sense to try and create a bunch of horrible weather conditions for energy, as the weather will make it very hard to actually get the Energon Cubes off Earth. THANK YOU STARSCREAM.

-Jeez Wheeljack, if you love the Dinobots so much why don't you just marry them?

-Wouldn't it be a better idea to try and figure out how to move Cybertron out of Earth's orbit rather than trying to stop each disaster individually?

-The Autobots discover the Hypno-Chip Control when they walk into a room and see a GIANT computer with the words "HYPNO CHIP CONTROL" on it. Shockwave has no creativity when it comes to screensavers.

Score: Still not going to give this one a score yet, but a big step up from last episode. The faster pace made this one much more fun.

 

The Ultimate Doom, Part 3. Revival.

Plot summary: On Cybertron, Spike and the other Autobots attempt to flee from the Decepticon base after Sparkplug activated the alarm, only to run right into Shockwave! A fight breaks out, but Trailbreaker, Wheeljack and Skyfire come to the rescue, and they all flee to Wheeljack's workshop.

Back on earth, Megatron finally reveals how he plans to benefit from the massive tidal waves ravaging the globe. By building a massive Hydroelectric generator that will "catch" the Tsunami (seriously, what is it with Megatron and Hydroelectric power?) Dr. Arkeville is finally starting to wise up to Megatron's indifference, and ponders if Starscream would make for a better partner in crime. Meanwhile, Optimus and his band of Autobots storm the generator by SURFING ON A TSUNAMI TOWARDS THE BASE! They are too late though, as the Decepticons depart before they arrive, having left Arkeville and his slaves to drown in the Tsunami.

Back on Cybertron, Wheeljack has invented a device that will break the Hypno-Chip's control. Returning to Decepticon HQ, they test the device on Sparkplug, breaking the control, and return to Earth

On a nearby island, Megatron is overseeing the loading of Energon Cubes onto a shuttle, only to have Mirage distract the human slaves and Optimus spring out of the jungle to attack. Though it initially looks grim for the Autobots, Skyfire soon arrives from Cybertron with reinforcements, and Wheeljack activates his device, thus freeing all the slaves. Megatron however, declares victory anyway, as Cybertron crests the horizon causing a Tsunami capable of destroying ALL LIFE ON THE PLANET, as he flees earth in the shuttle.

Spike however, has a plan! Knock Cybertron out of orbit! Wheeljack protests, saying it would take almost eight million astro-liters of energy to make a sufficient explosion. Fortunately for them, Megatron's shuttle with its cargo of Energon cubes has provided just such fuel! The Autobots open fire on the shuttle, ripping it to shreds and igniting the Energon Cubes, blasting Cybertron out of orbit! Spike remarks to Optimus that the threat is over and Megatron is finished, but Optimus is not so sure. Indeed, Megatron, drifting through space, reactivates, and vows revenge...(again)...

Comments:

-Shockwave also turns into a gun, but is not nearly as stupid as Megatron's alt mode. For one thing, he can fire himself without shrinking down, and he makes a much cooler noise when he shoots (a thunderbolt sound as opposed to Megatron's "whump"). So all in all he acts more like a turret. Still not as cool as Shockwave from Transformers Animated, who turned into a tank, as well as turning into the HEAD OF AUTOBOT INTELLIGENCE SO HE COULD FEED INFO TO MEGATRON.

-Nice to see exactly how Megatron planned to harness the energy generated by a tidal wave. I still don't see why he couldn't have just yanked the moon closer though.

-At one point Starscream rescues Dr. Arkeville and tries to stockpile his own private source of Energon by trying to drain the neurological energy from Dr. Arkeville's brain. Um, I know I ragged on Megatron before for having stupid plans, but on second thought it doesn't look like Starscream would do any better.

-Spike once again demonstrates his superhuman strength by PICKING UP OPTIMUS PRIME'S GUN WITH HIS BARE HANDS AND FIRING IT.

-Spike also demonstrates how much smarter he is than the entire race of eons old aliens by being the ONLY one to think of moving Cybertron out of Earth's orbit.

Score: This might just be my favorite episode yet. I know I have ragged on this series for having horrible gaps in logic and reality before, but honestly, I'm, kind of getting used to them. I mean if I could watch Gurren Lagann with a straight face (which is a series that features mecha LITERALLY powered by sheer awesomeness), I think I can handle this. All in all, a very fun 3-parter with some good action. 9/10.

 

nice, fully fleshed reviews. at this rate you'll beat metaridley in finishing the series (he's got 4 to go). always nice to see someone else's take on good ol' g1

 

Looking good so far. I enjoy reading it.
Hope you can finish it unlike Metaridley who have given up it seems (he will probably post and say he will finish it soon though and then ignore it).

Regarding the Hydroelectric dams. It is a mystery but it seems to be a plot point in most transformers continuities (especially the hover dam), well in a lot of them anyway.

Regarding Starscream declaring himself leader left and right all the time,. The most funny and stupid time he does that is probably in "Desertion of the Dinobots pt1". I love that scene, you'll see, it's great.

Regarding the similarities between the solar harvester from Revenge of the fallen and the crystal of power... You aint seen nothing yet! It will get even closer to the plot in another episode early in season 2. The Michael Bay movies are a really good homage to the old G1 'toon, it's equally stupid.

Regarding Megatrons stupid choice of altmode. It's not his fault! Remember Teletraan One gave the transformers new altmodes when it got re-activated, they did'nt have any choice in the matter, poor Megs.

 

In G1, megs is forever to be used as someone else's instrument of destruction...

 

 

Countdown to Extinction

Plot Summary: Although the threat of the orbiting Cybertron has been lifted, the earth still lays in ruins, and the Autobots work tirelessly to repair the scarred planet (yes, all by themselves), since Megatron is gone right? Turns out they are not the only ones to notice his absence, as Starscream orders Dr. Arkeville to take him to his secret laboratory.

There, Starscream discovers Dr. Arkeville's crown jewel, the Exponential Generator! Dr. Arkeville warns Starscream that if perturbed, the Exponential Generator would explode with enough force to destroy the entire planet. Starscream however, was counting on this, and rigs up a timer that will perturb the everloving hell out of the generator in eight hours, thus destroying the earth, but providing a massive source of energy.

Megatron however, is very much NOT dead, as he nonchalantly waltzes back into Decepticon HQ. He soon discovers that Starscream has flown the coop, and cursing his traitorous ways, sets out to bring him in. Optimus however, notices the Decepticon activity, and sets out in pursuit of the Decepticons. Megatron notices the persuers, and changes course, leading the Autobots into...

(drumroll please)
THE VALLEY OF NO RETURN!!!

Indeed, as soon as the Autobots enter said Valley of No Return, they begin to sink into quicksand. Chortling with glee, Megatron leaves them for dead, and posts Laserbeak as a guard. The Autobots are not about to give up yet though, as Optimus orders Ironhide to fire his Liquid Nitrogen cannon directly into the sand, freezing it (?!?!?!?) and allowing the Autobots to escape. As they escape, Jazz manages to blast laserbeak, and replays his audio tracks, thus informing the Autobots of the happenings at Dr. Arkeville's lab.

Back on Cybertron, Dr. Arkeville attempts to sabotage the console controlling the energy collectors, but its built in security systems fry him to a crisp. Starscream still has uses for him though, and channeling his inner Darth Sidious, has him rebuilt into a cybernetic monster.

The Autobots and Decepticons arrive at the lab at the same time, and a battle breaks out. Megatron however, infiltrates the lab and begins to steal the Exponential Generator. He is stopped in his tracks by a communication from Shockwave, who warns him of the timer device. Megatron rips the device out of the wall with two seconds to go. So in other words, Megatron, bloodthirsty Galactic Tyrant, just saved the world.

Back on Cybertron, Starscream realizes something has gone wrong, and flies back to earth to check on the timer, leaving Dr. Arkeville behind (why do I get the feeling that leaving him there was a really bad move on Starscream's part?)

Realizing the threat the Generator poses, Megatron has no choice but to ask Optimus for help. Transforming into gun mode, Optimus grabs Megatron, loads the Exponential Generator into his barrel, and blasts it beyond Earth's orbit, where it detonates next to Starscream, sending him crashing back to earth where Megatron is waiting for him.

With the threat ended, the Autobots roll for home, chuckling to themselves at the thought of what Megatron will do to Starscream.

Spoiler alert: He doesn't do anything.

Comments:

-Nice to see this episode acknowledge the events of last episode. I kind of worried that they would just magically reset the status quo at the beginning of this episode.

-You gotta love Dr. Arkeville's passcode to get back into his lab;

"I, Doctor Arkeville, genius of science, say... OPEN SESAME!"

Gotta admit, he's got style.

-There is a HILARIOUS shot about 2/3rds of the way through the episode. Right as Megatron exits Dr. Arkeville's lab for the first time, there is a close up of his face. All of the sudden we hear Optimus say "Hello again Megatron!" and his fist comes STRAIGHT UP FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE SCREEN, and uppercuts Megatron. It's absolutely hilarious.

-There HAS to be some slashfic based on the shot of Optimus firing Megatron in this episode. I just know it.

Score: This was a pretty fun one. For a series that is supposed to have very little continuity, this one did a good job acknowledging previous episodes and leaves a few tidbits that could tie into future episodes. Plus it had more than one laugh out loud funny moment in it. 8/10.

 

A Plague of Insecticons

Plot Summary: Deep in the jungles of Bali lies the Demon Swamp, a realm where few dare tread, and for good reason, as it is home to the Insecticons! Three monstrous robotic insects, Shrapnel, Bombshell, and Kickback, are driven only by the desire for food. The Insecticons make their first appearance when they attack a trio of boats, gorging themselves on the grain they are carrying, but are intrigued by the farmer's mentions of a nearby farm.

The farmers radio news of the disturbance to the Autobots, and two teams set out. One aboard Skyfire, and one lead by Optimus on foot (er, wheel). Laserbeak also picks up the transmission however, and alerts Megatron, who sets off with Thundercracker and Soundwave to investigate. There, they find the Insecticon's lair, and discover it is actually an escape pod from the Nemesis! Jettisoned before the rest of the Decepticons touched down.

Optimus's team is on their way to the farm, but is blocked by a local festival. Sideswipe decides to take a shortcut and drives down into a nearby valley, only to encounter a sheer rock wall. Sideswipe then lays claim to the title of "most stubborn Autobot ever" by deciding that rather than going back up to the top, that they will DRILL under the villagers. Meanwhile, Skyfire's team arrives at the farm, only to discover that the Insecticons are incredibly formidable opponents, possessing the ability to make numerous clones of themselves out of scrap metal. Things only get worse when Megatron and his crew show up and form an alliance with the Insecticons, and proceed to attack the Autobots with all their might.

Finally Optimus and his team arrive, and the Decepticons retreat to a nearby oil refinery to recharge. As a token of gratitude to the Insecticons, Megatron offers them the contents of a nearby oil tanker, and the Insecticons gorge themselves on oil, spilling vast amounts of it into the ocean. The Autobots soon arrive, but the Decepticons are waiting for them, knocking them into the water and igniting the oil, as well as the tanker. Thankfully they manage to escape the inferno and put out the oil tanker, only to see a demonstration of another of the Insecticon's powers.

A wall of storm clouds gathers overhead, and Shrapnel begins to channel the lightning through him and blasting the Autobots. Spike however discovers an immunity, as the Autobot's rubber tires insulate them from the blasts. Some Autobots go to vehicle mode while others stand on top of them, blasting the crap out of the Insecticons.

Realizing he is losing the battle, Megatron reignites the oil tanker and shoves it at the refinery, only for Optimus to push the tanker underwater with megatron still on it, then picks it up WITH HIS BARE HANDS AND HURLS IT AT MEGATRON.

Realizing they may have picked the wrong allies, the Insecticons decide to cut their losses and om nom nom all the Energon cubes. His fury overcoming his good sense, Megatron orders the Decepticons to pursue the Insecticons, thus granting victory once again to the Autobots.

Comments:

-Nice to see the Decepticons finally get some new blood. I also really like the Insecticons (but then again I have always loved insects), as they have some really cool abilities.

-Why does Optimus even put up with Sideswipe's dumb plan to tunnel under the villagers? If I were Optimus I would have just smacked Sideswipe upside the head, called him an idiot, and waltzed on through the festival. I mean they would move right? And besides, why were the villagers having a festival in the middle of a canyon?

-They really need to resolve the issue of how big Skyfire is. Some episodes he is shown as only slightly bigger than Optimus Prime, but in others he is so titanic that he can carry all of the Autobots in vehicle mode.

-I just want to reiterate this once again. Optimus Prime PICKS UP AN ENTIRE OIL TANKER WITH HIS BARE HANDS, AND HURLS IT AT MEGATRON.

Score: I was having a hard time coming up with a score for this episode, as I really didn't have any complaints about it. Then I realized that if I don't have any complaints then I must have liked it. 9/10

 

Wait until you see the final episode of the series, where the science is so abysmal that, after finishing its initial circle, it completes another half loop and begins to suck all over again.  

Initially, the Space Bridge had "windows of opportunity" that would open and close, thereby limiting its usage. This idea (which I found added some realism to the show) was later dropped.

To be honest, the claim that the G1 cartoon had no continuity whatsoever between episodes is a half truth: Season 1 actually had several references to the events of previous episodes and built upon them. It was only when Season 2 came along that they REALLY dumbed things down and stopped doing that just so they could pad it out and reach the 65 episode minimum require for syndication.

This won't be much of an issue since Skyfire will slowly be phased out of the show, just like Reflector. And if that bothers you, I'm pretty sure trying to figure out Omega Supreme and Astrotrain will drive you insane.  

 

Heavy Metal War

Plot Summary: And here we come to the final episode of the first season of Transformers Generation 1! Only 82 more to go! WOO HOO!

So the episode opens with the introduction of a second band of new Decepticons, the Constructicons, as they raid a nearby power plant for components for a new machine that Megatron swears will end the war.

With the machine being assembled, Megatron flies to Autobot HQ, where despite the hostile reception from the Autobots, swears he is only there to talk. As the Autobots hold their fire, Megatron makes Optimus Prime an offer he cannot refuse. Invoking ancient Cybertronian law, Megatron challenges Optimus Prime to a one on one duel, the loser and his army being exiled to deep space. Optimus Prime, honorable to the end, accepts.

Megatron gets to cheating right away though, as he reveals the Constructicons invention; a device that will allow him to absorb the Power Chip Rectifiers of the other Decepticons, granting him all their abilities as well as all their strength. Starscream points out that even though Megatron might be much more powerful now, Teletraan 1 will still inform Optimus of Megatron's foul play. Megatron reveals he already has thought of that, as he has dispatched the Constructicons to tunnel under Autobot HQ and destroy Teletraan 1.

On the field of battle the two armies meet, and Megatron challenges Optimus Prime to a Trial of Position for the rank of Khan of Clan Smoke Jag-whoops, wrong giant robot universe. Anyways, Megatron beats the everloving crap out of Optimus, utilizing the powers of all the Decepticons. In shock, the Autobots return to base to prepare for their departure.

Meanwhile, the Constructicons have finished tunneling into the Autobot base, only to discover the Dinobots active and waiting for them. A titanic battle breaks out, in which a lava vent from the volcano is reopened. Seeing that the battle is going downhill, the Constructicons pull out their ace in the hole! They combine into the monstrous DEVASTATOR!!! The Autobots arrive, but due to Optimus' (sigh) "code of honor"... they are unable to help. Inside they discover that Megatron did, in fact, cheat (did it really take Teletraan 1 for you to figure that out?) and rush back outside to aid the Dinobots.

Hound distracts Devastator with one of his holograms, and Optimus blasts him to pieces with a single ion blast! The Autobots launch an all out offensive, blasting the rest of the Decepticons into the lava! There is much rejoicing at the end of the war! ...until Megatron rises from the lava, vowing vengence (again).

Comments:

-Um, so in the beginning of the episode the Constructicons raid a power plant that uses "energy disks" to collect cosmic radiation and provide enough electricity to power the entire world. Why the Decepticons didn't try and steal its power is beyond me. Probably because Megatron is actually a closet hippy that believes only in using "clean" energy. (See, the billion times he has attacked Hydroelectric dams)

-Why did Optimus Prime agree to Megatron's terms? Didn't he know he was going to cheat? I mean he's a DECEPTIC(i)ON, cheating is like his modus operandi!

-When it comes to honor, Optimus has NOTHING on Dinobot.

-G1 Devastator and RoTF Devastator have more in common than you may think! They both LOOK really scary, but turn out to be tremendous wusses who are blown apart by a single shot.

Score: For a season finale as well as an introductory episode, this episode was pretty lame. I mean, I'm used to Megatron acting like an idiot, but now Optimus has to start running around with the idiot ball? Plus, Devastator failed to impress in EVERY way. I'm sorry, but this one only gets a 3/10.

 

Autobot Spike

Plot Summary: The episode opens with yet another mad science experiment taking place in Autobot Headquarters, but this time it's Sparkplug playing the role of mad doctor, not Wheeljack! Using human ingenuity and spare parts, he has cobbled together a patchwork robot which he calls Autobot X. Switching it on, it immediately goes berserk and starts destroying the base (gee, big surprise). The Autobots manage to subdue it though, and Optimus Prime orders it placed into storage. Wheeljack though expresses interest in Autobot X, saying that if an Autobot dies, they might be able to upload their mind into Autobot X while their body is repaired.

Before anything else can happen though, Teletraan 1 sounds an alarm! Decepticons have been sighted attacking a nearby rocket base, and the Autobots rush to their aid. The rocket base is nearly destroyed in the ensuing carnage, but the Decepticons are forced to retreat. But to cover their escape, Megatron blasts Bumblebee while Spike is inside him, severely wounding both. Spike is rushed to the hospital, where the doctor says the only way the operation could be successful is if they somehow found a way to separate Spike's mind from his body. Hrm...I wonder how they would do that...

They of course come to the conclusion of placing Spike's mind inside Autobot X while the operation takes place. Awakening in his new body, Spike is understandably a little freaked out, and once again, goes on a rampage. Optimus Prime manages to subdue Spike by gently shooting him in the chest, and Spike manages to calm down. In order to keep him calm, Wheeljack tunes Teletraan 1 into a television station, so Spike can watch a movie.

Turns out the movie is Frankenstein. Whoops. Spike draws the parallels between the film and his current situation and once again, you guessed it, goes on a rampage. Escaping from the Ark, Spike flees to the wilderness, where he wonders what to do next. Will he use his new powers to help mankind, or will he try and destroy humanity (what about just keeping calm and waiting for the operation to be finished?)

Laserbeak though, managed to once again be listening, and reports back to Megatron with the news. Megatron decides to turn this to his advantage, and finding Spike, points out that since the Autobots turned him into a mechanical monster he should side with the Decepticons and get revenge. Spike decides this is a great idea!

Bumblebee leads the other Autobots to Spike's location to try and talk him down. Only then do they realize that Spike has a new friend; Megatron! Spike opens fire on the Autobots with Megatron, but the Autobots refuse to return fire out of fear of destroying Spike's mind. Sparkplug tries to talk to his son directly, but Spike responds by blasting him off a cliff. This seems to snap Spike out of it, as he uses his robotic grappling gun to rescue his dad and return to his senses.

With the operation finally complete, Spike is returned to his own body. But Bumblebee wonders what might happen if an Autobot was Transfered to a human body. Hmm...I guess we shall see!

Comments:

-Um, in what sort of wierd medical procedure would you need to seperate the patient's mind from his body? Just give the kid a crapload of sedatives and your're good to go.

-You know what, my dad happens to be an E.R. Doctor, lemme ask him.

-A transcript of the conversation:


Me: Hey dad, I was wondering about something, I need your medical expertise.

Dad: Okay, shoot.

Me: Well, I was just wondering. Is there any procedures in which you need to like, seperate the patient's mind from their body and put it somewhere else?

Dad: Um...well your getting outside of my ballpark. You mean like hypnotizing them?

Me: No I mean like taking the mind out and putting it somewhere else.

Dad: Um, well we make people unconscious all the time, and create a sense of...dissociation, and you can do that with a variety of medications. Um...is that what your talking about?

Me: Not really. Its more like removing their mind.

Dad: You mean removing their brain?

Me: No, just their mind, and then taking it and (at this point I start laughing uncontrollably).


Score: I've heard that season 2 is supposed to be more character driven and episodic than season 1, but this one does not give me great hope for the rest of the season. The plot runs on a series of ludicrous events that would never happen in the real world, or in most other cartoons for that matter. I mean I know it was for kids, but I think kids are smart enough to know that this sort of crap does not happen. 2/10.