After watching the entire series start to finish (sigh) this weekend, I'll say that the ending suffered from brevity. The poignancy and impact of certain scenes were never allowed to sit with the viewer before moving to the next, and there were numerous harsh transitions. Scenes like: Jazz holding Prowl's body in front of the Autobots was given no time to develop because Megatron immediately attacked, Ratchet reunited with Arcee to have BB and Bulkhead bust in, etc.

I think AniProwl pointed out that the first half of the last two season finales were written by this writer, and then Isenberg would come in to finish it off. It seemed like a lot of the character scenes and dialog (hallmarks of the series) were cut to wrap up as many storylines as possible in the time alloted. It's possible Isenberg had been asked to leave CN as the final episode was being written, and this is the result.

The writing up to the finale allowed the characters to react naturally to their environments and have room to breathe and reflect after climactic events. The fast-paced and breathless nature of the finale left no time for the characters (or viewers) to think, and it took some of the impact away. Take into account that the characters reacted based on time constraints and not based on their history (Why did Sari not flip out when she learned of Prowl's death? Why did Prowl attack the Lugnut Supremes instead of searching for a weak point?) and you have all the earmarks of *wrap it up now*.

I don't think we would have gotten any additional closure for the dangling plotlines...this is the story they wanted to convey, albeit truncated. I think they intended for it to be a three part finale and at the 11th hour, were told they only had X episodes to do it. They hit the necessary plot points and cut the characterization. It's unfortunate, because while the plotting was good, it was the characterization that made the show.

 

Yes it felt rushed, but I love what they did with the time they had, and I will hold this show as one of the greatest. It and its representation of those characters will be remembered fondly, not only for how well they were portrayed, but also because the show marked the first time I could watch Transformers with my son, and didn't feel it was too stupid to expose him to (ie. Armada).

 

I was thinking the same thing. BW felt so rushed.

I don't know. I liked the finale of Animated, but I really wanted to see the Dinobots, the Constructicons, Wreckgar, and all of the gang there helping out, and so on. That would have been soo much better.

 

WAY too rushed and incomplete. Beast Wars was rushed, but it still felt like everything was more or less wrapped up. Not so with Animated-- it's clearly closer to the end than the beginning, but it needs an epilogue to wrap things up, particularly with Sari.

 

Well said.

 

"We'll miss you, Skulk."
"Prowl, Prime."
"Whatever."

I will just quote my post from the actual episode thread:

Well...I think the verdict is tending towards "It was rushed, so there was only so much that could be done.".

I think that's what it comes down to, to a great extent. There's only so much that could be done in 20 minutes, so a fair number of things set up earlier in the show could not be addressed and now, never will be, unless it's in a comic.

Others have already gone over the largest plot threads that will be left dangling, so I don't feel the need to go into them at great length. The Dinobots, Lockdown, Swindle...they'll likely just go on doing what they do, so there's no need to mull over that too much. Blurr is and has been dead, so that needn't be chewed over any further. It's safe to assume Ultra Magnus will likely recover, Shockwave certainly acted as though that were a possibility.

The issues with Sari are, I think, the biggest "no payoff" ones, though. What was she? That wasn't a typical protoform. How did it get into the lab? What's with the new, technopathy power?

The rest can be left hanging, or extrapolated from, but she's the one where there's just far too much left unaddressed. Perhaps it may have been better if they had had her in more episodes in season 3.

Oh well, definitely one of the better TF series in a good while. Hopefully, with Hasbro being in on their own network soon, they'll be able to keep up the quality level to this and BW's standards.

- Coeloptera

 

Yea, it was really rushed. I mean it looks like they came up with it on the last minute. Sorry but animated needs a better ending than that.

 

Yes. It felt like they could have even had a like 4 more episodes in there.

 

its more rushed than season 4 of g1

 

Yes I feel they rushed it.

 

How is stating my personal dissatisfaction with the finale "exaggerating"??? 

 

I mean dang, they could have at least had the Rebirth.  

Still the ending was better than G1, but just like it, leaves me totally wanting more.

 

Rushed ending ftw! It would be an insult to TFA if they tried to conjure up a totally new series after this, with all the loose ends left go.

I am so SAD11!!!!!!!