Re: In Which I watch Transformers Generation One
Posted: Wed Jul 27, 2011 6:59 am
Blast Cannon wrote:Your review of the Desertion of the Dinobots inspired me to go back and rewatch one of my favourite ever episodes of Generation One. It really was freakin' awesome! I think that the best part of this double episode was the amount of time given to scenes on Cybertron and the sense of wonder for Spike and Carly. It also gave Shockwave some well needed screen time too!
Yeah. All around it's a great two-parter. The scenes on Cybertron could actually get one choked up a bit.
As for your question about Cybertronium... I'm not actually sure. We could postulate until the cows came home and probably not get near the truth. It was probably little more than a dodgy plot device to reduce the Transformers to a sorry state for a couple of episodes, considering that it's never mentioned again throughout the multiverse!
Yeah. I think this is the only time we see it in any canon.
And now for something for all those on the right side... but stray a bit to the bad once in a while.
The Gambler
If anyone didn't expect that, I'm sorry.
On a warm summer's evenin', on a starship bound for Earth... The toy rocket's engines fail. Inferno chews Perceptor out, who stumbles a bit for words. He's interrupted when the ship's caught in a tractor beam and hauled aboard some other ship. Abrupt, yes? The Autobots disembark and are escorted to a lab. Perceptor is fascinated, but tubes shoot up from the floor and around them. Good thing they were standing in those spots!
The captain of the freighter, 'Bosch', enters and introduces himself. Prime demands to be released. Bosch flips a switch and electric bolts shoot from the top of the tubes. "Your weapons are deactivated, your inherent powers are nullified and your free will is suspended. Ta-da, instant slaves!" But Smokescreen's tube fails. It opens and he pulls his rifle, but one of Bosch's guards shoots him with a Rainbow Dash beam. Bosch takes the gun from him and Smokescreen asks what he'll do with them.
Bosch is gonna sell them for energon. Hmm, a known quantity outside the Decepticons. Bosch also expos that the machines can also restore free will. Why he said that I don't know. He goes over to a slot machine and pulls the lever, but he loses. "Argh, I can't even beat my own machine anymore! And I had it fixed so i could cheat!"
The stun beam wears off and Smokescreen goes over and pulls out a wire from his wrist. He wins and Bosch is impressed. "It's all in the wrist." Bosch wants to go to Monacus, "the biggest gambling asteroid in the galaxy!" Smokescreen agrees to win enough energon to power Bosch's freighter in exchange for the Autobots' freedom. Let's hope he knows when to hold 'em and when to fold 'em.
And Monacus is, of course, named for Monaco, real-life country. the Autobots are released from the tubes and shrunk. "I'll restore them to the normal heights... later." And he scoops them up and places them in a tiny box. Subspace mass displacement?
A shuttle is launched to an orange planet and Monacus!
Lovely place, eh?
The shuttle skids to a landing. Smokescreen corrects Bosch on his name. "The name's Smokescreen. And I never walk when i can drive!" He transforms and Bosch is impressed. In Monacus, though, Bosch can't get collateral for the Autobots. Amusingly' he's directed to 'Asimov'. And I hope I don't have to explain the joke. All that's left is some guy named Lord Gyconi, in Sheol. A small colony on the Dark Side.
We cut to them walking down a street to a rather medieval-looking place. "Lord Gyconi's Pit of Destruction." For all your family-friendly entertainment! They pass the spy from episode four: A new Hope.
No doubt on his way to inform the Imperials about Han and Luke.
Inside is a gladiator pit with a robot and some... thing. An animalien. Bet ten chips and last for sixty seconds wins their life and one hundred energon chips. Some pathetic lizard-thing comes up and jabbers. Bosch translates he's demanding five chips apiece admission. Bosch tells him they're here on official business and are led to-HOLY ****!
It's Jabba with legs and clothing, but still uglier! He asks what they're offering and Bosch presents the Autobots as collateral. He enlarges them and Gyconi offers fifty chips at five hundred percent interest. Bosch balks, but it's the best offer. Smokescreen takes it. Gyconi drops the bomb that it's payable within the hour. As they leave, Gyconi tells the lizard to prepare the Autobots for a fight tonight.
We cut to a casino and Smokescreen doin' his thing. He's on a roll and bets it all, giving Bosch a heart attack. Unfortunately he doesn't know when to walk away and counts his money at the table. The hooded figure pulls off the tab and Smokescreen loses! You just lost Prime and the Matrix! We are SCREWED!!!
Back at Gyconi's, he takes possession of the Autobots and sends them down an elevator, but hands out two free passes to the show. Animaliens against the Autobots. Smokescreen is angry, but is 'escorted' out. And we learn the lizard's name is 'Slizardo'.
We cut to Astrotrain landing and Dirge and Ramjet exiting. A nice bit of continuity since Thrust is back on Earth. Dirge complains about the distance, but Astrotrain's on empty. As the coneheads walk off, Astrotrain takes a page out of Waspinator's book. "It's always the same thing. I fly them to points unknown, exhaust all my fuel and they get to have all the fun!" The coneheads walk off. Dirge has a creepy feeling they're being watched, but Ramjet dismisses it... but we pan back to see an Autobot watching them! Trust the paranoid ones! He makes a log and runs off, tracking them.
At Monacus, Smokescreen chews him out but Bosch actually comforts him. He suggests they go to Gyconi's as Slizardo is beat up, but the Autobot from before pulls the bullies back and tosses them away. Smokescreen's amazed. "He wears the symbol of the Autobots!" He calls over and the Autobot is joyous to see another Autobot. His name's Devcon. He left Cybertron during the Great War... but more of the story will have to wait as Slizardo comes over and kisses Devcon's hand!
Bosch translates that Slizardo is pledging his loyalty and gratitude to Devcon for saving his life. Devcon brushes him off, though. Aww... We learn Devcon's a bounty hunter, searching for Decepticons. Umm... who's gonna pay the bounty? Although he's about ten billion times cooler than Boba Fett. he tells them about Astrotrain and his posse and asks if they've seen them. Smokescreen reasons they're at Gyconi's.
We cut to said pit as Dirge and Ramjet shake him down. Megatron's been hearing stories as Gyconi sweats-thankfully only metaphorically. And now he does sweat. *Sigh* Ah, it's a racket! I like that! Although when did Megatron set it up? Dirge finds the card adverting the match and Ramjet decides to stick around. Interesting how assertive they are when not around Megatron and shaking down scum like Gyconi.
In the holding area below the pit, gyconi fuels the Autobots up with unstable energon. Unstable energon usually explodes, but okay. They'll figth fiercely for a few minutes, but the effects will wear off. The fix is in!
The first match is Prime himself. Normally he'd be able to wipe out all the beasts, methinks. His eyes are glowing red. There's a lockup and he's winning at first. Smokescreen cheers him on and the spectators bet on him. The energon wears off and it's over. Inferno's pushed in and it's a tag team match!
Smokescreen walks out and transforms, backing into the doorway and spewing out his titular smokescreen. The entire arena's covered in smoke. Gyconi tries spin control as the spectators grab their chips and run out. We see looped footage of the crowd vacating as Ramjet realizes it's Smokescreen. Are powers really that singular? Gyconi somehow orders them to get them and they oblige, probably by coincidence than actually following his orders.
Bocsh tells him to slow down as they've gotten away. "Maybe, maybe not!" At least Smokescreen knew when to run as Dirge and Ramjet fly overhead and attack. They think they're safe... and Smokescreen's blown on his roof. Fortunately Devcon shows up and blasts the coneheads. Dirge is scared oilless and they run off. Devcon helps them up and Smokescreen asks him to go back to Earth with them.
Devcon... it's his voice. He really wants to, but he's got other duties. He'll help them get the other Autobots, though. Devcon... runs along as Smokescreen drives. Almost over Slizardo, too. Slizardo says the Decepticons and Gyconi are leaving with the Autobots and are at Astrotrain.
We cut there and see the Autobots... loading up energon cubes into Astrotrain. That is so wrong. The still-functioning Autobots arrive and there's a firefight. Ramjet orders the Sutobots into Astrotrain and Bosch and Slizardo make a run to stop them. Character development! Gyconi calls for Astrotrain and he's fully energized. He transforms! "Now prepare to meet my friend-mister ionic displacer!" I believe that's his toy's gun.
Smokescreen transforms and spews out smoke, confusing the Decepticons. They cough... which is not unheard of but still weird. Astrotrain transforms and they board. Even Gyconi! Devcon transforms to pursue and invites Slizardo to join him. Aww.
We need a Devcon toy.
We cut to the Autobots, restored to free will. Prime's confused as all hell. He doesn't remember anything, but Inferno remembers Bosch frying them! But Bosch is their friend now. Unfortunately they're out of fuel. But Casino Row is right over there... "Hey, what about a little rnr, guys?"
Prime agrees! "Why not?" Yeah, Primes don't party my sine function! He's gonna hit the town and paint it red! They transform and roll for the big time!
Thoughts
I liked this episode. Nice to see a follow-up of Child's Play, there. Also, Smokescreen is one dirty mamma jamma! Sneaky, but in a good way. Bosch was interesting, too. Devcon... we need him as a toy. STAT!