In many respects, Rescue Bots is arguably one the most mature TF series ever made (and I use the word "mature" in its most literal, denotative meaning and not what the likes of Adult Swim, Michael Bay, or Zack Snyder would have us believe the word to mean), as it tackled many concepts and subjects not often dealt with in TF cartoons, or tackled in ways that most TF cartoons didn't try for.
Take the first three episodes of Blurr and Salvage, for instance. I've gone into this trilogy of episodes before, but by golly, these episodes were practically an analytical deconstruction of every single TF cartoon episode that ever dealt with the subject of "young kid-appeal good guy character gets into trouble against his leader's orders". Every time Cheetor/Side Burn/Wedge/Armada Hot Shot/Energon Ironhide/Cybertron Hot Shot/Animated Bumblebee/Prime Smokescreen/etc. would get cause some mischief, he'd learn a lesson by the episode's end and at best get a stern talking to or at worst get a pat on the back and a "We're glad you're okay" from each's respective Optimus, and all that would be promptly forgotten the very next time each kid-appeal character would once again get into trouble, then learn his lesson again, and rinse and repeat.
The trilogy of episodes that debuted Blurr and Salvage were basically a big middle finger to that episodic story structure and were like "No! That's not how it works! The troublemaker isn't gonna learn anything that way. He's just gonna keep making the same mistake over and over again." Rescue Bots' take on that scenario actually devoted time and effort to put some developmental growth not only into the young troublemaker (Blurr) but also into his leader (Heatwave). Blurr caused trouble in his first outings and, on top of the revelation from Salvage about what really happened in the past (Blurr nearly abandoning Salvage on Earth), the episode ends with most of the team no longer wanting to trust him. That's a pretty grim and yet realistically believable way to end that episode. It shows that Blurr's not just gonna fall in line with the team overnight, and that trust needs to be earned instead of handed out on a silver platter.
The only reason the team keeps in on is because Optimus (as Optimuses are wont to do) encouraged Heatwave to give Blurr another chance, which unlike Optimus Heatwave is all too reluctant to do. Though Heatwave, we're given a leader who fully displays his frustration with Blurr's insubordination and (even outside of these episodes all throughout the show) consistently demonstrates the burdens and struggles of leadership and dealing with interpersonal difficulties. We've gotten some of this before with the likes of Optimus Primal and Animated Optimus Prime, but Heatwave not only puts up with crud every day of his life but also doesn't try to hide it behind of facade of being the ideal "paragon of virtue" leader that most Optimuses try to be. Heatwave represents the "hardworking Average Joe in a leader position" role to its fullest. And in these episodes, that role of his is not only put to it greatest challenge but also
pushed to its limits.
That last part needs to be spelled out. Unlike all other Optimuses, Heatwave completely loses his cool with Blurr's antics in the second episode and, by that episode's conclusion, ultimately decides to GIVE UP on Blurr. That's right. He gives up on trying to work with Blurr. That is such a human quality for the character to have that makes him so much more relatable than most other Optimuses with their "never give up on the little guy" ideals. While such ideals are very noble and set a very good example, Heatwave's situation of having his patience pushed to its limits shows a sense of believability in the character that many more can relate to. And I guess that's what sets Optimus and Heatwave apart from each other as leaders: Optimus is the kind of leader we can look up and aspire to be like to better ourselves, while Heatwave is the kind of leader we can relate to and see as a reflection of ourselves and our own human qualities and flaws. In a way, I thunk that kinda makes Heatwave a much better take on the kind of leader that the G1 cartoon tried to make Rodimus Prime into as a contrast to Optimus Prime, but I digress.
And then of course, to fully illustrate just how far the ill feelings between the stubborn youth and the disgruntled mentor can go, after overhearing Heatwave talk about wanting to give up on Blurr, Blurr steals the Sigma and leaves Earth. Coupled with Heatwave's less-than-ideal willingness to give up on the guy, it's amazing how far this preschool show was willing to go with its characters setting bad examples for children by its trying for realistic character depictions. For the situation Blurr was put into, it is very believable that someone like him would, so-to-speak, "make off with his father's car" in the heat of the moment. They really went that far in this preschool show. I can't think of many shows for that demographic that have ever amped the character drama that high up.
And, of course, with this being Griffin Rock, as soon as Blurr leaves with the ship, things go from bad to worse as solar flares knock out the power everywhere on island and cause a satellite to head on a collision course with the island. It takes nearly the entire episode for Blurr to grow a conscience and finally kick in his guilt to make him turn the ship around and try to save the island from the satellite. And, of course, with this show being this show, the rescue can't simply be anything simple, no, it has to be some nail-biting, death-defying experience that puts its audience on edge with suspenseful tension and close call saves held at the very last minute of do-or-die situations held passed the point of no return (man, I love this show!).
But Blurr's dynamic save aside, it's only after he comes through for everyone in the end that he and everyone finally come to terms with each other after all that they'd had to put up with him, and his having to get used to them. It really goes to show how much they put into making sure this issue between Blurr and the team wasn't resolved so quickly. That they devoted
three whole episodes to tackling and deconstructing a subject that is such a staple of TF cartoons when its typically done in just
one episode, and that they made its character development and lesson learned actually
matter in the long run of the whole series, is immensely impressive.
. 