The Energon Pub

News Credits: 6188 · by **Va'al** » Tue Aug 30, 2016 9:17 am

New week, new Tuesday, new episode of the Machinima animated series Transformers: Combiner Wars! The fifth episode is titled Homecoming, and is currently available for US viewers via Verizon's go90 streaming service here. Later today, we will update this story with the Machinima official YouTube link, which works for viewers outside of the US - though not all regions, somehow. Also coming later, our regular review of the episode, so keep your optics tuned on Seibertron.com!

UPDATE: YouTube clip embedded.

News Credits: 56 · by **o.supreme** » Tue Aug 30, 2016 9:47 am

Just watched episode 5. If this was a longer series, this would have been a good scene. I know many people were hating on this series from frame 1, but I wanted to give a fair chance. After 5 episodes, I don't hate it, but I just don't like the overall story. Its direction, the world surrounding it....which is sad because I had such high hopes for it. Combiners and other large Transformers are literally my favorite characters in the franchise overall, its sad that 32+ years into this, they are very rarely portrayed in a way that seems accurate, if ever.

Sabrblade wrote:this deep disembodied voice who told her "Don't... let this happen." Who said that?! And why was this a thing? It's never brought up again in the episode, nor even really acknowledged that much by Windblade when she hears it. It was just really weird.

I'm guessing/hoping for Metroplex, or some Titan, but at this point who knows. Based on some Q&A from the developers, I'm about 90% certain the final scene of the last episode will contain some kind of teaser of something to come. Unfortunately I don't think there ever will be a follow up to this based on how poorly it is being received.

Also yeah, the whole "we need to make a combiner". I wasn't aware that the enigma was like a genie lamp you could just rub and have one pop up out of nowhere. I guess the individual combiner components really aren't going to be acknowledged at all...again very sad.

Yay for Devastator I guess...and its sad to say, but this does seem like a shameless attempt from an adult who hated Rodimus back in 1986, to "kill him" just because. Yes maybe several of us thought that way 30 years ago, even acted it out with our toys...but now it just seems silly.

News Credits: 3 · by **Randomhero** » Tue Aug 30, 2016 10:08 am

o.supreme wrote:Just watched episode 5. If this was a longer series, this would have been a good scene. I know many people were hating on this series from frame 1, but I wanted to give a fair chance. After 5 episodes, I don't hate it, but I just don't like the overall story. Its direction, the world surrounding it....which is sad because I had such high hopes for it. Combiners and other large Transformers are literally my favorite characters in the franchise overall, its sad that 32+ years into this, they are very rarely portrayed in a way that seems accurate, if ever.

Sabrblade wrote:this deep disembodied voice who told her "Don't... let this happen." Who said that?! And why was this a thing? It's never brought up again in the episode, nor even really acknowledged that much by Windblade when she hears it. It was just really weird.

I'm guessing/hoping for Metroplex, or some Titan, but at this point who knows. Based on some Q&A from the developers, I'm about 90% certain the final scene of the last episode will contain some kind of teaser of something to come. Unfortunately I don't think there ever will be a follow up to this based on how poorly it is being received.

Also yeah, the whole "we need to make a combiner". I wasn't aware that the enigma was like a genie lamp you could just rub and have one pop up out of nowhere. I guess the individual combiner components really aren't going to be acknowledged at all...again very sad.

Yay for Devastator I guess...and its sad to say, but this does seem like a shameless attempt from an adult who hated Rodimus back in 1986, to "kill him" just because. Yes maybe several of us thought that way 30 years ago, even acted it out with our toys...but now it just seems silly.

If critical reception was the only thing that mattered then we would never have gotten a movie after revenge of the fallen. Online media is based on views and advertisement. Just because a bunch of adult fans are so vocally negative doesn't mean this won't get to finish what they're planning with Titans Return and part 3.

News Credits: 191 · by **Kurona** » Tue Aug 30, 2016 11:19 am

Not much to say other than Rodimus finally feeling natural. This feels like a more matured version of the character now who's learned to be cautious and kept his good morals intact; like a natural progression of the character in the G1 cartoon and other incarnations years later. Dunno where this Rodimus was in Episode 2, it's a complete 180.
Which is nice for me since Rodimus is probably my favourite Transformers character at this point.

News Credits: 4835 · by **william-james88** » Tue Aug 30, 2016 11:26 am

Kurona wrote:Not much to say other than Rodimus finally feeling natural. This feels like a more matured version of the character now who's learned to be cautious and kept his good morals intact; like a natural progression of the character in the G1 cartoon and other incarnations years later. Dunno where this Rodimus was in Episode 2, it's a complete 180.
Which is nice for me since Rodimus is probably my favourite Transformers character at this point.

I was gonna say the same thing but you said it better. I also like his voice here.

News Credits: 419 · by **Bronzewolf** » Tue Aug 30, 2016 11:37 am

I have to say, I really liked this episode. I have almost no problems with it at all. The review's on it's way!

News Credits: 56 · by **o.supreme** » Tue Aug 30, 2016 11:47 am

About the Mistress...I assume the hammer she has is the Forge of Solus Prime, though I cannot find anything to confirm that, so I may be wrong, it may just be a facsimile. In any case... did it seem almost humorous to anyone else whenever she tapped her "forge" on the ground, the lack of weight it seemingly had really took away from her credibility. I mean if you are going to slam your staff down to get someone's attention, do it right...

https://youtu.be/8Qtgm5g5Gyo 0:42

News Credits: 4835 · by **william-james88** » Tue Aug 30, 2016 11:49 am

o.supreme wrote:About the Mistress...I assume the hammer she has is the Forge of Solus Prime

I also thought it could be that, especially since those 3 do appear to be the heads of Cybertron.

Also, this now makes her a much more importat character than Maxima ever was. o much for that top 10 list.

News Credits: 419 · by **Bronzewolf** » Tue Aug 30, 2016 11:50 am

o.supreme wrote:About the Mistress...I assume the hammer she has is the Forge of Solus Prime, though I cannot find anything to confirm that, so I may be wrong, it may just be a facsimile. In any case... did it seem almost humorous to anyone else whenever she tapped her "forge" on the ground, the lack of weight it seemingly had really took away from her credibility. I mean if you are going to slam your staff down to get someone's attention, do it right...

https://youtu.be/8Qtgm5g5Gyo 0:42

Lol Right? *Tick* *Tick* *Tick*

News Credits: 456 · by **Sabrblade** » Tue Aug 30, 2016 12:17 pm

o.supreme wrote:About the Mistress...I assume the hammer she has is the Forge of Solus Prime, though I cannot find anything to confirm that, so I may be wrong, it may just be a facsimile.

Yeah, I doubt it's the Forge. It's probably just a symbol of her authority meant to be a tribute to the Forge in a vein of "Our great Solus Prime once wielded a mighty hammer of her own, and so too shall I wield a hammer of my own in her honor."

News Credits: 1642 · by **D-Maximal_Primal** » Tue Aug 30, 2016 1:32 pm

Megatron and Starscream are leading the way for me. Rodimus is good now too, but those first 2 are the best so far. I love this Megatron

News Credits: 2 · by **Mr Skram** » Tue Aug 30, 2016 1:44 pm

"Combiners are going to ruin everything" several moments later "omg we have to use the enigma!!!"
I laughed heartily when she did her little taptaptap with the hammer. :lol:

This show is like some beautiful fever dream. So inconsistent and nonsensical but I can't stop watching.

Also, dunno if anyone's seen this but I just found it while bouncing around from vid to vid on Youtube.

Talk about your toys coming to life on screen, eh?

News Credits: 191 · by **Kurona** » Tue Aug 30, 2016 2:08 pm

Courtesy of fellow Seibertronian Mr Skram, we have a new Youtube video relevant to the recent animated Combiner Wars Machinima series - a stop-motion battle featuring Windblade, the Constructicons and Victorion by youtube user counter656, sponsored by Machinima. Perhaps most notably, it shortly contains a yet-to-be-seen clip of the actual series before the stop-motion battle starts. Check it out below and tell us what you think!

News Credits: 47 · by **Survivefan23** » Tue Aug 30, 2016 2:48 pm

For some dumb reason. My computer won't let me view YouTube videos on this site. I need a link from now on.

News Credits: 2 · by **Mr Skram** » Tue Aug 30, 2016 3:01 pm

Survivefan23 wrote:For some dumb reason. My computer won't let me view YouTube videos on this site. I need a link from now on.

Here ya go! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0P8VRCw87x0

by **Braker** » Tue Aug 30, 2016 3:28 pm

Sad that this looks better than the actual show...

News Credits: 47 · by **Survivefan23** » Tue Aug 30, 2016 3:29 pm

Thanks.

News Credits: 90 · by **Tyrannacon** » Tue Aug 30, 2016 3:31 pm

D-Maximus_Primal wrote:Megatron and Starscream are leading the way for me. Rodimus is good now too, but those first 2 are the best so far. I love this Megatron

Definitely agree with this. I loved Megatron and Starscream in this last video and this Megs is definitely an awesome one as always.

Mr Skram wrote:"Combiners are going to ruin everything" several moments later "omg we have to use the enigma!!!"
I laughed heartily when she did her little taptaptap with the hammer.

This show is like some beautiful fever dream. So inconsistent and nonsensical but I can't stop watching.

Also, dunno if anyone's seen this but I just found it while bouncing around from vid to vid on Youtube.

Talk about your toys coming to life on screen, eh?

I enjoyed that. Definitely not bad. Looked good to see the toys being animated via stop motion and what not.

News Credits: 2 · by **X3ROhour** » Tue Aug 30, 2016 3:42 pm

Kurona wrote:
Z3ROhour wrote:Computron was created by Grimlock?

I've never been able to come to terms with this.

Even if Grimlock just has a speech impediment,
In no way can he pull that off.

What am I missing?
Savant syndrome?

Tell me!

The G1 episode it happened in featured an accident where Grimlock got a ton of information and intelligence flown straight into his brain. He later created the Technobots and, to go back to his status quo, transferred the intelligence to them and Computron and went back to his usual self.

I watched it.
I get it.
Like Bulkhead's Synth-En?

Ok.
;)^

News Credits: 2 · by **X3ROhour** » Tue Aug 30, 2016 3:44 pm

Me likey.

Want more.

:saint:

News Credits: 2 · by **X3ROhour** » Tue Aug 30, 2016 3:48 pm

That Bot wrote:I feel like the only person on this website who doesn't have any issues with the animation framerate. It seems fine to me.

It's alright and pretty.
Ain't no TF Prime!
But beggars and choosers!

;)^

News Credits: 456 · by **Sabrblade** » Tue Aug 30, 2016 3:50 pm

It dawned on me earlier today why Megatron's personality in this show has been so entertaining. It's because he's not acting like G1 Megatron. Instead, he's acting like Cy-Kill! :KREMZEEK:

by **firefox91** » Tue Aug 30, 2016 4:14 pm

Wow! That fan-made video blew my expectations away. It was fantastic, excellent work!

News Credits: 11 · by **primalxconvoy** » Tue Aug 30, 2016 5:38 pm

The fan-made video was ok, except for the way the characters waddled around. There was a "better" version made, with optimus fighting Maketoys Giant, but the creator replaced that version (containing the g1 cartoon music and no speaking) with an awful dubbed version (complete with muffler speech that doesn't fit the actions on screen), so I won't bother giving the url.

As for the official episode, it's still not available in Japan (and I've just given Machinima an earful as they officially claim everyone else can access it at YouTube, which is simply not true), plus those who can't have official sites (China, etc) to view it on. Machinima needs to have a disclaimer listing all the countries that AREN'T supported and/or ensure those countries are either supported at YouTube or given official outlets. In the meantime, a Google search for an online YouTube downloader/streamer will solve any problems temporarily.

Anyway, this episode was awful, as usual:

- Noone considered that CONTROLLING sentient combining beings was unethical. Not even Rodimus.
- Animation was terrible.
- The way that silly female character kept tapping her hammer on the ground, like an immature child was hilariously out of sync with the show's tone.
- The ease with which Rodimus, like every other character, is able to be killed by having his arms ripped off. They should have called the show "Hero Mashers - Our Sparks are in our Limbs".
- etc.

News Credits: 1642 · by **D-Maximal_Primal** » Tue Aug 30, 2016 5:41 pm

primalxconvoy wrote:- The ease with which Rodimus, like every other character, is able to be killed by having his arms ripped off. They should have called the show "Hero Mashers - Our Sparks are in our Limbs".
- etc.

Pretty sure he did not die. there was no indication that he did or would have yet