The Energon Pub

^ ok but look up the c-word, it's a racial slur and no one is using it like that on purpose but words still matter.

ScottyP wrote:^ ok but look up the c-word, it's a racial slur and no one is using it like that on purpose but words still matter.

... It is? Did not know that. But to play Devil's advocate, a certain Dinobot is named for a pile of scrap molten steel, except if you live in England, and I dont know of any of our "Crazy Brits" who are offended by Slag the Dinobot. Course, there are a number of things that didnt use to be offensive that either are now or are sensitive about, bit context should matter too.

If anything, the old Chug name is still too general in referring to certain figures tgat popped up a lot, like Classics vs Henkei vs the Battle in a Box Optimus Prime.

But in response to your comment in general about not having many if any CHUG era figures on the main collection, I have a few. But may br the outlier. I hope more people drop their main display lineups for comparison.

2 things I forgot to jot down as I was listening:

When I saw that Crab Cassette I was immediately reminded of the Botch the Crab website and boxart scans. Couldnt remember if he knww about the prototype when he came up with Botch but its very close.

Action Masters: I think Hasbro would be best to not, but I could see a line of Transformers characters in the style of thesmall GI joe style figures. But I think the line would have to be largely driven by playsets and vehicles, or else by prpducing a volume of decos we can't get in Transformers.

Megatron died by execution in the central timeline/universe.

It's cool that another version of him is out there, reborn in a way, gallivanting around in some other reality, but he was served for his crimes in the universe that knows him.

Counterpunch wrote:Megatron died by execution in the central timeline/universe.

It's cool that another version of him is out there, reborn in a way, gallivanting around in some other reality, but he was served for his crimes in the universe that knows him.

Was referring to MTMTE 55, not LL 25, but I suppose the point still works

First off, thanks for tackling those 2 questions! I'm hoping the other 2 get some time in the spotlight as well. I've been thinking about asking for a Japanese G1/BW toyline/cartoon retrospective, though I feel that would be difficult in many aspects.

First off, Ectotron is amazing, and he seems so popular right now. Really glad to see this kind of collaboration, it seems to have turned some heads!

That Bluestreak looks really good! I don't have any version of that mold, or a Bluestreak in general, so it'll be a nice pickup when he arrives.

I love the accessories coming with the MPs now. We need these sort of blast effects and stuff with more figures.

Going to my own responses to questions that you guys discussed:

The one issue that stands out by itself was MTMTE 47, that yanked some tears from me. it was culmination of 20 issues, and I loved the Cyclonus I saw. Fantastic single issue.

The Time Travel adventures with Brainstorm are my favorite collection of stories. I loved that arc so much, it covered a lot and solved so many mysteries. That and Brainstorm is a favorite, so seeing this sort of action and then his reveal of never directly killing was great.

My top 3 characters from all of IDW were Whirl, Springer, and Jetfire. Whirl made MTMTE what it was, and was a great character change arc. Springer was the backbone of the Wreckers and showed up in the earliest days too, always being around and always being cool. Jetfire falls into a similar category to Springer, having never really been dull, and getting his backstory as he goes was cool too.

If I cherrypicked the last few years after DoOP, Megatron, Trailcutter, Brainstorm, Jazz, and Soundwave would be up there too.

I really like the model kits, and I want to see more, and I want to see a bit more frequent adaptation of them too. Imagine how we could get the 13 in accurate form, and even more IDW guys. Sure they won't transform, but most of them rarely, if ever, did, and it might be the only way we get them.

I do agree Action Masters need redone with actual alt modes though.

Thanks guys, great show!

One moment of sheer brilliant story writing that I feel gets a bit overlooked is when Brawl confides in Windblade that he is war weary and glad for it to be over. He's kind of the every-man soldier and it's really a good take to see him express that it's time to move on and find something else in life.

That sentiment could have come from a more important character, but having it be from someone who's whole life is to be a kill machine was pretty impactful.

ScottyP wrote:

Counterpunch wrote:Megatron died by execution in the central timeline/universe.

It's cool that another version of him is out there, reborn in a way, gallivanting around in some other reality, but he was served for his crimes in the universe that knows him.

Was referring to MTMTE 55, not LL 25, but I suppose the point still works

Long game that never occurred, I'd still have liked the crew to actually find ancient bots.

Then for the reformed Megatron, now seeing the error of his ways to be judged not-guilty by those ancient bots because they envisioned a manifest destiny of conquering other worlds.

In the way I'd play it out, they'd judge Megatron for his crimes, find him innocent, but then condemn the descendants for failing to follow their intent. The ancient ones would mobilize a force to impose on these reluctant children of theirs a war-borne path. Megatron and Rodimus would have to return home to prepare Cybertron for what was to come.

Then things would happen.

Counterpunch wrote:One moment of sheer brilliant story writing that I feel gets a bit overlooked is when Brawl confides in Windblade that he is war weary and glad for it to be over. He's kind of the every-man soldier and it's really a good take to see him express that it's time to move on and find something else in life.

That sentiment could have come from a more important character, but having it be from someone who's whole life is to be a kill machine was pretty impactful.

I have a hard time with that moment because not long before that, Brawl gleefully shot Sideswipe in the head when he was already badly wounded and quite finished fight wise. And then he got in on the Onslaught plan and again was brutal and ready to kill. So that moment, I feel like it would have been more impactful with a different character, cause to me, Brawl was one of the farthest from admitting that

Counterpunch wrote:

ScottyP wrote:

Counterpunch wrote:Megatron died by execution in the central timeline/universe.

It's cool that another version of him is out there, reborn in a way, gallivanting around in some other reality, but he was served for his crimes in the universe that knows him.

Was referring to MTMTE 55, not LL 25, but I suppose the point still works

Long game that never occurred, I'd still have liked the crew to actually find ancient bots.

Then for the reformed Megatron, now seeing the error of his ways to be judged not-guilty by those ancient bots because they envisioned a manifest destiny of conquering other worlds.

In the way I'd play it out, they'd judge Megatron for his crimes, find him innocent, but then condemn the descendants for failing to follow their intent. The ancient ones would mobilize a force to impose on these reluctant children of theirs a war-borne path. Megatron and Rodimus would have to return home to prepare Cybertron for what was to come.

Then things would happen.

I feel like if they twisted his arm to continue the story past the planned conclusion point (since what we got is what we were allegedly going to get, just heavily compressed) the door would be open to do something like this with the Omega Guardians.

D-Maximal_Primal wrote:

Counterpunch wrote:One moment of sheer brilliant story writing that I feel gets a bit overlooked is when Brawl confides in Windblade that he is war weary and glad for it to be over. He's kind of the every-man soldier and it's really a good take to see him express that it's time to move on and find something else in life.

That sentiment could have come from a more important character, but having it be from someone who's whole life is to be a kill machine was pretty impactful.

I have a hard time with that moment because not long before that, Brawl gleefully shot Sideswipe in the head when he was already badly wounded and quite finished fight wise. And then he got in on the Onslaught plan and again was brutal and ready to kill. So that moment, I feel like it would have been more impactful with a different character, cause to me, Brawl was one of the farthest from admitting that

Both of those instances are before the Bruticus story where the dead leg Swindle being part of the shared "consciousness" of the combiner made at least some of the other Combaticons realize what sociopaths they'd been.

ScottyP wrote:

D-Maximal_Primal wrote:

Counterpunch wrote:One moment of sheer brilliant story writing that I feel gets a bit overlooked is when Brawl confides in Windblade that he is war weary and glad for it to be over. He's kind of the every-man soldier and it's really a good take to see him express that it's time to move on and find something else in life.

That sentiment could have come from a more important character, but having it be from someone who's whole life is to be a kill machine was pretty impactful.

I have a hard time with that moment because not long before that, Brawl gleefully shot Sideswipe in the head when he was already badly wounded and quite finished fight wise. And then he got in on the Onslaught plan and again was brutal and ready to kill. So that moment, I feel like it would have been more impactful with a different character, cause to me, Brawl was one of the farthest from admitting that

Both of those instances are before the Bruticus story where the dead leg Swindle being part of the shared "consciousness" of the combiner made at least some of the other Combaticons realize what sociopaths they'd been.

Hadn't thought of that, and it sort of makes sense I guess

^ I was too lazy to find the panel but at least one of them explicitly calls it out. Something akin to "wait that's what death is? That's what I did to others? Oh. Crap."

ScottyP wrote:^ I was too lazy to find the panel but at least one of them explicitly calls it out. Something akin to "wait that's what death is? That's what I did to others? Oh. Crap."

I do remember the panel from 4 you're talking about. Brawl freaks out cause he's living Swindles death, and he was the only one doing so, Onslaught wanting information, Blastoff wanting out of this and wanting to not make a scene, and Vortex reveling in the destructive capabilities.

Ok, I guess it does make some more sense for Brawl to have said that.

still don't like it though