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It's an an idea I had for fun.If you had to introduce a Transformers series to someone and choose just one episode,which one would it be?

Here are some of my suggestions:

Beast Wars-I imagine a lot of people would say Code of the Hero,but for me,that episode requires the context of the previous episodes to be fully appreciated,I would suggest Fallen Comrades.
It does a good job showing the characters and how the world of Beast War works.

Animated-Sound and Fury is good for many reasons,one of them tying together many of elements of the season,like the AllSpark key,Megatron rebuilding himself, and the Autobots friendship with Sari.Its a very solid episode.

I would start with the first episode in the series, it's the one intended to introduce the story and characters. Of course, if you're going for instant wow-factor, you should pick a highly dramatic/action-packed episode, perhaps toward the end. It would probably get most new viewers to watch the rest of the show to see how things got to where they are in that episode.

For Beast Wars, "Dark Voyage" is my pick.

I changed the topic title to be more straightfoward.

Rodimus Prime wrote:I would start with the first episode in the series, it's the one intended to introduce the story and characters. Of course, if you're going for instant wow-factor, you should pick a highly dramatic/action-packed episode, perhaps toward the end. It would probably get most new viewers to watch the rest of the show to see how things got to where they are in that episode.

You are right,but most of the beginning episodes ocupy themselves with the world building.End of the season episodes normally have a lot of plates spinning,to have the full impact ,you have to watch the rest of the series.

Sabrblade wrote:For Beast Wars, "Dark Voyage" is my pick.

Anything that stands out for you in particular in this episode?

TulioDude wrote:

Sabrblade wrote:For Beast Wars, "Dark Voyage" is my pick.

Anything that stands out for you in particular in this episode?

IMHO, "Dark Voyage" is the quintessential episode of Beast Wars.

It provides not only a rich display of characterization for nearly every Maximal but also shows off just how important their Beast Modes are to their survival. Dinobot, Rattrap, and Cheetor all grow a little bit over the course of this episode, gaining a new respect for Rhinox by its end, as well as having learned to better hone their survival skills in the forms that they often took for granted, their beast modes.

We also get a clear example of just how potent and severe the effects of energon can be, which is crucial to the storytelling of Beast Wars in its first season since energon was the whole reason that the characters even first came to this planet (that is, before Season 2 retconned that) and scanned beast modes in the first place. The episode even features Stasis Lock taking effect at the end, fully illustrating the extent of what energon radiation can do, as well as an R Chamber restoring Rhinox at the end, showing how Stasis Lock is dealt with.

It also provides an excellent demonstration of how dangerous and competent the likes of Scorponok, Terrorsaur, and Waspinator could be. All three of them (Waspinator especially) would eventually be best remembered for their slapstick misfortunes, but when the fliers show up near the end to engage the Maximals at their most vulnerable, it's actually an intimidating moment for the two of them.

The dangerous journey back to the Axalon also offers glimpse at many of the show's environments, such as rocky terrain, a foggy jungle, and a high waterfall. Along the way, this journey is a very atmospheric experience, with the low camera angles and the eerie music used during the scene with the boa constrictor painting a picture of just how primitive and feral this show's world really is, a world that many other episodes take for granted as just background scenery.

But in this episode, it's as if the world's untamed wilderness is out to get the Maximals, who fight tooth and nail against the odds for one simple goal: To get back home. In that sense, this episode serves as a metaphor for the entire series. A small group of individuals stranded in the middle of nowhere, fighting to survive everything that comes their way, as they struggle to return home. It's almost poetic.

And with how dire things get by the end, with four Maximals in Stasis Lock, Rhinox left alone and still blind, and the ominous threat of the Predacons still up in the air (literally), that shot of Optimus descending from the fog to rescue his fallen comrades just as Rhinox himself succumbs to Stasis Lock... is a heavy sigh of relief. The Maximals went through hell and back in that episode, so much that the happy ending feels well earned.

And all that is achieved without any of the G1 fanservice that would later dominate the show in its final season, show just how good Beast Wars can be on its own.

That's a good take Sabrblade.

I would add the Theft of the Golden Disk,the animation is not the best,but tells a very sleek story.

From Cyberverse season 2,I would say Spotted is a fun Cheetor focused episode.

TulioDude wrote:I would add the Theft of the Golden Disk,the animation is not the best,but tells a very sleek story.

I wouldn't say that. I mean, it's basically written with the idea that its audience is already familiar with what's going on and who its characters are. It does not tell us who any of its characters are (beyond Megatron and Cryotek getting namedropped), what the Golden Disk is, why it's important, or why the characters are trying to steal it. And it even ends on a cliffhanger that is only properly concluded in a comic book that saw very limited distribution, so it's not even the whole story.

Don't get me wrong, I like it too. But we super nerds are who this thing was made for, rather than having it written to work as a single complete done-in-one story that is easily digestible for anyone and everyone. It pretty heavily relies on its audience to both already know about its characters and events and to seek out external media in order to get the full story.

Bad Spark - If we're talking very good stand alone stories that don't need context. Rampage's debut is one of the highlights of Season 2, which is the pinnacle of Beast Wars itself.

AllNewSuperRobot wrote:Bad Spark - If we're talking very good stand alone stories that don't need context. Rampage's debut is one of the highlights of Season 2, which is the pinnacle of Beast Wars itself.

I dunno, I feel like you have to know a lot of preexisting info about Beast Wars to really get that one.

AllNewSuperRobot wrote:Bad Spark - If we're talking very good stand alone stories that don't need context. Rampage's debut is one of the highlights of Season 2, which is the pinnacle of Beast Wars itself.

This episode has the best use of Rampage for the entire series.

Changed the thread title again,just because I think comics and manga have plenty of stand alone stories worth discussing.
Special mention to Transformers #13(Marvel)

In my opinion,this issue has best use in fiction for Megatron's gun mode.

TulioDude wrote:Changed the thread title again,just because I think comics and manga have plenty of stand alone stories worth discussing.
Special mention to Transformers #13(Marvel)

In my opinion,this issue has best use in fiction for Megatron's gun mode.

This issue was actually the first Marvel TF comic I read. It was the first in a collection called "Cybertron Redux", which consisted of issues #13 - #18. It was one of the first pieces of Transformers media I was ever exposed to, back in 2006 when the Cybertron cartoon was all I knew about the franchise. I remember reading Optimus Prime in Garry Calk's voice because I didn't even know who Peter Cullen was yet.

I found "Shooting Star!" to be the least interesting of the bunch, however. Mid-life crises of miserable wash-outs are not themes relatable to a six-year-old, though it was pretty funny when Joey Slick accidentally revives Megatron and gets told off. It's probably this issue that made me accept Megatron turning into a gun, even though "my" Megatron was a space-car. But as a piece of Transformes media, I don't know that it really represents the premise of the franchise, as it's very light with Transformers themselves and doesn't portray Megatron as particularly competent. The subsequent issues were what really excited me - I loved "Rock and Roll Out" where the '85 cars are introduced and have to save a rock concert audience from Decepticons - that could work as an introductory piece because it provides plenty of moments of exposition for the premise of the series, such as when the Autobots initiate Jetfire, as well as when Bumblebee explains their story to the new recruits.

If we're talking comic book stories, then I'll throw in my favourite two from the Marvel run:



Peace - from the 1989 Transformers Annual.

For me, this is the only way the story of the Transformers should end. The story of the end of the Cybertronian Civil War ala Autobot victory. Better than any resolution, later media has portrayed.




Rhythms of Darkness

Another one off, end of war story (the thematic similarity never dawned on me before ) But with Decepticon victory. This is an excellent showcase into the mindset of Galvatron and why his victory is a bit more ...chaotic than anyone else's.

AllNewSuperRobot wrote:Peace - from the 1989 Transformers Annual.

For me, this is the only way the story of the Transformers should end. The story of the end of the Cybertronian Civil War ala Autobot victory. Better than any resolution, later media has portrayed.

Oh, but as that story shows... it never ends.

Sabrblade wrote:Oh, but as that story shows... it never ends.

That's the point. That in the end, the faction symbol is irrelevant

Whifflefire wrote:

TulioDude wrote:Changed the thread title again,just because I think comics and manga have plenty of stand alone stories worth discussing.
Special mention to Transformers #13(Marvel)

In my opinion,this issue has best use in fiction for Megatron's gun mode.

This issue was actually the first Marvel TF comic I read. It was the first in a collection called "Cybertron Redux", which consisted of issues #13 - #18. It was one of the first pieces of Transformers media I was ever exposed to, back in 2006 when the Cybertron cartoon was all I knew about the franchise. I remember reading Optimus Prime in Garry Calk's voice because I didn't even know who Peter Cullen was yet.

I found "Shooting Star!" to be the least interesting of the bunch, however. Mid-life crises of miserable wash-outs are not themes relatable to a six-year-old, though it was pretty funny when Joey Slick accidentally revives Megatron and gets told off. It's probably this issue that made me accept Megatron turning into a gun, even though "my" Megatron was a space-car. But as a piece of Transformes media, I don't know that it really represents the premise of the franchise, as it's very light with Transformers themselves and doesn't portray Megatron as particularly competent. The subsequent issues were what really excited me - I loved "Rock and Roll Out" where the '85 cars are introduced and have to save a rock concert audience from Decepticons - that could work as an introductory piece because it provides plenty of moments of exposition for the premise of the series, such as when the Autobots initiate Jetfire, as well as when Bumblebee explains their story to the new recruits.

I have to disagree with "Shooting Star" being the least interesting. Out of that stretch you mentioned, "Plight of The Bumblebee" was the lamest in my opinion.

I do have to say I have special connection to both "Shooting Star" and "Rock and Roll Out" as these were the 1st ever 2 Transformers stories I read, except I read them in the 80s when I was a kid. I was hooked immediately. From then on I got all the comics that came out and later went back and got the 1st 12 issues that I missed.

As for best standalone story? There are so many to choose from, I couldn't begin to pick one. And "best" is a subjective term anyway. I think picking "most memorable" stories might get better results.

And for some reason the Lost Light issue where some of the Autobots become miniatures and get inside Ultra Magnus's mouth comes to mind. That was a great story.

Rodimus Prime wrote:I have to disagree with "Shooting Star" being the least interesting. Out of that stretch you mentioned, "Plight of The Bumblebee" was the lamest in my opinion.

I do have to say I have special connection to both "Shooting Star" and "Rock and Roll Out" as these were the 1st ever 2 Transformers stories I read, except I read them in the 80s when I was a kid. I was hooked immediately. From then on I got all the comics that came out and later went back and got the 1st 12 issues that I missed.

As for best standalone story? There are so many to choose from, I couldn't begin to pick one. And "best" is a subjective term anyway. I think picking "most memorable" stories might get better results.

And for some reason the Lost Light issue where some of the Autobots become miniatures and get inside Ultra Magnus's mouth comes to mind. That was a great story.

Not that I disliked "Shooting Star", I think I was just too young to really connect with it at the time. I never found any more from the series, so it was all self-contained for me until I discovered the wiki some years later. The ones starring the Transformers themselves were of greater value to young me since that's what I was there for.

The "Smelting Pool" / "Bridge To Nowhere" two-parter were the most compelling of them all, really (Traumatizing as it was - poor Scrounge!). Since they were new characters in a new setting, new readers have just as much context for the story as regulars would, so those could work as an introductory / stand-alone story as well, granted a multi-parter counts as one story.

Not scarring at all

Rodimus Prime wrote:
As for best standalone story? There are so many to choose from, I couldn't begin to pick one. And "best" is a subjective term anyway. I think picking "most memorable" stories might get better results.

Don't feel pressured to pick just one!

Whifflefire wrote:
Not scarring at all

This is a great pick,there many moments that I will always remember.