After being welcomed again by the overly-fancy title sequence, we find Windblade where we left her last episode, meditating with the newly reawakened Metroplex.
Meditating with Metroplex, coincidentally, is my favorite holistic workout tape
During the mind-meld session, we get the lore of this version of Cybertron built out for us in the form of Metroplex telling Windblade his story and the purpose of the Titans overall. We actually learn quite a bit of useful backstory here, and I think it was executed very well. Not overly exposition-filled, and it succeeded in fleshing out the world quite a bit.
Narrationformers! Exposition in Disguise!
They both finally realize Trypticon has also risen, and Metroplex volunteers himself to go and defend Cybertron again after all those years. Windblade is opposed to this, as Metroplex is in no state to go and do battle with another Titan (even though we haven't seen, and won't see, these supposed injuries she mentions).
Scrud? Is...is that what she said? Does...does she mean Scrap? I've got nothing.
In trying to find another solution, she again goes to see Perceptor in his lab, who's currently studying some of the samples he's collected from Starscream's corpse. She discusses with him Trypticon returning, and the best course of action to stop him from continuing to tear the city apart. My biggest issue with this scene is just some of the animation feels really clunky. Like Windblade looking around Perceptor's lab looks like a video game cut scene. It just kind of pulls you out of the narrative.
They decide to take their case to the Mistress of Flame who, in turn, sends the "Eilte Air Resistance Squadron" to hold Trypticon off. These, we find out, are the seekers. The pretty much instantly die, which is unfortunate, as it would have been interesting to see them cope with Starscream going AWOL. There was also a chance to have an interesting subplot about how Starscream doesn't really want to kill his former comrades, but whatever piece of Trypticon is still within the shell of the giant titan takes him over and makes him do it. I consider that a missed opportunity.
While this is all happening, the Mistress of Flame discovers that Hot Rod has given up the Matrix when they needed it most, and for the first time so far in the series, we can hear Judd Nelson.
Heyyy, that's better!
It's nice to hear the original voice of Roddy return, and I think, while Judd Nelson is obviously older than he was when he originally did the voice for Hot Rod, it still feels the same. He does a great job.
Hot Rod says he'll come and help fight off Trypticon, just as Metroplex starts to move toward the oncoming Kaiju. We do get some nice action scenes here (None with Metroplex and Trypticon yet), and it's pretty much the best part of the episode. Perceptor makes a hint that he will go find Fortress Maximus to help in the battle, which again feels like they're dumping all their material in the first episodes, but we'll see. With a threat like they've never seen before just on the Horizon, Episode 2 ends.
Overall, I think the biggest issue was timing/pacing. There were lines here and there that waited a couple beats too long to be delivered, didn't have the right emotion or movement tied to them, and so on. It's a good episode, certainly better than a lot in Combiner Wars, but it feels underwhelming. It's not good enough to walk away with a sense of "Oh, that was amazing!" and it's not bad enough to be entertainingly so. Don't get me wrong, I'd rather it be the good than bad, but it felt like it just needed to move along a bit quicker. Anyway, that's my take on the (so far) enjoyable first two episodes of the Machinima Titans Return series. I'll be here with another review next Tuesday, when Episode three premiers over on Go90. Thanks for joining me, and thanks for reading Seibertron.com! See you next week!
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