S02E04-05 Operation Bumblebee

[Cliffjumper]

Not too bad for a MECH episode, possibly because they weren't in it much.

Likes:

- Bumblebee riding a pickup after Knock-Out
- Raf and Ratchet's awkward conversations
- The car advert
- Bumblebee in general. He actually hasn't done much before considering this is episode 30, and it's great to see them nail the animation and sound effects so he's every bit as emotive as the much more complex film model.

Not so much:

- MECH. What, are their goons cocooned in their silly Snake Eyes costumes or something? "Oh, I need my night-sight goggles when I'm typing on our big computer in a random warehouse, for real".
- The combination of MECH and Starscream worries me a little, TBH. Could go very very rubbish.
 

[Terome]

- The combination of MECH and Starscream worries me a little, TBH. Could go very very rubbish.

People on boards that are very anthropologically interesting are excited at a possible Bruticus happening.

I quite like the team-up, to be honest. Brought to mind that old TMUK prose story where a Transformer is leading a conference to the intergalactic powers about how to kill Transformers.

This episode pushed my buttons in the right way by discussing alien robot biology and the social norms they have about the treatment of that biology. If Transformers had Radio 4 I'd be able to listen to that stuff all day.
 

[Jaynz]

While Starscream getting his Combaticons through MECH would be amusing, I'm pretty sure that's NOT where the series is going. Thanks to a spoileriffic title, we already pretty much know what MECH's first 'active' Transformer will be...
 

[Skyquake87]

So Episode 4 then and Optimus is back to recieting stuff he's read in fortune cookies. Bloody Hell. What was the point of giving us some character development for the guy if you're just going to slap him striaght back into talking new age don't-want-to-offend-anyone b*ll*cks?. Grr. Bumblebee's frustration at his predicament and how it affects a Transformer was superb though. And a nice bit of forwarding of the concept of 'Transforming robots' being biomechanical, too. I liked that. I'm not sure I fully understand Megatron's motivations though. He had the amnesiac Prime looking for weapons? For what exactly? His enemies are humbled, largely destroyed and the remnants scattered across the galaxy. There is no one to put up any substantial resistance to the Decepticons, so what exactly does he need these for?

Also, I really really hope that this mech stuff isn't leading up to some lame throwback to Starscream's brigade. Push things forward - don't move them back!
 

[Cliffjumper]

Megatron's lost pretty much every week, he needs some sort of edge. I don't think it was "THE PLAN" though, just a resourceful response when the Orion Pax opportunity fell into his lap. Plus the thing's hiding its' cards with regards to the extent of just what else is out there. We know Cybertron is derelict (if not lifeless), we know they're the last five Autobots on Earth, we know that Wheeljack appearing out of nowhere and then buggering back off wasn't a big deal (no-one tells him it's pointless and they don't make any real attempt to dissuade him). While I don't think there's going to be a G2-style pan-out, there's nothing stopping a less extreme reveal.

Plus he's a Megatron, and they sure do like their superweapons. It's probably hardwired, a universal singularity or something. Unicron, the Thirteen, Megatron wants needs to steal a superweapon. Even the Marvel one couldn't wait to cosplay with Cobra and spray himself with canisters of Rhianna.

My only slight fault with Bumblebee is that it might have been nice to have his love of his car mode shown off a little bit more ahead of the episode - him mugging Megatron in car form at the start felt a little heavy-handed. Like the way Brawn starts bullying Perceptor for being a wuss 21 minutes before Percy gets a chance to prove he's not a wuss, having probably never said a word to him before. While I love the Bumblebee focus, it might have had a bit more impact with Arcee in the lead seeing as she's been shown regularly enjoying the hell out of her motorcycle form.

But then maybe that's a plus - he takes it for granted and then it's not there. I suppose it's a bit of a problem when you have someone towards the back of the ensemble (Bumblebee's had a lot less to do than any of the other four Autobots, and is generally second back-up guy) - the counterpoint is "would you rather he stayed in the background?" and the answer is "Hell, no!".

Originally Posted by Skyquake87

So Episode 4 then and Optimus is back to recieting stuff he's read in fortune cookies. Bloody Hell. What was the point of giving us some character development for the guy if you're just going to slap him striaght back into talking new age don't-want-to-offend-anyone b*ll*cks?

What about the stuff where he was clearly guilt-ridden about his work as Orion Pax?

Though personally I do not mind one bit. Deep Introspective Indecisive Optimus has had his day in the sun and jumped the shark with the highly irritating IDW and Animated incarnations. It's time for Double-Wielding Prime. The guy's meant to be an inspiration, not twenty foot of Saturday morning neuroses.
 

[Knightdramon]

Some stock footage has started appearing this season, namely Megatron's transformation in the air and then his landing.

Loved the car chase between Knockout and Bumblebee with his old van!! Awesome! Looks like mech is building a prototype Optimus Prime with a gundam face.

And I'd be damned if the next episode preview didn't just unfold the entire part 2 plot in our faces in 30 seconds, haha.

Very fun scene between Ratchet and Raf as well, aces. Made me laugh.
 

[Skyquake87]

Don't get me wrong, i like kick ass prime. What i don't like is him spouting proverbs in lieu of any kind of personality.
 

[Jaynz]

Originally Posted by Skyquake87

Don't get me wrong, i like kick ass prime. What i don't like is him spouting proverbs in lieu of any kind of personality.

Actually, I like this version of Prime. He's aloof, but pointedly so and it actually pains him a bit. We see hints of the personal nature at times (such as his firm-but-kind 'proverb' to Bumblebee). To me, this really gets back to why the original Optimus Prime was (and is) so iconic - this is the ultimate father figure, and his charges are his family - the ones he'll give his life to protect.

To me, it's deeper and more important than the typical 'action hero' Prime we've gotten since Robots in Disguise.
 

[Skyquake87]

I can see that, but it just doesn't work for me. It just sounds really phoney and that Optimus has this 'wall' around him, which I personally don't feel he should. It makes him as bad as Megatron, whom is also detatched from his troops (albeit by him clearly ruling by fear and being volatile). There's just not enough of Optimus to get a handle on to make him someone I can relate to, worse he sounds pompous and stuffy.

I don't think we should see a return to the Prime who was crippled with doubt in the Marvel series, but there should be something we can see that makes us understand what makes him so venerated and respected and worthy of being leader, because at the moment, I just can't see it. And no amount of confusious says waffling will convince me otherwise. In the context of a children's show, its also as heavy handed as those morals He-Man would give. Difference being there that the writers sensibly divorced them from the main thrust of the show so it didn't come across as preachy and patronising, which Optimus musings frequently do.
 

[Jaynz]

Originally Posted by Skyquake87

I can see that, but it just doesn't work for me. It just sounds really phoney and that Optimus has this 'wall' around him, which I personally don't feel he should.

I was raised by an extremely archtypical authority figure (for better and worse), so I can easily see Optimus Prime as a heavily idealized version of someone like my dad. You're not SUPPOSED to see through the armor very much, since he has to be the 'emotional rock' for the rest of the team. I actually think TF:Prime has nailed this aspect pretty solidly, and the handful of times where you can see the cracks in the armor really drive it home.

Keep in mind that Prime isn't the character we're supposed to DIRECTLY relate to (well, I do, largely due to my age and position in life now), but someone to look UP to, which is why Jack's reaction of "You have no idea" is so telling.

For the intended audience, the 'relatable' Transformers characters are really Arcee and Bumblebee, with Bukly's being the 'big brother' and Ratchet as the 'cranky uncle'.
 

[Cliffjumper]

PART 2

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Part 2 was a bit of a mixed bag. Lots of good stuff - Starscream getting organ harvested by the Goggle Gang and having to run around like a moron, some decent action, Knock-Out ("I think I leaked a little lubricant"), Bulkhead getting to twat Breakdown with a huge hammer...

But the ending was a little... sloppy. Obviously Bumblebee is not only a series regular but watching kiddies' favourite so he was never going to lose his transformation ability for a particularly long period, but just repairing his cog was a poor get-out - especially as the rest of the episode made such a good fist of making it an organ rather than a part (it turning grey after Starscream shot it was a nice touch).

Mugging MECH for Starscream's cog might have been a neater way out.