A look at the most
recent episodes of Transformers Prime.
Darkmount, NV
With their base destroyed, the
Autobots and their human companions have separated and went into
hiding, while the Decepticons settle into their new fortress, Darkmount, and repel a military
assault. Smokescreen finds Optimus Prime, still alive but badly
damaged and close to death, in the wreckage of the Autobot base.
Comments: The Autobots are decimated and on
the run while the Decepticons stand triumphant. A good,
melodramatic way to open this season. Of course the good guys
will get back together eventually but we get some interesting
character moments interspersed with some action scenes along the
way.
Verdict: Good.
***
Scattered
As the Autobots try to re-group,
Shockwave arrives in Darkmount after years of isolation on
Cybertron, and is welcomed back into the Decepticon ranks.
Wheeljack escapes from Darkmount and sets off to rendezvous with
Bulkhead and Miko, unaware that Starscream has planted a
tracking device on him.
Comments: A better episode still as we get
some good story progression and even better action scenes.
Shockwave's arrival seems almost out-of-the-blue (it is, but
he's here to help set-up the forthcoming Predacon storyline).
This is also the start of Megatron disrespecting Starscream once
again, as he partially demotes him and begins dumping on his
capabilities (with lasts for the rest of the season. So much for
last season's kiss and make-up session when he killed Dreadwing
to save him. Maybe nobody else takes Megatron's abuse as well?)
Verdict: Good.
***
Prey
After Starscream's armada fails to
apprehend Wheeljack, Shockwave introduces Predaking, an enormous
reptilian creature created in Shockwave's laboratory and
specially bred to hunt down Autobots. Meanwhile, high-ranking
Autobot general Ultra Magnus arrives on Earth and sets about
reuniting the scattered members of Team Prime.
Comments: This episodes introduces the
Predacon (who eventually call himself "Predaking"). We're all
lead to believe there will be many more Predacons this
season--sadly, that will prove not to be the case at all. Still,
one of them proves more then enough of a challenge throughout
the season.
Verdict: Very Good.
***
Rebellion
The Autobots attack Darkmount in an
attempt to disable its firepower to allow human military to
destroy it. As Optimus prepares to join with the Allspark,
Smokescreen uses the Forge to repair him, and makes him a new,
more powerful body. Optimus joins the Autobots at Darkmount and,
with human support, destroys Darkmount.
Comments: It's satisfying to see Optimus
Prime get a new body and kick butt finally in this episode (even
though it's become more then a little bit cliched in TF stories
at this point). We finally see the end of Darkmount in this
episode and a resolution to the opening act of Season Three. All
in all, an enjoyable ride.
Verdict: Very Good.
***
Project Predacon
The Autobots adjust to new group
dynamics within their expanded team and Optimus Prime scans a
new vehicle form, but Smokescreen privately starts to regret not
becoming a Prime. The Decepticons, having found fossilized
Predacon bones on Earth, launch a scheme to clone an army of
Predacons through the same method that created Predaking.
Comments: This sets up the next story arc
this season: another treasure hunt (apparently the writers only
have so many ideas in their pool). It's an okay story but
annoying that we have to suffer several eps where the Autobots
and Decepticons rush to find fossils that the Decepticons will
inevitably obtain. This also the show where was starting to get
tired of Soundwave showing up and using portals to foil the
Autobots (it's odd they never find a way to counteract it for
most of the season). There was also a good battle around some
oil rigs in this ep.
Verdict: Good.
***
Chain of Command
Ultra Magnus, Wheeljack, Bulkhead
and Miko are in the wilderness of Scotland investigating a
Decepticon excavation site for Predacon fossils, but tension
builds between the group as Wheeljack acts recklessly and
ignores Magnus's commands. On the Nemesis, Starscream is
given the task of training Predaking, but he struggles to get
the uncooperative beast to follow orders.
Comments: This is the episode where
Predaking finally returns (from being frozen in his first
appearance in the arctic). Perhaps best remembered for Miko
getting the Apex Armor from Starscream and using it to kick his
butt (finally! An ep where she got to do something cool and not
be annoying).
Verdict: Good.
***
Plus One
While Arcee and Wheeljack are on a
mission to gather a Predacon bone, Agent Fowler and June collect
another bone in storage at a museum. As they leave, however,
Knock Out captures them and holds them hostage in the trunk of
his vehicle mode, but soon finds that he is unable to call for a
Ground Bridge because the communications systems on the Nemesis
are damaged.
Comments: Pretty much just another
treasure hunt episode (the June/Fowler parts being the highlight
of an otherwise by-the-numbers story). Also seeing Knock Out get
to do something for a change (instead of being relegated to the
background/ignored) was a nice change.
Verdict: Good.
***
Thirst
Knock Out is researching Ratchet's
synthetic Energon formula, and is using Silas (who is still
implanted within Breakdown's corpse) as a test subject. The
formula makes Silas extremely aggressive, so Starscream suggests
injecting him with Dark Energon to make him easier to control.
However, the mixture of the two Energons turns Silas into a
mindless zombie craving fresh Energon, and he wanders the ship
infecting any crew member he encounters by draining their
Energon.
Comments: Cue the
obligatory zombie episode! An all-Decepticon story episode.
I felt like this was a low point of the season since we had
to sit through yet another zombie story. It was interesting
to find Silas still alive (even though he's mostly an
afterthought here) and cool to see Airachnid dealt with
(again, she shows up only to be marooned away with all the
Insecticons on Cybertrons moon. It almost seemed like a
waste of time to bother). Soundwave saves the day
by--surprise! Opening a portal to deal with Airachnid and
her Insecticon army...sigh. I guess doing something original
might've required more original thinking on the writer's
part...
Verdict: Average.
***
Evolution
The Predacon army is almost fully
grown and ready for deployment, but Predaking suddenly surprises
everyone by revealing he is able to transform and is more
intelligent than first thought. Despite Predaking pledging his
loyalty, Megatron still worries that he will eventually lead the
Predacons to rebel against the Decepticons, so he plans to
terminate Project: Predacon by leading the Autobots to the
laboratory and having them unwittingly destroy the clones for
them.
Comments: It's interesting to see
Megatron be so cunning here (aided by the Master, Starscream).
It was also cool to get at look at some proto-formed versions of
Predacon toys floating there in the cloning tanks. I do think
the whole story felt a bit rushed though. All of a sudden, the
Predacon dragon can transform and speak (as some fans
suspected), even naming himself Predaking, then Megatron
immediately decides to destroy the other Predacons out of fear.
This could've been stretched out over a couple of episodes for
better pacing in my opinion. Either way, it was an interesting
turn and one sure to keep viewers waiting for the ultimate
outcome.
Verdict: Good.
***
Minus One
Having discovered that the
combination of Predacon CNA and Synthetic Energon creates raw
cyber-matter (the substance Cybertron is made of), the
Decepticons plan to repair the Omega Lock, restore Cybertron and
cyberform Earth through this process. While gathering equipment
for the project, Soundwave is captured by the Autobots, who take
him to their base and try to interrogate him about Megatron's
plans, but he deletes all of his information and shuts himself
down. Laserbeak eventually finds the base and re-activates
Soundwave, who proceeds to capture Ratchet.
Comments: It was cool somebody
finally got the drop on Soundwave since he's always depicted as
being two steps ahead of everyone else. Of course, even in
captivity he manages to have his data booby-trapped. The
Autobots arrive too late and find Ratchet gone...a bit
by-the-numbers in my opinion (the set-up, I mean. I like it when
they're a little more unpredictable with story turns).
Verdict: Average.
***
Persuasion
The Decepticons hold Ratchet
captive, and Megatron attempts to persuade him to help complete
the synthetic energon formula and restore Cybertron. Rafael and
Wheeljack build a flying drone and attach Laserbeak's
transponder (which Smokescreen shot off) to it, in the hope that
Laserbeak's navigation systems will lead the Autobots to Ratchet
so they can rescue him.
Comments: I liked Megatron's
forthrightness in this episode when Ratchet says he'll just do
as he always does--use the process to change Earth as well as
Cybertron and then try to kill the Autobots, to which Megatron
admits he likely will (I appreciate the writers not concocting
some elaborate ruse to trick Ratchet into helping the
Decepticons). Otherwise, it felt like some of the episode was
filler, trying to kill time until we get to the wrap-up.
Verdict: Good.
***
Synthesis
Ratchet reluctantly agrees to help
the Decepticons perfect the synthetic energon formula. But once
it is completed, he decides he can't allow the Decepticons to
have it or finish building their new Omega Lock, so he sabotages
the project and tries to escape from the ship. The Autobots
launch their drone and Optimus Prime follows it, but along the
way he is confronted by Starscream and his armada.
Comments: Still some filler elements in
this story but at least we get some story progression as well as
learning Ratchet hasn't completely lost his sense of right and
wrong when confronted with what to do about the newly stabilized
Synth-En.
Verdict: Good.
***
Deadlock
The Autobots storm the Nemesis
and try to reach the Omega Lock before the Decepticons can
activate it and cyberform Earth. Optimus Prime and Megatron face
off in a final showdown, while the other Autobots fight off the
Decepticon army and race to secure the lock.
Comments: A fairly good resolution to the
series. Bumblebee gets his voice back (unfortunately, they got a
voice actor who sounds too similar to the guy who voices
Smokescreen). Megatron is apparently dead, the Earth is saved
and Cybertron restored. Of course there are still some loose
threads to be tied up--Airachnid and her Insecticons; Predaking
is alive and returned to Cybertron while Shockwave and
Starscream have escaped... Too bad they didn't fix Ultra Magnus'
hand before they used the cyber-matter on Cybertron.
Verdict: Very Good.
The series ends with a bang.
(Episodes
synopsises courtesy Wikipedia.org)
