Transformers: Animated

[RavenHawk]

Today's Episode Decepticon Air had some nice homages

Who's the black and white Autobot in the second one?

[Tober]

Who's the black and white Autobot in the second one?

Autorooper. I think that's Rosanna from Kiss Players nest to him as well...

[Letigre]

Is it me or has Ratchet become quite the grizzled, old badass this season?

[David Hingtgen]

And Shockwave simply increased his badassitude.

[Letigre]

Honestly..who DIDN'T scream when he

changed his color to purple.

"Now I can serve you in my true colors.."

<- SQUEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

[chowyunskinny]

Also stoke worthy for me was hearing them say Metroplex and Fotress Maximus

[chowyunskinny]

Man today's episode was great

Megatron blasting Starscream in to bits yet again never gets old to me

Can't wait till the next episode and i'm Soooooo bummed this series may be ending

[M'Kyuun]

Today's ep was great. I loved the semi-serious tone and the past sequences. The humor was a little more subdued, but still there. My sadness is deepened knowing there's only one more episode. Hopefully, there'll be a TF:A movie down the road, or a decision to proceed with a fourth season after all the movie hype dies down.

I'd love an Ultra-class Omega Supreme toy. Sure the scale would be way off, but it'd be great to have an Ark that transforms.

[Zx31]

There's actually a fan doing Omega Supreme as a custom.

EDIT:

Ah, here it is.

Omega Supreme Custom Scratch Build

Edited May 17, 2009 by Zx31

[miles316]

In the last episode what did Sari do with the protoform?

[Dio]

Without any spoilage, I have to say... that last episode should have been longer, like maybe a 3-parter instead of 2. It seemed like they had several great ideas they intended to expand on, but just didn't have the time and wanted to roll it all out before the movie becomes the main course for Hasbro over the next 6-9 months. Then again, that was my impression of the overall 3rd season...

Still, I'll say I enjoyed every minute of it. It's a shame we haven't gotten many TF shows of this quality over the years, but hopefully the enthusiastic fanbase will resonate with the ones making the decisions going forward and we'll see some similar performance in future TF lines.

[chowyunskinny]

Pretty good episode, but I agree it could have been better with an extra episode or two.

There were a lot of loose ends that never got resolved.

Never got resolution on Blackarachnia, the Constructicons or the Dinobots.

Such a bummer it's over.

I'm a fan of the show on Facebook and I don't know if who set up the group is anyone official or not, but they posted this:

Second part of "Endgame" today. Is it really the end? It looks that way, but maybe there will be a series that will take place right where Animated left off.

I haven't seen anything on the usual TF sites to back this up yet.

[David Hingtgen]

I sure thought it was incredibly well set-up for a future series. That or it was part 2 of a 3-parter, and they just decided to end it, having run out of time/budget.

(though that's par for the course now for just about any show---always leave the possibility open for more seasons, or at least a movie)

[RD Blade]

Pretty good episode, but I agree it could have been better with an extra episode or two.

There were a lot of loose ends that never got resolved.

Never got resolution on Blackarachnia, the Constructicons or the Dinobots.

Or Optimus & Sentinel - Does Sentinel learn to stop being a knucklehead?

Does Ultra Magnus ever come out of his coma?

What becomes of the countless Starscream clones?

Did every new character brought to life by an Allspark fragment drop dead like Starscream did?

[GogDog]

Season 3 was not meant to be the last season. Season 4 was in pre production when Hasbro and CN could not reach an agreement and it was canned. There were scenes in season 3 that were removed that were meant to directly set up episodes from S4. To be honest, I'm happy things were tied up as well as they were.

Edited May 25, 2009 by GogDog

[Excillon]

I can see Hasbro maybe doing a straight to DVD movie or something, maybe a series of them. That would be nice, maybe even show them on CN as specials.

The ending wasn't terrible, although I agree way to many loose ends to tie up. Especially the Dinobots, that really pissed me off. They could have at least showed them fighting with the autobots, even done a G1 homage to "Me Grimlock kick butt" having him take a chunk out of the clone's rear end. If they do continue it at some point, I'd love to see one of, or both of Prowl's G1 brothers come into the fold, I think that there are a lot of possibilites in that from the way they left the ending, and Smokescreen and Bluestreak's paint jobs would look great on a bike. I was also hoping that with the addition of Dirt boss earlier in the season, we might see a couple more constructicons and hopefully a Devastor. Animated gesalts would have rocked...

Anyone else think that Optimus Prime's 1st jetpack looked strangely like the Gundam GP01's backpack?

Edited May 25, 2009 by Excillon

[JB0]

Did every new character brought to life by an Allspark fragment drop dead like Starscream did?

I actually thought about that.

I suspect

they actually have a legitimate spark of their own. They're new life, and in a different situation than Starscream, who was actually killed then reanimated.

Hmmm...

Actually,

their Allspark fragments might no longer exist AS Allspark fragments. The impression I got from Prowl and Jazz was that they couldn't get the WHOLE Allspark back in the end, and Prowl sacrificed himself to replace the missing parts.

Season 3 was not meant to be the last season. Season 4 was in pre production when Hasbro and CN could not reach an agreement and it was canned. There were scenes in season 3 that were removed that were meant to directly set up episodes from S4. To be honest, I'm happy things were tied up as well as they were.

I was pretty sure they weren't planning to end it from the way the season played out(I mean, they go out of their way to preserve Soundwave for future chaos). Shame that it got canned.

Cartoon Network sucks.

Anyone else think that Optimus Prime's 1st jetpack looked strangely like the Gundam GP01's backpack?

Actually, I thought it looked like the G1 Jetfire/Skyfire backpack...

[mikeszekely]

Actually, I thought it looked like the G1 Jetfire/Skyfire backpack...

I was thinking Galaxy Force Prime's Super Mode wings.

[UN_MARINE]

I was thinking Galaxy Force Prime's Super Mode wings.

i thought it was that and/or the GodBomber parts. check out his gauntlets

there was one thing that pretty much shouted season 4 or future TFA at the end.

the autobot matrix!

too bad that was the last episode

funny how i was imagining this show to go on for a while & having them show us Optimus becoming a Magnus or the Optimus of legend.

[JB0]

I was thinking Galaxy Force Prime's Super Mode wings.

That's the second pack, I thought. The first was JUST a jetpack.

[mikeszekely]

That's the second pack, I thought. The first was JUST a jetpack.

Oh, yeah. Yeah, the first one was definitely Skyfire/Jetfire.

[kanedaestes]

Yeah so it was rushed. I don't feel it got the proper ending it deserved, so many questions left unanswered. Oh well tis an end to another great show before it's time.

[JB0]

The real question is... WHY DIDN'T WE GET A BATTLE-MODE SARI TOY?!?!?!

[terry the lone wolf]

It's funny...I started this thread to trash this version of those Robots in Disguise that we all love but I too became a fan. The writing of this show was really impressive especially compared to the TF series we had to endure since the cancellation of Beast Machines. I put TFA up their with G1, Beast Wars, and Beast Machines (I would've added G2 but they didn't have animated series but a kick *** comic book). I'm sad to here this is the end of a really great show.

[Wanzerfan]

It's funny...I started this thread to trash this version of those Robots in Disguise that we all love but I too became a fan. The writing of this show was really impressive especially compared to the TF series we had to endure since the cancellation of Beast Machines. I put TFA up their with G1, Beast Wars, and Beast Machines (I would've added G2 but they didn't have animated series but a kick *** comic book). I'm sad to here this is the end of a really great show.

Try end of a season. I think they're going to try to milk everything they can out of the series.

God, from what I saw of the series, it was ugly. Looks like the same crew who did Teen Titans did this one.

The toys looked goofy, too.

I liked G1 and Beast Wars. Beast Machines, god, did they ever scrape that story out of a toilet.

[kanedaestes]

If you give the show a chance you will see how great it really is, and the toys are awesome if you take in consideration the fact that they look very much and transform like their toon counterparts.

[Dio]

Try end of a season. I think they're going to try to milk everything they can out of the series.

God, from what I saw of the series, it was ugly. Looks like the same crew who did Teen Titans did this one.

The toys looked goofy, too.

I liked G1 and Beast Wars. Beast Machines, god, did they ever scrape that story out of a toilet.

Your opinion is diametrically opposite that of mine, but I do respect it. That "Teen Titans" aesthetic is precisely what draws me to the show - looking less mechanical while at the same time accomplishing toys which fully convert from robot to vehicle with very little appearance of kibble from the other mode to indicate what they turn into. The toys also, in robot mode, seem to exude personality that reflects that of their TV character (like Bumblebee's smirk or Starscream's sneer).

Contrast that with the new movie line, which seem to have a more neutral appearance (expressionless) and a decidedly more realistic, mechanical style (tons of kibble).

If the latter is your preference, you've got some good stuff coming your way.

Still, if you can stomach the aesthetic of the Animated show, it did feature countless homages and tips of the hat to the original, and despite looking so radically different it really did a terrific job of bringing back the "feel" of Transformers, not to mention telling a story from a Western style and perspective instead of redubbing anime - as Westerners we're more likely to grasp the subtle nuances in humor, phrasing, storytelling, etc that we wouldn't pick up in a translated Japanese show.

Beast Machines has sort of a similar appeal for me - certainly not for every TF fan, but it did have some positive points. Animation-wise it was shown almost like it was ripped from the pages of a comic book, and featured a much darker (albeit less Transformer-y) storyline to bring a sequel, and resultant conclusion, to the Beast Wars franchise. Where BW took Transformers in a different direction, BM went even further in that direction to the end of its road rather than bring it back to the original franchise, and I can see where a fan who preferred the more vehicular Transformers would disagree with where it went.

[chen]

To me Transformers is a "real" robot series in the same vein as Macross or Gundam. I quickly loose interest when it becomes to "childish" or to much of a theme series like Galaxy. It should be gritty and realistic and have a scope that shows that's this has been a war between hundreds if not thousands of beings that have lasted for millions of years. More like the original Animated movie where there are consequences and casualties in a WAR and have a seriousness of tone. I know I know these are basically half hour long commercials to sell toys, but if Macross or Gundam can have a more mature storyline, first class animation without a "style" to lean on and a seriousness of tone AND still sell toys and t-shirts and whatever I can't see why Transformers can't do the same.

[kanedaestes]

Except that the original show was cheesy and childish as all hell. Transformers rarely ever dips into real robot realm, it is made for children, but there are ways to still make it for more mature viewers. Animated walked that line very well in my opinion.

[chen]

Oh yeah but I was talking more about some of the novels, comics, and the original animated movie that had a grittier tone. Even Beast Wars had a underlying serious tone to it with casualties that actually stayed dead, Animated was all right but if it didn't have all those nods to G1 fans I doubt it would have been half as good plus when they changed most of the guns Transformers used to axes, ball and chains, throwing stars ect. I knew something was up. I just want something on a large scale with a grand scope and a massive cast of characters, if you've seen G.I Joe Resolute then you can see that there is a way to take a 80's campy TV show and make it more mature.

[Alpha OTS]

It's funny...I started this thread to trash this version of those Robots in Disguise that we all love but I too became a fan.

I think most people were on board with that initial sentiment after seeing the first promo materials for the show. Unlike the AEC series, I knew it'd at least be watchable, because it would most likely be Teen Titans quality. However, I was very doubtful it would be good Transformers fiction. I honestly didn't think it would turn out this good. I even really liked the humans!

I still don't like the aesthetic, and own a handful of the figures, but that's only because the fiction was that good. I hope Hasbro remembers this lesson.

[Wanzerfan]

Oh yeah but I was talking more about some of the novels, comics, and the original animated movie that had a grittier tone. Even Beast Wars had a underlying serious tone to it with casualties that actually stayed dead, Animated was all right but if it didn't have all those nods to G1 fans I doubt it would have been half as good plus when they changed most of the guns Transformers used to axes, ball and chains, throwing stars ect. I knew something was up. I just want something on a large scale with a grand scope and a massive cast of characters, if you've seen G.I Joe Resolute then you can see that there is a way to take a 80's campy TV show and make it more mature.

I was one of the lucky few who saw the uncut episode where Optimus Primal actually impales Tarantulus with one of his own weapons in Season 1. I may be a sick bastard for saying this, but one of my favorite secenes is...

Well the quote says it all (as well as the quivering anus).

"Wild bean vines. Hard to digest."

[Zx31]

Even Beast Wars had a underlying serious tone to it with casualties that actually stayed dead,

Animated has this. Prime's struggle in dealing with Elita 1's fate, Megatron's very complex plans, Sentinal's use of fear tactics to unite Cybertron under his command.

Animated also has at least 3 permanent deaths, though, not as epic as "Code of Hero".

Animated was all right but if it didn't have all those nods to G1 fans I doubt it would have been half as good

Even without the nods, the stories stand up very well on their own. Almost all of the nods were completely optional in this series, and it stands VERY well without them. However, putting them in gives older fans a cool nod.

plus when they changed most of the guns Transformers used to axes, ball and chains, throwing stars ect. I knew something was up.

That's your opinion, and it's cool, but I don't miss watching firefights every episode where nobody ever gets hit, and if they do, it's never fatal unless a plot device requires them to die (ala the original movie).

I just want something on a large scale with a grand scope and a massive cast of characters, if you've seen G.I Joe Resolute then you can see that there is a way to take a 80's campy TV show and make it more mature.

Again, I've got nothing against your opinion, but for me, having a large cast only reduces the screen time for each character, limiting the amount of characterization they can have. Even with the cast of Animated, there were a LOT of characters I wanted to see more of.

[chen]

That's cool everybody has a right to their opinion . My only "beef" is that this new series was too geared to kids while at the same time all those nods to G1 was to try and attract the old school fans. I think I just wanted a more serious tone and it's probably from watching Gundam or even Macross or just a ton of Anime where they can show blood and people dieing and have a storyline that is compelling to adults while not being to abstract for kids. I know a show broadcast in North America during kid time hours can't show any true violence, but I find it interesting the difference between say Transformers and Macross or Gundam where they are both basically Sci-fi fantasy based on giant robots with the same goals of selling toys and stuff can be aimed at two distinctly different audiences. You can enjoy both but I prefer the tone in say Gundam than in Transformers Animated.

[Shin Densetsu Kai 7.0]

Wingblade Optimus, the upcoming Prime that uses the deluxe mold from the Battle Begins 2 pack with new parts to make the trailer, also has a nice bonus feature. The parts that form his trailer, wings and jetpack component, can be used on the existing voyager Prime figure.