#not to ‘um actually’ you BUT UM ACTUALLY the seekers series and other animal series written by the Erin Hunter team don’t take place in the | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

afterspark-podcast · 5 years

Text

G1 Episode 1: Transcript

Episode Show Notes

[This can also be found on AO3!]

Stinger:

O: So, why don’t you tell me the worst possible thing the Bay movies did?

S: Basically, everything everything about them.

[Intro music plays]

O: Welcome back to [the] After Spark Podcast! I’m Owls!

S: And I’m Specs!

O: And today we’re here to talk to you about More than Meets the Eye Part One!

S: Oh, and part one is part one of three.

O: Yes. So basically let’s sit down and talk about giant robots, shall we? SO! This is the very beginning of the Transformers cartoon, so we get an opening in space. Once upon a time, in a galaxy far, far away… On Cybertron! There was WAR. [quietly] I didn’t know if you wanted to talk about the environment. [laughing]

S: [laughing] Oh, yes, there’s some lovely environments paintings here. They’re just, they’re really nice. And then we get to the giant robots.

O: And then we get to the giant robots! But I do want to pause, you actually found some, like, concept art-

S: Oh.

O: -Of the original.

S: Yeah, it’s, uh… I forgot the artist, I’d have to look him up. They’re very, very pretty! We’ll, uh, we’ll find the post and link to it.

O: Sure! Uh, they’re a little bit more watercolor than you normally expect considering the, the color scheme on the show, but they are very pretty.

S: They’re very rainbowy- lot’s of yellows and pinks and golds and yes.

O: Anyway! So we start out on the planet Cybertron, which is the Transformers, ah, home planet, in the middle of WAR.

S: [laughing]

O: With the Autobots vs the Decepticons. And by Decepticons, I mean, Pure Evil (TM). [laughing]

S: That’s what they’re driven by. It’s-it’s their life goal.

O: It’s not that- because they were created to do war entirely and they really didn’t have anything else to do with their lives.

S: It gets weird depending on-

O: what continuity

S: -which continuity you’re in, or creation story. Because I think it’s implied later in the series that the quintessons built them and the Decepticons are warbuilds and the Autobots are like, the consumer-

O: Yeah-

S: -products.

O: -Something like that. Basically, what we’re getting at it. Is when you build someone only to fight, what options do they really have? But that’s not the point here, the point here is the Decepticons are the bad guys and run on PURE EVIL.

S: Yeah.

O: [clears throat] Anyway, so we open up and see two Autobots, which is Wheeljack and Bumblebee and, unlike Bumblebee from the movies, this Bumblebee can talk just fine. If you’re only familiar with the, uh, Bay-verse-

S: Mh-hmm.

O: -That does come around some of the animated ones later, but not here.

S: Yeah.

O: So they’re both snaggin’ some energy to take back to their base, which is based out of Iacon, which is an Autobot city-

S: Mm-hmm.

O: -Where they are jumped by the Seekers. Why don’t you give us a summary of the Seekers and then I’ll go into this stupid continuity shit because Oh My God.

S: Yeah, ok, so there’s Starscream, Skywarp, and Thundercracker, They’re the main Seeker, ah, Trio, Trine? That we see in the series, except that basically Starscream is Megatron’s second in command and then the other two just sort of hang around for shits and giggles. [laughter]

O: They’re also all jets .

S: Yes, and on Cybertron they’re pyramid jets instead of being... F-15’s? Or whatever the heck they are on earth. I forget.

O: A few- A few characters, like during this part where they’re on Cybertron, have their own cybertronian designs. Not very many, most of them don’t transform, and the ones that even though they do transform still have the elements of their designs from earth, so like Wheeljack still looks like a lamborghini, which is pretty-

S: -Actually, he’s a Lancia Stratos.

O: OH, thank you! Wheeljack still looks like a Stratos, even though he turns into this weird hover car later. So-

S: And Bumblebee just. I don’t know what the heck his altmode is, but somehow [laughter continuing through rest of line] he has teeny, tiny wheels.

O: Somehow he, in fact, has teeny, tiny wheels. We’ll get to that in a moment. Anyway! So,they’re jumped by the Seekers, right.

S: Yes

O: Which-which seems pretty reasonable, but then the voice that come out of Starscreams’ mouth is not his. It’s definitely not his. It’s this really deep voice that’s going, “Get them,” or something. Along those lines.

S: Yep.

O: And so! I, because I was- I-I was curious what was going on here and I actually went and looked it up, because I had assumed that either Skywarp or Thundercracker’s voice was coming out of his mouth there. And then I just sort of, it just kept getting dumber the [laughter] more I looked. So, apparently, that’s actually Bumblebee’s voice actor. It’s not either of the other two jets, because it was probably supposed to just be a generic Decepticon but the animators stuck the Seekers here.

S: Mm-hmm.

O: Which doesn’t make a lot of sense [clears throat] for a variety of reasons. Mainly because Starscream we’ll see back in a couple minutes, is back in the base with Megatron, so uh, but then it got better, because when they cut, they turn into three completely different Seekers and one of them has a flamethrower. [laughter]

S: Yes, [laughter] That throws out perfectly spherical, well, no it’s not spherical, a perfect circle of fire just around the Autobots.

O: Yes! At which they promptly ignore and drive through anyway so you have to ask yourself, “What was the point?”

S: Yeah, Wheeljack has these stupid little, twirly spinny things? [The word I wanted was propeller] That he deploys before they drive through the fire and it’s like, “UM?”

O: I don’t know how it worked, but it did apparently? Um, so they manage to escape after Bumblebee gets hurt.

S: It’s, apparently, his rear axle or something, and you see him lose a [laughter] teeny, tiny wheel.

O: Which makes no sense because they’re both hover cars.

S: They look like hover cars except I don’t what the heck Bumblebee’s supposed to be because he’s sort of a weirdly-

O: He’s very weirdly shaped. Anyway, so Bumblebee [clears throat] hops on into Wheeljack and they, ah, drive off and escape the Decepticons.

S: Oh, and Wheeljack deploys, like, a shield or something which I don’t think we ever see again.

O: Get used to that!

S: It really weirds me out. It’s like Wheeljack, what’s the point? Why don’t you use this again? Does it go away when you’re on earth?

O: We then cut back to the Autobot base, which is strangely… booby shaped.

S: [Laughter]

O: I’m not sure why, but whatever. Anyway, outside the base you see Soundwave is spying on the Autobots and is just chilling out there. Now the fun part about this is, um, Soundwave, when they get to earth, will turn into a cassette player and right now he turns into a street lamp. [Laughter]

S: [Laughter] Apparently a street lamp. He could also be, y’know, like some sort of weird phone thing, except I don’t think the street would need like eight of those.

O: I’m pretty sure it’s a street lamp, but what kills me is that you see him turn back into robot mode and deploy Laserbeak, which is one of his cassette robots, but he still has a cassette deck despite turning into a, um, street lamp.

S: Yeah.

O: Which Ijust find kind of hilarious. We-we see Jazz drive by and somehow completely miss Soundwave who, I swear to god, turned back into a street lamp within the line of sight.

S: Yes, yes, he pretty much did, and I mean, why don’t the Autobots have a camera monitoring their front door?

O: Cause Laserbeak just, y’know, is gonna fly in there and what kills me is, they never have a Laserbeak detector? Laserbeak, on earth, enters their base multiple times, you’d think there would be something but no. I-Soundwave’s just like, yeah, I know what’s going on in the Autobot base at any given point.

S: Yeah, I mean, I’m sure at some point they end up with like, pressure sensors on the floor.

O: That doesn’t help with the bird. [Laughter]

S: [Laughter] I know!

O: Maybe it helps with Ravage?

S: It doesn’t help with ninjas.

O: [Snorts] Yeah, that’s coming, [Laughter] thank you for reminding me.

S: [Laughter]

O: We see Jazz drive back into the base and we’re introduced to the leader of the Autobots, which is Optimus Prime. Who, even if you know nothing about Transformers, you probably know who Optimus Prime is, because he’s one of the most recognizable ones. I would argue his design is a lot more recognizable than Megatron’s-

S: Yeah.

O: -especially G1.

S: Mm-hmm, he’s big, he’s red and blue and he turns into a Mack truck.

O: So, you know, he feels very burly and American-y, I guess. Because he turns into a freaking semi. Ah, so after we get our introduction to Optimus, we basically cut back to the Decepticon base because this show can’t focus too long on anything. But we’re finally introduced to the Decepticons and their leader, Megatron, who is going to be delightfully campy, and his posse.

S: [Laughter] And then Shockwave, he kind of ends up being the elevator guy later in the series. But he’s purple, he turns into a gun that can fly, and apparently he just likes chilling in his altmode.

O: Yeah, like, it cuts to the base and he just in gun mode and Megatron’s like, “Shockwave!” So I don’t know how that works.

S: Starscream, as I said earlier, is Megatron’s second in command and he really doesn’t hide his ambitions well. He doesn’t. At ALL.

O: So, again, depending on the continuity, but the general gist of Starscream, every Starscream, is that he wants to lead the Decepticons and doing so means basically he needs to kill Megatron because Megatron would probably rip him to pieces otherwise. [Laughter]

S: Except that he keeps telling Megatron, to his face, that he [Starscream] should be the leader of the Decepticons.

O: YES, and I can only assume that Megatron at this point and later only keeps him around for shits and giggles.

S: [Laughter]

O: That’s all I got. [Laughter]

S: Either that or, y’know, your own personal theory on that.

O: UH.

S: I don’t know if you want to share.

O: Personally, I think they’re in some sort of relationship and it is not a good relationship, and they should really not be in a relationship, but I feel like that makes the most sense for why Megatron just doesn’t rip the guys head off. BUT moving on, so after Starscream is Starscream for several minutes.

S: Mm-hmm.

O: Basically, the gist of it is, they find the Autobots are gonna leave Cybertron and Megatron’s like, “Well, clearly they’ve gotta be looking for something, we’d better follow them.” Because of course you are.

S: Gotta get that energy!

O: Gotta get that energon! Because energy shortage. Cut back to the Autobots who are now getting ready to blast off in their spaceship.

S: So basically, the cover on top of the city just sort of peels back and then-then the ship. There’s like nothing around the ship holding it up. It’s just hovering there and it’s like [bad sound effect] basically they fire up the engines and they blast off and it’s like ok, there’s nothing.

O: There’s no supports, so this thing goes straight up.

S: And you don’t see anything else in the city so, what, did they cannibalize entire the city for this thing? Or is it mostly underground and was- this was just their, “this is our spaceship hanger.”

O: Yeah.

S: That makes no frigging sense.

O: So, uh, they blast off. They clearly don’t know what the hell seatbelts are. [Laughter]

S: Yeah

O: Because, no one’s wearing them.

S: Yeah, they-they also don’t know what a rear view camera is. [Laughter]

O: As we’ll see! In just a moment! So the Decepticons follow them up into space.

S: In their really, really depressing purple spaceship. It looks so sad.

O: It-it has this really droopy nose and it looks like saddest spaceship in the entire universe. Anyway, basically, the Decepticons are following them, the Autobots don’t know this because aforementioned, they have no rear cameras. [Laughter]

S: Yeah

O: Suddenly, there are asteroids!

S: Yeah.

O: And-and then the Decepticons board the Autobot ship.

S: Yeah, there’s like some steam and stuff coming from where the hook-in is and then there’s just fighting. And-and Soundwave takes out three or four Autobots at once and then you see him, like, [laughter] face-down over a console.

O: Yes, he takes out three or four guys. He’s there being a badass because Soundwave is a badass, and then, like, the next shot, he’s like flat, he’s like face-down over a panel or something and your like, “What happened in those interim three seconds?”

S: Yeah, like, some of the guys that he was, that he was fighting and beating up last time are fighting someone else. Ok.

O: Yeah.

S: Ok

O: You have no idea what happened. SO While they’re fighting, with apparently no time in between, suddenly earth is there and they crash land on it.

S: How did these weirdos miss eight to nine planets and, I mean, and a sun, and how was this a surprise? Even if they were fighting. Shouldn’t there have been some sort of warning system or something?

O: You would think! This is a spaceship you’d think not running into asteroids or planets would be a bit of a concern.

S: And, I mean, how long has this been happening cuz, I mean, what? It took, like, thirty years for one of our spaceships [a probe, actually] to get, basically, from earth to the outer edge of our solar system.

O: I mean, I would assume they’re-they’re faster than what our spaceships could do definitely, but it does beg the question, “How long was that fight going on?”

S: Were they just beating each other up like Rock-Em, Sock-Em Robots-

O: -For like a hundred years? [Laughter]

S: I mean, considering their lifespans that’s not improbable but, uh, still really weird to think about.

O: Yes. So! They all crashland on earth and fall asleep for four million years, and four million years later they wake up from the world’s weirdest giant robot slumber party with the universe's worst hangovers.

S: Yeah.

O: Of course, they don’t wake up until the volcano they’ve apparently crash landed into-

S: Mt St. Hillary!

O: Mt St. Hillary erupts and jostles Skywarp into the ‘repair zone?’ [Laughter]

S: [Laughter] So it turns- Apparently the volcano blowing up, like, wakes up Teletraan-1 and then it knocks Skywarp into Teletraan-1’s weird repair beam and the ship! How does the ship not know who it’s crew is?

O: You-you would think, cause, like, I know we kind of mentioned earlier, but Skywarp is a Decepticon, he’s one of the Seekers. How would this thing not have, like, oh, a Decepticon signal is-is, y’know, detected- don’t repair this one, you’d think? But clearly they don’t! So, Skywarp gets- So, Skywarp wakes up, we see Teletraan-1 flying around earth, scanning earth vehicles so that’s gonna be the alt modes everyone gets.

S: I think it’s probably a Sky-Spy that’s doing the scanning.

O: Fair point.

S: But I don’t remember if it’s a Sky-Spy or if Sky-Spy’s were only invented later, by Wheeljack. I don’t remember…

O: Anyway, we-we see some sort of little device running around earth, scanning alt earth modes for bots. So Skywarp woke up first- he, basically, drags Megatron over to the Heal Zone. [Laughter]

S: [Laughter] Yeah, the Heal Zone!

O: The Heal Zone! And Megatron wakes up and, thus, they heal the rest of the Decepticons and instead of doing the smart thing.

S: Like, y’know, killing your-

O: Mortal enemy.

S: -Yes. That are, y’know, incapable of fighting back.

O: They’re like, we’re just gonna olly out of here, because this is a waste of energon.

S: Pretty much, gotta go find some cool energon, gotta go fuel up. [Laughter]

O: ‘Cause it’s the Eighties, so it’s ener-GON! [Laughter]

S: [Laughter]

O: While they all, like, sort of group up on a cliff-

S: -outcropping? [muffled]

O: I don’t know.

S: Villainously, maybe?

O: Villainously. Basically, the question of, “Hey, why don’t we kill the Autobots?” sort of comes up and Megatron’s like, “That’s a waste of energy, they’re asleep. Come on, let’s do our shit,” And Starscream, being Starscream, shoots at the, uh, shoots at the Ark, the Autobot spaceship. And-which jostles Optimus into the heal zone. [Laughter]

S: Well, he [Starscream] actually shoots, like, an overhang of rock that fall- that collapses and then that jostles Optimus into the heal zone.

O: Right! But what I’m getting at here, is it’s all Starscream’s fault!

S: Pretty much, pretty much.

O: [Laughter] And again, second in command of the Autobo-, er, the Decepticons, here, folks. Cut to the Decepticons who are now setting up a new base, which is also purple!

S: Yep, like, it’s obviously Megatron’s favorite color- I guess Skywarp is Megatron’s favorite Decepticon, since he’s the most purple one that we see right now, except for Shockwave. And he’s also the one that, like, Megatron was the first dude he went to help. So, it’s like, A) his boss, B) the dude that is, like, his favorite person. [Laughter] Or something.

O: Basically, what we’re getting at, is Megatron’s favorite color is purple, and I have comic panels that prove this. [Laughter]

S: Mm-hmm, yep. Lost Light, I think? Probably.

O: Probably, ‘cause I think it’s, like, he painted this entire ship purple or something. [Laughter]

S: Yeah, yeah, that’s it.

O: Anyway, Decepticons are setting up their new base. Starscream, Soundwave, and Rumble, which is another one of, ah, Soundwave’s cassette bots-

S: -Cassette- cassetticons.

O: -Cassetticons, ok, thank you.

S: You’re welcome.

O: Basically, see a human powerplant in the distance and are like, “Yo, we need energy!” So they fly off to go do that. All of them fly, yes. You, too, will believe a cassette- [laughter] -a cassette player can fly. [laughter]

S: Oh-ok, so, the reason they’re going over there is a, a little less energy, and more, “Let’s get materials to build this stupid base!”

O: Right. But they’re like, “Let’s go over there! [Laughter] Let’s do this.”

S: Mm-hmm.

O: Ah, Soundwave is not allowed to come up with, like, operation names, I forgot what this one was, but y- later he just says some really generic ones. I’m like, “Buddy, buddy, noooo.”

S: Yeah, they’re kind of… “Operation: Devastation.” Or something.

O: Operation: Tidal Wave-

S: Yep.

O: -was my personal favorite, because it was just like, no they’re just trying to make a tidal wave. There’s nothing else going on here right now.

S: Except that’s not how tidal waves work!

O: I know! I know! So, the Autobots have woken up and they’re taking stock of their surroundings and they’re determined to find and stop the Decepticons, so Cliffjumper and Hound are sent off to scout.

S: Yep. OK, so we see Optimus, like, give-so, the Autobots are taking stock of what’s going on, that they’re on a new world, and that they need to go, go out and scout and do things! And so we’ve got Hound, who is A) our scout, B) he’s got hologram powers and other things, and he’s a pretty neat dude. And then there’s Cliffjumper, who’s Mr. Triggerhappy [but not Triggerhappy]. Don’t send the triggerhappy one, Optimus, just don’t.

O: But he does! So, I’m sure you can guess what happens next! The show is not that creative.

S: It-it isn’t. It isn’t.

O: So Cliffjumper and Hound find the Decepticon base and a basically listening in to Megatron as he is monologuing, ah, to, I think, Soundwave. But, because of how it’s shot, it just kind of feels like Hound is jacking into Megatron’s brain-waves with the satellite and I don’t know that’s so funny to me but it is. [Laughter]

S: It is pretty funny. [Laughter]

O: Only ‘cause you don’t, you don’t, like, a lot of it is shown from, like, Hounds perspective with his like satellite thing listening. [indistinct, we talked over each other]

S: His little radar dish.

O: Yeah, so it’s just sort of like, are they just jacking into Megatron’s head? Cause that’s kind of what that looks like. So then, Cliffjumper gets the brilliant idea to shoot Megatron.

S: Like, he says he’s in his-

O: Crosshairs?

S: No, it’s not crosshairs, it’s like, “In his viewfinder.” I think viewfinder’s the word that he used.

O: He had one job, which was to go scout and he couldn’t do that but, what made it worse is, HE ALSO FUCKING MISSED! [Laughter]

S: [Laughter] That wasn’t in your line of sight, or your crosshairs, or whatever! You triggerhappy little, red lunatic.

O: Red lunatic, yup, yup yup. Anyway! So, after Megatron almost gets shot, Soundwave’s like, “Laserbeak, go get them,” and ejects him again.

S: Mm-hmm.

O: So then, one of my favorite things in this episode happens, which Hound and Cliffjumper are like, “ Oh no, if we split up, they can’t get us.” So they’re like, this is a great idea. And Laserbeak, not being a fucking moron, shoots a missile that’s gonna follow...Hound? [indistinct]

S: The missile follows Cliffjumper.

O: The missile follows Cliffjumper and it’s hilarious because it keeps cutting between Hound and Cliffjumper, and the missile is, like, strangely sentient? [Laughter] And it’s dodging?

S: It’s really good at following Cliffjumper, really good!

O: It just sort of feels like Laserbeak popped out a baby that is sentient and is following Cliffjumper.

S: And then dies.

O: [Laughter] And then dies. Um, so it misses, so Cliffjumper’s okay, but Hound gets hit to we can get introduced to the ambulance bot, Ratchet.

S: Mm-hmm. [indistinct] Ratchet, Ratchet’s portable medibay that I think we only see this one time.

O: Keep remembering this is a pilot and they did some weird things that don’t show up at any point later.

S: Yep, and we also meet a dude named Hauler, who I think we never see again. We might see him once, I don’t think we ever… Maybe once more, I don’t think we ever see him talk. But yeah, Hauler does not equal, equal Grapple. And-

O: Very similar looking, I assume? [Transcription note: yes, they are very similar looking]

S: Well, I think Grapple only shows up in Season two,

O: Hrm.

S: So, yeah. And so this dude may be more elusive than cartoon Skids, who I think shows up, like, twice. And may or may not ever talk.

O: After all that junk happens, we cut to Thundercracker and three, I know they’re not mini-cons but they’re really small?

S: They’re closer to being minibots, I guess.

O: Ok-

[talking over each other]

S: Mini-cons are basically the tiny little dudes that in, that showed up in Armada that basically, basically they, uh, like tie in and provide power boosts to other Transformers and so minicon, like, specifically means… that. Unless we’re talking about 2005, 2015 Robots in Disguise, in which case, they’re just tiny dudes. [Transcription note: … I was wrong about that, 2015 RiD mini-cons do provide power-ups.]

O: Ok, which is kind of what I’m operating [under]. But anyway, you’ve got three smaller robots who can turn into a polaroid camera. [Reflector]

S: Yeah, they- they’re a weird little combiner dude.

O: They are. Anyway, so Thundercracker picks them up takes- snaps a picture of a truck and mistakes it for an Autobot. I don’t know why he needed a polaroid camera- [clears throat]

S: To identify an Autobot.

O: That wasn’t! That’s- I think the best part here is he’s wrong, so of course they send somebody out to investigate and, oh no, it’s actually humans, who are then attacked by one of Soundwave’s other cassettes, which is Ravage who turns into a giant panther.

S: Mm-hmm.

O: By giant, I mean he’s, aah, about as tall as a person probably.

S: He’s, uh, he’s a cassette, a cassetticon.

O: Cassetticon.

S: Yeah, his shoulder goes up to, like, human shoulders? Or something?

O: Probably. Something along those lines. The Autobots mobilize after being warned by Cliffjumper and Hound of the Decepticon plan. Why Cliffjumper wasn’t punished for just not fucking scouting I’ll never understand, but whatever.

S: They then make a joke about it, about, “Oh, you shouldn’t have missed!” and it’s sort of weirdly lighthearted. Being in a military unit. [talking over each other]

O: Oh, that scamp! [Laughter]

S: Kind of. And I mean, the humans that Ravage attacks are the honestly most sensible people in this whole cartoon, ‘cause they get the hell out.

O: Yeah!

S: [talking over each other] They olly on out!

O: When the giant panther attacks attacks you get the hell out. Anyway, so the Autobots mobilize and do what I can only describe as toy roll call because they are introduced by name one at a time, except for like two characters who aren’t on the screen at the same time, b-but mostly it’s a toy roll call, y’know, for the kids so y’know what- what toys to buy the kids. Remember the toys, kids? The toys.

S: Pretty much and it’s Majordomo Jazz leading the roll call, so we’re not quite sure what the Autobot, like, hierarchy here is, ‘cause I think, Prowl’s generally the second but I don’t think he’s introduced as the second and Jazz, like, is the one who leads most of the, like, troop actions, apparently.

O: I’m going to go with Jazz is just more of a people person [laughter] ‘cause Prowl is kind of… He’s the one who’s, like, gotta keep discipline.

S: Pretty much, yeah.

O: So, the Decepticons! Land on an oil rig because they want to get power to make energon.

S: Oh-oh, and apparently energon cubes aren’t really a thing for Autobots, like, it’s specified that they’re gonna put energon in a cube when Hound reports back.

O: Yeah, they’re like some kind of cube things, so clearly what we’re saying here is Energon Cubes has been trademarked by, ah, Soundwave.

S: Mm-hmm.

O: Ah, obviously, and now I just want to imagine him in like, y’know, an actual trademark office [Specs laughs] and trying to fill this stuff out and, like, maybe Perceptor’s in there doing the same thing for some sciency thing and they’re just kind of like, “Hey.” “Hey.” [Then they] get back to doing paperwork.

S: Yeah, like, he’s [Perceptor] trademarking his anti-cosmic rust thing.

O: [Laughter] Yeah, something like that.

S: Um, so the first time we see Sparkplug and Spike, they’re on this oil rig and, what is it? Is it take your child to work day? Even if it’s an oil rig?

O: Yeah, ‘cause Spike’s, like, what? Fourteen? Sixteen? Something like that.

S: I feel like he’s supposed to be sixteen though in the original comics he’s older than Buster, who’s the the main human that hangs out with the Autobots, so he was like eighteen or twenty one in that, so I don’t know what to expect. [Talking over each other]

O: You-We don’t know what’s going on there and why a chi- a fourteen year old- sixteen year old, whatever, would be on an oil rig with his dad.

S: I feel like he’s supposed to be sixteen but… Y’never. It’s never clarified.

O: Pretty much. Anyway! So, Decepticons attack an oil rig and humans freak out about the forty foot robots that have suddenly landed. And by freak out, I mean, humans are territorial and will attack anything and are throwing all this shit at Megatron and like, ah, what like, tools and a crowbar and like all these other various things. They’re just like, “Oh my god! There’s this giant thing, throw shit at it!” [Laughter]

S: Pretty much let’s make it go away by assaulting it with-with tools.

O: Yes! Then Soundwave makes Energon cubes which the Decepticons promptly fill with oil and then squish, and somehow that turns into energon?

S: Yeah.

O: I don’t know.

S: It’s weird, it’s- oh god it’s like those- So you know there are those, uh, plastic bag things that you can like vacuum se- you put clothes in-

O: {Laughter] Oh god. You vacuum seal.

S: - With a vacuum in order to condense it, and for y’know storage, and that’s all this reminds me of, except somehow that’s how they process your oil into energon.

O: Vacuum sealed energon, got it, cool, cool. So Decepticons are creating mass chaos as you do and the Autobots arrive. By flying… Remember that later!

S: Mm-hmm.

O: Because they’re FLYING!

S: Yeah.

O: And it doesn’t look assisted.

S: Yeah.

O: Uh, so all out fighting breaks out. Megatron does what I can only describe as a trust fall, by alting into his gun and being caught by Starscream-

S: Yeah.

O: -Um, who’s firing him. Insert joke here, something. Anyway, there’s laserfire everywhere, on an oil rig. Good thing there’s not anything combustible here, right?

S: Except the oil is running free.

O: Yeah. So, that’s happening and then Megatron and Optimus are trying to fight, and then Laserbeak tries to attack Optimus Prime.

S: And ok, he’s probably trying to, like, rip his optics out or something, but all-all we get is bonk! [Laughter]

O: They use a bonk sound effect, so you just, it kind of feels like it was something running into a glass window or something. *clnk* *clnk* *clnk* *clnk*

S: [Laughing] Basically- He’s basically just bonking him on the head.

O: [Laughing] And which, I’m sure is annoying, but probably isn’t going to do any damage to Optimus Prime. So then the Deceptions escape and only now are there explosions. But only when Megatron wants explosions.

S: And he’s laughing alone with fire.

O: He’s laughing alone with fire! See the true power of the leader of the Decepticons!

S: [Laughing]

O: Cause then we gotta save them humans, uh, and that’s basically where the episode cuts.

S: More or less. Yeah, like Sparkplug and Spike are trapped under some weirdly unsinkable metal bits that they apparently can’t dive out from under and there’s some weird stuff going on with Sparkplug’s arm where you can just see his forearm and it doesn’t look like it’s connected to his shoulder at all.

O: Animation errors. So we cut to it and it’s like, “Next episode: Dams! Arch enemies! And,” my own personal favorite, “how rubies are a warlords best friend! So stay tuned!”

S: [Laughing] Yeah! I’m looking forward to the rubies.

O: So this episode of More than Meets the Eye part one is a- part one of a three parter so, y’know [indistinct], but that is where the episode ends is, “The oil rig is exploding!” and “Oh no, save the humans!” So! That’s the end of our first episode and we’ll have the next one up soon if it’s not already up. Something we wanted to bring up here is that originally, it would have been kind of fun we could of gone over some of the more memorable animation or continuity errors while we were doing this…

But holy fucking Primus, there are so many! Literally, it is six and a half pages single spaced. If you take all of the sections off of, like, the TFWiki for just this site, which is, I think, animation and technical errors, continuity errors, and trivia, which I know isn’t errors but, still, fun information. SO, ah, I think it’s safe to say we’ll call ‘em when we sees ‘em, but only if they’re going to be particularly amusing for us because, oooh, we’re not going to go over six and a half pages of animation errors. If that’s your thing, though, the TFWiki is a fantastic resource, definitely go over there, get your fill of trivia, ‘cause they’ve got it all!

S: Yeah, I’ll note animation errors if they particularly annoy me.

O: So! Specs, what is our fanfic recommendations for the week!

S: Well, I’ve got two recommendations, both of which are complete. There’s Transformers: Juxtaposition by Vaeru, which I may or may not be pronouncing their name correctly, um, yeah. So, rating- it’s rated T, it’s gen, there aren’t really any pairings. The main character is an OC [Evelyn], an original character, but everyone else is the G1 cast with a few other OC’s, original characters, that show up. So, in summary, “A car wreck on a rainy night leads to the oddest partnership imaginable. A disembodied voice, possessed cars, alien robots, kidnapping, rescue, abduction, sparks, keys, and tomato sandwiches... Read if you dare.”

S: So, part of why I chose this is that it’s a first contact story, it’s just. Evelyn is a really fun human character, she’s very entertaining, she’s a linguistics professor, and [spoiler alert!] basically her first contact with alien robots ends up in, basically, with one of the alien robots stuck in her head. And she thinks she’s going kind of batty but then he bodynaps her onto an alien spaceship and the other alien robots are very nonplussed by this.

O: [Snorts laughter]

S: So, and then, ah, our second, ah, recommen- well, my second recommendation, our second? Let’s go with ‘our’ second recommendation is-

O: [laughing] I’ve actually read this one!

S: I’ve recommended that you read Juxtaposition, but it’s like forty chapters long, and I should probably mention that. So, yeah, forty chapters long. It’s really long and it’s only the first part.

S: But, yeah, the second recommendation that we have is, “Why the Ark has no Doors” by Princess Artemis. So, continuity is G1, it’s rated K, it’s gen, no pairings, and the characters are the G1 cast, focusing mainly on Wheeljack and Wheeljack’s inventions. So-

O: And the shenanigans, therefore.

S: Mm-hmm, so in summary, “It has been asked why the Autobots never tried to make the Ark more secure. Well...they did. It just didn't work out as planned. G1.” So the theme or basically the reason why I put this in is, Ark security or surveillance and/or the lack thereof, like my comment, uh, earlier in our, uh, conversation today.

O: So, ah, our fanart recommendation for the week is Taiyari and I’m so sorry if I’m not saying that right, you can find them at taiyari.tumblr.com, we will have a link. I’ve included some examples of the art that I’ve personally really liked, uh, they tend to do a lot of Megatron and Optimus stuff, but I actually came across them ‘cuz Specs had reblogged a kickstarter they were doing for pins of Soundwave and his cassettes that were super adorable! I may have ordered one. But their other stuff is great, too, and you should check them out!

O: So, thanks for listening to us today! Uh, just to kind of give a rundown of our social media, you can find us mostly on Tumblr at Afterspark-Podcast.tumblr.com. We are on Twitter and Facebook at AftersparkPod, all one word, and you can reach us via email, at Aftersparkpodcast [at] outlook [.] com. All this information can be found through our Tumblr as well.

O: Anyway, that’s it from us today! Please join us next time for More than Meets the Eye, Part two of the original three part pilot of Transformers!

O: This has been Owls!

S: And I’m Specs!

O: And thanks for listening to us, we’ll see you next time!

S: Toodles!

#transcript #afterspark podcast #G1 episode 1

1 note · View note

universetardis · 7 years

Note

youre gonna hate this, but do all the asks

Oh my god well here I go:

(Its a really long post and it took so long holy shit)

🐰 what is one secret that you’ve never told anyone? If I said it then it wouldn’t be a secret anymore (But seriously I don’t think I have one)

💗 if you could hug anyone, who would it be? probably Phil because everyone says he gives really good hugs

🐹 what are some of your favourite Pokémon and why? I’m trash and have only played pokemon go and not the actual games, that aside probably eevee

🌠 if you were in charge of the world, what would the world look like? Not like how it is now (A lot less/no hate and suffering)

👀 what was the most recent vivid dream that you had? I don’t remember any

☀️ what do you like the most about your best friend? Everything

😘 talk about your crush or partner I don’t have a partner nor an actual crush but I absolutely love Bex Taylor Klaus (She is my wife AND SHE JUST RETWEETED MY TWEET OKAY IM CRYING)

💁 if someone was rude to you, would you be rude back? It would depend on the situation and who they were- in general no though

🌟 what do you like about yourself? Eyes, intelligence, and humour I guess

🐾 what are you scared of most? how will you overcome it? I’m terrified of spiders and I have no idea how I’ll overcome it

🎁 what never fails to make you happy? Dan and Phil

💙 what annoys you about some people? When they are generally disrespectful of others and are homophobic, transphobic, racist or sexist

😤 do you get angry easily? Not angry necessarily but I get annoyed easily

🐇 what do you always daydream about? tv shows and being in a relationship

🌻 if you could change 3 things about the world what would you change? End world hunger, no prejudices, and i don’t know

🍓 send me 4 names: kiss, befriend, kill or marry? —

✈️ what is your dream city and why? To travel to probably London but I wouldn’t want to live there. Why I want to go there is because it seems like a nice place

☕️ talk about your ideal day Getting to watch tv/youtube all day without having to worry about school or anything

🌸 are you an introvert, ambivert or extrovert? Introvert

💧 when was the last time you cried? Like 15 minutes ago… DID I MENTION BEX TAYLOR KLAUS RETWEETED MY TWEET

🎵 name 5 songs you love at the moment (In No Order)

That Green Gentleman- Panic! At the Disco

When the day met the night- Panic! At The Disco

America’s Suitehearts- Fall Out Boy

Pretty Girl- Hayley Kiyoko

Gravel To Tempo- Hayley Kiyoko

⚡️ if you had any superpower, what would it be and why? Probably Telekinesis because you literally wouldn’t have to move and could always defend yourself

💛 if you could talk to your younger self, what would you say? Probably something about not caring about what others think of you or some bullshit like that

💚 who are you jealous of and why? Im not really jealous of anyone that I can think of atm

💎 which one would you rather have more of: intelligence, beauty, kindness, wealth or bravery? why? Kindness because whats the point of being any of those other things if you’re not kind

🙊 what are you ashamed of? I dont know

🌺 which languages do you know? which do you want to learn? I can only speak fluent English but I am learning Japanese at school

🍀 if you could be any fictional character’s best friend/lover, which fictional character would you be? I HAVE TOO MANY DON”T ASK ME THINGS WHERE I HAVE TO ONLY PICK ONE

☁️ talk about your dream universe. Um I actually don’t know

💜 which acts of kindness are you going to do today? I don’t know, shit just happens

🐬 if you could transform into any animal/magical creature, what would you be and why? A cat because they literally do nothing

🍄 talk about someone/something you really dislike Well I would rant about the people who I dislike but I really couldn’t be bothered but those people are homophobic, transphobic, and racist little dickheads

😣 talk about some things that have been making you depressed/angry/anxious lately honestly going back to school in half a month is stressing me out and making me sad. Like I’m on summer break atm and its so freeing because even though I’m barely allowed to do anything (go out or whatever), I get to just relax and watch tv instead of constant stress but now ill be going back soon im really not looking forward to it. I like learning but with school I put so much pressure on myself to do great and get A’s in pretty much all my subjects and honestly it just makes me feel depressed and stressed

🍪 what did you want to be as a kid, and what do you want to be now? I wanted to be a singer as a kid but now I have no freaking clue

🍰 what are some of your favourite sugary foods? Chocolate, ice cream, pretty much anything with lots of sugar in it

🍑 what are you obsessed with? Literally every tv show I watch (too many to name but if you go into my about page you’ll see most of them), Dan and Phil, bands and musicians (that are also named in my about page), and BEX TAYLOR KLAUS

💘 what happens to you when you’re stressed? Most of the time I cry

😪 what are you sick of? School, homework, life

🙀 are you an adrenaline seeker? I guess

💥 what are some unpopular opinions that you have?

Maths isn’t actually that hard

Baths aren’t that great

☔️ would you consider yourself a good person? Yeah I guess

😊 what do you like to do as hobbies? I love to dance, watch tv/youtube, eat and sleep

🎤 what’s the last song you hummed or sang by yourself? The Kids Aren’t Alright by Fall Out Boy (I was in the shower)

🐝 what’s your worst trait? how are you planning to improve it? I put too much pressure on myself to excel in school and when I don’t get an A (sometimes B depending on how hard I find the subject) I become annoyed at myself and sad. I have no freaking clue how to stop this other than drop out of school lmao (which i would never do)

🎨 what do you always doodle when you’re bored? Cat whiskers and |-/ . Thats about how far my art skills go

🐻 what’s stopping you from chasing your dreams? I don’t really have dreams other than find a partner who makes me feel better about myself and happy I guess. Whats stopping me from that is only being 16 and literally no one liking me

🌷 what’s your mbti personality and why do you think it suits you? I’m INFJ and I wouldn’t have a clue why it suits me but its literally me

🐶 send me 3 fictional people and I’ll choose my favourite! —

👑 who are your favourite celebrities and why? At the moment its Bex Taylor Klaus if you couldn’t already tell but also dan and phil

🐴 opinion on __? —

🍋 do you consider yourself an emotional person? Yes

📚 share 3 books that you love and your favourite quote from them. (Im lazy and not writing quotes)

The Amazing Book Is Not On Fire

A Series of Unfortunate Events (Not a single book but an amazing series)

Simon vs The Homosapien Agenda

😔 what do you always do when you feel sad? does it help? Cry and watch tv/youtube, it kinda helps

😌 what thoughts keep you going when you’re sad? I don’t know

🌍 which country do you live in? Australia

🐧 describe yourself in 3 words Quiet, smart and tired

🐵 which quotes changed you? I don’t know

💭 do you keep a diary? Nope

💫 who inspires you? Dan Howell, Phil Lester, and Bex Taylor Klaus among many others

👻 do you believe in ghosts and why? Yes because ghosts are cool

🎀 what’s your fashion sense like? I don’t have any fashion sense unless you count jeans/shorts and fandom shirts as “fashion sense” then thats what my fashion sense is like

🎬 what are some of your favourite films? Again refer to my about page if you want to know them

🍦 what is one treasured childhood memory? Winning dance awards I guess

🐼 if you could meet anyone, who would it be and why? There are too many to count

I hope this satisfies you

#about me #jade talks #i answered i dont know to so many #im sorry #also notice how many times i mention bex taylor klaus #bex taylor klaus

0 notes

afterspark-podcast · 4 years

Text

G1 Episode 24: Transcript

Episode Show Notes

[This can also be found on AO3!]

[Stinger]

O: --Or Solus took a rib from Solus and genetically engineered his wife.

S: [laughing in the background]

[Intro Music]

O: Hello, and welcome to the Afterspark Podcast! An episode by episode recap of the Generation 1 Transformers cartoon. I'm Owls!

S: And I'm Specs.

O: And today we're gonna be talking about episode number 24, “A Prime Problem.” Let's talk about giant robots today, shall we?

S: Um-hmm. And today we open with the Decepticons next to a freshly created glowing ravine.

O: They had apparently detected some sort of rare energy on their sensors.

S: Starscream, is completely ready to dive in headfirst, but Megatron stops him, as he cites that the energy could be unstable.

O: Once bitten, twice shy, eh, Megs?

S: [sighs] Megatron's decided he cares about his subordinates today.

O: [laughs]

S: The Decepticons apparently have a- kind of an equivalent of Roller, called an Autoscout.

O: This is actually kind of fascinating to me. Not only because the name, ‘Autoscout,’ sounds like it should be an Autobot thing, but also because this is another cassette that Soundwave sends out, that's weirdly colored like Rumble for some inexplicable reason. But I like that the normal cassettes like Ravage, um, Rumble, Frenzy. etc, they're all considered valuable enough they aren't used for shit like this.

S: The scout descends into the ravine, revealing that the energy is coming from some very large crystals, while Megatron, Soundwave, and Starscream, you know, exposition things.

O: Yeah, I know, it actually was a reasonably good usage of you know, like, the audio and the visual storytelling. Uh, these things are Korlonium- okay, so, I looked it up this thing has an ‘R’ in it but I swear to god they sound- it sounds like they're saying ‘Colonium’ crystals…

S: It could just be an accent thing.

O: So, these things are Korlonium crystals, apparently?

S: Megatron says that they're deadly, and then the scout blows up upon contact with it.

O: You know, right on time. Starscream suggests luring the Autobots into the crystals to destroy them, but Megatron says that Optimus would never be so reckless.

S: Well, I mean the real and I'm gonna emphasize REAL here-

O: [laughs]

S: -real Optimus wouldn't.

O: And then Megatron had a terrible, awful idea.

S: Megatron decides to wait in his new, temporary base until the Autobots show up.

O: It's a giant rock. I know it's supposed to look like a mountain, but guys it's a ROCK.

S: And then we see the Autobots arrived with Spike in tow.

O: Oh good, I'm glad we brought the human to this weird energy source that's probably giving him cancer as we speak.

S: Do the robots even know what cancer is?

O: Uhh, good question! [laughs]

S: Then again, who knows if any of this is any more hazardous than the Ark on a normal day, let alone sitting in Bumblebee who may or may not be radiating who knows what.

O: Or- or being anywhere near- near Wheeljack?

S: Yeah.

O: And thus, Cliffjumper attempts to do what he does best, jumping off a cliff and into the crystals.

S: Well, I mean he has to live up to the prophecy that is his name, because it's a self-fulfilling prophecy.

O: Indeed.

S: But Optimus advises caution, before Starscream shows up with several other Cons. Starscream here is super creative with his insults to Optimus. Calling him Floptimus.

O: Why does that sound like a dick joke? Better yet, why are you using a dick joke on Optimus? Your boss is the one that turns into a phallic object.

S: He's jealous of their, um, relationship.

O: Obviously. A fight breaks out, with Optimus almost immediately taking out the three Seekers.

S: He just dismisses them as opponents, while loudly declaring how bored he is to only be fighting three Decepticons. And then Megatron has Soundwave reject Laserbeak to take out Optimus.

O: May one bird do what three Jets could not.

S: Upon seeing Laserbeak Optimus calls him a ‘tinfoil turkey’.

O: The bastard, be nice to my birb!

S: But Laserbeak shoots Optimus down a convenient adjacent ravine, free of electronic frying crystals.

O: Megatron then orders Laserbeak to take holographic scans of Optimus’s body, from every angle. Megatron holds a perfect replica of Optimus Prime for reasons.

S: And... Megatron also wants Optimus alive.

O: Oh lord, he wants a harem.

S: Maybe?

B: [laughs]

S: While Laserbeak is scanning Optimus, Megatron calls him um, photogenic.

O: Optimus is knocked out, ass up, and SOMEHOW that's photogenic!?! Megs, buddy, NOOO!!!

S: [sighs] A mere few button pushes later and Megatron now has an exact copy of Optimus Prime.

O: It fools Soundwave. I have absolutely no idea why, it's not like Soundwave wasn't watching the monitors with the real Optimus on them at the same time is Megs. He saw Laserbeak scan him!

S: To make this even sillier, Soundwave’s basically psychic. Actually, I'm kind of wondering if he's performing surprise for Megatron's benefit.

O: Why though!?! He shouldn't be surprised here! [dissolves into laughter]

S: Yes, but maybe it makes Megatron feel better to have his ego stroked?

O: I would believe that.

S: It's just to guess. Megatron proudly proclaims that it's a clone.

O: We gonna talk about how Megs just uh, had this all ready to go or…?

S: I don’t know, it's the plot of the week.

O: Plot of the week, he’s got plans for it, I mean whatever...

S: He's just making use of stuff he already had.

O: [snorts]

S: He then puts on a silly helmet, that is of course purple, and now he can control everything the clone says or does.

O: Clone Optimus heads out to meet up with the Autobots. The Cons retreat, and the Autobots head back to base.

S: Meanwhile, the real Optimus, who has apparently been left unsupervised, wakes up and climbs out of the ravine he was trapped in. And at the Ark, Megatron apparently doesn't know anyone's name as he has the clone calling Ironhide, ‘Bumblebee’.

O: I really wish they got a bit farther with this gag. Either having Megatron trying to impersonate Optimus Prime's voice or have Optimus try to have more of Megatron’s speech pattern. Like, now I'm just wondering has anybody ever asked the two VA’s to do that? Because I would pay good money to see that! [laughs]

S: I'm kind of wondering how Megatron- how they don't have any goddamn information on any of like, their- the opposing faction because he should know.

O: He clearly know who Bumblebee is, in earlier episode. That's the part that makes this make less sense.

S: Yeah. So, I mean, you think, you've been fighting a war against them, they're- like, their roster doesn't really change.

O: Yeah.

S: You’d think you'd know who the hell they are, if only so that you can properly you know, combat them.

O: Yeah, pretty much.

S: And yeah, Megatron also has absolutely no idea how to operate Teletraan I, despite the fact that he's had operatives going in and operating it and getting shit out of it, for how long?

O: At least a year. The Autobots express worry about their leader but the clone uses the fall as an excuse for his ‘faulty memory’.

S: This seems like it would be a good reason for you know, Ratchet to open him up but apparently he's identical inside and out, through and through.

O: YUP, we’ll get to that! [laughs]

S: Yeah, and then the real Optimus shows up and the clone orders the others to shoot him. But Ironhide stops them. Wanting to verify which one is the real one.

O: Which obviously the second one's the right one, because he doesn't even notice the other Optimus at first. He's too busy expressing how happy he is that everyone made it back safe.

S: [sighs] The real Optimus. Bumblebee has Teletraan I scan the two Optimi, but they come up as exactly the same.

O: [deadpan] Oh gee, if only sparks existed. [returns to speaking normally] I mean I’d assume that one of them wouldn't have one, right?

S: Well if it -if it did it would have weird implications for you know, their reproduction.

O: Uh, it has weird implications period, considering sparks are canonically a thing here, retroactively, by way of Beast Wars.

S: Yeah.

O: So, you know, that's the thing. Apparently, we're going to do a series of tests to see which is the real Optimus out of these two. Uh, the first of which is laser rifle skills.

S: Really guys, all you need to do is see which one knows how to use the damn computer.

O: [snorts] It's so true. To make this dumber though, I'm not even sure which one is which in these scenes.

S: I'm not sure anyone is.

O: [laughs] The animators didn't know either! The writers didn't know either! I believe it.

S: And instead of doing something sensible, like asking them questions, they decide to make the two Primes do a truck race next. Oh, GODDDD-

O: Shockingly, these tests are inconclusive!

S: [sighs] But the Autobots have more important things to worry about. The Korlonium crystals are about to explode and they've got to stop it!

O: This is apparently all going according to Megatron's plan, as the Cons are messing with Teletraan’s readings to lure the Autobots back to the crevice. Wait, one moment, he just said he didn't know how to use Teletraan but they know how to fool the fucking scanners?

S: I guess they can manipulate what Teletraan’s sensors are getting? I don't know.

O: I suppose that's more likely.

S: Cuz I mean, Soundwave could probably do that.

O: Okay, I believe Soundwave could do that.

S: Megatron, Megatron, no. Soundwave, probably yeah. Maybe Starscream could do something? But apparently, he didn't know what the fuck they were so… I don't know. Megatron is saying this while wearing the control helmet so does that mean the clone is saying all this shit out loud, as well?

O: Please, yes lord, please! [laughs]

S: I mean that would blow the cover like, really fast but apparent- unless everyone was super dumb, which I mean they are...

O: I MEAN, they do not have a good track record in this episode, let's be honest.

S: Sadly that would not appear to be the case, uh, with regard to talking out loud via clone. Uh, when we get back to the Autobots, they are just about getting ready to roll out. But Ironhide tells the two Primes that until they're sorted out, he's the one giving orders around here.

O: So, still Peter Cullen? [laughs]

S: [laughing] Yes!

O: Peter Cullen does one other voice in this series regularly, it's Ironhide. I do find this funny. When the Autobots arrive they are attacked by the Decepticons.

S: Megatron plans to have the clone order the Autobots into the deadly, deadly crystals, and of course the- in order to gain their trust he'll have to destroy one of the Cons.

O: Starscream doesn't just walk into this, he- he falls flat on his face into it.

S: [sighs] He swan dives.

O: [laughs]

S: Starscream is like, “I, Starscream!?! The pride of the Cybertronian war academy!?!”

O: “This aft? This aft, right here? You want to offline this aft?”

S: And Starscream, you know, runs away, and flies out of the hideout, like a coward.

O: [snorts] I don't know if I really blame him, in all fairness.

S: True, I mean, considering how much he and Megatron fight, and how- how many times Megatron's probably told him he's gonna kill him and everything.

O: And vice versa. Megatron has Soundwave send Laserbeak after him.

S: While all this is going on, Spike and Windcharger find the entrance to the hidden base.

O: For being half Starscream's height, Laserbeak actually makes pretty quick work of him and just hauls him back into the base.

S: I am pretty sure Laserbeak is significantly smaller than Starscream, unless he was like mass shifted up here.

O: I- I don't know, I feel like when we saw it, it looked about half- like he was about half as tall or something but-

S: I don’t know, it’s- it’s weird.

O: -hell if I know.

S: Once Starscream’s dumped back in front of Megatron, Megatron says he intends to have the Optimus clone kill Starscream's clone, not Starscream himself. This is important information that was left out.

O: And this is what you get for dicking around with people Megs, a squishy infestation.

S: Of course, once Starscream's been ah, cloned he sees something he finally loves more than himself, his clone!

O: Starscream gets his own dumb helmet to control his clone too!

S: Same hat!

O: [laughs] Spike and Windcharger attempt to get out after hearing Megatron's plan, but they are chased by Laserbeak.

S: Spike is, you know, captured accordingly and ah, Windcharger falls to his apparent doom.

O: Into the crystals, like, I feel that’s relevant.

S: Yeah.

O: Uh, Soundwave is now babysitting the squishy.

S: Spike calls Megatron a, ‘Mega-rat’.

O: Just once- just once I'd like to hear these idiots say an actual zinger.

S: Back outside, the two clones face off one-on-one, mano a mano. With Megatron congratulating himself on being a brilliant playwright for choreographing all this nonsense.

O: All I can think is just see- see, you let him write shitty plays, this war wouldn’t have happened!

S: Oh god, hes’ doing- he’s pulling a Loki from-

O: [cracking up] OH MY GOD, that's the fic we want and deserve! Is Megatron wins, and all he does is put on shi- is put on shitty plays! Headcanon accepted.

S: Self-aggrandizing plays and poetry.

O: Mm-hmm! And then Optimus kills Starscream in cold blood, in front of a bunch of witnesses.

S: Oh boy, are they gonna feel super silly when Starscream shows up in five minutes.

O: Five minutes I think you mean immediately!?!

S: As the wind is blowing the dust of Starscream's clone away, um, Starscream still standing there, in the shot, with the two other seekers.

O: [laughs] So animation error, but in all seriousness, Megatron and Starscream actually work really, really well together here. Proving they can do it if they try!

S: Um-hmm.

O: The Autobots are dumb, dumb, dumb, mothafuckers, reaching the conclusion that this has to be the real Prime, because he killed Megatron's second-in-command.

S: Would the real Optimus kill Starscream in cold blood? I think we've established that, no he the fuck wouldn't.

O: He can't even kill Megatron in cold blood most continuities.

S: Yeah.

O: Clone Optimus orders the bots into the crevice and the real one tries to stop them, but no one listens to him.

S: You're all so DUMB! So, so DUMB!!! Why didn't you ask about prior experiences that you would have had with him!?!

O: Because that would make too much sense! [laughs]

S: [sighs] Why? So much sighing...

O: [laughs]

S: Windcharger proceeds to drive up out of the crevice and is like, “Hey guys. Don't fucking go in there!”

O: [laughs] I wanna point out that he survived because he apparently transformed into his alt mode before hitting the ground. I don't know why that helped, because clearly that doesn't seem to help- because the Scout still blew up and it had wheels, but whatever.

S: It might not have had rubber tires, that’s the thing.

O: Hmm, okay.

S: Cuz, I think it's specified that the rubber tires somehow insulated him?

O: You know, this is- this is like, on par with them defeating uh, what's-his-face’s lightning in that other episode by being in car mode, but sure!

S: Yeah, the clone attempts to get everyone ah, into the crevice again, but finally fucks up enough that the other Bots catch on. And it's when he calls Spike, ‘unimportant’.

O: Megatron was so close, he just lost his patience, man.

S: The Autobots finally turn on the clone sending him into the crystal crevice.

O: The Decepticons are blasting off again, and as they make their escape they just chuck Spike out a window.

S: Powerglide proceeds to show up, um, and showboats that rescue. Spike should really be dead at this point.

O: Critical velocity and all that, because while Powerglide was showing off they got really close to the ground with that catch.

S: Yeah, and even if Spike er, Skydive-Sky-

O: Skydive? [laughs]

S: Wrong- I mean right season, wrong flying Autobot.

O: [continues laughing]

S: Ah, even if Powerglide managed to like, match velocities with him- yeah, but still- he'd still splat-

O: Yup.

S: -unfortunately for him. Um, back on the ground, Spike asks Optimus if it's really him and uh, then Optimus offers a rather silly response, but it’s- you know, it's cute.

O: “Yes Spike. This time I am definitely me... or I. Myself. Oh, whoever I am.”

B: [laugh]

O: And that's it for today's episode, join us next time for, “Atlantis, Arise!” Uhh, so did you guys ever want to see the lost city of Atlantis with giant robots, jets underwater, and um... Washington DC?

S: Megatron takes over um-

O: A lot of things.

S: -Lincoln’s chair.

O: [laughs]

S: Yeah.

O: Megatron finds the perfect chair.

S: Yep, too bad you can't take it home.

O: [snorts]

S: Okay, we have two- two fanfic recommendations for today. Would you like to talk about them or would you like me to?

O: Yep, I can do it. Uh, so, uh basically, I did both of these because I will use any excuse to talk about Shattered Glass. (I apologize for nothing!) So, our two fics for today, uh, the first one is, “Mathematical Manipulation” by Merfilly. The continuity is Shattered Glass, it’s G, it’s Gen there are no pairings. Characters are: Megatron, Starscream, Soundwave, Shockwave, Frenzy, Optimus Prime, Rodimus Prime, and Thundercracker. That is all of the Shattered Glass versions and in summary, “Megatron doesn't see the future, he just models it on probability.” The character or a rec this is based on is, ‘evil Optimus,’ and it's a one-shot. Also, this makes more sense when you realize that Shattered Glass Megs is a math professor.

S: Which is indeed a fun thing.

O: Which I love immensely! And our second one is, “Someone You Might Have Been,” by Astolot. It's G1/Shattered Glass, it's rated T, it's definitely slash, uh, for Megatron/Optimus and our characters are: Shattered Glass Megatron, regular Megatron and Optimus. The- in summary, “I didn't love him because he wasn't you.” And the character theme this is based on is again, ‘evil Optimus,’ but also Megatron and Optimus slash. It is a one shot. It's also one of the only Astolot fics I can recommend, so I was like, we're gonna put that here! [Because we’ve been trying to keep all the fic recs at T and below for the most part. ~Owls] And that's it for our fics today.

S: And that just about wraps it up for us today. Remember to check us out on Tumblr or Pillowfort as a Afterspark-Podcast for any additional information, show notes, or links we may have mentioned. You can also find us on Facebook and Twitter @AftersparkPod (all one word), and various other locations by searching for, “Afterspark Podcast,” such as AO3, iTunes, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, and Youtube, just to name a few. Until next time, I'm Specs.

O: And I'm Owls.

S: Toodles!

[Outro Music]

#g1 episode 24 #transcript #afterspark podcast

0 notes

afterspark-podcast · 5 years

Text

G1 Episode 15: Transcript

Episode Show Notes

[This can also be found on AO3!]

[Stinger]

O: What the fuck is the cereal for!?! I don't know, do you know!?!

[Intro Music]

O: Hello, and welcome to the Afterspark Podcast, an episode by episode recap of the generation 1 Transformers cartoon. I'm Owls!

S: And I'm Specs!

O: Today we're gonna be talking about episode number 15, “A Plague of Insecticons.” Let's talk about giant robots today, shall we?

S: Yes.

O: We open in this episode on a tropical island in a mangrove forest where several people are poling their boats through the forest.

S: It's called the, “Demon Swamp.”

O: That seems racist somehow?

S: Well, it might have been the Insecticons that named it that, actually.

O: [sighs] Eh, I guess. And loo, a giant fucking beetle rises from the water!

S: Saying welcome to, “Demon Swamp,” ergo--

O: Okay, point taken.

S: What--why--why they might have named it that.

O: Yeah. Meet the Insecticons! Cybertronians that are here, now, for some reason. Uh, Shrapnel, Bombshell, and Kickback, who are a stag beetle, a boll weevil and a grasshopper respectively.

S: Bombshell is also sometimes listed as a Japanese rhinoceros beetle, interestingly enough.

O: Yeah, we'll probably keep calling him a boll weevil but we--I definitely see how it could be a rhinoceros beetle. The people flee, leaving behind several bags of food.

S: That for some reason just really looked like fur to me, it was--

O: They did.

S: Yeah.

O: But the Insecticons can eat this how...and why???

S: Apparently they had to adapt somehow, I don't know. And Kickback belly flops onto the one boat the remaining people are fleeing on, and...yeah.

O: The fleeing humans stupidly mentioned a farm and the Insecticons overhear this and decide to go pay a visit.

S: They don't even finish everything they were eating.

O: They don't.

S: I guess it'll be there when they get back, but ehh. At the Ark the Autobots get a distress call from Bali about giant robot insects.

O: Skyfire says not to worry, the Skyfire extermination service is it's way.

S: Skyfire why are you so violent now!?!

O: He just really, really hates bugs, okay?

S: Well, I guess they wouldn make an awful mess smashing against his windshield at the speed of however fast he goes.

O: Yeah, yeah.

S: There would have been a lot more bugs then than there are now. Skyfire then just like, transforms? In the middle of the main room of Autobot headquarters the--the Teletraan 1 room.

O: And everybody just loads up, and by everybody we mean: Spike, Bumblebee, Windcharger and Brawn. But yeah, you're like--can he just fly out of the Ark, easily down the hallways in his jet mode? [dissolves into laughter]

S: Scale in this cartoon makes no goddamn sense.

O: It has some problems.

S: It really does.

O: We see Laserbeak returning to the Decepticon base, radioing ahead to Megatron to inform him of the robotic insects.

S: Megatron, Soundwave, and Thundercracker decide to head to Bali, Bah-li to track down the Insecticons. (Or maybe just to have a nice vacation.)

O: Ah, again, I've seen what Megatron has to deal with on a day-to-day basis. I don't think I’d judge him if he’s like, that’s it I'm going to Bali! [laughs]

S: So I guess they get to Bali and then Soundwave sends out Ravage to track them.

O: And Ravage just sort of hops away following the scent, it's so CUTE!?! Help!?!

S: He just kind of bounces.

O: It’s so cute!!! [giggles] They do find a Decepticon escape pod that was apparently launched from the Nemesis before it crash-landed on Earth.

S: So yes, this does answer at least one question I had which was--were there still Decepticons on the darn ship? And so the answer is definitely yes, but this doesn't answer how many Decepticons were on that ship.

O: The world may never know.

S: Um-hm. This leads Thundercracker to realize that the giant robot bugs they're tracking are actually Decepticons that gained insect alts instead of vehicle alts.

O: We cut to the Insecticons who have found the before mentioned farm and they just dive into a field of grain and start chowing down!

S: Oh my god they're vegans!

O: [laughs]

S: We never see them eating meat or anything.

O: You don’t so--

S: Just like metal, and grain, and other organic, uh--crops. Crops. They eat crops, okay?

O: So in addition to our Skyfire group, another group of Autobots show up Bali. This group being composed of: Optimus, Sideswipe, Sunstreaker, Wheeljack, Ironhide, and Trailbreaker. They run into a religious celebration prompting them to try to take a shortcut and Sideswipe decides to take the lead, going off-roading.

S: You're a fucking Lamborghini Sideswipe you do not have enough ground clearance for this! At all!

O: [laughs]

S: At all, at all, at all.

O: And Sunstreaker gives his bro shit, uh, because Sideswipe ultimately leads the group into a dead end.

S: Complete with a size changing hole.

O: Wheeljack also makes fun of Sideswipe’s poor pathfinding skills.

S: And back to what white Americans thought not Americans sounded like circa the 1980’s. It's pretty racist.

O: It’s pretty racist. And yet more people are fleeing the giant vegetarian robot insects.

S: Some poor guy bails out of a combine shouting that he knew they should have sprayed the grass for bugs.

O: Not entirely sure how that would have helped you, good buddy but I mean… [laughs]

S: Hey, maybe--maybe insecticide would have warded off giant metal insects, who knows? The Autobots show up and exit Skyfire while Skyfire’s like...half transformed? There's a really weird pause here in the animation.

O: And he has legs while everyone just bailed out of him like, it is so bizarre looking. I love it.

S: Yeah, but I mean you could legitimately transform his--

O: Um-hmm.

S: His toy like that, so...

O: Whirl too, I think? You could--he could have legs, it was so funny.

S: Yeah...so a fight ensues as we were introduced to the Insecticons’ special skills. This is why you buy the toys, kids! Why you buy the toys!

O: [laughs] Including being able to clone themselves, for some reason?

S: You gotta have some sort of cannon fodder I guess, when there's only three of ya.

O: I...well, I mean, the Insecticons actually will act as cannon fodder for the remainder of the series for [the] Decepticons like, their clones will, so I--valid point, they're basically the Veh--the Vehicons of the series.

S: Pretty much, I mean it was an easy way to explain how the Decepticons would have like, large numbers rather than just having a weird variety of alternately colored Seekers.

O: Yeah, this--I almost feel like they should have introduced these guys sooner so that they could that instead of these Seekers that we’ll never see again.

S: Yeah, eh, I don't know what the writers were thinking or the artists, it was probably a weird combination of no one was doing their job.

O: No one was thinking. [laughs]

S: Okay, so um, so Brawn thinks these clones are optical illusions until he and Skyfire are thrown into a lake by said clones.

O: Then the Autobots flee into some weirdly large corn hoping that reinforcements are coming soon.

S: It’s really, really, really, large corn--it’s kind of amazing.

O: Yeah. Now about those reinforcements! Sideswipe’s brilliant plan after leading everyone to that dead-end was to tunnel their way to their destination.

S: He's really not a smart dude.

O: And yet, that doesn't explain why everyone else here went along with it. [laughs]

S: The Insecticons shoot spikes into the corn but Windcharger uses a repulsor field to keep everyone safe. Um, another nod to Windcharger’s weird magnet powers.

O: Yeah, surprise! The Decepticon tracking party has arrived and Skyfire can't transform.

S: You had one job Skyfire. Unfortunately that job is to be taxi, never mind that you're a scientist not a warrior and you mentioned that your very first episode.

O: And now you're stuck here with Brawn and Windcharger. Brawn and Windcharger. Against Megatron. Ya guys are screwed.

S: Well, also Bumblebee and Spike, if I’m remembering properly, but--

O: Okay, Spike-- without being able to steal a gun from somebody is effectively useless in this fight and Bumblebee--Bumblebee is a, supposed to be spy, obviously.

S: Yeah. Despite being--

O: He's a terrible spy, but he's supposed to be a spy!

S: Despite being bright yellow, supposedly a spy.

O: [laughs] Right!

S: No one’s good at their jobs.

O: Except the cassettes!

S: Yeah, and Ratchet.

O: And Ratchet!

S: I mean, Wheeljack’s also good at building things but they tend to explode--

O: I want to--I mean the cassettes and Soundwave, okay?

S: Okay.

O: He’s the most competent guy in the Decepticon army.

S: Yes, okay--also you should probably sit down Skyfire, you're significantly taller than that weird corn.

O: And then Brawn apparently has something against Rumble as he calls him a sawed-off nerd and he's glad he's not with the other Decepticons?

S: So what do you think Rumble’s nerd qualities are, exactly? Like, what kind of nerd do you think he is?

O: Video games? Weird foreign films?

S: Music, maybe? Legos.

O: I like that! Anyway, this is just making me like Brawn less and Rumble more.

S: Well, you already didn't much like Brawn, so it’s not--

O: No, but it’s a, it’s raising Rumble in my estimation.

S: So the Insecticons don't seem to know who Megatron is. The conversation basically went as so: Megatron--We're all the same! Insecticons--Great! Now help us kill these guys.

O: [laughs] Megatron sees absolutely no downside to this, as the Decepticons prepare to fire.

S: And back to our other group of idiots.

O: I swear in the previous scene they looked like they were underground but apparently Sideswipe’s barely made a dent into digging through this mountain, hill, whatever.

S: I'm guessing that was just some sort of wall, considering what I'm going to say next…

O: [laughs]

S: Optimus finishes this tunnel with his chest by ramming through the rest of the rock in truck mode, so obviously--

O: It wasn’t--

S: --it's not a very thick--

O: Rock wall or something. The other Autobots follow. Sideswipe mysteriously turning into a clone of his brother for a few seconds.

S: And they finally arrived to help Skyfire’s group. The twins yelling, ramping up a hill, and then transforming into--in midair to tackle the Insecticons and Megatron from above. It was obviously the proudest moment of their lives.

O: You know it was. Megatron comes up swinging though, getting Sideswipe an incredibly inappropriate hold and then chucking him across the field and straight into Skyfire’s arms.

S: Skyfire’s his knight in shining armor.

O: He’s everybody’s knight in shining armor.

S: He is! And then Ironhide pretends to be Ratchet again. Ratchet I'm assuming is--

O: Not here, I'm pretty sure he's back at base.

S: He’s--he’s sir-not-appearing-in-this-film.

O: Yes! Well, sir-not-appearing-in-this-episode, anyway.

S: Yeah. The Autobots attack and the Decepticons take to the air and escape. This seems like an obvious tactical solution for the Decepticons.

O: I mean, look, if they could fly in the Autobots can’t, why wouldn't they just be like--alright this isn't worth our time today? Wheeljack proceeds to fix Skyfire who takes off to keep an eye on the Decepticons, while the rest of the Autobots follow on the ground.

S: He does. Soundwave notices the idiot following them immediately and Megatron sends the Insecticons to take care of Skyfire.

O: Skyfire wishes for a laser powered flyswatter and the Insecticons call him a booby.

S: [sighs] Harsh words from a group of robot insects.

O: [laughs]

S: Wheeljack shoots the insecticons off Skyfire’s wings. Actually, I don't remember was Wheeljack flying here?

O: Wheeljack has flying! So Wheeljack takes off.

S: He's not wearing a jet pack that we can see but apparently he can fly, yeah. So yeah, Wheeljack shoots the Insecticons off Skyfire’s wings and then Kickback kicks him to the ground.

O: Optimus then catches him with this soft metal trailer, which is definitely softer than the ground in every conceivable way.

S: Somehow. And at a nearby oil refinery the Decepticons land amid cries of, “The monsters are back, run!”

O: Has ch--has Megatron hit this place before? Is this from an earlier episode? Should we recognize this place Specs!?!

S: Maybe this is where the Insecticons have been going to get--I don't know their fuel when they're not chowing down on cereal?

O: [laughing] They’re--they were just eating wheat though!

S: I don’t know? So Soundwave does his normal job--when we get to Energon situations like this and he's the Tupperware mate again as he creates some more empty cubes.

O: And we're just dumping oil into these cubes and it’s magically Energon, ‘kay.

S: Sounds about right according to everything else they do. Bombshell drops down and uses his, “Override wave,”--I am making quotation marks with my fingers--um, on Sunsteaker and Sideswipe.

O: Sunstreaker says, “Hey, somebody else is driving me!” I feel like I can make a dirty joke here with..well, almost no effort really.

S: Yeah...zero effort and introducing another fancy reason to buy these even though the toys don't actually do that.

O: [Chuckling] Yes.

S: You just gotta have a representation of that character that you really love that does that thing and then you can pretend that your other toys are being mind controlled. And uh, so Trailbreaker uses his force fields to block the override away--array. Again, more fancy abilities.

O: Why aren't we just shooting bombshell? Wheeljack has missiles, he used missiles earlier they seemed pretty effective.

S: Cuz you know we gotta remind the kids about the toys’ cool abilities!

O: You realize who you're talking to, right? This is the person who has five [six, at the time of posting] Megatrons, remember. Clearly I am not inclined to branch out.

S: I guess they're appealing to people more like me, who have a weird-ass selection.

O: [laughs] I am connoisseur, thank you!

S: You specialize, mine is a bit wider though I do have two Drifts and like, two Ratchets. Brawn requests some assistance at getting close to Bombshell, so Optimus is just like, fucking picks him up and lobs him through the air.

O: Brawn then lands on Bombshell.

S: This is, you know, the second Decepticon that Brawn has ridden. I mean, first was Soundwave and it pretty much cemented your dislike of him.

O: Yeah, pretty much. If you hurt Soundwave I’m not going to like you very much. Brawn falls off, or is kicked off. It's kind of unclear.

S: Who’s then caught by Skyfire, who is basically (as I said) everyone's knight in shining armor but Skyfire catches him right before he hits the ground.

O: Again, how was this an improvement? That doesn't mean the force of his fall just disappears, you know.

S: That's true, that's very true! You--if you’re a human your inside bits end up splattered against the rest of you.

O: I mean maybe, maybe robots don't have that same problem but--but definitely any time they catch the humans.

S: Yeah..so back at the oil refinery we see the Decepticons filling yet more cubes, only now Rumble’s in tow.

O: So...basically, what this means is he was probably in Soundwave’s chest compartment all along, meaning that Brawn is just wrong about everything today.

S: Yeah, the Insecticons show up and Megatron tells them to crack open an oil tanker and drink their fill.

O: Okay, so they're not vegetarian but then why were they eating all that grain earlier!?!

S: They had a craving, they wanted their cereal.

O: They're giant bugs, not pregnant women with a craving! The Autobots show up and Megatron tells Soundwave to, “Activate the Ravage cassette!”

S: What a way to, um...dehumanize is maybe not the right word? De-personify? De-personify one of your most competent soldiers.

O: But we do get more cute Ravage bounding, which makes me happy.

S: He just bounce, bounce, bounce--

O: [laughs]

S: --all the way over to the Autobots. And now it's Sunstreaker that's pretending to be his brother for a shot.

O: In a tussle with Thundercracker--Optimus, Wheeljack, and Brawn end up coming up underneath the pier Thundercracker’s standing on and throwing him up and into the oily water he'd already set ablaze.

S: Thundercracker’s just not making good decisions.

O: No. [laughs]

S: And Ironhide manifests fire extinguishers out of his hands in an attempt to control the blazing oil around them and then Shrapnel uses lightning to attack the Autobots telling them to, “taste to the lightning-lightning,” maybe? Isn’t he the one that [repeats words]...?

O: Oh, he might, I can't remember. [He is.] I do love that Wheeljack’s response is, “It tastes terrible!,” after he gets hit though.

S: It's a good response. I like it. Good on ya, Wheeljack.

O: I like Wheeljack.

S: I love--I like him too. He’s a--he’s a good fella. But rubber tires save the day, as Bumblebee transforms and Sharpnel’s attacks have no effect. Oh my god, that just makes me think of the thing from the Mars Attacks! comics and Spike’s rubber boots.

O: Oh my god, that part was amazing. I love it cause like--

S: Yeah.

O: --the solder gives him shit, but he’s like, “Ha!,” at the very end, it’s great. Uh, this prompts Wheeljack to ride Sunstreaker into battle and shoot Shrapnel with his missiles.

S: And then Optimus rides into battle on top of Ironhide and Trailbreaker.

O: Like a foot on each one. It's kind of great. Seeing as the lightning has failed, Megatron shoots the oil tanker, jumps into the water and then pushes it towards the oil refinery in an effort to blow up the Autobots.

S: Optimus just kind of bear hugs the ship and sort of makes it sink…

O: Megatron takes aim at Spike and then Optimus pops out of the water holding the oil tanker above his head.

S: This is really absurd looking because Optimus is like, 1/24 the size of this oil tanker or something? He is very small compared to the oil tanker.

O: Right! But then Optimus Prime, leader of the Autobots, chucks an ENTIRE oil tanker at Megatron!!!

S: And the Insecticons proceed to say--fuck this shit--and take off with some Energon.

O: Megatron pops back up yells to stop them and then Reflector is here for some reason?

S: He had to get his paycheck somehow.

O: [laughs] Well, like where did Rumble go? Like, Rumble I don’t think is there anymore, so I’m like, was Rumble supposed to be Reflector the entire time? Was Reflector supposed to be Rumble? Did Rumble say, fuck this shit, and hop back inside Soundwave?

S: Could be that, maybe he went to go do nerd stuff?

O: I'm gonna go with that. Anyway, the Decepticons follow the Insecticons into the air and the Autobots laugh cause this day is saved once again, thanks to the Powerpuff Girls! Wait, no, that's wrong. [laughs] Anway, that’s the end of our episode, join us next time for the season 1 finale, Heavy Metal War! Where the Constructicons are introduced and Megatron is a cheater McCheater pants.

S: And we don't actually address any of the ecological issues that happened in this episode with the oil.

O: Or any of the other terrible things that Megatron and the Decepticons have done that further affected the ecology around them. Eh, that’s not the word I’m looking for...environment. I’m going to go with environment. Alright, Specs, what are our fanfics for today?

S: We have two fanfiction recommendations for today. Our theme for both of them is Insecticons um, but so let's go forward with this--I will introduce the first one and then Owls can introduce the second one because it was her recommendation.

O: Yay!

S: Alright, so the first one is titled, “Icehopper,” by Ayngelcat, and that's angel with a “y”. (It'll be spelled for you.) So it's in the G1 continuity, it's rated G, uh, it's rated--its Gen, there aren't any pairings. It’s just a cute little short thing. So characters are: Shrapnel, Bombshell and Kickback. And so, the authors summary is, “Another fic I wrote a while back which I've hauled from an obscure place. The time of year seems appropriate. I confess to it being a favorite besides which, insecticons needs love.” So this is actually set during…

O: The winter, or…?

S: Yes, it’s set during the winter.

O: Ah.

S: Originally written for the TF_speedwriting, with the prompt, “Snow White,” and summary, summary is, “Kickback has fun in the snow which does not provide quite so much fun to fellow insecticons, and there's a warning for extreme Insecta-fluff.”

O: [chuckles]

S: With a smiley face. So ya, recommendat-- the theme or here--whatever is, “Insecticons,” lots of Insecticon cuteness.

O: And my recommendation for today is, “Unusual Subjects to Take Up in Therapy,” by Sparklight. Continuity for this is Shattered Glass, which is one of my favourite continuities ever and um, I just happened to remember that uh, Shattered Glass Bombshell was in this and recommended it for it. The rating is G, the--it is Gen, there are no pairings though I will admit I feel like I get some Cliffjumer, uh, Bombshell vibes in this but um, but it's not listed that way. Characters are: Regular universe Cliffjumper, Shattered Glass Bombshell, Shattered Glass Starscream, Shattered Glass Sideswipe and Shattered Glass Megatron.

Summary, “After Megatron expresses concern over how Cliffjumper is handling his new situation and Cliffjumper insists he's doing FINE, he still ends up talking to Bombshell about alternates, the differences between his native reality and this one (and the people in it) and, just a little, about how he's dealing with it. At first reluctantly, and later less so.” The theme for this was Bombshell, basically (and the Insecticons).

So, some background on the Shattered Glass universe and the plot in the main Shattered Glass stuff is that the normal Cliffjumper actually ends up there and ends up a allying himself with the Shattered Glass Decepticons, who are the good guys in this universe. I quite like this fic, I want to say it's like five or six chapters long but it is complete um, and I just enjoy getting to read anything with Shattered Glass in it but I thought characterizations in this were good and we don't actually get to see a ton of Shattered Glass Bombshell material, so it was interesting.

S: Sounds good, and we’ve got fanart today!

O: We do! So, our fanartist for today is Red or Russet Red, I'm not entirely sure which one they go by. We will have additional links to their stuff on our Tumblr but the stuff that we will list on at least AO3 is that Russet Red has a Tumblr, Twitter, and an Instagram. They tend to do a lot of ID-IDW stuff, though I think there's probably more stuff on there too? There is a variety of characters, uh, the IDW continuity as far as I can tell. Some really cute stuff, ranging from sprite art, to sketches, and finished pieces. They have mine--my undying gratitude for making adorable Coswave fluff, yes!

Uh, our three art recommendations for the day are, a sleepy ambulance--which is Ratchet related. A Coswave sprite they did which is super cute, and then some Minimus fanart, where he is holding a bunch flowers, that I just thought was cute.

S: Sounds adorable.

O: I really recommend them, their art style’s pretty damn fucking cute!

S: Okay, and so that just about wraps it up for us today. Remember to check us out on Tumblr or Pillowfort at Afterspark-Podcast for any additional information, show notes, or links we may have mentioned. You can also find us on Facebook and Twitter at Afterspark Pod (all one word) and various other locations as Afterspark Podcast such as AO3, iTunes, Google Podcasts Stitcher and YouTube, just to name a few. Till next time, I'm Specs!

O: And I'm Owls!

S: Toodles!

[Outro Music]

#afterspark podcast #transcript #g1 episode 15

0 notes