Transformers: Ghost In The Machine

[MyUserName]

I always really liked this episode. Unicrons unfolding plan was interesting to watch, they included many cool characters like Metroplex, Trypticon, Runabout and Runamuck. Starscream and Scourge played off each other well. And Starscream died as he lived... and died. Betraying his benefactor and regretting it nearly instantly.

One interesting thing about this review though is Chucks mentioning of the Battle Chargers (Runabout/Runamuck) being a prototype for Beavis and Butthead in the old Marvel comics. Even as a child back in the 80's, I was the only kid at my school who read the comics, or any comics in general for that matter. So it's always a kick when I hear someone mention off hand like that.

[CrypticMirror]

I always really liked this episode. Unicrons unfolding plan was interesting to watch, they included many cool characters like Metroplex, Trypticon, Runabout and Runamuck. Starscream and Scourge played off each other well. And Starscream died as he lived... and died. Betraying his benefactor and regretting it nearly instantly.

But did Starscream die, again, in this episode? We never saw his body grey-out, just tumble away. It is equally possible he lived. I personally think these two episodes take place after Beast Wars. Starscream's spark travelled back in time for Waspinator antics after The Movie and then forwards again to these two episodes for the shenanigans here to get a new corporeal form, and although shot at by Galvs in this one; since Galvatron didn't hit him at full blast from his altmode freshly charged up with Unicron juice, it just winged him, he tumbled away and then recovered and went off to find whole new planets and civilisations to betray.

[Archanubis]

I recall reading a post back in my Seibertron.com days that there was an episode planned for the fourth season (the one that ended with the Rebirth multi-parter) that had Starscream, Blitzwing, and Octane returning in a team-up in yet another scheme to usurp Galvatron. I'm not sure if its a rumor or not, so take it with a grain of salt.

But did Starscream die, again in this episode? We never saw his body grey-out, just tumble away. It is equally possible he lived. I personally think these two episodes take place after Beast Wars. Starscream's spark travelled back in time for Waspinator antics after The Movie and then forwards again to these two episodes for the shenanigans here to get a new corporeal form, and although shot at by Galvs in this one; since Galvatron didn't hit him at full blast from his altmode freshly charged up with Unicron juice, it just winged him, he tumbled away and then recovered and went off to find whole new planets and civilisations to betray.

To say time travel works a bit "wibbly wobbly" in Transformers is a bit of an understatement. Primus only knows what was going on with Beast Wars' time travel shenanigans.

[CMWaters]

Honestly, if I was Rodimus after this incident, I would send a team to blow up Unicron's head so nothing like this could ever happen again.

But that's just me.

[Nevix]

Honestly, if I was Rodimus after this incident, I would send a team to blow up Unicron's head so nothing like this could ever happen again.

But that's just me.

Then they'd have bits and pieces of Unicron possessing people and causing problems.

On a more general note:

I find this pair of episodes interesting and fun.

I also look forward to Chuck covering the Beast Wars episode "Possession". That's still one of my favorite episodes of the series.

[PapaPalpatine]

Honestly, if I was Rodimus after this incident, I would send a team to blow up Unicron's head so nothing like this could ever happen again.

But that's just me.

A better plan would be to attach rocket engines to the head and send it some place so remote it'll be aeons for anyone sees Unicron again.

[MyUserName]

Honestly, if I was Rodimus after this incident, I would send a team to blow up Unicron's head so nothing like this could ever happen again.

But that's just me.

A better plan would be to attach rocket engines to the head and send it some place so remote it'll be aeons for anyone sees Unicron again.

I would have liked this to lead into a multi-parter where they actually tried to destroy or remove Unicron's head from orbit, but even as just a head Unicron is still so dangerous that it results in a struggle.

One thing that always bugged me is that after this episode, leaving out Grimlocks New Brain, Unicron's head is just forgotten about and never brought up again. While Beast Machines was on the air, there was a fan theory that Megatron from that show was under control the control of whatever was left of Unicron, which would explain his ability to engineer complicated techo-virus's and why he's suddenly so anti-organics. It would have made for an interesting final season but... Alas it was one of those times that the fandom had better ideas on a series than the writers.

I'd honestly like to see Chuck take on other more noteworthy episodes from season 3, like Webworld where the Decepticons get so fed up with Galvatrons insanity that they have him committed to an institution world, Dweller in the Depths, or Call of the Primitives. It'd be funny to see him try and suffer through Thief in the Knight, Carnage in C-Minor, or, God help him, Surprise Party, an episode that focus's on Wheelie and Daniel, but I like him too much to ask that of him.

[AllanO]

One thing that always bugged me is that after this episode, leaving out Grimlocks New Brain, Unicron's head is just forgotten about and never brought up again. While Beast Machines was on the air, there was a fan theory that Megatron from that show was under control the control of whatever was left of Unicron, which would explain his ability to engineer complicated techo-virus's and why he's suddenly so anti-organics. It would have made for an interesting final season but... Alas it was one of those times that the fandom had better ideas on a series than the writers.

Not as interesting as the fan theory, but I remember Ratrap calling Megatron's failed body's head floating around Cybertron, "a floating monument to Unicron" or some such. So the implication would seem to be that Unicron's head in orbit of Cybertron was such a notable feature that people remembered it for centuries (whether it was up there for centuries is unclear, it does not seem to be there at the time).

As I said previously I could only remember this episode of the Starscream's Ghost in G1. As I recall Unicron complains about the two eyes being to different specs. I had little if any notion of who Unicron was as I had not seen the movie when I saw this. For the longest time this was my main sense of who/what Unicron was.

In terms of weird Transformers G1 Season 3 episodes one that sticks out for me is the one where an aging Cobra Commander gets involved in a scheme that turns some of the Autobots into humans (which Google informs me is "Only Human").

[cdrood]

This is two parter is Starscream to a T. Never gives up, even in death. Betray anyone and everyone around for your own aims. Have a really good plan that COULD actually work. Perform that last self serving action (usually another betrayal) that screws everything up for you.

It's that very rare case of the underdog who refuses to give up on the villain side.