A Fierce Battle!! The Autobots Are in Trouble

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A Fierce Battle!! The Autobots Are in Trouble 激戦!! サイバトロン危うし () (Gekisen! Cybertron Ayaushi)
Production company	Takara, Toei
Airdate	7 June 1988
Written by	Toyohiro Andō
Directed by	Jōhei Matsūra
Animation studio	Toei
Continuity	Japanese Generation 1 cartoon continuity

The construction of the world's largest tidal power plant in the Karin Islands quickly attracts the attention of the Decepticons, and the Autobots are once again faced with the power of the Godmaster brothers.

Synopsis

"Is that the Omni dub script?"
"Yes, and wow you won't believe what they name me!"

In Giga and Mega's secret headquarters, the Decepticons make plans to move their operations back to the base used by the Pretenders. Giga plans to destroy the base once they have left, in order to cover their tracks, but Mega requests that it be left intact so she can use it as a secret laboratory.

At the International School in Japan, Shūta's mind is occupied by thoughts of the Godmaster brothers, but the mood is lightened by the arrival of Cab's pets, followed by the jungle boy himself. Cab has just been released from detention with his most hated teacher, Mr. Kaiser, after scoring a zero on a test, and it's not long before Kaiser himself appears, with a letter from Cab's homeland. The three Headmaster Juniors retire to Cab's treehouse, where Cab reads the letter and discovers that the world's largest tidal power plant has been constructed on Viscas Island.

Oh man, not another clip show.

Soon after, the Juniors join the Autobot Pretenders in reviewing video footage of their battle with the Godmasters. Although the Autobots believed that they had not been able to inflict any damage to the brothers, a slowed-down replay of the action reveals that they had indeed injured them, but that the Godmasters' incredible powers had healed it instantaneously. This confirms Hawk's suspicions—the Godmasters are neither Transformers nor humans, but an entirely new breed of lifeform. Cab, however, is unconcerned, certain that the Autobots can beat the Godmasters, and Hawk snaps at him to take the matter seriously, as it is more than likely that the Godmasters possess even greater power that the Autobots have yet to see. Cab doesn't take the scolding well and mopes around the base until Minerva accuses him of being childish. In a rather silly effort to prove his manhood, Cab gulps down the scalding hot cup of tea that Minerva has just poured, and burns himself—much to the amusement of the other two Juniors. Cab is also able to see the funny side, and the bad atmosphere is lifted.

Cancer unerringly discovers where Gilmer's species keeps its gonads.

Meanwhile, the Decepticons have relocated to the Pretenders' base, where Cancer wants to show off his "Super Dragon Fist Technique" to Mega. Gilmer is elected to serve as his "sand bag", and is floored by Cancer's attack. As Wilder and Bullhorn mutter about how Cancer has become like Mega's pet, Giga, Hydra and Buster enter, and the Decepticons review their strategy for world domination.

Mega wishes to start with Asia, and recommends the elimination of all readily-available energy sources in the region – so naturally, Viscas Island's tidal power plant is the first target she chooses. Before departing to commence the attack, the Godmasters condescendingly invite the Pretenders to come and watch, to see how it should be done. Giga and Mega try to soothe the Pretenders' tempers by explaining that the Godmasters and Headmaster Juniors are best suited to their operations on Earth due to their inherent human factor, but being ranked lower on the importance scale than the Juniors is the last straw for the Pretenders, and they head for Viscas Island to join in the attack.

"Wait, something's written on the handle: 'NOTE: Some parts are made to detach if excessive force is applied and are designed to be reattached if separation occurs.'"

As Hydra and Buster begin the assault on the tidal power plant, the Autobots receive news of the attack and the Pretenders head out. Soon after, however, the Decepticon Pretenders appear on the island and attack its oil refinery, forcing the Headmaster Juniors to join in the battle. Metalhawk and the Juniors perform rescue operations and battle the Pretenders, ultimately forcing them to retreat, and then rush to the aid of Lander, Diver and Phoenix, who are fighting the Godmasters. The Autobots are badly outmatched by the Godmasters' Chōkon Power, but Metalhawk is able to distract Buster with his "Shining Arrow" technique, allowing Diver to lodge his Sea Axe in the younger Godmaster's arm. Buster is unable to heal the wound with the axe stuck in his arm, so Hydra tears it free, but the injured Buster is shaken, and the Godmasters pull out of the fight. The Autobots survey the battlefield, content at least that they have kept the damage to a minimum.

Back in the Decepticon base, Buster is furious over his failure, and wonders if he is, in fact, weaker than his brother. Mega and Giga assure him that he possesses the same level of Chōkon Power as Hydra, and that any weakness he possesses is not physical, but in his heart. At the same time as Buster vows to become even stronger than his brother, the strength of the Godmasters is also once again on the mind of Shūta, who wants to know why there aren't any Autobot Godmasters...

Featured characters

(Numbers indicate order of appearance.)

Quotes

"I wonder if Lady Mega likes this base."
"If she didn't like it, she'd be exploding with a megaton bomb of hysteria right about now."

—Dauros and Gilmer

"Ugh, I feel like a deflated balloon."

—Blood

Notes

Animation and technical errors

• As in the previous episode, the parts of Hydra's robot mode which should be red are colored grey-white. This error is corrected from next episode onward.
• Improbable viewpoints:
  • Somehow the Pretenders have multi-angle footage of their fight with the Godmaster brothers from the previous episode.

Continuity notes

Chōkon this!

• Cab's letter is from Donq, his grandfather-figure, last seen in "Terror! The Decepticons' Manhunt".
• Although the previous episode established that Godmasters possess Ten-Chi-Jin Power, it was up to the audience to draw the connection between the three energies—Tenchōkon, Chichōkon, Jinchōkon—mentioned back in "Go, Goshooter - Showdown in the Wasteland". The connection is made explicit by Giga in this episode, and the Godmasters start using the energy offensively.
• Despite Mega's insistence that their old base be preserved, it never appears again.

Trivia

• Cancer's "Super Dragon Fist" involves... kicking the enemy.
• As in the previous episode, there is once again very little reason for the Godmasters to retreat from the fight, give that Buster should have healed in seconds after the axe was dislodged from his arm. Although perhaps what makes Buster suspect he has less Chōkon Power than Hydra is the fact that he didn't heal, necessitating the retreat.
• Yet again poor Minerva doesn't actually get to join in the battle but instead sits on the sidelines wrapping bandages around the heads of bystanders. She doesn't even join the triumphant pose at the end of the episode with Shuta and Cab, staying in human form instead.
• The Omni Productions dub version of this episode misses out the episode's title name announcement over the original title card.

Foreign localization

English

• Title: ? (Omni Productions dub)
• Original airdate: July 29, 1990

• Title: "A Fierce Battle!! The Autobots Are in Trouble" (Shout! Factory sub)

Italian

• Title: I nuovi guerrieri ("The new warriors")
• Original airdate: ?

• When Cab transforms after Gilmer, Blood and Dauros's retreat, he's voiced by Minerva's actress.

Home video releases

VHS

1988 — Transformers: Super-God Masterforce — 3 (VAP) — Japanese audio only.

DVD

2003 — Transformers: Super-God Masterforce — DVD Box 01 (Pioneer LDC) — Japanese audio only.
2006 — The Takara Collection Vol 2 — Transformers: Super-God Masterforce (Metrodome)
2007 — Transformers — The Complete Takara Collection (Metrodome)
2008 — The Transformers: Super God Masterforce (Madman Entertainment)
2009 — The Transformers: Japan Generation 1 — Complete Collection (Madman Entertainment)
2012 — Transformers: The Japanese Collection (Shout! Factory)
2012 — Transformers Japanese Collection: Super-God Masterforce (Shout! Factory)