Pilot (Part 2)

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"Hey, I didn't order this dinner to go!"
"Pilot (Part 2)"
Season	1
No. in season	2
Production company	Hasbro Studios
Airdate	February 21, 2015 (Australia/NZ) March 14, 2015 (USA)
Writers	Adam Beechen, Duane Capizzi
Director	David Hartman
Animation studio	Polygon Pictures
Watch this episode on YouTube

Bumblebee and his new team must stop Underbite from reaching nearby Crown City.

Synopsis

Walking with Beasts: Hasbro Edition

Bumblebee prevents Russell from pursuing Underbite, insisting it's too dangerous, but Sideswipe points out the incoming Grimlock, who transforms to dino mode. Though Bumblebee's braced to fight Grimlock off, the Dinobot simply sniffs at them and then dashes off into the woods after Underbite. Telling the others to stay put, Bumblebee gives pursuit, however when Russell runs off as well, Strongarm uses it as an excuse to follow suit. Also Fixit's jabbering results in Sideswipe going after them. Grimlock intercepts Underbite at the scrapyard and the pair begin grappling. Though Underbite suggests that they're on the same side and therefore don't need to fight, Grimlock disagrees and they continue to toss each other around, while an oblivious Denny Clay puts away the Billy the Breakfast Beaver statues he's bought. Bumblebee arrives and prepares to subtly intervene, however the element of surprise is spoiled by the arrival of the rest of his team, who dive straight in. After tossing Grimlock aside, Underbite starts chowing on the Beaver statues, until Strongarm manages to attract his attention.

"Yeah, Fowler had that reaction too the first time we broke something of his."

Sideswipe and Russell find Denny in the old diner, and Russell points his dad to the Autobots and Decepticon rapidly bearing down on them. Grimlock jumps on Underbite and begins punching him repeatedly. While the Decepticon is thus busy, Bumblebee suggests Denny take his son somewhere safe and complains about his team not following orders. Underbite again manages to get the better of Grimlock, and begins chowing down on the junk, however he soon spots Crown City in the distance, and immediately sets out for it. With the Autobots gathering themselves together, Grimlock again springs to his feet, only to find his foe has gone. Realizing where Underbite is headed, Bumblebee prepares to give chase, and the others insist on going too. Strongarm scans a new vehicle mode on Bumblebee's insistence that they maintain a low profile. Fixit also arrives with the news that he's got a single stasis cell back online, and some capture devices which he distributes to the team. Bumblebee, Strongarm, Denny, and Grimlock soon roll out, leaving Sideswipe to take care of Russell.

Ratchet, Ironhide, Optimus, and Fowler were right, this is tingly!

Driving along, Underbite is slowly weakening from the lack of sustenance — organic material being unsuitable for him to consume. Meanwhile, Sideswipe finally finds a car to scan, and Russell has the idea to take along the rest of the Beaver statues. The rest of the team has already caught up with Underbite at the bridge to Crown City and start using Fixit's capture tools on him, however the tools swiftly fail. They attempt to block Underbite's way, though a fight proves unnecessary as Sideswipe arrives and lures Underbite away with the trailer-load of Beaver statues. They lead the Decepticon to the edge of the quarry, and the team starts trying to push Underbite over the edge. Unfortunately when Sideswipe joins in, it allows Underbite to grab some statues from the Autobot's trailer and powers himself up. Tossed aside, the Autobots can only watch in alarm as Underbite picks up Denny's truck and begins crushing it.

Did you really think Hasbro would let him stay dead?

At which point Optimus Prime suddenly grabs Underbite and tosses him into the quarry. After revealing that Denny is fine, Optimus admits he's not quite sure whether he's alive or not. After complimenting the team Bumblebee has put together, Optimus gives a stirring speech and tells them he does not know what fate has in store for him, before dematerializing. Some time later, Underbite is resecured in the working stasis cell as the Autobots move the equipment salvaged from the Alchemor in to the scrapyard. Grimlock's concerned that they'll put him back into a stasis cell too, but Bumblebee instead puts him on probation. The inevitable team squabbling begins.

Featured characters

(Numbers indicate order of appearance.)

Quotes

"Oh mercy, his dad's in there!" <pause> "What's a dad?"
"Um...it's an older member of this planet's dominant species that shares genetic material with the younger member and assists in the rearing and education of that member."
"Oh. Why didn't you just say that?"

—Fixit gets a brief lecture on relatives from Bumblebee.

"I'm no fighter either, I'm a lover. Let's see if ol' Fixit can find something to help out with these fugitives. Maybe some weapons... gear... I can tell we're going to be great friends, Sideswipe. Hey, do you have a nickname? No no, wait, let me guess. Scooter? Rumblejack? Bill? Mine is M.C. It's actually a loooong story... Sideswipe? Hello?"

—Fixit

"We got a dance to finish skrud!"
"You're from the prison ship too. I'm not gonna eat the whole planet. Just the crunchy parts. So why're you botherin' me?"
"I like to pick on things my own size. And just because we rode here together, doesn't make us travel buds."

—Grimlock picks a fight with Underbite.

"Fixit, you are my favorite Mini-Con." [Capture device breaks] "Fixit, I'm rethinking my rankings."

—Bumblebee

"Together you will confront many challenges. The forces facing Earth are immense and formidable, but I am certain you will accomplish great things. As you did today."
"But we needed your help, Optimus. We always will."
"You are ready to lead, Bumblebee, do not doubt yourself."

— Optimus Prime talks to Bumblebee and gives Team Bumblebee the pep talk.

"YEAH! I'm on probaaaation. Yes on probaaation."

—Grimlock

"I... we... won't let you down Optimus. And if I say it enough, maybe I'll actually believe it."

—Bumblebee has high hopes for his new team.

Notes

Continuity notes

• In this and part 1, the capsules holding the Decepticons are referred to as "stasis cells", whereas in later episodes they're referred to using the more standard name "stasis pods". This change appears to have been made due to the amount of spitting the term "stasis cell" produced in the recording booth. ^[1]
  • A device Bumblebee uses which looks like the Decepticon Hunter introduced in "As the Kospego Commands!". It's unclear if this is actually meant to be another Decepticon Hunter, and it doesn't function the same way.
  • A crossbow claimed by Strongarm, which malfunctions in this episode, but she'll be seen using it in later episodes.
  • A sword, which goes unclaimed but can be seen being used by Sideswipe in later episodes.
• When the Autobots confront Underbite near the bridge, Underbite is so low on energy that he can barely walk. However, even after being attacked by Bumblebee and Strongarm, he somehow has the energy to run after Sideswipe and then transform and chase after him. It's possible that the weapons Bumblebee and Strongarm used somehow energized Underbite, but there's nothing in the scene to suggest this.

Prisoner manifest

• In stasis: Underbite
• On probation: Grimlock
• Countless others all missing, presumed at large

Transformers references

• Fixit's nickname M.C. could stand for Mini-Con.

Real-world references

Animation and technical errors

Trivia

• The first thirteen episodes of the series, this included, first premiered in Mandarin on Chinese streaming video site M1905.
• The bird Underbite tries asking for directions appears to be entirely hand-drawn, compared to anything else on the show,

Foreign localization

Brazilian Portuguese

• Title: "Piloto - Part 2 " ("Pilot - Part 2")
• Original airdate: March 31, 2015

Chinese

• Title: "Dìqiú Rènwù (xià)" (地球任务 （下）, "Mission Earth (Part 2)")
• Original airdate: December 31, 2014

Danish

• Title: "Pilot - Del 2" ("Pilot - Part 2")
• Original airdate: ?

Finnish

• Title: "Pilotti - Osa 2" ("Pilot - Part 2")
• Original airdate: ?

French

• Title: "Le dévoreur" ("The Devourer")
• Original airdate: February 9, 2015

German

• Title: "Mission Erde - Episode 2" ("Mission Earth - Episode 2")
• Original airdate: April 4, 2015

Hungarian

• Title: "Robotok álruhában" ("Robots in Disguise"; both pilot episodes shared the same title with no numbering, despite being aired separately)
• Original airdate: March 17, 2015

Italian

• Title: "Più di quanto non sembri, parte 2" ("More than how it looks like, Part 2")
• Original airdate: February 28, 2015 (preview in select cinemas); March 7, 2015 (TV airing)

Japanese

• Title: "Team Bumblebee, Tanjō" (チーム・バンブルビー、誕生, "The Birth of Team Bumblebee")
• Original airdate: March 22, 2015

Norwegian

• Title: "Pilot - Del 2" ("Pilot - Part 1")
• Original airdate: ?

Polish:

• Title: "Pilot - część druga" ("Pilot - part two")
• Original airdate: March 17, 2015

Portuguese

• Original airdate: March 3, 2015

Russian

• Title: "Пилот, часть 2" (Pilot, Part 2)
• Original airdate: August 3 (Along with "Pilot, Part 1")

Spanish (Latin American)

• Title: "'Piloto. parte 2" (Pilot, part 2)
• Original airdate: March 31 (Along with "Pilot, Part 1")

Swedish

• Title: "Pilot - Del 2" ("Pilot - Part 2")
• Original airdate: ?

Home video releases

DVD

2015 — Transformers Robots in Disguise — Collect 'em All (Beyond Home Entertainment)
2015 — Transformers Robots in Disguise — A New Autobot Mission (Shout! Factory)
2016 — Transformers Robots in Disguise — A New Mission (Primal Screen)
2016 — Transformers Robots in Disguise — Season One (Shout! Factory)

References