Ruin

« Transformers: Armada ep 11 »
"Ruin" 記憶 (みやこ) (Miyako) "Remembrance: Capital"
Production code	TF: A-11
Production company	TV Tokyo, NAS
Airdate	November 15, 2002 (English) 21 March 2003 (Japanese)
Writer	Ryō Motohira
Director	Shigeki Awai
Animation studio	Actas Inc.
Continuity	Unicron Trilogy
Watch this episode on YouTube

The Transformers track a new Mini-Con to a ruined undersea city which was once the scene of a great disaster.

Synopsis

Carlos races frantically through the Autobot base, ducking into a lift. He bursts in on the other Autobots, who are working on Optimus. They observe he appears to be somewhat impatient, speculating it's about the holographic girl from whom they've been receiving a transmission. Carlos runs to the control center where Alexis is waiting, and they watch as the pretty holographic girl pleads for help on the monitor. Finally, the Autobots are ready, and they launch, arriving somewhere underwater. They fire up the turbines they attached to themselves and begin looking for a Mini-Con, much to Carlos's dismay—he'd thought they were looking for the girl.

"Help me, Obi-Wan Kenobi. You're my only hope."

Hot Shot scouts ahead and almost drives into a ravine before reporting he's found an undersea city, which Rad thinks is Atlantis. The Autobots drive through the city and soon encounter the Decepticons. Megatron dispatches Leader-1 and Bonecrusher to find the entrance to the ruins. While Hot Shot and Red Alert fight the Decepticons, Optimus and Smokescreen also try to find the entryway. Weapons fire from Megatron begins to fracture Optimus's windows, much to the children's alarm, but Carlos tells Optimus to keep going. Smokescreen yanks open the doors to the ruins, and Optimus drives through, his passenger compartment rapidly filling with water. Fortunately, the ruins contain an air pocket, and he lets the kids out once inside. While the kids try to find the Mini-Con, Optimus goes back to help fight the Decepticons.

Where's a Ghostbuster when you need one?!

The kids ride their Mini-Cons through tropical gardens. Rad points out the odd vibrations, which he believes mean there's something beneath them. A sharp jolt sends them to the ground and knocks over Megatron, who sends his men in to face Optimus and Smokescreen. The three kids recover to find the ruins suddenly populated by people in ancient clothing, including the girl from the transmission, who says she's been expecting them. Carlos runs after the girl, and Rad attempts to follow and finds himself passing through one of the ruins' inhabitants—they're all holograms.

Meanwhile, Carlos discovers much the same thing when his hand passes through the girl. She explains to the kids that she's from a long-lost civilization, destroyed in a war started by three Mini-Cons combined into a flaming sword. Her people harnessed the sword's power and used it as a weapon to enslave the other peoples, but their enemies overcame them in time, toppling their civilization. Outside, the Autobots pin down the Decepticons, and Megatron combines with Leader-1 and begins blasting, making the Autobots scramble for cover.

The animators took tips from José Delbo and AKOM in character model tracing.

The girl continues her story, telling how the Mini-Cons fell dormant and the fallen nation preserved themselves as holograms to warn people not to reactivate them. Despite her dire warnings, the kids resolve to try to find the Mini-Con. Carlos wants to take the girl with them, which Rad interprets as not letting the Decepticons destroy the holograms. At this point, Megatron bursts through the wall, and the kids' Mini-Cons combine into Perceptor to wrestle with Leader-1. Optimus also arrives and attacks Megatron. Leader-1 finally spots the Mini-Con stuck in a damaged pillar, and Megatron retrieves it. The ground begins to shake, and the ruins start collapsing, so the Decepticons leave with their prize.

Atlantis won't be arising anymore...

As the Autobots begin retreating, Carlos says goodbye to the holographic girl. Although he still wants to help her, the water closes in, forcing him to get into Red Alert. The ruined temple sinks further underwater as the Autobots depart.

On the Moon, Megatron announces they've captured one of the strongest Mini-Cons. The Autobots explain to Alexis that Megatron caught only one of the Mini-Cons required to create the sword. Carlos mourns losing the holographic girl outside the base and speculates she was a princess while Rad comforts him.

Featured characters

(Numbers indicate order of appearance.)

Quotes

Hot Shot: "Whoa, you're not gonna believe this!"
Rad: "Come on! Tell us!"
Hot Shot: "There's a city down here!"
Carlos: "OK, guys, it's official: Hot Shot has finally gone off the deep end."

—The Autobots find the lost city

"And that girl we saw was..."
"It's just a hologram! I hope you're not disappointed."
"No! Of course not."
"Yeah, like I'm buying that one, Rad."
"Hey, would you just get off my case already?"
"Hmph!"

—Rad and Alexis discuss how the ruin's populated by holograms.

"Boys. Huh."
"What is she talking about?!"

—Alexis and Rad, who doesn't understand girls.

Notes

Differences with Legends of the Microns

• The biggest difference between Armada and Legend of the Microns, which runs through the whole episode, is that the kids and Autobots in Legend of the Microns are unaware that Amphitrite is just a hologram until Carlos tries to touch her. On top of leading to a continuity error when the kids passing through the holographic people is still treated as a twist, this also has the side effect of changing Carlos's behavior from just "a bit too fixated on the pretty girl" in Legend of the Microns to "actively delusional" in Armada as he refuses to acknowledge what everyone is telling him.
• Between the two dubs, the opening scene's dialogue differs, but the English one has some glaring errors:
  • In Armada, Carlos runs in a frenzy, saying something is driving him nuts! When he runs out into the launch bay, the Autobots attach turbines onto Optimus's truck form. Carlos calls out to Rad and asks if the Autobots have figured it out yet, but Hot Shot says they're still working on it. Rad tries to make Carlos calm down since "these things take time," but Carlos says they don't have any and runs off. After Hot Shot makes the point about the girl on the monitor being a hologram, Rad blushes and says to him defensively, "So what?"
  • Legends of the Microns begins with Carlos asking if someone is in danger, removing Carlos's panting and needless mumbling as he enters the elevator. On the launch bay, instead of calling Rad, Carlos asks if the Autobots have finished preparing, and Hot Shot answers no. Rad says they need to do things properly step by step, but Carlos blows up at him for being calm and runs off frustrated. Hot Shot asks Rad if he doesn't care about the girl on the monitor, and the blushing Rad sheepishly replies, "Not particularly."
• When he runs into the control room in Armada, Carlos asks Alexis if the girl on the monitor is there, and Alexis's line to Carlos is extended. During the shot panning up to the monitor, Armada gives Carlos an extra line. Legends of the Microns removes the additional dialogue and corrects the grammar errors. Unlike Armada, where the girl's speech is clear, Alexis and Carlos can't decipher what she's saying.
• Just before launching, Legends of the Microns removes the countdown as Optimus only says the launch command, and the rest of the warping scene is silent.
• In Armada, Carlos asks why they're underwater since the girl's transmission didn't look like it originated there. Upon learning the Autobots are trying to find a newly detected Mini-Con, Carlos feels stupid for believing they were looking for the girl, but no one listens to him. In Legends of the Microns, Optimus says they've detected a panel in undersea wreckage, and Carlos calls the Autobots clueless since people can't live underwater. Then Alexis says, "There it is!" (without specifying what), and they're getting closer to it according to the radar in Armada. Legends of the Microns simplifies this to Alexis saying that something is there, and the scene is silent when the dolphins appear. The Japanese dub extends Optimus's line as he tells the Autobots they will change direction after landing on the ocean floor.
• The shot from behind Hot Shot and Jolt going off into the distance is silent. Alexis later asks Hot Shot if he's found anything; he says, "Just cliffs. Lots of sea too!" before mentioning the underwater city. After hearing this, Carlos asks how a city can be underwater before Rad confirms a city being there as the others stop on the cliff's edge. In Armada, Carlos reacts as soon as the scene changes, but he doesn't respond until the ruin is visible in the shot in Legends of the Microns. After Alexis makes the Armada-exclusive Atlantis reference, Rad notes how it's an incredible find instead of wondering who built the city.
• Rather than Optimus saying that he and Smokescreen find the ruins' entrance, Optimus tells Smokescreen to find the entryway alone while Red Alert and Hot Shot provide cover.
• Before firing at them, Megatron only notices Optimus and Smokescreen approaching in Legends of the Microns. He says, "It's time to get serious" in Armada. Optimus doesn't tell the kids to hang on in the Japanese dub.
• When the window of Prime's cab cracks, Carlos is silent, Alexis points it out, and Rad says the pressure will crush them. After more windows crack, Carlos is presented as straight-up irrational and suicidal in Armada, telling Optimus not to surface because the girl might be there, and if she can survive underwater, so can they. Legends of the Microns improves it a bit since Carlos tells Optimus to use his weapons, and if the girl is in the ruins, there must be air.
• As more water flows in, Carlos says he, Rad, and Alexis will be fine and tells Optimus to go through the entrance quickly. Megatron wonders if the Autobots found the entry and, upon seeing Smokescreen at it, Megatron announces it's been opened and for the Decepticons to gather.
• The scene of Optimus driving up the stairs towards the air pocket is silent. After Optimus transforms, Armada plays the Transformers theme while Legends of the Microns plays "Charge!." Armada adds Megatron's line to remove the silence as Optimus shoots him on the stairs.
• Rather than dismissing Rad's concern about the shaking ground, Alexis wonders if it might be an earthquake if not the Earth's crust shifting again. Instead of agreeing with Alexis, Carlos says that's pointless since they should hurry as the girl might be waiting. Then Alexis cruelly tells Carlos to forget the girl since they're looking for a Mini-Con in Armada. She says they should move despite being unsure about Carlos's belief in the Japanese dub.
• Amphitrite doesn't say she was expecting the kids and only welcomes them, and the shot of her after the commercial bumper is silent except for a brief chuckle. Later, Carlos says the city is impressive instead of introducing himself and asking for the girl's name.
• The dialogue between Amphitrite and the kids differs between the dubs. Her voice remains stoic and sounds like a filter overlaps it throughout Armada, but she sounds normal and despondent in Legends of the Microns:
  • Amphitrite says her culture existed because it relied on the teachings of wisdom and power from the "Orichalcons" (better known as Orichalcum in English), their name for the Mini-Cons. She says her civilization became lost after the Mini-Cons arrived in Armada. Amphitrite doesn't acknowledge Rad in the Japanese dub, and her nodding to Carlos now makes sense as he asks her about the metal that gave her people their wisdom.
  • Alexis recognizes Jetstorm as the Mini-Con laying dormant in Mount Astrogate. She says the Autobots probably detected one of the Star Saber Mini-Cons on the radar in Armada.
  • Amphitrite calls the Star Saber the "Sword of the Sun." Rad has a line just before Alexis speaks, and her line doesn't overlap with the scene after, which is partially silent before Amphitrite continues her story. In Armada, she says her people became obsessed with controlling the Mini-Cons' power, which led them to wage wars with civilizations on other continents. In Legends of the Microns, Amphitrite says her people used the Star Saber's strength against another Orichalcon (the Skyboom Shield), sparking a continental war. The scenes of the Star Saber unleashing a green whirlwind of energy are silent.
  • Alexis asks the Mini-Cons if Amphitrite is telling the truth in Armada but if the other Orichalcon also consisted of Mini-Cons in Legends of the Microns.
  • In Armada, Amphitrite's line of asking why people can't learn that trying to gain power over everything leads to self-destruction overlaps with the scene of people fighting. Then she says her people believed the sword would protect them, but they became the world's enemies before their cities fell, and the people didn't survive their enemies' wrath. Carlos says that's harsh and Amphitrite explains how her people realized they were fighting an unwinnable war and resigned themselves to their fate before their cities sank. Rad says what happened is terrible and that he never realized how much power the Mini-Cons have alone. Then Amphitrite says her civilization barely managed to survive for years since it sank. In Legends of the Microns, Amphitrite asks why people should be obsessed with power and the need to flaunt it. The following scene of people fighting is silent. Then she says the battles brought great harm: the city was destroyed, mountains were leveled, and the flames of war engulfed people. Distraught, Carlos asks how that could have happened. Amphitrite says her people kept destroying themselves until both their civilizations ended up underwater. Then Rad asks her if the people couldn't control the Mini-Cons' power and killed themselves, and Amphitrite says they've barely been able to do anything since the city sank.
• After being shot back by Red Alert, Starscream says the Autobots are putting up a fight. Then Megatron notes their cleverness and decides to eradicate them in one shot with his Full Burst Mode. In Armada, Starscreams complains about having a bad day before Megatron has enough of the chess game and decides to "bring out the heavy artillery."
• In Armada, Amphitrite says after the Mini-Cons went dormant, she and her people preserved themselves as holograms to warn those in the future not to disturb the Mini-Cons; otherwise, their cities would suffer the same fate as hers. Then Alexis determines Amphitrite won't divulge the Mini-Cons' location. In Legends of the Microns, Amphitrite says the Orichalcons went dormant after exhausting their power. To prevent history from repeating itself, her people agreed to divide the panels; thus, they gave two to travelers, giving Alexis the idea the third panel is still in the ruins.
• Amphitrite reveals that if the kids can see her hologram, it means the Orichalcons have re-awoken and asks if they are looking for them. She says she can't let the kids repeat her people's mistakes, and if they insist on finding the panels, then the ruins and her people's history will sink further into the ocean, foreshadowing the event. In Armada, Amphitrite tells the children to heed her warning about the Mini-Cons' power, leave the ruins, forget about the Mini-Cons, and save themselves as they're doomed if they continue seeking out the Mini-Cons and because of history repeating itself. While she speaks, Carlos says Amphitrite is telling them not to repeat her people's mistakes in Legends of the Microns; he's imploring Rad and Alexis that they should all leave in Armada.
• Carlos wonders if Amphitrite will die if the temple sinks further into the ocean in the Japanese dub, but is adamant that she is coming with the kids in Armada. Rad believes that Carlos wants to save the girl's image, so they need to ensure the Decepticons don't destroy the holograms in Armada. Rad says Carlos fears Amphitrite's image will be gone forever and that the people's memories survive in the ruins in Legends of the Microns.
• When the Street Action Mini-Con Team combines into Perceptor, the title sequence theme and transforming noise are removed, with the previous scene's music "Destruction Order" continuing. Then Megatron says he doesn't have time to deal with Perceptor.
• Megatron says Optimus is getting on his nerves, and then he tells Leader-1 to find the panel with Bonecrusher.
• Amphitrite's pleading is more urgent in Legends of the Microns while her voice remains stoic in Armada.
• Rad says the city is sinking further underwater instead of there being an earthquake. In Armada, Rad insensitively tells Carlos to forget about Amphitrite since they need to escape. In Legends of the Microns, he tells Carlos that he's wrong to think he failed to protect Amphitrite and that this doesn't mark the end for her since the people's memories will persist in the ruins. Carlos later says farewell to Amphitrite again during the last shot of her hologram, but the scene is silent in Armada.
• Back on the Moon, Armada has Megatron boast about the Decepticons' victory as they got "one of the most powerful combinations in the universe." Legends of the Microns correlates it to Megatron seeing the Star Saber projection. He says the sword is strong enough for him to conquer the universe and demands that the other panels be found and ensure that they awaken.
• Instead of fuming about Rad and Carlos "going gaga over a girl," Alexis says, like the other Mini-Cons, they also need to "wake up."
• Rad and Carlos's ending scene goes differently between the dubs; their respective tones are also different. They talk only about Amphitrite in the slightly lighthearted English version while the more heartfelt Japanese version connects their discussion to the overall Transformers conflict:
  • In Armada, Rad understands how Carlos feels but tells him to remember Amphitrite was just a hologram. Carlos says how she looked real to him, and he let his heart get in his head's way as a result. The boys agree that she was lifelike and pretty, and Carlos surmises that Amphitrite was a princess who became a queen, to which Rad says Carlos has quite the imagination. Carlos says he'll never forget her, and Rad believes they might see her again as her hologram might still exist and come to the surface one day, much to Carlos's excitement. Then Rad does a 180 and tells Carlos to forget about Amphitrite since they're still "buds for life," with Carlos agreeing.
  • In Legends of the Microns, Rad tells Carlos that the others understand. Rad says it's not always possible for the Autobots to avoid fighting, and protecting everyone is something Optimus must always consider. Carlos says he knows that and there must be a way to stop the fighting since he feels sorry for Amphitrite, and Rad shares the sentiment. Then Rad says Amphitrite was cute but had lots of sadness on her face, bashfully confirming he also thought she was pretty when Carlos asks him. Then Carlos says that Amphitrite might've been an actress or even a top-class idol in her day. He says he wanted to see her smile, which Rad says Carlos may imagine when the fight against the Decepticons finally ends. Carlos asks Rad if that's what he imagined; Rad says it's crucial to have an imagination, and Carlos says inspiration.

Animation and technical errors

• The turbines fitted to the Autobots appear and disappear depending on the shot.
• Hot Shot's line about Amphitrite only being a hologram seems cut short, and only the latter half gets heard.
• Despite the girl's hologram showing static on the monitor, the static sound effect is missing, making the girl's message clear to understand. Legends of the Microns adds the effect and obscures the girl's dialogue accordingly.
• While discussing Amphitrite's message, Alexis and Carlos's mouths move simultaneously, although they speak one after another.
• When Rad tells Carlos and Alexis that everyone's ready to go, it sounds like he's in the room with them though they react like he's announcing it over the loudspeaker. Legends of the Microns fixes the mistake by adding the speaker effect to Rad's dialogue.
• The shot of Alexis explaining the underwater ruins to Carlos is a reused but wide version of her earlier closeup shot when she asked about the dolphins.
• The Decepticons are missing their Decepticon symbols in their first shot.
• Optimus calls Smokescreen "Hot Shot." Specifically, he says, "Cover me, Hot Shot!", which Smokescreen interprets as a command to open the doors to the ruin while Optimus covers him. Optimus doesn't say anything to Smokescreen during the scene in Legends of the Microns.
• Alexis emits a small scream as the kids and their Mini-Cons leave to find the panel, but her mouth is closed. She lets out a brief sound in the Japanese dub.
• After the kids and their Mini-Cons go through the ruins' arched corridor, Rad's hair is miscolored brown like Alexis's. This mistake happens again when Rad passes through a hologram.
• The ancient name used for the Mini-Cons, Orichalcon (オリハルコン Oriharukon), was fumbled during production and warped into "Olihalicons" (due to the Japanese language using a strange spelling for Orichalcum). After this, the English dub has Amphitrite use the Mini-Con term.
• When debuting his "Full Blast Mode," Megatron says "Evolution," the Japanese term for Powerlinxing with a Mini-Con.
• Alexis asks what's happening after the ruin shakes despite already knowing before Rad says they need to find "those Mini-Cons," a noticeable grammar error. Legends of the Microns corrects these to have Alexis wondering if the Autobots are alright. Then Rad talks about finding a single Mini-Con panel, using the correct singular terms instead of plural.
• The shot of Megatron dispatching Leader-1 and Bonecrusher is reused when he sicks them on Perceptor in the ruins but without the distorted colors.
• Megatron tells Leader-1 to find the Mini-Cons (plural) while he deals with Optimus. The Japanese dub corrects this error.
• The shot of the kids and Mini-Cons looking toward the screen as the projection of the two men holding panels is behind them is reused from when they felt the temple shake earlier.
• Before the rest of the 'Cons retreat after Megatron, Demolishor speaks with Cyclonus's voice because Armada extends the latter's line. The Japanese dub doesn't have this error, so Demolishor talks after Cyclonus.
• Smokescreen's crane cable is miscolored blue.
• After Hot Shot enters vehicle mode in the ruins, Jolt suddenly appears on him in the next shot.
• Red Alert speaks with Optimus's voice when opening his door to Carlos. This mistake isn't in Legends of the Microns.
• The screen shakes while zooming toward the Decepticon base like Megatron's laughter is shaking the camera; Legends of the Microns fixes it.

Continuity notes

How ominous...

• After "Palace," this episode delivers more background of the Mini-Cons influencing human history, albeit for the worse.
• As the Transformers learn about the Star Saber in this episode, it continues the build-up to it, after "Soldier" and the small tease in "Carnival."
• This episode is the first to show a clear image of the Star Saber. Also seen for the first time are the Air Defense Mini-Con Team, and, in silhouette, the Skyboom Shield.
• The Decepticons gain possession of Sonar, the second of the Air Defense Mini-Con Team.
• This episode marks the second time Alexis references Mount Astrogate in Legends of the Microns.
• Megatron thanks Smokescreen for opening the entrance into the ruin, following it up with "remind me to destroy you later." Poor Smokescreen won't realize how true this will prove to be.
• As Legends of the Microns Year Book 2003 explains, this episode plants the seed of the children's suspicions toward the Mini-Cons' power, which future episodes will explore.
• Gadgets and powers:
  • The Autobots equip their vehicle modes with Aqua Boosters to move through the water.
    • Being Powerlinxed with Jolt helps Hot Shot move through the water as well as his Aqua Boosters.
  • Starscream fires lasers from his forearms... somehow. He also fires lasers from his shoulder intakes.
  • Hot Shot uses Jolt's double-barrelled gun as a hand-held weapon for the first time, using it to fire a flare.
  • Optimus fires lasers from his container missile pod in vehicle mode again.
  • Like Starscream, Smokescreen fires lasers from his forearms too.
• Powerlinx forms:
  • Megatron Powerlinx with Leader-1, showing his toy gimmick "Full Blast Mode" for the first time.

Continuity errors

• Why does Hot Shot pointing out that Amphitrite is only a hologram make Rad blush, especially since Hot Shot isn't even speaking to Rad at that point? Hot Shot is talking to Rad at that moment in Legends of the Microns, and his line is changed to asking Rad if he cares about the girl, justifying Rad's blushing, unlike the English dub.
• Carlos asking Alexis if Amphitrite's hologram is on the monitor and him being relieved that it's "back" implies that her image disappeared off-screen at some point, but nothing beforehand indicates that for sure. In the Japanese dub, Carlos asks if the girl is still there, and his extra line is removed, meaning the image never went in the first place.
• When Carlos expresses concern about the kids being underwater, Rad assures him the Autobots wouldn't let the kids come along if it wasn't safe; however, it still doesn't answer the question. In Legends of the Microns, Rad explains the Autobots prepared equipment to be switched on for the kids to use.
• Rad says Optimus can't fire back at Decepticons while in vehicle mode, but Optimus did just that to Demolishor near the end of "Metamorphosis," and Prime uses his vehicle mode's missile pod a moment later. Rad doesn't say this in Legends of the Microns.
• Despite everyone seeming to be quite clear that they're seeing a holographic girl in the transmission, the kids are surprised later when the ruin's inhabitants turn out to be holograms. In Legends of the Microns, Alexis isn't surprised as she already expected them to be holograms.
• None of the kids seem to notice that one of the Mini-Cons shown is one they've already found. However, Alexis recognizes Jetstorm in the Japanese dub.
• How were the Star Saber and Skyboom Shield Mini-Cons able to awaken in the past without alerting neither the Autobots nor Decepticons?
• Amphitrite dialogue about how she and her people preserved themselves as holograms doesn't make sense with the scene depicting two men taking the two Mini-Con panels. It's not an issue in Legends of the Microns since she says that after the Mini-Cons went dormant, her people agreed to divide the panels to prevent history from repeating itself; thus, they gave two to travelers.
• Alexis says that the kids work "for" the Autobots when they work with them in actuality. Her line is different in the Japanese dub; she tells Carlos they need to keep the Mini-Cons' power out of Decepticon hands.
• After the Street Action Mini-Cons split up, Alexis says the kids are surrounded, although that's not true. She wonders what they should do in Legends of the Microns.
• Megatron commands Leader-1 to search for the panel, but Leader-1 later looks for it alongside Bonecrusher. The Japanese dub corrects the error as Megatron orders the Leader-1 to find the Mini-Con panel with Bonecrusher.
• Megatron somehow recognizes Sonar as a Mini-Con that will remain dormant until others like it awaken as well. Legends of the Microns corrects this to have him say that the Mini-Con is still dormant.
• At the end of the episode, Alexis and the Autobots discuss how Megatron now has Sonar and how they need to find the other two before the Decepticons, despite already getting Jetstorm six episodes ago. There's also no reason why Alexis should sound confused since she technically understands the Star Saber story better than the Autobots, and she should be the one breaking things down for them, not the other way around. Legends of the Microns fixes all of this as Alexis explains that Megatron got one of the three Star Saber Mini-Cons, and Red Alert and Optimus put together that the Mini-Cons combine into the sword. Then Hot Shot declares they should keep it out of Decepticon hands.

Real-world references

• Alexis compares the city to Atlantis in the English dub.
• In Legends of the Microns, Amphitrite refers to the Mini-Cons as "Orichalcons", a legendary substance from Atlantis. The Legends of the Microns Year Book 2003 states the Skyboom Shield might have been in the lost continent of Mu, which existed at around the same time as Atlantis and also allegedly sank underwater overnight.
• The Legends of the Microns Year Book 2003 reveals the holographic girl is named Amphitrite, like the Greek goddess of the same name. She's unnamed in Armada, but her name goes unsaid in both dubs.
• Carlos's last words to Amphitrite, "See you around, kid," could be a nod to Han Solo from Star Wars.

Trivia

• The kanji 記憶 would be pronounced as "kioku," while "miyako" is used for the kanji 都 or 京.
• This is the series's first episode without an opening and closing narration.
• This is the only episode in the series depicting the Transformers underwater.
• This episode marks the only time in Armada that a Transformer says "Evolution" instead of "Powerlinx."
• Armada portrays Alexis as a big-time jerk in this episode.
• The Legends of the Microns Year Book 2003 notes that whether the Mini-Con weapons' power accelerated the ancient civilizations or said civilizations were already advanced enough to draw out the Mini-Cons' power is impossible to say.

Foreign localization

French

• Title: "La Cité engloutie" ("The Sunken City")

German

• Title: "Das Mädchen vom Meeresgrund" ("The Girl from the Bottom of the Sea")
• Original airdate: This episode was never shown on TV but was dubbed in 2003. The dub premiered in 2009 with the German DVD release of the show.

Hungarian

• Title: "Romok a víz alatt" ("Ruins Under the Sea")

Italian

• Title: "La città sommersa" ("The Submerged City")

• Vehicle mode is called "vehicle phase" (fase veicolo in Italian).
• In Italian Amphitrite speaks in a regular voice, unlike in English where she has sort of a robotic voice.
• Alexis's line: "I get it now: the only way those Mini-Cons could power up is when they combined!" is translated as: "Now I get it: the Mini-Cons get more power by combining!", which actually has a different meaning.

Korean

• Title: "해저도시의 비밀" ("Ocean City's Secret")

Polish

• Title: "Ruiny" ("Ruins")

Portuguese

• Title: "Ruínas" ("Ruins")

Home video releases

DVD

2003 — Transformers: Legends of the Microns — Volume 3 (Columbia Music Entertainment) — Japanese audio only.
2003 — Transformers: Armada — Vol:04 (Warner Music Video)
2004 — Transformers: Armada — Season One: Part One (Rhino Entertainment)
2005 — Transformers: Armada — Vol:04 (Universal)
2007 — Transformers: Armada — Le combat recommence... (TFou Vidéo) — French audio only.
2008 — Transformers: Armada — Volume One (New KSM) — English and German audio.
2014 — Transformers: Armada — The Complete Series (Shout! Factory)