Vacation

Channel 4 reporter Kelly Bomgartner gives a weather report in an idyllic setting, and a small boy promptly squirts her face with a water pistol. Once the live feed is over, Kelly scares off the rugrat and laments her lack of success in making it big.

Alexis rides Sureshock into the Autobot base, where Hot Shot and Scavenger are sparring. When she and the Mini-Con reach the command center, it's empty. While Alexis puzzles over where everyone's gone, the Mini-Con alarm sounds. She rushes to the launch area, where Optimus tells her nothing is amiss. Then the boys run up, prepared for a camping trip, and Alexis icily asks why no one told her about the vacation and why they didn't invite her. Although the boys try to convince her they just forgot, she huffily tells them to enjoy themselves. After they leave, she asks Sureshock if she should've told them the forecast for this weekend was for rain.

I see I was wrong

On the Moon, the Decepticons conduct training exercises, which mostly consist of Megatron waving the Star Saber and chasing his men around.

Back on Earth, the kids have fun swimming in a river while Red Alert and Smokescreen discuss the importance of downtime. After Carlos invites the bots to join in, Smokescreen fishes him out with his crane and tosses him back into the water. Driving along the shore, Smokescreen joins Rad, who's optimistically indulging in a fishing spot. Smokescreen dunks his crane into the water, which Rad protests won't catch any fish, and manages to splash a fish into Rad's hand. On the river's other side, a small boy named Shaun watches them and soon joins the fun.

But I thought it was just for fun

Kelly and her cameraman are driving up the road parallel to the river towards the dam when they notice the kids playing, and Kelly spots High Wire and Grindor sitting in Smokescreen's cab. Dismissing her story, her cameraman drives on as a storm front begins closing in. Shaun's dad fetches the boy to take him back to the campground as it begins to rain. Carlos complains that they said it was going to be sunny on Channel 4.

That night, they take shelter in the Autobots. Billy and Fred play cards. Alexis, safe and warm at home, looks out her window and observes that it's pouring now. Reporting from Steveson Dam, Kelly's new weather report includes news that the dam floodgates will be opened if the rain continues, causing flooding along the river.

The Autobots opt to head home, much to the kids' disappointment. Just then, Shaun appears on the other side of the river, waving frantically, so Carlos and Red Alert drive across to see what's up, but Shaun only wants to say goodbye. Suddenly, there's a rumbling, and a colossal mudslide washes across the side of the river, covering all three of them.

And I'm not so strong...

Alexis reaches the Autobot base, where Optimus reports the others aren't back yet. When they contact the boys, Carlos and Rad let them know about the mudslide and that Shaun, Red Alert, and Carlos are trapped underneath. Optimus tells Red Alert to transform, but Rad says people are watching. Although Alexis pleads with Optimus to bend the rules, she quickly notices that Kelly and her cameraman have stumbled onto the mudslide and are covering it live on Channel 4. Optimus, Hot Shot, and Scavenger rush to the scene.

Under the mudslide, Carlos and Red Alert try to reassure Shaun that rescue is not far away.

Smokescreen continues digging. Kelly covers the story, even as warning sirens sound off, and her cameraman flees. Shaun's panicked father offers to help, but the kids point out the approaching help in the form of three more Autobots. Hot Shot knocks out Shaun's dad, but as Rad helps the father into Hot Shot, Laserbeak suddenly takes off. The tiny Autobot circles Kelly's head, making her drop her camera.

All I ever wanted

Monitoring the situation from the Autobot base, Alexis notices with alarm that the dam floodgates have been opened.

Smokescreen and Scavenger continue working on digging out Red Alert and finally reach their fellow Autobot. Optimus blocks the river to halt the oncoming floodwaters while Red Alert is hauled out of the mud. Once Smokescreen and Red Alert are out of harm's way, Optimus and Scavenger transform. A log washed down the river strikes Scavenger, and, as Kelly attempts to film, Red Alert pulls the two Autobots out of the flooding river.

Once the storm has passed, Shaun reunites with his father, who doesn't believe his tale of giant robots. Kelly and her cameraman review the tape from the camera to find she doesn't have any footage of the Autobots. Alexis welcomes everyone back to base and admits she was terrified that they wouldn't make it. After the others patronize her for a while, she finally has enough and chases Carlos.

Meanwhile, on the Moon, Megatron is still chasing Sideways.

Featured characters

(Numbers indicate order of appearance.)

Autobots	Decepticons	Humans	Mini-Cons
Hot Shot (5) Scavenger (6) Smokescreen (7) Red Alert (8) Optimus Prime (9) Laserbeak (24)	Megatron (14) Cyclonus (15) Demolishor (16) Starscream (17) Sideways (18)	Kelly Bomgartner (1) Roger (2) Alexis (3) Billy (10) Fred (11) Carlos Lopez (12) Rad White (13) Shaun (19) Shaun's father (22)	Sureshock (4) High Wire (20) Grindor (21) Longarm (23)

Quotes

"I brought along my inhaler!"

—Fred, informing Alexis that he's prepared for the trip.

"OK, fine, go ahead and have your boy's only adventure. I'll stay here and watch the Decepticons take over the universe while you roast marshmallows, and don't think I'm jealous of you either. In your dreams!"
"Boy, she sounds really mad, Carlos."

—Alexis and Rad.

"...like I really care."
"Ugh... Humans."

—Alexis complains to the point that even Optimus Prime is annoyed.

"Pfft. This is such a waste of my time."
"You were SAYING, Sideways?!"
"I.. I.. I hate those Autobot slime!"
"Bwahaha! Let the training begin!"

—Sideways isn't enjoying the training exercise, and Megatron is enjoying it a little too much.

The world will never know.

"Well, my dad says when mom gets angry—"
"Shut up, Carlos!"
"—he tries to give her a compliment and hopes she gets all warm and fuzzy again."
"Hey, she can hear you!"

—Carlos, who also needs more practice, and Rad.

"Hey! Run for your lives! Alexis is on the loose!"

—Carlos finds out hell hath no fury...

Notes

Differences with Legends of the Microns

Rad giving the opening narration over half of Kelly's report is Armada-exclusive. In Legends of the Microns, the first narration heard is given by Alexis. Kelly's full report is heard, revealing the background location's name as the Stone River Campgrounds. She also says a low-pressure system will arrive by evening, a vital detail Armada doesn't bring up until much later.
Legends of the Microns portrays Kelly as a vainer character as she says doing "leisurely reports" are beneath a reporter like her. Even her cameraman calls Kelly out on her recklessness later on.
Alexis's opening narration hits several different beats compared to the English version. She says everything around them looks peaceful despite the tense situation as everyone else is oblivious to the Transformers fighting on Earth. Then she says the fight might be ending soon due to Scavenger joining the Autobots and the team now knowing where the Decepticon base is. In Armada, Alexis says the kids befriended the Autobots, including Scavenger, who knew the Decepticon base's location.
In some shots, Alexis's face appears redrawn so that her eyes are wider apart.
In Armada, Alexis claims that the boys didn't want to invite her because she's a girl. Legends of the Microns makes the conversation serious as Alexis asks Carlos and Rad if they have forgotten the situation they're all in before Optimus tells her that although the fight against the Decepticons continues, it's essential to adjust the mood. In Armada, Alexis keeps accusing the boys of being sexist and claims she's not jealous of being left out. Legends of the Microns removes these bits and has her complete her rant about the Decepticons claiming all the Mini-Cons and taking over the galaxy by the time the boys return.
While speaking with Sureshock, Alexis notes how she forgot to tell the boys about it going to rain later and restates that she is staying behind if the Decepticons attack.
The Decepticons' training exercise in Armada involves Megatron "demonstrating the Star Saber's power" by chasing his men around like a lunatic as he declares himself to be "master of the universe." In Legends of the Microns, he instead commands the others to face him to test the sword on them.
In Armada, Red Alert and Smokescreen's discussion is mainly about how everyone needs a dose of R&R (rest & relaxation) sometimes since there is so much fighting. Legends of the Microns changes it to focus on how the Autobots sometimes forget what they're fighting for; the children's happiness is an example of what peace is like on Earth. The vacation's purpose is to remind them why they oppose the Decepticons.
Rather than accusing Smokescreen and Red Alert of being scared of rusting, Carlos assures them there are no people since the river is located in the campgrounds' upper levels.
Fred's Tarzan yell and Carlos's line about Red Alert giving him a wedgie are removed.
Instead of Kelly recalling her earlier sunshine report, she says there must be something more interesting than reporting on the upcoming rain's effect on the dam.
Legends of the Microns has the cameraman bring up the sky getting dark during the shot of the storm cloud approaching, something Armada omits.
Shaun's dad tells the boys to hurry back when taking Shaun away since they're not at a campground.
Carlos mentioning Kelly's weather report is an Armada addition and Smokescreen's line after it is heard earlier to cover the Japanese dub's silence.
In Kelly's report at the dam, she says last night's heavy rain caused the dam's water level to rise, so an 11 am warning was given about the floodgates being opened. She states it might cause a flooding risk to the campground and that campers were issued an alert to seek refuge. Armada has Kelly say the rain will continue overnight into the morning. Then she says the floodgates will cause flooding to the river below, with the mention of the safety alert removed.
Alexis asks Optimus to tell the others to hurry back if they're near the dam. Optimus asks if Alexis wanted to say it to them herself, but she tells him to inform the others that they heard it on the news and not mention it coming from her. After Rad tells Optimus and Alexis about the mudslide, they sound more shocked than in the English dub.
In Armada, Kelly tells her cameraman to zoom in on the scene for her "network resume"; in Legends of the Microns, she says that it's a big scoop though her cameraman says zooming in is impossible. Then Alexis says to Optimus that the flood will start if they don't hurry.
While heading to the launch gate, Scavenger asks Optimus if the Decepticons appeared. Optimus answers they haven't, and that the Autobots are dealing with nature itself.
In Legends of the Microns, Kelly brings up the dam opening and flooding the river as the overhead camera pans to her. After she finishes, Kelly's cameraman says the siren they hear is the dam's last alarm.
Scavenger says he's going to transform before Optimus stops him since people are nearby during the shot of Scavenger and Smokescreen digging.
Before Laserbeak trips her up, Kelly mentions being unable to see anyone inside the Autobots. Then, instead of saying the floodgates have been opened, Alexis wonders if they will make it.
Shaun's dad seems to believe him about the Transformers being real and says they came to protect them.
In Legends of the Microns, after the boys and Autobots return, Alexis laments how their vacation was cut short. She says she didn't think they deserved it, though she felt the opposite while it rained. In Armada, Alexis assures the boys that she's not mad at them anymore. In the Japanese dub, Alexis is fully reanimated, and when she turns around, she is shaking, struggling to hold back her tears. The boys also sound more shocked by her relief about them being safe rather than confused as in the English dub. Then Alexis says that it's how her heart truly feels.
The Autobots say how much they missed Alexis in Armada. Legends of the Microns changes it to them saying how they liked the vacation and seeing everyone smile, lining up with Alexis smiling.
Carlos's dialogue about his dad making his mom "warm and fuzzy" after complimenting her is changed to him saying how Alexis is "simplistic" after all since complimenting her cheered her up instantly. When he angers Alexis and runs, Carlos exclaims that she is being touchy again.
When Sureshock stops Alexis from chasing Carlos, she says Alexis should let issues resolve themselves. Alexis's "all boys are the same" line is removed, and Carlos begs her ("Miss President") to forgive him.
In Armada, Alexis's ending narration is about Optimus telling her that one should express themselves when feeling intense emotions and plans to do that with Carlos upon catching up with him. Legends of the Microns connects it to Alexis's subplot better as it's about how Optimus told her people taking things too seriously is why they get angry and that we get mad at our friends because they're the ones we care about the most.
Meanwhile, back on the moon, Sideways groans about Megatron's persistence in chasing him.

Animation and technical errors

Alexis addresses Sureshock as "Grindor," and once again (implicitly) refers to her as male. The Japanese dub doesn't make this mistake.
Shaun smiling as he runs from Kelly in the opening doesn't make sense after crying for his mom. In Legends of the Microns, he says that Kelly is angry and doesn't call for his mom.
After Sureshock transforms when she and Alexis reach the Autobot base, Sureshock's face is partially miscolored orange.
When Billy jumps into the stream, he has Rad's voice. The Japanese dub corrects this mistake.
As Shaun calls out to the boys as they're preparing to leave, his mouth doesn't move even though he's still talking just before the scene cuts.
As the boys get ready to go, Fred and Billy are packing up an inflatable raft in one shot but hold what looks like a rock slab in their next shot. However, it could be one of the cases they had on the launch dock.
When Shaun calls out to the boys from across the river, he's drawn out of proportion, looks taller and closer than he's supposed to. In Legends of the Microns, Shaun is redrawn with the right proportions, and he seems further away on the other side of the river.
When Billy asks if Carlos and Shaun will be alright, his mouth doesn't move. In the Japanese dub, Hot Shot says the line instead.
When Smokescreen and Red Alert go across the river, Optimus obscures them as he and Scavenger hold the water back. In Legends of the Microns, they go in front of Optimus and Scavenger instead.
Immediately after he and Optimus transform, Scavenger's mouth doesn't move when he speaks.
Shaun's mouth doesn't move when he says his last line. This error isn't an issue in Legends of the Microns, as he doesn't say anything at that point.
For a quick frame, after Kelly shows her cameraman the shot of her in the mud, it looks like Kelly doesn't have a chin before it returns.
After the boys and Autobots return to base, Alexis's shirt and pants look off-model in some shots. She also looks cross-eyed in one scene. The Japanese dub fixes these mistakes (except when Sureshock briefly stops Alexis from chasing Carlos).

Continuity notes

Hot Shot's training continues.
Megatron's "training exercise" is him running around chasing his Decepticons with the Star Saber. Going by how scared everyone is, it seems he intends to cause them serious harm. In the Japanese dub, the "training exercise" is Megatron daring his men to challenge him and chasing them around, looking for a worthy opponent with the guts to face him. Why have his men even stuck around this long?
This episode is one of the few where Red Alert shows any form of emotion and willingly joins in the fun with the kids.
Gadgets and powers:
- Longarm is Powerlinxed with Red Alert in vehicle mode for the first time. Red Alert can also access Longarm's crane.
- While Powerlinxed with Longarm in vehicle mode, he can deploy his grapple launcher from his roof.

Continuity errors

In her opening narration, Alexis already knows about the camping trip but is later mad at the boys for not telling her about it. Legends of the Microns fixes this plot hole by having Alexis unaware of it until Carlos tells her about it on the launch dock.
Continuing from the previous episode, the Autobots still somehow don't know the Decepticon base's location, even though it's something Hot Shot discovered three episodes ago. Plus, Red Alert suspected it was on the Moon back in "Metamorphosis". The Japanese dub doesn't have this problem since Hot Shot found the base in "Credulous," and Alexis mentions the Autobots now knowing where the Decepticons are thanks to Scavenger in her opening monologue.

Transformers references

A kid (Rad) and a robot (Smokescreen) go fishing. Now, where have we seen this before?

Real-world references

Shaun's dad mentions the story of "The Boy Who Cried Wolf."
Likely an unintentional reference, but Megatron waves a huge, overpowered sword around and calls himself "Master of the Universe." Sound familiar?

Trivia

The kanji 休日 would be pronounced as "kyūjitsu," while "honeyasume" is used for 骨休め.
Hot Shot somehow renders Shaun's dad unconscious by bopping him on the hip.
Prime's suggestion of having Red Alert transform is a little odd, considering that Carlos and Shaun are inside the Autobot and unable to get out.
Kelly's last name is exclusive to the episode's English dub. She has a different surname in Legends of the Microns but it's not revealed until "Crisis".
Kelly mentions the dam's name being the Steveston Dam.

Foreign localization

French

Title: "Une journée de congé" ("A Day Off")

Hungarian

Title: "Vakáció" ("Vacation")

Italian

Title: "La vacanza" ("The Vacation")

Korean

Title: "캥핑장에서 생긴일" ("Event at the Campsite")

Polish

Title: "Wakacje" ("Vacation")

Portuguese

Title: "Férias" ("Vacation")

Home video releases

All releases listed are in English audio unless otherwise noted.

DVD

2003 — Transformers: Legends of the Microns — Volume 5 (Columbia Music Entertainment) — Japanese audio only.
2004 — Transformers: Armada — Season One: Part One (Rhino Entertainment)
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)