#tfp scrapheap

[keef-a-corn]

Welcome back to Keef rewatching TFP and writing down notes.

I will now be writing notes for Episode 7: Scrap Heap.

I put in timestamps so when you watch the show, you get a bit of context, but I also watch Transformers Prime on Stan which may lead to it being a bit off.

ONTO THE NOTES!

~~~~Transition~~~~

00:42 - excuse me little one… why must you look so cute?

00:53 - this is setup and yet it apparently isn’t permanent damage?

00:57 - Excuse me… OUR ARCTIC FIND?! OUR?! Optimus, I love you but you were not involved in finding that.

01:01 - how on Earth did they get that back there? (Someone genuinely answer me. How did they do it?)

~intro~

02:12 - again with the ‘our’.

02:21 - this part made me wonder where Bulkhead and Bumblebee’s insignia were. I found Bulkhead’s pretty easily (it’s on his arm), but it took me three days to find Bumblebee’s (I’m not kidding), but in my defence.. there are very few shots that make it clear where his was and it’s unnecessarily small. (For anyone curious:

02:31 - that’s my brother to me.

02:49 - ya know, you could just make friends, Jack, then you wouldn’t rely on an Autobot (that has a job to do) to keep you company.

03:00 - mmm Optimus, so formal

03:03 - in… the Arctic? I mean… maybe..?

03:17 - Optimus is a father (hc is that he’s the father of Bumblebee but gotta keep it vague.). From how he’s careful on turning down Raf, to the promise of a snowball, this isn’t the first time that a child he’s sworn to protect has to be told they cannot join.

03:19 - hehehe height differences.

03:35 - How do the bots play video games? Like when their in bot forms. I get in their alt modes they just hook it up to their steering wheels, but how do they do it bipedal mode?/gen

03:39 - I just noticed- Bee’s eyes aren’t filled in.

03:50 - I understand why Miko has no other friends. Completely ignores Raf in favour of challenging Jack, who isn’t interested in playing.

04:06 - Jack displaying good friendship skills and noticing that Raf wanted to play.

04:15 - Miko says ‘hoo yeah’ why does that feel so familiar?

04:20 - yes the frag he can, Bulk.

04:23 - Ratchet’s slow to anger here. Just wanted to share.

04:53 - THAT’S A VERY BIG SCREW-

05:41 - And here we see a Raf, not using common sense. Autobots never mentioned pets, yet this thing consumes metal without a second thought.. they obviously aren’t pets!

06:13 - Jack had already won. That’s why he was doing a victory dance-

06:19 - BEE, WHY ARE YOU STANDING LIKE THAT?!

Yes Ratchet, we do have a problem. Why is he standing like that, he’s not close enough for that to be(e) an effective stance.

06:33 - okay, but that would be horrifying. Like this little kid walks in holding a pest that eats you alive? That’s traumatising.

06:36 - I saw someone do a breakdown of this shot, how Bulk hides behind Ratchet, while Bee stands in front, most likely protecting Ratchet because Bee knows Ratchet doesn’t have weapons to protect himself. I just think about that.

06:38 - WHY ARE YOU GUYS PROTECTING THE SCRAPLET?! Oh wait- they’re protecting Raf.. okay I’m an idiot.

06:51 - Shut up, Miko and Jack. Human’s aren’t immune to smaller beings eating them to death.

07:01 - Raf, WHERE HAS YOUR BRAIN GONE?!

07:12 - once again, horrifying if you were a bot.

07:21 - the scraplet… ate through his hand.. right? Like Bee didn’t let go, that little shit ate through his hand.

07:23 - What would you even do in that situation?!

07:28 - FINALLY THE HUMANS DO SOMETHING!

07:35 - Okay but Jack saw what the scraplet did to Bee, right? Like it was dangerous. It should’ve been completely destroyed.

07:39 - Raf remembers his best friend exists.

07:43 - it’s probably just me, but Bee looks so small in this situation. Literally and Metaphorically. He looks tiny in size when you compare it to Ratchet and Bulkhead looming over him, but also small and innocent.

07:44 - Also it’s so weird seeing a bot sit like that. I mean, it’s cute, it’s just that I’m so used to them standing or sitting on objects that seeing Bee sitting on the ground like that looks a little peculiar.

07:48 - ‘only a Mesh wound. He’ll live.’ Remember that line… remember it. Also during that Ratchet’s carefully holding Bee’s leg, I know he’s just inspecting it like a doctor does, but he’s clearly being as careful as possible and combined with his tone, it makes Ratchet seem like a concerned parent.

08:00 - Why would Jack actually think that was the logic Scraplets went by? WHEN IS THAT EVER THE LOGIC SMALL CREATURES GO BY?!

08:02 - Glad Ratchet ain’t sugar coating this./g

08:16 - 1. Bee hiding behind Ratchet is adorable, 2. THAT’S WOULD GENUINELY BE TERRIFYING!

08:19 - Bee moves to hold onto Ratchet’s arm! I’m crying!

09:09 - once again.. Terrifying. But didn’t they survive in space? Or are there also other features as to why they can’t survive in the Arctic? Would it have something to do with oxygen and pressure?

09:13 - Optimus, in a state of mild confusion, chooses to move his body further away from the ice. A peculiar choice on his part, but alright.

09:28 - HE SAID THE THING!

09:30 - everyone when spider.

09:33 - it’s depressing to think that throughout the entire situation the bots are fulling aware that Optimus and Arcee are most likely going to die.

09:50 - So them running would be seen as cowardly, but when Bulkhead shares that they’ve witnessed what Scraplets can do.. that’s horrifying. The bots wanting to run makes perfect sense.

09:55 - … so… that’s why the scraplet didn’t immediately eat through Bee’s leg… because it was going for a more delicious part of him first-

10:09 - also how are you supposed to react to that information??

10:21 - understandable.

10:37 - Who ever chose for Bumblebee to shudder like that.. I hope you’re always sleeping wonderfully.

10:55 - Optimus helping her up is just a sweet moment… Also wouldn’t they be better to remain in vehicle mode?

11:09 - ‘and he will’ Optimus knows his husband will come to their aid ASAP. (They are husbands. We all know this.)

11:19 - Miko making fun of Bulkhead for screaming when they’re looking for bugs that are known to kill bots… I truly understand why Miko has no friends.

11:51 - that would be like walking into a spiderweb.

12:09 - and then finding out the spiderweb was full of spiders.

13:39 - Oh frag.. I’m surprised no one craps themselves in this episode.

12:46 - NO, WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK DO YOU DO IN THAT SITUATION?!

13:08 - Oh fuck.

13:12 - What kind of vision do the Scraplets have?!! Also Jack’s holding Metal in that scene, why don’t they see it???

13:33 - I ask once more WHAT DO YOU DO IN THAT SITUATION?!

13:48 - NOW HE CHOSES TO MENTION IT?! Also Ratchet’s V.A. did a great job conveying how panicked Ratchet would’ve been.

13:53 - that must hurt so badly.

14:24 - Bulkhead previously said that they eat the small juicy parts first… and every time we see the three bots in the same room, their first target is Bee. They’re going after the small part first-

14:41 - okay, but this scene is so uncomfortably terrifying. Hearing the bots yelling in pain, seeing all the Scraplets burried into their metal, the way no one can do anything… that’s horrifying.

14:55 - Optimus being responsible and keeping Arcee awake.

15:04 - Let’s just appreciate Optimus for a moment. This bot’s also freezing to death, doesn’t understand why they can’t get in touch with base, but manages to remain level headed.

15:12 - honestly though, sounds like a good idea for Arcee to just start rambling on angrily, because that’ll keep her awake.

15:17 - Optimus refusing to believe that this is someone’s fault.

15:34 - I know this probably isn’t, but it sounds so much like a references to the first Transformers movie.

15:48 - Optimus saying ‘one should not be measured by size alone’ is actually really sweet and inclusive.

15:50 - shoutout to bot’s sitting on the floor, gotta be one of my favourite genders.

15:54 - Miko and Raf standing their beating the shit out of some dead scraplets is beautiful.

15:58 - let’s appreciate what we can observe from this part. Ratchet and Bulkhead sitting on either side of Bee, sitting as upright as manageable, while Bee is more lying down than he is sitting up. If you look carefully you can see the bots are moving as though they’re breathing.

16:05 - once again, horrifying.

16:15 - ‘these were just scouts’ then the shot moves to Bumblebee’s reaction.

16:57 - Bee trying to sit up but immediately falling back makes my heart hurt. Baby nooo.

17:10 - SERIOUSLY THAT WOULD BE TERRIFYING TO WITNESS.

17:22 - I’m so confused on what energon is. That pipe indicates it’s a liquid, but they mine energon crystals, they’re bright blue when the bots use it, but dark blue everywhere else.

17:25 - I think Bee’s asleep.

17:36 - why would you bring your bots in first??

17:36 - Never mind, he’s awake. Also Ratchet and Bulkhead talking about Bee reminds me of when a child sneaks into their parents bed at night.

17:42 - exactly.

17:44 - aww noo! Ratchet! He needs a nap

18:06 - this shot makes me cry. No! Why he gotta look so scared!! Also there’s a line through the main cord(?) is Bee’s neck. It appears to be the only indicator that there’s been anything to any part of his neck… so is that where his voice box is?

18:16 - you already know Optimus is thinking ‘shut up, Arcee. Trying to die in peace’. The bot’s tired, Arcee, give him a bit of peace.

18:29 - I need someone to write an extended part of this episode where all the bots get a nap… like they all just huddle together in blankets and pillows and get the nap they deserve. Don’t care if canon says it’s not possible. I am god now and I say it is.

18:41 - this is sweet.

18:55 - GIVE THIS BOT A NAP.

19:26 - Bulkhead’s brave af.

19:27 - Bee sits up.

19:26 - Ratchet pushes him back down.

19:56 - Optimus and Arcee aren’t nearly as hot as Bee, Bulk and Ratchet. Good touch.

20:10 - Damn.. that would be so confusing to be in Optimus or Arcee’s position.

20:35 - where did Bee’s wings go??

20:41 - shoutout to the way Optimus is sitting. Half leaning, half sitting, looking very uncomfortable.

20:48 - ‘jUsT a MeSh WoUnD’ not just a mesh wound now, Ratchet,

20:57 - Optimus lookin out for Ratchet U^U

21:00 - Optimus smiling at Ratchet makes breathing a difficult task.

21:27 - Optimus and Ratchet look at each other, then back at Miko and Bulk.

And that was my comments on Scrapheap. An episode more messed up when you break it down.

Lemme know if you thought differently/disagree with my points/have more to add.

I like hearing other peoples perspectives.

Also, This was my review of Episode 6:

[trashhole]

Starbee collection (and a little bit of ratchet)

Their shadows seem to have the right idea…

They’re having some time away from the kids to relax but…star doesn’t seem very relaxed (^^;)

(Edited because the tags looked awful) SKIP THIS IF YOU DONT CARE ABOUT TFE STARBEE!!!

On a side note I think bee and star would have opposing feelings on being in close proximity. I think star would take time to get used to it while bee wouldn’t think twice about being smooshed next to star. Bee is used to people and likes them for the most part (and most autobots are physically affectionate with eachother). I think in the beginning star would push away bumblebee like he did with twitch and it would take some time before he’s able to casually accept physical affection. Especially considering his history of having been kicked around and hated for centuries I’d think he’d have a hard time accepting physical affection. It’s a scary thing to accept for people who’s greatest memories of emotional physical contact are a punch to the face because what if you say something and they get mad and hit you? It takes a lot of trust which bumblebee and the terrans I think would eventually earn.

Post gesture drawing sketches (it’s meant to be quick!) and silly other things

A minimal line art ratchet icon. I don’t use it as an icon though because it doesn’t fit well (-_-;)

A car in a car?

I will probably start posting every 5 days if I can. School is making me ill (or the oil paint I probably accidentally consumed earlier but we’ll blame school).

[tfp-is-prime]

Transformers: Prime Season 1, Episode 7: "Scrapheap" Original Airdate: February 18, 2011 2023 TFP Rerun Date: February 18, 2024 [Watch on YouTube] Synopsis, courtesy of Apple: Bulkhead, Bumblebee and Ratchet scramble to eliminate a swarm of Scraplets that have invaded the Autobot base, while Optimus and Arcee patrol in the Arctic.

[onewingedsparrow]

I'm already safe. I know I am, with you.

[bones4thecats]

you can also do Orion pax/Optimus prime x cybertroniana reader, both were a couple before the war, and they still follow him on Earth

TFP! Optimus Having A Longtime S/O

Character: Optimus Prime (Transformers Prime) Requester: @zinnia1506 A/N: I love this trope. Just a calm and nonchalant boyfriend x his loving and slightly-feral S/O! Anyways, I hope you like this. ⚠️ Spoilers/Trigger Warnings for: The ending of the show and Predcons Rising Film ⚠️

Fun fact: I wrote this listening to Lion King/Guard songs😂

••●••●••●••●••●••●••●••●••●••●••●••●••●••●••●••●••●••●••●•

»»——————————-　 Optimus Prime 　——————————-««

⚔️ Optimus doesn't have that many people left, at least people that he knows that are currently alive. He knew more friends were deceased than alive basically

⚔️ Though, he does have someone alive that he cares the most about; his adorable S/O. You.

⚔️ Meeting back when he was still Orion Pax and a young data clerk working inside of the Iacon and you were the current Grand Diplomat of Alpha Trion's rule as Cybertron's Council's head

⚔️ You had to deliver some information in pads to the place to get organized, and when the young bot smiled and allowed you inside to organize them to how Alpha Trion wished, you began to ask about his life

⚔️ As you began to speak from time-to-time whenever you visited with more classified documents, a bond was formed quick. While many solar cycles passed, the pair of young bots were ogled on by many elders, especially Orion's friend, Megatronus, and your boss, Alpha Trion

⚔️ You were there when Megatronus, now Megatron, was denied in favor of Orion. And you were right by his side when the war blasted off and you soared away with his small team to Earth in hopes of finding something to help with the war and your home planet

⚔️ And while you two would spend many of your days by one another, as the war progressed, that was becoming harder and harder. Thankfully, your teammates would get you two to spend time together by taking some work away from your servos

⚔️ Now, when it comes to missions, you guys almost always go together. Very rarely are you apart in battle. And whenever you go without him, he keeps solid contact with you, and whenever he doesn't get a decent reply, he gets worried beyond recognition

⚔️ During the time fighting against Megatron for the final time, you were help hostage with Ratchet. Being held not for assistance in finalizing the synthetic energon, but for your information on fixing Cybertron, in which you told Megatron to piss off and jump down a hole to a scrapheap

⚔️ Unlike Ratchet, you weren't given to Predaking to kill, rather, you were held in a cell surrounded by Vehicon soldiers. In a matter of minutes, you had gone from acting unconscious to wrapping your legs around on soldiers neck from behind and killing all around you. Think of that scene from The Suicide Squad (2021) when Harley broke out

(Here's a link for reference: Link) - warnings for A LOT blood and death!

⚔️ Optimus was very pleased when he saw both you and Ratchet okay, but when he saw a Vehicon attempt attacking you, he blasted him to the Well of the Allspark. Despite this, you fought brilliantly against the many soldiers against you

⚔️ You also showed a new depth of rhythmicity, from attacking Megatron from behind as Optimus took the front. And before you were knocked aside roughly and your sparkmate was hanging onto the Nemesis, everyone, including Decepticons, were shocked at how in-sync you two were. You really were sparkmates

⚔️ Bumblebee then killed Megatron, making you leap in joy and help him get your sparkmate up and onto the ship's base. You held the mech closely as you cheered with the rest of your team about the win against the Cons

⚔️ Throughout the rest of your lives together, you spent it fighting against Unicron. And while it was hard for you to say goodbye to your lover of many hundreds of years, you couldn't help but shed a tear when his red, white, and blue spark spun around you and acted as if he was pecking your forehead

⚔️ The others watched with smiles as you kissed the spark before watching it fly away. Ratchet patted your shoulder as Bee and the other, including Knockout, gathered around you in a large group hug. You were a family no matter what, thanks to the mech you called your one and only...

"I love you, Y/N..."

[tfp-is-my-lifeblood-lol]

TFP Headcanon time!

You know how, in Rescue Bots, Optimus Prime mentions having read human books, and loving The Little Engine That Could?

He DEFINITELY adores Horton Hears a Who.

Like, think about it: It's about a character who finds a tiny, fragile planet full of tiny people who need help, and he just wants to rescue them while everyone around him (like the Decepticons) wants to destroy it, simply because they don't understand.

"A person's a person no matter how small" would vibe with him so hard, because he's basically in the same situation protecting Earth and humans.

He even says something similar in "Scrapheap" when Arcee is making fun of Bulkhead for being big.

And the ending where all the animals finally hear the Whos and change their ways is Optimus's dream of how he wishes the war would end. He's so kind, he perceives the Decepticons (especially Megatron) as "not understanding" the value of Earth, rather than understanding but not caring.

[sonicasura]

In TFP X FNAF movie:

Do bots and humans, including from fnaf, meet the Balloon Boy and what's their reactions?

Remebering the episode of Scraplets, Do the Scraplets will harm the Animatronics, including Cupcakes, What's the reaction of Fnaf humans, and autobots to this?

Balloon Boy is the mysterious little shit. At first the bots think he's just a small statue until learning BB only moves when no one is looking. Balloon Boy absolutely frightened the bots on multiple occasions but they grew accustom to it. He isn't exactly doing it on purpose unless they are about to do something stupid or BB was in a pranking mood.

The Animatronics have two saving graces that kept them from being Scraplet food. First is the rotting flesh scent etched to the metal frame. Scraplets become to revulsed at eating them since they think the 'food is fake'. The second is the Remnant in their bodies act like a repellent.

You know how animals are the first to notice something is supernaturally wrong that it triggers their flight or fight response? It's like that for the Scraplets as the Remnant inside of the animatronics make them ill from just being too close. You can say the bots were flabbergasted while Vanessa, Abby and Mike were just relieved.

Cupcake was the MVP in Scrapheap from keeping the scraplets outta vital areas within the base as Ratchet tried to fix the Groundbridge with Bonnie. Freddy gave OP and Arcee spark attacks upon spontaneously showing up next to them in the Artic. He served as their lifeline by updating both sides on the current situation.

Oh and reminding Optimus to get Raf a snowball.

[vanellygal]

My Favorite TFP Episodes

SEASON 1

Episode 7, Scrapheap

Episode 11, Speed Metal

Episode 15, Shadowzone

Episode 19, Rock Bottom

Episode 21, T.M.I.

Episode 22, Stronger, Faster

SEASON 2

Episode 8, Nemesis Prime

Episode 10, Armada

Episode 11, Flying Mind

Episode 12, Tunnel Vision

Episode 19, The Human Factor

Episode 23, Inside Job

Episode 26, Darkest Hour

SEASON 3

Episode 7, Plus One

Episode 8, Thirst

Extra: I loved the Ratchet moments in episodes 11 - 12. Also, the finale was amazing too!

[megatron-ii]

ah

the metal piranha termites

such ✨beauty✨

such 🩰grace🩰

it's always a pleasure when they visit 😌💕

[keef-a-corn]

Transformers Prime Scraplet episode (Scrapheap), except there following epsiode is called ‘Ghost Scraps’

The entire premise is equivalent to when you have a spider on you and after that you keep patting yourself down because you’re scared another one will show up.

Bulkhead’s always going up to another bot or a human and asking desperately ‘is there a scraplet on me?! I think there’s a scraplet on me!!!’

Bumblebee’s very fidgety and keeps scraping up against corners, walls and sometimes weapons, but is in denial about being concerned about there being a scraplet on him.

While Ratchet will occasionally wipe where the ghost feeling is, but will flinch at every metallic noise.

Arcee and Optimus first watch the three, until Arcee goes to talk to Bulkhead, who panics and kicks her into Bumblebee, denting the wall. Arcee gets frustrated, but before she can blow up about it, Raf chimes in about how the behaviour reminds him of when him and his family went to Australia.

“In one of the places we were staying in, there were so many spiders that it had us all acting crazy. Some of us were having showers every hour, some wouldn’t leave the room, there was a lot of hitting and scratching and at one point, my brother rammed himself into a wall.”

———

Also can we talk about that episode for a second? Like that episode was FILLED with angst and whump potential.

Between Bulkhead acting as the bait, Ratchet using the rest of his energy to keep Bee down, Arcee accepting death, Optimus protecting her when they thought the scraplets were attacking and the injuries being worse than ‘just a mesh wound’.

I could totally write/draw this stuff myself, but I’d be lying. Have extreme art and writers block.

[trashhole]

Brainstorm doodles and soundwave on an adventure with laserbeak

[whatudottu]

Not that I’ve got a whole plot or anything, but I wanna talk about uh… I suppose it’s an Autobot StarQuake au, or maybe a Neutralist au? The point is, Starscream and Skyquake aren’t getting together if canon goes unchanged, so I just wanna write my basic, initial thoughts on what would and would not change.

So, of course, the biggest change here is ‘Masters & Students’ to kick things off. Okay, it’s maybe not the BIGGEST change, but it’s certainly significant.

Most of the episode can remain the same; Starscream celebrates the death of his abuser Lord Megatron, the Vehicons don’t respect that play (i guess neither does soundwave but he doesn’t much voice it), so Starscream gets the grand idea to crack open a boy with the cold ones and try to get Skyquake under his command.

Rewatching the episode, it’s actually interesting how initially, Skyke gently pushes aside Screamer to face Prime. Yeah, okay, sure, he decks him in the face not too soon after, but that’s just the anger and annoyance speaking, this was the second time Starscream tried to get someone to kiss his pedes.

So whatever, the episode plays as normal, Skyquake still crashes, but instead of being left forgotten, Prime notices something. TFP loves to make the Autobots bury bots, from Cliffjumper to what would perhaps be Skyquake to, given that the next we see of him, there’s now a rock pile.

When going to bury poor Skyke this time around, Optimus finds the crackling static of a weak EM field prickling on his digits.

“Ratchet, prepare the medbay.”

“Optimus? What happened out there!?”

“…”

“…Wait.”

Anywho! Skyke gets taken in for repairs and later imprisonment.

Nothing all too significant changes until the next major change, but before I talk about that, I gotta say that the episode difference in of itself is significant. I’m not exactly sure on the specifics, but it would be easy to say that Skyquake isn’t flight ready, coming out of a crash that 1) offlined the original Skyquake, and 2) caught him painfully between root and alt mode as he did so.

Unfortunately for HIM however, the episode immediately after is ‘Scrapheap’.

I suppose this does sorta disrupt my little thing on Skyquake not knowing stuff about humans, but I can still futz around to make it work. It just means that, hopefully, the little cell that Skyke’s been put in is uninteresting enough to save him from the worst of the Scraplet horde. Or, Bulky’s just so much of a snack that the collective find the wrecker MUCH more juicier.

Waking up to a nest of Scraplets is certainly horrifying, but because the little human trio were a little more concerned about the ‘Bots in the main hall, you could say that they wouldn’t bother too much with the noise of destruction down in an ‘unused’ corner. Ratchet did end up fixing up Skyquake again, but that had effectively lengthened his stay.

The rest of the episodes in between probably don’t change all too much, taking place outside of base mostly, with Skyquake’s stay turning from recovery to straight prisoner. Maybe ‘Con Job’ has Makeshift (disguised as wheeljack, of course) notice the prisoner, but we know how much Jackie loves his bombs. Sorry Shifty, this ain’t a Makeshift Lives au.

Now, onto the episode with the second most significant change, ‘Out of His Head’. Unlike Makeshift’s attempt to get Skyke back with the ‘Cons, there’s no second Bee to stop Megan from snooping around. In his snooping, Lord ‘Con caught sight of one of his long forgotten guardians, and a plan bubbled deep within his borrowed processor.

Not that it was a complex plan, but it boiled nonetheless.

Yada yada, Megan manages to convince Skyquake its him, Skyke punches Ratchet and controls the Groundbride while Megatron takes a stop at the local Dark Energon market, and boom, they’re outtie. Ratchet probably doesn’t make it all the way to the Nemesis’s medbay, which is a little horrid for Bee in facing both the mech that tore out his voicebox, the bot he failed to kill, and a fleet of very loyal vehicons.

But Bee’s plot armour and pedal to the medal saves him this time around.

As per canon, Megatron’s first call to action is to put Starscream in his place. Skyquake as probably seen punishment before, sure, it’s the Decepticon way. None of Prime’s compliments nor fatherly disappointment here, no siree. But because I love exaggerating his stasis vacation on Earth, I adore the potential of him realising how far the ‘Cons have slipped in his absence.

Now, pre and post stasis, Skyquake has come to see a confident Starscream that holds a thirst for power. Yes, he’s still a bit of a coward, but war does that to a mech, even if the overall stress has lessened. In the present, however, Skyquake has not seen Screamer himself beg and kneel and live up to his name and scream for forgiveness.

Unfortunately for him, he gets a crash course on just that in his brief reunion with the ‘Cons.

Before he knows it, he’s holding back the servo of his Lord from crashing into a pile of scrap metal and energon. An interruption largely discouraged and actively trained out of the Decepticon high command. Fortunately for little Skyquake here, Megatron is the barest bit merciful due to his involvement in escorting the warlord’s mind to his body.

Fortunately does not mean unpunished, however, and Skyquake does receive quick a nasty beating anyway, even if he does try to put up a fight. Fighting an ex-gladiator, and Megatron no less, is quite the… thrilling experience, let’s say. The ‘battle’ did at least divert much of the anger, and thus punishment, away from Starscream, so he’s a lot better for it overall.

Now, though, Megatron has not-so-secretly put Skyke on his ‘discipline’ list, juuuust under Screamer’s permanently etched in name.

These changes would make for an interesting version of ‘Shadowzone’, if not an entire new episode taking its place to better fit within this StarQuake puzzle of mine. Though, technically, you can already say that this is a Starscream and Skyquake episode, though with far less corpses coming back to life, even if both of them feel like scrap.

So Screamer’s all ticked off because his immediate thoughts to Skyquake’s actions were pity, and that’s like not something he wants to deal with because that’s just undermining. Skyke, still being in that ‘I hate you’ relationship with the SiC, scoffs and brushes aside Starscream’s complaints because he ‘was angered at Megatron’s dishonourable actions’ and ‘never actually thought about’ Starscream at all.

Not a good start, but whatever. Screamer thinks Skyke’s gone soft, not considering that he’s been out of the war for so long, and Skyke has his perceptions of Screamer shift, wondering just how long he was out. Weak split-spark bond is obvious, but also not quantitive.

Uh, ‘Shadowzone’ is just empty. Maybe it’s an episode focused on Screamer and Skyke just trying to get along, simultaneously pissing off Knock Out and Breakdown for not. Fragging. Staying. Put! Stubborn b-tards, the two of them.

The final (of the beginning, at least) episode with major significance is ‘Rock Bottom’. A certain fic I read… hmm what was it… it changed the episode to have Starscream comm for help before either deploying for the mission or just outside the cave before Megan decides to snuff his spark. I’ll say that a similar thing could happen, but maybe not to benefit Screamer.

So, Megan’s sh**-list is now occupied by two mechs, Starscream and Skyquake. Now, as stubborn as the green seeker is, he doesn’t quite hold a candle to the entertainment that Starscream oh so readily supplies… until now. In fact, the little interactions between the SiC and Skyke were entertaining enough to let them both live for this long, but there’s only so much fun in burning remarks. Take away that, and Skyquake to Megatron is now an easily angered and volatile mech, shoot first ask questions later, with no undying loyalty to keep him worthwhile.

So yes, Starscream does comm Skyquake for help, but Soundwave let’s it happen. Megatron’s plan to offline them both is coming to fruition.

Except, it doesn’t happen.

“MEGATRON!”

A sneer of razor-tipped dentae.

“Finally you have arrived,”

“If you wish to snuff someone’s spark, do it with honour!”

“Oh, is that a challenge?”

A glare was sent the gladiator’s way.

“Then prepare to meet your end.”

The discharge of a gattling laser filled the unstable cabe.

With heavy artillery flaring and mostly missing each respective target, it was only a matter of time before the cave was becoming more than unstable. Also, though it perhaps wasn’t the place to intervene (why fight cons when they were actively killing each other) one way or another, Arcee does get involved, even if only for a stray blast to nearly send a rock smashing into Jack’s skull.

Ultimately though, Starscream flees first, followed almost immediately by Skyquake, after the mine is effectively forced to crumble. As much as he hates running from a fight, he did come at the call of Screamer, though admittedly it was only because he held a higher rank and holds unknowable feelings for him shh don’t say anything.

Starscream is going on about being free now that the warlord could whilst also debating saving Megatron because that will give him a little more brownie points, but Skyquake puts a hold to that quick by not only stating that Megatron will have survived, but would still very much kill Screamer even if he did save the ‘Con leader.

“You’ve done it again…” A scoff, though there was a faint tinge of amusement to it.

Confusion came in response. “Did what…?”

“You’ve failed to call your… oh so grand, one true master Megatron… a lord,” There was a hum to follow, “Twice now.”

“…”

They’ll both be killed if they return to the ‘Cons, if not beaten to the point where they’d wish they were dead. So, Screamer leaves the Decepticons one episode early, with the few occasional hidden knowledge located in that traitorous processor of his. Skyke’s also got a bit of info, and outdated map (because tectonics) of energon reserves, hopefully just as forgotten as him wow how sad.

Oh yeah the Autobots are good, but y’all ain’t here for that. Bulky, too, has some plot armour.

And that’s all the episodes (in terms of a plot and not just a void that I like to think of scenarios in) that could let StarQuake happen and turn it into like… an Autobot/Neutralist au. I guess the larger context isn’t exactly needed, but a lot of my thoughts do centre around being… well… not on the Nemesis.

Could just be a bias of mine to adhere to the dream that made me ship StarQuake initially, but who knows, this post took days to finished…

Mainly motivation reasons but… whatever.

[needs-to-stop-looking-at-valves]

Reasons I like tfp #66:

OKAY I NEED TO RANT ON A MISSED OPPORTUNITY.

OPTIMUS NEVER F U C K I N G BROUGHT RAF HIS SNOWBALL. DO YOU KNOW HOW FUCKING CUTE THAT WOULD'VE BEEN?

[dabbingonronpa]

Transformers: Prime Director’s Commentary, Ep6-7

Masters and Students (Mathias Dougherty, Meghan Burleson, Nathan Johnson, Jacob Rivera)

-three of the biggest worries were “who’s playing optimus,” “who’s playing megatron,” and “what is Soundwave gonna look like”

-”It was very cool to find that that Soundwave was gonna be [a drone] instead of an iPod or something” *laughter*

-they had to have a suspension of disbelief bc even though Skyquake said he doesn’t have an alt mode yet he clearly has wings already but the staff couldn’t go back to Polygon and ask for two models for one character

-”We will see [Skyquake] a little later in the season.” “Parts of him!” *laughter*

-*laughs at Starscream’s groans*

-”I remember we had to do a retake on Optimus’s voice [calling for] Bumblee because originally when he said it he sounded very southern.” (”BARHHMBABEE!! HOL’ TIGHT!!”)

-Starscream’s transformation is a crew favorite bc of how artistic/weighty it is (*chef’s kiss*)

-”[Ratchet] doesn’t want to like the kids, but he can’t help it.” “He has a soft spot.”

-Soundwave’s visor graphics were hard to do because that’s how he communicates

-”Stop running around in vehicles! Just get a bicycle or something” -talking about how Fowler gave the Cons all their alt modes

-the supervising director at Polygon is a huge aviations fan

-they clown on Fowler for not wearing any air suit equipment

-”[Bumblebee] wants to be Optimus one day, you can tell”

-more clowning at Fowler’s one-liner

-the classroom took a few revisions to get it right

Scrapheap (Sonya Park, Kathy Cavanaugh, Austin Block, Meredith Rogers)

-”Why are [the humans] here on Saturday? Don’t they have friends?”

-”What was that little hop that he does?”, referring to Raf’s weird hop walking to the couch

-”they really should make toys [of the scraplet]”

-the scraplets were modeled after kittens apparently???? because they’re striking a balance b/w cute and vicious??

-maintaining a continuity of the scraplet damage to the models was a persistent issue for this episode w/ the communication b/w the production staff and Polygon

-there was debate for if the bots should hold a finger to their head when using their comm link, but was overall kept in, in season 1

-”definitely had the wrong logo on the floor [of the base] for the first 5 episodes”, referring to use of the bayverse Autobot logo, and the change was made bc a fan brought it up on a message board

-“Arcee’s such a hater”

-”Do they have a trash can [for the scraplets]? I know we didn’t model one”

-”I think a couple of people had [Miko screaming] as their screensaver”

[up-ta-no-good]

[autobots-and-their-crazy-kids]

One thing that drives me crazy in both TFA + TFP is that the main humans are given episodes to prove that they’re useful on their own, but the plots are kinda dumb and could’ve been handled better... 

*In TFA’s ‘Human Error’ episodes, the Autobots are knocked out and kidnapped by Soundwave, who’s trying to brainwash them in a virtual reality while they sleep and Sari is the only one who can save them! 

The plot sounds interesting right? 

Here are the problems though... 

Of all the dreams that Soundwave could give them, he decided to give them human forms... which doesn’t make sense, because TFA Soundwave HATES humans, so why would he make the Autobots dream that they’re humans? As well as given them each a unique human design? (Although Prowl’s design was a mistake, in my opinion and I don’t like that Bee’s human form is a male version of Kid Sari... Why couldn’t they have at least given Bee an original human form?) 

And then there’s the Upgraded Sari Sumdac... I get that TFA is trying to show that she’s still useful even without her key and most of her powers locked away AND that they’re trying to make up for Sari not being around most of season 3, so they want to make her the hero of the story... but I still think that the story could’ve been handled better or differently... 

Like for some reason, the writers decide that Sari shouldn’t get help from her genius father Prof. Sumdac or Captain Fanzone (because the writers think that full humans are the worst now), so they decided to give Soundwave the power to mind control humans... but why? 

Soundwave hates humans and thinks that they’re useless, so why control them to be servants? 

It would make more sense for Soundwave to use his Toy Clones’ music to control the other Earth Robots into capturing the humans, so Soundwave can destroy them all later... 

Speaking of destroying, why is Sari the only human that Soundwave wants to actually destroy?!

Sari is techno-organic, has powerful weapons and Allspark Energy flowing inside of her, it would make more sense for Soundwave to try knocking her out and capturing her instead, so he can brainwash her with her Autobot Team... but he doesn’t even try! 

He tries to destroy her, when he realizes that the mind control that effects humans doesn’t work on half-cybertronian Sari... but again, he could’ve tried capturing her and brainwashing her while she’s asleep with the Autobots... but nope! 

Maybe he’s salty about Sari once owning him as a toy, but mind controlling and ‘owning’ her could’ve been the ULTIMATE WAY of getting revenge, instead of simply destroying her! 

One last thing, Soundwave’s upgraded mind control makes no sense... In his first episode, Soundwave’s music could only control non-sentient Earth Robots... But in ‘Human Error’, the music can somehow control humans now, and the music only effects Autobots when they’re sleeping? 

It honestly doesn’t make any sense to me! 

It’s obviously the episode trying to say: “SEE?! It’s a great thing that Sari is techno-organic! Aren’t you glad she is?” 

Organic Human Brains are easier to control then the robot brains of the Autobots? 

I know that Autobots probably have ancient alien parts in their brains, which makes them harder for Soundwave to control, but still! 

Robot parts and controlling them are what Soundwave is used to... 

If anything, human brains should be harder for TFA Soundwave to control then Autobot Brains, in my opinion! 

*And now for TFP’s ‘Scrapheap’... the episode with the Scarplets... 

Scarplets are creatures that eat on metal, including Autobot Metal! (Great thing, that Sari doesn’t exist in this world...) 

But they don’t attack creatures made of meat, even when the meat creatures attack them... so the human kids attack them to protect the Autobots. (Even though their help actually doesn’t do much, since the scraplets can fly and there’s possibly hundreds of them...) 

(The kids are actually lucky that they’re on a kid’s show, because if the scarplets reacted like how any wild animals reacts to being attacked... yeah, they’d all be goners! XD) 

The episode is basically trying to say “SEE?! The human kids are useful! Aren’t you glad they exist?” 

But here’s the thing, the human kids aren’t the Autobots only allies... 

They literally have the american goverment (and Fowler) on their side, some human agents or soldiers could easily take their place. 

And even if they couldn’t, Fowler can still take their place! 

He might be one guy, but an adult is stronger and faster than 3 teens.

And the Autobots only needed one pair of human hands to reactivate their computer and portals. 

Literally any human could’ve done that job! 

*I’m not saying that the human allies should NEVER be useful or be the heroes of the story... but the stories (and characters in some cases) should at least be interesting and smarter...