Ambush (episode)

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SAY MY NAME.
"Ambush" 対決! ローリ VS クロミア () (Taiketsu! Lori tai Chromia) "Showdown! Lori VS Chromia"
Production company	TV Aichi, We've, Tōkyū Agency
Airdate	October 29, 2005 (Japanese) September 18, 2006 (English)
Writer	Gyō Yamatoya
Director	Atsushi Nakayama
Animation studio	GONZO, Radix
Continuity	Unicron Trilogy cartoon continuity

The Autobots split up to search the lower levels of Gigantion for its Cyber Planet Key, while the Decepticons do the same. Lori and Thunderblast get acquainted.

Synopsis

Deep in the lower levels of Gigantion, the four Autobot teams are making fast progress in their search for the Cyber Planet Key. Snarl, Leobreaker and Jetfire have enjoyed an uneventful journey and soon discover a large chasm that they decide to leap into to continue their mission. Elsewhere, Optimus Prime's team (the Recon Mini-Con Team, Vector Prime and Metroplex) are having only a slightly more eventful time of it, as they find their way barred by Ransack and Crumplezone...only to run straight over them. The two Decepticons bemoan their fate, then encourage themselves to try even harder despite all their past failures... then deflate again as reality sets in. Poor dumb schmucks.

Elsewhere again, the team of Override, Wing Saber and Lori take an elevator to a lower level. Override advises caution entering the new area when they reach the bottom, and Wing Saber glibly notes the perfect getting-ambushed opportunities there. Thunderblast takes this as her cue to enter, backed up by Scourge. Lori, however, immediately begins verbally browbeating Scourge for his cowardly tactics and enduring association with the Decepticons, and Scourge flinches. A lot. Thunderblast eventually gets sick of it and insults the both of them, calling Lori a "mouse." Lori, her temper already frayed, challenges Thunderblast to a fight, and the Autobots take fighting positions.

Back with Jetfire's team, the trio finally lands at the bottom of the pit, where they're attacked by Thundercracker. Jetfire tackles the Decepticon himself, ordering the other two to go ahead without him. They hesitate for a moment but then move to depart, realizing that, after all, "it's only Thundercracker." Furious at this disrespect, Thundercracker throws Jetfire aside and draws a bead on the retreating Autobots. Jetfire recovers quickly and opens fire on the Decepticon, allowing his comrades to escape. Grinning wickedly, Thundercracker announces that it's time to reveal his new "forbidden attack," much to Jetfire's befuddlement.

Battling is the order of the day on all three fronts, as Optimus Prime blasts the interfering Ransack and Crumplezone far off into the distance once again.

Dragon Ball T

Thunderblast distracts Lori with a rather puerile ruse and beats cheeks out of there. Lori's last nerve snaps, so she glowers at Wing Saber until he submits to bring her along and chase down Thunderblast. The pair fly off on Thunderblast's tail, leaving (a somewhat relieved) Scourge to battle Override, though Wing Saber soon realizes that she's undoubtedly leading them into a trap. Lori is adamant, though, and they soon discover where Thunderblast is leading them: a harbor area with a lot of open water.

Elsewhere, Thundercracker is charging up his "Super Electric Lightning Thundercrackin' Punch" with much pomp and grandeur. Jetfire is incredulous when the Decepticon finishes crying the attack's name, and he finds out it's only a punch, but to Thundercracker's credit, his fist connects and knocks Jetfire for six. Jetfire is actually impressed, complimenting Thundercracker on finally landing a legitimately good attack, and Thundercracker grins happily.

Wow, they weren't even using the right bait for floozies.

While Scourge and Override's battle continues, with plenty of trash talk, Thunderblast launches her attack, shooting missiles at Wing Saber from underwater. Wing Saber has a rare moment of clarity and suggests a retreat, knowing he can't tackle Thunderblast like this, but Lori insists they have to outsmart her. Wing Saber drops Lori off on dry land, and she enters a control console for a ring of eight cranes in the middle of the harbor water. Wing Saber allows himself to get "shot down" and dives underwater in robot mode. Thunderblast follows and corners him and then realizes that Wing Saber just led her into a trap. Lori hits a button on the control panel so hard that it cracks, drops the crane-claws all around Thunderblast, surrounding her, and then a final one right on her head. Thunderblast demands to be released, and Wing Saber obliges, courtesy of pretty much every missile he's packing. The explosion sends Thunderblast flying away uncontrollably, wailing in defiance.

Buy us at only $60 a pop!

Elsewhere, Jetfire and Thundercracker have beaten each other silly, and both collapse, exhausted. The back-up team of Coby, Landmine, Quickmix and Evac arrive. Coby tends to Jetfire while Quickmix keeps the gibbering Thundercracker quiet by dumping a lot of quick-drying concrete on top of him.

Scourge and Override's fight blasts a hole in the floor of a level above them, and their fight moves into this new room. Scourge hurls his axe, which misses and slams into the wall, right above the doorway through which Lori then appears running. Wing Saber dives in and saves Lori before the falling debris crushes her, and Scourge uses the opportunity to run for an elevator. Lori, quickly over her near-death experience, berates Scourge again, who sheepishly says he's not running away so much as making a strategic withdrawal. The doors close and Override and Lori both express their frustration by hitting the wall. However, Lori discovers she has inadvertently kicked a hidden button in the wall, which causes the room's lights to turn off, and a large device to rise out of the middle of the floor. As the device powers up, the trio realizes they are looking at a planetarium-like hologram device, which begins to project images of Gigantion in ancient times. The video images show a giant dark sphere appearing above the planet, and hundreds of robots emerging from it and filling Gigantion's skies... robots of the same design as Sideways...

Featured characters

(Numbers indicate order of appearance.)

Quotes

"Ah...I'm feelin' a bit rundown."
"Don't make me laugh! It hurts!"

—Crumplezone and Ransack after being run over by Metroplex.

"When he sees our real strength and feels our vengeance, he'll regret beating us over and over and over..."

—Crumplezone

"What could be dangerous? It's dark with only one exit! Looks like a great place to get ambushed!"

—Wing Saber

"What in the world are you thinking?! Back on Jungle Planet, you were all about honor and rule of law, but now look at you! Skulking around in the shadows with a Decepticon floozy—"
"HEY!"
"—plotting ambushes and, and sneak attacks?! What's the matter with you?! Have you completely lost your honor or what?!"

—Lori browbeats Scourge (with objection by Thunderblast)

"Little sister, you better check yo'self!"

—Thunderblast to Lori

"We are chasing her, Wing Saber!"
"Huh?! You're not serious."
"I am serious."
"Uh, but...but Lori...."
"We're. Chas. Ing. Her."
"Yes...ma'am...."

—Lori has Wing Saber totally whipped.

"Here I go! SUPER 'LECTRIC LIGHTNIN' THUNDERCRACKER PUNCH!"
"All that for a punch?"

—Jetfire doesn't see the reason behind Thundercracker's build up.

"Man... I'm impressed! Good punch, mate! Fair dinkum! 'Bout time you brought some muscle to the tussle!"

—Jetfire revises his opinion of the above punch.

"Don't worry about a thing. I aced a B+ in computers class."
"Why not an A?"
"Well...."
"Just don't tell me you crashed the computer."

—Lori and Wing Saber

"Bring me a 'get well' card..."

—Thundercracker

"And no more squeaking from the mouse!"

-Oh no Thunderblast didn't!

Notes

Differences with Galaxy Force

• Galaxy Force includes a "previously on" segment summarizing the events of "City."
• Immediately after the "previously" segment, before the title card appears, Galaxy Force also includes a brief original scene of Override, Wing Saber, and Lori making their way down a corridor, talking about being first to their objective. Removing the "previously" segment, Cybertron also removes this short scene (perhaps unintentionally?).
• Since the English dub lacks Galaxy Force's opening scene, Snarl and Leobreaker speak the first lines in Cybertron. In the Galaxy Force version of the latter scene, Snarl and Leobreaker are silent.
• In Galaxy Force, Jetfire, Snarl, and Leobreaker remark on the hole's size wondering if they should ignore it and keep going. Then Jetfire suggests using the hole to reach Gigantion's lowest level faster, and they're silent when entering it. Cybertron turns their lines into "flavor dialogue."
• In Cybertron, music plays before Ransack and Crumplezone are shown. They speak to each other about getting the last laugh and making Optimus regret constantly beating them, but in Galaxy Force, they shout out to Optimus that they swear to show him their speed and determination. At the end of the scene, Ransack quips it's like good times in Cybertron; he remarks on how lonely they are on the road in Galaxy Force.
• In Galaxy Force, Override doesn't tell Lori to wait, so Lori later asks why they stopped, and Thunderblast finishes Wing Saber's sentence about the area being a perfect place to spring a trap.
• The scene of Lori blowing up at Scourge differs slightly between the two versions:
  • Rather than accusing Scourge of losing his honor (as quoted above), Lori says Scourge has returned to square one. She believes he is mocking her by ignoring her "tearful persuasion" and joining the 'Cons and questions if he has any brains. Lori doesn't mention Thunderblast in Galaxy Force so the Decepticon is silent throughout the scene. Scourge claims mocking Lori wasn't his intention in Galaxy Force, so Lori accuses Scourge of being an idiot and bets he is entirely thoughtless. Scourge says the Decepticons made him an offer in Cybertron, so Lori scolds him for being a "cheap hood" that the Decepticons bought off.
  • In Galaxy Force, Scourge thinks Lori has said too much, so Lori starts criticizing his physical appearance. In Cybertron, after Scourge says the situation isn't what Lori thinks, she rips him a new one by bringing up Jungle Planet and Scourge's responsibilities as its leader.
  • Wing Saber asks what Lori's tirade is about, so Override explains that Lori and Scourge have history, but she didn't know that Lori was still mad.
  • In Galaxy Force, Lori calls Scourge not only high and mighty but corrupt too. Scourge says a man must know his path, so Lori snaps at Scourge again, now thinking he is mocking her gender. In Cybertron, she calls him a sell-out, so Scourge tries to justify his actions resulting from Optimus defeating him, but Lori orders him to move aside.
• In Galaxy Force, Thunderblast asks what happened and tells Scourge and Lori not to talk while ignoring her. Then she calls Lori arrogant and orders Scourge not to let Lori beat him. Instead of calling Lori a mouse, Thunderblast calls her "runt girl." Then Thunderblast says she's not moving and challenges Lori to defeat her if she wants to proceed, though a runt beating her would be impossible. In Cybertron, Thunderblast treats the idea of challenging Lori like a joke, so she doesn't take Lori accepting the challenge seriously. In Galaxy Force, Thunderblast dares Lori to show what she's got, Lori says she's going to kick her ass, and Thunderblast says that's her line.
• Then Wing Saber and Override sound like they are preparing to fight in Cybertron. However, in Galaxy Force, they both say that Lori is scary. Cybertron also gives Lori an extra line during the standoff shot as it's silent before Wing Saber and Override speak in Galaxy Force.
• Before Jetfire, Leobreaker, and Snarl land, Cybertron adds Jetfire's line to remove the silence. In Galaxy Force, it's silent until Thundercracker speaks during his close-up. Thundercracker's reason for trying to shoot Snarl and Leobreaker differs between the dubs: it's for them disrespecting him in Cybertron but them trying to escape in Galaxy Force. He warns Jetfire not to underestimate him before announcing his forbidden ultimate hissatsu attack. Hissatsu (ひっさつ Hissatsu) refers to a move believed to kill an opponent in one blow.
• Optimus says his line about Ransack and Crumplezone directly to them in Galaxy Force, but he says it to himself in Cybertron.
• During the standoff between Lori and Thunderblast, Scourge's internal line "This is bad" is exclusive to Cybertron.
• In Cybertron, Thunderblast's puerile ruse is her claiming Lori had something on her shoe, causing Lori to check if she stepped in something. In Galaxy Force, Thunderblast instead tells Lori there's money on the ground, drawing her attention.
• Some electric guitar plays from Thunderblast challenging Lori to catch her to Lori and Wing Saber giving chase instead of the comedic music heard in Cybertron.
• In Cybertron, Thunderblast blows a raspberry and runs off. In Galaxy Force, Thunderblast, while doing that, says, "Akanbe!" before running off. In Japan, Akanbe(あかんべえ Akanbē) is a mocking facial gesture expressed by pulling one's eyelids down and sticking out their tongue.
• In Galaxy Force, Wing Saber doesn't say anything after the second Lori death glare, and he sounds more resigned to Lori's demands before they pursue Thunderblast.
• While following Thunderblast, Lori doesn't speak until the shot of her and Wing Saber trailing behind the Decepticon, and rather than telling Wing Saber not to let her escape, Lori tells Thunderblast that she's not getting away.
• In Cybertron, Lori aims to show Thunderblast that she's a member of the Autobots and isn't playing games. In Galaxy Force, she's more intense as she wants to tear Thunderblast apart and smash the Decepticon to bits.
• Wing Saber says the harbor looks like a great party location in Galaxy Force, but says Thunderblast is trying to reach the water in Cybertron.
• Instead of Wing Saber and Lori paraphrasing an old saying about horses (seen below), Lori answers Wing Saber's question if they're now out at sea.
• Only Lori's scream is heard after Thunderblast's shot hits Wing Saber in Galaxy Force. The point where Lori says Thunderblast went underwater in Cybertron, the music stops in Galaxy Force. Later, instead of worrying about what Optimus would think if he knew about bringing Lori into a battle, Wing Saber tells Lori he can't do anything since Thunderblast is underwater. Then Lori asks about the circle of cranes, Wing Saber tells her it looks like a dock, and Lori gets an idea.
• The trash talk between Scourge and Override is Cybertron-exclusive as they're silent in Galaxy Force apart from Override summoning her Cyber Key Power.
• Tenser music plays while Lori runs in the dock area. She later complains about how annoying it is that Wing Saber keeps saying her name after exiting the elevator.
• Before Lori reaches the control panel, Wing Saber desperately tells her that he won't last much longer. Rather than discussing Lori's computer class grade like in Cybertron, she thanks Wing Saber for enduring, and he asks for her status. Lori is silent when the monitor comes up. After telling Wing Saber that she's ready, Lori tells him to do as they planned, with Wing Saber putting complete trust in his human partner, and Lori tells Thunderblast to prepare herself. Lori says Thunderblast's overconfidence will be her undoing, and Wing Saber impatiently tells Lori to hurry in Cybertron. A more heroic music track begins at that point in Galaxy Force.
• Cybertron makes Wing Saber and Thunderblast's dialogue more colorful and adds lines to remove the silent parts. Thunderblast brags that no one can see her defeat the Autobot before Lori announces she is watching and that a mouse just beat Thunderblast. Galaxy Force mainly has the Decepticon boast about Wing Saber being at a severe disadvantage. Thunderblast says it's over for Wing Saber, but Lori says it's over for Thunderblast and calls her "Old lady!" before slamming the button.
• In Cybertron, Thunderblast demands to be freed before Wing Saber says he happy to oblige by blasting her. In Galaxy Force, she questions what Wing Saber is doing, and he asks Thunderblast if she should be talking in her situation. Then he says, "A woman in hysteria isn't that hard to look at after all. Old lady!". While blasting off, Thunderblast says Lori and Wing Saber cheated in Cybertron but demands them to call her by her name instead of an old lady in Galaxy Force.
• Jetfire compliments Thundercracker's punch in Cybertron but apologizes to the others for being unable to keep his promise to catch up with them in Galaxy Force. Since Coby doesn't beg Jetfire to wake up until reaching him in Galaxy Force, Cybertron expands his dialogue.
• Instead of asking for a get-well card (quoted above), Thundercracker asks Quickmix, "What?". Then Quickmix replies, "This is what happens to losers."
• Lori says Override's name only once when running in the corridor; Override and Scourge gasp when they react; Lori doesn't scream upon exiting the hallway. Then after saving Lori, Wing Saber only asks if she's okay, and she replies, "Somehow." Wing Saber compliments Lori on her "dramatic entrance" in Cybertron.
• After seeing Scourge in the elevator, Override asks when he got there. Then Scourge tells Override that he needs to go, so they'll have to finish their fight another time in Galaxy Force. In Cybertron, he congratulates Lori for beating Thunderblast.
• In Cybertron, Lori berates Scourge for retreating cowardly, and Scourge insists that he's making a "strategic withdrawal." In Galaxy Force, she is angry because she suspects he deliberately tried to kill her, and Scourge swears that he'd never do that, asking her to forgive his exit.
• During the shot of the hidden switch entering the wall, Lori only reacts to it instead of asking what she did. Cybertron stretches out her line during the shot panning across the ceiling.
• When Wing Saber says the projection is a recording from the past in Cybertron, he says the strange object resembles video equipment in Galaxy Force. He says the video is from ancient times after the close-up of the city. When Override asks what is falling from the sky in the projection in Cybertron, she says the video shows Gigantion from 1000 years ago in Galaxy Force.
• In Cybertron, Wing Saber and Override wonder if the invading bots are Sideways's family. In Galaxy Force, Wing Saber asks if it's Sideways before Override says it looks different.
• Instead of repeating that the event happened in the past and quipping that she's relieved it isn't happening now, Lori fearfully asks what the footage is showing.

Animation and technical errors

• After Optimus tells the rest of his team to continue onward in Galaxy Force, they nod without saying anything, although Vector Prime's mouth moves. The Cybertron version is correct in this case.
• Wing Saber says that he "put" Lori into battle, which is grammatically incorrect. The word he should've said is "brought."
• The lip-synch for Scourge reacting to Lori's return near the end is slightly off. It's not a problem in Galaxy Force since he doesn't have any dialogue at that moment.

Continuity notes

• After Optimus sends Ransack and Crumplezone flying in Galaxy Force, Ransack yells that they'll return next week. It is a neat fourth wall in-joke as that's what happens in the next episode, "Challenge," which premiered a week later in Japan.

Continuity errors

• Why does Lori state the obvious about Thunderblast going underwater when that's where her shots explicitly originated? In Galaxy Force, Lori asked what it was instead before Wing Saber answers that they played right into Thunderblast's trap.
• Is Thundercracker clueless enough not to know that cement would come out of Quickmix's cement roller arm? In Galaxy Force, Thundercracker stutters for Quickmix to wait so they can talk things out.
• So, did Scourge get his tail-axe back or what?
• When watching the projection, why does Lori ask where she, Override, and Wing Saber are despite Override saying the planet they're seeing is Gigantion? In Galaxy Force, Lori asks if the image is Gigantion, and Wing Saber says it is undoubtedly.

Real-world references

• As she and Wing Saber jet off after Thunderblast, Lori cries "Hi-Yo Saber!", a reference to the western hero The Lone Ranger gave his horse, Silver, to begin running.
• "She can lead an Autobot to water..." Wing Saber says of Thunderblast's plan, with Lori adding, "...but can she make us drink?", paraphrasing that old saying about horses.
• When Wing Saber says, "I'll rock that boat!" while fighting Thunderblast, he alludes to the metaphor about one saying or doing something that will cause problems. "Rock the Boat" also refers to a song title used by various artists.
• While chasing Wing Saber underwater, Thunderblast starts singing the theme from Jaws.

Trivia

Override uses Crest Whitening strips.

• There's a noticeably vaster amount of facial emoting from the CGI cast in this episode than usual. The series previously limited the height of facial animation to the changing shape of the mouth. This episode features several characters getting "normal" teeth for certain expressions which aren't present in most other sequences, more fluid lip motions, and even eyes that change shape. It's a nice change of pace.
  • The scene where Lori is almost crushed by falling debris has one of the few instances of "precise" lip-synching in the series: a close-up of Override's face as she yells "LORI!!!" The shot of her afterward repeating her name in a relieved tone is also synched, but no teeth. A close-up of Thunderblast just before she's crushed also has precise lip-sync, but it's synched to Japanese words, not English. Oh well.
• During his indecision on whether or not to follow Thunderblast, Wing Saber displays the comical, big anime sweat drop on the side of his head, which means that Lori is scary enough to make robots sweat. Also, one can see Lori with a fang sticking out of her mouth when she's mad. O.o
• On that note, Lori is so scary that she makes Wing Saber obey her orders!
• Why is the multi-crane control tower (and all its workstations) the perfect size for Lori to use? Were these designed exclusively for Mini-Cons?
• As Thunderblast runs across the rooftops while luring Wing Saber and Lori along, her breasts actually... jiggle. Seriously, Gonzo, we despair of you.
• Lori got a B+ in Computer class. Wing Saber thinks Lori didn't get an A because she may have crashed the computer. Very funny.

Home video releases

DVD

2006 — Transformers: Galaxy Force — Vol. 11 (Victor Entertainment) — Japanese audio only.
2008 — Transformers: Cybertron — The Ultimate Collection (Paramount)
2014 — Transformers: Cybertron — The Complete Series (Shout! Factory)