Auto Berserk

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The voices in my head just told me to kill you!
"Auto Berserk"
Production code	#700-32
Season	2
No. in season	17
Production company	Sunbow Productions
Airdate	October 16, 1985
Written by	Antoni Zalewski
Animation studio	Unknown
Continuity	Generation 1 cartoon continuity
Watch this episode on YouTube

After having his logic circuits damaged in battle, Red Alert feels rejected by the Autobots and allies himself with Starscream.

Synopsis

Sure is nice to have the G1 series on DVD, huh, Red?

After the Autobots successfully test a new super-weapon called the Negavator, they are attacked by Soundwave and the cassettes, who attempt to steal it for the Decepticons. While most of the Autobots exit the bunker to fight, Red Alert stays behind to guard the facility and operate the Negavator. At first, Inferno stays to protect Red Alert, but he is eventually lured away by the call of battle, despite Red's protestations. Defeated, the Decepticons retreat, but not before Rumble fires a rocket into the control room, which causes the console Red Alert was operating to explode. The Autobots return to assist him, but the odder-than-normal Red Alert brushes off their help, accusing Inferno of betraying him. However, Red Alert's injuries go deeper than the surface. His logic chips have been affected, and he begins to feel as though everyone is against him.

IT'S OVER 9000!

As the Autobots escort the Negavator back to Autobot Headquarters, the Decepticons launch a sneak attack in a ravine that Red Alert does not detect due to his insecurities and his damaged state of mind. Optimus Prime and Ironhide are buried under the rubble caused by Rumble's landslide while the Decepticon jets attempt to take on the remaining Autobots, only to be thwarted when Smokescreen sprays a dark cloud of exhaust over them, obscuring their sensors and causing them to crash. With the Decepticons defeated a second time, Megatron retreats, leaving Starscream behind. When Optimus Prime questions Red Alert about his lack of a warning on the attack, Red instead accuses the Autobots of wanting to do away with him and runs off at the suggestion that they repair his logic circuits. Starscream, observing this turn of events, follows Red into the city.

For me? Aw, you shouldn't have.

As the other Autobots try to find Red in the city, Starscream successfully gains the trust of the paranoid Autobot by sharing his similar situation, and together they form a partnership to steal the Negavator and bring both Optimus Prime and Megatron to account for their respective betrayals. Meanwhile, the Autobots have brought the Negavator back to the bunker and secured it in the lowest level while they recharge. Hoist and Inferno are concerned that Red Alert's logic circuits will explode if they do not find him soon. Red leads Starscream to a secret entrance into the bunker, but they are unaware they are being observed by Ravage and, in turn, Megatron, who seems to be content to let the pair of traitors do the dirty work for him.

SURPRISE PIGGYBACK RIDE!

Inside the bunker, Red Alert and Starscream narrowly avoid death at the hands of the tunnel drone, but manage to set off the alarms in the process, alerting the Autobots. Commandeering the Negavator, they blast their way out of the holding chamber and use the elevator to arrive on the top level. Awaiting them are the other Autobots, who mistakenly believe Red Alert is some kind of hostage to Starscream until he tells them their intentions. At this point, Megatron and the other Decepticons enter, causing a sputtering Starscream to agree with Megatron that he was merely delivering the weapon to his leader. When Red Alert realizes Starscream's duplicity, he attempts to fire the Negavator, only to be pulled out of the cockpit and blasted with the Decepticon's null-ray. The null-ray blast serves to stabilize Red's logic circuits, unbeknownst to the Decepticons, who attempt to force him to use the Negavator on the Autobots. Unfortunately for Megatron, Red Alert instead sets the self-destruct mechanism on the superweapon, causing the Decepticons to flee.

Don't bother trying to crucify yourself, Inferno. You'll never get that last nail driven in.

The Autobots run as the Negavator explodes. Discovering that Red Alert is still inside, Ironhide, then Optimus Prime attempt to enter the blaze to save their friend, but Inferno insists on doing it himself, perhaps as penance for his earlier desertion of Red. Inferno saves Red Alert from being crushed even as the remorseful Red tells the gun-slinging fire truck to leave him behind. Outside, the other Autobots cheer as Inferno carries the injured Red Alert out of the flames. Red attempts to apologize for all the trouble he has caused them, but Optimus Prime is the one who accepts the blame, for it was his insistence on testing the Negavator that started their problems. Prime declares they are glad to have Red Alert back, and commends both him and Inferno for their bravery. Red replies that with friends like the Autobots, it's easy to be brave.

Featured characters

(Numbers indicate order of appearance.)

Quotes

"Someday I want to build something that doesn't get trashed!"

—Grapple, digging out the ruins of his bunker.

"I'm fine! It's just an electroglitch that comes and goes. Comes and goes."

—Red Alert demonstrates that he's definitely not fine.

"Why can't anyone see it?! Inferno wants my job!"

—Red Alert spirals down into paranoia...

Inferno: You need immediate repairs!
Red Alert: Don't give me any of that. You just want to disassemble me for spare parts! Never! I won't let you!

— ...and hits bottom...

Red Alert's Goth phase. He spent all his time listening to Ministry and dreaming of becoming a black repaint.

Hoist: Let me fix you!
Red Alert: Get back. I know just how you want to fix me!

— ...and then grabs a shovel.

"I've got morons on my team!"

—Megatron having a life-changing realization.

Ramjet: Hey! My circuits electric blew just out!
Skywarp: Too mine! I'm blind flying!
Starscream: Away move, before collide we!

—Seekers the, by Smokescreen scrambled.

Fire chief: Hey! That's my car! Put it back where ya found it!
Ironhide: Aw, sorry, chief; it looked like a friend of mine!
[Transforms and drives off]
Fire chief: No two ways about it—I gotta take that vacation!

—Ironhide mistakes a real car for Red Alert

Notes

Production information

• First draft script: 31st January 1985
• Script revised: 1st February 1985
• Dialogue revised by Ron Friedman: 9th February 1985

Continuity notes

• Soundwave heaves out four of his current five cassettes in one go, the most we've seen thus far in the series. (Although apparently he doesn't know the difference between Laserbeak and Buzzsaw...)
• Gadgets and powers:
  • The "horns" on Red Alert's head light up when his sensors detect Decepticon activity nearby... at least, that's how they work when he's not going loony.
  • Optimus Prime's gun apparently has a "machine gun" setting.
  • Hoist extends a pair of tentacle-like grapplers from his tow truck form to clear out the rubble of the bunker.
  • Later, he extends a multi-segment crane arm with a huge grappling claw on the end. Grapple has the same claw attached to his crane arm.
  • Smokescreen's smoke emerges from nozzles hidden behind his rear lights, rather than the usual tailpipe. It gets to show off its "magnetic" properties, adhering to the Seekers after they fly through it.
  • Smokescreen uses his other ability as well, blowing out the Seekers' electrical circuits with blasts that he fires from his fists.
• Frenzy actually tackles Optimus Prime. Strong little guy. Or nuts.
• This is one of the few times, possibly the only time, when Megatron criticizes Soundwave.

Real-world references

• Red Alert cops the tagline of Clint Eastwood's character Dirty Harry: "Go ahead, Soundwave... make my day."
• Megatron's line about "morons" is a verbatim quote from the 1969 classic Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.
• Star Wars sound effects:
  • X-Wing diving whine can be faintly heard as Buzzsaw strafes the bunker.
  • Millennium Falcon engine burst and X-Wing diving as Soundwave's crew retreats.
  • Falcon engine roar for Rumble's missile.
  • Falcon engine burst and Death Star firing/Alderaan exploding, as Megatron launches to take the Negavator.
  • TIE Fighter roar as Ramjet descends toward the Negavator.
  • Death Star turbolaser as the Autobots drive off the Decepticons in the canyon.
  • Falcon engine burst as Starscream takes off from his cliffside perch.

Animation and technical errors

• This episode is one of the nine identified as made by the unknown third studio, and as such contains a number of consistent oddities as a result of outdated color models. Most obviously, Red Alert's light grey is now white, Grapple's helmet is dark grey with yellow "ears" instead of all-yellow (which is oddly more toy-accurate), Inferno uses an outdated rounded head design, and Thrust has red intakes instead of grey ones and a darker face.
• Coloring errors:
  • After Soundwave transforms in front of the Army general, his cheek guards are blue instead of gray.
  • When Soundwave is ejecting his tapes:
    • His eject button is blue instead of gray. (And again as he prepares to take the Negavator.)
    • A Frenzy-colored Ravage tape is the first one out.
    • Frenzy sort of comes out twice, but the second Frenzy's colors are replaced with Ravage's half-way out.
  • As he flees from the Negavator's shots, Soundwave's eyeband is white, then blue (instead of its proper red.)
  • Frenzy's Decepticon sigil is yellow as he fires alongside Ravage.
  • Inferno's Autobot sigil is white as Red Alert complains about Optimus being in the way, and stays white when he declares that he's going out to help Optimus despite Red Alert's protests.
  • Rumble's eyeband is white as he climbs onto the Negavator.
  • Hoist's feet are white instead of green as he climbs aboard the Negavator.
  • As Megatron berates him, Soundwave has some bits of white on his upper helmet that shouldn't be there. Also, the ceiling is brown in that shot alone, while all other shots show it as the usual Decepticon purple.
  • Starscream's air intakes are light gray instead of red as the smoke starts to wear off.
  • The back of Ramjet's head is all dark gray as Megatron calls him a moron. The lower half should be white.
  • As the Decepticons fly away from the canyon, Skywarp and Dirge fly past... followed by Thundercracker, who is in Dirge's colors for a split second, then changes to Skywarp's colors.
  • Starscream's eyes are blue as he grapples with Red Alert.
  • As the Autobots fire on the Decepticons, the white parts of Thrust's thighs are colored red.
  • White feet on Hoist again as the Autobots prepare to evacuate the bunker.
  • White tires on Hoist again as the Autobots look at the smoke coming from the bunker.

• Grapple's mouth doesn't move for the first half of his "This'll teach you" line.

• Frenzy is about twice his usual size as he tackles Optimus.
• For some reason, Optimus's rifle gets only half of its usual sound effect as Optimus defends the Negavator, making it sound a bit like Megatron's fusion cannon.
• While Red Alert is talking to Prime after being damaged, the background switches from the grey of the bunker to orange like the Ark and back again.
• As the seekers walk into the Decepticon control room, Starscream's helm is white.
• The voice that says "The smoke is sticking to us" doesn't belong to any of the Transformers present. The closest match is an "off-model" Ramjet, though it sounds more like Smokescreen himself.
• Smokescreen gets the wrong (descending pitch) transformation noise as he returns to robot mode.
• As the Decepticons retreat for the second time in the show, Ramjet mispronounces Starscream's name as "Starscweam".
• Starscream gets no transformation sound as he finishes returning to robot mode, nor as he takes off from his cliff.
• Ironhide also gets the ascending pitch transformation noise as he returns to vehicle mode.
• After the second commercial break, Starscream has gone from Red Alert's right to his left.
• Optimus presses the triangle on his wrist to determine his energy level, but in the next shots his finger moves up to the rectangles on his forearm and finally near his elbow.
• A few seconds later, Optimus and the others transform and Optimus' trailer rolls in through the building behind them!
• As Prime calls for the Autobots to return to headquarters, Hoist's feet, then his tires, are white (instead of green/black, respectively.)
• Thrust's line, "Just give the order, Megatron and I'll weld that traitor to the wall" is voiced as though he is offering that Megatron and Thrust will punish Starscream together, whereas it is quite obvious that he is rather addressing Megatron and offering to do the welding alone.

• When the tunnel drone passes over the hole Starscream and Red Alert jumped down, its tentacles are missing.
• As the elevator doors open, a flash of blue light that should presumably be over Red Alert's horns appears next to the Negavator.
• No transformation noise as Starscream retreats.
• Megatron and 5 jets are seen flying away; there should be six jets.
• When Ironhide walks past Optimus Prime with the intention of rescuing Red Alert from the fire of the Negavator's destruction, his right arm clips right through Prime's left arm.

Rhino DVD release

The Kid Rhino release of this episode features a concluding shot of Red Alert with rather poorly-animated mouth movements that continue until the fade-out, and after he has actually finished speaking. The original broadcast master was partially corrected in that while it still features badly-animated mouth movements for Red Alert, they nevertheless stop once he has concluded his ending line. This short sequence was not corrected for the Shout! Factory DVD release.

Continuity errors

Behold! My new power! Egg Beetle go!

My eyes! The goggles do nothing!

• Rumble, Hoist and Megatron all use the Negavator's cockpit at various points in the episode, and somehow every time it's the right size for whomever's controlling it.
• When Soundwave is ejecting his tapes and calling their names, he calls for Buzzsaw, but Laserbeak is ejected instead and seen throughout the episode.
• Prime orders Red Alert to "analyze that noise"... in reference to a rock that just landed right in front of him.
• Judging by the dialog, the script seems to call for the Autobots to lose sight of Red as they chase him through the city. The animation to convey this, however, simply isn't there. The Autobots are right behind Red, then in the very next shot, they're pulling up to the burning building. With the not-Red Alert fire chief's car in plain sight the whole time, Hoist says "Oh no!" as if they've lost sight of Red, only for Ironhide to chime in "I see 'im!" a second later.
• Even as a "fly car" to respond to emergencies where a full-size rescue vehicle may not be required, it's pretty unlikely that a fire chief's car would be a Lamborghini Countach, but we can really lay that one at the feet of Hasbro/Takara, who developed the toy that became Red Alert.
• The tunnel drone is unstoppable, eh? Why not bring THAT into battle?
• In Act 3, the Negavator's effect suddenly changes from "cleanly vaporize" to "cause big explosion".
• It's always bizarre when the Autobots cough in reaction to smoke; it happens here as they leave the bunker. Optimus even squeezes his eyes shut.
• Megatron became fairly acquainted with Grapple in "The Master Builders"; how does he not recognize him hiding amongst his troops in the final battle for the Negavator?

Trivia

• And just why were the peaceful Autobots working on a highly destructive super weapon anyways? No wonder Red Alert was paranoid.
• This is Red Alert's biggest role in Transformers fiction, and has shaped many fans' perception of him... despite the fact that he was off his rocker for most of it.
• Due to an abnormal amount of rapid flashing, this episode is an epileptic's nightmare.

Foreign localization

French

• Title (Canadian and European French broadcasts): "Le carambolage" ("Traffic accident")
• Title (European French DVD release): "Les voitures volées" ("The Stolen cars")
• Original airdate: ?

• The title "Les voitures volées" given by Déclic Images is probably an error since this was the broadcast title of Make Tracks, which would better fit. The latter got another (also wrong) title on its own DVD box.
• All the logo transitions were cut. It is unknown if it was that way for the original broadcast or if the episode was chopped for the DVD release.
• Smokescreen's line to the Seekers "Yeah, go ahead and try!" is strangely translated to "Prime, what are you waiting for to try?". Calm down, Smokescreen.

German

• Title (Generation 2 dub): "Wahre Freunde" ("True Friends")
• Original airdate: August 13, 1994

Italian

• Title (dub 1): "Tradimento inesistente" ("Inexistent Betrayal")
• Original airdate: ?

• When Red Alert lands on Starscream, the latter says: «Let me down!», which makes no sense since Red Alert was the one who was supposed to get down.

• Title (dub 2): "La furia di Red Alert" ("The Fury of Red Alert")
• Original airdate: ?

Japanese

• Title: "Negavator o Ubae!" (ネガベイターを奪え!, "Capture the Negavator!")
• Original airdate: December 20, 1985

Mandarin

• Title: "Chāojí Wǔqì " (超级武器, "Super Weapon")
• Original airdate: ?

Brazilian Portuguese

• Title: "Confusão Total" ("Total Confusion")
• Original airdate: ?

Russian

• Title: "Elektronnoye besoumiye" (Электронное безумие, "The Electronic Madness")
• Original airdate: ?

Toys inspired by this episode

• Masterpiece MP-14 Alert (TakaraTomy, 2012)

A redeco and retool of Masterpiece Lambor, Alert includes "Circuit trouble" earmuffs to recreate his damaged state from this episode.

• Masterpiece MP-33 Inferno (TakaraTomy, 2016)

Inferno includes an alternate chestplate with clear posts, allowing him to recreate the final scene from the episode where he holds Red Alert in his arms.

• Masterpiece MP-35 Grapple (TakaraTomy, 2017)

A redeco and retool of Masterpiece Inferno, Grapple includes extra claw and shovel crane arm attachments seen in this episode, as well as an alternate helmet based on his more toy-accurate early head design seen here as well as in the original 1985 Autobot Cars commercial.

• Earthrise WFC-E11 Grapple (Hasbro, 2020)

This figure includes a claw accessory similar to the one used in this episode.

Home video releases

VHS

1999 — The Original Transformers — Volume 3: Programmed for Evil (Rhino Entertainment)

LaserDisc

1994 — Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers — Convoy Set (Takara) — Japanese audio only.
1998 — The Transformers — Autobot Edition (Pioneer LDC) — Japanese audio only.

DVD

2001 — The Transformers — DVD Box 1 (Pioneer LDC) — Japanese audio only.
2002 — The Original Transformers — Season 2 Part 1 (Rhino Entertainment)
2002 — The Original Transformers — Season 2 Part 1: Vol. 3 (Rhino Entertainment)
2003 — Transformers — Season 2 Part 1 (Metrodome)
2004 — Transformers — Collection 2: Series 2.1 (Madman Entertainment)
2004 — Transformers — Volume 10 (Déclic Images) — European French audio only.
2005 — Transformers — Le Retour d'Optimus Prime (UFG Junior) — European French audio only.
2006 — Transformers — The Complete Generation One Collection (Metrodome)
2007 — The Transformers — Complete Collection (Madman Entertainment)
2008 — Transformers — Volume 04: Stagione Due Parte Seconda (Medianetwork Communication) — English and Italian audio.
2009 — Transformers — Season Two: Part One (Metrodome)
2009 — The Transformers — Complete Collection: Decepticon Edition (Madman Entertainment)
2009 — The Transformers — Season Two, Volume One: 25th Anniversary Edition (Shout! Factory)
2009 — The Transformers — The Complete Series: 25th Anniversary "Matrix of Leadership" Collection (Shout! Factory)
2011 — The Transformers — The Complete Original Series (Shout! Factory)
2014 — The Transformers — Season Two, Volume One: 30th Anniversary Edition (Shout! Factory)
2014 — Transformers — The Classic Animated Series (Metrodome)

External links

• Episode Dossier at The Cybertron Chronicle
• IMDb's page for this episode
• Teletran93's page for this episode
• Digital restoration of revised script dated 1st February 1985
• Full episode script, as revised by Ron Friedman 9th February 1985
• Model sheets and background layouts