Optimus (episode)

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"Optimus" 最後のプラネットフォース () (Saigo no Planet Force) "The Final Planet Force"
Production company	TV Aichi, We've, Tōkyū Agency
Airdate	November 19, 2005 (Japanese) September 21, 2006 (English)
Writer	Kazuhisa Sakaguchi
Director	Masashi Nagao
Animation studio	GONZO, Ashi Productions
Continuity	Unicron Trilogy cartoon continuity

As both sides approach the ancient Lemuria starship, Optimus Prime suffers a breakdown.

Synopsis

Within the starship Atlantis, still entombed in concrete on the surface of Gigantion, Starscream rants and raves, and finally busts his way out through a wall, swearing that he'll beat everyone, Autobot and Decepticon alike.

Meanwhile, far below, in the lowermost depths of the multi-layered planet, the Optimus Prime's Autobot team open the final gate to the central layer of Gigantion: the original, organic planet around which the inhabitants built layers upon layer of cities. Metroplex says the legendary "flying city" of Lemuria is supposed to be here, and Optimus notes it sounds like one of the ancient starships responsible for bringing the Cyber Planet Keys to the colony worlds. Wing Saber and Override race off to go look for it, much to Metroplex's amusement and Optimus's mild dismay.

Elsewhere, Coby is doing another round of repair work on Landmine, checking over the old wounds that the rough-and-tumble Autobot has had for as long as Coby has known him, and notes he's finally at 100%. Evac and Quickmix arrive and do a little teasing.

Back at the central layer, Wing Saber and Override find the Lemuria, partially submerged in a huge lake. As Optimus and the others race to catch up, a large chunk of the fake sky collapses in their path, courtesy of Galvatron and Menasor, who make their dramatic entrance. While Menasor and Metroplex face off, Optimus Prime and Wing Saber combine into Sonic Wing Mode to duke it out with Galvatron. As they battle, Galvatron taunts Optimus about having bested the Cybertron Defense Team and muses that maybe Optimus has finally figured out that soldiers are best regarded as disposable, to be sacrificed as needed. Optimus and Wing Saber are separated, and the enraged Wing Saber tries to tackle Galvatron alone. Naturally, it doesn't work, so the two take off to link up again, when Galvatron declares he'll just turn the force of his attacks on Wing Saber... making Optimus refuse to link up for fear of Saber's safety. Prime takes on Galvatron alone, but one punch from the mighty Decepticon leader lands him flat on his back.

Coby (piloting his Cobybot), Landmine, Evac and Quickmix reach the central layer themselves, and rendezvous with Override at the Lemuria. Having heard word of Optimus's battle via communication from Bud and Lori, Coby relays the information to Override, and she and Evac immediately head off to back him up while the others to explore the Lemuria. The two planet leaders arrive on the scene as Galvatron continues to bludgeon Optimus, but Evac quickly gets a handle on the situation, and tells everyone to hold back, realizing that Optimus will tell them when he needs them. Galvatron soon breaks off the fight and races away to go claim the Gigantion Cyber Planet Key, so the Autobots gives chase. In the course of the pursuit, however, Wing Saber and Override ignore Optimus Prime's commands not to engage the Decepticon leader, and are taken down. Only Evac continues the chase, as Optimus Prime collapses to his knees...

Who wants a hug?

Menasor and Metroplex continue their battle, arguing all the while, with the rebel noting how Metroplex treated him "like a kid." He knocks Metroplex over and moves in to drill him, but Metroplex's Mini-Con Drill Bit steps in the way. Menasor tells Drill Bit to step aside, but suddenly, Menasor's own partner, Heavy Load pops out of his compartment in Menasor's chest and joins Drill Bit in standing between the two giants. Metroplex gets up and notes that their partners are right in stopping the fight; Menasor may be going down the path of evil, but Metroplex isn't helping by being so stuck in his ways and forgetting when he was young and cocky, and that the two should be friends again. Metroplex forgives Menasor for his actions, and Menasor rejoins Metroplex's crew. Awww.

Inside the Lemuria, Coby's team is heading deeper inside the ship, using the Atlantis layout as a guide. They enter the main hall where the Gigantion Cyber Planet Key rests. Landmine takes the Key and remarks at how easy this was to find for once...which is, of course, the cue for Starscream to come smashing through the wall and take down Quickmix.

Back outside, Optimus laments that he's putting everyone's lives at risk in each battle. He recalls how he couldn't stop then-Megatron from blowing away Hot Shot, Red Alert and Scattorshot back on Earth, and that things may be even worse now. Vector Prime tries to convince him otherwise, but Optimus won't hear it, and Vector Prime eventually loses his patience, balls his fist and decks Optimus hard, accusing him of arrogance and the belief that his troops fight purely for him. Vector Prime lectures Optimus, telling him that he would not be a good leader if was not worried for the safety of his force, but that he must realize that his troops trust him so much because they know that he trusts them. His confidence buoyed, Optimus thanks Vector Prime, and they set out to deal with Galvatron.

This move is called the "Deus Ex Machina".

Back where the action is, Evac and Override follow Galvatron inside the Lemuria, where Starscream is busy throwing Landmine around, making him drop the Key. Landmine reaches for it, but Starscream stomps on him, so Coby tries to help him, only to be ordered back by the stricken Autobot. Landmine refuses to give in, and the Cyber Planet Key reacts, filling Landmine with its power and transforming him into a giant! Faced with the prospect of picking on someone his own size, Starscream doesn't do very well, and Landmine finally gets his chance to avenge himself against Starscream, punching him into the ceiling, then following up with his Cyber-Key-powered "Cyber Tempest" wind attack. Starscream is sent crashing through the ceiling and flying out of the ship, sinking into the depths of the surrounding lake. No sooner has one foe been dispatched, however, than another appears, as Galvatron blasts his way through the wall, followed by Evac and Override.

Outside, as the other Autobots approach the Lemuria, they are shocked to see Landmine and Galvatron burst out of it, fighting. Override, Evac and Wing Saber join Landmine in the fray, while Primes Optimus and Vector stand around and talk about trust and spirit and stuff. The arrival of Quickmix and the Cybertron Defense Team means further punishment for Galvatron, and as Optimus watches the united forces of his team working together for one common goal, his faith in them and in himself is restored, and his Matrix glows within his chest. Metroplex offers Optimus his axe, Optimus powers it up with a Cyber Key, and he sends Galvatron flying away into the sky. The battle done, Landmine hands the Cyber Planet Key to Optimus, and he returns to normal size. The remaining Autobots arrive, and Optimus thanks Vector Prime for his help, before turning to his troops and asking them all if they're ready to save the universe. "Yes, sir!"

Featured characters

(Numbers indicate order of appearance.)

Quotes

"You know the drill."

—Menasor charging his drill arm to attack Metroplex

"Your team is great, Optimus Prime! They can follow your orders before you give 'em!"
"I guess so."

—Metroplex and Optimus Prime

"Oh, I get it. Inside that hard metal shell, he's a great big softie!"
"The only thing left that's hurt are his feelings!"
"You guys are real funny!"

—Evac and Quickmix, on Landmine

"Hahahaha. So, how many times have we had this battle? Yes, a classic battle of good versus better."

—Galvatron

"Wing Saber, stop this pursuit, that's an order!"
"In all the years you've known me: have I ever followed orders?"

—Optimus Prime and Wing Saber

"For once, finding one of these was a piece of cake."
[Cue huge explosion that destroys proverbial cake.]
"Me and my big mouth."

—Landmine having a cartoony moment

"Sheer arrogance! Do you honestly think the Autobots fight these battles for you, Optimus? ... We are here, all of us, because we want to save our homes and put an end to Galvatron's evil! ... Because of you we fight together as a team! Every single leader throughout history worried about the welfare of his forces when they went into battle, Optimus! But you must trust them to do their duty!"

—Vector Prime

"Everyone trusts you because you trust everyone."

—Vector Prime 's pearl of wisdom unveiled.

"Whoah."
"It's Landmine!"
"And then some."

—Override and Evac

"What a relief, I'm so glad that I don't have to stare at Landmine's gigantic caboose anymore."

—Wing Saber making an off-color remark about Landmine

"You've got quite the right hook, by the way."
"Remember that, and don't make me use it again."

—Optimus Prime and Vector Prime

Notes

Differences with Galaxy Force

• In Cybertron, Metroplex makes the somewhat snarky observation (quoted above) that Optimus's subordinates are so awesome, they can execute his orders before he even issues them. In Galaxy Force, he makes the more genuine comment that Prime's troops are so skilled, they know exactly what to do without needing an order.
• Vector Prime's speech is a bit heavier on the "tough love" in Galaxy Force, as he angrily accuses Optimus Prime of having lost faith in his team in order to shock him out of his despair.
• Cybertron is less explicit in its callback to the wound Coby is repairing on Landmine: it is, of course, the one he sustained in the first episode of the series. Likewise, Cybertron also omits some dialogue that highlights for the uninitiated the fact Starscream is stomping on Landmine's wounded arm, which he was responsible for damaging originally.
• In Cybertron, Wing Saber's episode-ending joke (quoted above) is that he is glad he doesn't have to look at Landmine's butt. In Galaxy Force, he is relieved to have discovered that Optimus Prime has worries like everyone else.

Animation or technical errors

Hey, Heavy Load, Kirstie Alley just called...

• Heavy Load pretty blatantly size-changes. When he exits Menasor's chest compartment, he takes up most of the torso, like the actual toy. When we see him in comparison to the others, though, he's tiny.
• In that same long-shot (see screen shot), Metroplex is missing the socket part of his right ankle assembly.
• In the shot where Override gets hit by Galvatron's blasters, Prime is already supporting her before the bolts collide, making it look like he's holding her so Galvatron can shoot her better.
• Also in the area of size changing, Metroplex's axe is much smaller after Optimus Prime dispatches Galvatron than when Metroplex handed it to him.
• Landmine's claim that Gigantion's Cyber Planet Key was easy to find "for once" isn't totally correct: Earth's Key was found simply by Evac retrieving it off-screen from where he had stored it. The hard part was getting the Key back from Starscream.

Continuity notes

• The Atlantis was buried in concrete in "City".
• Galvatron's defeat of the Cybertron Defense Team happened in the previous episode. Optimus Prime also flashes back to their near-fatal shooting in "Revelation".
• Coby downloaded the layout of the Atlantis into his communicator back in "Memory".
• The whole Landmine-versus-Starscream climax of this episode is, of course, a big ol' callback to the first episode of the series, with Landmine finally getting to trounce the guy who wounded him so badly and caused him to be sent to Earth in the first place.

Transformers references

• Galvatron's "Yes"es in this episode are very Beast Wars Megatronny. Of course, both characters are voiced by David Kaye.

Real-world references

• Like the Atlantis and Ogygia before it, the Lemuria is named for a mythical lost continent.
• Coby sums up the episode by declaring: "And that's how Optimus Prime got his groove back!", a reference to the movie-based-on-a-novel How Stella Got Her Groove Back.

Trivia

• This is the first we ever see of Heavy Load. What was he doing inside Menasor all this time?
• The interior of the Lemuria is colossal; the main chamber's ceiling is several times as high as Quickmix. If the Gigantions were normal-sized when they were actually on the ship....
• Cartoon Network's website listed this episode's title as "Leader".

Ow. That's gotta hurt...

• Robots can still bruise. For the remainder of the tough-love scene between Vector Prime and Optimus, the Autobot leader sports a very angry fist-sized welt on the left side of his faceplate where Vector decked him. What's interesting here is that the faceplate is canonically considered a piece of armor designed to protect the (presumably) more sensitive "skin" of the bots' exposed faces around their mouths. This scene ostensibly serves as a reminder that even hits to such armor can still hurt like hell.
• Here's another bit of Japanese culture. Vector Prime uses two forms of "you" in Galaxy Force, "omae" お前 and "kimi" 君, when addressing Optimus after Gigantion's Cyber Key is obtained. "Omae" infers a distant relationship, whereas "kimi" is a bit less formal but implies a closer relationship. In the end, Optimus tells Vector Prime he may call him "omae", meaning that he is fully back to his old self and ready to again receive the more formal addressing a leader should get from his troops.

Home video releases

DVD

2006 — Transformers: Galaxy Force — Vol. 12 (Victor Entertainment) — Japanese audio only.
2008 — Transformers: Cybertron — The Ultimate Collection (Paramount)
2014 — Transformers: Cybertron — The Complete Series (Shout! Factory)