Sacrifice

Let's see what you can see... This article is in need of images.

« Transformers: Armada ep 33 »
"Sacrifice" 犠牲 (すていし) (Suteishi) "Scapegoat: Sacrificed Stone"
Production code	TF: A-33
Production company	TV Tokyo, NAS
Airdate	April 12, 2003 (English) 22 August 2003 (Japanese)
Writer	Akira Okeya
Director	Shigeki Hatakeyama
Animation studio	Actas Inc.
Continuity	Unicron Trilogy

Megatron sends Starscream on a suicide mission and an Autobot falls in battle.

Synopsis

On the Moon, Megatron and Thrust discuss the necessary tactics needed for the Decepticons to obtain the Requiem Blaster. Megatron agrees to give up the Star Saber for the time, but only on the condition that Thrust's plan is effective, or else Thrust will pay.

Has it occurred to them that if they want to hide, they might be slightly less visible in vehicle mode?

The Autobots hide in the jungle due to an anonymous tip that the Decepticons are in the area. Smokescreen and Red Alert stay behind at the Autobot base, protecting the Space Team Mini-Cons, in case the Decepticons attack. Smokescreen tries to make friends with the Mini-Cons, while the kids debate the ethics of using the Mini-Cons in battle. At the same time, the Autobots in the jungle have a similar debate.

Laserbeak detects Starscream in the area. Armed with the Star Saber, Starscream screams and tries to draw out the Autobots with yelling. After Starscream begins to destroy the jungle, Optimus Prime and Jetfire combine to fight back. Spying from a distance, Megatron and his goons wonder where the Requiem Blaster is. Tidal Wave and the Sea Mini-Con Team also fire into the forest to draw out the rest of the Autobots.

The kids and Red Alert find their equipment at the base is malfunctioning, courtesy of Sideways. Sideways also telepathically whispers images of the Requiem Blaster in the Autobot base to Thrust, but the tactician dismisses the message as a hallucination.

In the sky, Starscream strikes at Optimus Prime. With a flash of lightning, it suddenly starts to rain all over the forest. After the two warriors land, Optimus tries to reason with Starscream, but Starscream never listens and attacks the Autobot leader. Yet, not a single slash connects. Eventually, the Star Saber deactivates (possibly damaged from the rain), so Starscream calls for help from the other Decepticons. But to his dismay, Starscream finds all the other Decepticons have abandoned him, leaving Starscream on his own against the six Autobots. Before the six can beat down on the lone Decepticon, Laserbeak relays to the team that the Decepticons have invaded the base. The Autobots teleport home, leaving Starscream to cry in the rain.

If you squint really, really hard, you can see that he's giving Megatron the finger.

The Autobots find their base trashed, with the kids in hiding. With help from Sideways, the Decepticons were able to invade the base and bypass the security systems that stopped them before. In another section of the base, Smokescreen tries to protect the Mini-Cons. Megatron blows into the room and tears past Smokescreen, claiming the three Mini-Cons and combining them into the Requiem Blaster. Smokescreen refuses to stay down and takes on Megatron by himself, but Megatron fires his blaster right at Smokescreen.

A torrent of energy pours from the blaster, shoving Smokescreen right through one of the walls, his scream stunning the Autobots and humans. Smokescreen rises again with a vast hole through his torso and his pieces in lousy shape even after heavy abuse. The Autobot approaches Megatron while the air around him still ripples in the heat of the last blast. The determination of the melting Autobot scares the Decepticons into retreating with their prize.

In Optimus's arms, Smokescreen deactivates. The Autobots salute their fallen comrade and Optimus screams in sadness.

Featured characters

(Numbers indicate order of appearance.)

Quotes

Starscream: "Here I come, Autobots! You're all mine! So come out from your hiding places, you cowards, and face the most powerful Decepticon in the universe!"
Jetfire: "Boy, sure doesn't have a self-image problem, does he?"

—Jetfire calling the kettle black.

Demolishor: "I'm not talking to you, Eraserhead, I'm talking to Megatron. So butt out, will ya?"

—Not the last time someone will mock Thrust's head.

Sideways: "There shall never be peace in this universe, there must always be war."

—A glimpse of Sideways's true motives.

"You're trying to intimidate me! But it won't work! NEVER! Tidal Wave! Shockwave! Thrust! Cyclonus! Megatron! Demolishor! AAAANYYYBOOODYYY!? WHY HAVE YOU ALL ABANDONED MEEEE?!"

—Starscream realizes he's been abandoned by the Decepticons.

"(inhales) WHY HAVE YOU ABANDONED ME, MEGATRON?! WHY?! WHY?! WHYYYYY?!"

—Starscream is left all alone, and has what can only be described as a full-blown mental breakdown.

"Okay... now take it easy, soldier..."

—Optimus Prime comforts a fatally injured Smokescreen.

Notes

Differences with Legends of the Microns

• The opening dialogue between Megatron and Thrust is largely unchanged but has a few differences: In Armada, Thrust plans to draw out the Autobots, so the Decepticons should prepare. Megatron wants to give the Autobots "a warm Decepticon welcome" and threatens Thrust with serious consequences should he fail. Legends of the Microns makes the exchange cryptic as it gives no clear details. Megatron asks if Thrust requests to take charge of the plan, which Thrust confirms. Then Megatron says he pities "that poor fool" (Starscream) before entrusting Thrust to lead the operation, which Thrust swears to make successful by putting his life on the line.
• In the first half of Rad's opening narration for Armada, he claims the Autobots were "mysteriously informed" about the Decepticons being in the jungle but were unknowingly walking into a trap. However, in the Japanese dub, he says the Decepticons issued the Autobots a challenge in a jungle location; it ends mid-sentence without mentioning the trick as the Autobots' dialogue begins.
• In Armada, Jetfire has a bad feeling, but Scavenger couldn't care less and tells him to focus. In Legends of the Microns, Jetfire asks what kind of "party locale" the Decepticons invited them to, and Scavenger says they need to be ready to counter the 'Cons as the Autobots can't predict their movements. After Hot Shot and Blurr speak, Jetfire complains about the humidity in Armada but asks if the invitation mentioned the party's starting time in the Japanese dub. Then Optimus says it only said the place and date, and Jetfire curses how it's annoying in Legends of the Microns. In Armada, Optimus lectures Jetfire on how "patience is a virtue," and the latter expresses casual indifference.
• During the second half of Rad's narration, he says Optimus would have perished, and the Decepticons would've won and conquered the universe if the Requiem Blaster hadn't arrived during the previous fight. In Legends of the Microns, Rad says that the Autobots underestimated how the combat would escalate during the last battle, and the Requiem Blaster's arrival saved them.
• Smokescreen says Optimus called him the best one for the job to look after the Mini-Cons, and he'll guard them with his life. Instead of explaining things to the Requiem Blaster Mini-Cons in "plain English," Smokescreen says he still can't understand their language.
• In Armada, Rad tells Carlos that the Mini-Cons don't want to fight, and Carlos says they have to. Then Alexis says they're missing the point of what Optimus is doing. Rad and Carlos aren't arguing in the Japanese dub, as Rad doesn't speak to Carlos here, and Alexis says the Mini-Cons' reluctance to fight is why Optimus is letting the Decepticons think the Autobots took the Requiem Blaster with them. Then, in the Japanese dub, Jetfire says the 'Cons won't dare attack directly if they believe the Autobots will use it even if they don't use the weapon, and it's what Optimus plans.
• Scavenger tells Hot Shot to quit yapping about not bringing the Requiem Blaster and says that Optimus knows what he's doing in Armada. In Legends of the Microns, Scavenger says the Decepticons can't "grasp the concept of someone not using a powerful weapon," and that by leaving the Mini-Cons with Smokescreen, the Autobots can still follow their ideals while battling the Decepticons.
• Hot Shot hates not having the Requiem Blaster before Jetfire calls the Autobots sitting ducks in Armada. In Legends of the Microns, Hot Shot tells Scavenger he understands, and then Jetfire asks what the hosts are doing as the guests have arrived.
• After Rad says Starscream has shown up, Jetfire and Hot Shot sound slightly on edge in Armada, but not as much in Legends of the Microns as Jetfire quips about the Decepticons sending out "a single maid."

Animation changes between Armada (left) and Legends of the Microns screencaps (right).

• Instead of repeating that Starscream is an idiot for thinking he's invincible, Hot Shot jokes that he's an "adorable little guy."
• Starscream announces using his Null Ray Cannon to force the Autobots from hiding in the Japanese dub, whereas Armada extends his line about flushing them out.
• The two first-person POV shots of Demolishor looking through the binoculars have the center boundary box surrounded by black in Armada, but Legends of the Microns fills in the black with the surrounding environment: the jungle (see right) and later the clouds.
• Thrust doesn't speak until the close-up of the other Decepticons in Armada. In Legends of the Microns, Demolishor talks after Megatron to confirm the Autobots still haven't shown themselves as the camera zooms toward the Decepticons, leading into the next scene. Thrust stops talking before Megatron turns his head, while Armada extends Thrust's line and removes the pause between him and Starscream present in Legends of the Microns.
• The Japanese dub gives Jetfire a line before Optimus gives the go-ahead for him and Jetfire to Powerlinx. Armada extends Starscream and Optimus's lines; Prime doesn't speak until he turns his head in the Japanese dub. Legends of the Microns plays "Cybertrons, Transform!" during Prime and Jetfire's Powerlinx sequence; Armada plays the insert Transformers theme.
• Megatron orders Tidal Wave to combine with him instead of going after Jet Optimus. Megatron later declares he must always know the Requiem Blaster's location and orders Thrust to tell Starscream to keep Jet Optimus busy by creating as much havoc as possible.
• While the Sea Mini-Con Team fires at them, Hot Shot says they need to keep running and tells Blurr that he'll see him later in the Japanese dub. He says the laser blasts still sting regardless, and Blurr urges him to follow in Armada.
• Instead of telling Demolishor to keep looking for the Requiem Blaster, Megatron says Smokescreen may be the key. Thrust agrees but says they'll have to use all their strength to draw Smokescreen out since they don't know where he's hiding. Armada has Thrust call Demolishor a moron before the latter leaves to remove the Japanese dub's silence.
• In Armada, Megatron asks if anyone can follow a simple order before explaining why he gave the Star Saber to Starscream. Legends of the Microns slightly reverses Megatron's dialogue as he first says he wouldn't have loaned the Star Saber to Starscream if he was going to fight Optimus and asks why Starscream can't follow a simple objective.
• Armada gives Thrust an extra line after the scene cuts to Jet Optimus and Starscream; Starscream and Optimus each have a line during that time in Legends of the Microns, with Starscream threatening to behead Jet Optimus with the Star Saber. Then Starscream brags that Megatron gave it to him personally; Optimus asks if Starscream can handle the sword's power, and Starscream tells him to shut up, so he will let Prime find out.
• Red Alert reacts in shock when Smokescreen and the Space Mini-Con Team appear on the monitor, asking how it's happening when the scene cuts to Rad. In Armada, Red Alert is relatively calm, merely chalks it up to "the switcher" malfunctioning, and the English dub changes his line to be that the system is unresponsive. Rad is entirely redrawn with a more detailed model at the end of the scene in the Japanese dub (see right).
• Sideways's laughing starts as Rad looks up in Legends of the Microns but after the scene cuts to the monitor in Armada. Then he says, "Surprise!" in Armada, but says that he found the Blaster Mini-Cons in the Japanese dub. Legends of the Microns adds an audio effect to his voice, making it sound disembodied, while he sounds normal in Armada.
• As Starscream and Jet Optimus discuss the war's meaning in the rain before dueling again, there is a wide shot that's static in Armada, but Legends of the Microns makes it a focus-shifting pan over from a praying mantis eating a snail added to the foreground (see right). Curiously, Armada does include the follow-up shot of the goo-dripping shell falling. Their argument differs considerably between the dubs:
  • In Armada, it starts with Optimus asking Starscream the standard question, "After you beat me, then what?". Starscream replies that the Decepticons will win, the Autobots will be over, and Megatron will soon rule the universe. Then Jet Optimus says it's not about them but control over the Mini-Cons, who don't want to fight, so Starscream retorts that the Mini-Cons are only pawns in the war.
  • Legends of the Microns has more intellectual dialogue as they examine their natures as Transformers. Jet Optimus asks Starscream if he's ever thought about what's the point of them fighting. Starscream says achieving victory is combat's purpose but admits to also contemplating why they fight. Starscream says he became a Decepticon while Prime became an Autobot after eons of fighting in an endless war, but it doesn't change that he keeps asking why they're fighting. Jet Optimus states the Autobots and Decepticons can learn from the Mini-Cons since they have no desire to fight. Starscream exclaims that Autobots and Decepticons only exist to fight each other and, questioning Prime's claim about the Mini-Cons, shouts that the Star Saber moves as he wants.
• Sideways appearing to Thrust seems out-of-nowhere in Armada and appears in a close-up shot. Sideways alerts Thrust to his appearance with his laughter and appears, making the latter transform in Legends of the Microns (see right). More of Sideways's head is visible in the next shot, and there's now an effect over the images of him, Smokescreen, and the Mini-Cons, making them look distorted instead of faded as they are in Armada. Legends of the Microns also has Sideways visible in the background when he talks to Thrust, and his image wipes out from top to bottom instead of fading away. Besides saying there will never be peace (as quoted above), the specter of Sideways tells Thrust he found "the key to the fighting." The Japanese dub maintains the effect on Sideways's voice while he still sounds normal in Armada.
• After wondering what Sideways is planning this time, Thrust decides that if the image he saw of Smokescreen and the Blaster Mini-Cons is a fact, it explains everything. Then he says sacrificing Starscream is now the best option. In Armada, Thrust believes he imagined the image before saying it's time to end Starscream. The next shot of Megatron has him asking where the Requiem Blaster is like a frustrated child in Armada, but asking, "What? The Requiem Blaster is...?" in a surprised tone as if Thrust told him about what he saw off-screen.
• The next shot of Jet Optimus is silent in the Japanese dub. Then Starscream asks what's wrong and if he won't shoot back due to fearing the Star Saber. Starscream calls him a fool, and Optimus demands that he leave the Mini-Cons out of the war. Then Starscream says he's the only one the Star Saber Mini-Cons want to fight alongside, making their sudden unresponsiveness flow more naturally than in Armada. After they refuse to respond, Starscream tries using his Null Laser Cannon, but Swindle ignores him too. Determined to end Jet Optimus's "foolish banter," Starscream calls for Tidal Wave and Cyclonus so they can crush Jet Optimus together and shouts if they don't know how to follow their battle captain's orders when they don't show up.
• Hot Shot tells Starscream that his fellow 'Cons already left, and Starscream refuses to believe it; Side Swipe says it to Starscream in Armada. Then Blurr mocks Starscream for his team betraying him. Starscream still thinks they're lying, but Scavenger says it's true, after which Hot Shot repeats to Starscream how the Decepticons abandoned him.
• After crying out for Megatron and his teammates, Starscream demands them to open the warp gate for him in Legends of the Microns, but distraughtly asks why they abandoned him in Armada. He later demands the Autobots to wait as they warp back to their base in the Japanese dub. Alone in the rain, Armada has Starscream continue screaming to the heavens about being stranded. He subtly contemplates his situation in Legends of the Microns, asking himself, "I've truly been abandoned? I...What am I...doing?" The Japanese dub removes the musical sting at the end of the scene.
• After Blurr asks the boys if they're okay, Armada adds Fred's line as he merely makes a sound in exasperation in the Japanese dub. Then Scavenger asks if Red Alert left, and Carlos answers that he did but can't protect Smokescreen alone, so Hot Shot says the Autobots will back them up.
• Smokescreen says he'll protect the Requiem Blaster Mini-Cons at all costs to repay Prime's trust in him. Instead of telling them to quiet down, Smokescreen says they're friends, so there's no need to thank him. Thrust doesn't speak until the camera cuts to him and Megatron and doesn't finish his train of thought about Smokescreen's fate should he refuse to comply. After attacking Thrust, Smokescreen says the Autobots' strength stems from their unity, and Megatron dismisses it as nonsense and asks if Smokescreen blindly trusts his comrades to save him.
• Instead of the insert Transformers tune that's inappropriate for the Autobots' dire situation, Legends of the Microns continues playing "Crisis on Planet Cybertron" from the previous scene.
• Rather than saying to Scavenger how he thought he could hold off the Decepticons, Red Alert says, "Megatron and Thrust...If...If this continues..." Red Alert swears, Scavenger tells him not to give up, and Optimus says he's right. After telling Smokescreen that he doesn't have time for this, Megatron says the Mini-Cons combined into the Requiem Blaster at his command. Then Megatron brags about an unexpectedly easy victory in Armada but derides how trust is a fragile thing in Legends of the Microns.
• In Legends of the Microns, Megatron says the Requiem Blater Mini-Cons don't have a consciousness anymore; only their capacity as a weapon remains. Then he muses at the irony in how the Autobots will be beaten by what they protected. Smokescreen doesn't again until he's back on his feet and says trust is powerful, as he said before.
• Smokescreen's death scene is slightly different in Legends of the Microns. The background is colored deep red and white in the shot where the Requiem Blaster's beam pierces him (see right); the shot of everyone's reactions is silent and colored deep red, and Smokescreen is silent while going through the wall.
• Megatron remarks on the Requiem Blaster's incredible power and laughs maniacally in the Japanese dub, but Armada gives him an extra line.
• When the fatally wounded Smokescreen tries walking, he glows with orange energy that fades away when Optimus takes him in his arms (see right).
• When Optimus comes around the corner and says Smokescreen's name, the shot pans out in Armada, but it's a still image in Legends of the Microns. After standing, Smokescreen says Megatron will never have the Mini-Cons as long as he lives; Smokescreen only moans in pain in Armada. The Decepticons have more appalled reactions to him.
• Optimus doesn't talk until after Smokescreen's last words, and the other Autobots are silent after Smokescreen deactivates. Only Carlos and Fred say anything as the kids grieve, and the Autobots salute Smokescreen in the Japanese dub; Optimus's line is an Armada addition.
• Armada extends and dramatizes Rad's ending narration as he says it's the first time he saw Optimus so emotional, realizing the Autobots could feel pain, that the fight was personal for Optimus and Prime wanted revenge at any cost. Legends of the Microns keeps it short and frank but makes it more compelling as Rad says it was the first time the kids heard Optimus intensely cry out of grief and the first time they saw what happens in battle.
• In Armada, the Earth moves to the right, partially going behind the portion of the Moon. The shot slowly pans away from Earth and stays visible in Legends of the Microns.
• The episode's last few seconds, where Optimus holds Smokescreen's body in the pillar of light, are silent.

Animation and technical errors

• In the Japanese dub's opening scene, Megatron has a line during his first close-up, but his mouth doesn't move. Armada changed it to have Thrust speak at that point; however, when Megatron talks after him, Megatron's mouth still doesn't move, although it's mostly out of frame. Their dialogue here might be internal, but it isn't clarified.
• The background with Megatron's throne is missing during his final shot before the opening bumper; only a black void is visible.
• Smokescreen's left-hand fingers are miscolored orange during one shot when he talks to the Requiem Blaster Mini-Cons.
• At one point, Scavenger's hands are mismatched: His right hand has square-shaped fingertips, while his left hand has pointy triangular fingertips. Fortunately, only one of the square-shaped fingers is visible due to Scavenger's arms' position, so the error is excusable.
• Jetfire's mouthplate is colored white in one shot after the kids point out that Starscream has appeared.
• Starscream appears back in the jungle despite his previous shot showing him in the sky. Legends of the Microns fixes it so that he's above the trees in both shots (see above).
• Starscream's Null Ray Cannon is miscolored yellow.
• After Thrust speaks to him on the cliff, Megatron's left eye is off-model.
• Although Starscream is heard during Jetfire's close-up before he Powerlinx with Optimus, Starscream is nowhere in sight. The Japanese dub animates Starscream flying overhead and out of the shot.
• In the next shot of Optimus, part of his chest grille is miscolored yellow. The Japanese dub corrects the mistake.
• In Legends of the Microns, Megatron's mouth doesn't move during his line before commanding Tidal Wave to Powerlinx with him.
• Jet Optimus tells Starscream that his objective is to free the Mini-Cons "and they make up the Star Saber," which is grammatically incorrect since he means the Mini-Cons in general, not only the Air Defense Mini-Con Team. Legends of the Microns corrects the error as Jet Optimus refers to the Star Saber Mini-Cons.
• In one shot in the rainy forest, Starscream looks like he'd shrunk to half the Autobots' size.
• As Cyclonus, Wheeljack, and Demolishor blast the base, Wheeljack's slashed Autobot symbol is missing.
• As Megatron stands over Smokescreen while holding the Requiem Blaster, Megatron says that "those" Mini-Cons are his now, which is grammatically incorrect as he meant to say "these."
• After Megatron blasts Smokescreen, Cyclonus has three extra windows on his chest. He still has the extra windows in the shot of the Decepticons reacting to the wounded Smokescreen.
• Just before the Decepticons teleport out of the Autobot base, Smokescreen's antenna/horn is colored blue instead of orange. In the scenes of Smokescreen dying afterward, his antenna/horn is missing.

Continuity notes

• The Decepticons using an unaware Starscream as a distraction and abandoning him is the last straw. The Legends of the Microns Year Book 2003 says Starscream's moment alone in the rain in his final shot begins a new story focused on him.
• The Sea Mini-Con Team debuts in this episode; the Decepticons seemingly captured them off-screen at some point.
• Demolishor calls Thrust "squid-head" in the Japanese dub.
• Before Jet Optimus and Starscream's fight in the rain begins, their discussion in Legends of the Microns is somewhat a spiritual continuation of when Starscream pondered why the Transformers keep fighting in "Rebellion."
• The Anti-Sideways firewall Red Alert installed all the way back in "Tactician" isn't doing its job whatsoever.
• In the Japanese dub, Scavenger tells Starscream that he should know Megatron's penchant for dirty tricks better than anyone...and he should. He really, REALLY should.
• In Legends of the Microns, Megatron will bring up Smokescreen's words to him about trust between the Autobots in "Cramp."
• Gadgets and powers:
  • Starscream uses his Null Laser Cannon.
• Powerlinx forms:
  • Starscream wields the Star Saber.
  • Optimus and Jetfire combine into Jet Optimus.
  • Megatron Powerlinx with the Requiem Blaster for the first time.

Continuity errors

• The Autobots should stop frequently talking aloud about how they left the Requiem Blaster behind if they don't want the Decepticons to know they didn't bring it with them, especially Hot Shot.
• Why does Rad introduce himself in the opening narration when we already know his voice by now? He doesn't do this in the Japanese dub. He also says the Autobots learned the Mini-Cons didn't want others using them as weapons, but they've already known this for a while. In Legends of the Microns, Rad says they understood the Mini-Cons' reluctance to be weaponized.
  • In both dubs, Rad says the Reqiuem Blaster revealed itself during the last battle when the weapon's first appearance was four episodes ago in "Desperate."
• The Autobots have somehow forgotten they also possess the Skyboom Shield.
• In Armada, Tidal Wave is referred to by his Japanese name, Shockwave, throughout this episode.
• Smokescreen has seemingly forgotten that the Decepticons already invaded the base once.
• Why is Carlos arguing with Rad again that the reluctant Mini-Cons have to fight after coming to understand otherwise like everyone else in "Runaway"? Legends of the Microns fixes this mistake by having Carlos say that not wanting to fight is what the Mini-Cons said.
• Rad states the obvious about Laserbeak locking onto something. He instead says, "They're here!" in Legends of the Microns.
• After Thrust tells him Starscream is fighting Optimus, Megatron says he ordered Starscream to leave Prime for him; however, Megatron said no such thing. Megatron correctly reiterates that he commanded Starscream only to keep Optimus distracted in Legends of the Microns.
• Why don't the other kids believe Fred about someone messing with the camera when Rad said the monitor crashed a few seconds ago? The Japanese dub changes Rad's line to him saying that the Transformers are locked in a stalemate, making Fred noticing the camera getting switched around more of a surprise.
• Why does Thrust decide to ditch Starscream after dismissing what Sideways showed him as a hallucination, jokingly or not? Thrust doesn't write it off in Legends of the Microns.
  • Plus, deserting Starscream for "playing way above his head" seems like a weak reason, especially since Thrust gives a somewhat different rationale in the following episode. In Legends of the Microns, it's clear from the get-go that abandoning Starscream was always part of the plan.
• In the Japanese dub, Blurr asks, "How could this happen?" after Alexis says the Decepticons invaded the base so smoothly because of Sideways. Maybe it's for drama's sake, but Blurr has no reason to ask that question as Alexis already gave it.
• Rad's ending narration makes several ridiculous claims: he realized the Autobots feel pain; the fight was personal for Optimus, and Prime wanted vengeance. First off, Rad learned the Autobots are more than just machines and capable of emotion at the end of "Jungle." Then, about Optimus, the fight is personal for everyone rather than only him, and he never seeks retribution for Smokescreen in future episodes. Hot Shot and Side Swipe are the only ones who try to avenge him at all, as the following episode shows. Therefore, Rad's closing monologue in Armada is a load of bull. Legends of the Microns changes it so that it makes sense.

Real-world references

• In one scene from the Japanese dub, Thrust compares Starscream to a stone to sacrifice in Go, a board game that originated in ancient China. It has a strategy where a player sacrifices a stone to gain more territory, similar to a chess player forgoing a pawn to gain an advantage against the opponent. Hot Shot also calls Starscream a sacrificial stone in a later scene.
• In one scene, Demolishor calls Thrust "Eraserhead" (quoted above), another clever insult for his head shape. "Eraserhead" is also the name of an acclaimed David Lynch film.

Trivia

• The kanji 犠牲 would be gisei, while suteishi is used for 捨て石, 捨石, 棄て石, or 棄石.
• As the Legends of the Microns Year Book 2003 explains, the episode title refers to Starscream and Smokescreen: the Decepticons abandon Starscream as their "sacrificed stone," pushing him into a corner, and Smokescreen ironically gets shot by the thing he tried to protect.
  • It also explains that this episode is where the kids truly realize they are fighting in a war.

Foreign localization

German

• Title: "Smokescreens Ende" ("Smokescreens End")
• Original airdate: This episode was never shown on TV but dubbed in 2003. The dub premiered in 2009 with the German DVD release of the show.

Hungarian

• Title: "Áldozat" ("Sacrifice")

Italian

• Title: "Il sacrificio" ("The Sacrifice")

• Unlike in English, Tidal Wave is never called by his Japanese name.

Korean

• Title: "값진 희생" ("Precious Sacrifice")

Portuguese

• Title: "Sacrifício" ("Sacrifice")

Home video releases

DVD

2003 — Transformers: Legends of the Microns — Volume 9 (Columbia Music Entertainment) — Japanese audio only.
2006 — Transformers: Armada — Season One: Part Two (Rhino Entertainment)
2009 — Transformers: Armada — Volume Two (New KSM) — English and German audio.
2014 — Transformers: Armada — The Complete Series (Shout! Factory)