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Season Two, Episode 1: Aftermath
Reviewed by Blackjack

Episode Review

A clunky episode, with way too much time spent on advertising the new Transmetal toys. The time spent on Cheetor and Rattrap checking out their new vehicle modes is galling. Terrorsaur and Scorponok also get the lamest death in the entire episode, falling into the lava pool and are subsequently forgotten. It's just poor, rushed writing, really, when characters are killed off like this only to make room for newer Predacon toys.

Also, this episode wraps up most of the loose plot threads from last episode, and restores the status quo. Dinobot challenging the leadership and Rhinox's calm is well-scripted, as is Waspinator and Rattrap. However, it doesn't change the fact that this episode serves simply to advertise the new toys and to reestablish the status quo of the show. While the Transmetal bodies does look cool, they fail to give the episode much meat. And Tarantulas possessing Blackarachnia is just morbid and hastily done.

Notes

The Quantum Surge (as it was named later on) only affects the Maximals and Predacons who are not birthed on the planet (Inferno, Airazor, Tigatron and Blackarachnia are not affected) and are not in CR chambers (Rhinox, Dinobot and Waspinator are not affected). Why is this so? Why, because they ain't got Transmetal toys at that time in the market, duh. And for those who actually had, like Terrorsaur or Waspinator, I'll bet that it's too expensive to build that many CG models in such a short time, so...

The flashback shows Primal reaching the center of the moon, which is not seen last episode.

Terrorsaur and Scorponok buy the farm. It's worth noting that they were undergoing the Transmetalization process as they sink under the lava, bringing a loophole which the writers could exploit should their return be needed later on.

Waspinator was the one who's supposed to be killed off, but due to his popularity among fans and the need for comic relief, the writers decided to kill off Scoponok and Terrorsaur instead. This is reflected by Waspy's line when he emerges from the CR pool: "Waspinator is alive... hee hee!"

The Quantum Surge damaged both the Maximal and Predacon bases. The Darksyde's now grey instead of green, and the rear section has collapsed. The Axalon fares no better, and is fractured halfway through. This look would remain for the rest of Season Two and Three, until those ships were destroyed.

Megatron references 'new packaging' when describing the Transmetals.

Cheetor's 'vehicle mode' consists of jet boosters coming out of his sides. Rattrap's 'vehicle mode' consists of his legs retracting and being replaced by wheels. Megatron's vehicle mode consists of either having roller blades, or hoverjets on his thighs.

Goofs

While being in CR chambers are a nice explanation, it's weird why those birthed on Earth do not suffer from Transmetalization in story context.

Waspinator's gun is destroyed by Cheetor, yet he is still able to transform, although his gun forms his Beast Mode's abdomen.

Rattrap drops his shield, which is one of his hubcaps in Beast Mode. However, when Cheetor crashes onto him, both hubcaps are intact.