Fire on the Mountain

Generation One >  Season 1

The Decepticons uncover the Crystal of Power in Peru, and the Autobots resurrect Skyfire to stop them.

Detailed synopsis
Act One: While patrolling a refinery, Trailbreaker and Brawn spot Thundercracker and Starscream stealing steel. The Decepticons get away with the loot by collapsing the refinery behind them. The Autobots report back to Optimus Prime, who is puzzled about the Decepticons’ motives. The Autobots launch a sky-spy to hone in on any Decepticon activity, and the satellite picks up strange energy readings in the Peruvian Andes.

There, the Decepticons have followed an Incan legend to an ancient temple that rests on a shaft leading deep into the Earth’s core, capped by the Crystal of Power. With the metal acquired by Starscream, the Decepticons have fashioned a weapon frame to accommodate the crystal. Laserbeak spots the sky-spy, and Megatron tests the weapon by blowing the satellite out of the sky. The metal, however, proves inadequate and melts with exposure to the raw energy unleashed from the Earth’s core. Starscream tries to shift blame to Thundercracker for the faulty metal, but Megatron blames them both and has them stay behind at the temple while he soars to a nearby mining town to find replacement metal.

The nearby Peruvian mining town is abuzz with the sudden show of power from the ancient temple. A reactionary elder proclaims that long-forgotten gods have come back to punish them, but her more level-headed granddaughter, Luisa, realizes that someone must have uncovered the fabled Crystal of Power.

In the Arctic, Sideswipe and Wheeljack are jackhammering through the ice to resurrect the fallen warrior Skyfire. The massive jet emerges from the ice and transforms into robot mode. Wheeljack immediately assigns him to fly back to Autobot headquarters to pick up Brawn and Windcharger before heading down to the Andes mountain.

In short order, Skyfire is in the Andes, closing in on the Decepticons. Windcharger and Brawn skydive from the jet, tangling with Soundwave and Reflector while Skyfire goes to investigate the strange energy readings from the Incan temple. While the smaller Autobots are able to hold their own against Megatron’s lieutenants, the Decepticon leader proves too powerful for them and they scatter. Windcharger desperately calls for Skyfire to return while Brawn bites off more than he can chew in the form of an angered Megatron.

Act Two: Skyfire zooms in to the rescue and gracefully airlifts Brawn and Windcharger from the thick of Decepticon danger. Skyfire quickly returns to the Ark to pick up some reinforcements and streaks back to Peru. He deposits the Autobots near the mining town to take care of Megatron while he goes to investigate the Incan temple.

The Autobots stop Megatron, Reflector and Soundwave mid-raid, with Brawn having the ball-bearings enough to swipe Megatron’s arm cannon and blast the Decepticon leader with his own weapon! Laserbeak steals back the weapon and Megatron swears vengeance. He has gathered a metal strong enough for the Crystal, and requests that Skywarp come to retrieve it, adding further insult to Thundercracker and Starscream who are left guarding the temple.

A stray blast during the battle nearly drops an electrical tower on top of Luisa, but she is saved by Spike and Bumblebee. Luisa quicky explains that these “evil creatures” have stolen the Crystal of Power. She leads Bumblebee and Spike to a secret entrance in the temple. Soundwave detects their presence, and dispatches Ravage to follow them.

Meanwhile, Thundercracker spots Skyfire skulking about the temple. The Decepticon warrior is torn; if he blasts Skyfire, Starscream is likely to take all the credit. Conversely, if he lets Skyfire destroy the Crystal-based weapon, perhaps Starscream can take the blame. Starscream overhears Thundercracker plotting, and blasts Skyfire. He then blackmails Thundercracker to do his bidding, lest Starscream reveal to their leader just how uncertain Thundercracker’s loyalties can be.

The Decepticons load up their stolen steal with Skywarp’s help and depart. To cover their exit, Megatron blasts a nearby mountain, creating a deadly rockfall that threatens the mining town.

Act Three: The Autobots use their firepower to reduce the falling boulders to pebbles, saving the village. Meanwhile, Megatron returns to the temple, where he successfully tests a new weapon frame that can handle the power of the crystal. Bumblebee, Spike and Luisa surreptitiously arrive in the temple, spotting the inert form of Skyfire. Spike starts repairing the fallen warrior, just as Ravage pounces. Bumblebee tries holding off the Decepticon jaguar while Spike works as fast as he can.

The rest of the Autobots arrive at the temple, but Megatron pins them down with devastating firepower from his weapon frame cannon. The Autobots are able to outflank Megatron, and the tide of battle is turned by Skyfire, freshly repaired by Spike. Skyfire strafes the weapons frame, destroying it and unleashing the power of the mountain. The Decepticons retreat, and Thundercracker takes fleeting pleasure in seeing Megatron and Starscream fail.

That night, Wheeljack caps the fire stream with a new invention that can contain the power that the crytal formerly held in check. The Autobots celebrate their victory while Bumblebee and Spike drive Luisa back to the mining town, where she promises to introduce Bumblebee to her brother’s convertible, Juanita.

Stats
Original airdate: December 22, 1984

Production number: #700-06

Written by: Douglas Booth

Featured Characters
(''Numbers indicate order of appearance.)

Notable Quotes
“Looks more like stealing to me… and I’m talking steel!” - Brawn

“Awww, hexagonal nuts!” - Trailbreaker

“It's cold enough to freeze the ailerons off a titanium moosebot!” - Sideswipe

“Wrong again, you dipstick tapedeck!” – Brawn to Soundwave

“Prepare for oblivion!” – Soundwave to Brawn

“Now that was a kick!” - Brawn, after blasting Megatron with his own cannon

“Have a good time playing crystal-nurse, Screamer!” – Skywarp, being a jerk

“Fate, schmate. It isn’t over yet, Megabum!” – Trailbreaker

“This is what separates the Autobots from the robot chickens!” / “Ain’t nobody calling me a robot chicken!” – Ironhide and Brawn, referencing Robot Chicken years before the Adult Swim show.

“Kiss your magnofusers goodbye, Autobots!” - Megatron

“What’s the matter, fearless leader? You and Starscream look real geeky!” - Thundercracker being a jerk

Animation and/or technical glitches

 * The Incans apparently built temples with steps large enough for Transformers to use.


 * When Skyfire strafes the crystal-powered weapon, he momentarily has Skywarp's colors.


 * The Rhino DVD version of this episode uses a number of erroneous takes as the basis of its remastered animation. As a result, the DVD introduces several coloring errors that were not present in the broadcast version. For example, Trailbreaker is colored a solid red in his introductory shot. When Skywarp mocks Starcream for having to guard the Crystal, he is colored like Thundercracker. When Starscream and Thundercracker carry Skyfire’s inert form, the Autobot jet has Skywarp’s colors, and as Megatron addresses Starscream, the latter has Thundercracker's colors. The broadcast version has correct colors for all these shots. (See illustration)

Continuity Errors

 * Skyfire was left for dead and mourned in his previous, debut appearance in "Fire in the Sky". Why do the Autobots return to his resting spot to dig him up out of the ice for a quick ride?
 * In order to do the above, the Autobots drive from the United States to the North Pole to dig up Skyfire so he can fly them down to South America. Think about that for a minute.

Transformers References

 * This episode references "Fire in the Sky", the last (and first) episode that Skyfire appeared in.


 * This is the only episode to play on Thundercracker's uncertain loyalties, a trait called out on his Tech Specs.

Real-World References

 * The Transformers visit Peru, and an ancient Incan temple, and a mining village where everyone speaks heavily accented English.


 * The title of this episode may be a reference to the Grateful Dead song of the same name.

Miscellaneous trivia

 * Starscream is depicted having a dozen rockets within hidden chest compartments.


 * Soundwave conceals a tricorder-like scanning device in his left wrist.


 * Brawn has a retractable claw that can extend in his car mode.


 * Luisa's name is never spoken in the episode.