Masquerade

After defeating the Stunticons, five of the Autobots pose as the crazed combiners to learn of Megatron's newest plan.

Detailed synopsis


Megatron sends the Stunticons on a mission to find components for an unrevealed purpose, including the world’s largest, most perfect ruby. While searching for their components, the actions of the Stunticons catch the attention of the Autobots, who track their movements and their crimes.

The Autobots split into teams and manage to be extremely effective at capturing the Stunticons in the middle of their capers. Most notably, Optimus Prime and Motormaster play “chicken” and end up in a head on collision. Spike and Bumblebee peer through the dust to see who survived, and it turns out that Optimus is the clear victor, while Motormaster lies in a wreck.

Although all five Stunticons captured, the Autobots still don’t know what their plans were for the components they stole for Megatron. Wheeljack guesses that the parts are going to be made into a weapon (nooo, really?). Optimus hatches a scheme to disguise Autobots using camouflage paint and penetrate the Decepticon camp disguised as Stunticons: Optimus Prime as Motormaster, Jazz as Dead End, Sideswipe as Breakdown, Mirage as Drag Strip, and Windcharger as Wildrider.

The disguised Autobots infiltrate the Decepticons, although their arrival causes some raised eyebrows because they are driving too “safely.” They deliver the stolen components to Megatron without being detected.

Back at the Ark, the Stunticons manage to shimmy and shake their way out of their cells, merge into Menasor and overcome their Autobot captors. They then head back to the Decepticon base.

The Constructicons complete Megatron’s new weapon and he reveals its power, but just then Menasor arrives declare the Autobots as infiltrators. Using Windcharger’s electric field ability and Mirage’s illusion power, the Autobots merge into their own Menasor. The two giants battle it out, and the Autobots are overcome. Megatron trains the new weapon on the Autobots, but the device blows up in his face after a few scattered shots.

Autobot reinforcements arrive and the Decepticons flee without their usual promises for revenge. It is revealed that Ironhide had made adjustments to the ruby back at Autobot HQ, which caused the device to explode. The Autobots head for home, victorious.

Stats
Original airdate: November 28, 1985 Written by: Donald F. Glut

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

Notable quotes
"A near miss deserves a couple of near-missiles!"
 * —Inferno

"I'm probably going to hate myself in the morning, but..."
 * —Inferno before he douses the flames on the Stunticon Breakdown

"Blam! Boom! Pow! I'm going to make that hot rod even hotter. HA HA HA!"
 * —Warpath firing on the Stunticons Dead End and Dragstrip

"Well, look who's here! The old King of the Road! When I'm finished with ya, you'll be King of the Junkyard!"
 * —Motormaster taunting Optimus Prime into a game of chicken

"You did it! You did it, Optimus! You stuffed that loudmouth once and for all." "I...hope so Spike, because I'd hate to go through that again."
 * —Spike congratulates a shaken Optimus after he recovers from a head-on collision with Motormaster

"Alright then...ah...Stunticons, let's roll for it. "
 * —Optimus Prime disguises as Motormaster.

"I'm in no mood for your big words, Dead End." "For you, Motormouth, this is a dead end."
 * —Motormaster complains about Dead End's SAT-level vocabulary, and Ironhide tells him off as the Autobots drag them off

"Man, Optimus. You're a dead ringer for Motormaster." "Did you have to say 'dead ringer', Spike?"
 * —Optimus Prime winces at Spike's vocabulary

"Imagine my turning that ray on the Autobots' headquarters. Perhaps when it's gone, someone will put up a memorial parking lot. Mwahaha!"
 * —Megatron

"Machine appears unstable. Suggest abandoning it." "Suggestion noted—and ignored!"
 * —Soundwave warns his leader about the weapon, but Megatron (sounding a bit like Galvatron here) ignores him

Animation and/or technical glitches

 * As a result of animation cels being stacked incorrectly, Ratchet appears teeny-tiny in the front of a crowd shot, making Ironhide look colossal by comparison. The tiny Ratchet should, of course, be (barely visible) at the back of the crowd.
 * When the real Menasor takes off to warn Megatron, he has an Autobot insignia.

Continuity errors

 * reference

Transformers references

 * References

Real-world references

 * References

Miscellaneous trivia

 * Ratchet's voice actor in this episode is Wally Burr, not the usual Don Messick, and it shows.
 * Did anyone know that Soundwave can fly in his tape deck mode? Because at the end of this episode he transforms and then flies off behind Starscream.

Keywords
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