Ambush



'''Cybertron episode #42

The Autobots split up to search the lower levels of Gigantion for its Cyber Planet Key, while the Decepticons do the same. Lori and Thunderblast get acquainted.

Detailed synopsis
Deep in the lower levels of Gigantion, Snarl, Leobreaker and Jetfire come across a huge gaping hole. They descide to esplore it, after all, their mission is to search the lowest levels of the planet for the Cyber Planet Key.

Elsewhere, Optimus Prime's team (the Recon Mini-Con Team, Vector Prime and Metroplex) run over Ransack and Crumplezone. The two Decepticons bemoan their fate, then encourage themselves to try even harder in spite of all their past failures... then kinda deflate again as reality sets in. Poor dumb schmucks.

Elsewhere elsewhere, the team of Override, Wing Saber and Lori take an elevator to a lower level. When they hit the bottom, Override advises caution entering the new area, and Wing Saber glibly notes the perfect getting-ambushed opportunities there. Thunderblast takes this as her cue to enter, backed up by Scourge. Lori, however, immediately begins verbally browbeating Scourge for his cowardly tactics and continued association with the Decepticons, and Scourge flinches. A lot. Thunderblast eventually gets sick of it and insults the both of them, calling Lori a "mouse". Lori, her temper already frayed, challenges Thunderblast to a fight. The Autobots take fighting positions.

Back at Jetfire's team, the trio finally land at the bottom of the pit, where they're attacked by Thundercracker. Jetfire tackles the Decepticon himself, ordering the other two to go ahead without him. Thundercracker decides it's time to reveal his new "forbidden attack", much to Jetfire's befuddlement.

Back with Prime's unit, Ransack and Crumplezone are once again blasted far, far away. Dopes.

Thunderblast distracts Lori with a rather purile ruse, and beats cheeks out of there. Lori's last nerve snapped, she glowers at Wing Saber until he submits to bringing her along to chase Thunderblast down. Scourge is relieved that Lori's turned her anger on Thunderblast, but quickly regains his composure once Override challenges him to a fight, the chance to prove which planet leader is the strongest.

Wing Saber chases Thunderblast, and notes that she's clearly leading them into a trap. Lori is adamant, though, and they soon find out where they're being led to: a harbor area with a lot of open water.

Elsewhere, Thundercracker is charging up his "Super Electric Lightning Thundercrackin' Punch", which connects and knocks Jetfire on his can. Jetfire is actually impressed, and complements Thundercracker on landing a legitiamtely good attack (for once).

Thunderblast starts shooting missiles at Wing Saber from underwater. Wing Saber has a rare moment of clarity and suggests a retreat, knowing he can't tackle Thunderblast like this, but Lori insists they have to outsmart her.

Meanwhile, Scourge and Override go at it with plenty of trash-talk, though the large dragon finds himself having a hard time handling the speedy and agile female... plus the blaster-cannon she's packing doesn't help him much either.

Wing Saber drops Lori off on dry land, and she enters a control console for a ring of eight cranes in the middle of the harbor water. Wing Saber allows himslf to get "shot down" and dives underwater in robot mode. Thunderblast follows and corners him... and then realizes that she herslef has just been led into a trap. Lori drops the crane-claws all around Thunderblast, surrounding her, and then one final one right on top of her head. Thunderblast demands to be released, and Wing Saber obliges, courtesy of pretty much every missile he's packing. The explosion sends Thunderblast flying away uncontrollably, wailing in defiance.

Elsewhere, Jetfire and Thundercracker have beaten each other silly, and both collapse, exhausted. Coby, Landmine, Quickmix and Evac arrive, and Coby tends to Jetfire while Quickmix covers Thundercracker in a lot of quick-drying concrete.

Scourge and Override's fight has moved to another level of Gigantion. Socurge hurls his axe, which misses and slams into the wall... right above the doorway Lori runs through. Wing Saber dives in and saves Lori before she's crushed by the falling debris, and Scourge uses the opportunity to run for an elevator. Lori, quickly over her near-death experience, berates Scourge again, who sheepishly says he's not running away so much as maaking a strategic withdrawal. The doors close, and Override and Lori both express their frustration by hitting the wall. But Lori's kick ends up triggering a planetarium-like hologram device in the room, which begins to project images of Gigantion in ancient times. A huge dark sphere appears above the planet, and hundreds of robots emerge from it... robots of the same design as Sideways....

Stats
Original airdate: ???

Written by: ???

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

Notable quotes
"When he sees our real strength and feels our vengeance, he'll regret beating us over and over and over-"
 * --Crumplezone

"What could be dangerous? It's dark with only one exit!  Looks like a great place to get ambushed!"
 * --Wing Saber

"What in the world are you thinking?! Back on Jungle Planet you were all about honor and rule of law, but now look at you! Skulking around in the shadows with a Decepticon floozy-" "HEY!" "-plotting ambushes and, and sneak attacks?! What's the matter with you?!  Have you completely lost your honor or what?!"
 * --Lori browbeats Scourge (with objection by Thunderblast)

"Little sister, you better check yo'self!"
 * --Thunderblast (to Lori)

"All that for a punch?"
 * --Jetfire

"Don't worry about a thing. I aced a B+ in computers class." "Why not an A?" "Well...." "Just don't tell me you crashed the computer."
 * --Lori and Wing Saber

"Bring me a 'get well' card..."
 * --Thundercracker

Continutity errors

 * So, did Scourge get his tail-axe back or what?

Real-world references

 * While she's chasing Wing Saber underwater, Thunderblast starts singing the theme from Jaws.

Miscellaneous trivia

 * There's a bit more facial emoting from the CGI cast in this episode; several characters get "normal" teeth for certain expressions which are not present in most other sequences, their lips motions are more fluid, and their eyes change shape. It's a nice change of pace.


 * On that note, the scene where Lori is almost crushed by falling debris has one of the few instances of "precise" lip-synching in the series: a close-up of Override's face as she yells "LORI!!!". A close-up of Thunderblast just before she's crushed also has precise lip-synch, but it's synched to Japanese words, not English.  Oh well.