At Full Strength! The Four Godmaster Gunmen



The search for the fourth Godmaster bring the Autobots and Decepticons to France, where the Headmaster Juniors attend the final of the World Grand Prix, and meet the champion racer, Road King.


 * English/Malay dub name:  "The Emergence of the Fourth Powermaster"
 * Also known as: "Four Godmasters, Assemble"

Detailed synopsis
The Decepticon Headmaster Juniors are hanging out in a bar, where Cancer plays a racing arcade game and Wilder reads a magazine on Formula-1 racing. Wilder's interest is peaked by an article on a retired French racer named Germain, who won the Grand Prix five times, and whose car miraculously survived every crash it was in. Although Cancer and Bullhorn don't pick up on it immediately, Wilder is sure that this invulnerable car must belong to the next Godmaster!

In France, the Autobot Headmaster Juniors accompany Lightfoot to the Rouen Circuit, where the F1 World Grand Prix is about to begin. British Motors has a car in the race, but Lightfoot admits that even its driver, Carl, is no match for the reigning champ, the so-called "British Wolf," Road King. Cab and Shūta have heard of the famous young racer, so Lightfoot introduces them to him just before the race starts and they get autographs. While they're having fun, though, Ranger and Ginrai are busy scouring Europe for the remaining Godmaster, searching in Spain and Germany, respectively.

Meanwhile, the Decepticon Juniors have made their way to the small French town of Dagneux, and, after hiding their Transtectors in the woods nearby, head for the restaurant-and-bar that the retired Germain now runs. With patrons around them busy watching the Grand Prix, Wilder starts questioning Germain on the location of his race car, and the conversation gets more and more threatening until Wilder seizes the old man. He's got a few tricks up his sleeve, though, and quickly twists Wilder's arm back and throws him out of the bar. Bullhorn and Cancer try to jump him, but German easily parries their attacks and hurls them aside. Bruised and beaten, Wilder tells the old man that he'll be sorry as the Juniors slink back to the forest.

Back at the Rouen Circuit, the Grand Prix continues, until suddenly, there is a catastrophic crash. Many cars are sent spinning and flying, with Road King's being launched into the air, although it makes a safe landing. Carl manages to escape his car before it explodes, but Lightfoot's attention is then drawn to Road King's car... which spontaneously repairs all the damage is has taken! There is no doubt in Lightfoot's mind that the search for the fourth Autobot Godmaster is over, and he radios Ginrai to bring the last set of Master-Braces right away. Road King proceeds to win the race, and Lightfoot introduces him to Ginrai, who wastes no time in giving Lightfoot the Master-Braces. Road King slips them on, and in a flash of light, Lightfoot's suspicions are proven correct – Road King is the fourth Godmaster, and his race car is his Transtector! Road King is amazed that his car possesses his sort of power, recounting how it was given to him by his sponsor when he was in a slump. His tale is interrupted by a communiqué from Ranger, who reveals that the Decepticon Headmaster Juniors are attacking Dagneux in their Transtectors! Before Ginrai can even look back up from his bracelet, Road King is already racing away.

In Dagneux, Ranger attempts to hold off the Decepticon Juniors himself, but Road King comes driving by, and Wilder believes that he is at the wheel of the car they are looking for, and pursue him. The other Autobots soon arrive and fill Ranger in, while Road King heads for Germain's restaurant – Germain is his sponsor, but thankfully, the Decepticons haven't made it that far into the town yet. They're right behind Road King, however, and transform into their robot mode to take his car, but he transforms to robot mode himself and holds them off until the other Autobots join the fight. Wilder summons an army of Seacons, but even as Turtlar orders them to combine, their numbers are so badly depleted by the large number of Autobos present that there aren't even enough of them left to form King Poseidon! After Turtlar and the Juniors retreat, Road King introduces Germain to the other Autobots as his sponsor, and a celebratory toast for his victory in the Grand Prix, and his first victory in battle, in had.

Stats
Written by:  Yoshihisa Araki

Original airdate: 30th August 1988

Featured Characters
(Numbers indicate order of appearance.)

Continuity errors

 * Again, precisely what happens when one becomes a Godmaster remains inconsistent with past episodes. In this case, Road King transforms in the same way as Lightfoot did (in "Lightfoot: A Dramatic Encounter") – his arms are pulled together by the Master-Braces and he doesn't have to say "Masterforce," but he does have to say "God On." This is in contradiction to the ways in which Ginrai and Ranger first transformed.

Transformers references

 * Ginrai found the three additional pairs of Master-Braces in "A Strange Friendship: Cancer and Minerva." This episode wraps up that plot thread, with the third and final owner being found, although as it's been pointed out in a few other episodes, viewers must remember for the future that there is still one more Godmaster out there...

Real world references

 * Dotted throughout this episode are banners, logos and other references to assorted real-life racing sponsors, almost all of them misspelled in various ways, similar to the decals on the G1 Mirage and Wheeljack toys. They include "Sall," "Marlbora," "Dunpop," "Falkem," "Totus," "Poca-Cola," "Camon," "Moolel," "Wost," Zakspeed and lots, lots more.