War of the Dinobots



'''Snarl and Swoop are added to the Dinobot roster... and just in time!'''

Japanese title: "The Mysterious Giant Meteorite"

Detailed synopsis


An unidentified meteor impacts with the Earth, and Chip Chase asks the Autobots to investigate. Fearing that its energy potential could be used by the Decepticons, Optimus Prime calls in the Dinobots for help.

At Decepticon HQ, Megatron is watching video footage of the Dinobots and is raging about how the dim-witted robots have defeated his warriors time and again. Megatron orders Soundwave to find their weaknesses.

After the meteor crashlands, the Autobots take a sample back to the Ark and leave the Dinobots to guard the crash site. Impressed that they are following orders, Prime decides to order Ratchet and Wheeljack to build two more Dinobots, with Spike and Chip's help.

At the meteor site, Soundwave scans the Dinobots' brains while in hiding and reports back to Megatron. The Decepticon leaders declares Grimlock is arrogant, Slag is violent, and Sludge is stupid. He vows to use those weaknesses against the Dinobots.

Megatron's forces arrive at the meteorite's location, and after the Dinobots trash the Seekers, Megatron arrives and feigns humility. He wonders aloud why the Dinobots, as powerful as they are, follow a weaker leader such as Optimus Prime. Because of Megatron's powerful logic, Grimlock and the Dinobots are convinced to rebel against Prime, and the Decepticons take the Meteorite.

At the Autobot base, Prime and Ratchet oversee construction of two new Dinobots: Snarl and Swoop. During this, Wheeljack discovers the meteorite's energy is highly unstable. Trailbreaker manages to encase the fragment in a forcefield just before it explodes. Fearing a huge explosion, Optimus Prime rushes out alone to warn the Dinobots.



At the base, Wheeljack has Snarl and Swoop do a test run of their powers. Bluestreak, Ironhide, Sideswipe and Prowl attempt to stop the new Dinobots, but get their cans soundly kicked.

Prime arrives at the crash site and is attacked by the Dinobots. Though Optimus puts up a good fight, the Autobot leader is unable to defeat the Dinobots by himself and is knocked out. However, Grimlock doesn't kill him or let the others hurt Prime further, a restraint that Prime attributes to their Autobot training. The Dinobots instead take Prime to the Decepticons.

At Autobot HQ, Spike and Chip are concerned because Optimus hasn't reported in. Teletraan 1 alerts Wheeljack that the meteorite has been moved and is about ready to blow. Snarl and Swoop are sent to stop it.

While the Decepticons form Energon cubes from the unstable meteorite energy, Starscream grows concerned by the meteorite's unstable nature. When Grimlock, Slag and Sludge arrive, Megatron is angered that they didn't kill Prime, but is soon distracted as the Energon cubes detonate.



Swoop and Snarl arrive. The two new Dinobots fight the old Dinobots to a standstill in a vicious battle. During this, the meteorite visually destabilizes and just before it explodes, Prime pushes Grimlock to safety.

Realizing that Prime is both strong and has concern for his troops, Grimlock orders the Dinobots to attack Megatron. The Decepticons retreat, and Grimlock asks for Prime's forgiveness as the other Autobots arrive. However, Optimus Prime merely declares that the meteorite menace is over and they should go home.

Stats
Original airdate: November 27, 1984

Production number: 700-07

Written by: Earl Kress

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

Notable quotes
"Well, meteor or no meteor, Optimus Prime, it sure is nice not to have to worry about the Decepticons for a change." "I always worry about the Decepticons, Spike."
 * -- Spike Witwicky learns that Optimus Prime really needs a vacation.

"I’ve seen enough! My finest warriors defeated by those primitive, pea-brained beasts. Revolting!"
 * --Megatron on the Decepticons' failure to defeat the Dinobots

" Maybe we'll even name [the meteor] after you. Metorini Chiparoni or something."
 * -- Spike Witwicky. Oy.

"No matter how many times I see it, it's always outrageous."
 * --Chip Chase, fanboy, on the Autobots' transforming

Grimlock: "We destroy Optimus Prime!" Slag: "And him, Grimlock, be new leader!" Sludge: "Hail him, Grimlock!"
 * --The Dinobots plan their coup

"Great! I'm finally going to get into a fight!"
 * -- Sideswipe, finally seeing some action after being largely ignored for several episodes

"I do not want to fight you, but you leave me no choice."
 * -- Optimus Prime's warning to the Dinobots

"Megatron, listen... Meteorite.. unstable... At any moment.. could explode!"
 * -- The Dinobots' horrendous grammar brushes off on Optimus Prime

"You, Megatron, tricked us! Make us fight good leader, Optimus Prime. Prime risk own life to save us. Bad Megatron!"
 * --Grimlock switches allegiances again and puts the fear of God into Megatron

"Decepticons retreat now, quick, at once!"
 * --Megatron orders a cowardly retreat in the face of the Dinobots' wrath

"Optimus Prime, can you forgive? Me, Grimlock was jealous of you."
 * -- Grimlock, actually showing humility for once

Other notes

 * Seriously, Optimus Prime does not forgive Grimlock at all.
 * When Trailbreaker deploys his force field to contain the meteor fragment's blast, instead of just projecting it, he does a really goofy looking spin.

Animation and/or technical glitches

 * During the scene in Decepticon headquarters where Megatron berates his troops for their humiliating defeat at the hands of the Dinobots, Starscream is coloured as Thundercracker in several shots.


 * Optimus blasts a fragment off of the meteor at night, transforms during the day, leaves the scene around dawn, and drives off into the dead of night.


 * When Soundwave goes back to the Decepticon base after scanning the Dinobots, the Decepticon insignia on his chest is not shown.


 * When the Decepticons attack the Dinobots guarding the meteorite, Slag's Autobot insignia is not shown in one shot.


 * In the same scene, when Grimlock asks Slag if he likes to fight, Sludge answers with Slag's voice.


 * When the Dinobots are attacking Optimus Prime, in one shot Grimlock's torso is colored gray instead of yellow. When they investigate his body after blasting him, Slag's head is coloured grey.


 * When the Dinobots take Optimus to Megatron, Starscream is colored in Thundercracker's colors. A little later, when they are escaping the meteorite explosion, Starscream is colored as Thundercracker again.


 * When asking for forgiveness from Optimus, Grimlock's eyes are not colored.

Continuity errors

 * Slag can be clearly seen wearing a jetpack on his back when the Dinobots leave to deliver Optimus Prime to Megatron, despite it being previously established that the Dinobots can fly without such equipment.

Transformers references

 * Apparently the Decepticons are still pretty steamed about the Dinobots utterly slagging them two episodes ago ("S.O.S. Dinobots"). Seriously guys, let it go.

Miscellaneous trivia



 * In an earlier draft of this episode's script, it was not Chip who discovered the meteorite, but an original character named Doctor Lynn Hyashi.


 * Grimlock's head has been redesigned. However, the old design remained in the comics all the way until Grimlock took a bath in nucleon. The second head design would be used in all incarnations from then on.


 * Optimus Prime warns the others to stay back from the meteor... then proceeds to shoot the potentially dangerous meteor to obtain a sample. Couldn't they just have broken a piece off in some other manner?


 * Huffer has evidently changed his tune about the Dinobots, as he helps build Snarl and Swoop in this episode.


 * Snarl is the only Dinobot who actually uses the word "I". All the others always say "me".