Battle Protocol (episode)



Generation One

The Predacons appear on Earth and kidnap Doctor Onishi

Detailed Synopsis
A trio of fire vehicles head towards a house fire. But instead of following them, we linger on a house they pass, the house of Koji Onishi.

Koji is awakened by his alarm clock, realizing he’s late. He falls out bed in his haste, grumbling that his always happens. He throws on his robe and rushes ot the television. He wants to catch his father on TV!

While it’s the middle of the night in Japan, it’s day in America, and New York is hosting the first International Scientific Symposium, for the world’s most brilliant minds in all their fields ot meet and share their research to benefit the whole human race. The first Speaker is Dr. Onishi, noted archaeologist and the world’s foremost expert on energy and natural resources.

Dr. Onishi believes that the greatest danger facing the Earth today is the inefficient and improper use of energy. However, eh may have to eat his words because just them, a building explodes, rainign debris upon the crowds celebratign the opening ceremonies, and Megatron appears!

The Predacons, Megatron explains, want energy. And since Dr. Onishi is the world’s foremost expert on different energy sources, they want him!

Koji tried to call his father on his cell phone, but the call is cut off, as Dr. Onishi tried to tell Koji something important. Instead, a mysterious robot appears on the phone, telling Koji to meet him at Metro Park, and they’ll rescue his father.

Back at the house fire, hearing that the fire si now under control, one of the firetruck pulls away under its own power, without a driver! Minutes later, its this empty firetruck that arrives to pick up Koji. Once inside him, Optimus Prime explains that he’s a robot from the planet Cybertron. He swears Koji to secrecy before showing him the secret of the Global Space Bridge, the high-speed transport network that will allow them to drive from Japan to New York in minutes.

Arriving in New york, Optimsu Prime transforms and fights Megatron. Seeing that his friend is a robot just like Megatron, Koji fears they’re the same. Optimus Prime explaisn that though they may seem the same, Autobots and predacons could nto be more different.

Megatron summosn the trio of Predacons, Slapper, Gas Skunk and Dark Scream to handle Optimus while he goes after Dr. Onishi.

Optimus activates Tai back at the base, who initiates a Battle Protocol summoning the Autobot Brothers, who’re in the same quadrant.

X-Brawn is serving as the car for a woman named Kelly, who is driving to New York for breakfast. He apologizes, but he’s gonna need to make this trip on his own- and fires an ejection seat. Sideburn is flirting with red sportscars, and being chewed out by his brother Prowl. All 3 of them make their way to the Global Space Bridge.

X-Brawn emerges just in time to save Koji from a crumbling building. He and his brothers pair up, Prowl fighting Gas Skunk, Sideburn fighting Dark Scream, and X-Brawn against Slapper. Optimus slips away in the fray to fight Megatron.

Megatron transforms into his bat mode, attacking Optimus Prime, greatly weakening the Autobot Leader. Koji emerges, callign Megatron a coward, which distracts him long enough for Optimus to target him with the weapons in his trailer.

Megatron tried (half-heartedly) to appeal to Optimsu Prime’s logical side. They could share the planet’s resources. But Priem refuses to see the Earth transformed into a lifeless husk, as Megatron has done to so many other worlds.

Megatron transforms to jet mode, finally grabbing Doctor Onishi in the process, and escapes. The Predacon trio rushes to follow, still pursued by the seeking missile Sideburn followed after Dark Scream.

Koji is left holding his father’s broken glasses. Optimus Prime tells Koji he will keep the promise to resce his father- they will get him back.

Stats
Original Airdate: ?

Written by: Written by Tom Wyner

Notable Quotes

 * "Optimus Prime, as I live and breathe!" - Megatron


 * "I'd forgotten how ugly the Predacons are!" - Sideburn, upon seeing the Predacon trio


 * "42 feet, 3 inches, that's impressive!" - Slapper, measuring his own tongue


 * "It's amazing how a nice day can turn into such a bummer." - Gas Skunk, on fire.

Other Notes

 * This is easily one of the most boring episodes of Robots in Disguise. So much so that even the dub’s producers commented on it, there was a limit to how much they could do with such a boring episode.
 * The entire episode takes place over a period of about 10 minutes, so very little actually... happens, For most of the second half, Megatron is walking down the street towards Dr. Onishi, who is about 100 yards away.

Transformers References

 * In Japan, this episode took place around the 2000 celebrations in New York. The american episodes (which aired a year later) re-cropped the shot which included the year to obscure it.
 * Koji’s alarm clock is shaped like the time-manipulating Maximal Heinrad from Beast Wars Neo. This is an in-joke, as Heinrad’s toy was actually a functioning clock.
 * Reporter Dorry Dutton makes her first of several appearances.
 * Though kidnapped for his expertise on energy sources, Dr. Onishi’s archaeology researches will become much more important as the series goes on.
 * Optimus Prime is Unit Six in the Metro City Fire Department. He promises to return to the station after his mission is done.

Miscellaneous Trivia

 * This episode first aired September 9, 2001 (Verificatio needed) to days before the terrorist attacks that would render this episode (featuring collapsing buildings in New York) in bad taste. It later re-aired in an edited form.  The UK DVD set has the original version.