Attack from Outer Space

Sideburn chases love Decepticons destroy stuff Movor is to blame

=Robots In Disguide episode 17=

Written by: Matthew V. Lewis Producer: Jamie Simone Executive Producer: Eric S. Rollman


 * Japanese air date: July 26, 2000
 * Canadian air date*: January 12, 2002
 * Characters (in order of apearance): Movor, Koji, Optimus Prime, T-AI, Commandos, Scourge, Tow-Line, Prowl, Megatron Sky-Byte, Predacon Trio, X-Brawn, Side Burn, Kelly, Team Bullet Train
 * Preceded by: Volcano
 * Followed by: The Test

Synopsis
A human space agency launches a space shuttle into orbit. The Predacons and Autobots watch a broadcast of the launch with fascination. What the humans and Autobots are unaware of is that the shuttle is actually the Decepticon Movor. Movor begins tracking Autobot movement. Tracking Tow-Line is unfruitful as he's is too preoccupied towing vehicles. Tracking Prowl, is equally pointless. Megatron is impatient with Movor's inability to discern the location of the Autobot base.

Distracted from his mission, Movor watches Sky-Byte and his underlings carve a giant image of Megatron's face into the ground for reasons that I think must make sense to them. As Movor spectators from orbit, X-Brawn finds the four Predacons and after a brief scuffle, he escapes and reports back to the Autobots.

Movor spies on Side Burn, who is doing what he does to who he usually does it to. The object of his affection only turns each of his pick-up lines around. Side Burn happens to drive by Sky-Byte and co, but a laserblast from Movor discourages the shark from interfering. Side Burn leads Movor to conclude the Autobot base in in Sector 12, which the rest of the Decepticons quickly destroy.

Finding nothing in Sector 12, the Decepticon's follow Movor's report to where Side Burn was scene last, Sector 14. The Decepticons quickly detonate ten empty summer homes, but soon notice Side Burn has already moved on, still chasing the car of his dreams. A power plant's destruction later, the Decepticons blow up an airport, which is quickly followed by the destruction of a shipyard. Side Burn doesn't notice the carnage trailing behind him as he's too busy following his heart. His would-be lady-friend eventually ditches him by driving into a hole.

The Autobots, who have been trying to figure out why the launched shuttle isn't responding to to them, determine that Movor has been tracking their movements. Determining that the Decepticons are tracking Hot Shot, they trick the gullible Hot Shot into going to Pier Seven B. Giving the shuttle one last chance, the Decepticon's follow Movor's report and head to the pier.

Side Burn waits at the pier, hoping to meet his chica. Instead, he meets the five Decepticons. Optimus and the other Autobots arrive and have a few yuks. Even though they're hopelessly outclassed, Scourge looks forward to fighting Optimus. Movor attempts to use his Argon Ray to help his leader, but instead of hitting Scourge's opponent, he hits Scourge right in the back. Another attempt at helping Scourge has pretty much the same results. Seeing how the battle isn't going to well, the Decepticons retreat.

In the aftermath, the Autobots have an intervention to help Sideburn deal with his addiction to interspecies sexual harassment, even if it was useful this one time. As they have a big manly laugh, miles above, Movor is knocked out of orbit by a satellite and lands in the ocean.

Railleries in Dialog
"I knew a gal, named dirty McGall. With a laser beam- to sEE me!"
 * -X-Brawn sings worse than Strong Bad.


 * Sideburn: I do have a sensitive side. I can cry at movies. Especially during car crashes. And all of my doors dent surprisingly easily. You know, maybe we can go see one of those movies about actually really falling in love! ...if it doesn't go on to long.
 * Kelly: Thank you, but I'd rather eat a mouth full of thumb tacks.


 * Movor: This is exciting. I had front row tickets to a heavy metal concert once, but this is way better. I'll just sit back and watch the action.


 * Midnight Express: Lasers from space? Look, that's hardly sporting.
 * Scourge (regarding Movor): I hate this guy, I really hate this guy.


 * Movor: I don't think I'm real popular right now. I never found the base, I blew up the wrong stuff, and I shot scourge twice.

Items of Note

 * Because of post-9/11 sensitivity, this issue never aired on television in the United States because of a fear that the gratuitous destruction of buildings would have a disturbing effect on people.
 * And let's be honest, that's pretty reasonable.


 * Movor's first-person-perspective shots are digitally altered from the original Japanese version to have more on-screen effects.


 * How could the human space agency (never explicitly referred to as NASA) not have noticed that their shuttle had been replaced with an evil duplicate? Well in the RiD universe, shuttles are a lot more frequently manufactured and thus aren't under such strong security all the time as they are in real life.... Look it's a stand-alone episode and it's just best you don't question the logistics and just enjoy the wacky antics.


 * Sideburn's reference to a movie "About a big ship that started to sink" could be a reference to the film Titanic.
 * His reference to a film about dinosaurs eating cars might be a reference to Jurassic Park.
 * The move about aliens that take over people's minds is maybe a reference to... I don't know, Invasion Of The Body Snatchers?