Eliminate the Godmaster Ginrai



The command goes out for the Decepticons to utterly destroy Ginrai, and he inadvertently makes himself easy to find when he appears on television searching for the remaining Godmasters!


 * English/Malay dub name: "The Hunt has Begun"
 * Also known as: "Destroy Ginrai"

Detailed synopsis
The Decepticons are still smarting over the fact that an Autobot Godmaster has been created in Ginrai, but Giga is given pause to wonder – if, as he has been led to believe, all Godmasters originated with a Decepticon soul, how is it that one bonded to a human who sympathizes with the Autobots? Before the question can sink into the minds of those around him, however, a voice cuts through the air that insists there is no time to question the matter. This voice emanates from the pulsating globe of light that has for so long lain silent, perched on an altar in the middle of the Decepticon base – it is the voice of Devil Z, the mysterious emperor of the Decepticons! Giga and Mega fall to their knees when their lord speaks, and hear his command that no further Godmasters must become Autobots. Spurred on by these words, Giga turns to Hydra and Buster and issues his newest command – Ginrai must die!

Having acquired a trailer for his Transtector, Ginrai has returned to America to show it to Diver and Lander. Steadily becoming more and more convinced that destiny has something in store for him, Ginrai decides to get proactive, and has had an idea that will help him to find the three fated owners of the Master-Braces, but decides to keep it as a surprise for the two worried Pretenders.

Elsewhere in America, the Decepticon Headmaster Juniors are drowning their sorrows at a bar after failing to defeat Ginrai in their last encounter. Cancer flips on the television to an entertainment show that is just beginning its audience participation segment, where a viewer named "Mr. X" is about to show the viewers an "interesting vehicle." Cancer just about manages to stay upright when "Mr. X" turns out to be Ginrai, who transforms to robot mode right there on live television and introduces himself, before making a plea – if anyone feels like they're being manipulated by fate, or have had strange and unusual things happen to them, contact him through the show. Bullhorn is all fired up to go on the offensive, but the others tell him to leave it to Buster and Hydra. Lander has also seen the broadcast, and tells Diver about it, but they both take it in stride.

The next day, Ginrai tunes his radio into the show to hear the responses that have come in, but unfortunately, they're all from crazies, including one guy who claims that both he and Ginrai are aliens. As he travels along, Gilmer pinpoints his location and radios it to Hydra and Buster, who quickly track him down – but the brothers opt instead to wait until Ginrai has entered the nearby city, planning to blame him for the devastation their fight will cause to increase anti-Autobot sentiment among humans. They shadow Ginrai as he arrives at Union Transportation, and then begin their attack, injuring Ginrai's boss, Sam. Ginrai transforms to robot mode and battles the two Godmaster brothers, but the fight has the desired effect – as their workplace is steadily destroyed, Ginrai's fellow truckers all begin hurling junk at him to get him to leave. With the plan working, Hydra and Buster lead him further into the city, deliberately rounding up humans as spectators to watch as they fight; Buster even tells them that Ginrai began the duel. The brothers beat Ginrai down and summon some Lobclaws to finish him off, but just then, Lander and Diver arrive and take care of the Seacons while Ginrai pursues the fleeing Decepticon Godmasters. Enraged by what they have done to him and his reputation, he unleashes a major burst of Chokon Power, knocking the villains from their feet; Lander and Diver soon arrive, having disposed of the Seacons, and the Godmasters flee.

A little later, Ginrai visits the injured Sam in the hospital with his fellow truckers. He apologizes for the fight, but Sam brushes it off. Sam has thought long and hard about Ginrai's incredible powers, and has come to one conclusion – they are the work of God, who is telling Ginrai to protect others with them. Sam has brought all the other truckers around, and they all apologize to Ginrai for their earlier actions. A little later, Ginrai meets with Diver, who tells him that Lander is running damage control and informing the people that saw the fight that he had nothing to do with it. Diver does point out, however, that if Ginrai is already that self-conscious about his reputation and that of the Autobots, it makes him a good candidate for leader for someday...

Meanwhile, back at the Decepticon base, yet another failure has forced Mega and Giga's hand – it is time for them to play their trump card, in the form of the mighty Seacon combiner, King Poseidon!

Stats
Written by:  Hiroyuki Hoshiyama

Original airdate: 19th July 1988

Featured Characters
(Numbers indicate order of appearance.)

Animation and/or technical glitches

 * The announcer from the TV show can be heard to start speaking, offscreen, before Cancer actually changes the channel.

Transformers references

 * At long last, it speaks – the glowing sphere that the audience has frequently seen within the Decepticon base since "Terror! The Decepticons' Manhunt" is finally revealed in this episode to be the Decepticon emperor, Devil Z. However, do not expect to learn anything ‘'more'' about him – it is never explained in the series as broadcast exactly what he is or where he comes from. It was not until an expository segment added to the video release of "You Too Use the Masterforce to Transform" that he was explained to be an energy being from the far reaches of the galaxy (and even that's not especially satisfactory).
 * Ginrai found the three sets of Master-Braces in "A Strange Friendship: Cancer and Minerva."
 * Ginrai asks Diver to "say hi to the dolphin" for him, referring to the dolphin he delivered into his care back in "A Hero is Chosen - His Name is Ginrai."

Real-world references



 * Pinned up on the wall of the bar the Decepticon Headmaster Juniors visit is a poster for "You Can Dance," an album by singer Madonna. Of course, that album was contemporary for the time the show was being aired (released as it was in November 1987) - but given that Super-God Masterforce is supposed to taking place several years after 2011, that bar might want to think about redecorating...

Miscellaneous trivia

 * Beginning with this episode, two new eye-catches (commercials bumpers) are introduced. The familiar Metalhawk, King Poseidon and Goshooter bumpers remain, while the Blood and Ginrai bumpers are phased out and replaced with one of Hydra and Buster merging into Darkwings, and one of Ginrai combining with his trailer to form Super Ginrai. Of course, he doesn't do this in the show itself until next episode – rather amazingly, the "next episode" preview didn't spoil this, revealing simply the name and a silhouetted image of Super Ginrai, instead of just showing the character, so obviously, it was up to the bumper to pick up the slack and deprive the audience of any kind of surprise.
 * Hydra displays some shockingly bad combat tactics in this episode. At one point, he is wielding both his blasters, and is within arm's reach of an unarmed Ginrai... and instead of shooting him, he flips his blasters around, grabs them by the barrels and uses them as clubs! Then, when Buster is holding Ginrai in a headlock, Hydra approaches, blaster in hand... only to shunt it away, punch him a bit and then call up a Lobclaw! Dude, JUST SHOOT HIM.