Tanker Hijack Operation



As part of a plan to steal a tanker of gasoline, the Decepticons stay the Autobots' hands by threatening to blow up Marine City with a neutron bomb.


 * English/Malay dub name:  ?
 * Also known as: "Tanker Theft Operation"

Detailed synopsis
Somewhere in the depths of the ocean, Deathsaurus "reminds" his troops aboard the Thunder Arrow of the large amount of energy they need to gather in other to free his fortress from the Dark Nebula... by blasting them with a burst of flame. Only Drillhorn stands unmoving as the other Decepticons scatter, petitioning his emperor for calmness so that he can outline his plan to steal an tanker. Deathsaurus approves the plan, but Leozack is not happy that his subordinate has superseded his authority.

Some time later, on the west coast of America, Marine City suddenly finds its gasoline supplies inexplicably drying up. The strange occurrence naturally attracts the attention of the Autobots, and Star Saber, suspecting Decepticon involvement, dispatches the Brainmasters to investigate. Examining gasoline tanks across the city, they find that they been punctured and drained from beneath. A dog's barking leads Blacker to catch Drillhorn and Jarugar in the act, but after a brief pursuit, the Decepticons flee.

Meanwhile, to try and resolve the fuel crisis, Marine City's Mayor Burns requests a shipment of gasoline from a neighboring state, which is delivered in the tanker "Big Baron"... just as the Decepticons have planned. Drillhorn contacts the mayor's office, warning him that if the Big Baron is not left to their tender mercies once it has docked, Marine City will be blown up. The mayor wastes no time in alerting the Autobots to this new development, and as he talks with Star Saber, Blacker radios in a report – he and the Brainmasters have had a scuffle with the Dinoforce, and have learned that the villains have planted a neutron bomb somewhere in Marine City. Aware of the potential for disaster, Star Saber directs the mayor to evacuate the city, and heads out to the scene himself.

Star Saber meets up with the Brainmasters at Marine City, and they begin their search for the neutron bomb, but despite combing the city all night, they turn up nothing. As dawn breaks and the Big Baron arrives, the Autobots can do nothing but watch as the Breastforce arrive to take control of the tanker, and the Thunder Arrow emerges from beneath the ocean to draw the tanker inside itself. Blacker quietly swims over to the tanker to investigate, where he finds Leozack gloating and showing off the remote detonator for the neutron bomb to the human crew, telling them that it's been hidden at the top of the city's "Marine Tower." Blacker radios his discovery to his fellow Autobots, but the Decepticons have planned for this eventuality and the Dinoforce are waiting to attack them as they head for Marine Tower. While Braver flies the V-Star to the top of the tower to deal with the bomb, Blacker, Laster and Saber battle with Dinoking, even as the tanker is steadily swallowed by the Thunder Arrow. With time running out, Saber summons the V-Star and breaks off to save the tanker, but Leozack forces him to hold back by threatening to detonate the neutron bomb. Saber almost manages to steal away the detonator, but the Breastforce's Breast Animals reclaim it, and Saber continues to draw out the battle while the V-Star attacks from below, successfully knocking out the tractor beams the Thunder Arrow is using to draw in the tanker. Deathsaurus pulls the Thunder Arrow out, but Leozack has a parting gift for Star Saber, and activates the detonator... only for nothing to happen. Furiously, Leozack hits the button over and over again, and the remote blows up in his faceBraver has successfully disassemble the bomb and saved Marine City. The singed Leozack makes good his escape, hot on the heels of Dinoking, who has been blinded and bested by the other Brainmasters.

After the battle, sunset, Autobots regroup, burning rage in their hearts, etc. You know how it goes by now.

Stats
Written by:  Toyohiro Ando

Original airdate: 13th June 1989

Featured Characters
(Numbers indicate order of appearance.)

Animation and/or technical glitches

 * After Drillhorn hangs up on him, the mayor has six fingers on the hand holding the phone.
 * When Star Saber imagines the potential destruction the neutron bomb may cause, some footage of an exploding city is recycled from the opening credits.

Miscellaneous trivia

 * Despite the fact that the previous episode featured a subplot about some of the Autobots escorting an oil tanker, this episode's tanker-centric plot has nothing to do with it.