Cybertron Is in Grave Danger, Part 2



The end looms for Cybertron as Scorponok's plan to secure power nears fruition...


 * English/Malay dub name: Crisis on Cyberton, Part 2 [sic]

Detailed synopsis
As Weirdwolf and Skullcruncher outfit Mindwipe with the bombs Scorponok has specially prepared, the Autobot Headmasters wonder why the villains broke off their fight so suddenly, and begin investigating. Eventually - as the battle continues to rage around them, with the Predacons, Trainbots, Protectobots and Combaticons clashing - Chromedome discovers the villains heading for an entrance to the planet's sub-levels, and summons the other Headmasters with his telepathic powers. Weirdwolf and Skullcruncher block their way as Mindwipe races through the tunnels, but Chromedome makes it through and pursues him through Cybertron's depths. The other Headmasters soon follow, but Mindwipe makes it to Vector Sigma's chamber and activates the bombs. The Autobot Headmasters are unable to remove the explosives, and are forced to flee to the surface to sound the alarm.

On the surface, Scorponok informs Galvatron that he has arrange for the planting of the bombs and the desruction of Cybertron, ostensibly to prevent the newly-created Cybertonuron from falling into Autobot hands. As Galvatron departs for Vector Sigma's chamber to stop Socpornok's plan, the Autobot Headmasters inform Rodimus of the situation, and he quickly and regretfully arranges for the evacuation of the planet. As the Autobots and Decepticons escape to safety, Galvatron enters Vector Sigma's chamber - just as the bombs go off and he is consumed in the fireball. The explosion devastates Cybertron utterly, reducing it to a charred, broken hunk floating in space.

Touching down on the ruined, uninhabitable surface of Cybertron, Rodimus Prime realises that the age of his generation of Transformers has come to an end. Vowing to find a new planet for the Transformers to live on, he appoints Fortress as the new Supreme Commander of the Autobots, and accepts Blurr and Kup's offer to accompany him. When Arcee moves to join them, he refuses, telling her to stay and take care of Wheelie and Daniel. Promising to return, Rodimus and his compaions depart for space.

Stats
Original airdate: 11th September 1987

Featured Characters
(Numbers indicate order of appearance.)

Animation and/or technical glitches

 * Several pieces of footage are reused from Four Warriors Come Out Of The Sky, including aerial dives by Vortex and Blast Off, Jazz returning fire, and a skirmish between Superion, Abominus and Devastator.

Transformers references

 * Previously hinted at in A Dream is Born, Double Convoy, the Headmasters' telepathic powers are properly explained in this episode (albeit by the narrator) as an ability they developed on planet Master.
 * Galvatron is not out of commission for too long - although he is missing for several episodes, he returns in Return of the Immortal Emperor.
 * Despite his promise, Rodimus Prime did not return in the course of the Headmasters anime. He did, however, come back from his journey in the final chapter of the manga.

Miscellanious trivia

 * The destruction of Cybertron is probably the singlemost famous event from the Headmasters anime, and is well-known even among those fans who have not seen the series themselves. It was, however, rebuilt during the Japanese Generation 2 storyline, so don't do crying about how the Beast Era can't possibly be in Japanese continuity or anything like that.
 * On occasion, people wonder why Rodimus did not give Fortress the Matrix when he made him leader. Well, for no real reason, that's just not really how things work in Japan - there are fewer Supreme Commanders who have held the Matrix than there are those who haven't.