Battle for Defense of the False Planet



The Decepticons' newest target is the energy-rich Twin Star planetary system, but before the Autobots can come to its defense, the Headmasters are going to have to settle their own arguments first!


 * English/Malay dub name: "The Attack on the Twin Planets"

Detailed synopsis
The Decepticons on Scorponok are on course for the Twin Star system, home of the diametrically-opposed planets Sperity and Toruin. Scorponok voices his opinion that time would be better spent contemplating Galvatron's "master plan," but Galvatron makes the point that they will require the vast energy of Sperity to complete it. Before long, Scorponok is in Sperity airspace and fending off attacks from the planet's defensive weaponry.

The Autobots on Battleship Maximus, meanwhile, are lagging behind their Decepticon quarry somewhat, and frayed tempers and the desire for a fight lead to an argument between Chromedome and Hardhead and the more relaxed Brainstorm, who claims that the two hotheads never think with their heads or consider strategy in their fights. The fight is interruped when the Twin Star system comes into view, and Fortress explains the nature of the Sperity and Toruin. Fortress instructs Arcee to take Wheelie and Daniel to the barren Toruin to keep them out of harm's way, and Brainstorm decides to accompany them, which Chromedome immediately interprets as cowardice.

Down on the surface of Sperity, Scorponok lands, and the Decepticons pour out, beginning their search for energy. Before long, the Autobots arrive and a battle begins, which is observed by the Speritan council, convincing them to arrange an evacuation of the planet. The Headmasters take the opportunity to try out their new "Triple Jump" technique, powering up by exchanging heads, and then launching Chromedome, attached to Hardhead's Transtector into the air to "Triple Master Kick" each of the Decepticon Headmasters.

Meanwhile, the Trainbots deposit Brainstorm, Daniel, Wheelie and Arcee on Toruin, and after a brief search, they find a cave to take refuge in. By and by, however, a srange little animal comes crawling by the cave mouth, which, on closer examination, appears to be a toy robot. They follow it to a tall rock, where they discover a young Speritan, and follow him down into the depths of the cave. There, behind a secret door, they discover a hidden city, to which all of the Speritans and their energy supplies have secretly been moved, via a cable tunnel connecting the planets.

As a result of this evacuation, Galvatron and the Decepicons have been unable to find any energy on Sperity, and Galvatron starts taking out his rage on Fortress when Brainstorm arrives with a message he has been given by the planet's security officer, Darthner. After a further argument with his fellow Headmasters, Brainstorm gets them to repeatedly exchange heads with him, transplanting his own head from Transtector to Transtector so that he can reach the other side of the battlefield and deliver the message to Fortress. Now aware of the Speritan government's plan for the planets, Fortress has the Autobots pull out as a siren sounds to signify the completion of the evacuation, at which point Soundblaster reports that he has discovered the energy at last - a puny stack of energon cubes that Galvatron kicks over in rage. Just then, the planet shudders as Toruin disconnects from the cable bridge and floats off into space. Unaware that the departing planet holds the energy he was seeking, infuriated that he has wasted so much time, and unwilling to be made a fool of any longer, Galvatron calls off the Decepticons and they leave.

On Toruin, the Autobots celebrate their victory, and Chromedome, Hardhead and Brainstorm make their peace before the team sets off in pursuit of the Decepticons once more.

Stats
Original airdate: 18th December 1987

Featured Characters
(Numbers indicate order of appearance.)

Animation and/or technical glitches

 * While Sixshot is navigating, Apeface's entire face, save for his visor, is colored purple.

Transformers references

 * This episode is the first to make reference to the "master plan" that Galvatron has for the energy that the Decepticons are gathering throughout this story arc. Precisely what the plan is will be revealed in "The Emperor of Destruction Vanishes on an Iceberg."
 * This episode features the return of the Headmasters' "Cross-Head On" technique, with a twist. Instead of directly swapping heads, the Headmasters first link hands in small robot modes to pool their energies before connecting to each others' Transtectors. The narrator explains that by entering this "Power Up Formation," they triple their own individual energies (presumably because there are three of them). In particular, this bit of terminology foreshadows the "Head Formation" technique used a little later into the series, and is a key maneuver in the final episode.

Miscellaneous trivia

 * This episode originally aired in Japan as part of a quadruple bill alongside "Find MegaZarak's Weak Spot!!", "Head Formation of Friendship" and "Mystery of the Space Pirate Ship" on December 18th.