Child's Play (episode)

The Transformers find themselves on an alien planet where they're no bigger than toys to the inhabitants!


 * Japanese title: "Children Play"

Summary
At a baseball stadium on Earth, the Decepticons are setting up a space bridge, over the objections of the humans. Megatron decides to let his troops have some fun: Thrust fires baseballs at people from his cannons, Soundwave and Skywarp play catch (using a human), Ravage chases a player around the field, and Starscream starts grabbing people in jet mode. The unwholesome family fun is ended when the Autobots arrive. As Optimus Prime and the Autobots attack, Perceptor tries to run a scan on the space bridge, but Megatron shoots the controls. However, Optimus Prime, Perceptor, Bumblebee, Inferno, Smokescreen, Soundwave, Ravage, Thrust, and Starscream are within the space bridge's confines at the time, and they are sucked into a portal along with the energon cubes. As Megatron laments the loss of the energon (and fails to notice the bright side of Optimus and Starscream probably being dead), the space bridge self-destructs. Ironhide leads the remaining Autobots back to the base, hoping that Teletraan I can figure out where the others were sent.

Meanwhile, the lost Transformers awaken to find themselves somewhere else. All of a sudden, a large sphere lands atop Starscream. Then a monster attacks, chasing Soundwave. Thrust tries to fly away, but lands in a body of water. Also, Ravage is caught by some plant life. Convinced the Decepticons are no longer a threat, Optimus has the Autobots load the energon into his trailer, and they roll out. They find a building made of relatively poor materials, only to discover something quite shocking: They're in the bedroom of gargantuan alien child.

The boy, Aron, places Starscream, Soundwave, Ravage, and Thrust in a small bowl, while Nitro (his pet and the creature that was chasing Soundwave) smells the Autobots. As Aron tells him to stop, the Decepticons escape. Thrust is tied down with a piece of string, Ravage is chased down like a mouse and locked in small cage with a rodent-like pet to run on a wheel (how embarrassing), and Soundwave is locked in a toy box. Starscream manages to hide in the small toy building and sees the Autobots. Naturally, Screamer fires his null-ray at the energon, causing a fire. Starscream is quickly recaptured, and Inferno douses the fire. Optimus introduces the Autobots to Aron, when the boy's parents arrive. Hiding the Autobots in a desk drawer, Aron shows the Decepticons to his parents. However, Aron is also compelled to show the Autobots.

The Transformers are taken to a lab, where scientists intend to dissect them (starting with the Decepticons). However, Aron steals the Autobots away, with the authorities in pursuit. Aron hides behind a trash can, dodging his pursuers, but a local bully named Marty comes along. The Autobots hide within a trashcan, and Marty wanders off. Meanwhile, Ravage has picked his locks and frees the other Decepticons. Aron is still being chased by the authorities, so he intends to hide the Autobots at his house. However, Optimus tells Aron that they have to return to Earth, a planet far from this one. Aron wonders if he could see it through his telescope, and Perceptor happens upon an idea. However, Soundwave has overheard them. The authorities spot Aron, so the Autobots decide to escape by traveling to Aron's house through the sewers. The Decepticons see the Autobots and follow them below. As the two groups fight it out within the sewer, a wave comes along. (Let's not ponder what the wave is made of.) The Decepticons hightail it out, while the Autobots ride the wave in a teacup. Escaping out through a drainage pipe, the Autobots head to Aron's house.

Using Nitro as a way into Aron's room, Perceptor explains that they can use the energon, along with modifications to his light cannon, to propel them to Earth through the telescope. Once he's ready, however, the Decepticons arrive and grab Bumblebee. Starscream orders Optimus to let them pass, and just as the Autobot leader is prepared to let them go, Nitro pounces, freeing Bumblebee but allowing the Decepticons to escape back to Earth...and land right in a lake filled with alligators.

Back on...whatever Aron's planet is called, Aron suggests using his toy rocket ship to go home. Perceptor is able to modify it for interstellar transport, and the Autobots depart, with Optimus telling Aron that whenever he looks into the sky, he'll be seeing them.

Stats
Original airdate: November 7, 1985

Production number: 700-43

Written by: Beth Bornstein

Featured Characters
(''Numbers indicate order of appearance.)

Notable quotes
"Skywarp, think fast!"
 * —Soundwave playing catch with Skywarp...using a human.

"Strike three, Megatron. You're out."
 * —Optimus Prime, umpire.

Smokescreen: "A rocket ship!" Inferno: "A toy rocket ship." Perceptor "Well, anything's worth a try. With some modifications to the propulsion core&mdash;" Optimus: "Perceptor, just do it."
 * -- Smokescreen and Inferno debate the rocket's effectiveness as Perceptor exhausts Optimus Prime's patience.

Animation and/or technical glitches

 * When Skywarp flies up to catch the human Soundwave just threw, he is colored like Starscream.
 * Starscream also demonstrates his magical color-switching abilities several times during scenes taking place on that alien planet.
 * In the sewer scene, there is at least one shot where the water has not been animated around the characters, thus making them look like half-robots floating in midair.
 * When Aron removes the energon cubes from his drawer, his full body is shown, but then his body except for the arm holding the energon disappears.
 * In the shot that follows, the animation cells are totally messed up. The Autobots in Aron's hand also seem to be appearing from nowhere, as they were not to be seen at the beginning of the shot.
 * When the Autobots are about to get into Aron's toy rocket, the animation cells are apparently shifted upward, as Bumblebee and the cat creature appear to be attached to the ship at the waist.

Continuity errors

 * References

Transformers references

 * References

Real-world references

 * References

Miscellaneous trivia

 * Optimus forgets to name Smokescreen when he introduces the Autobots to Aron. Smokescreen doesn't seem to mind.
 * When the Decepticons are flying through the air, Ravage is shown to be "running" next to them. So cute.
 * If Transformers as large as Optimus Prime and the Seekers can fit in the palm of Aron's hand, lets not speculate on how tiny a human would be.

Keywords
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