Homecoming (episode)
From Transformers Wiki
| The name or term "Homecoming" refers to more than one character or idea. For a list of other meanings, see Homecoming (disambiguation). |
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| "Homecoming" (Cybertron Daishūketsu) "Great Cybertron Gathering" | |||||||||
| Production company | TV Aichi, We've, Tōkyū Agency | ||||||||
| Airdate | December 10, 2005 (Japanese) September 26, 2006 (English) | ||||||||
| Writer | Kazuhiko Sōma | ||||||||
| Director | Hiroaki Kudō | ||||||||
| Animation studio | GONZO | ||||||||
| Continuity | Unicron Trilogy cartoon continuity | ||||||||
With the black hole causing chaos across the universe, it is time for the children of Primus to unite or be destroyed!
Contents |
Synopsis
Having returned to their home universe, the Autobots divide their forces to deal with the threats plaguing the universe. While the crews aboard the Atlantis and Lemuria head off to search for Galvatron and his forces, Optimus Prime's team board the Ogygia head to Cybertron to review the situation. And the situation is not good at all: Primus is running low on power thanks to his periodic attempts to keep the black hole in check, and the dark energies of the singularity are running amok across the universe, causing chaos on Earth, Velocitron and especially Jungle Planet. Evac and Jetfire head for Earth while Override returns to her homeworld, but as the Autobots survey the chaos on Jungle Planet, they are shocked to see tendrils of dark energy reach out of the black hole and drag the very planet through the space bridge that has so long lain open above it. In a flash, the Jungle Planet is next to Cybertron, at the mercy of the black hole...for little do the Autobots realize that the object of their search, Galvatron himself, is now within the black hole, using the power of the Omega Lock to control its evil energy.
Acting quickly, the Autobots connect a space bridge to Jungle Planet and begin evacuating the natives to the relative safety of Primus's body. Scourge, however, refuses to leave his homeworld, intending to "go down with the ship," as it were. Snarl accuses him of giving up on his people, and the two old friends begin to fight as Snarl tries to knock some sense into Scourge, even as the space bridge starts to malfunction. His own doubts plaguing him, Scourge loses the fight, and as he looks around at his followers, realizes the truth of his comrade's words. Addressing the Jungle Planet natives, Scourge tells them that while their planet may die, together, they can make sure its ideals live on: never give up without a fight! As the assembled Transformers cheer, Backstop congratulates Scourge for finally learning the lesson he has so long tried to teach him. Now truly the leader his planet deserves, Scourge suddenly finds himself enveloped with Primus's light, as do the other four planet leaders at their different locations in the galaxy. Seconds later, Leobreaker arrives with the Ogygia to help the evacuation, but the space bridge shuts down before Scourge, Snarl and Backstop can escape across it. Beneath their feet, the mountain atop which Scourge's temple rests begins to crumble, and they believe their world is coming to an end...but in truth, it is the fourth great starship, the Hyperborea, revealing itself!
On Earth, Jetfire and Evac, co-ordinated by Colonel Franklin and Lucy Suzuki, are doing a fairly good job of evacuating humans and minimizing damage, but it's an uphill battle, and they soon have to rope the civilian Autobots into action as well. As they work, however, they also observe the plight of Jungle Planet, which is soon drawn into the black hole itself. With this, Colonel Franklin decides that the threat must be taken out at the source, and Jetfire agrees, intending to return to Cybertron to retrieve the Omega Lock from Galvatron. Before joining him, Evac and Crosswise head for the North Pole, to once again liberate the Ancient Decepticons of Earth so they can lend a hand in the battle.
On Cybertron, the Autobots are alerted to the approach of Galvatron and the Decepticons, who have come to strike at Primus while he is at his weakest. While the Cybertron Defense Team hold off the other Decepticons, Optimus Prime and Wing Saber combine into Sonic Wing Mode, but even they are no match for an Omega Lock-powered Galvatron. Thankfully, just as Prime is staring down the barrel of Galvatron's cannon, the Autobots arrive—and we mean all of them! Through space bridges, aboard starships...Autobots from Earth, from Velocitron, from the Jungle Planet, from Gigantion, from all across the universe...all converge on Cybertron, leaving the Decepticons no option but retreat. The light of Primus shines down upon Optimus Prime, and the god announces that the time has come for all to be as one. In a burst of holy energy, Primus fuses the four starships into the magnificent Ark, and the united Autobots assemble upon the mighty craft's bow, vowing to defeat Galvatron and save the universe.
Featured characters
(Numbers indicate order of appearance.)
| Autobots | Decepticons | Humans | Others |
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Quotes
"The peace of one planet will become the peace over the universe. And the peace of the universe will become the peace over all universes. 'Til all are one."
- —Primus after Scourge has his epiphany
"Get hip to this, daddy-o. This universe doesn't belong to you. Stay cool, man. My friends and I may have done some things you consider bad, but we're here to help this time. See, we don't like anyone, Decepticons or Autobots, trying to take away our freedom. We cool? Can you dig it?"
"I know, I can barely understand him myself, but he's agreed to help."
"And it's a gas!"
- —Lugnutz joins the party, and with Evac providing translation
"Even that Sonic-burger mode is just a joke to him!"
- —Crumplezone talks smack about Sonic Wing Mode Optimus after the powered-up Autobot leader's failed attack on Galvatron.
"Gee, I hate to burst your bubble, sweetheart, so why don't I just bash your head in instead? Eat plasma, Autobrats!"
- —Thunderblast sweetly, but none-too-subtly, indicates her next move to Scattorshot.
Notes
Differences with Galaxy Force
- Galaxy Force includes a "previously on" segment that summarizes the events of "Guardian".
- In the scene where Thundercracker is boasting about how successful Galvatron has been thanks in part to his awesome assistance, in Cybertron, Ransack and Cumplezone tease him by saying that the extent of his help was "standing around" which prompts Thundercracker to angrily remind the duo that "that's master blaster Thundercracker you're talking to...ugh!" (Thunderblast shuts him up with a roundhouse kick to the torso.) In Galaxy Force, Thundercracker boasts specifically of his wonderous (exceedingly long-titled) hissatsu finishing moves which Ransack brushes off as nonsense since he always gets defeated immediately. Here, as Thundercracker blows his top, he starts powering up, announcing a said move—DBZ style-- "Super...Electric....." at which point Chromia (Thunderblast) instructs him to just STOP IT by doubling him over with her kick. The long-winded self-narration of his elaborate attacks has been a running gag with Thundercracker for much of the series. Seems that even his fellow Decepticons are a bit tired of it at this point.
- Snarl's speech to Scourge is much heavier on the "tough love" in Cybertron, as he accuses the planet leader of not just giving up on his people, but being a coward who would rather give up than fight. Without this extra insult, Scourge's rallying speech is also a little different, as he also vows not to give up in Cybertron, whereas in Galaxy Force, he basically just talks about how the ideals of Jungle Planet must live on.
Continuity notes
- The newsreader seen reporting on the chaos on Earth is the same one who was seen covering Starscream's invasion back in "Invasion" and "Retreat".
- It was only touched upon briefly at the time, but Crosswise re-sealed all the Ancient Decepticons in "Assault". Evidently, in the meantime, he has put them back in the large holding chamber in the North Pole previously seen in "Trap".
Animation errors
- When Galvatron blasts Optimus in the final battle scene, Prime is in Sonic Wing mode. When the rest of the Autobot forces arrive, he is suddenly in Super Mode with no indication of when he separated from Wing Saber. When Jetfire lifts him back onto to the deck of the Atlantis, he is back in regular robot mode. Perhaps the animators were getting as bored with the stock footage as the audience at this point?
- When Thunderblast activates her Cyber Key, there is an error as the pulse of the key is a Decepticon key, but the actual key shown is an Earth Key.
Transformers references
- Thunderblast refers to the Cybertron Defense Team as "Autobrats", an insult lifted from The Transformers: The Movie, in which it was used by Blitzwing to refer to Hot Rod.
- Speaking of the movie, Megatron quotes his namesake from the film when he aims his gun at the fallen Prime and declares: "I would have waited an eternity for this." This is the second time he's stolen the quote in Cybertron, having done so before back in "Trust", but this time around, it's even used in an identical scenario to the original.
- The Ark is, of course, named after the Autobot starship from Generation 1.
Real-world references
- As quoted above, Crumplezone calls Optimus's Sonic Wing mode "Sonic Burger" mode, a reference to the hamburger-selling Sonic Drive In restaurant fast food chain.
- As with the other starships, the Hyperborea is named after a "real" mythical lost land.
- In Galaxy Force, the Ark is named Noah, in an obvious Biblical reference.
Trivia
- Scattorshot's long blue rifle makes one of its exceedingly rare appearances in this episode.
Home video releases
- DVD
2006 — Transformers: Galaxy Force — Vol. 13 (Victor Entertainment) — Japanese audio only.
2008 — Transformers: Cybertron — The Ultimate Collection (Paramount)
2014 — Transformers: Cybertron — The Complete Series (Shout! Factory)
