Season 2 discussion

[Darth Krande]

I don't think we'd need topics for each episode, but the season deserves a thread, at least.

I just finished watching Flying mind, because it was frowned upon so much for ruining yet another brilliant idea. It wasn't that bad! OK, not what had been hinted before, no Trypticon, but at least a new antagonist who generously kicked Megatron in the aft. I will slowly get to like this scrapheap Megs, he's too cute to hate. But it's a shame that human characters are more interesting than the Cybertronians.

And Jack spared Megatron's life the second time. Perhaps he even saved him, this time. Don't you think?

[Darth Krande]

From the aforementioned episode:
http://www.kephost.com/images4/2012/5/6/jfgly2sm0b51fykjb171.png

[Ha-Hee Prime]

I think this guy (http://mrcappy.deviantart.com/art/Megataunt-Orion-Pranx-306324510) has encapsulated a lot of what I've been feeling about this second season in his (always epic) artist's comments.

While I'm here, I wish to say that Ratchet holding a struggling Laserbeak down while he uploaded the virus gave me the MAJOR HEEBIE-JEEBIES.

I still love this show. I love it hard. But I'm feeling a little let down by it lately. Bring the Hunt for the Minicons-- er, Hunt for the lost Relics of Cybertron -- to some interesting conclusion before I really blow a gasket, please.

[Darth Krande]

Thanks for the link, Ha-Hee. Maybe my only problem with the series is that I'm still comparing it to Animated. And... welll.... even relic-hunting could turn interesting, a certain Indiana Jones proved that already.

[Ha-Hee Prime]

Random thought:
I think it's cool to see the Insecticons be as uber as they could/perhaps should have been in G1. I mean, they had epic abilities then. Now they're just badaft fighters that can almost take down Megatron or Bulky. But still. Nice to see them be badaft in some way. It lets there be a point to them.

And now...
Spoilers for Toxicity, but I assume everyone's seen it by now.



---------------------------------------------

Just to put it out there:
If Bulkhead dies, I am gonna be a VERY SAD PRIME.
Not to mention Eve, who identifies herself as Bulk.

Whattya think? Is he the next Cliffjumper? Y/N?

[Ha-Hee Prime]

THIS IS SUCH A GOOD SHOWWW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The last few eps have been just flat-out stupendous. They have really kicked everything up a notch: animation, camera direction, character development, storytelling.

HOO-AH!!!

Bulkhead's arc. We must love him hard now.<3<3<3!!
Cliffjumper flashback from the comics!!!!!:D
A "newbie" guy.

I have a reflexive resentment against the various colors of Kryptonite-- er, Energon that they're introducing, but hey, they always win me over. I mean, if [Starscream can get superspeed] I'm all for it! That's CANON!! ;)

Also: MOAR HISTORY!! [Alpha Blinking Trion!!] And most importantly, a start in tying together all these things falling out of the sky. At last it feels like more than just another Minicon hunt. HOORAY.

[Ha-Hee Prime]

Ah-hahahahahahahahaaaa!!!!!!!!! <--Wild maniacal Prime laughter

Spoilers in white below. Oh, so many lots of spoilers!

I HAZ A WoW-outsized SWORD OF POWAH!!!
SO MUCH POWAH!!
Megatron made the FACE OF INFINITE TERROR!! Hee hee!
(He said the Darkest Hour line! :D:D)
I AM SO DOM RIGHT NOW! TAKE THAT, FANFIC WRITERS!!!
(I always get a high on being ultra dom. Even though I should be above such petty things. It's just that it happens so seldom!)
SO AWESOME FINALLY SCARING THE CRAP OUTTA MEGATRON!! We Autobots NEVER get to be in a position to win, because it kills the story. In fact, I'm sure something is gonna go down to slag everything up the next few eps. Because that's just what story demands. We've always got to be the underdog. BUT JUST THIS ONCE LET ME REVEL IN BEING TOP DOG! ROWLF!!!

Also, the "We must never lose sight of the fact that, on this planet, we are titans." line. OMP SO SPINE-TINGLIN'!



As a Certain Someone I know well once said (and oh how I love flinging it back in his pointy face) HERE WE ARE. FIGHT US NOW.

Pardon me while I indulge in a long fit of self-centered glee. HOO-AH!!!!!

[Ha-Hee Prime]

Also loving the continuation of the Jack-is-Optimus arc:
Jack's always been the quiet, responsible one, but lately he's met This Friend who's kind of an Outlaw, and they're getting into trouble together...

[Ha-Hee Prime]

Spoilers for Alpha Omega:

Dang it, Megatron! You broke my bloitting sword! I liked having that thing! And Ratchet had just crafted me a nifty back-harness for it, too! razzafrazzin blit!

The Oh-So-Awkward Part: I lol'd HARD. They HAVE to do these things on purpose, don't they? I mean, this CAN'T all just be us being polluted..... can it? (Right?????????)

Still not down with the Covenant of Primus as scribbling crystal ball. Never will be. NEVAR. The Covenant is a book of scripture that exists for Simon Furman to come up with quotes from.

But A3 was voiced by George Takei, so I had glee there.

Liked the reveal that all these sparkly objects were actually put here on Earth on purpose. Makes it plausible and stuff.

Bloitting Megatron! I'm spoiled by the DOTM Megs -- especially the book one. He's all about fixing up Cybertron. So my first impulse was to just say, "Hey Megs, how's about we get these Keys and go fix up our planet?" But no. TFP Megs is BLINKING INSANE. (I did like what I said about his being a prisoner of his own obsessions.) But it means there is no working with him. Fragger.
Broke my nifty sword!
Grrrr.
And I was so quietly awesome, while Smokescreen was all "Yay, I haz kewl wepon nao1" -- I just got back to work decoding.
Because that's what I slagging-well do.
I am a blinking Good Prime!

Broke my nifty WoW sword. Grumble-mutter.....

[Darth Krande]

Looks like we'll have to send you a new one.....

[Coraxonyx]

Actually, Boss, I found that "back to work" moment unutterably sad. 'Cause the sword in itself was cool, but I think Prime knows that it's ultimately just a tool, but when we think of all the things it represented to the team (contact with A3, a possible end to the war, return to Cybertron [with oil baths en suite]) for it to get busted in its first real outing had to have been totally disheartening.

And Prime's not allowed to show that he feels any of it. His disappointment is ALWAYS verbalized by another member to the team (usually Arcee or Bulkhead). I feel like this incarnation of Prime is so tightly controlled, and feels so personally responsible for everything that happens that I fear a bit for his sanity. No one should be expected to be that strong. I hope the writers figure this out eventually. We all revere the big guy, but he is allowed to have feelings.

[Ha-Hee Prime]

The moment I watched that part, Cor, I knew you would get it. It was very, very sad, wasn't it? Actually, I-Prime was like, "I need a Corax hug RIGHT NOW!! *wah!*" So your post kind of healed my widdle Prime-heart. Because you always KNOW.

I also fear that this version of Prime is wound up too tight to sustain without damage.

All TF Universes Must Contain A Coraxonyx for the Prime! This I Declare in Words of Soberness!

Can't I at least have my Elita?????????

[Coraxonyx]

Aww gawrsh Boss, thanks. And yeah, I was kinda hoping that Jack would serve the role of understanding-but-unabashed Prime fanboy, but he seems to be more of a Orion/Optimus human exemplar than a Spike-esque friend and confidant.

[Chromia]

Am I the only one who has seen the new episode?

Sheesh, you guys need to get your act together or you're NEVER gonna know just how much you could dip Smokescreen in orange paint and call him Hot Rod...

I'm resisting the urge to hate him for real. But have decided to hate him for fun and profit. Because the guy is RIDICULOUS! I've been watching Armada, and it's like the balled Rad and Hot Shot up in a pressure cooker, added some giant 38's, and used THAT GUY to introduce the new improved Transformers Prime now with 20% more Armada! You want Star Saber? You want Cyber Omega Planet Keys? You want over enthusiastic young ripper snapper, altenating between sucking up and being a tool?

YAY!!!!

[Darth Krande]

Ugh, that sounds like a negative review.

[Coraxonyx]

I told the Woobs, "Harry's the last Horcrux!"

[Chromia]

Ugh, that sounds like a negative review.

Not so much a negative review overall. It's a good episode, but there have been a few things cropping up more and more lately that are keeping the show from reaching the full potential of awesomesauce. There's still a lot to love, and they are still WAY watchable.

One is the overabunance of MacGuffins, that come and go for one episode. It's not so much that they come and go, but that it takes away from the impact of each one when ANOTHER massively powerful relic of the ancients shows up, is used, and then destroyed.

The other thing is the writers really getting lazy with the scripting. Characters are starting to repeat themselves in a way that ISN'T a character speaking according to his idiom, and instead is a Furmanesque repeating of stock phrases that give the feeling of Deja Vu, and sometimes having different character speak in the same idiom. Attacking this weeks problem in the exact same way an early problem was attacked.

"If <Insert> then it stands to reason that <insert>?"
"We'll need a more <insert> means of <Insert>ing <Insert>"

This is a problem that ANY writer can fall into, but with a show that's only 20 odd minutes anyway, with even less time spent on dialogue, it's something the writers need to become more aware of.

[Ha-Hee Prime]

*Snort* ["Destiny's Child"]
He's really trying to annoy me, but with everyone else getting annoyed for me (thank you, Arcee) I just can't stay too mad at the kid for long. And he does inject some needed silliness into Team Prime.

[Coraxonyx]

Barbaric yawp!

Only Starscream could get an actual barbaric yawp. And I love how conciliatory Ratchet gets. He's such a mom.

This one had such great moments. Go Bob Skir! http://tfwiki.net/wiki/Bob_Skir

[Ha-Hee Prime]

...

And I was so glad to have Starscream back again, there, for a moment or two! i hadn't realized how much I'd been missing his particular brand of scheminess.
And then he pulled that fast one on all of us. <-- see what I did thar?

In other news, Ky was even madder than I was about the sword. She was ticked that an aluminum foil (OK DARK aluminum foil) sword that Megs made "in cave with a box of scraps" could pwn an ancient, crafted, mystical sword of truth, justice, and the Cybertronian way. She has a point. The only reason I can come up with is that the Sword of Truth was probably not made to stand up against Dark Energon specifically, just to be uber in general.
Sigh.

Fragging Starscream.
That yell shocked us all, watching.
The Good Guys can never catch a break.
And Starscream NEVER LEARNS. [ Whaddya think ol' Meggie's gonna do for you, eh? Nuthin' nice. ]

Still actually kinds holding out hope for that fabled team-change that was rumored a while ago. But it's soooooooo wonky and unstable a proposition.

And! Has anyone seen the previews for Season 3? Was that for real, that Beast Hunter stuf?????????
I am...... uncertain about this concept. I only hope it doesn't literally jump the shark.

[Coraxonyx]

Oooh, I'm down for Beast Hunters if it gets me Sky Byte. Unlikely, I know, but Insecticons have been interesting so I hold out hope.

And the previews for next week look GLORIOUS. There's a mental interrogation that apparently involves a song and dance number. Why do the Decepticons get to have all the fun?

[Ha-Hee Prime]

The following will be shouts and hollering regarding the episode "Regeneration." Spoilers abound. You have been warned. And trust me, you do NOT want to be spoiled for this.

*ahem*

Watched it yesterday. Had to pause it at a Certain Part and hyperventilate a bit. Direct quote: "Hang on, guys, I just need to stop and take things in for a sec..." *breathes. seeks calm. fails. gestures wildly at screen* "Blinking Megatron!! WHY DID YOU CHOOSE STARSCREAM????? AAARRGH!!!"

I did quite a lot of shouting at Megatron over the course of the afternoon. My longsuffering sister and her new little hubby had to put up with me greeting them as they pulled up with, "I am SO MAD at Megatron right now!! *slam fist on car's windowsill*"

Things I am mad at:
1. The Obvious.
1a. Seriously. He KNOWS Starscream is a backstabbing glitch. And he [MFGGURGLE] instead?!?!? I guess I understand it. He gets along better on a subconscious level with someone who's more like him. But still. It took me a long time to even come up with that plausible a reason for the choice he made.
2. The whole time Smokescreen was Workin' His Magic with the MacGuffin Of Doom, I was screaming "NONONONONO!!!" at the computer screen. OI hate the "No matter the cost" thing, because lately, it seems to mean, "No matter if it turns us away from being Autobots." I know Steves are supposed to be mere cannon-fodder. They're supposed to be like drones. But they show much more self-determinance than drones should. I can't help but see them as people. Redshirts, but people nonetheless. I hate that in this situation we became no better than Decepticons. They kidnapped three people we care about. We offed an army of their guys with a heinous WMD.

I hate war.
If you haven't noticed that yet.

Gotta run now -- choir practice. (As G1 Megs would say, "Irony!")

Love to all.
Prime out.

[Ha-Hee Prime]

Reason I will never get along with TFP Megs the way I do with Origin Megs:
TFP Megs WILLINGLY turns himself into TFTM86 Galvatron. He chooses to be slightly unstable. And I just can't work with that.

Double Post is GO!

[Darth Krande]

TFP Megs is the contrast to Transformation Megs. One of them is SILLY.

[Ha-Hee Prime]

Just watched Patch and Regeneration with Ky, who I realized would be Even Madder Than I Was about A Certain Part.
She was. (She came very, very close to naming herself Dreadwing, because she really admires him.)
We paused it, and she asked if she could swear. I participated vicariously. For I must admit that I pretty much agree:
Eff Megatron.

[Darth Krande]

We paused it, and she asked if she could swear. I participated vicariously.

:D Prime!!!! You win the Internet!

[Ha-Hee Prime]

GEEWUNRAEGRUINEDFOREVER.

That is all.

I'll post more when I can find words other than "I fail."

Actually...

[spoilers, and stuff]












Never mind. There ARE no other words. I failed my people. I failed everyone. I FAILED HARD.

Last week, it was "Frag Megatron" for offing Dreadwing.

This week it is "Frag me," for being an utter failure. Don'tcha think that if we'd taken a split second to plan, we mighta been able to think of a way of rescuing the kids and keeping the keys? But nooooooooooo. It was all, "OK. All of our civilization in exchange for three humans. Sounds fair."



Also: Why must I always "solve" problems by destroying something precious?????????

We needed that.



And no, I'm not worried about being dead. I weren't gray. Besides, I don't think they'd try that. It's been done to death by now. *headdesk* No, I did not mean that horrible pun. It was an accident.

[Darth Krande]

*the quintesson is now laughing HARD*
OK I must see this.
*tries to get a youtube link*


The last but one episode is an insult to the Decepticon cause. And I'm not saying this because I have the DJD in my back.
The last episode was an insult to the Autobot cause. How to loose everything when you have advantage.


Comment from the Hungarian forum. Did anyone notice that, by cyberforming Earth, whom Megatron was actually trying to revive? Unicron. Talk about Optimus having lost his memory a season ago.

[Darth Krande]

The more I think about it, the more I feel that our otherwise deeply loved librarian should have stolen Megatron's line from the DotM book. "I am tired of fighting. Even endless war must end sometime. Our world calls... I have spent too long destroying, and it has brought me nothing. So I wish to try creating for a time and see if that brings me... something." This very quote was in your signature, Prime, only a few weeks ago.
And everyone could have been happy!

[Rotorhead]

so after several epic battles with the dvr that only wanted to save 5 random episodes at any one time. i gave in an bought the dvd's of seasons one and two, the season one was limited edition and came with a comic from before the start of the series. apparently cliff jumper was a huger and arcee... isn't. it's pretty cool, it make me like cliffy, and sad because the one where he dies is one of the few episodes i'v seen.
Still, I FINIALY GET TO WATCH this show with out having to hunt through the Internets or get mad at the dvr.