Episode Review: TF Prime Ep29: Orion Pax Part 3
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Another thoroughly enjoyable episode and an epic conclusion to the Orion Pax saga!
Thoughts:
* In terms of lighting/colouring this has been one very dark story arc - switching between Cybertron, the space-bridge cavern, inside the Decepticon ship and inside the Autobot base. In fact, the Autobot base and Cybertron (surface) are most well-lit sets, but still feels cold.
* The Insecticon's alt mode resembles a rhinoceros beetle (although looks alien enough not to be one) - reminiscent of G1 Insecticons Bombshell and Barrage. :)
* The story set up a good premise for separating Jack from Arcee and forcing Jack to proceed on his own; also having him enter the darkness alone. This is a visual thematic keynote to Jack's next great leap as the story's protagonist as he is taking a great leap into the unknown, cold, dark void. But yet it is a step that the hero must take. It's visually reminiscent of when Luke entered the cave on Dagobah, only then Yoda told Luke that despite the cave's scary look/feeling that it was relatively safe (i.e. he didn't need to bring his weapons). But there is no such reprieve for Jack here - he is entering the Cybertronian underground not knowing what to expect. This unknown creates a sense of fear and dread for Jack and the audience
* Again, I really like how this show gets the audience to connect with the protagonist, as all good stories should! And it's a human protagonist too - and historically humans haven't been done well in Transformers. They're either useless and interfering (like Miko) or they take up the limelight and the Autobots end up being accessories to them and we stop caring about them (like Sam Witwicky). But here I find that I continue to care about the Autobots as well as Jack. When I saw Arcee battle the Insecticon to give Jack time to get to Vector Sigma, there was a real sense of danger for her. She was essentially sacrificing herself to buy time for Jack -- Jack was more indispensable than she was because only he could activate the Key to Vector Sigma. And when Megatron came to the Space Bridge and Ratchet ordered the Autobots to hold the Bridge at all costs, it gave me that tingly feeling and a part of me went "YEAH!!" -- I personally felt more emotionally invested in all those characters than say half of the Autobots in ROTF or DOTM. (-_-)
* Megatron's desperation shows as he's forced to use threats of violence to elicit Orion Pax's compliance. It was also interesting seeing Orion Pax and Megatron playing a kind of "chess" game trying to outmanoeuvre each other -- Orion attempting to hide his secret research, Megatron showing that he's been monitoring his every move, Orion deleting his findings, Megatron having backed up all of this work... kinda reminds me of Beast Wars Megatron (a little bit) insofar that Megatron is using guile and cunning against his enemy and not just brute force. Of course, this Megatron's guile is nothing compared to BW Megatron (who had secret plans woven within secret plans -- keeping his true agenda hidden from friends and foe alike). So while this Megatron isn't anywhere near as sophisticated a villain as BW Megatron, it is still neat to see an antagonist who uses more than just his fists and fusion cannon as a weapon against his opponent.
* Bulkhead's line of [i]"Why does it have to be Scraplets?!" is reminiscent of Indiana Jones' line ("Why does it have to be snakes?!") in Raiders of the Lost Ark. Interesting follow up from last episode's recreation of Han Solo's scene at the Death Star Detention Block with Agent Fowler -- so that's two consecutive episodes referencing characters played by Harrison Ford in films directed by George Lucas! :eek:
* The music score in this episode and Transformers Prime as a whole is bloody awesome! I hope future TF series will consider using orchestral scores for background music (though not necessarily always for the opening/ending theme songs). The music really helps to carry and pace the emotions of the story (as it should). Where can I buy the CD??
* The rings around Vector Sigma kinda remind me of the way it looked in Beast Machines. And the main orb inside is multi-faceted like G1 Vector Sigma (as can be seen through the Scraplets' POV).
* Interesting to see that the Scraplets do need to feed off living metal -- this would explain why they haven't devoured Cybertron and also why they didn't chew through Jack's suit. Wait... so does that mean that the Vector Sigma interface is living metal?? (o_O) Or perhaps it was because it was being infused with Vector Sigma energies that made it palatable to the Scraplets -- although once Jack introduced them to the living Insecticon the Scraplets quickly forgot about the Vector Sigma interface. I guess they're kinda like Vampires and eating a live robot is like feasting off warm fresh blood whereas a machine being imbued with Cybertronian energy is like synthetic blood? <shrug> <---there's a question to peg at writers for anyone going to BotCon. ;) :p
* Seeing Megatron's massive statue at Kaon was cool. Also Arcee explaining how Kaon was originally an Autobot city that was conquered by the Decepticons. This is a subtle but neat nod to G1 (re: expansion of Decepticon empire via conquest of Autobot City-States).
* Interestingly enough Optimus Prime has no memory of his recent stint as Orion Pax... this of course gives the Decepticons an advantage as he won't remember Project Iacon or any of the findings that he made. So it's interesting to see that the Decepticons didn't walk away from this completely empty handed either.
* Agent Fowler and June Darby seem to be exchanging friendly glances. A romance in the works? <shrug>
* So far Miko's been relegated to being stuck back at Autobot HQ ... so thankfully she hasn't been her usual annoying Jar Jar Binks-like self. I hope that they either continue to do this throughout the rest of the show, or make her grow up and be less useless/interfering! The use of Jack in this 3 parter is, IMO, how one should use human sidekicks in Transformers. Miko has been the example of how humans should NOT be used...
* I've been enjoying the more mature writing in these last 3 eps and I hope they keep it up for the rest of the season.
