Episode Review - 110 Transformers Prime - Deus Ex Machina

[Fonecrusher]

Part 1
Part 2

Overall, I really enjoyed this episode. IMO probably the best episode so far.

• Great battles
• breakdown and knock out
• good story
• new decepticons didn't die
• I love lord starscream.

I would have to agree with your assessment, we finally got new Decepticons who were cool, kicked ass AND survived, I'm in shock!

I can easily see this duo becoming some of my favourite characters if they stick around for a bit, they make a good pair, Knockout the brains and Breakdown the brawn. Knockout seems to have been really well received by the fandom considering he practically came out of the blue, but I really liked Breakdown even though he didn't have that much dialogue. His colours were a nice G1 tribute and finally it looks like the Cons got a strongman who ain't afraid to get his hands dirty, his alt mode rocked too, very Mad Max-esque.

[primatives]

i really dont like how prime talks, so tryhardish to be wise??? i like the breakdown resemblance to the G1 character, like the face colour

[kup]

I would have to agree with your assessment, we finally got new Decepticons who were cool, kicked ass AND survived, I'm in shock!

I can easily see this duo becoming some of my favourite characters if they stick around for a bit, they make a good pair, Knockout the brains and Breakdown the brawn. Knockout seems to have been really well received by the fandom considering he practically came out of the blue, but I really liked Breakdown even though he didn't have that much dialogue. His colours were a nice G1 tribute and finally it looks like the Cons got a strongman who ain't afraid to get his hands dirty, his alt mode rocked too, very Mad Max-esque.

Knockout seems to have more personality than the entire cast so far.

[5FDP]

I think I've figured out why I dislike Transformers Prime - Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci. Aside from the Star Trek movie, everything they touch turns to shit. For this very reason I have high hopes for DOTM.

I guess you can conclude what I thought of this episode without me going into further detail.

[kaiden]

I thought the episode was really badly written which has become the norm but the designs translating into toys fascinate me.

[Tetsuwan Convoy]

I really dug Knockout. A nice vain Decepticone. The contempt that Starscream showed to a fellow decepticon because he chose a car mode was interesting.

I notice that Bulkhead is by far the most characterised Autobot. Makes a nice change from Bumblebee.

Enjoyable episode.

[kup]

I think I've figured out why I dislike Transformers Prime - Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci. Aside from the Star Trek movie, everything they touch turns to shit. For this very reason I have high hopes for DOTM.

Generally speaking, I agree with you. Their writing is usually very flat and uninspired. They seem to lack creative vision or drive and appear to just write what they think would please the audience or their masters.

As a result, Transformers Prime has largely fallen flat for me as technically it's not bad but it is pretty 'meh' as in nothing special. Kind of like somebody who is just there to do his job, get paid and go home, that's it.

Despite what they say, they also seem to have a very passing understanding of Transformers kind of like when you meet somebody and they say 'Yeah I used to love Transformers when I was a kid, do you remember the tape guy?' This to me explains why Orci's Prime completely lacks personality and is just a classic quote vending machine who speaks slowly as if he is reading a speech.

Overall, I enjoyed this episode but I am under no illusion that this will be the norm as like many things that Orci and Kurtzman do, it's always hit & miss with the latter being more common.

[Fonecrusher]

Honestly besides the pilot mini-series, so far TFPrime has just seemed like a glorified, better looking G1 cartoon. It seems to be wandering from episode to episode with these kinda pointless kids adventures, with no over arching-plot (besides Megatron recovering). But I don't necessarily have a problem with that as I loved the G1 cartoon regardless. And I certainly prefer Prime so far, to ROTF at least.

[GoktimusPrime]

I quite liked this ep.

I really dug Knockout.

I didn't listen to Starscream mention his name in the beginning of the ep, so the whole time I thought he was meant to be Dead End... and I was thinking it was interesting how his personality seemed quite the opposite of G1 Dead End (he's confident whereas Dead End's a defeatist). It wasn't until the credits rolled that I realised he was called Knock Out and realised that he's nothing at all like G1 Knock Out. Yeah yeah, I know this isn't G1, but you'd think they'd at least try to make them look similar to their G1 counterparts. <shrug> I'm sure it's my G1 bias that's kicking in here and most kids wouldn't give a hoot.

A nice vain Decepticone. The contempt that Starscream showed to a fellow decepticon because he chose a car mode was interesting.

Makes sense to me. Flight modes offer air superiority. But having said that, having ground forces is important too. Helps to take out anti-air capabilities and when your enemies have considerable ground capabilities, at some point you're going to need to fight them on the ground. Although tactically you'd try your best to scorch them from the skies first.

I notice that Bulkhead is by far the most characterised Autobot. Makes a nice change from Bumblebee.

*nods* It's good to see as I felt Animated Bulkhead wasn't characterised enough.

Despite what they say, they also seem to have a very passing understanding of Transformers kind of like when you meet somebody and they say 'Yeah I used to love Transformers when I was a kid, do you remember the tape guy?' This to me explains why Orci's Prime completely lacks personality and is just a classic quote vending machine who speaks slowly as if he is reading a speech.

I agree with this. Orci and Kurtzman are like text book "Gee Wunners" whose knowledge of Transformers is limited and superficial at best. You watch the movie DVD interviews with them, and they pretty much admit this as they say that their experience of Transformers before the movie was watching the G1 cartoon on Saturday mornings. *sigh*

They need to redeem one of these coupons:


But as far as this particular episode is concerned, I found it enjoyable and outstanding by TF: Prime standards. Also note -- they spell Breakdown correctly! Does this mean Hasbro will follow suit too?!?

...or will the character be called Breakdown in the cartoon but Brakedown as a toy? (this will unfortunately be a more likely scenario IMO )

[Tetsuwan Convoy]

just a classic quote vending machine who speaks slowly as if he is reading a speech.

lol, that is Prime Prime in a nutshell!