Episode Review - TF Prime Ep 53: Darkmount Nevada

[GoktimusPrime]

Click here to read plot synopsis

Just watched this on a YouTube video with SHOCKING quality. Gah.

spoilers ahead

spoilers ahead

spoilers ahead

spoilers ahead

spoilers ahead

spoilers ahead

spoilers ahead

Thoughts:
+ This series certainly starts on an extremely dark tone, as established by the Season 2 finale.
+ Interesting to see that the Decepticon's fortress, which was called "New Kaon" in the previous episode, is now called Darkmount (as is the episode). Which is a better G1 homage since Kaon is the name of an entire region, whereas Darkmount was the name of the Decepticon's fortress on Cybertron in G1. Maybe the writers saw my rant about the name after the previous ep aired? (or so my ego would like to believe )
+ OMG... Bumblebee's now in his Shadow Strike colours?!? Great... now I actually want this toy. Well played Hasbro... well played.
+ Alright, my weakness for this blatant marketing ploy aside, it's also a pretty lame plot point. So reversing one's paint job renders you invisible to Decepticon scanners... why?? (o_O) And how did Bumblebee even get the resources to do that if they're on the lamb!
+ Maybe I need to watch Darkest Hour again more closely, but Smokescreen coming in possession with the Phase Shifter and sneaking back into Autobot HQ feels a tad contrived.
+ Shockwave is awesome! Great to hear David Sobolov back again! Sobolov really plays dark characters well... be it a dark and fallen hero (Depth Charge in Beast Wars), or a dark emotionless Decepticon. Though I personally prefer his role as Depth Charge... Shockwave's voice is cold, whereas Depth Charge was full of rage. Who knows... maybe something will make Shockwave crack and go ape.
+ Awww snap... Laserbeak's toast. I guess this means they'll be replacing him with Ravage. (-_-) [not a spoiler, I'm just guessing]
+ Jack sending an SMS to his mum... on one hand I was thinking, "You eediot!", but it's understandable. He's a kid scared out of his mind and knowing that his mother would be worried sick and wanted to give her peace of mind. Dumb move, but his heart was in the right place.
+ The way they make Optimus Prime's voice warble sounds pretty awesome (even with the poor quality of the video I saw... reminds me of the bad old days when I had TF episodes sent to me from the US on NTSC VHS so I could watch 'em sooner... shocking quality ).
+ The human's attack seemed... really inadequate. Why such a small force? No jet fighters?? With the city evacuated, I'm surprised they haven't considered nuking it (as what nearly happened to New York in G1)