Transformers Animated Se3Ep09 "Human Error Part II" Discussion

[GoktimusPrime]

Hasbro better release some Animated Constructicons in the near future. They've had more air time than alot of other characters.

I completely agree with your sentiment - but unfortunately they've already stated that they're not going to make Animated Constructicons, which is what irritates me about them continuing to use these characters in Season 3 after they've made that decision -- because like you, when I see characters in the show, I want the toys! (-_-)

Everytime a Constructicon appears in Season 3 Domo-kun kills a kitten.

[Stompy]

Wow. This episode had me grinning ear to ear throughout. Seeing laserbeak AND ratbat going at it and the guitar/keytar battle was mondo.

Best part was the return of Wreck-Gar and the hilarious Substitute Autobots. Truly awesome stuff.

Now Hasbro, where is our Animated Constructicon figures?

[GoktimusPrime]

Now Hasbro, where is our Animated Constructicon figures?

Not gonna happen I'm afraid.

The reason being (spoiler alert): Revenge of the Fallen - connect the dots.

Now this isn't news for Hasbro. They'd already decided before the end of Season 2 that they weren't going to make Constructicon toys for Animated. So armed with this knowledge, I'm baffled as to why:
a/ They would continue to push for the Constructicons to be featured in Season 3
b/ Worse still, introduce a new Constructicon -- yeah... let's expand a sub-group that we've already decided not to make!

[bruticus]

Great episode...Please, oh please... let there be a season 4 and an omega supreme toy!!!!

when I see characters in the show, I want the toys! (-_-)

I swear hey, they must use subliminal messages in the cartoons as i too share the exact same sentiment....

[GoktimusPrime]

Subliminal nuthin'! It's no secret that TF canon was created as a marketing ploy to sell toys!

<history lesson: ON>
In the 1980s laws were changed that allowed comics, cartoons etc. to be based on toylines for the purposes of selling said toys. Before then you had toys based on pre-existing comics and cartoons (e.g. Superman, Spiderman etc.) but not comics and cartoons based on toys. I think one of the first companies to exploit this new law was Mattel with the release of Masters of the Universe. To help promote the sales of this line they commissioned Filmation to make a cartoon series based on their toys. Then soon many other companies followed up, commissioning animation studios and comic book publishers to help promote their toys. In 1983 Tonka imported "Machine Robo" toys from Japan under the banner of "Machine Men"/"Gobots". They then commissioned Hanna-Barbera to create the cartoon series "Challenge of the Gobots" to promote this line. Wanting to compete with this, Hasbro imported Diaclone and Microman toys from Takara and lumped them together in a line called "Transformers." They commissioned Marvel Comics to create a background mythos and comic book series for the toys. Through Marvel's subsidiary animation studio Sunbow Productions, a cartoon series was made. And the rest is history.
<history lesson: OFF>

So with 25 years of this, I've come to expect that - generally speaking - if I see a character appear in a comic or cartoon, I want the toy! How many of us were disappointed that we never had toys of characters that appeared exclusively in the G1 comics and cartoon such as Impactor and Arcee?

I don't know about you guys, but I'm not impressed with IDW giving so much exposure to Drift if there's not gonna be a toy of him (as shamelessly munchkiny as he is) and likewise, continued exposure for Omega Supreme and the Constructicons in Animated, when Hasbro have no plans of realising these characters as toys.

And this is one of my personal beefs about Animated in general. Unlike most other TF series, Animated was created as a cartoon first, toyline second. The toys are based on the cartoon. Traditionally it's usually the other way around with Transformers - the toys are made first, then comics, cartoons, books etc. are made based on existing toys, that way we're (generally speaking) guaranteed that what we see in the comics and cartoons is what we'll have as toys.

The movie franchise is also done "in reverse" because the characters are designed by Paramount first, then HasTak engineers toys based on those designs; but we had toys of every major TF character who appeared in the movie (though I would like action figures for some of the minor characters like Dispensor - but that's just me ). If Hasbro are going to do Transformers "in reverse" then they need to make sure that any character who appears on screen is gonna be feasible as a toy!

Now I can forgive the appearance of the Constructicons in Seasons 1 and 2 because I guess at the time they conceived them, they did know that Michael Bay would want to make Constructicons for RotF. But we know that Hasbro was armed with this knowledge before Season 3... so why continued to give them exposure when you already know you can't make them as toys?

And what's the deal with Omega Supreme? If you think you can't make this character into a toy and sell it, then don't make him a freakin' character in the show -- and a recurring character too. <sigh>

I prefer the traditional formula where Transformers is made as a toyline first and foremost and with comics and cartoons based on those toys.

[Paulbot]

As a fiction first fan, I don't mind if a Transformer character has no toy. Doesn't bother me in the slightest. I think we'd get better fiction if it wasn't toyline based (see Furman's IDW stories versus AHM's 1984/85 toyline based story).

I enjoyed this episode more than part one. The Substitute Autobots was a very nice touch, and the Slag/Snarl name was a great nod to fans. (I had noticed that they didn't have names. Does this mean Swoop is actually still unnamed in the show?). And I'm getting used to Sari but her bright blue eyes still freak me out a little.

Animated Motormaster reappeared too. Ok so it seems to be just a generic truck but who knows what an All Spark fragment could do.

[i_amtrunks]

Loved that Grimlock abandoned Snarl/Slag because he became a "pet".

Some very clever lines and nods to previous series and characters, the replacement Autobots team was fantastic, although I was expecting Starscreams body to play a part in the return of Wreck-gar.

Not the best episodes in the season, but a decent middle season two-parter. Not many episodes to go now for Season 3, and we have not seen Megatron for quite a few weeks...

[GoktimusPrime]

As a fiction first fan, I don't mind if a Transformer character has no toy. Doesn't bother me in the slightest. I think we'd get better fiction if it wasn't toyline based (see Furman's IDW stories versus AHM's 1984/85 toyline based story).

Continued in the Animated discussion thread

I enjoyed this episode more than part one. The Substitute Autobots was a very nice touch, and the Slag/Snarl name was a great nod to fans. (I had noticed that they didn't have names. Does this mean Swoop is actually still unnamed in the show?).

Yup!

[Golden Phoenix]

Now this isn't news for Hasbro. They'd already decided before the end of Season 2 that they weren't going to make Constructicon toys for Animated. So armed with this knowledge, I'm baffled as to why:
a/ They would continue to push for the Constructicons to be featured in Season 3
b/ Worse still, introduce a new Constructicon -- yeah... let's expand a sub-group that we've already decided not to make!

They could have changed their minds.
The "WTF why not?!?!" reaction from some fans could have caused them to see something they can exploit changed their minds

[Firecracker]

There were so many nods and references my head span. Truly for fans. My wife, who has eagerly watched every episode so far missed most of them and was puzzled why I was constantly snickering and smiling.