Sixshot (from what I've heard) is probably the only one with interesting character development in this series... which is a bit disappointing. Quite a few US Gen1 episodes focused on specific characters, with them learning something, or growing in some way, but it seems that Sixshot is the feature character in Headmasters when it comes to character development (so far). We keep having things happening, like Decepticons attacking or capturing stuff, but it's just happening for the sake of a large scale battle, instead of a small scale conflict that focuses on one or two characters.

I do like having all this screen time with the Headmaster characters (some of my most wanted toys when I was growing up), but with each episode spending so much time with a drawn out fight, the less sense it makes with inconsistent events in the battle and the outcomes.


Ep 11 - Zarak - the Shadow Emperor

Zarak claims that Galvatron survived, and told him to command the Decepticons (which most of the others just accept), and his first act is to capture a Human energy satellite, so that it's energy can be sent to his hidden base/planet, called planet Zarak.
While trying to recapture the satellite to bring back to Earth, the Autobots end up destroying it.

We get to see some initiative from non-leadership Decepticons this time, with Scourge and Cyclonus off doing their own thing because they don't trust Zarak.

When Zarak sends his own troops to capture the satellite, the Autobots on Earth don't detect their approach... the more distant Athenia base detects it. And only 4 Autobots are dispatched? (which are easily stopped by Sixshot, allowing the Satellite to be taken unchallenged)

Zarak has his own planet? I guess the Decepticon Headmasters were building it while the Autobot Headmasters were building Planet Master. We now see shots of Zarak's larger body (called Scorponok in the US), but looks to be dormant or in storage waiting for something.

Chromedome makes a move on Arcee, who is obviously just a token female character now.

At an Autobot party, Wheelie gets drunk and Hardhead wants to do some karaoke. So sad...

The Decepticon attack to destroy the satellite before it is launched - one shot from afar would have destroyed it, but the Decepticons are too busy flying in close, and wrestling with the Autobots.

An energy satellite, that just looks like it just collects solar energy... wouldn't it be much cheaper having those solar cells on the planet's surface, like in a desert region?
And if the satellite was that valuable, why not have it protected with defenses or guarded by someone?

Chromedome apologises to Spike, as if he's the sole representative of the human race.

A psychic beam will destroy the satellite by telepathy if he Autobots move it??? Could the Autobots be any more gullible?



Ep 12 - The Dormant Volcano Mysteriously Erups

To distract the Autobots from looking into his planet, Zarak has a volcano in South America erupt.


The Japanese just can't write humans well in this cartoon. The ones in this episode are really annoying and painful to watch.


Looks like I was wrong about the People from Planet Beast only showing up in one episode, as they appear briefly in this one as slaves for the Decepticons on Planet Zarak.

Both Broadside and the Trainbots try to fly through the Volcano debris instead of around it, and as such are forced back.

When the Trainbots get through to rescue the villagers, they people just stand around instead of rushing to safety.

Gotta love the titles of the JP episodes. It's no wonder fans used to make fun of them, and create fake episode titles for upcoming series in a JP style.

Broadside seems to be like Astrotrain - a huge jet mode to carry everyone, but a normal sized robot.

Still can't get over the flying, and sometimes floating, trains (Trainbots).

Zarak won't reveal his 'identity' to anyone yet, including the Decepticons... why?

At the end, the South American kid is held hostage, and Weirdwolf demands the Autobots tell them their transforming technique. What technique? The Decepticons know how to transform, and the Autobots aren't doing anything special that the Decepticons can't see them doing (like swapping heads to combine abilities).


Ep 13 - Head On, Fortress Maximus!

Another attempt to distract the Autobots, Zarak sends a giant carnivorous plant to Earth and Athenia. To defeat it, Fortress must combine with his battleship to form Fortress Maximus.

Fortress Maximus is finally revealed in robot form, but a plot device of a 'Master Sword' is suddenly mentioned as if it just materialised (on the bridge of the battleship, which even surprises Fortress), and is necessary for him to activate the transformation. That is just so Japanese... having a mysterious *sword* appear, that has super, mystical powers, for a race of mechanical, technological beings.


So if Fortress (Cerebros) is the same size as the other four Autobot Headmasters, who are really their heads piloting the larger bodies (which they built on Planet Master), why don't we see the head of Fortress (Cerebros) ever detach and exist independently?

The giant (organic) plants explode... huh?

The plant on Athenia explodes when the one on Earth is destroyed, as if they are somehow linked, and everyone seems to know it afterwards.

Zarak sits in a fully lit room, and yet is still shown as a shadow. I can see the need for the dramatic mystery, but at least give a reason as to why he's in permanent shadow.

The episode ends with the narrator asking the audience what could Zarak be building... um, we've already been shown what he is building. His Scorponok body.