TFAn Review Ep8 (Spoilers)

[kup]

Please follow Griffin's discussion guideline as written for previous episodes:

Post here your thoughts on the eighth episode of Transformers Animated. If this screens in Australia any time soon, we will re-look at this topic.

*** SPOILERS ***

Episode Synopsis apparently from Cartoon Network website:

Episode 8: Nanosec
Bumblebee's self-proclaimed title as "fastest thing on wheels" is threatened by Nanosec, a super speedster crook on a deadly mission that could destroy all of Detroit.

I have just seen the eighth Animated episode "Nanosec".

The episode was about a thief gaining a technological 'super suit' created by Sumdac Technologies which gave him super speed similar to the Flash. In essence he became the lightning fast Super villain named Nanosec. It is up to the Autobot team to put a stop to his high speed crime spree before things get out of hand and the whole city is endangered.

At first it sounds as if this episode is yet another run of the mill 'Super heroesque' episode and for the most part it is. However some key aspects of it do a good job at keeping this somewhat rehashed super hero plot 'fresh' and also do bring in several Transformer aspects to the story which help to keep things interesting and generally pleasing unlike the 'Meltdown' episode which was just a generic and highly predictable Super hero story with no real connection to Transformers lore.

Although the episode was mainly about the Autobots trying to capture Nanosec, the circumstances that allowed the criminal to gain his super speed was something that helped in my acceptance of this episode as it was all Orchestrated by Megatron in an attempt to gain a highly unstable substance critical to the restoration of his body across town within 10 minutes before it combusted causing a nuclear like detonation.

As a result, although this episode was mainly about the Autobot heroes going against a human villain, the Transformer influence in the circumstances of the plot gave the episode a feel no different than the Human villains we saw in the G1 Marvel comics.

Aside from the straight forward plot there were some key twists that helped to keep the Super hero plot interesting as how the super fast suit had a very negative effect on its user as it caused Nanosec to age rapidly. This kept the villain interesting as he was strong and fast but wasn't invulnerable although the writers could have explored this aspect much better by focusing on Nanosec's own personal reaction to his deteriorating body which they never cared to explore. He just didn't seem to notice his clear but steady rapid aging. Later on Nanosec exhausts himself due to the rapid aging and is apprehended. Bumblebee then uses his newly attained rocket boosters (part of the subplot mentioned later) and launches into orbit where he throws the unstable substance into space for a safe detonation. Bumblebee then crashes down to Earth but is safe, just a little scorched.

At the end Professor Sumdac is still completely oblivious to how Nanosec got the high speed suit he developed despite Megatron clearly saying that it was an "inside job". Sumdac's stupidity and naivety is beyond absurd and was one of the low points of this episode and the whole series thus far.

The sub plot was mainly about the Autobots trying to cool Bumblebee's head and slowing him down which was okay but does not save Bumblebee from still being the most annoying bot in this series. Highlights of this sub plot were how Prowl was trying to teach Bumblebee how to blend in a human environment without drawing attention to himself. This was very welcome as it briefly brought back the 'Robots in Disguise' aspect although at this point in the series it is rather pointless since every one knows who they are (But still no one cares that they are freaking Aliens!!!)

The bad parts of the episode were Bumblebee being annoying but no where near as bad as he was in the Meltdown episode and Sari using her magic key to somehow attach the rocket boosters into Bumblebee's alt mode. Unfortunately they used Bumblebee's growing arm in alt mode again but fortunately it was much more subtle than in previous episodes as you could see the car door 'morphing' into the arm but it still looked pretty bad. Of course Sumdac's stupidity also hurts the credibility of this story within the context of the episode and if they continue doing so it will likely hurt the credibility of this Season's Megatron plot.

Overall it was a 'not bad' episode, nothing to write home about but it was enjoyable in its own way but far below the Lockdown and a bit below the 'Home is where the Spark is' episode. It was probably on par with the Grimlock episode.
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[i_amtrunks]

I liked it.

Nanosec was thought out well, the suit had consequences for wearing it and gaining super speed.
The only part I didnt like (other than Bumblebee who irks me more and more) was how easily Prime was defeated. He seems to fight alright against the bigger, badder foes, but gets whooped by the nobodies.

Sumdac really is daft, and Megatron is written brilliantly as well.

[The_Damned]

yea i like how the story is progressing.

[iceburn]

Love it as now Bumblebee has the extra boosters like the toy figure :P

[STL]

i can't say I was thrilled by the episode. It was probably one of the worst to date imo. I've found all of the episodes prior to this enjoyable at some level but this one just seemed tedious.

I do like the fact they're using a story to introduce BB's enhancements rather than just all of a sudden thinking he needs an upgrade.

I don't find the BB character that annoying though. I think one of the things that strike me is that each of the characters are flawed in their own ways and they work well together. I can see people finding BB annoying but I think he works better that way. He isn't the perfect loveable shorty of the group. He's hotheaded and unreasonable and he gives the others a chance to shine.

I agree also with the appreciation of how the story was constructed so as it was more the Autobots falling all over themselves rather than the villain being so powerful Nanosec's face when Prime breaks the coils is priceless.

The reason I felt it was tedious is b/c the chase scenes dominated for far too long. It did get awful dull after awhile. Nanosec wasn't developed enough to feel a character that is memorable. He needed more to his character other than being Megatron's pawn. Characters like Lord Chumley in G1 stuck out in our minds as lame and inconsequential as they were b/c they were unique in some way.) I wish they had done the same for Nansosec here, give him some quirk to make him a more memorable character. It was a surprising twist to see the aging and it would've been nice to remember the character in some capacity

The first 3 minutes was really good though with Bulkhead still keeping an eye on the thief despite arguing with BB. Shows he's not as dumb as he's made to look.

Another good tidbit that keeps nagging at me when I see it is Ratchet's visible crack on the head. It's a constant reminder of his failings as was previously explained. I can't remember another TF who wore their scars. After all, bots normally can get replacement parts. It's subtle but much appreciated. I hope the same is maintained for the toy (it's the only prototype I haven't seen yet)

[kup]

Another good tidbit that keeps nagging at me when I see it is Ratchet's visible crack on the head. It's a constant reminder of his failings as was previously explained. I can't remember another TF who wore their scars. After all, bots normally can get replacement parts. It's subtle but much appreciated. I hope the same is maintained for the toy (it's the only prototype I haven't seen yet)

You can always break it yourself
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[GoktimusPrime]

For a kids' episode it was pretty good. But from a Transfan POV it was average.

This was very welcome as it briefly brought back the 'Robots in Disguise' aspect although at this point in the series it is rather pointless since every one knows who they are (But still no one cares that they are freaking Aliens!!!)

Everyone knows who they are in robot mode, but I don't think people necessarily recognise them straight away in vehicle modes because their vehicle modes were scanned from local vehicles. It kinda works like in the movie - the Autobots revealed themselves to the world in the final battle with the Decepticons in the city, but then afterwards they just blended in when we see them dropping off Captain Lennox to his family and hanging out with Sam and Mikaela ('cept for Prime who was in robot mode for the closing narration ). The Autobots in Animated seem to work at this level.

The only part I didnt like (other than Bumblebee who irks me more and more) was how easily Prime was defeated. He seems to fight alright against the bigger, badder foes, but gets whooped by the nobodies.

Nanosec was able to generate incredible speed, and even with his lack of relative strength, whipping a steel cable at Prime at heightened speed would've hurt. There are some fighting styles which specialise/utilise 'soft/weak' whipping strikes, like Baiyuan Tongbei (Great White Ape) Kung Fu which uses whipping strikes with the back of the fingers and some styles use Leopard Paw is used to "cut" (slash) across muscle/tendon fibres in a kind of whipping/slashing fashion.

Tongbeiquan ("White Ape Fist")

Notice how the proponent's right hand is set in a position to flick the hand out using the hand and fingers in a whipping action.
Video <---again, note the whipping action of the arms/hands

Shaolin monks also used their cloth belts as whip/flail-like weapons, often against mounted cavalry.

Sumdac really is daft, and Megatron is written brilliantly as well.

I agree... I can't believe how stupid they keep making Sumdac in spite of his supposed genius. (-_-)

It goes well beyond the idea of being an awkward bumbling or absent minded professor like Professor Klump or Perceptor... this guy is seriously stupid.

The reason I felt it was tedious is b/c the chase scenes dominated for far too long. It did get awful dull after awhile.

In that case you're really gonna dislike Beast Machines.

Nanosec wasn't developed enough to feel a character that is memorable. He needed more to his character other than being Megatron's pawn. Characters like Lord Chumley in G1 stuck out in our minds as lame and inconsequential as they were b/c they were unique in some way.) I wish they had done the same for Nansosec here, give him some quirk to make him a more memorable character. It was a surprising twist to see the aging and it would've been nice to remember the character in some capacity

I don't mind the lack of exposition on Nanosec. He was clearly meant to be a "hi then bye" throw away disposable character.

Megatron is the real villain here.

The first 3 minutes was really good though with Bulkhead still keeping an eye on the thief despite arguing with Bumblebee. Shows he's not as dumb as he's made to look.

While it's true that Bulkhead wasn't portrayed as an oaf in this episode, it still failed to portray him as much more than the Autobot Strongman. :/

Forget Nanosec, as a recurring main character Bulkhead seriously needs more character development.

Some nice fan references:
+ "Destronium" (heheheheheheheheh)
+ At the end of the ep when Bumblebee said something like, "If it's all the same to you I think we'll just walk." <--echoing what Silverbolt said at the end of "The Key to Vector Sigma Part 2"

[STL]

+ At the end of the ep when Bumblebee said something like, "If it's all the same to you I think we'll just walk." <--echoing what Silverbolt said at the end of "The Key to Vector Sigma Part 2"

Ah I forgot to mention that. I remember at the time feeling the fanboy in me smiling with glee and thinking I so have to mention it. Thank gawd someone remembered it.