Autoboot Camp - Animated - Episode 25


We begin with a ship crashing into a large asteroid. Emerging from the ship is a green vehicle looking like it's trying to escape. Behind it, a vehicle that is confirmed to be the alt form of Sentinel Prime demanding the vehicle halt in the name of the Elite Guard. If you needed more proof, you can spy the Elite Guard ship hovering overhead. It looks as though Sentinel Prime might have reverted back to his Cybertronian form after leaving Earth. As the green vehicle reaches a dead end, it transforms into robot mode and scales the wall. Sentinel arrives, transforms, and then dodges blasts from the green robot while donning his shield. We get a closer look at the green robot, who has a striking resemblence to Bumblebee... right down to his stingers.

Pursuit Through The Asteroids

The green robot reaches another edge, to which it transforms and drives down the side. Sentinel Prime leaps up, then transforms and follows in pursuit. They both transform back into robot mode after jumping to another asteroid, then continue asteroid hopping. When the two finished their chase, they end up with each of them on a side of a space bridge. Sentinel Prime asks the green robot to surrender, holding up a pair of stasis cuffs. The green robot holds its hands up in an apparent gesture of surrender.

However, the green robot takes the sudden calm to activate a stinger and fire at the base of the space bridge. The bridge begins to activate and the vibration on the bridge makes Sentinel lose his balance and fall off. As Sentinel lands back down on the ground, he looks up and grimaces. The space bridge is activated, and a wormhole is forming. The green robot, still at this point not uttering a word, salutes Sentinel and jumps into the hole. At the Earthbound Autobot's HQ, Ultra Magnus announces he is issuning an All Sectors Bulletin for the green one, accusing him of being an Autobot traitor and spying for the Decepticons. Bumblebee takes one look at the image and goes into shock.

Let The Flashbacks Begin

The scene slowly fades into Bumblebee in his Cybertronian days. He is listening to an announcement from Ultra Magnus announcing all cadets are to assemble in 10 cycles. Bumblebee gloats to himself about how he is Elite Guard material, but another voice seems to think otherwise. We see the green robot again, and he is telling Bumblebee that he won't even meet the height requirement. Never mind that this robot is the same size. Bumblebee points this out and remarks that they look like they were forged from the same protoform. The green one replies it's now how you were forged, but who you know. Bumblebee asks who's to know. The green bot replies "I'll give you a hint... it's not you." and as he walks away, he takes Bumblebee's smile with him.

The flashback ends with Ultra Magnus asking Bee if he knows this bot. Bee replies "Slag yeah!" before catching himself and adding a "sir" with a sheepish smile. Bee says that this bot hates him. Magnus tells Bee that he better be on the lookout for him in the chance he lands on Earth. At the Decepticon HQ, Megatron is congratulating someone over teleprompt on the successful breakout. A mysterious figure whose voice is scrambled accepts the thanks but wonders if it's safe to be communication. Megatron reassures the voice that the signal is being scrambled and that no one on Cybertron can pick the transmission up. However, Sumdac works on getting the transmission picked up somewhere on Earth.

Transmission Intercept

Back at Autobot HQ, Bumblebee laments to Bulkhead about being stuck on monitor duty. He asks what could be worse, and Bulkhead gives a variety of answers (including scraping space barnacles, washing Sari's socks and getting an alignment from Ratchet). Bumblebee replies the question was supposed to be rhetorical just as Sumdac connects the Decepticon transmission feed to the monitors. The signal comes in and out, but Bee can pick up that Megatron is talking to his double agent. Megatron says he will go to great lengths to protect him, and the double agent says the Autobots so far suspect nothing. He also mentions something about utter annihilation before the feed cuts out.

Bee, confused about how the feed got to them, confirms it was Megatron at one end of the convo. Bulkhead wonders who Megatron was talking to. Bee seems certain the double agent Megatron was talking to is Wasp (the name of the green robot). Bulkhead doesn't seem sure about this, but Bee reasons that the prison breakout and the communique can't be coincidence. His conclusion: Trace the signal, letting him find out the location of the Con's HQ AND recapture Wasp. Bulkhead thinks Prime should be contacted, but Bee wants to jump on the hunt before the trail gets cold. Bee wants to move now, but Bulkhead thinks it's over their heads. Bee tells Bulkhead that part of his problem is he thinks too small. This triggers the next flashback.

A New Friend

On Cybertron, we see Ironhide taking chest punches from Wasp without so much as flinching, with another Autobot watching. Bee comes up to them and asks if he can try. Wasp and Ironhide give off a smug laugh then walk off. Bee gives a rejected look, but then someone taps him on the shoulder and greets him with "Hey, little fella!" It's Bulkhead, chewing on what looks to be scrap metal. He asks Bee if he can scan a pic of him with the tall buildings, as they'd never believe it back home otherwise. Bee asks if this is Bulkhead's first time off the energon farm. Bulkhead seems surprised that Bee knows this.

Behind them, Wasp mentions to Ironhide that the "hybrid found himself a new friend; a total mudflap.". As he says this, Ironhide's chest fades from silver to orange to match the rest of his body. They both then share another smug laugh. Bee seems embarrassed by the thought and tries to convince the other 2 that Bulkhead isn't his friend. Bulkhead embraces Bee and says "Not yet, little buddy, give it time!" The awkward mood is broken by an order being barked and the Autobots taking formation (with Bulkhead dropping Bee to the ground.

Roll Call

We find the voice is Sentinel, and he introduces himself as Sentinel Minor, their Drill Sargent. Surprisingly, Sentinel seems to make a good Drill Sargent. Sentinel gets in Bulkhead's face and tells him to "wipe the smile off your face dullspark!" Bulkhead stumbles and tries to explain that's how his jaw is tempered. Bee seems humored by this, saying that Sentinel's asteroid sized chin is something more to look at. This gets him face time with Sentinel, asking him if something is funny. Bee replies NO SIR! Sentinel continues his berating, asking why a weak jointed, slow processing hunk of junk like him would want to be a recruit. Bee replies that he wants to be an Elite Guard warrior and kick Decepticon butt. Sentinel replies that Bee couldn't kick his motherboard if he held it in front of Bee's foot.

Sentinel asks the rest of the cadets to sound off and state why they are there. First, the so far anonymous robot states he wants to be an Elite Guard intelligence officer. Ironhide states he wants to be an Elite Guard trooper. Wasp states he wants to be an Elite Guard commander. Bulkhead, humbly, states he wants to be a Space Bridge technician, which invokes laughter from the rest of the cadets. Sentinel tells the others to mute it, and with a pleased look remarks to the others that Bulkhead seems to know his place. Looking at Bee, he says that Bee should try to be more like his friend. Bee says that's not his friend. Sentinel rebukes, saying they're all friends in a great Autobot machine.

The First Test

Sentinel then asks the cadets to show him what they've got. First, he goes to the unnamed bot. The bot shows off that he has expandable limbs. Sentinel seems pleased, and calls this bot Longarm. Sentinel turns his attention to Ironhide and tells him to show him his stuff. Ironhide, standing like he's ready to take a punch, turns himself completely silver. Sentinel is unimpressed, but Ironhide asks Sentinel to hit him with everything he's got. Sentinel activates his shield and takes 3 swipes. Ironhide doesn't budge a micron. Sentinel seems to be satisfied and remarks on Ironhide's "nice plating".

Wasp steps up to the plate next. He activates his stingers and knocks the bullseyes out of 2 distant targets. Sentinel is impressed, and replies "Nice stinging! Welcome to the platoon, Wasp." Bumblebee, not to be outdone, tells Sentinel "I'll show you stinging." Activating his stingers, he also takes 2 shots. But the shots go astray and take out a nearby tower instead. Sentinel isn't too happy about it, "You're nothing but a bumbler! From now on, your name is Bumblebee!" This gets a dejected look out of Bee, and Sentinel gets right in his face to ask if there's a problem with that. As Bumblebees weakly says no, a mace ball connects with the back of Sentinel's head. Bulkhead apologizes as the ball slides off Sentinel's head. Sentinel tells Bulkhead "You're all bulk and no brains. You're Bulkhead!"

Life in the Academy

He then tells the cadets to drop and give him 20. As the cadets give Sentinel 20 transformations, he tells them this will be the fate of all cadets in their platoon if one of them screws up. The next scene is oil being fed into barrels and Bumblebee whining about being on oil change duty. He still thinks he's meant for great things. Bulkhead tries to put a positive spin on it, but Bumblebee takes a chance to tease him about his desire to be a Space Bridge tech. As Bee has a barrel on his head and attempts to mock Bulkhead, he slips on some oil, losing his balance and plowing into a stack of barrels, which happen to fall on top of Sentinel Minor as he walks by. Next scene is of the cadets doing more transforms. Sentinel, still covered in oil, tells the cadets that Bee and Bulkhead are to thank for the transform-ups.

Wasp second-hands Bee, telling him "Way to go, numbnodes". However, Longarm comes to Bee's defense, telling Wasp to take it easy on him. Bee insists it was Sarge who demanded the transform-up. Sentinel tells Bee, "I have a special job for you, stingless!" We later see Bee standing in the middle of the academy, balancing on one foot while holding an oil barrel in each hand and chanting continuously "I am an oilstain". He gives up on this and sadly walks back towards his barracks. However, he picks up a transmission and tracks the source.

Signs of a Traitor

Bee finds the transmission coming from a warehouse, where we can hear Lugnut saying that Megatron will speak to him now. Megatron then congratulates the mystery bot on successfully melding in with the Autobots. This surprises Bee. Megatron goes on to tell the spybot that he must climb the ranks and destroy the Autobots from within. Meanwhile, Bee slinks off slightly and gathers his courage. The then charges into the warehouse with both stingers ready demanding the traitor show himself, but no reply. As Bee looks around, he see Wasp leaving by another exit. The connection in Bee's mind is now made.

Back at the barracks, Wasp is coating Ironhide with an electric charge hoping to break his shell. As Bee watches on, Longarm enters. Bee asks if Longarm has a nanoclick, but Longarm wants to keep his distance from Bee. Bee draws off of Longarm's interest in intel to ask how to report a spy. This gets his attention. Almost nervously, Longarm asks who Bee thinks the spy is. Bee asks Longarm not to say anything yet, but confirms his suspicions of Wasp being the spy. Longarm asks for proof, but Bee so far has none. Bee asks if he should tell Sentinel without this. Longarm convinces Bee that without proof, Sentinel will take the credit. However, if Bee found proof, it could put him on the fast track. This lightens up Bee's mood quite a bit.

The Hunt Is On

Back in the present, we see Bee and Bulkhead driving through the forest. As Bulkhead gets coated in mud, he laments on how Bee talked him into this chase and how they should contact Prime. Bee insists he has a lock on the signal, to which Bulkhead moans about how Bee has to do things the hard way. Bee transforms into robot mode and tries to convince Bulkhead otherwise, right before he sinks into a mudhole. As another flashback begins, we see Bee trying to snare the spybot with an energon box. However, this plan backfires as Sentinel walks into the area. As Sentinel wonders who left this box out, he opens it and gets a face full of pink dye. Looking around, he notices Bee nearby giving a wide grin and a wave. This costs the platoon more transform-ups.

Bee's next plan is to capture the spybot talking of his treachery. As he tries to pick up a convo with the microphone from within a warehouse, the cord switches the status from record to broadcast. Inside the warehouse, we see Sentinel Minor describing his new platoon to Cliffjumper, and getting a few jabs in on Ultra Magnus. This gets broadcasted throughout the entire academy. As Sentinel wonders where the echo is coming from, he notices Bee sneaking off with the microphone equipment. To seal the deal, Bee drops the control box and gets an earful of feedback from the dish that is still in broadcast mode. More transform-ups follow.

Bumblebee's Punishment

As Bee tries to massage his joints, he's greeted by Wasp and Ironhide. They wish to thank him for all those extra transform-ups. Ironhide holds Bee down while Wasp takes a torch and removes both of Bee's legs. Bee asks for his legs back, but Wasp tells him to get them himself as he tosses them on top of some lockers. Wasp then has a better idea, and with Ironhide's help stuffs Bee in a different locker "with all the other useless junk". Ironhide and Wasp then share a laugh, transform and drive off. Bee struggles to get attention in the locker and is eventually found by Longarm. As Bee asks Longarm why he's so hated, Longarm says it's because one of them is a spy and knows Bee is after him. Longarm uses his expandable arms to retrieve Bee's legs and gives them to Bee, telling him not to give up.

Back on Earth, Bee and Bulkhead ford a shallow river. Bulkhead is now upset that they're still trying to track the signal without alerting the others. Bee rips back on how Bulkhead was always more interested in Space Bridges than helping him with anything, then questions Bulkhead's status as a friend. Bulkhead works up his anger while transforming, telling Bee that this is about going through proper channels. After a short arguement, Bulkhead departs leaving Bee to fend for himself.

The Assassination Attempt

Roving back to another flashback, the platoon is set to engage in a battle simulation. Sentinel tells them to move out. Wasp pulls out a grenade and tells Bee to think fast as he pulls the pin and lobs it at him. Bee freaks out, tosses the grenade away and takes cover. However, the grenade finds its way to Bee's hideout and explodes, coating him in dye. Wasp (with Ironhide in tow) rubs it in on Bee, telling him he really is a bumbler. The barbs don't last long, as cannons emerge and take shots at them. As they scatter, Bulkhead offers to give "little buddy" a servo, but Bee rips into Bulkhead telling him "I'm not little, or your buddy" then drives off just as Bulkhead gets a faceful of combat dye. Bee continues with the simulation, meeting up with 2 more cannons and taking cover. Bee reminds himself this is just a simulation... or is it?

We see a dark shadow that looks familiar accessing the cannon controls and flipping them from simulation to live. The cannons aim and blast the wall that Bee is hiding behind. Bee realizes the cannons are now live and scampers off while more cannons seek him out. Hiding behind a wall, he gets unexpected help from Bulkhead, who races by in alt mode and scoops Bee up with his plow just before a cannon takes out his hiding place. Bulkhead transforms, then apologizes for calling Bee a "little buddy". He then activates his mace ball and takes out a support pillar, which collapses a tower. Unfortunately, Sentinel is in the area and the tower gravitates towards him. Sentinel lets out an "Oh slag" right before the tower falls on him. Bulkhead thinks he should apologize, but Bee convinces him to run for it instead. Emerging from the rubble, Sentinel yells out that he'll drum the bot out of the service for doing this.

The Capture

Back on present day Earth, Bee is walking a narrow path on a mountain side, finishing his flashback by saying Bulkhead's career would have finished if not for his intervention. Bee also grumbles that he got no thanks, but is interrupted when the path beneath him crumbles and he's sent flying down the mountainside. As he's now buried beneath rock, he tries to call for help but gets static on his radio. Another flashback begins, as Longarm turns a corner in alt mode and finds Bee. Longarm tells Bee that there's a surprise locker inspection coming up and this might be Bee's last chance to expose the spy before Sentinel takes credit.

As Wasp enters the barracks in alt mode, he transforms and walks. Longarm expands one of his limbs and trips Wasp up. Bee helps up Wasp, then takes his locker key. Bee walks over to Wasp's footlocker and opens it. He is startled by what he finds inside, but is interrupted by Sentinel (in an arm sling) demanding to know what Bee is doing in someone else's locker. Bee replies that he's exposing a Decepticon spy. As Sentinel looks in the locker, he finds a Decepticon communicator.

The Confession

Outside, the cadets line up as they see Wasp being carted away by Cliffjumper (in his battle mask) in restraints. Wasp tries to proclaim his innocence, but Sentinel tells him to mute it before ripping off his Autobot insignia. Sentinel congratulates Bee on his fine work, and Longarm tells Bee he's now on the fast track. Sentinel then turns his attention to the incident that buried him in the tower rubble. Since no one came forward, Sentinel readies to drum Bulkhead out for being the biggest incompetent. However, Bee steps up and claims responsibility for it. He then asks if this will affect his Elite Guard status

Out in space, we see a Space Bridge, an Autobot ship and hear a yell of satisfaction. Bulkhead revels in his dream come true of becoming a Space Bridge technician. Next to him is Bumblebee, letting off a rather sad sigh. With the flashback over, Bumblebee realizes what a cad he's been to Bulkhead and wishes he could tell Bulkhead how much of a friend he's turned out to be. He gets his wish, as Bulkhead approaches the mess of boulders and helps Bee out. He admits that he couldn't leave Bee alone. They console each other, patch up their friendship, transform and roll back to New Detroit. Pity the entrance to the Decepticon base was right behind them.

The Double Agent Revealed

Back at Autobot HQ, a familiar voice says how good it is to see Bee and Bulkhead again over a transmission. Bee replies that it's good to hear from Longarm again, or rather Longarm Prime who is now head of Autobot Intel. Bee tells Longarm Prime that it's good one of them realized their dream. Longarm Prime turns to the transmission Bee intercepted and wonders if Bee knows any more about it. Bee said it was scrambled, but mentioned something about a construction project. Longarm Prime said not to worry, as he will weed out any double agent.

In space, we find a Space Bridge. Nearby is Wasp, sitting against a rock. He's fidgety, and it looks as though the years of imprisonment have dealt a blow to his insanity. He swears (in third person) that he'll find Bee and make him pay for ruining his life. Meanwhile, at Decepticon HQ, Megatron has another discussion with his double agent. Megatron tells the agent that his size altering ability insured Megatron that he would make the perfect double agent. We then see an image of Longarm Prime on his monitor, and as Megatron congratulates him, we see Longarm Prime's face transform into that of the Decepticon Shockwave.

Thoughts

What an episode! We get an introduction to Wasp, who is a great tribute to the Beast Wars character Waspinator (especially at the end). We also get to see the Cybertronian alt forms of several established characters, including Bee, Bulkhead, Sentinel and Ironhide. Anyone notice that Ironhide's Cyb alt mode was identical to Ratchet? Not that no one didn't see this coming already (I spell repaint). It was also interesting to see how the name process goes. We also get a glimpse of how the ranking system works (Minor, Prime, etc)

Last, but not least, we get to know the identity of the double agent. It's long been speculated that Ironhide was the agent, but that would have been foolish for the writers to tarnish that name. Instead, we get Shockwave, who now has the ability to alter his form. At least one question is now answered. Finally, of course, we get the moral of how one shouldn't judge a friendship by aspirations or appearance. You know a moral had to be in there somewhere. So far, this is one of my favorite episodes.



ReviewerBlitzwing  
DateJune 7th 2008  
Score 10 stars (10 out of 10)  
Reads10321
Image Gallery 1



Back to Reviews Index
Advertise on TFormers.com








This site uses cookies for site configuration, advertising, and analysis. By using this site you accept our policies - Read Full Site Policy OK
Sign Up For The TNI Newsletter And Have The News Delivered To You!


Forums Communities: Toy Fans - Marvel Fans - Transformers Fans

@ToyNewsI Socials: Facebook - Twitter - Instagram

@MarvelousNews Socials: Facebook - Twitter - Instagram

@Tformers Socials: Facebook - Twitter - Instagram

@JediInsider Socials: Facebook - Twitter - Instagram

Entertainment News International (ENI) is the #1 popular culture network for adult fans all around the world.
Get the scoop on all the popular comics, games, movies, toys, and more every day!

Contact and Support

Advertising | Submit News | Contact ENI | Privacy Policy

©Entertainment News International - All images, trademarks, logos, video, brands and images used on this website are registered trademarks of their respective companies and owners. All Rights Reserved. Data has been shared for news reporting purposes only. All content sourced by fans, online websites, and or other fan community sources. Entertainment News International is not responsible for reporting errors, inaccuracies, omissions, and or other liablities related to news shared here. We do our best to keep tabs on infringements. If some of your content was shared by accident. Contact us about any infringements right away - CLICK HERE