Michael Bay's live-action Transformers movies these days, the series has always had its roots in traditional animation, starting with the first-ever syndicated series The Transformers, retroactively referred to as Generation 1 among those in-the-know. The Transformers cartoons have some great episodes worthy of re-visiting in the shadow of Transformers One's release.
ittedly, the original 80s cartoon has the majority of the series' greatest hits, especially in relation to the classic throwback designs of Transformers One's cast of Cybertronians. However, the many other animated Transformers series can also contribute their own standout episodes, adding a potent dose of variety to the franchise's greatest hits. There's no better way to get hyped up for the first theatrical release of a fully-animated Transformers movie since 1986's Transformers: The Movie than going back through the best episodes of the series' many generations.
"I'm Here to Fight": The Autobots Have a New Ally, But Can Even That Stop Their Biggest Defeat?
The preview for next month's Transformers #12 promises an epic conclusion to the series' second year, as one ally rushes into battle for the Autobots.
10 Dark Awakening
The Transformers
The first of many excellent episodes to come from the original Transformers run, Dark Awakening proved that while it was primarily aimed towards children, The Transformers could get surprisingly dark. It wasn't enough for the original continuity to traumatize child audiences with Optimus Prime's death in the original movie -- They also had to tease his resurrection, only for it to be revealed that his corpse was operating as an evil robotic zombie. The episode begins with Rodimus Prime, Optimus' successor, exploring a creepy Autobot Mausoleum, containing the corpses of the faction's great heroes, including Optimus himself.
Rodimus and company soon get a fateful surprise when Optimus appears to be alive, walking and talking with no memories of his apparent resurrection. This soon turns out to be a sinister ruse, as it's revealed that Otpimus is nothing more than a reanimated zombie with scarce remnants of his old personality puppeted by the evil Quintessons. For its horror theme, bittersweet temporary revival of Optimus Prime, and the first appearance of the vile Quintessons, Dark Awakening is a worthy episode to return to.
9 One Shall Rise
Transformers: Prime
One of the most exciting things about Transformers Prime will be the chance to see Optimus Prime and Megatron's camaraderie before their ideological divide pitted them against each other. In of animated episodes that represent this, few are better than the One Shall Rise three-episode arc of Transformers: Prime, one of the few animated series to use a 3D art style, just like Transformers One will. In particular, the third part of the multi-episode story is a great summation of the two's complicated relationship.
The episode begins with the Autobots forming an uneasy alliance with Megatron in hopes of defeating their larger, common enemy, the massive planetoid Transformer Unicron. Ratchet attempts to explain the alliance by going into a flashback that details the history between Megatron and Optimus Prime, formerly known as Megatronus and Orion Pax. The gripping story concludes with an uneasy situation of Optimus losing his memories, preceded by some excellent back-to-back fighting with him and Megatron teaming up for the first time in millennia.
8 S.O.S. Dinobots
The Transformers
Many episodes of The Transformers are notable for their introduction of concepts that would go on to be reincarnated in every new generation of the franchise. One of the most popular of these is the ferocious Dinobots, Cybertronian warriors capable of transforming into dinosaur-based alternate modes. The Dinobots were first introduced in one of the original generation's single best episodes, S.O.S. Dinobots.
Interestingly, in their first appearance, the DInobots were actually made by the Autobots' resident mad scientist, Wheeljack, who uses a natural history museum as inspiration to whip up some fearsome allies for the Autobots to use in battle. Seeing the Dinobot's primitive minds clash with the Autobots is great fun, and Wheeljack's loose canon nature is truly allowed to shine as he disobeys direct orders from Optimus for the sake of perfecting his creations. With how good this episode is, it's no wonder the Dinobots have returned to feature in nearly every successive Transformers continuity.
7 Awakening
Transformers: Armada
Transformers: Armada was a gripping follow-up to the original series with stunning animation, introducing fresh new concepts like the Mini-Cons and replacing Bumblebee as the series' deuteragonist with Hot Rod. The early 2000s series certainly knew how to make an entrance with its new characters, shown off best in the ominously-titled episode Awakening. The episode opens with the Autobots and Decepticons engaged in fevrent battle on a beach, only to be interrupted by the surprise appearance of a massive new combatant.
The colossal Transformer turns out to be Tidal Wave, Megatron's secret weapon that redefines the Decepticons' presence on the battlefield. Even if Tidal Wave is simple-minded, his imposing weaponry and ability to transform into a massive Destroyer ship leaves a lasting impression. Featuring some of the entire series' best action and a B-story focusing on the human-sized Mini-Cons that provides a welcome breather from it, Awakening is one of the most impressive Transformers episodes of all time.
6 Predacons Rising
Transformers Animated
Transformers Animated went in some interesting new directions with the core cast, with some changes being better received than others. However, one of the series' greatest ideas was its re-interpretation of Blackarachnia, who first appeared in Transformers: Beast Wars, giving her a tragic backstory. Formerly Elita-1, who will be appearing Transformers One, Blackarachnia was transformed into a hideous half-organic spider Transformer after being abandoned by her peers.
In Predacons Rising, she continues the cycle of hatred, turning Bumblebee's on-the-run counterpart Wasp, branded as a traitor by the Autobots, into the horrific insectoid Transformer, Waspinator. The episode features a surprisingly delicate web of conflicting motivations, with Blackarachnia wanting to undo her condition while getting revenge on the Autobots, who are torn between helping her and stopping her before she can do any more damage. Homaging the likes of David Cronenberg's The Fly with its techno-organic body horror, Predacons Rising is a fantastic bottle episode.
5 The Gambler
The Transformers
As captivating as the lives of Optimus Prime, Bumblebee, and Megatron are, sometimes its the largely removed side stories and less-important characters of the Transformers universe that provide the most entertainment. Enter the original series' episode The Gambler, which centers on the Autobots rougish espionage and counter-intelligence expert, Smokescreen. When the rest of his Autobot friends are held hostage by an alien gambler, Smokescreen is forced to take part in some risky bets to win them back.
The sequence in which Smokescreen lives up to his name is a particularly exciting action beat
The Gambler is a thrilling reminder that Cybertronians and humans aren't the only sentient beings around in the Transformers universe, with an entire economy revolving around the trade of valuable Energon. Few episodes of any Transformers series can buy the same unique joys of watching Smokescreen go on a hot streak at an alien casino only to be forced to shoot his way out of the situation at the last second, teaming up with the mysterious bounty hunter Devcon. The sequence in which Smokescreen lives up to his name is a particularly exciting action beat.
4 Code Of Hero
Beast Wars: Transformers
Despite its crude 3D animation, Transformers: Best Wars was revolutionary for all subsequent Transformers generations, evolving the series' art style and lore further than ever before. In the midst of its exciting new ideas, Beast Wars: Transformers also offers some truly outstanding episodes, such as Code of Hero. The story centers around a lone Predacon, Dinobot, who grapples with the guilt of turning over an important MacGuffin, the Golden Disk (From the real-life Voyager probe), to Megatron.
Dinobot's redemption is one of the most gripping character arcs of any Transformer in any series ever. Transformers: Beast Wars was never one to shy away from heavy subjects, with Dinobot even contemplating committing sepukku for his actions at the episode's start. In the end, he willingly pays the price to undo his actions, taking on an entire army of other Predacons in order to destroy the Disk and dying in the effort. Dinobot's poignant story has some of the best voice acting of any Transformers series, which will certainly whet an appetite for Transformers One's all-star cast.
3 Rebellion
Transformers: Prime
A climactic episode towards the end of Transformers: Prime, Rebellion is the culmination of the Autobots and Decepticons' long-standing war. The episode begins with a series of skrimishes that slowly bloom into an all-out battle between the combined forces of both sides, though Optimus Prime comes close to the brink of death in the background. His impending doom casts doubts on his supposed successor, Smokescreen, who doesn't feel ready to step into the leadership role.
This episode has some genius big-picture tactics plaing out on both sides of the conflict, with misdirection and intelligence being just as key to the Great War as raw firepower. Of course, the tense one-on-one battle between Megatron and Prime is well worth the build-up, and the episode pulls a genius move by closely mirroring Optimus' death in the original 80s movie only to reverse course at the last second. Smokescreen's acknowledgment of his own inadequacy as a leader is a crushingly honest sentiment upon which Optimus is revived.
2 The Return Of Optimus Prime, Part 2
The Transformers
Of all Optimus Prime's many deaths throughout the years, none stung as much as his first in Transformers: The Movie within the original animated continuity. While Dark Awakening may have teased his revival, the Auotobot leader's true return to form in The Return of Optimus Prime, Part 2 is one of the most satisfying moments in the entire series. Continuing where the first part left off, the episode opens on Optimus' full recovery, getting caught up on what happened since his death by Sky Lynx and Klementia.
Prime is then quick to spring into action, staving off the devious Quintesson infection that has proliferated Autobot and Decepticon alike. Just as when it seems he is about to be rewarded for his valor by impalement at the hands of Galvatron, Optimus unleashes the Matrix of Leadership, eradicating the Quintesson "Hate Plague" for good. Evoking Optimus' similar bravery in Transformers: The Movie by reusing the epic backing track, Stan Bush's The Touch, this episode is absolutely essential.
1 Heavy Metal War
The Transformers
Seeing as how the Dinobots' introduction is also one of the most cheer-worthy episodes of the original Transformers cartoon, it figures that the debut of the Decepticons' response to the dinosaur warriors would be equally exciting. The amazingly-named episode Heavy Metal War begins with the introduction of the Constructicons, the Decepticons' latest batch of Cybertronian recruits. When the Autobots unleash the Dinobots in response, it seems as though the Decepticons latest construction-equipment-based soldiers stand no chance.
The Autobots are completely outgunned, and are only able to save the day with clever hologram-based trickery
That is, until Scrapper ominously states "Constructions Transform, Phase 2," prompting the Constructicons to link their bodies together Voltron-style to form the almighty Devastator. With that, the Autobots are completely outgunned, and are only able to save the day with clever hologram-based trickery. An iconic sequence that would later be recreated in live action during Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, the jaw-dropping reveal of Devastator is simply too iconic to miss going into Transformers One.
The Transformers is an animated TV series that follows the battle between the Autobots, led by Optimus Prime, and the Decepticons, led by Megatron, on Earth and Cybertron. Debuting in 1984, the show blends science fiction and action as both factions of transforming robots from the planet Cybertron vie for supremacy and the future of humankind. It spawned a massive franchise including toys, comics, and movies.
- Seasons
- 4
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