Changing
Gears

The Transformers episode 18
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For a detailed overview of this episode, click here.

Megatron needs Gears to help with his new machine: the solar needle.
Original USA broadcast date: October 1st, 1985

Contents
1) Synopsis
2) Notes
3) Errors


Synopsis

The Autobots receive a distress call from some humans, who are under attack by the Decepticons. They find the Decepticons and save the humans, but during the battle, Gears gets captured. The Decepticons bring Gears back to Megatron's new solar needle, a device which can draw energy directly from the sun. The reason Megatron wanted Gears is because he has a special circuit, a circuit Megatron takes and places into the solar needle. This has an unexpected effect on Gears, turning him from a grouchy complainer to a obedient nice Autobot, who can't bring himself to get angry at the Decepticons. The solar needle is activated, and whilst it gathers a tremendous amount of energy, it causes the entire planet to shake. The Autobots discover the location of the solar needle and head to it.

The Autobots and Decepticons fight, but Megatron takes aim at Optimus Prime and gets the other Autobots to surrender. Optimus tries to warn Megatron about the dangers of the solar needle, but Megatron refuses to listen. The solar needle is damaged during the battle, so Megatron orders Gears to make the necessary repairs. However, Gears shoots an energy receptor, causing an explosion. Optimus resumes fighting Megatron, whilst the rest of the Autobots take on the Decepticons, eventually making them retreat. Megatron doesn't leave and seems fine with letting the entire universe be destroyed, but Optimus eventually makes him flee.

Optimus has to make a choice between cutting one of two wires to deactivate the solar needle. He chooses correctly, stopping the sun from exploding. Gears has his special circuit returned to him, and the Autobots then set explosives around the solar needle, which are detonated. The solar needle is destroyed, as Gears, now back to his usual self, starts complaining. As Gears continues to grumble, the other Autobots transform and roll out -leaving Gears to realize he's been left behind. He transforms and goes after them.

Notes

-Several pieces of animation are used more than once in this episode, such as Megatron hitting Starscream and Soundwave sending out some of his cassettes.

Errors

-Megatron's chest Decepticon symbol is colored gray instead of purple during this shot. This happens again when the animation is reused later on.
-Wheeljack is colored like Gears during this shot.
-The barrel of Prime's gun is under the cliff instead of over it when he takes aim at Megatron and Starscream.
-When Megatron orders the Decepticons to bring him Gears, his chest symbol is colored gray instead of purple again.
-When Cliffjumper tells everyone to start blasting, he sounds like Gears.
-When Starscream grabs Gears, he initially speaks like he's Skywarp, but then a few seconds later has the correct voice.
-Starscream's jet intake is colored gray instead of red during this shot.