Day of the
Machines

The Transformers episode 25
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For a detailed overview of this episode, click here.

Megatron takes control of the most powerful computer on Earth.
Original USA broadcast date: October 10th, 1985

Contents
1) Synopsis
2) Notes
3) Errors


Synopsis

Megatron, Soundwave and Laserbeak sneak inside Quantum Laboratories, where they find TORQ III -Earth's most powerful computer. Megatron reprograms the computer to have his personality, instincts and more. He then distributes circuit linker chips to various machines inside the facility, which allows TORQ to control them. The Decepticons then head out and attach these chips to several oil tankers, putting them under Decepticon control. Optimus Prime learns about many oil tankers going off course, heading towards the Decepticon's base. He is then contacted by Paul Gates, who helped created TORQ. He explains that the facility has been taken over by the computer. A group of Autobots head to Quantum Laboratories, whilst Hound, Skyfire and Spike head out to investigate the oil tankers.

Prime's group arrive at Quantum Laboratories and are attacked by the numerous vehicles TORQ has taken control of. Destroying them all, Paul is confused as to how TORQ was able to do this, as the computer shouldn't have been able to run machines that weren't designed for remote control. Sparkplug presents him with one of the chips, explaining that one of these was found on each vehicle. The Autobots head into the building TORQ is in. Meanwhile, Hound's group make it into Megatron's platform base via hiding in one of the oil tankers. The base is protected by a forcefield, but this is temporarily turned off to allow the oil tanker through it. The Autobots attack, but have to surrender when Laserbeak captures Spike.

Back at the labs, Prime goes it alone and fights many of TORQ's machines. He tricks TORQ into thinking he's taken control of him, but reveals that the chip one of the machines had placed on him was a fake. Prime then punches part of the computer, causing it to shut down. The Autobots regroup and head towards Megatron's base on a hydrofoil. Inside the base, Hound's group manage to escape and destroy the machine powering the forcefield.

The Autobots start fighting the Decepticons. With TORQ shut down, Megatron had transferred control to a remote control transmitter, but this ends up getting smashed during the fight. The remaining oil tankers all leave, as Megatron sets off the base's self-destruct sequence. Most of the Autobots get back on the hydrofoil and move out, whilst Prime finds Hound's group. The remaining Autobots and Spike get a lift out on Skyfire, as the base explodes. Back on dry land, Paul says that he's not sure if he'll reactive TORQ III yet, as like all machines, it's basically unreliable unless properly monitored. The Autobots aren't too happy about machines being unreliable. Paul quickly realizes his error and says that, of course, there are some machines types one can always count on. Prime asks if he means Autobots, and Paul tells him he took the words right out of his mouth... which were in there with his foot.

Notes

-SCRIPT DIFFERENCES: Click here for details.

-Megatron reveals that, like Soundwave, he can shrink himself down to human-scale in his transformed mode. This is the only time in the series he does this.

-Carl is not named in the episode, but that's his name in the script.

-This episode marks Skyfire's final appearance in the American Transformers series. It seems the legal issues Hasbro had with this character (which can be read about here) forced them to drop him from the series. Something I doubt Hasbro would have been very happy about, since the Skyfire/Jetfire toy was larger than the average Transformer, and therefore cost more -so they would have wanted to promote him in the show as much as possible. Interestingly, the updated production bible for the series had this note about him:

TRANSFORMERS

NEW PRODUCTS

ADDENDUM

Nineteen additional characters are introduced here (fifteen Autobots and five Decepticons). Models shown are not in comparative scale. Although Reflector should no longer be used as a character in the series, JETFIRE will be redesigned and reintroduced in the near future.

This brings the current total of TRANSFORMERS characters (depending on how you count them!) to 68.

FINAL REVISION: 2/6/85

It seems that there was a plan to bring the character back, but nothing came of it. Skyfire's only other appearances would be as an animation error in a season 3 episode called Dark Awakening, and a surprising cameo in an episode of The Headmasters.

-Swoop is missing when the Dinobots arrive. Guess he had the day off.

Errors

-Megatron's hand briefly vanishes during this shot.
-After Prowl says "there's still more of them!", his face turns completely white as he turns his head.
-When Snarl smashes apart a tank, his tail is colored white instead of yellow.
-When Slag is under fire from some tanks, his mouth opens and closes, but no words come out. See the script differences section for more details.
-After Prime asks Sludge for a boost, Sludge's mouth opens and closes, but he doesn't say anything. Again, see the script differences for details.
-When Optimus asks Paul and Carl if they're doing down, he's colored almost entirely blue.
-Hound missile launcher is suddenly missing when he tells Hook no more oil.
-As Laserbeak flies off with Spike, his wings are colored entirely white, missing the red and black parts.
-Sideswipe's head is colored red instead of black as he runs away from one of the machines.
-When Soundwave reports the forcefield is down, his eyes are colored white instead of red.
-Skyfire's face is colored dark gray instead of white during this shot.