A Decepticon
Raider in
King Arthur's
Court

The Transformers episode 40
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For a detailed overview of this episode, click here.

The Transformers find themselves in the year 543.
Original USA broadcast date: October 24th, 1985

Contents
1) Synopsis
2) Notes
3) Errors


Synopsis

Starscream, Ramjet, Rumble and Ravage retreat from some pursuing Autobots. They enter an ancient structure and Starscream is able to gain some energy from some of the stones inside. The group move back out, only to find the Autobots are gone. But they are then approached by some knights, who they mistake for Autobots. Sir Wigend wants them to help in his raid on Sir Aetheling the Red's castle. The Decepticons learn that they've gone back to the year 543, and Starscream immediately starts plotting -there are no Autobots to worry about, nor does he need to worry about Megatron! He agrees to help Wigend. Nearby, Aetheling's daughter Nimue has seen Wigend's meeting with the Decepticons.

She is chased by Ravage, but saved by Warpath, who has also gone back in time along with Hoist and Spike. Nimue takes them back to her father's castle, where they agree to help him. Aetheling explains that he and Wigend had an argument -some of Wigend's cows broke Aetheling's fence, and he wants Wigend to repair the fence before he gives him back the cows. A jousting tournament takes place, and whilst Spike gets knocked out of the competition in the first round, Aetheling defeats Rumble with Warpath's help. However Starscream takes Nimue hostage and leaves.

The Decepticons go back to Wigend's castle, where Starscream constructs a dynamo. It allows him and the other Decepticons to recharge their energy, although they still can't use their lasers. Instead, Starscream has the Decepticons gather materials so he can make gunpowder. Meanwhile, Spike heads to the castle to rescue Nimue, but when he gets there, he sees she doesn't need saving -Wigend has realized the error of his ways, but now he and Nimue have agreed to get married!

Aetheling's forces then attack the castle, but the odds aren't looking good thanks to the gunpowder the Decepticons use against them. Hoist is used as a drawbridge to let Aetheling's army get to the castle, but the two Autobots are now also low on energy. A wizard called Beorht then approaches, having learned of these giants. Aetheling and Wigend explain that the two Autobots need energy, so Beorht uses some magic. He gives the Autobots enough energy to transform again, so they attack the castle and destroy the dynamo.

The Autobots and Decepticons return to the time chamber. After dealing with a dragon, the Autobots say their goodbyes to Aetheling and the others, and then return to their own time. As they arrive back, they are attacked by Megatron. Starscream yells at him to hold his fire, and as the Autobots escape, Starscream pounces on Megatron and asks what's wrong -isn't he pleased to see them? Megatron yells out in frustration.

Notes

-SCRIPT DIFFERENCES: Click here for details.

-The original broadcast version of this episode has a typo in the title card: A Deceptacon Raider in King Arthur's Court. This was fixed for the DVD releases.

-At the very end of the episode, a group of Decepticons come running towards Megatron and Starscream, and Reflector is among them. He's a bit difficult to make out due to the fog, but he is there, which is a bit surprising as the writers were told not to use him. However, in the script, it doesn't mention Reflector for this scene -it just states "other Decepticons". So it seems the animators put him in for whatever reason.

Errors

-Nimue's headband is colored blue instead of yellow when she spies of the Decepticons.
-Starscream claims he's got 1,451 years until they have to worry about the Autobots, but if you add 543 to this, it would make in 1994. He should have said 1,441 years.
-When the dynamo crashes and explodes, Ramjet's wings are colored like Dirge's.