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Alpha Trion

The Transformers episode 53
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For a detailed overview of this episode, click here.

When Elita One is captured by the Decepticons, Optimus Prime has to go to Cybertron to save her.
Original USA broadcast date: November 12th, 1985

Contents
1) Synopsis
2) Notes
3) Errors


Synopsis

Shockwave finds out that a group of female Autobots -Chromia, Moonracer and Firestar -are raiding his energon supplies. Whilst they manage to escape, he is able to pinpoint a rough idea as to where their hidden base is. The Autobots report back to their leader, Elita One, who contacts Alpha Trion about what has happened. Alpha Trion suggests they relocate at once, and Elita should investigate the area alone, so the Decepticons won't spot her. Elita heads out, but a group of Decepticons have been sent to Cybertron to help Shockwave. Rumble causes an earthquake over the Autobot base, so Elita shoots at them. Starscream eventually takes her down with a null ray blast.

Megatron then contacts Optimus Prime and explains that they have Elita One. He wants Prime to surrender, and gives him two hours to make up his mind. Optimus finds out where the space bridge is, and uses it to get to Cybertron. But as soon as he gets there, he is captured by the Decepticons. Starscream decides to have Prime melted in a acid pit. He gives Rumble the order to execute Prime.

But Elita then uses her special power, causing time to stop for several seconds. She saves Optimus, but then collapses. He takes her outside, whilst the Decepticons simply believe Optimus is dead. Another group of Autobots -Ironhide, Inferno and Powerglide -then arrive via the space bridge, looking for where Optimus had gone. As they start fighting the Decepticons, Elita tells Optimus to take her to Alpha Trion. Optimus finds Alpha Trion, who tells Prime disengage his power filter. Prime is dubious to how this could help, but he does as asked and connects it to Elita. Alpha Trion tells him that only his interface is designed to interface with Elita One. Prime asks how he would know, as only his creator could know that. Alpha Trion says it was an educated guess.

Elita is revived, and she and Optimus join the battle against the Decepticons. Most of them retreat, but whilst Shockwave stays to fight, Elita shoots him down. The female Autobots then move to their new base, whilst the Earth Autobots have to return home. As they say their goodbyes, Prime says they have Alpha Trion to thank for their victory. Elita calls him such a wise old Autobot... he's almost like a father to her. Prime tells her that's more than she'll ever know. He and the others head back to Earth via the space bridge, as Elita bids goodbye to Prime, and hopes he doesn't stay away for too long.

Notes

-The episode sees the debut of female Autobots, they only appear in this episode (although Elita One technically appears in War Dawn) and are never seen or talked about again. Their reason for inclusion in the show was due to a push for more female characters to be added. A series update published in 1985 had this to say:

Whilst the female Autobots in this episode are one-shot characters, the Transformers movie added Arcee, a female Autobot who would make plenty of appearances in the cartoon's third and fourth seasons.

-As shown in part 2 of Desertion of the Dinobots, the Decepticons are managing to get energon to Cybertron -and in this episode, they've got even more of it there now.

-This episode marks Alpha Trion's first appearance. He'll be back in several more episodes spanning across this season, along with seasons three and four. Despite this, he never had a toy available back in the 1980s.

Errors

-When Megatron says he'll send a team of Decepticons, the wrong background is used -he's meant to be in the Decepticon base on Earth, but the background makes him look like he's on Cybertron.
-Right after Megatron shows Prime that Elita has been captured, Prime's mouthplate is missing for a few frames.
-Prime's flashback features a missile attack on the Autobot launch site before the ship launched. This was never shown to happen in this episode.
-During this shot, the acid pit is missing.
-When Inferno says "it can't be", Ironhide's mouth is moving.
-Chromia's eyes are colored red instead of blue during this shot.