The Rebirth
Part 1

The Transformers episode 96
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For a detailed overview of this episode, click here.

The Decepticons launch an attack on Autobot City, intending to take the plasma energy chamber key.
Original USA broadcast date: November 9th, 1987

Contents
1) Synopsis
2) Notes
3) Errors


Synopsis

The Decepticons arrive at Autobot City and begin their attack. As the Autobots defend their city, Decepticons Pounce and Wingspan sneak inside and take the key to the plasma energy chamber. With the key in his possession, Galvatron immediately orders a retreat, as the Decepticons head to Cybertron. Optimus finds out about the key's theft and realizes the attack was just a diversion. Most of the Autobots head to Cybertron, where Hot Rod beats Blurr in a target practice race thanks to some help from Daniel. Brainstorm believes that the Autobots could function better having human partners inside them. The Decepticons then arrive and a major battle begins, but Hot Rod's group notice Scourge sneaking off. They follow him to the plasma energy chamber, which he opens. But this causes plasma energy to be released, damaging him.

The Autobots manage to get the key, but a plasma energy bolt hits their ship, causing it to take off at great speed and go out of control. It leaves Cybertron and heads far away from the planet. Meanwhile, Galvatron finds out the key has been lost, and sends Scourge and a group of Decepticons after the Autobot's ship. Hot Rod's group crash on a planet called Nebulos, and their ship explodes shortly afterwards.

The Autobots are quickly captured by a group of Nebulons led by Gort, who all hate machines. The Autobots and Spike try to explain that they're the good guys, but the Nebulons intend to destroy the Autobots with some bombs. However, the Decepticons then arrive on Nebulos, and start searching for the Autobots. Gort realizes he's made a mistake, and the Autobots are freed. The Decepticons attack the Autobots and capture many of them, but the Autobots use the bombs to make the Decepticons retreat.

Some of the Autobots go after them, but are attacked by strange machines. They withdraw as Gort explains about the Hive, a group of 10 rulers and their supreme leader, Zarak. The Hive have developed their mental powers to the point that they can control machines with their very thoughts, and use them as their enforcers. He and his group have been fighting them, but they wish they had the power of the Autobots. Realizing his idea may have to be put into practice now, the Autobots start work on becoming a new type of Transformer: Headmasters. Most of the Autobots agree, with the exception of Cerebros, who doesn't wish to fight. Spike tells the Autobots to prepare to become Headmasters.

Notes

-The Rebirth introduces an absolute ton of new characters, who were all part of the 1987 Transformers toyline. No explanation is given for where all these new Autobots and Decepticons came from, but given how there were only three episodes to introduce them it's no surprise. Writer David Wise said that he was told that he was to write five episodes, but was then later told that it was going to be cut down to just three episodes instead. So he had no option to just shove the new characters on in gangs.

-The Season four intro is an altered version of season three's intro. The new sequences are taken from Transformers toy commercials. One sequence features this character:

This is Flywheels, a Decepticon Duocon who never actually appears in any part of The Rebirth. Whether he was meant to or his appearance in the intro was an error remains a mystery.

-Optimus Prime and the Constructicons are the only characters to appear in all four seasons.

-In Japan, The Rebirth wasn't aired in 1987, instead, Japanese fans got a new full-length series called The Headmasters. The Rebirth would eventually be dubbed into Japanese and released in Japan much later.

Errors

-When Goldbug contacts Optimus, he is in front of a space background, when he's meant to be on Earth.
-When Ultra Magnus orders the Technobots to charge, Wideload, one of the Throttlebots, charges with them.
-Sureshot, one of the Autobots, is seen with the Decepticons when they retreat.
-The Decepticons are seen entering their ship through its engine port, which turns on about a second after they enter it.
-As Kup jumps away from the exploding ship, his face is colored completely gray.