A Tale of Two Heros

« Transformers: Energon ep 18 »
Can hardly make out anyone- is this from an unseen Laserbeak's vantage point? Is he cameraman now? Maybe that's why we don't see him anymore.
"A Tale of Two Heros" 対決! ふたりのコンボイ () (Taiketsu! Futari no Convoy) "A Confrontation! The Two Convoys"
Production company	TV Tokyo, NAS
Airdate	7 May 2004 (Japanese) July 3, 2004 (English)
Writer	Akira Okeya
Director	Mitsuru Kawasaki
Animation studio	Actas, Studio A-CAT (3D)
Continuity	Unicron Trilogy

Ironhide follows Rodimus, determined to find out more about the mysterious Alpha Q.

Synopsis

A dream is born, double prime!

Aboard the Miranda II, the Autobots have tracked the tracer signal to a Decepticon warp point.

Alpha Q freaks out in light of the recent energon theft. Scorponok offers to get more, using his position in Megatron's ranks... and Rodimus.

Kicker is worried about a Decepticon attack, and "that Unicron thing". Suddenly, they see a ship approaching, flying a flag (literally) with the Team Rodimus brand.

Rodimus opens a channel, asking permission to come aboard. Hot Shot, naturally, isn't too happy about this, but can't offer any proof to the others that anything's amiss.

Rodimus lays it out: he wants Optimus Prime not to destroy Unicron, and focus on defeating Megatron instead. He tells Optimus that Unicron can create new life, such as the Terrorcons created by Alpha Q, and that it's only dangerous in the wrong hands. Prime isn't buying it, but Rodimus tells him that Unicron consumed Alpha Q's planet.

Kicker asks Inferno how Rodimus and Optimus know each other. Inferno tells him a story that doesn't answer the question.

Rodimus says that the consumed planets can be re-created. Prime still thinks it's too dangerous. Rodimus leaves... and as he does, Ironhide overhears him and Prowl discussing what they're going to tell Alpha Q.

What is this, 1994?

Kicker finds Ironhide watching Rodimus's ship depart, and deduces that he plans to track him back to Alpha Q's location. The Miranda II powers up. Ironhide doubts if he should go by himself, since he's spent his whole life following others, but a pep talk from Kicker gets him going; Kicker lends him the Energon Saber. Optimus solemnly watches Rodimus's ship depart.

Rodimus is well aware of his stowaway, but decides to let him be for now.

The Autobots get their first look at Unicron. Hot Shot notices Ironhide's absence and figures out that he's gone to do something foolhardy. Kicker confirms it, and notes that Hot Shot must surely understand, given his past. Hot Shot does understand... and immediately reports it to Optimus. Prime isn't worried.

Rodimus's ship approaches Unicron's head and enters, as Ironhide grows more and more worried.

Within Unicron, Megatron is delighted to hear a report from Starscream that a ship has been sighted, and orders Starscream to do nothing. When the titan is activated, Optimus will be its first victim!

Dino Samurai meets obnoxious buffoon.

The Decepticons immediately attack the Miranda II. As Prime goes to counter-attack, Kicker tells Misha to release all the energon, to help Ironhide. Or a small chunk.

Within Unicron, Ironhide comes to his senses and begins tracking Rodimus. Alpha Q observes him and frets, but Rodimus tells him not to worry. Alpha Q sends Scorponok to bring in the stowaway. Ironhide follows an opening door, and finds himself in a warehouse full of Terrorcon eggs. They hatch, of course, unleashing a swarm of Cruellock drones on him.

Misha sends out a chunk of energon, which Kicker tosses into space. As the Terrorcons swarm toward it, Inferno blows it up, annihilating them.

The drones steal Ironhide's energon star, but he fights his way free... and finds himself facing Scorponok. He demands to know where Alpha Q is, and peppers Scorponok with questions. They struggle. Ironhide punches him, and somehow knocks himself out. Scorponok agrees to take him there. He brings the unconscious Autobot into Alpha Q's chamber, to Rodimus's horror.

The Autobots have driven off their attackers, and vow to be ready next time. Megatron gloats that they don't have a clue what they're in store for.

Featured characters

(Numbers indicate order of appearance.)

Quotes

"You're being stubborn. PROWL! Let's go."

—Rodimus throws a sort of low-key tantrum.

"Uh, it's like, I've always lived my life following someone else around. Maybe it's time I saw what I can do on my own. Do you understand what I mean, Kicker?"
"I know exactly how you feel. I'm always being told what to do. If you have to do this on your own, then go for it!"
"Yeah. I will."
"Come on, what are you waiting for? This is your chance, get on with it!"

—Ironhide is ordered to think for himself by Kicker.

Notes

Differences with Super Link

Nothing major or devastating, but this episode is rife with examples of the Energon dub team just not paying attention:

• It starts almost immediately, as Optimus advises that they've tracked the Decepticons' "warp signal", and warns the others that the Decepticons have probably set up a defensive line to defend Unicron and a battle will happen as soon as they emerge from warp. Energon mangles this into the Autobots detecting a Decepticon warp point, in clear contradiction to the animation, which shows that they're already in warp space. Energon also omits the important point that they're heading for Unicron, instead having Prime just say "we don't want to walk into a trap".
• In Super Link, Scorponok doesn't propose to use Rodimus for the mundane task of retrieving more energon, but for re-taking Unicron's body, since it's apparently going to be finished soon.
• Kicker's question is originally about the relationship between Optimus and Rodimus. Energon transmangulates this into "how do they know each other"; this turns Inferno's answer, correctly translated, into a non sequitur.
• In Super Link, Inferno further elaborates that the two leaders don't see eye-to-eye, and that their ways of living are not compatible; Misha describes them as two heroes who walk different paths. Energon dumbs this down to Misha saying "they really are heroes, aren't they", somewhat at odds with the dramatic background music.
• Energon replaces Megatron's implied intention to attack ("we should go ahead and start the fun") with him telling Starscream not to attack. This makes it very odd when the very next scene is... the Decepticons attacking the Autobots.
• The purpose of Scorponok and the Terrorcons attacking Ironhide is to test his strength (thus showing if he can be of some use to Alpha Q), not to "see if he can be trusted" per Energon.
• Megatron's final lines are an Energon addition; Super Link just has him laughing ominously.

Pain count

• "Uh?": 10
• "We need/they want energon": 2
• "Gimme a break": 1
• "You can't be serious": 1
• "I know what you mean": 1

Animation and technical errors

Where did the "E" go? Who knows- it's a Mister E! (we're sorry)

• The Energon title card errorenously leaves out a the letter "e" in "Heroes". Unfortunately, this was never fixed for the Paramount DVD release. The DVD menus and case do have corrected spelling, however.
• Kicker says "It's hard to tell what his intentions are!" without moving his mouth. (Despite appearances, the dialog is not an Energon addition; the error repeats in Super Link.)
• Rodimus is depicted far too big this episode, he's shown to be about the same size as Optimus, when he should really be around the same height as Prowl.
• Some odd editing, as Prime reacts to something off-screen, then immediately goes into his combination sequence, without the viewer ever learning what he was reacting to.
• The flag on Rodimus's ship waves in the wind... in space.

Continuity notes

• Kicker references the time that Hot Shot single-handedly "stormed that Decepticon base", which is likely a nod to either of the events in the Armada episodes "Credulous" or "Dash".
• The final battle is... not really there. The Decepticons swoop in once, then are never seen again. Optimus combines and takes off, then is not seen again till the battle is over. Inferno blows up some Terrorcons, who weren't shown until it was time for them to die. All the while, Kicker floats around outside the ship, not doing much of anything.
• The Cruellocks use their robot modes for the first time this episode.
• When the Cruellocks die their energon tail parts disappear.
• Gadgets and powers:
  • Demolishor uses his Hyper Mode.
  • The Cruellocks use their Energy Blades.
• Powerlinx forms:
  • Energon Saber
  • Optimus Prime Super Mode

Continuity errors

• Scorponok claims the Megatron still believes that he is working for him and doesn't suspect that he is secretly working for Alpha Q. This is entirely wrong as Scorponok was punished for working with Alpha Q by Megatron back in "Rodimus Friend or Foe?". To make matters worse, the Decepticons witnessed Team Rodimus rescue Scorponok in "Go for Unicron!", meaning they know of their involvement too.
• When Rodimus explains that Unicron has the ability to create new lifeforms to Optimus, he is shocked as if this is the first time he's learning about this, however, he should remember that the Minicons was proof of Unicron creating new lifeforms.
• Hot Shot says that he doesn't "know how, but I think Rodimus is somehow involved with Unicron"; that he doesn't have proof, just a feeling. He apparently was not paying attention when Rodimus previously laid out directly, specifically and in great detail his involvement with Alpha Q and Unicron. Perhaps it's that blaster shot he took at close range just moments later.
• Kicker urges Ironhide to hurry and transform as Rodimus leaves. But they're in space. Ironhide remains in robot mode the rest of the episode.
• A second later, Kicker produces the Energon Saber out of nowhere.
• It's not a terrible leap of logic to figure out that Ironhide's gone to follow Rodimus, but how does Hot Shot figure out that he's heading for Unicron? The mention of Unicron is another Energon artifact.

Real-world references

• The episode's title is a reference to the novel A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens.
• In an obvious Star Wars homage, Jetfire looks at Unicron and comments "Look at the size of that thing!" It'd be a bit less non-sequitur if it was his first reaction, but by that time he's already made several other comments.
  • Kicker also makes the comment "I've got a bad feeling about this", earlier in the episode. While this could be written off as a typical Energon stock phrase or just a reference to Kicker's powers, this phrase is commonly used in almost every piece of Star Wars media, from movies and cartoons, to comics and novels, homaging Han Solo's comment in the original film.

Trivia

• There's another hand-drawn moment in this episode, which illustrates just how lackluster Energon's CGI really is. When Kicker encourages him to go after Rodimus, Ironhide displays the robotic equivalent of getting teary-eyed. This sort of minor shaking was done pretty much constantly back in Beast Wars, but given how expensive Beast Wars was to animate (being one of the most expensive animations of its time), Energon's budget was likely much smaller.

Foreign localization

Italian

• Title: "La storia di due eroi" ("The Tale of Two Heroes")

• The mistake about Scorponok saying that Megatron still believes that he is working for him and doesn't suspect that he is secretly working for Alpha Q is corrected. In Italian he simply says that Megatron is looking for some energon.
• In Italian Kicker doesn't ask how Optimus and Rodimus knew each other, but instead he wonders how much do they know about each other.

Home video releases

DVD

2004 — Transformer: Super Link — Volume 005 (Interchannel) — Japanese audio only.
2008 — Transformers: Energon — The Ultimate Collection (Paramount)
2014 — Transformers: Energon — The Complete Series (Shout! Factory)