Rebellion on Planet Beast

« Transformers: The Headmasters ep 5 »
"Space Battleship Bruce"
"Rebellion on Planet Beast" ビースト星の反乱 () (Beast-sei no Hanran)
Production company	Takara, Toei
Airdate	July 31, 1987
Writer	Yoshihisa Araki
Director	Akinori Ōrai
Animation studio	Toei
Continuity	Japanese Generation 1 cartoon continuity

The Autobots head for planet Beast to aid the native Beastformers in repelling a Decepticon invasion.

Synopsis

"Jumping out of the water beats laser stick!"

While patrolling the solar system, the Autobot Headmasters detect intruders on board Battleship Maximus. Chromedome and Hardhead go to the armory to check it out and find Daniel Witwicky hiding behind a crate, having stowed away. Moments later the boy is saved from a falling barrel by Wheelie, who anticipated his actions and also stowed away. Fortress lets them hang out on the bridge, so long as they behave. They soon detect two objects approaching the ship, which turned out to be Hedgehog and Rabbit Kid, two Beastformers from the planet Beast, adrift in space in exosuits. The pair collapse on arrival and are taken inside for medical attention. They explain they have come seeking the aid of the Autobots in liberating their homeworld from the Decepticons. Fortress reports the situation to Rodimus Prime, and Maximus heads for Beast.

On Beast, a platoon of soldiers under the command of the heroic White Leo attempt to liberate the prisoners being used as slave labor in a massive underground factory, but are defeated in battle by the evil Beastformers led by Alligatron, who have sided with the Decepticons. As White Leo debates what to do next, the Autobots arrive on the planet. While they're disembarking, they're spotted by the villainous Snakebomb, who reports back to Alligatron, who in turn reports to Galvatron on Chaar. Galvatron and the Decepticon Headmasters prepare to head to Beast, and send warning to Cyclonus and Scourge that the Autobots have arrived on the planet.

"I demand to see my laywer."

The rebels are cheered by the appearance of the Autobots, and the Headmasters and White Leo work on their strategy for rescuing the prisoners. Meanwhile, Wheelie and Daniel wander off and come across a young ape Beastformer, whose parents are among those who are prisoners of the Decepticons. He talks the pair into mounting a rescue and leads them to the Decepticon factory. Once they see how many Beastformers are guarding the place, they decide a frontal assault would be a bad idea, but unfortunately for them they've already been spotted, and the Beastformers chase them down.

Rodimus and the Monsterbots arrive in the Trainbots, and find Battleship Maximus deserted. The Monsterbots split up to look for everyone.

This is pretty much the exact moment that Cyclonus completely stops being remotely badass.

The Headmasters are scouting out the Decepticon factory when they spot Wheelie and Daniel being led away. Chromedome and Hardhead charge off to rescue the pair, only to be stopped short when the Decepticon Headmasters jump out of the swamp and seize the pair. Highbrow and Brainstorm swap bodies with their comrades, and begin fighting. Fortress meanwhile learns from the Beastformers that there's a shortcut under the piragilon swamp, and suggests they take it while the Autobots battle the Decepticons. The Beastformers don't think it's safe to go via the swamp, what with the metal-eating piragilons in it. Luckily they don't have to worry about that, as Rodimus arrives with Battleship Maximus and drains the swamp. While the Beastformers head through, Galvatron confronts Rodimus. The pair begin wrestling on the ground, and Cyclonus attempts to hit Rodimus with a rock, only to smack Galvatron in the face with it instead.

"Get up before I frog-march you to Galvatron."

In the factory, conditions are grim, with exhausted slaves being whipped to keep them working. The guards are drawn away by the Autobot attack, allowing the young ape to untie Daniel and Wheelie and they begin freeing the prisoners. As they head to the exit, they encounter the Monsterbots, who report they're surrounded by enemy Beastformers. Luckily the young ape knows of a shortcut, and they head out through it.

Meanwhile, the battle rages between the Autobots and Decepticons above, until Galvatron is knocked into the grip of the piragilons by Battleship Maximus, and the villains retreat.

Wheelie, Daniel and the freed slaves run into White Leo's team on the way out, and they all arrive outside to encounter Chromedome. As everyone is reunited, Rodimus and Fortress have cause for concern as they examine the blueprints for what was being constructed in the factory—a small component of some mysterious larger machine. Rodimus orders the Monsterbots to stay on the planet in case the Decepticons return, and the Autobots and Beastformers part as friends.

Featured characters

(Numbers indicate order of appearance.)

Quotes

"Darn those Decepticons! They'll do anything to satisfy their own needs! Hrmmmmmmm~"

—Fortress Maximus darns the Decepticons to heck.

"Can I try and lure Rodimus Prime out first?"
"What a good idea that is. You just mind your own business!"

—Scourge and Galvatron don't have a good working relationship.

"I'm from the Autobots force as well. I'm better than he is!"
"Aw, hey what do you mean? You can't say that!"
"But I'm right! You're gutless and you're scared of everything."

—Wheelie shoots Daniel down in flames.

"The game is over, Autobots! You're going to turn into dust balls floating in space!"

—Galvatron needs to work on his threats.

"I can't tell which one of you is Rodimus Prime!"

—If Cyclonus can't tell Rodimus and Galvatron apart, there's no hope for him.

Notes

Continuity notes

Recruit five teenagers with attitude!

• Fortress appears in "head mode" for the first time in this episode, controlling Battleship Maximus from the bridge by connecting to it as a head. The head, of course, is that of Fortress Maximus, who will not appear until "Head On!! Fortress Maximus". So it kinda neuters any surprise by having his big ol' noggin appear so far ahead of time.
• This episode features the first time that the Headmasters exchange heads, boosting their energy and controlling each other's Transtectors. Although the technique is not named at this point, it will later come to be known as the "Cross-Head On".
• Although it is never directly referred to again, the blueprint the Autobots discover is for a portion of Scorponok's Transtector, which is currently being constructed by enslaved Beastformers on the planet Zarak, as we will see in future episodes.
• The Transformers would visit planet Beast again in the manga special, "The Decisive Battle of Planet Beast!".

Animation and technical errors

• As Fortress tells Rabbit Kid to relax, the bed the Beastformers are on is missing.
• White Leo runs through the faction alignments, particularly that the reptile, fish and amphibian-type Beastformers have aligned with the Decepticons, while the mammals are the rebels, who ultimately align with, and are aided by, the Autobots. However, Daniel, Wheelie and Rodimus Prime are attacked by bats... which are mammals.
• Just after Skullcruncher ambushes Chromedome and Hardhead at the river, he is briefly colored similar to Weirdwolf.
• In the same scene, as Highbrow rushes to save Chromedome and Hardhead, his chestplate keeps changing color.
• Yet again in the same scene, as Brainstorm's body attaches to Chromedome's head, the latter is colored completely gray. Perhaps he was dead for a moment?
• Just before being attacked by the steel-eating piranha, Cyclonus is shown using Soundblaster's weapon.

Continuity errors

• While being held in headlocks, Chromedome and Hardhead are able to detach their heads from their Transectors, at which point the Decepticons' grasp on them is pretty much neutered. Why don't they just slip free at this point instead of switching bodies and re-entering the headlocks?

Trivia

• This episode features the animated debut of the criminally-overlooked Monsterbots.
• The dub pronounces "Beast" as "Pissto". Tee hee!

Foreign localization

English

• Title: "The Revolt on Planet Pisto" (Omni Productions dub)
• Original airdate: August 9, 1992

• Title: "Rebellion on Planet Beast" (Shout! Factory sub)

• Platinum Tiger is referred to as "Saber Sword Tiger" in the subtitles introducing him, despite the dialogue subtitles soon after using "Platinum Tiger".

Italian

• Title: "Il pianeta delle belve" ("Planet of beasts")
• Original airdate: ?

• The first lines are replaced by the narrator talking. He weirdly starts by saying: «Fortress, Maximus, and the other Headmasters [...]», like if "Fortress" and "Maximus" were the names of two characters.
• In the line immediately after the opening narration, the Decepticons are called by their Japanese name, and without any article preceding it.
• Once, the narrator says that the Decepticons are "swooping in from Destron", like if they came from a place called Destron, which is actually the Decepticons' Japanese name.

Mandarin

• Title: "Beast-xīngrén Bàodòng " (比斯特星人暴动, "Riot of Aliens Beast")
• Original airdate: ?

Toys inspired by this episode

• Targetmaster Doublecross (November 25, 2017)
  • Japanese ID Number: LG-51

White Leo functions as the Headmaster of Legends Doublecross. He is a redeco of Titans Return Daburu, who was designed in homage to White Leo to begin with.

This figure was later retooled as Titans Return Fengul (later released in Japan as Legends Platinum Tiger). It was also differently retooled to make Dastard (later released in Japan as Legends Hedgehog).

• Repug & Grotes (2-pack, January 26, 2019)
  • ID number: LG-EX

Legends Hedgehog is a re-release of Titans Return Dastard, forming the head of Repug. Hedgehog is also compatible with any Deluxe, Voyager, or Leader Class Titans Return-style figure. He was available in a multi-pack with Platinum Tiger and Grotes.

• Repug & Grotes (Repugnus & Grotusque) (2-pack, January 26, 2019)
  • ID number: LG-EX

Legends Platinum Tiger is a re-release of Titans Return Fengul, forming the head of Grotes. Platinum Tiger is also compatible with any Deluxe, Voyager, or Leader Class Titans Return-style figure. He was available in a multi-pack with Hedgehog and Repug.

Home video releases

Laserdisc

1996 — Transformers: The Headmasters Set (Takara) — Japanese audio only.

DVD

2002 — Transformers: Takara (Sony Wonder) — Omni dub only.
2002 — Transformers: The Headmasters — DVD Box (Pioneer LDC) — Japanese audio only.
2005 — The Takara Collection Vol 1 — Transformers: Headmasters (Metrodome)
2007 — Transformers — The Complete Takara Collection (Metrodome)
2007 — The Transformers: Headmasters (Madman Entertainment)
2009 — The Transformers: Japan Generation 1 — Complete Collection (Madman Entertainment)
2011 — Transformers Japanese Collection: Headmasters (Shout! Factory) — Japanese audio with optional English subtitles only.
2012 — Transformers: The Japanese Collection (Shout! Factory) — Japanese audio with optional English subtitles only.