Transformers Prime - "Stronger, Faster" - Talkback [09/17]

[The Huntsman]

Today @ 8:30 PM ET on The Hub

I'm not sure if I like the sound of this one. It sounds like it could get too preachy, with the obvious steroids comparison. Hopefully they don't go that route.

Ratchet becomes a threat to everyone after he injects himself with an experimental substance.

[Dragnatek]

I have been asking for a Ratchet episode since the show started, I hope it's worth the wait.

[Anyone00]

I wonder if the substance is green and glowing (actor allusion).

Edit: And it's green and glowing.

[trance2009]

Yeah, this is a "Just Say No" very special ep.

Crap, Ratchet is bleeding out pretty graphically.

[Mandouga]

I don't know. The whole steroid/drug allegory may really depend on who you ask. That is to say, that could just be only one way to intepret it. It's not as direct as, say, the Jem episode "Alone Again", which was written specifically/directly as an anti-drug episode (and which may not be an accurate comparison, but it was all I could think of). I mean, it could just be a literal interpretation of the "absolute power" adage ("power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely"), where Ratchet is literally corrupted by the power of the synthetic energon. Moreover, the ending mentions that the forumla would require more refinement and testing (on machines, and not autobots), implying that they haven't given up on it entirely.

Overall though, the episode wasn't actually that bad. Incidentally, according to Wikipedia, this is episode 22, and the three part season finale is scheduled for October, followed by the season premiere (which is sourced) in November.

[Dragnatek]

The episode was very good just like I hoped it would be. Sometimes I forget how brutal the fights in this show can get, that and cold blooded torture. Good thing they are all robots or this type of action would not slide on American TV.

So there are different classes of decepticons and not just soldiers and Autobots have rules against killing "workers." Given how indiscriminate the Autobots have been in earlier episodes it seems a little to late to add such a detail but I can let it slide. Though I wonder how can they tell the difference between a fighter drone and a worker there really don't seem to be much difference between the generic decepticon design?

[The Huntsman]

I don't know. The whole steroid/drug allegory may really depend on who you ask. That is to say, that could just be only one way to intepret it.

I'd say the scene where he knocked Bulkhead through a wall, made fun of Bumblebee and catcalled Arcee removed any need for interpretation. It was obviously allegorical to steroids. It wasn't blatantly preachy, which is good, and it wasn't necessarily a PSA episode, but it is what it is.

[sparkykandy]

In my opinion, this is the best episode by far. I guess part of the reason why I like it so much is because it shines the spotlight on a character that needed it: Ratchet. Not only that, but Ratchet's probably my favorite of the Autobots in Prime.

[HEATXZ]

Great episode :anime:
Ratchet was awesome in this episode

[Avengers]

I just realized, whoever voices Ratchet needs to voice him from now on in every transformers show ever, perfect voice for one of the best characters in every one of his various incarnations

good episode

[Anyone00]

I just realized, whoever voices Ratchet...

That would be Jeffery Combs; I'm guessing you missed the actor allusion in this episode:


He was also The Question on Justice League Unlimited.

[TheVileOne]

Yup, definitely steroids for Autobots. He even goes into a roid rage.

[Mr. Hypocrite]

You know, when I first watched TMI (In Cananda, it aired month's ago), I remember immediately thinking since they managed to get some of the energon formula down before Bulkhead purged it, it may come up again.

Little time was wasted with that plot point.

Which makes the final scene all the more terrifying. How long do you think it will take before Megatron starts fielding grunts with the improper formula. Hell. he doesn't even need to try and fix it the way Ratchet does. The goons being more aggressive would be perfect for the cons.

[TheVileOne]

Well they could always break down the formula and reverse engineer it so the Decepticons that use it would be more obedient even if they use it. But that's just speculation.

[Neo Yi]

I really hate to add criticism to what is an otherwise decent episode, but I admit, I would have liked this episode - maybe even loved - if they had aired this earlier. I would have enjoyed it massively if I didn't have to wait nearly half a year and 21 episodes to get to Ratchet's spotlight episode. He's my favorite Autobot in the show (what with his amusingly cynical personality and deadpan snarks), but having to see him as more of a secondary character while much of it was focused on either Arcee, Bulkhead (neither of whom are even remotely interesting), and Starscream really hurt my enjoyment of "Stronger, Faster" because it just took so long. That and the show has been on an up and down level of quality for me.

Which is a shame because this is a good episode. Yeah, there's that unsubtle "steroids are bad" lesson and I admit, it's a bit iffy for me to swallow Ratchet being so irrational to experiment on himself without a second thought when he's usually the one calling out anyone who goes crazy (but then again, he proved in episode six that he'll go the length for science, so I can let it slide), but it is a fun little episode. The two best scenes: Ratchet briefly flirting with Arcee (which had that "for the LULZ" feel to it) and Ratchet punching Megatron In. The. Face. Right before Megatron owned him, that is. Oh, yeah, and I am so glad the writers were kind to give us a medic vs. medic with Ratchet and Knockout. I almost feared they would not jump at that opportunity.

But yeah, despite my interest having dropped down, the episode is entertaining and definitely a large step up from the previous two.

[MetroSparkster]

Ratchet kicked some serious chassis in this episode.

While I agreed on some points when he chewed out Optimus, we should be grateful we'll never have a "Dark of the Moon" Optimus on this show.

[Monte]

I can see why some would think of this as an anti-drug episode, but frankly I didn't get that vibe. I think its because of the execution. Though the message was there It never really felt like they were hammering it in which is what separates it from most other anti-drug psa episodes.

Though one thing that does bug me about this episode and the last episode is that i never really FELT their desperate need for energon. I mean we are TOLD they are in short supply but we never see it. We don't see chases where the transformers were clearly tired because they burned through their supply, or cases where they ran out of ammo because they were rationing what they needed. I would have appreciated these episodes A LOT more if we saw these kind of things happening.

Similar can be said about the autobots being outnumbered... i mean they like to say it but its rare that we ever see the autobots actually get overwelmed by enemy numbers... usually they just ploy through the armies and only the named decepticons give them any trouble; stuff like what happened to Arcee in the early part of the episode is more of what I would like to see to show how much of an advantage megatron has with those nameless minions of his

[Chaos Yoshi Mage]

I thought the anti-drug message here was really corny but it wasn't too bad of an episode. I did love Ratchet punching Megatron in the face, and I liked the Decepticons pushing the Autobots to waste their fuel at the beginning. I thought it was a far more clever tactic then the usual, punch each other for a few minutes...

[Gold Guy]

I liked this episode. Its almost too bad that Ratchet had to lose the formula, he was so hardcore with it. I mean, he beat a whole mini-army all by himself. Cool.

[G1Ravage]

Hmm...I wonder if they were forced to edit this episode further after it was finished. A lot of flashes and abrupt cuts not typical of this particular show. Plenty of action left in, but I wonder if this was a "if you want some of this, you need to remove some of that" deal.