Transformers Prime - "Orion Pax Part One" - Talkback [02/18]

[The Huntsman]

Today @ 8:30 PM ET on The Hub

The first season's finale was very entertaining. I hope that this season manages to build upon that. Optimus can't get his memories back too easily or the whole thing will have been pointless.

In Part 1 of the three-part Season 2 opener, Optimus' skills are weakened, and Megatron cons him into joining the Decepticons.

[Ed Liu]

Maxie Zeus tackles the Season 2 Premiere for Toonzone News:

I am so lost.

Well, that's what I ought to be saying about "Orion Pax, Part 1," the season 2 premiere of Transformers Prime, given that I've never watched the series and have been barely aware of its existence. Fortunately, the show (which is clearly pitched at a youthful demographic) knows that continuity for kiddoes should be leavened with enough repetition of exposition that even total newbies like me can't get lost when we wander into the middle of things just after a cliffhanger. Score one for the good guys.

There's more, of course...keep reading.

[Philmister978]

That review was pretty damn brutal.

[Edward15]

That review was pretty damn brutal.

That reviewer is a newcomer to the series so what do they know?

[Neo Yi]

Given some of the previous reviews I've read from Maxie, I honestly think this one is pretty tame! XD Also, he is spot on with his criticism of the animation. I think the robots look lovely, but they do overact and wave their limbs around a lot and it bugs me. That and yes, Megatron is a magnificently awful ham. I really want Season Two to work on his villainy so I can actually take him seriously.

Needless to say, I'm apprehensive of the Season Two premiere yet excited at the same time. The Season One conclusion had a plot twist I did not expect and the idea of Optimus as a Decepticon raises a lot of interest for me. However, Transformers Prime as a whole has been a rather average affair - good moments have really good moments, but their insufferable ones tends tojust be that heinous - so I'm approaching with caution.

[Dragnatek]

That review was pretty damn brutal.

How? He was not bashing the show or the episode in any way it actually seemed like he liked it but felt it was not great. And as said this was a review by someone who has not seen the show before who is reviewing his first episode which happens to be the middle of a long story line. Actually I say it's big praise that he was able to follow along and not get lost seeing how this is kind of the fifth part of a story.

[Philmister978]

How? He was not bashing the show or the episode in any way it actually seemed like he liked it but felt it was not great. And as said this was a review by someone who has not seen the show before who is reviewing his first episode which happens to be the middle of a long story line. Actually I say it's big praise that he was able to follow along and not get lost seeing how this is kind of the fifth part of a story.

I'm not saying that he wasn't valid (I kinda agree with the overacting and cheesy 'Con portrayal criticisms). It's just how he worded it that's brutal.

[The Huntsman]

It's good that Starscream is doing something again, even if that "something" is petty theft. I'm not sure what he was thinking trying to land on the ship and act like nothing happened, though. Hopefully we'll get to see more of him this season beyond this little inadvertent disruption of his.

[Edward15]

Well, I was wondering when Starscream would be returning. Hopefully, he'll have a part to play in the second season.

[Ishin ookami]

I really didn't like that review. the reviewer freely admits his lack of knowledge of what came before, and the body of that review was directed at his mocking the episode for his lack of understanding what had happened before. (commenting on character designs, color schemes, vocal infections, macguffins, ect). The rest of the review was pretty half hearted, not really informative.


as for the ep, I'll comment on it when I have time to catch it. Expectations are pretty high for it.

[HEATXZ]

Great episode :anime:
Good to see Starscream is back,the action scenes were good

[Avengers]

This to me was a perfect episode. I really dug almost everything that happened in the episode. My favorite being the angst and disjointed feel the autobots had, making it seem that optimus really was the glue that held them together. Also I thought megs was at his best in the episode. He was smart, thinking two steps ahead and almost always came off more like a genius master planner then an evil warlord (I guess you can both at once). I really liked the scene where megs was explaining the plan to knockout and how absolutely clever it was and how he came across as both a genius and a kid trying to get praise for being said genius, I thought it really fit megatron, oh and also the voice he used when saying scream was dead was perfect making it sound hesitant on the chance that orian sees him and realizes somethings afoot but also sounding like he wished it was true.Also I am not sure if it was the brake or just the fact that the episode is mostly exposition but I realized how amazing the cast for this show is, nearly everyone hits their role perfectly and I appreciate it.

On the other side the ep had issues. Don't get me wrong I am sure there is a decent reason prime chose Jack to go to Cybertron but the fact that he took Raph's near death so seriously and then is willing to fling jack halfway across space to a deserted and destroyed planet was disjointing. Also starscream's moment was way off. They established that starscream was storing energon for his personal use since megs was in stasis so why was he needing to steal it from the ship, risking his life. Also why is he even stealing, I hope he has some form of plan and neads energon and wasn't just hungry and stealing a snack or something.

But all in all I was really happy with how it ended up, looking forward to the rest.

[Edward15]

Great episode :anime:
Good to see Starscream is back,the action scenes were good

I just hope he doesn't get killed off anytime soon. It would be a waste if this 'going-solo' thing didn't amount to anything.

[Mr. Hypocrite]

I just hope he doesn't get killed off anytime soon. It would be a waste if this 'going-solo' thing didn't amount to anything.

It would, but lets be fair. How long has Starscream ever lasted on his own?

Bulkhead apparently no longer cares what Ratchet needs, the Autobots are disjointed without Optimus, and Megatron is taking everything into consideration.

A good start to the new season. I curious to see what happens next.

June will probably be displeased however.

[Lighthammer]

On the other side the ep had issues. Don't get me wrong I am sure there is a decent reason prime chose Jack to go to Cybertron but the fact that he took Raph's near death so seriously and then is willing to fling jack halfway across space to a deserted and destroyed planet was disjointing. Also starscream's moment was way off. They established that starscream was storing energon for his personal use since megs was in stasis so why was he needing to steal it from the ship, risking his life. Also why is he even stealing, I hope he has some form of plan and neads energon and wasn't just hungry and stealing a snack or something.

But all in all I was really happy with how it ended up, looking forward to the rest.

I thought this was made pretty obvious in the last few episodes of last season with Jack.

More and more towards the end of season 1, Jack has been compared to Optimus and even suggested he has the soul of a leader. Optimus giving him the key was either because he is helping to encourage Jack's leadership qualities or because Matrix requires the person unlocking it to have that quality. Personally, I think its both, but we'll see where the writers take this next week.

As far as that review from Toonzone goes .... c'mon guys --- that was a good review if you were reviewing the series premier, not a season premier. For a season premier, we want nitty gritty details on what's going on, not a smattering of thoughts from someone who hasn't seen the series yet.

[Anyone00]

I just hope he doesn't get killed off anytime soon. It would be a waste if this 'going-solo' thing didn't amount to anything.

When did death ever stop Starscream?

[Ishin ookami]

After watching the episode, I have to say that the review really was poorly written. Not just uninformitive and composed mainly of generalizations, but it feels like it was written based on a synopsis of the plot, and not after reading the episode itself.

Like the intensity happening amongst the bots as they argued. You can really see how much they care about and miss Prime. I liked Arcee's intensity as went after prime. Burnouts twisting the knife was great. And you gotta love how slick soundwave was in getting rid of Arcee. Starscream was also in good form, Im looking forward to how he interracts with Orion Pax and what he had planned for that Energon. And Megatron was awesomely slick in how he spun his web of lies on optimus, and how he realizes Optimus's nature will not allow him to be played for long.

All in all, a great episode. Light on action, but the story and characters more than made up for it. I also cant help but notice that it looks like the animation values took a step up. Everything looks a fair bit shinier and hi res than it did in the first season.

[Philmister978]

I also cant help but notice that it looks like the animation values took a step up. Everything looks a fair bit shinier and hi res than it did in the first season.

it could be due to a longer break for the animators at Polygon. Remember, the series only had one month breaks between sets of episodes. And this break lasted at least four months or so. So it's very likely they took that time to refine the models.

[Edward15]

When did death ever stop Starscream?

In case you've forgotten, those who die stay dead in this series.

[Particle_Beam]

Starscream could return as an immortal robot ghost-zombie thingy. That's what he does in all the other series, and he does have that dark energon shard-thingy inside him too.

But I actually hope that he doesn't die... yet.