Machinima Transformers Power of the Primes Episode 9 'Megatronus Unleashed' Now Online

well now, i guess i was wrong about optimal optimus making an appearance
that so far was the highlight of the series

Could they seriously not be bothered animating Rodimus Crons mouth? And look, Optimal Optimus. BETCHA DIDN'T SEE THAT COMING... not that I hate it but it just felt like such an undeserved reveal ya know?

To be fair I never doubted they would do optimal optimus in this series, it was obvious that he would get a power up when they needed it. The final episode will be interesting to see how much time it gives itself to settle everything and show what happens next instead of just ending abruptly and offering no closure.

ToaLeePrime wrote:Could they seriously not be bothered animating Rodimus Crons mouth? And look, Optimal Optimus. BETCHA DIDN'T SEE THAT COMING... not that I hate it but it just felt like such an undeserved reveal ya know?

I winced when he renamed himself, hearing him say his name makes you realise how stupid of a name it is.

(Oh and your signature is WAY too huge. We have guidelines, you just obliterated them.)

And what was up with that split screen nonsense? It's like they just discovered they could do it and tried to use it as much as stupidly possible.

So far, I like the series. Sure, things can always be better. I do agree that Optimal Optimus is kinda weak as a name, even though I love my OG BW Optimal Optimus (I still call him Optimus Primal). This has been fun. Can't wait to see the ending.

Well I was wrong about Optimal Optimus not showing up.

Burn wrote:

ToaLeePrime wrote:Could they seriously not be bothered animating Rodimus Crons mouth? And look, Optimal Optimus. BETCHA DIDN'T SEE THAT COMING... not that I hate it but it just felt like such an undeserved reveal ya know?

I winced when he renamed himself, hearing him say his name makes you realise how stupid of a name it is.

(Oh and your signature is WAY too huge. We have guidelines, you just obliterated them.)

And what was up with that split screen nonsense? It's like they just discovered they could do it and tried to use it as much as stupidly possible.

They did the whole split screen things in the final couple episodes of the last series, too. Super random and out of place, exactly what you described.

It occurs to me how jaded I must be off the oddities and quirks of Transformers media that only in the second viewing (yes, really, I watched this crap twice ) that it occurred to me that this was an episode of a show featuring a Matrix-empowered Optimus Primal versus a Unicron-possessed Rodimus Prime!

How jaded must I be to not think this is some weird/crazy/dumb shit you'd see out of terrible fanfictions?

Well, I about 90% called it. Close enough! What do I win?

D-Maximal_Primal wrote:Well, I about 90% called it. Close enough! What do I win?

same prize as participation you get to watch the whole series for free and we have one more episode of this

TrypticonCarne wrote:

D-Maximal_Primal wrote:Well, I about 90% called it. Close enough! What do I win?

same prize as participation you get to watch the whole series for free and we have one more episode of this

I actually don't mind so much cause I actually enjoyed this episode. I do like Primal, and I liked the Matrix scene. It's also inspiring so many pose ideas for when I get PotP Primal to go with Rod Cron

D-Maximal_Primal wrote:

TrypticonCarne wrote:

D-Maximal_Primal wrote:Well, I about 90% called it. Close enough! What do I win?

same prize as participation you get to watch the whole series for free and we have one more episode of this

I actually don't mind so much cause I actually enjoyed this episode. I do like Primal, and I liked the Matrix scene. It's also inspiring so many pose ideas for when I get PotP Primal to go with Rod Cron

it has been enjoyable, I suppose
also Forged to fight model for Megatronus based on his PotP model

Heh heh, some Geewun fanboys on Facebook are going nuts over the Munky having been the one chosen by the Matrix.

Sabrblade wrote:Heh heh, some Geewun fanboys on Facebook are going nuts over the Munky having been the one chosen by the Matrix.

I bet the amount of salt found there could help produce a metric ton McDonald's french Fries

Sabrblade wrote:Heh heh, some Geewun fanboys on Facebook are going nuts over the Munky having been the one chosen by the Matrix.

Because "Geewun fanboys" isn't a condescending label either.

Burn wrote:

Sabrblade wrote:Heh heh, some Geewun fanboys on Facebook are going nuts over the Munky having been the one chosen by the Matrix.

Because "Geewun fanboys" isn't a condescending label either.

Aw, I'm just joshin'.


Were I to have been more politically-correct (or whatever the expression is these days), I'd've said something like "devout G1 fans who hold a cynical and/or disdainful view towards anything that isn't from the 1980s G1 era simply for its being 'not G1' or 'not true Transformers' to them", but such was more of a mouthful to type and "Geewun fanboys" got the message across more simplistically (and cheekily).

The way they would have to look at it is, who was there for the matrix to choose? Imagine the out roar if windblade was chosen

ZeroWolf wrote:The way they would have to look at it is, who was there for the matrix to choose? Imagine the out roar if windblade was chosen

Some say it should have been Megatron.

Perceptor might have been the safest option of inciting the least uproar, but where's the fun in that?

I'm about as devout an original series fan as you can get, and I've railed hard against this series as many here have, but the whole OpOp getting the Matrix, doesn't bother me in the slightest. This series has dozens of problems, but that isn't one of them. Honestly, to me, this makes about as much sense as getting angry that Optimus from the aligned continuity got turned into a train in Transformers Go! - This Prime Wars series is such a niche thing, and will (hopefully) be quickly forgotten after next week.

o.supreme wrote:I'm about as devout an original series fan as you can get, and I've railed hard against this series as many here have, but the whole OpOp getting the Matrix, doesn't bother me in the slightest. This series has dozens of problems, but that isn't one of them. Honestly, to me, this makes about as much sense as getting angry that Optimus from the aligned continuity got turned into a train in Transformers Go! - This Prime Wars series is such a niche thing, and will (hopefully) be quickly forgotten after next week.

It'll be remembered as that thing hasbro tried. Question is will they have another attempt with the next few toy lines (but with different staff) or just leave it. I'm all for another attempt, even in the hope that they'll have learned from this.

Oh I'm all for more animation, as long as Hasbro learns from its mistakes. Look at the past 34 years, what has worked, and what hasn't...don't keep making the same mistakes.

Some recommendations:

1. No Web Series
2. No CG (a traditional looking animated series or short film would be great)
3. Go BIG or go home (none of this small budget cut-rate stuff). I was completely unaware that you could pay Tatsunoko (apparently) to produce something so awful looking

I would love to see Hasbro fund a fully animated 70-80 minute film in a similar vein to Warner's DC Animated films (which come out regularly 3 per year). I mean the last one they released, Predacons Rising, was really good. Sure it was an addendum to an already concluded series, but its one of the best most enjoyable bits if TF animation to come along in quite a while.

I think "War For Cybertron" (whatever the storyline) would lend itself very well to a single animated film.

I agree with that wholeheartedly, there's a market there for it.

o.supreme wrote:I would love to see Hasbro fund a fully animated 70-80 minute film in a similar vein to Warner's DC Animated films (which come out regularly 3 per year)

What could be interesting with animated movies is that they could really experiment, be it in artstyle, setting, characters or even continuity: some movies could be direct sequels while others could be standalone endeavors. There could be just as much room for G1 stuff (both in 'almost cartoon' continuity/style like the Devastation game and in more loosely-based-off-G1 manners like Machinima) to please the geewunners as there could be room for new continuity or revisiting older ones for the sake of fanservice like, say oh I don't know, an Animated feature film set years after the ending? Or even something as lighthearted as a Kreo comedy film. Yes I'm aware all of this is fanboy wetdream but to me the potential exist to try and do interesting and unique things without needing to commit to a full TV serie.

As for toyline: an 'animated movie' subline to Generations would do just fine if they really need to 'sell toys' with those movies. Alternatively these could be movies directly based off what's in the Generations line at the time as the idea is not inherently bad: Machinima simply misused it. Given that nowadays Generation is 50/50 classic characters and less-famous-late-G1-chumps this could very well be a chance for said chumps to make their animation debut.

The third major option and most unlikely: adapting specific arcs/stories from the Marvel (both US and UK) comics and even some IDW stuff, even if loosely. A 'Wreckers Movie' pretty much write itself, after all. Alternatively some pre-War stuff loosely based off the stories presented in Marvel, Dreamwave or IDW.

^ Yes, I've stated this many times myself, but I'm 100% in agreement. There could be a variety of styles, and a ton of lore to pull form. Now I know some might not like venturing back into some series that were *complete* such as Beast Wars, but even though we know the beginning, middle, and end, there could have been other (side stories), that take place.

Just 10 random ideas, not all of which I would necessarily would be excited to see, but just throwing stuff out there, and I'd definitely support Blu Ray releases of:

1. Marvel Comics Underbase saga
2. A "Post Rebirth" continuation of the Sunbow animated series
3. A TF Movie featuring Death's Head (inspired by UK Comics)
4. A "Return of Convoy: Operation Combination" film
5. A Film set After Beast Machines
6. A Film set after season 3 of TF: Animated
7. An adaptation of DW War Within
8. A MTMTE/LL film
9. A Wreckers film
10. A Shattered Glass Film

I love those ideas, especially to see what Trans Tech would have been like if fully developed (I know they did some work on it before the plug was pulled).

Maybe instead of throwing money at well known celebrities to lend their voices for very little dialogue, they could put more money to finding some writers that can actually write dialogue.

And also come up with a fresh story and not a re-do of existing fan loved shit.

Burn wrote:Maybe instead of throwing money at well known celebrities to lend their voices for very little dialogue, they could put more money to finding some writers that can actually write dialogue.

Pretty much this. They've been banking on the known names of celebrities rather than putting effort into trying to actually make the story, dialogue direction, and animation good.

It's like they want the best tasting icing they can get, but don't care about the cake itself.

TrypticonCarne wrote:

Sabrblade wrote:Heh heh, some Geewun fanboys on Facebook are going nuts over the Munky having been the one chosen by the Matrix.

I bet the amount of salt found there could help produce a metric ton McDonald's french Fries

I'm in love with this quote set. It is hilarious

Regarding the discussion of movies above I don't think it's the best of ideas.

I think that movies aren't the best story telling method for franchises, I would rather just have 1 very good show.

Movies are too short for effective story telling on their own for Transformers unless there wasn't that many characters involved in the story and then what would be the point? Transformers has always had one major difference from other super hero type franchises and that's the fact that transformers isn't an individual character story but an ensemble cast one.

My personal opinion of course I just think the time and budget spent making a couple movies could go towards making an actually great transformers tv show.

DC at one point managed both and I think hasbro could as well, especially if they wanted the TV fare to be for younger audiences whole the movies could skrew older. Thank you for your input though, dissenting opinion is good for debate

Sabrblade wrote:Heh heh, some Geewun fanboys on Facebook are going nuts over the Munky having been the one chosen by the Matrix.

Man, it's been twenty years since Beast Wars and I'd wager (based on my own biased self-reflection) that the majority of Beast Wars fan just ended up 'assimilating' into the greater Transformers collective and/or even becoming some form of G1 fan in some shape or form. And yet, meanwhile, there are still people raving and screaming how Beast Wars is an abomination. Some people never change, don't they? What would they have wanted, Hasbro declaring Windblade the new Prime instead and telling us to all shut up and be 'progressive' about it?

'Cuz that would have ended well, given she wasn't even on the fan vote to begin with. Now obviously the Primal featured in the PotP cartoon is shit and utterly bland compared to his original Beast Wars self who, imo, would have had a better shot at being chosen by the Matrix....especially given that the damn thing chose Hot Rod back in the day. At least Optimus Primal (pre-Beast Machine) was more the stuff heroes are made of even if he began as a complete nobody.

Burn wrote:

Sabrblade wrote:Heh heh, some Geewun fanboys on Facebook are going nuts over the Munky having been the one chosen by the Matrix.

Because "Geewun fanboys" isn't a condescending label either.

'Geewun' has very specific connotations and does represent a very real phenomena within the fanbase: puritanism for the nostalgic heyday of the '80 Sunboy cartoon (I mean, do you ever see raging Marvel Comics fanboys?) and holding it as the 'One true' and 'pure' incarnation of Transformers fiction. As long as one ignore The Movie and Season 3, that is.

I'm well aware of what "Geewun" is, as someone who grew up in the 80's and has been a fan "from the beginning" I take exception to being lumped in with those who Sabreblade was pointing out.

Burn wrote:I'm well aware of what "Geewun" is, as someone who grew up in the 80's and has been a fan "from the beginning" I take exception to being lumped in with those who Sabreblade was pointing out.

But... We know that you like more than just G1 Transformers. Who's lumping you in with that other group?

The fact that I consider myself a "Geewunner". To me, it's more that the individual grew up with G1 rather than not being able to see anything past G1.

Yes, I have watched everything since, I've even enjoyed some of it, but at the end of the day I prefer G1, so I consider myself a "Geewunner".

Why the fuck do I even have to defend myself over this?

Burn wrote:The fact that I consider myself a "Geewunner". To me, it's more that the individual grew up with G1 rather than not being able to see anything past G1.

Yes, I have watched everything since, I've even enjoyed some of it, but at the end of the day I prefer G1, so I consider myself a "Geewunner".

Why the **** do I even have to defend myself over this?

Why do you prefer to call yourself by a specifically derogatory term instead of just labeling yourself a "G1 fan"?

"Geewunner" is an inherently negative term that no one who likes more than just G1 (even if they still like G1 more than the other TF stuff they like) should want to identify themselves with.

Even if you like G1 more than the other stuff you like, the fact that you do still like some of that other stuff shows that you're a fan of "G1" rather than "Geewun".

I can't believe you actually have the audacity to sit there telling me I'm WRONG about how I label myself. Do you have any idea how condescending it is?

Man, I used to be on of the "trukk not munkey" lot. Then AlexKingdom told me to actually watch Beast Wars. After the initial kiddie episodes, I was glad I did. What a great show and cast of characters.

I thought we could define 'Geewunner' the same way another fanbase defined 'Genwunner': that it's not about being from the first batch or even personally preferring the original but rather being a crazy whiny old man who yells at how everything past the original is a blasphemy, how it's not 'real' Transformers/Pokémon and how their precious childhood nostalgia is perfect in every way and never got outdone in quality by everything else.

At least, that's how Pokémon define a 'Genwunner'. It's not about liking Generation 1 more, its about being a raging prick who make everyoen else miserable while plugging his ears and going 'LALALALA CAN'T HEAR YOU' every time someone point a legitimate flaw to their beloved nostalgia.

I really dont think this is a discussion worth having, we can each call eachother whatever we like and it could mean our own thing.

It's time again to turn our critical eye toward the Machinima Power of the Primes series, as it winds down in the final episodes of both the show and the trilogy as a whole. We've got quite a good bit of material to cover over the three days in anticipation of the final episode, as I've been on a small hiatus for a couple weeks. We'll start our catch up and start again where I left you a few weeks ago, with a look back at Episode 7!

(Note: The following review contains spoilers for Power of the Primes and the Prime Wars Trilogy. Proceed at your own risk!)

We pick right up where 6 left off, with Megatron blowing Overlord to bits using the Requiem Blaster, which has created a giant divot in the side of Cybertron, amounting to a frickin' 8th of the planet.


"You just murdered several million Cybertronians" "YEAH, but...I got that one guy!" "Several MILLION."

They also launched a beam of hyper-powerful energy into space. I'm sure that won't cause any problems. The main cast starts to regroup in the wake of their large battle inside the sanctorum against Overlord and Rodimus Cron. They finally get their moment to morn Victorion, and make sure everyone else is alright. Windblade makes a comment about the Torchbearers, the group name of the robots that make up Victorion (similar the Protectobots or the Constructicons), further murking this series' view/adaptation of Combiners. It can't make up it's mind if it wants Combiner members to have their own identity or not, and it seems to be a case by case basis.


Now he's the Extra Crispy Colonel

Windblade thanks Optimus Primal for sticking with them, when it looked like he was just going to desert them in the previous episode, as Grimlock also makes amends with Megatron. The majority of the data banks inside the Sanctorum had all been destroyed, but Perceptor was able to download the documents they need on Megatronus and the Requiem Blaster. They talk about what the potential plan of Megatronus is, and realize he intends to fuse the blaster, Matrix of Leadership, and the Enigma of Combination into a mega device. Megatron says that this is to drain the sparks from every Transformer on Cybertron, though it's not established how he knows this. Speak of the devil, Megatronus arrives on the scene to reclaim the blaster. It's the first time we've seen him in a few episodes, as the story has buckled town and focused on the main cast of characters. The split narrative that detracted from the first couple of episodes is totally gone.


"Is it genocide? Or an act of love?" Yeah, genocide. Definitely genocide.

As Megatronus arrives, Megatron knows, somehow again, that Megatronus plans to steal the sparks from all Cybertronians (all 20 of them, apparently) to supposedly bring Solus Prime back from the dead. Megatronus says that he is correct, and that they should be proud to be going to such a noble cause. That's quite an intricate plan to guess right in one fell swoop on Megatron's part, is it not? This deus-ex-machina moment of knowledge from Megatron is, again, confusing, and reminds me of a moment from a badly dubbed anime. I find it hard to believe that the writers couldn't find a more natural way to write Megatron solving Megatronus' plan into the script.


Alright, I have to hand it to them, this shot is AWESOME. Seriously, seriously cool. Looks like a painting

After Megatron and Windblade are tossed aside by Megatronus with some really cool imagery, Optimus Primal steps in the way of Megatronus' path to the Requiem Blaster. Megatronus makes a snide remark, and tosses him aside. He's only stopped from finishing Primal off by Rodimus Cron, who still functions. He tells Megatronus he must destroy the Matrix, not use it, which, as an agent of Unicron, is his primary function. Rodimus turns on Megatronus, giving the heroes new hope. Megatronus doesn't care, as he already has the blaster he came for. He disappears into the night, and soon Rodimus Cron takes off after him, driving through the large crater. Windblade protests that they can't just let the two now-enemies kill each other, believing that there's still a bit of Hot Rod left in Cron. Megatron knows that they must go to the well of sparks, another tidbit of info he inexplicably knows.


I'm starting to think Megatron might be in on this whole thing...

And so, as they embark on the next, and most likely final leg of their journey, and without Victorion for the first time in the entire Trilogy, the episode ends.

This episode was uneventful, especially considering the action packed one preceding it. Though I understand why, as it's purpose was simply to give Megatronus the Requiem Blaster, and little else. It felt quick, and, on the whole, painless. I'm enjoying the focused narrative I touched on earlier in the review more than I enjoyed the several plot lines with several characters in several settings. The story being more narrowed in is doing the series a great service, in my opinion, and it feels like it is finally in some form of a groove. The slow motion/still shots are beautiful, and I'd love to see more like them. I've always liked these character models, so seeing them in shots like that is awesome. It's a big positive for the series for those to be included. Ultimately, though, it felt like an episode back in the swamp again, with little forward movement except for basically one plot point in the second half.

Thanks for reading my review of the 7th episode of Power of the Primes. Catch me again tomorrow when I cover episode 8. Check out the episode for yourself, then come back and tell me how you thought I did in the Energon pub forums below. Did you agree with me? Did you disagree? Please let me know!

Good review bronze, and I'm glad you were able to catch back up with these. Wouldn't be the same without your reviews

ZeroWolf wrote:Good review bronze, and I'm glad you were able to catch back up with these. Wouldn't be the same without your reviews

Thanks so much Zero. I love hearing stuff like this. Glad I can make these shows a bit more enjoyable.

Don't mention it bronze you'll soon be free from this commitment

Tomorrow is the premier date for the final episode of Machinima's entire Prime Wars trilogy. It's been over two years since the premier of the first installment, and my first review of the series. The narrative is beginning to wrap up, but there;s still a lot of ground to cover before we get to the finale. Today we'll take a look at episode 8, Collision Course. It's definitely, uh, something. Let's take a more in depth look at why together, shall we?

(Note: The following review contains spoilers for Power of the Primes and the entire Prime Wars Trilogy)

The episode opens on the main cast, now consisting of Megatron, Windblade, Optimus Primal, Perceptor and Grimlock, inside a labyrinth on the way to the well of sparks, following the directions they received from the library of Primes. Grimlock asks, in this bottomless chasm of absolutely hilarious original comedy, if they're there yet. This wouldn't be too bad if he didn't make the same joke three separate times within a two minutes. It becomes so unlikable and unfunny, especially within that short of a time frame.


Congratulations, cartoon, you've made me dislike Grimlock.

Perceptor navigates them through the caves, and makes a comment about how if they make a wrong turn they'll be lost in the cavern for 45 Million years. Aside from the fact that, by definition, you can't calculate how long someone will be lost, I think they missed a big opportunity here:

Even with all the representation of Primus, Unicron, and the Primes in various Transformers shows and movies, we never really see what ruins and relics they left behind. This would have been a great chance to flesh the world this series has built out a bit by making the Primes a sort of Greek mythology equal. Perceptor hypes the danger of the labyrinth up so much, but in the next shot, they've discovered the well of sparks with no problem.

Instead of spending as much time in the swamp as this series did, I would have loved to have spent at least part of an episode inside this maze, with the cast dealing with whatever ancient monsters or traps might lay ahead. It would have expanded the mythos, been a cool direction for the show we haven't really seen before, and make Perceptor's hype worth while. It even had the potential to be genuinely scary. It's just sad to see that potential go to waste.


DANGER beyond your WILDEST NIGHTMARES await you. We don't have the budget to animate any of it, but TRUST US! It's there!

Like I said above, they make it to the well of sparks with little issue, but just before they make it there, Megatronus has already been successful in starting the process to bring Solus Prime back from the dead, sending out a pulse wave of energy that drains power from all cybertronians. Perceptor projects a feed of several Transformers being affected, as we get a shot of the Dinobots and Emissary, for potentially the last time.

The main cast powers through the wave and makes it to the well, just in time to catch Megatronus monologuing to the rapidly appearing form of Solus Prime. A weird thing in this scene is that the well is somehow protected from the pulse wave, as neither Megatronus or the main cast are affected as soon as they enter the chamber. It's strange that this occurs, especially since the wave originated from that room.


"So wondrous wild, the whole might seem..."

Megatron sends Windblade, Primal, and Grimlock to take down Megatronus, which they oddly do with ease, compared to the ruthless battles the two sides have had in the past. As Perceptor tries to shut down the system, Megatron catches Solus Prime up on what lengths Megatronus is going to to bring her back.

Megatronus has had enough, and throws Grimlock and Primal off of him. He traps them and Windblade in pillars of fire. He does the same for Perceptor as he walks back over to the well.

It's now just Megatron, standing alone against his name sake. Megatronus reveals, in quite a bit of hasty writing, that he has apparently been behind every major event that has happened in the entire trilogy. He made the Combiners fight one another so the enigma of combination would be brought out of it's case (although that seemed to be more of Windblade's decision if I remember correctly), and he was the one to kill Optimus Prime and extract the Matrix. Megatron tells him he can stop him because he's "Megatron. But just before the battle can begin, Rodimus enters the chamber, and evolves (for no particular reason other than "Because Unicron") into his full Rodimus Unicronus form. With that, the episode ends.


*Listens to Motorhead once*

Again, it would have been interesting to have the potential of the scene exploited a bit more, in this case to give Rodimus a genuine reason to evolve. Have Rodimus struggle with Megatronus and get thrown into the well of sparks, and have it power him up. It's just missed creative opportunities like this that drag the series down. The episode as a whole was more thrilling and engaging than the previous episode, although it lacked the cool, cinematic stills the last one had. We're getting close to the very end of this entire journey, and to see it all come together will be...interesting, to say the least.

Thanks for reading my review of episode 7! Getting remarkably close to the end now, and what a trip it's been. If you haven't seen the episode yet, you can find it on Go90. I encourage you to come back and share your thoughts in the Energon Pub forum! Was I correct? Was I totally off base? Please tell me what you thought! Thanks again! I'll see you tomorrow, where we'll have a double feature, with the review for Episode 9 in the morning, and then the review for the finale later on in the day.

*Motorhead joke stolen from Thew *

missed creative opportunities is the show isnt it

FINAL episode - https://www.go90.com/videos/01oNDK60OqY

CW's finale gave us "Screaming Star Starscream" at the 11th hour, TR's finale gave us "Trypticon just falls over" and "A wild Megatronus appears!" at the 11th hour, so let's see what kind of last minute random game changer this final episode of Potpie will give us from out of nowhere at the 11th hour.

Well now that that's over I can finally uninstall go90, and only a few weeks before it got discontinued too

I'm not expecting much of this finale really, another good review bronze, what are you going to do with yourself once this is done though? I suggest they make you sit down and watch all of g1 and review that in the same style *joking of course*

Oh FFS ... if the three series achieved anything it was to give us a post-war Megatron, one with snark and attitude.

And then they kill him.

And resurrect Optimus fucking Prime.



Just stay dead for once!

I don't think they know how to keep him dead, that or there is someone high up at hasbro who gets the sweats when prime is dead in any one fiction for a length greater then a year...if that.