Enter Lio Junior

« Beast Wars II: Super Lifeform Transformers ep 26 » « Chronological order
"I just can't wait to be king."
"Enter Lio Junior" ライオジュニア登場 () (Lio Junior Tōjō)
Production company	TV Tokyo, NAS, Ashi Productions
Airdate	23 September 1998
Writer	Junki Takegami
Director	Kyōsuke Mikuriya
Animation studio	Ashi Productions
Continuity	Japanese Generation 1 cartoon continuity

Like all teenagers, Lio Junior hates his dad.

Contents 1 Synopsis 2 Featured characters 3 Notes 3.1 Transformers references 3.2 Real world references 3.3 Trivia 3.4 Errors 4 Home video releases

Synopsis

In space, a massive object is speeding towards Gaia's star system, and the debris it throws off threatens a nearby spaceship. Inside, Skywarp and Santon wonder about the object's effect on Gaia, but are more concerned with the "new life" they've detected on the planet, which Skywarp calls their only hope.

On the planet, the approaching object is causing the Angolmois Energy to erupt in massive pillars of fire all over the continents. To gather information, Lio Convoy goes out on patrol with Bighorn and Apache, where they come across the valley where Lio Convoy was nursed back to health by a friendly lion. They are confronted by a small lion, who takes a powerful swipe at Bighorn and retreats. The lion's power leads the Maximals to conclude that he must be a Transformer too, and Lio Convoy tries to get some answers when the Energon Matrix within him mysteriously causes him to double over in pain.

At the Moon, Artemis and Moon investigate the recent spate of Angolmois Energy activity and the rapidly approaching object out in space. Moon does his research and notes that the object is an artificial planet on a collision course with Gaia! Artemis tries to lighten the mood by exploding a balloon, but the rabbit isn't appreciative of her prank.

On Gaia, the Autorollers are busy doing construction work on a new fortress when Angolmois Energy erupts in their work site. Megastorm initially tries to keep the pace going, but when the structure he's on is knocked down, he calls for a retreat. Galvatron steps in to cajole his brother and explains that he knows exactly what's happening: his artificial planet Nemesis, his ultimate plan to seize control of the Angolmois Energy, is exuding evil power that is stirring Gaia's Angolmois Energy. When the Predacon leader walks in to collect some, he is buried under some debris, but this is of little issue—he can simply absorb the Angolmois Energy within his body to become even more powerful! He detects a new power—one created by the Angolmois Energy and with an opposite energy to his. Curious, he sets out to find answers.

Elsewhere, Tasmania Kid and Diver are on their own patrol, where they encounter the mysterious lion, who they confuse with Lio Convoy. In the ensuing fight, their misunderstanding is corrected and the two Maximals transform. The surprised lion finally speaks and transforms himself, revealing a robot eerily similar to Lio Convoy. He's unable to answer the question of just who he is and begs the Maximals for answers. He explains he simply came to in the valley and was cared for by an organic lion who he realized wasn't his true parent, as he could transform into a robot and his guardian couldn't. Kid and Diver ponder on his possible familiar connection to Lio Convoy, and the young lion is dubbed "Lio Junior".

Lio Convoy's group spots the three and Lio Junior, taking Kid's speculation to heart, calls Convoy his "mama" and then "papa". The larger lion vehemently denies any parentage, which infuriates Junior, who believes Convoy is keeping secrets. The smaller one makes several swipes with his weapon at the larger, bemoaning how lonely he felt; Lio Convoy takes aim with his Lio Missiles... to fire them at the incoming Galvatron! Lio Convoy protects Lio Junior from the deranged Predacon, which promotes Junior's firm belief in being the son of Convoy. Galvatron identifies Lio Junior as having received power from the planet and, not willing to let his monopoly on Angolmois Energy be threatened, promises to destroy him.

The confrontation is interrupted by Skywarp and Santon, who have identified Lio Junior as the "new hope" they've been searching for. When Junior points out the imminent threat of Galvatron, the duo use their reformatted bodies—having previously scanned of Lio Junior's form—to force a combination into the mighty Magnaboss! As the giant takes out his Magna Blade to do battle, Lio Convoy doubles over again in pain thanks to the Energon Matrix, which grabs even Artemis and Moon's curiosity.

Moon explains that the Energon Matrix is a mysterious energy device that Commander-class Transformers hold. Artemis wonders what Lio Junior's connection to it is, and Moon explains that, while Skywarp and Santon are known Maximal warriors, Lio Junior is nowhere to be found in their databases.

Galvatron tries his flame breath, but this is easily dispelled by a swing of the Magna Blade. Who will win this battle?

Featured characters

(Numbers indicate order of appearance.)

Notes

Transformers references

• Lio Convoy recalls how a white lion saved him by bringing him to a cave full of energy, an event which happened back in "White Lion, Run!"
• This episode marks the very first reference to Lio Convoy's Energon Matrix, which was never once mentioned until just right now. It will prove to be a very important deus ex machina for the rest of the series, and the technology will persist into later series with equal import. So, you know. It's the Matrix of Leadership all over again.
• With the approach of Nemesis, Beast Wars II has now been blessed with an actual overarching plot. And it only took 26 episodes.

Real world references

Trivia

• There's technically not a Second Transmission with this episode, but Artemis and Moon get to do their thing anyway. Their explanation of the Energon Matrix is just woven into the episode rather than tacked on the end, so as to not step on the cliffhanger.

Errors

• The solar system is consistently drawn with planetary orbit paths visible.

Home video releases

VHS

1998 — Beast Wars II: Super Lifeform Transformers — ACT. 9 (Pioneer LDC)