Prehistory

« Transformers: Armada ep 12 »
Attack of the Clones
"Prehistory" 理由 (いきさつ) (Ikisatsu) "Reason: The Whole Story"
Production code	TF: A-12
Production company	TV Tokyo, NAS
Airdate	November 22, 2002 (English) 28 March 2003 (Japanese)
Writer	Shōji Tonoike
Director	Keisuke Ōnishi
Animation studio	Actas Inc., Studio Guts, Big Bang
Continuity	Unicron Trilogy
Watch this episode on YouTube

A Mini-Con is located on a volcanic island which soon erupts.

Contents 1 Synopsis 2 Featured characters 3 Quotes 4 Notes 4.1 Differences with Legends of the Microns 4.2 Animation and technical errors 4.3 Continuity notes 4.4 Continuity errors 4.5 Transformers references 4.6 Real-world references 4.7 Trivia 4.8 Foreign localization 5 Home video releases

Synopsis

Standing over the Mini-Con panel retrieved from Antarctica, Rad muses that he finally knows what happened to Atlantis.

On the Moon, Megatron grumbles about the dormant Mini-Con they've picked up. Despite provoking some small activity from it, he's unable to activate it.

Rad asks Optimus if there's any way to stop the ongoing war with the Decepticons. The Autobot leader explains how the war began four million years ago when the Decepticons began overwhelming Cybertron with their troops. Once the Decepticons and Autobots divided Cybertron into halves, the Mini-Con faction soon appeared and joined with both Decepticons and Autobots to increase their power. Realizing that they were causing the war, the Mini-Cons opted to leave Cybertron. The Decepticons attempted to block them, but the Mini-Con ship escaped with the Autobots' help. It crashed on Earth, and the rest is history. When Rad and Carlos found High Wire, they activated a signal that alerted Cybertron's inhabitants, who sent teams to Earth, resuming the war.

The Mini-Con alarm goes off, and Red Alert quickly fixes the latest Mini-Con location on a volcanic island. The Autobots rush there with their young friends. The Decepticons also detect the Mini-Con.

On the island, Rad asks if it's possible to avoid involving the Mini-Cons in the battle; Optimus says using the Mini-Cons is the only way they can effectively stop the Decepticons from gaining more Mini-Cons. While they're talking, Megatron appears and opens fire on them. The Autobots return fire, with Optimus using his trailer as a weapons platform. Alexis tries to convince Rad and Carlos they should search for the Mini-Con, so Rad dispatches Laserbeak to scout the island.

Soon, Starscream and Megatron Powerlinx with their Mini-Cons, prompting the Autobots' Mini-Cons to man the weapons on Optimus's trailer. Everyone is surprised, but Carlos points out they're just fighting back. Meanwhile, Laserbeak spots the Mini-Con panel at the end of an incomplete rail tunnel. Optimus orders his men to cover him while retrieving the Mini-Con, but the battle is interrupted by the volcano erupting. Lava erupts from the end of the rail tunnel, carrying the Mini-Con panel. Optimus finds himself falling into an opening fissure in the ground as the lava begins to spread across the island.

Red Alert tells Hot Shot to get the kids to higher ground and has Smokescreen dig a trench into diverting the lava. Taken to safety, the kids spot the Mini-Con floating on top of the lava, but so do the Decepticons. Starscream prevents Hot Shot from getting it first, but a burst of energy from the newly arrived Optimus halts the Decepticons. Cyclonus grabs the Mini-Con but is fired on by High Wire, Grindor, and Sureshock and drops it. After Red Alert snatches the Mini-Con out of mid-air, the Decepticons retreat. Once the Mini-Con panel cools down, the kids watch as a ghostly Mini-Con form manifests over it.

Back at base, Red Alert says the Mini-Cons may be the key to peace in the universe. However, the only way to solve the riddle is to collect them all.

Megatron tries again to awaken the Mini-Con from the ruins and finally succeeds, revealing Sonar, one of the Air Defense Team which forms the Star Saber sword. Megatron laughs in triumph.

Featured characters

(Numbers indicate order of appearance.)

Quotes

"The Autobots and Decepticons are all Transformers, aren't they? So there has to be some way all of you can get along without fighting."

—Rad makes a gross oversimplification.

"Hurry up! Destroy those Autobots! You will not escape my wrath!"
"We can't do that, Megatron! If we do, it'll give away our position!"

—Megatron and Demolishor, the latter of whom doesn't appear to notice that the Autobots already know where they are.

"Luckily, I fell into a chasm, and the lava passed right over me. I had to dig my way out, but I'm all right."

—Optimus explains how he survived the lava.

"They're fighting to protect the universe!"

—Alexis, Carlos, and Rad, in unison.

"Niiiice"

—Smokescreen responds in awe to Red Alert and Hot Shot Powerlinxing

"Fire away, gentlemen."

—Megatron is uncharacteristically complimentary to his troops

"Cyclonus failed me again. That figures."

—Megatron, not surprised at Cyclonus's failure

Notes

Differences with Legends of the Microns

• While looking at the Star Saber's distorted hologram, Armada's opening narration has Rad refer to the previous episode's ruins as Atlantis, saying its downfall was because Amphitrite's people couldn't control the Mini-Cons' power. Legends of the Microns removes the Atlantis reference, and Rad says he knew the sword was once in the ruins and that the Mini-Cons' power was the cause for the city's destruction.
• After High Wire speaks to Rad in Armada, Rad curiously asks, "What's that?" Then, in his internal monologue, he wonders why the Mini-Cons are on Earth since, as Amphitrite said, no good can come from fighting the Decepticons. In Legends of the Microns, Rad's response to High Wire is changed to better match his mood in the scene as he's deep in thought, and he says, "Ah, nothing at all...". He doesn't mention Amphitrite in his internal monologue and instead asks what the Mini-Cons want out of the war since he believes fighting never brings anything pleasant with it.
• As Optimus recalls the Transformers' history, Legends of the Microns has scenes with long moments of silence that Armada fills with extra dialogue:
  • After the shot of Cybertron, Optimus is silent until the Autobot team's scene in their Cybertronian forms, showing the Autobots' rise. "Cybertrons, Transform!" plays during the scene's Japanese version while Armada plays the Transformers theme.
  • When he brings up the Mini-Cons' first appearance and not knowing their origin in Legends of the Microns, Optimus says we (the Autobots) instead of referring to himself.
  • The shot of Megatron attaching Leader-1 to his arm is silent, and so is that of Sparkplug Powerlinxing with Optimus. In the latter scene, Prime's line about Mini-Cons agreeing to join the Autobots against the Decepticons is changed to him saying that the Autobots had to borrow the Mini-Cons' power.
  • During the scene that pans across the Mini-Cons, Optimus says they decided to leave Cybertron, and the Autobots gave their full support in Armada. Optimus only says the Mini-Cons made an important decision in Legends of the Microns. His line about them deciding to leave Cybertron is heard over the shot of the planet. Then his line about the Autobots' support is heard over the scene of the Exodus. Optimus's line about them being loaded onto their ship is heard in the next scene showing the Mini-Cons on board. There is no mention of a skeleton crew, the Mini-Cons entering hibernation, or slipping under the radar.
  • Optimus's line about the Decepticons uncovering the plan is heard during the scene panning across the Mini-Con panels. Then it's silent until the Exodus enters the warp gate, and Optimus says it traveled to a new world. Armada adds the bit about the Autobots trying to create a distraction to fill in the silence.
  • In Armada, Optimus says the ship was damaged by going through multiple warp gates before crash-landing on Earth four million years ago as the scene zooms out of his eye. Legends of the Microns removes the detail about the ship being damaged. Then there's silence before he says it happened over four million years ago after the zoom out before the scene goes silent again.
• After the war flashback in Armada, Optimus immediately speaks about Rad reawakening the Mini-Cons, with it being through either a twist of fate or destiny; this doesn't happen until the scene cuts to Rad and Optimus says it was a fateful encounter in Legends of the Microns. Then Armada has Prime repeat how Rad unknowingly activated a homing beacon that reached the Transformers on Cybertron by touching High Wire's panel, reiterating how the Autobots tried to beat the Decepticons to Earth. In Legends of the Microns, there's another long silent part after the boys' final flashback appearances until the scene showing the Autobots tracing the Mini-Cons to Earth on the monitor. Instead of addressing the Autobot assembly, Optimus tells Red Alert and Hot Shot they have no time to waste before entering the warp hole.
• After the alarm goes off, Alexis says another Mini-Con has awakened in Armada, but the Japanese dub changes her line to say there's an emergency in the Pacific. Legends of the Microns also slightly tweaks Smokescreen's line to have him say that a Mini-Con is in the ocean again, remembering the previous episode. The Japanese dub also changes Alexis's line in Armada about the volcanic island being abandoned to her noticing the decrepit water slide.
• In Armada, Optimus tells Rad the only way to stop the Decepticons from abusing the Mini-Cons' power is for the Autobots to also use the Mini-Cons before Rad claims that's the reason why the Mini-Cons left Cybertron. In Legends of the Microns, Prime's answer is more sincere as he says that as long as the Decepticons abuse the Mini-Cons, the Autobots have no choice but to fight for their sake. Then Rad says the Mini-Cons' hatred of war is why they left Cybertron.
• Legends of the Microns changes Optimus's line of demanding the Decepticons to leave the island to him saying that he won't let them find the Mini-Con.
• Carlos is just as confused as Rad about why the Mini-Cons start shooting at the Decepticons; Megatron is equally puzzled by this development. In Armada, Megatron states the obvious about the Mini-Cons attacking.
• Rather than speaking to the other Autobots, Optimus tells the Mini-Cons that the team will let them handle the fighting as they search for the panel.
• Carlos is curious about where the track leads rather than the tunnel's depth. Rad's line about its unfinished construction ends before the fade-in to the tunnel. Optimus later asks the kids if they're sure about the Mini-Con's location instead of complimenting them on finding it.
• After Smokescreen reacts to Red Alert and Hot Shot Powerlinxing with their Mini-Cons, Optimus says he's leaving things to them. Then Megatron demands the Autobots to hand over the panel. In Armada, he repeats his earlier line about them not escaping his wrath.
• Legends of the Microns either lowers the lava flow's sound effect or removes it from some scenes so that it's not as distracting as it is in Armada.
• Carlos says, "No way!" after Rad says that Optimus probably fell into the magma.
• Megatron calls Starscream a "stupid lunkhead" after shooting and nearly hitting the Mini-Con panel.
• Instead of being shocked by Prime's return and claiming he finished off the Autobot leader, Megatron curses Optimus. Then Armada has Optimus once again demand Megatron to leave the island. Legends of the Microns changes Prime's line and connects it to the Mini-Cons as he says that he'll never let Megatron abuse their power.
• As High Wire, Sureshock, and Grindor fire at Cyclonus, the kids translate what they're saying: "We won't run away...We won't give up our comrades...In order to protect them...we'll fight together for their sake!"
• Cyclonus doesn't say anything before getting shot. Rather than singling out Cyclonus for the mission failing, Megatron calls all of his men "stupid morons" before ordering a retreat. Cyclonus also doesn't moan about being "robbed."
• Carlos wonders if the panel has cooled down yet in Armada but asks how it didn't melt in the lava in Legends of the Microns.
• In Armada, after Rad says the Mini-Cons also want to fight, Optimus says, "I know," as he nods, and when Rad says the kids will keep helping out, Optimus says it's not necessary. In Legends of the Microns, Optimus nods and then says, "But.." before Rad cuts him off, and Optimus tells him this isn't the children's fight.
• In Armada, Demolishor asks Megatron if he can activate the dormant Mini-Con. Megatron says he should now be able to since the Autobots found the other two panels and demands the Mini-Con to reveal itself. In Legends of the Microns, Demolishor notices something about the panel, and Megatron wonders if it's because all three have now been obtained.
• The Japanese dub extends Megatron's laugh at the end for about two seconds.

Animation and technical errors

• Much of this episode's animation is low quality, with character models being of high quality only in a few scenes. It's also hard to hear some of this episode's music too.
• During the flashback showing the Transformers' history, the close-up of Megatron after Powerlinxing with Leader-1 debuted in the first episode; some episodes after this will reuse it. Plus, Megatron and Optimus's scene of them pushing against each other as they lock hands is also recycled animation from "First Encounter."
• It's stated that Optimus leaves Cybertron in Thrust's hands. However, "Thrust" is Jetfire—the silhouette shown is Jetfire with the shuttle wings removed. The Japanese dub corrects this mistake.
• When Smokescreen says, "And they're not getting the Mini-Con either," he has two antenna/horns instead of one.
• While the Autobots and Decepticons have their firefight, Smokescreen's antenna/horn is colored yellow as if it were part of Hot Shot's body.
• In the shot of Rad and Alexis, while the kids and Mini-Cons are hiding, Rad is frozen with an out-of-place happy expression.
• During the shot of Megatron and Demolishor when Megatron orders the Autobots' destruction, saying they won't escape his wrath, he's in shadow despite being in direct sunlight like the other Decepticons seconds ago.
• The shot of Swindle in Starscream's hand is reused from "Jungle."
• There's either an Autobot insignia or a red spot on Smokescreen's roof in vehicle mode in some shots.
• Some of the Decepticons either lack their insignia(s), or the symbols are badly drawn as simple shapes lacking detail.
• When the Transformers Powerlinx with their Mini-Cons in this episode, their voices sound a bit off, like Red Alert sounding like Optimus (except Megatron's for some reason). This mistake is Armada-exclusive.
• Before the Mini-Cons shoot at Cyclonus, his head is colored black instead of dark gray for one shot.
• The Autobots look off-model in two shots in their last scene at the base, mainly their chest sizes.
• Rad looks cross-eyed before bro-fisting with Carlos and Alexis.
• In the ending scene, Megatron refers to the Star Saber as the "Saber Sword." It's fixed in Legends of the Microns as he calls the Star Saber "his sword."
• As per Armada tradition, Sureshock and Grindor's names are mixed up throughout the episode, and Alexis refers to Sureshock as a male instead of a female.

Continuity notes

• This episode sheds some light on a lot of what we've seen in previous episodes that were left unexplained, such as the Mini-Con beacon that Rad activates upon discovering High Wire. This episode also gives us an in-depth rundown of how the Autobot/Decepticon war began.
• Rad refers to the ruin from the previous episode as "Atlantis." However, the Cybertron cartoon would later establish that the real Atlantis was a Cybertronian vessel used for colonizing other worlds and was discovered by ancient humans who inhabited it as a city due to its large size. Legends of the Microns removes the reference, consistent with the Japanese dub of "Ruin."
  • As the "Atlantis" line is only present in the Armada version of the show, it would prove to be an error once Cybertron came along. That being said, it could just be written off in-universe as Rad just putting two and two together based on the similarities with the legend.
  • Legends of the Microns Year Book 2003 comments on the mystery, stating that while it was never named in both episodes(Japanese dub), it is likely that the ruin belonged to Atlantis due to the Star Saber and Skyboom Shield being called Orichalcums, which is a legendary metal from the island.
• Legends of the Microns Year Book 2003 explains that after learning about the Mini-Cons' destructive capabilities in "Ruin," this episode shows the children, especially Rad, now questioning the point of the Transformers' war.
• Rad's question as to why the Mini-Cons are on Earth won't get an answer until near the end of the series.
• This is the first and only episode that shows Smokescreen's Cybertronian form.
• As stated in the episode "Metamorphosis," Leader-1 is shown in the flashback sequence as Megatron's Mini-Con partner during the war on Cybertron.
  • As Optimus Prime also stated in the episode "Comrade," Sparkplug is also shown to be his partner Mini-Con on Cybertron. Two points for consistency!
• This episode features, in silhouette, Jetfire's first appearance.
• In Legends of the Microns, Smokescreen gets frustrated when learning the new Mini-Con is in the ocean again, like in the last episode. Luckily for him, it's on an island instead of underwater.
• This episode marks the first time an Autobot uses the term "Powerlinx." Cyclonus said it first in "Underground."
• This episode has Alexis using her phone for the fourth time after "Underground."
• Gadgets and powers:
  • Optimus uses his container in its base form, firing his rifle like a turret from the top platform (something the pack-in product catalogs always showed the toy doing).
    • The Autobot Mini-Cons use the turrets on Prime's container base for the second time. They use them as weapons this time instead of water cannons as they did in "Jungle."
  • Hot Shot uses Jolt's double-barrelled cannon as a weapon for the first time.
  • Smokescreen uses his crane arm and hook to dig a trench. When is he going to use the hook for its intended purpose?
  • Optimus uses his "Big Punch" attack for the second time, after debuting it in "Jungle."
  • Red Alert uses his shoulder grapple for the first time to retrieve the Mini-Con panel from a falling Cyclonus.
• Powerlinx forms:
  • In his Cybertronian form, Megatron plugs Leader-1 into his right shoulder, increasing his cannon's strength.
    • Additionally, Megatron's cannon in his Cybertronian form is shown to fold forward and be held like a rifle. The character model for his Cybertronian design indicates that a handle is present on the barrel's firing end.
  • In his Cybertronian form, Sparkplug Powerlinx on the back of Prime's left shoulder, increasing his forearm cannons/smokestacks' strength.
  • Starscream Powerlinx with Swindle in robot mode.
  • Megatron Powerlinx with Leader-1 in robot mode.
  • Red Alert Powerlinx with Longarm in robot mode.
  • Hot Shot Powerlinx with Jolt in robot mode.

Continuity errors

• How could Rad even have guessed that the Mini-Cons had anything to do with Atlantis's downfall before the last episode?
• It's like Rad has already forgotten about the Star Saber despite getting a distinct look at it in the previous episode; this isn't a problem in Legends of the Microns since he mentions the sword in his opening narration.
• Megatron wonders why the Mini-Con retrieved in the previous episode won't wake up, but he stated there was a reason why when he collected it. Megatron mysteriously knows Sonar will stay dormant until the other two panels are found, a continuity error continuing from the episode before. He claims to have waited for Sonar to scan his image and awaken. After failing to force Sonar to awaken, Megatron surmises that he needs the other two Mini-Cons before Sonar will activate. However, there's no error in Legends of the Microns since Megatron notices Sonar is still dormant, as he did in "Ruin." It's also seemingly his first time trying to activate the Mini-Con, and he's confused about why it won't awaken.
• Alexis claims she knew something has been bothering Rad before Carlos asks Rad if he's thinking about what Amphitrite said, but Carlos nodding doesn't make sense with his dialogue. Legends of the Microns changes it so that Alexis asks Rad what he means about someway for the Autobots to avoid a war with the Decepticons. Then Carlos nods and says Rad is right as Amphitrite also noted that the fighting should stop.
• According to Optimus, the Mini-Cons appeared during the war out of nowhere with no known origin, and they left because they were the cause of a war that was going on ages before anyone knew they even existed. Legends of the Microns fixes this glaring mistake to have Optimus say the Mini-Cons feared their entry into the war made matters worse.
• As noted above, Optimus says he left Cybertron in "Thrust's" hands, but Thrust is a Decepticon. Legend of the Microns corrects this error.
• Hot Shot fears the Decepticons will ambush the Autobots, but the 'Cons already attacked them by surprise. He notices the 'Cons finally showing themselves instead in Legends of the Microns.
• After running to hide with the kids, Sureshock, Jolt, and Longarm strangely disappear until the Mini-Cons decide to help the Autobots fight.
• Weirdly enough, when Alexis suggests the kids find the panel, Rad and Carlos refuse, and Alexis asks if they're scared before Rad suggests using Laserbeak. Legends of the Microns corrects it to the boys answering no after Alexis asks if they want the Decepticons to find the Mini-Con before suggesting they all get going.
• When Megatron says, "Hurry up! Destroy those Autobots! You will not escape my wrath!" he says "You" instead of "They". Then Demolishor tells Megatron that destroying the Autobots would give away the Decepticons' position even though they already know where the Decepticons are. Legends of the Microns corrects this, as Megatron now says not to let the Autobots phase them and push forward instead, and Demolishor tells him they can't move their "line of suppressing fire" anymore.
• Immediately after this, Starscream says they should send in a Mini-Con. After telling Swindle to get them, Starscream suddenly backtracks and Powerlinx with him, unleashing the Null Laser Cannon. The Decepticons never send a Mini-Con to look for the panel in this episode. Legends of the Microns fixes this with Starscream saying the Autobots are focused on finding the panel before Powerlinxing with Swindle.
• Before the volcano erupts, Megatron demands his men not to let the Autobots escape, although the Autobots are clearly making a stand and not going anywhere. He's telling his troops not to let the Autobots beat them in the Japanese dub.
• Smokescreen's small hook makes a surprisingly large trench while diverting the lava.
• Optimus Prime says the lava passed over him while he was in a chasm, so this lava doesn't respond to gravity appropriately somehow. His answer in Legends of the Microns is slightly more confusing as he says the ground gave out beneath him, but he was saved before falling into the lava river.
  • When he remembers the panel in the same shot, Optimus hunches over like he's injured but makes no clear indication. In Legends of the Microns, he stops mid-sentence and makes a wounded sound, clearly showing that he didn't return unscathed.
• As the kids and their Mini-Cons wait for the new one to awaken, Sureshock is behind Carlos and Alexis in the overhead shot, but Grindor appears in her place in the next shot and again later.
• As Red Alert explains that only the Mini-Cons know why they're believed capable of bringing peace to the universe, he says the same thing three times but in different ways. The Japanese dub has his dialogue flow more naturally since he says even the Autobots don't know the answer as it most likely lies within the Mini-Cons.
• The episode centers around Rad's question on how the Autobots can win the war and free the Mini-Cons without involving them. Optimus says that the Autobots using the Mini-Cons like the Decepticons is the only way to do it; however, the episode's ending doesn't exactly give the question a proper answer. It's not an issue in the Japanese dub since the message is slightly different and addressed accordingly. According to Legends of the Microns Year Book 2003, Optimus says the Autobots must fight for the Mini-Cons' sake, but the Mini-Cons later show their willingness to take up arms and fight for their comrades' sake beside the Autobots, therefore answering Rad's question suitably.

Transformers references

• At the beginning of Prime's flashback, an army of Armada Starscreams with rifles is shown; this is likely a reference to the Seekers of the original series.
• Cybertron and practically everyone's Cybertronian form are seen in Prime's flashback.
• In Optimus Prime's flashback, several Generation 1 character models were used as generic Transformers, including those of Beachcomber, Crosshairs, and (once again) Skyfire and Hound.

Real-world references

• Rad seems to think the underwater city in the previous episode was Atlantis.

Trivia

• The kanji 理由 would be pronounced as "riyū," while "ikisatsu" is used for the kanji 経緯.
• Over a quarter of this episode is taken up with the flashback recounting the war's history.
• This episode also reuses much footage from the first episode, making it somewhat of a clip show. "Detection" is the next clip show episode in the series.
• This episode is one of the few without an ending monologue.

Foreign localization

French

• Title: "Le Volcan" ("The Volcano")

German

• Title: "Die Vulkaninsel" ("The Volcanoisland")
• Original airdate: This episode was never shown on TV but was dubbed in 2003. The dub premiered in 2009 with the German DVD release of the show.

Hungarian

• Title: "Tűzhányó" ("Volcano")

• When the kids call out the names of the Mini-Cons who've taken up battle stances, they leave out Sparkplug. So when the shot cuts to him, there's just awkward silence. Most likely, the translator got so confused by all the name inconsistencies that they didn't know what to call him; he won't get his own name until later.

Italian

• Title: "Vulcano" ("Volcano")

Korean

• Title: "평화의 수호자 마이크론" ("Guardians of Peace: Micron")

Polish

• Title: "Prehistoria" ("Prehistory")

Portuguese

• Title: "Pré-História" ("Prehistory")

Home video releases

DVD

2003 — Transformers: Legends of the Microns — Volume 3 (Columbia Music Entertainment) — Japanese audio only.
2003 — Transformers: Armada — Vol:04 (Warner Music Video)
2004 — Transformers: Armada — Flashbacks (Rhino Entertainment)
2004 — Transformers: Armada — Season One: Part One (Rhino Entertainment)
2005 — Transformers: Armada — Vol:04 (Universal)
2007 — Transformers: Armada — Le combat recommence... (TFou Vidéo) — French audio only.
2008 — Transformers: Armada — Volume One (New KSM) — English and German audio.
2014 — Transformers: Armada — The Complete Series (Shout! Factory)