Transformers: Animated

Transformers: Animated is an American animated television series based on the Transformers toy line. It was produced by Cartoon Network Studios and Hasbro and animated by The Answer Studio, Mook Animation, and Studio 4°C (shorts). The series debuted on Cartoon Network on December 26, 2007, and ended on May 23, 2009. In Japan, the show debuted on April 3, 2010, on both TV Aichi and TV Tokyo.

The series has 42 episodes (two sets of three interrelated episodes make up two 90-minute made for TV movies) across three seasons, with many fanservice references to other Transformers shows.

The show's continuity is separate from any other previous Transformers continuities, despite using footage from the original first series (The Transformers) in its first episode as a historical film, and having many references to the other Transformers continuities in the Transformers franchise. The Japanese version of the cartoon was slightly rewritten to tie into Michael Bay's Transformers film series. Despite being a Cartoon Network original series, the show was aired on Nicktoons in the UK since February 2008, Jetix/Disney XD in the rest of Europe from September 10, 2008, and, finally, back in the U.S. on The Hub, now known as Discovery Family in high definition until 2014. Then Returned To The U.S. On October 2, 2020 On Toon Disney/Jetix.

## Synopsis

### Pilot episodes

The series began with a pilot called "Transform and Roll Out!". Stellar-cycles (years) after the Autobots won the great war for Cybertron against the Decepticons, an Autobot maintenance crew led by Optimus Prime and consisting of Ratchet, Bulkhead, Prowl, and Bumblebee discover the legendary Allspark buried on an asteroid. The Autobots take the Allspark back to their ship, but are soon confronted by a crew of Decepticons led by the notorious warlord Megatron and consisting of Blitzwing, Lugnut, Blackarachnia, and Starscream. Megatron attacks the Autobot ship and tries to retrieve the Allspark, but when an explosive planted on Megatron by the treacherous Starscream detonates, the ship crashes on Earth. The Autobots go into stasis to survive the crash, while the scattered remains of Megatron are discovered by a human scientist named Isaac Sumdac.

In the futuristic year of 2050, Professor Issac Sumdac is the CEO of a robotics company known as Sumdac Systems, which is based in a futuristic version of Detroit. Optimus Prime and the Autobots awaken from stasis and defend the people of Detroit from a monster, resulting in them becoming local celebrities. They befriend Professor Sumdac's young daughter Sari, who teaches them about Earth customs, and whose security card is transformed into a supercharged key which possesses a fraction of the AllSpark's vast power. At the end of the pilot episodes, Starscream arrives on Earth and tries to take the all-powerful AllSpark for himself, but the Autobots successfully stop him and save the Earth once again.

### Season one

The Autobots settle into their new home and learn about Earth culture and customs, all of the while defending Detroit from various threats. Megatron's disembodied head, which has been in Professor Sumdac's laboratory since the ship crashed, comes back online and manipulates Sumdac into building him a new body, pretending that he is an Autobot. Blitzwing and Lugnut arrive on Earth searching for Megatron, while Blackarachnia targets Optimus Prime, blaming him for her techno-organic mutation. New Transformers introduced in the first season include the Autobot Arcee (who only appears in Ratchet's flashbacks), the Decepticon Soundwave, the bounty-hunter Lockdown, and the Dinobots Grimlock, Snarl, and Swoop. Several human villains are also introduced, including Nanosec (who can run at extreme speeds), the Headmaster (who pilots a machine that attaches to and controls large robots) and Meltdown (who is covered in a toxic and corrosive substance). The season ends with Megatron returning with a new body (built by the all-powerful AllSpark from his old body), and the AllSpark exploding into many fragments that scatter across Detroit.

### Season two

The Autobot Elite Guard members Ultra Magnus, Sentinel Prime, and Jazz arrive on Earth to retrieve the Allspark, only to learn of its destruction in the Season One finale. While Sentinel completely disbelieves Optimus's claims, Optimus and his team are eventually able to convince Magnus of Decepticon activity on Earth. The main theme for Season Two is the discovery of small fragments of the Allspark littered across the city (and possibly, the entire planet), while the Decepticons work on building a space bridge back to Cybertron with the help of Issac Sumdac, who was kidnapped by Megatron in the previous season's finale. This is part of Megatron's plan to invade Cybertron from within, without the Autobots' awareness. New characters introduced in season 2 include the Autobots Omega Supreme (who was revealed to be Optimus Prime's team's spaceship), Wreck-Gar, Wasp and Blurr, the Decepticons Shockwave, Swindle, Mixmaster and Scrapper, the human villain Slo-Mo (who is able to slow down time using a watch with an AllSpark fragment), and Starscream's army of clones Thundercracker, Ramjet, Skywarp, Sunstorm, and Slipstream (none of the clones are openly referred to by name in the series, the names listed come from the toy-line, while Slipstream was retroactively given her name by Hasbro). At the end of the season, the Decepticon Space Bridge is destroyed, but Megatron, Starscream, and Omega Supreme are sucked through and lost in deep space. Sari meanwhile, notices an injury that exposes mechanical components under her skin, revealing that she is not completely human.

### Season three

Sari is shocked and distraught over the revelation that she is a robot, and instantly assumes that her "father" had actually built her, refusing to believe Sumdac's claim that he discovered her as a small liquid metal body. Upon examining Sari, Ratchet discovers something quite jarring; Sari is essentially human, but also part Cybertronian. Prowl does some research and discovers that Professor Sumdac was in fact telling the truth, and deduces that Sari is a Cybertronian protoform (the early development stage of all Cybertronians) that came into contact with Sumdac's genetic information. Sari later uses the great power from her Key to upgrade herself into an armored techno-organic teenage form that is far taller and much stronger; equipped with several weapons and superhuman abilities.

Meanwhile, on Cybertron, Shockwave (disguised as the Autobot Longarm Prime) sabotages several Elite Guard operations in preparation for Megatron's return, unaware that Megatron and Starscream are lost in deep space, trying to gain control of Omega Supreme. Suspecting that the double-agent may be the escaped convict Wasp, Ultra Magnus sends Sentinel and Jazz back to Earth to find and apprehend Wasp, who has found his way to Earth to exact revenge on Bumblebee for framing him. Soundwave and Arcee reappear, with Soundwave being accompanied by minions Laserbeak and Ratbat. New characters introduced in season 3 include the Constructicon Dirt Boss, the Autobot scientist Perceptor, Prowl's mentor Yoketron (who only appears in Prowl's memory flashes), and the flying Elite Guard members Jetstorm and Jetfire.

In the two-part season finale, Jazz joins Optimus Prime's team on Earth, while Megatron and Starscream also find their way back to Earth, using information stored deep within Arcee's subconscious mind to create an army of Omega Supreme-sized robots in Lugnut's likeness. Optimus defeats Megatron with the aid of Ultra Magnus' Magnus Hammer and a "Wingblade" jetpack built by Professor Sumdac, Ratchet, and Sari while Prowl sacrifices his own vital Spark to reassemble most of the AllSpark, killing Starscream in the process, and destroy the "Lugnut Supremes". The Autobots return to Cybertron with the apprehended Decepticons, and are hailed as heroes upon arriving on their home world.

### Cancelled fourth season

A fourth season was initially planned for, but was ultimately cancelled. According to *The AllSpark Almanac II*, *The Complete AllSpark Almanac*, and issue #71 of the *Transformers Collectors' Club* magazine, season four's main theme would have been the discovery of Energon deposits left by the Allspark across Detroit. Various ideas planned for the cancelled fourth season include:

* Optimus Prime, Bumblebee, Jazz and Ratchet returning to Earth along with new team member Ironhide, who would scan a pick-up truck vehicle mode resembling the live-action film version of the character while retaining elements from his Generation 1 counterpart.
* Sari remaining on Cybertron to discover more about her unique origins and the Cybertronian species while being educated by Arcee, and training in the Autobot boot camp under Kup alongside Nightbeat, an aspiring detective sharing Arcee's body-type; Hosehead, a Canadian-accented Autobot sharing Sentinel's body-type; and Siren, a sonic-mouthed Autobot who wears the common body-type employed by Bumblebee. These three young Autobots previously appeared in the follow-up story "The Return of Blurr", in which they helped Sari and Arcee with stopping an ancient Decepticon weapon named Kremzeek and restoring Blurr, who was compacted into a cube by Shockwave in the third season.
* Bulkhead also remaining in Cybertron to defend Energon farms from Decepticons such Strika's Team Chaar, who would acquire four new members: Mindwipe, a hypnotist capable of interacting with deceased Decepticons; Blot, who would turn from a monster-motif robot based on his Generation 1 Terrorcon counterpart's beast mode into a Cybertronian ground vehicle; Sky-Byte, a poet inspired by the Predacon from the 2001 *Robots in Disguise* anime who shares a body-type with Lugnut; and Dr. Scalpel, Oil Slick's partner who is heavily inspired by his Live-action counterpart from *Revenge of the Fallen*.
* Megatron reformatting into a new Triple-Changer body, with his new vehicle modes being a Cybertronian fighter jet and tank. An action figure was designed for Megatron's new body under the name "Marauder Megatron", but only a prototype exists. He would also have broken out of Trypticon Prison on Cybertron and relocate the city of Kaon to Earth, using the Energon deposits to build machinations that could threaten all life on the planet.
* Hot Shot, who made minor appearances in the third season, acquiring an Earth mode of a sports car. Like Megatron's Marauder body, an action figure was designed for Hot Shot's new body, but only a prototype exists.
* Optimus reformatting into a new "Powermaster" body in which he can combine with his trailer to be of equal power and stature to Megatron. Concept art for an action figure of this body mas been made, which also includes a Mini-Con that would plug into him.
* Blackarachnia returning with an army of Predacons, including Waspinator, new recruits Inferno and Antagony, and a failed clone experiment named Primal Major. She would also adopt a new color scheme heavily based on her *Beast Wars* counterpart. A flashback episode would reveal the circumstances of her siding with the Decepticons.
* Starscream would have been revived by Slipstream.
* Bulkhead and Sari entering a parallel universe with evil Autobots and heroic Decepticons (a homage to the Shattered Glass comic).
* Minicons from Kaon disabling all the machinery in Detroit (a homage to the film *Gremlins*), with Ratchet and Captain Fanzone being the ones to stop them.
* The Autobot Cosmos, who made minor appearances in the third season, playing a major role as a messenger for Optimus and scanning a prop flying saucer from the set of a B-Movie.
* Slipstream leading her own team of Decepticons on Earth before ultimately becoming an ally to the Autobots.
* Lugnut, Blitzwing, Shockwave, Sunstorm, Ramjet, and the Stunticons, who were captured by Sideswipe and Cheetor in the follow-up comic "The Stunti-Con Job", would all take part in a spectacular prison break. Thundercracker, Skywarp, Soundwave, Laserbeak, and Meltdown would all return as well.
* Mixmaster and Dirt Boss returning, reuniting with Scrapper. Dirt Boss would put Scrapper, Mixmaster, and Skipjack-a new Constructicon cloned from the Autobot Erector-to work on a project called "Devastator". They would also battle the other Decepticons over control of the Energon deposits on Earth.
* The Decepticon Bludgeon appearing as a skeletal pirate-motif robot rather than having a skeletal *samurai*-motif.
* Sentinel creating the Powermaster weapon while fighting for his Magnus status and attempting to vanquish Megatron using the AllSpark.
* Prowl's ghost inhabiting AllSpark-powered Cybertronians-such as Wreck-Gar, Slipstream, and the Constructicons-and warning Optimus of the consequences of Sentinel's actions.
* A new group of human villains called S.T.E.A.M. (short for **S**aving **T**he **E**arth **A**nd **M**ankind), who are against modern technology and use Steampunk-style weaponry.
* Bumblebee solving a mystery which sees himself, Bulkhead, Ironhide, and Sentinel, as well as Waspinator and Shockwave, being targeted.
* Rattletrap being targeted by Autobots and Decepticons alike while being stranded on Earth.

### Return to The Hub

The Hub started airing reruns of the show on July 9, 2012, in its original HD format until mid-2014.

## Characters

The main Autobots are Optimus Prime, Prowl, Ratchet, Bulkhead, and Bumblebee. The main Decepticon cast is made up of Megatron, Starscream, Blitzwing, Lugnut, and Blackarachnia. The main humans, or as the Transformers call them, "organics", are Professor Isaac Sumdac, Sari Sumdac, and Captain Fanzone.

## Comic adaptation

*Transformers Animated* was adapted into comics and published by IDW Publishing in 2008. The book used cartoon screen captures arranged in comic book style panels. In Japan, a manga adaptation titled Template:Nihongo was created by Naoto Tsushima and serialized in Kadokawa Shoten's Kerokero Ace magazine from March 26, 2010 to March 26, 2011.

## Cast

### Main cast

* Jeff Bennett – Prowl, Ultra Magnus, Soundwave, Mixmaster, Grandus, Captain Fanzone, Angry Archer
* Corey Burton - Ratchet, Megatron, Shockwave, Ironhide, Spike Witwicky, Cyrus "The Colossus" Rhodes, Cyclonus, Brawn
* Bill Fagerbakke – Bulkhead, Hotshot, Master Disaster
* David Kaye – Optimus Prime, Grimlock, Lugnut, Highbrow, Cliffjumper, Warpath, Sparkplug Witwicky (Season 2)
* Tom Kenny – Starscream, Scrapper, Wasp/Waspinator, Jetfire, Skywarp, Sunstorm, Thundercracker, Ramjet, Rattletrap, Professor Isaac Sumdac, Tutor Bot
* Bumper Robinson – Bumblebee, Blitzwing, Blackout, Porter C. Powell, Sparkplug Witwicky (Season 1)
* Tara Strong – Sari Sumdac, Red Alert, Strika, Slipstream, Teletraan I, Mayor Edsel's Aide, Daniel, Carly, Slo-Mo, Receptionist Bot
* Cree Summer – Blackarachnia/Elita One

### Additional voices

* Susan Blu – Arcee, Flareup
* Townsend Coleman – Sentinel Prime, Tracks
* Lance Henriksen – Lockdown
* Phil LaMarr – Jazz, Oil Slick, Omega Supreme (Season 3), Jetstorm, Alpha Trion
* John Mariano – Dirt Boss, Sparkplug Witwicky (Season 3)
* John Moschitta, Jr. – Blurr
* Judd Nelson – Rodimus Prime
* Alexander Polinsky – Henry Masterson/Headmaster
* Brian Posehn – Nino Sexton/Nanosec
* Kevin Michael Richardson – Omega Supreme (Season 2)
* Kath Soucie – Professor Princess, Trisha
* Peter Stormare – Prometheus Black/Meltdown
* George Takei – Yoketron
* Fred Willard – Swindle
* "Weird Al" Yankovic – Wreck-Gar

## Crew

* Susan Blu – Casting Director and Recording Director
* Marty Isenberg – Story Editor
* Matt Youngberg – Supervising Producer
* Sebastian Evans – Composer

## Home video releases

### North America

The North American releases feature full-screen video and stereo sound in both English and Spanish (except Season Three and The Complete Series (both feature widescreen video and stereo sound in only English)).

* **Transform and Roll Out** (DVD, June 22, 2008)

A single DVD containing the feature-length premiere "Transform and Roll Out".
Also includes the first two unaired shorts, "Career Day" and "Evel Knievel Jump".
* A Target exclusive version came with a second disc containing the follow-up episode "Home Is Where the Spark Is".

* **Season One** (DVD, August 19, 2008)

A two-disc set containing the complete first season, from "Home Is Where the Spark Is" to "Megatron Rising Part II".
Also includes a season 2 "sneak peek" photo gallery.
* **Season Two** (DVD, January 6, 2009)

A two-disc set containing the complete second season, from "The Elite Guard" to "A Bridge to Close Part II", with audio commentary on selected episodes.
Also includes the shorts "Starscream Heckles Megatron" and "Explosive Punch" and a photo gallery.
* **Season Three** and **The Complete Series** (DVD, June 10, 2014)

Shout! Factory released the third season on DVD on June 10 as well as the complete series afterwards.
### United Kingdom

Whereas in North America the series was released in complete seasons, the UK instead got several single-disc "volumes" containing four episodes each, also featuring full-screen video, but with audio and subtitles in English and German.

* **Transform and Roll Out** (DVD, August 4, 2008)

Contains the feature-length premiere "Transform and Roll Out" and the shorts "Career Day" and "Evel Knievel Jump".
* **Volume One: Blast from the Past** (DVD, October 20, 2008)

Contains episodes 4 Home Is Where the Spark Is, 5 Total Meltdown, 6 Blast From the Past and 7 Thrill of the Hunt
* **Volume Two: Lost and Found** (DVD, June 15, 2009)

Contains episodes 8 Nanosac, 9 Along Came a Spider, 10 Sound and Fury, 11 Lost and Found
* **Volume Three: Megatron Rising** (DVD, June 15, 2009)

Contains episodes 12 Survival of the Fittest, 13 Headmaster, 14 Nature Calls 15 Megatron Rising Part 1 and 16 Megatron Rising Part 2
* **Volume Four: Mission Accomplished** (DVD, June 15, 2009)

Contains episodes 17 The Elite Guard, 18 Return of the Headmaster, 19 Mission Accomplished and 20 Garbage In, Garbage Out
* **Volume Five: Fistful of Energon** (DVD, September 3, 2009)

Contains episodes 21 Velocity, 22 Rise of the Constructicons, 23 A Fistful of Energon and 24 S.U.V - Society of Ultimate Villany
* **Volume Six: Black Friday** (DVD, November 5, 2009)

Contains episodes 25 Autoboot Camp, 26 Black Friday, 27 Sari, No One's Home, 28 A Bridge Too Close, Part 1 and 29 A Bridge Too Close, Part 2
### Germany

Germany saw the same releases as the UK.

* **Transformieren und Abfahrt** (English: Transform and Roll Out) (DVD, September 10, 2008)

Contains the feature-length premiere "Transform and Roll Out" and the shorts "Career Day" and "Evel Knievel Jump".
* **Volume Eins: Drachenkämpfer** (English: Dragon fighter(s)) (DVD, October 13, 2008)

Contains the episodes "Home Is Where the Spark Is" through to "The Thrill of the Hunt".
* **Volume Zwei: Die alten Waffen** (English: The old weapons) (DVD, March 12, 2009)

Contains the episodes "Nanosec" through to "Lost and Found".
* **Volume Drei: Megatrons Auferstehung** (English: Megatron's Resurrection) (DVD, June 4, 2009)

Contains the episodes "Survival of the Fittest" through to "Megatron Rising - Part 2"
* **Volume Vier: Mission erfüllt** (English: Mission Accomplished) (DVD, August 20, 2009)

Contains the episodes "The Elite Guard" through to "Garbage In, Garbage Out"
* **Volume Fünf: Der doppelte Starscream** (English: The double Starscream) (DVD, October 15, 2009)

Contains the episodes "Velocity" through to "SUV: Society of Ultimate Villainy"
* **Volume Sechs: Schwarzer Freitag** (English: Black Friday) (DVD, TBA 2009)

Contains the episodes "Autoboot Camp" through to "A Bridge Too Close, Part II"
### Japan

In a press release by Takara Tomy, it was announced that starting in Fall 2010, they would be releasing the series on DVD by Paramount Home Entertainment Japan.

## Video game

This is the first (and only) Transformers Animated game. Released for the Nintendo DS platform in October 2008.

1. ↑ Template:Cite episode
2. ↑ Jeff Bennett (I) – Filmography by TV series (December 7, 2008).
3. ↑ Corey Burton (I) – Filmography by TV series.
4. ↑ Bill Fagerbakke – Filmography by TV series (December 7, 2008).
5. ↑ David Kaye (I) – Filmography by TV series (December 7, 2008).
6. ↑ Tom Kenny (I) – Filmography by TV series (December 7, 2008).
7. ↑ Bumper Robinson – Filmography by TV series (December 7, 2008).
8. ↑ Tara Strong – Filmography by TV series (December 7, 2008).
9. ↑ Cree Summer – Filmography by TV series (December 7, 2008).
10. ↑ Susan Blu – Filmography by TV series (December 7, 2008).
11. ↑ Townsend Coleman – Filmography by TV series (December 7, 2008).
12. ↑ Lance Henriksen – Filmography by TV series (December 7, 2008).
13. ↑ Phil LaMarr – Filmography by TV series (December 7, 2008).
14. ↑ John Mariano – Filmography by TV series (December 7, 2008).
15. ↑ John Moschitta Jr. – Filmography by TV series (December 7, 2008).
16. ↑ Judd Nelson – Filmography by TV series (December 7, 2008).
17. ↑ Kevin Michael Richardson – Filmography by TV series (December 7, 2008).
18. ↑ George Takei – Filmography by TV series (December 7, 2008).
19. ↑ Fred Willard – Filmography by TV series (December 7, 2008).
20. ↑ 'Weird Al' Yankovic – Filmography by TV series (December 7, 2008).
21. ↑ Takara Tomy's Transformers Animated Press Release - 1/19/10.