[8.2/10] The first thing that strikes me about the episode is what it’s trying to say. There seems to be a clear point about people with mental and physical disabilities and how bad guys and even good guys can treat them with disdain or fail to appreciate what they’re capable of. Transmutate is a good representation of that idea, with both Megatron and Optimus reaching similar conclusions despite different approaches.
Not to get too political, but the thought also crossed my mind that this episode could be about the practice of aborting fetuses when prenatal testing shows they’d be born with developmental disabilities. I’m not sure that’s what was intended necessarily, but it could be, especially given the argument between Optimus and Silverbolt over whether the safest course of action is to put Transmutate into stasis lock.
Apart from the thematic elements here, it’s also just a compelling story about two folks from opposite sides of war empathizing with an unusual being who they nevertheless see the value in. Rampage relates to Transmutate because he too is different to the point of being sui generis, something that doesn’t fit neatly into the usual transformer mold, making him apt to find commonality with this distinctive soul. Likewise, Silverbolt is not only preternaturally noble, but a unique creature himself, giving him reason to try to understand and appreciate Transmutate.
Transmutate itself is uniquely designed to both repel and endear us from a design standpoint. It’s definitely a little bizarre-looking, with its eyeless, human-like face in particular occasionally leaving it in the Uncanny Valley. But it also has an E.T.-style ugly cuteness, with a strange gait and recognizable expressions and childlike utterances that make it memorable and exude innocence.
I appreciate that this one ends in tragedy. Despite both wanting to protect it, Rampage and Silverbolt do battle one another and accidentally destroy the innocent thing both meant to protect, when it tries to protect them. There’s something very sad about Transmutate’s sacrifice, but it’s also an act that vindicates what both bots saw in Transmutate, a value and humanity (so to speak) that their colleagues didn’t.
Overall, this is one of the bolder and wilder story efforts from the series, and I appreciate the episode swinging for the fences, with an interesting moral presentation, some particularly inspired designs and vocalizations, and an ending riddled with pathos.
Review by Andrew BloomVIP9BlockedParentSpoilers2020-07-19T17:01:41Z
[8.2/10] The first thing that strikes me about the episode is what it’s trying to say. There seems to be a clear point about people with mental and physical disabilities and how bad guys and even good guys can treat them with disdain or fail to appreciate what they’re capable of. Transmutate is a good representation of that idea, with both Megatron and Optimus reaching similar conclusions despite different approaches.
Not to get too political, but the thought also crossed my mind that this episode could be about the practice of aborting fetuses when prenatal testing shows they’d be born with developmental disabilities. I’m not sure that’s what was intended necessarily, but it could be, especially given the argument between Optimus and Silverbolt over whether the safest course of action is to put Transmutate into stasis lock.
Apart from the thematic elements here, it’s also just a compelling story about two folks from opposite sides of war empathizing with an unusual being who they nevertheless see the value in. Rampage relates to Transmutate because he too is different to the point of being sui generis, something that doesn’t fit neatly into the usual transformer mold, making him apt to find commonality with this distinctive soul. Likewise, Silverbolt is not only preternaturally noble, but a unique creature himself, giving him reason to try to understand and appreciate Transmutate.
Transmutate itself is uniquely designed to both repel and endear us from a design standpoint. It’s definitely a little bizarre-looking, with its eyeless, human-like face in particular occasionally leaving it in the Uncanny Valley. But it also has an E.T.-style ugly cuteness, with a strange gait and recognizable expressions and childlike utterances that make it memorable and exude innocence.
I appreciate that this one ends in tragedy. Despite both wanting to protect it, Rampage and Silverbolt do battle one another and accidentally destroy the innocent thing both meant to protect, when it tries to protect them. There’s something very sad about Transmutate’s sacrifice, but it’s also an act that vindicates what both bots saw in Transmutate, a value and humanity (so to speak) that their colleagues didn’t.
Overall, this is one of the bolder and wilder story efforts from the series, and I appreciate the episode swinging for the fences, with an interesting moral presentation, some particularly inspired designs and vocalizations, and an ending riddled with pathos.