[7.8/10] It’s funny, every time a new Transformer shows up, I usually have the “I was wondering when they were going to arrive!” reaction, but I only vaguely remember Rampage. Seeing him was enough to remind me of his name while they were still calling him “Protoform X”, but it’s interesting that such a memorable designed and presented character faded into the recesses of my memory. It probably speaks to how this was around the point where I lost track of the show as a kid.
Still, I liked this one a fair bit! Part of that has to do with Rampage. He’s just an interesting concept for a Transformer. There’s a Frankenstein’s monster quality to him -- an effort at recreation gone wrong, and it lends him a madness and monstrousness that makes him unique as a threat. He also has a unique design, one that is overdone like the rest of the Transmetals and Fuzors, but which suits him given his laboratory horror-type origins. The fact that he’s big, scary-looking, and impervious to most attacks gives him a slasher or monster movie type presence as our heroes try to evade him, particularly after seeing what he was able to do to Tarantulas.
That’s the other half of this episode, and the part I liked even better: the budding romance between Black Arachcnia and Silverbolt. Truth be told, I remembered their affection being a slower burn, but I don’t mind how quickly it comes together, especially when the pair get a focus episode like this one. Not to get too cerebral about the show (why stop now?), but again, it’s interesting to see Black Arachnia responding favorably to the first caring and consideration she’s ever really received from anyone, considering the Predacons have all tried to abuse or manipulate her.
The interesting wrinkle this episode adds is the idea that part of Black Arachnia’s positive reaction to this stems from her origin as a Maximal spark. ( didn’t realize that souls were coded as Maximals or Predacons -- that’s a little weird to be honest.) Whatever the reason, the Tracy/Hepburn chemistry that she and Silverbolt share livens things up here, with chivalrous Silverbolt trying to bring out her good side, and Black Arachnia begrudgingly appreciating it. I don’t think I ever saw where this blossoming romance ended up when I watched as a kid, so I’m especially interested to see how things turn out.
Overall, between the introduction of s scary new villain and some nice development on the Black Arachnia/Silverbolt front, and an intriguing new development with Megatron potentially being able to control the brute via his indestructible spark.
Review by Andrew BloomVIP9BlockedParentSpoilers2020-07-12T18:43:02Z
[7.8/10] It’s funny, every time a new Transformer shows up, I usually have the “I was wondering when they were going to arrive!” reaction, but I only vaguely remember Rampage. Seeing him was enough to remind me of his name while they were still calling him “Protoform X”, but it’s interesting that such a memorable designed and presented character faded into the recesses of my memory. It probably speaks to how this was around the point where I lost track of the show as a kid.
Still, I liked this one a fair bit! Part of that has to do with Rampage. He’s just an interesting concept for a Transformer. There’s a Frankenstein’s monster quality to him -- an effort at recreation gone wrong, and it lends him a madness and monstrousness that makes him unique as a threat. He also has a unique design, one that is overdone like the rest of the Transmetals and Fuzors, but which suits him given his laboratory horror-type origins. The fact that he’s big, scary-looking, and impervious to most attacks gives him a slasher or monster movie type presence as our heroes try to evade him, particularly after seeing what he was able to do to Tarantulas.
That’s the other half of this episode, and the part I liked even better: the budding romance between Black Arachcnia and Silverbolt. Truth be told, I remembered their affection being a slower burn, but I don’t mind how quickly it comes together, especially when the pair get a focus episode like this one. Not to get too cerebral about the show (why stop now?), but again, it’s interesting to see Black Arachnia responding favorably to the first caring and consideration she’s ever really received from anyone, considering the Predacons have all tried to abuse or manipulate her.
The interesting wrinkle this episode adds is the idea that part of Black Arachnia’s positive reaction to this stems from her origin as a Maximal spark. ( didn’t realize that souls were coded as Maximals or Predacons -- that’s a little weird to be honest.) Whatever the reason, the Tracy/Hepburn chemistry that she and Silverbolt share livens things up here, with chivalrous Silverbolt trying to bring out her good side, and Black Arachnia begrudgingly appreciating it. I don’t think I ever saw where this blossoming romance ended up when I watched as a kid, so I’m especially interested to see how things turn out.
Overall, between the introduction of s scary new villain and some nice development on the Black Arachnia/Silverbolt front, and an intriguing new development with Megatron potentially being able to control the brute via his indestructible spark.