Editing Cosmic Rust (episode)

{{disambig2|the episode in which Cosmic Rust appears|the titular term of the episode|Cosmic Rust}}
[[Image:Rusted_megatron.jpg|thumb|right|350px|Don't ask, dude... Don't ask.]]

{{episodenav|g1|season=2|45|prev=Trans-Europe Express|next=Starscream's Brigade
|series2=SRLFtoon
|episode2=48
|prev2=Trans-Europe Express
|next2=The Core
}} 

'''After finding a new weapon, Megatron becomes infected with a strange disease {{m-}} one he intends to use against the Autobots.'''


*'''Japanese title:''' "The Terrifying Cosmic Rust!"


==Detailed synopsis==
[[Image:Cosmic Rust Megatron infected.JPG|thumb|left|150px|[[JaAm|WhY mY sHoUlDeRs hURt?]]]]
While flying through space in [[Astrotrain (G1)|Astrotrain]], Megatron, [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]], and [[Rumble (G1)|Rumble]] discover a planet with the Autobot [[Insignia|symbol]] visible from orbit. Heading to investigate, they find a deserted city and a pillar inscribed with [[Cybertronian languages|Ancient Autobot]]. Activating a recorded message, they are warned to leave, or never return to [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]]...all in [[Wheelie (G1)|rhyme]]. Disregarding the warnings, the [[Decepticon]]s discover a [[Lightning Bug]]. While attempting to move it, they set it off, causing the ceiling above them to be destroyed. Megatron is pleased{{m-}}the Autobots have created a weapon that will allow him to destroy them. While leaving the planet, an asteroid follows Astrotrain (look, just go with the flow) and Megatron destroys it. Bad idea, as the debris penetrates Astrotrain, with one piece hitting Megatron in the shoulder. Heading for their [[Decepticon space cruiser|base]], Starscream removes the rock, only to discover that Megatron's shoulder is covered in ruuusttt. 

In [[New York City|New York]], [[Perceptor (G1)|Perceptor]] is being awarded for his creation of [[corrostop]], a new solution which prevents rust and corrosion. The Autobots plan to spray all the world's monuments with it, but for the moment, they only have enough to spray the [[Statue of Liberty]]. Meanwhile, Megatron's health is deteriorating rapidly, and he orders the [[Stunticon]]s to bring him Perceptor. Heading for Liberty Island, the Decepticons capture Perceptor and load him into [[Blitzwing (G1)|Blitzwing]], with the [[Aerialbot (G1)|Aerialbot]]s in pursuit. The Autobot jets follow the kidnappers all the way to the Decepticon base, but the [[Conehead]]s use the Lightning Bug to drive them off. 

Taken within their base, Perceptor is horrified to discover that Megatron is covered in rust. The [[Decepticon leader]] offers Perceptor a chance to end the [[Great War|war]] in exchange for curing him. As Perceptor analyzes the Decepticon, he discovers that Megatron is infected with a metallic plague and that the lightning bug is exacerbating the condition. Perceptor offers Megatron corrostop, which manages to wash the rust away. Megatron declares that the Decepticons are about to be cured.

[[Image:Kentucky_fried_aerialbot.jpg|thumb|right|Kentucky Fried Aerialbot.]]
At the [[Ark (G1)|Autobot base]], the Aerialbots are explaining what happened to [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]], when Megatron contacts the [[Prime (rank)|Autobot leader]]. Megatron says that Prime has until noon to reach Perceptor, or sunlight focused through his lens will ignite the fuse on a bomb and blow him to pieces. Despite knowing it's a trap, Prime takes all the Autobots with him to rescue Perceptor. As the Autobots arrive, Perceptor warns them to keep away, but Prime pulls Perceptor away once the bomb ignites and explodes, only for Perceptor to reveal that he is infected with [[Cosmic Rust]]. 

[[Image:Cosmic Rust Perceptor kick.JPG|thumb|left|150px|Fonzie would be proud.]]
Returning to the base, the Autobots query [[Teletraan I]], who tells them of the fate of [[Antilla]], the world the Decepticons visited. Then, the Autobots notice that they're infected with Cosmic Rust as well. Worse, Megatron is using the Lightning Bug to make the plague spread. Their only hope is corrostop, but [[Cosmos (G1)|Cosmos]] and [[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]] have discovered that [[Ingredient X]], an important ingredient for making corrostop, is gone. [[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]] suspects that they can use the matter duplicator to make more, if he and Perceptor can fix it. Meanwhile, [[Ratchet (G1)|Ratchet]] does his best to stem the tide, but they're fading fast. Megatron is watching via [[Laserbeak (G1)|Laserbeak]], loving every minute of it, only to learn that the matter duplicator now works, thanks to a [[wikipedia:kick|''unique'' solution]] provided by Perceptor. All they need is some corrostop from the Statue of Liberty to replicate.

[[Image:Cosmic Rust Autobots Statue of Liberty.JPG|thumb|150px|"You maniacs! You blew it up!"]]
Heading to the Statue of Liberty, Megatron orders the Stunticons to form [[Menasor (G1)|Menasor]] and use the Lightning Bug to destroy the statue. However, the Autobots are already there, and the Aerialbots form [[Superion (G1)|Superion]]. The Autobot [[combiner]] is able to defeat [[Menasor (G1)|Menasor]] and destroy the Lightning Bug. Megatron, out of ideas, orders a retreat. [[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]] is quite pleased: they not only saved themselves, but also Lady Liberty.

{{-}}

==Stats==
'''Original airdate:''' December 26, 1985

'''Written by:''' Paul Davids

==Notable quotes==

"Starscream! Keep your grubby fingers off that.  It could be a booby trap!"<br>
"What trap? This is a prehistoric communication device, you uneducated dolt!"<br>
:—'''Megatron''' and '''Starscream''', doing what they do best.


"Where there's a curse on the door, there's treasure on the other side."<br>
:{{m-}}'''Starscream''', who has never seen an Indiana Jones movie.


"If that's a lightning bug, I'd sure hate to meet up with a dragonfly."<br>
:—'''Astrotrain''' hates big bugs (nearly his size) and he cannot lie.


"Unfortunately, the operation is successful."
:—'''Starscream''' bemoans removing an infected meteor fragment from Megatron.


"It's some weird kind of heat ray—and it ''works''!"<br>
:—'''Air Raid''' expresses not-unjustified amazement at the efficiency of the Decepticons' weapon-of-the-day.


"Somebody's gotta get us back to Cybertron, Prime. I never thought the end would come like this."<br>
:—'''Bumblebee''', dying from Cosmic Rust and apparently wanting to destroy his home planet.


"The Cosmic Rust has infiltrated your logic circuits."<br>
"Maybe so, but I'll bet it hasn't affected my aim."
:—'''Megatron''' and '''Optimus Prime'''

==Notes==

===Animation and/or technical glitches===
* Apparently, Blitzwing is large enough in [[alternate mode|flight mode]] to carry the Stunticons and Perceptor. Normally, this could be written off to Astrotrain-style mass-shifting and left at that {{m-}} until we see Blitzwing land next to Dirge and Ramjet at Decepticon Headquarters. Blitzwing is shown to be the same size as Ramjet and Dirge, even though he's supposedly got Perceptor and at least two Stunticons inside.

===Continuity errors===
* Astrotrain, who got damaged a lot more by the infectious meteor than Megatron, is never shown to be infected.  Starscream should likewise be infected, having pulled out the asteroid fragment from Megatron, but again this is never shown.  Megatron's statement that "Decepticons {{m-}} '''we''' are about to be cured!" implies that he's not the only victim, though the story focus in general implies that he is.
* Why would Perceptor pick up Megatron's infected hand when he's just declared that cosmic rust is contagious? He may suspect that Corrostop might be a cure, but he doesn't know for certain yet...so why would a scientist put himself at such risk, and for Megatron of all people?
* Couldn't Prime have moved the explosives away from the infected and very contagious Perceptor, rather than vice versa?  Though the Cosmic Rust seems capable of spreading through the air, Prime could at least ''try'' not to get infected.
* According to Teletraan 1, the "Lost Legion" of Autobots had already colonized Antilla ''at [[MSTF|the dawn of time]]''.  That's a pretty ambitious timetable!
* Apparently, the Decepticons' entire hope of victory relied on Menasor being able to destroy the Statue of Liberty with the Lightning Bug, and not Menasor's own tendency to smash everything he looks at.
* Perceptor didn't keep a ''single drop'' of Corrostop?  Not even a laboratory sample?  Not even inside the tanks of the spray hoses used to coat the Statue of Liberty?
* Despite its seemingly great potential for all sorts of useful purposes (or mischief, as the Decepticons are well aware of its existence), the Matter Duplicator is never seen again.
* This isn't an error per se, but the episode's plot really highlights it: as the more warlike of the two factions, it would really make sense for the Decepticons to have at least one medic around, as they're more likely to be in battle and to be injured in the line of duty. Instead, the Autobots have a number of 'bots in their crew capable of administering repairs (Ratchet, Wheeljack, Hoist, First Aid, etc.) while the Decepticons never have a single one in the entire series.

===Transformers references===
* References

===Real-world references===
* Teletraan 1 calls the fallen Autobot civilization the "13th Legion- the Lost Legion." This could be a reference to the Lost Tribe of Israel, which was also the 13th Tribe.

===Trivia===
* Megatron coughs while infected with Cosmic Rust, despite [[Humanization#Coughing|not having lungs]]. Similarly, Ratchet complains that "It's suddenly getting hot in here" and wipes his brow as if he's sweating.

* Apprently, the Autobots and the Decepticons speak different languages, or they used to. Either way, Starscream can't read ancient Autobot.

* One wonders if the reason that the Decepticons haven't yet won the war is that Megatron himself is an enormous pansy. One little chunk of asteroid embedded in his shoulder has him throwing a fit about how terribly wounded he is. Not to mention when his Lightning Bug gets ruined, he orders a retreat despite the Autobots currently being weakened by Cosmic Rust.

* For some reason, Megatron would rather trust Starscream to give him medical attention than, say, ''anyone else on base''. Maybe for the reason that Starscream is a scientist, and no other Decepticon on Earth seems to have even a modicum of similar training or knowledge.

* Blitzwing is used as a means to transport Decepticons in a way that Astrotrain is usually used.  He even mass shifts to become large enough to fit lots of Decepticons the way that Astrotrain does.  It does make sense to use Blitzwing since Astrotrain is injured and so this is not an animation mistake, Blitzwing was meant to be used this way.

===Keywords===
(''separate by commas and link each one so a page can be created for it if it does not already exist'')

==External links==
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[[Category:Generation 1 episodes]]
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