Miraculous Warriors, Targetmasters (Part 2) is the twenty-eighth episode of Transformers: The Headmasters. It first aired in Japan on February 19, 1988 on Nippon TV.
Content[]
Summary[]
The birth of the Targetmasters heralds another heartbreaking loss for Chromedome when the Autobots pursue the Decepticons back to planet Master.
Plot[]
As the light from the plasma energy explosion dims, the Headmasters recover the unconscious bodies of Pointblank, Sureshot and Crosshairs and pull them back into the damaged Battleship Maximus. There, they discover that three of the refugees from planet Master have been fused to their arms by the plasma energy in a weaponized form, and they return to Earth to surgically remove them. Although they are physically separated, each pair remains linked, with Pointblank and co. now able to telepathically understand the Master language. Fortress dubs them "Targetmasters", and then begins preparations to head for Master to stop the Decepticon attacks there. Daniel petitions his father to be allowed to accompany the Autobots on their mission, and he is given permission.
Meanwhile, on Master, the Horrorcons, Predacons, Terrorcons and Decepticon clones are attacking an installation, and coming under heavy return fire. At the same time, Sixshot informs Scorponok that Battleship Maximus will soon be on its way after undergoing repairs, but Scorponok is not concerned - Slugslinger, Triggerhappy and Misfire have also become Targetmasters!
In time, Battleship Maximus blasts off for Master, with Chromedome speculating on the reason for Scorponok's sudden shift of attention to the planet. Pointblank assures Daniel and Wheelie that their battle-hardened strength and new Targetmaster partners will win the fight, and takes the time to throw another jab in the direction of the Headmasters, accusing them of short tempers and a lack of experience. The Headmasters brush off the insults and stalk away, but once alone, grumble about the Targetmasters' arrogance, prompting concern from Daniel and Wheelie about the bad atmosphere on the battleship.
Back on Master, the Decepticon Targetmasters enter the ongoing battle, shooting out the weapons holding the other Decepticon back and allowing the Decepticon Headmasters to attack directly. At that moment, Battleship Maximus appears and the Autobot Headmasters and Targetmasters leap into the fray, beating back the Decepticon Headmasters and Horrorcons. Scorponok escapses beneath the planet's surface, burrowing under the desert sand in scorpion mode, as the surviving Master warriors thank the Autobots for their aid. Chromedome spots a familiar face picking his way out of rubble - an old friend of his named Jack - but when he attempts to speak to him, Jack walks on by, apparently not even recognising his old comrade, before collapsing due to his injuries.
A little later, as Jack recovers aboard Battleship Maximus, Chromedome enters, but Jack still seems not to recognise him. Daniel suggests that Chromedome transform to his small robot mode as that might be the reason, and Chromedome does so, but Jack just leaves the room, claiming he has work to do. Chromedome catches up to his friend, and they discuss their past - it soon become clear that Jack is still morose over having washed out of the rigorous Headmaster training program, but Chromedome claims that Jack's scientific mind makes him just as important, and that just because he's a Headmaster, he's no better than him. The friends embrace, but underground, Sixshot is already scheming to exploit their friendship for his own evil ends. Using his powers of disguise to pose as Chromedome, he approaches Jack and catches him off guard, knocking him out. Jack is brought back to Scorponok, where Sixshot tortures him - aware that Jack worked on the design of Battleship Maximus, he attempts to force the secrets of the Master Sword from him. However, it takes Mindwipe's hypnotic powers to obtain any information, and even then, all Jack can tell them is that the Master Sword is made of a special metal, and that only Fortress knows what kind. Unable to learn anything more from him, Sixshot conceives a new plan - implanting a bomb inside Jack to blow up Battleship Maximus.
Discovering that Jack has been kidnapped, the Autobots deduce the reason for his capture, and realize that Scorponok has come to planet Master to find the metal that the Master Sword was made from. Just as they are about to head out to rescue him, however, the mesmerized Jack appears on the horizon, marching towards Battleship Maximus. Twincast quickly scans him and detects the bomb. Chromedome tries to convince his friend to stop, but Pointblank is in favor of simply doing away with the threat, and links up with his Targetmaster partner to open fire on Jack. Highbrow attempts to stop him, but Pointblank calls it "the nature of war" and is about to fire when Chromedome steps up, preferring to commit the act himself. After a moment's hesitation, Chromedome leaps into his friend's path and shoots him through the chest; Jack collapses, and with his last words, apologizes to Chromedome, before the bomb detonates, leaving only a giant, smouldering crater. The Decepticons try to take advantage of the Autobots' shock, but in the battle that ensues, a vengeful Chromedome turns the tide by blasting Sixshot's arms clean off. The villains retreat, and Chromedome is all set to pursue them, but Pointblank holds him back. Chromedome burns with anger over having taken his own friend's life, but Pointblank tells him to save it for the next battle, and Chromedome admits that while he does not like Pointblank, he has come to respect his power. Pointblank is likewise impressed by Chromedome's determination, and the pair resolve to work together in the future.
Trivia[]
In the episode[]
Background[]
Regional Differences[]
Characters[]
(Numbers indicate order of appearance.)
| Autobots | Decepticons | Humans |
|---|---|---|
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Notes[]
Animation and/or technical glitches[]
- Dotted throughout this episode are robots drawn based on the animation models of several of the Headmaster Warriors. The colorations of these characters, however, are way off of the actual colors of the toys, so it's not entirely clear whether or not these are supposed to be the characters in question. See their own articles for more details.
Transformers references[]
- Jack's death in this episode further amplifies the grudge that Chromedome holds against Sixshot, previously established in "I Risk My Life for Earth", begun by the deaths of Abel - in "Terror! The Six Shadows" - and Ultra Magnus - in "Ultra Magnus Dies!!"
Miscellaneous trivia[]
- The Japanese take on the Targetmasters is slightly different than the American approach, but not as much as their take on the Headmasters. Here, rather than have the small robots transform into guns that the larger robots hold, the larger robots' fists retract, and the guns plug into their wrist in a process known as "Target On."
- The Targetmaster guns' electronic beeping as "dialogue" and penchant for sitting on their larger partners' shoulders would, many years later, show up again in the behavior of the Mini-Cons in the Armada cartoon.
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