Con Job
From Transformers Wiki
| ||||||
 Quick! They must have a race! Or play video games! | ||||||
| "Con Job" | ||||||
| Season | 1 | |||||
| No. in season | 8 | |||||
| Production company | Hasbro Studios | |||||
| Airdate | February 25, 2011 | |||||
| Written by | Steven Melching | |||||
| Directed by | Vinton Heuck | |||||
| Animation studio | Polygon Pictures | |||||
 Watch this episode on YouTube
| ||||||
Bulkhead awaits the arrival of his friend Wheeljack—what could go wrong?
Contents |
Synopsis
With their chores done, Miko is looking forward to "dune bashing" with Bulkhead, but he'd rather check out the monster truck rally in town. Their plans are interrupted when Ratchet receives a signal from a starship headed for Earth. Arcee wonders if it might be a Decepticon trap, but Bulkhead identifies the incoming Autobot as his old friend and Wrecker pal, Wheeljack. Optimus sends landing coordinates for Wheeljack's landing the next day, and Bulkhead is excited to see his old friend.
On the Decepticon ship, Soundwave has monitored the conversation and it gives Starscream the chance he needs. He orders Makeshift to prepare for a mission.
.jpg)
Starscream discusses their success in getting a spy into the Autobot base as he and Soundwave pay a visit to their prisoner — the real Wheeljack. Now he's inside the Autobot base, Makeshift will be able to activate the GroundBridge and reveal the base's location so Starscream can send the troops in. Wheeljack mocks Starscream, who's prevented from killing the prisoner by Soundwave since Wheeljack may yet be of use.
The Autobots and kids celebrate Wheeljack's arrival, Miko by breaking out her electric guitar and Bulkhead and "Wheeljack" by engaging in some Lobbing. After some encouragement by Miko, Raf busts some dance moves by doing The Robot, and Bumblebee joins in. Makeshift takes some time to fish for info on the GroundBridge from Ratchet, who says it's in the middle of defragging and can't be used for a few hours.
Starscream wonders why Makeshift is taking so long to get the GroundBridge activated, since he won't be able to keep the Autobots fooled for long.
Bulkhead tells the kids about a battle he and Wheeljack took part in, and Makeshift barely covers for his lack of knowledge. Bulkhead observes that his old friend seems different, but Makeshift writes this off as jet lag, and asks Miko to show him around the base. However Bulkhead's suspicions have been raised, and Arcee's suggestions don't allay them.
On the Decepticon ship, Wheeljack manages to kill his guard and get free from his bonds.
Miko wanders the base with Makeshift, and the 'con manages to get the location of the Autobot base out of her. Miko promises to show him the way out, and they return to the control center, where Bulkhead asks his "friend" to tell the story of the Battle of Darkmount Pass. Makeshift tells the story, but manages to get one crucial detail wrong — Bulkhead wasn't part of the battle. Realizing that his cover's blown, Makeshift takes Miko hostage.
Starscream and Soundwave hang out on top of the Decepticon ship with a bunch of Vehicons, waiting for Makeshift to open the GroundBridge. They're confronted by Wheeljack, who fights his way through a bunch of Vehicons and pounces on Starscream. As more 'cons rush towards Wheeljack, the GroundBridge activates, courtesy of Makeshift. Makeshift's ready to enter the GroundBridge at the Autobot end, when Wheeljack comes flying through it and lands on him. Ratchet shuts down the GroundBridge before any Decepticons come through. The two Wheeljacks draw their swords and fight at length while the Autobots fail to keep track of who's who. Wheeljack, of course, triumphs.
Starscream is pleased when the GroundBridge opens again and orders the Vehicons through, however it's only been reopened so Bulkhead can throw Makeshift through. The 'con lands on Starscream, who asks if Makeshift has obtained the location of the Autobot base. Makeshift's in the process of telling him when Starscream realizes that the grenade Makeshift is wearing has been primed and is about to explode, and he and Soundwave retreat, leaving Makeshift and a number of Vehicons to die in the ensuing explosion.
The Autobots have another party, to Ratchet's pain. Bulkhead suggests they pick out a vehicle mode for Wheeljack, but Wheeljack says he's not staying now that his ship's fixed. The next morning, he offers to take Bulkhead with him, but Bulkhead's too attached to Earth and Miko to leave. Miko snaps a picture of the two Autobots with her cell phone before Wheeljack leaves.
Featured characters
(Numbers indicate order of appearance.)
| Autobots | Decepticons | Humans |
|---|---|---|
|
|
Quotes
"Yeah, I'm still picking shrapnel out of my backside!"
"I'm not surprised, given the size of your backside."
- —Bulkhead reminisces, Arcee zings.
"Do you not see that you are vastly outnumbered?"
"I see fellas who might vastly enjoy watching me pound some dents into you."
- —Starscream and Wheeljack
"It's like a recurring nightmare!"
- —Will Ratchet ever get a break?
"If anything happens to my favorite Wrecker, I'm coming after you!"
- —Wheeljack tells Miko to take good care of his best bud for him.
Notes
Continuity notes
- The Autobots refer to their base as "Autobot Outpost Omega One", the first time the base is named on-screen.
- Ratchet mentions that the equipment's been kind of buggy since "the infestation."
Transformers references
- Wheeljack and Bulkhead are former members of the Wreckers. This is the team's first mention in a TV series.
- Wheeljack had fought in Darkmount near the smelting pits.
Real-world references
- Wheeljack's ship crashlands near a trio of pyramids.
- Raf and Bumblebee perform a dance called "The Robot", a street dance style popularized by the Jackson Five.
- Bumblebee can briefly be seen dancing like John Travolta in Saturday Night Fever.
Errors
- When the camera angle moves to show Optimus saying that he knows Wheeljack by reputation only, the shadow of Miko's heel looks lightly separated from it, as if her leg were hovering over Bulkhead's armour plate.
- Apparently, huge, alien robots can leave their tracks in the snow (see Bumblebee and Bulkhead at the beginning of the previous episode), but it looks like they cannot leave any in the sand.
- Part of Wheeljack's right arm goes through his chest as he was preparing for battle on top of the Nemesis.
- When the alarm goes off, the monitor shows five bogies (Vehicons) approaching Wheeljack's ship. But in the next scene, when Wheeljack's ship is being attacked, there are six Vehicons.
Trivia
- No One Cares About Vehicons: When the Autobots emerge from the GroundBridge, they see "Wheeljack" brutally murdering a Vehicon with his sword and shooting the last, wounded survivor. No reference is ever made to a trick sword or decoy Vehicons, so Makeshift apparently killed two or more of his own crewmates just to sell his act. But who cares? They're just Vehicons.
- Just like with Skyquake, Wheeljack's robot mode clearly has Earth vehicle kibble, even though it's stated that he doesn't yet have a local alternate mode.
- Wheeljack is the first Cybertronian who is not part of the main cast to survive his own debut episode.
- Starscream once again attempts to kill a prisoner (Wheeljack) the moment they insinuate he isn't in charge. Only this time, he is stopped by Soundwave.
- Bulkhead mentions that Wheeljack has a public service record. Presumably, this is true for all Autobots in the military.
- While Skyquake was the first character shown with a hand-held gun, Wheeljack is the first one shown with a pair of hand-held melee weapons (in this case, two swords).
- Adaptations of this episode include a storybook for younger readers titled Decepticon in Disguise.
Foreign localization
French
- Title: "L'Imposteur" ("The Impostor")
- Original airdate: ?
German
- Title: "Der Maulwurf" ("The Mole")
- Original airdate: 11 November 2011
Hungarian
- Title: "A régi cimbi" ("The Old Buddy"); "Besúgó" ("Mole") on the Season 1 Volume 2 DVD
- Original airdate: 18 January 2012
Indonesian
- Title: "Teman Lama" ("Old Friend")
- Original airdate: 12 September 2012
Italian
- Title: "Raggiro" ("Deception"), "La Truffa" ("The Scam", 2017 airing)
- Original airdate: 15 October 2011
Japanese
Korean
- Title: "Seupai" (스파이, "The Spy")
- Original airdate: 20 September 2011
Polish
- Title: ?
- Original airdate: 14 December 2011
Portuguese
- Title: "A Tramoia" ("The Intrigue")
- Original airdate: 27 December 2011
Spanish
- Title: "Infiltrado" ("Infiltrate")
- Original airdate: 27 December 2011
Spanish (Spain)
- Title: "Infiltrado" ("Infiltrate")
- Original airdate: 22 October 2011
Home video releases
- DVD
2011 — Transformers Prime — Hub promotional DVD (Hasbro Studios)
2012 — Transformers Prime — Season One (Shout! Factory)
2012 — Transformers Prime — Folge 2: Meister und Schüler (EDEL:kids) — English and German audio.
2012 — Transformers Prime — Season One Collection (Madman Entertainment)
2012 — Transformers Prime — Volume 2: Unfamiliar Enemies (Madman Entertainment)
2012 — Transformers Prime — Vol. 4 (Avex Trax) — Japanese audio only.
2012 — Transformers Prime — Saison 1 Vol. 2: Terrain miné (Universal Pictures France) — English, French, Italian, Dutch and Spanish audio.
2012 — Transformers Prime — Staffel 1 - Das Bündnis (EDEL:kids) — English and German audio.
2012 — Transformers Prime — Stagione 1 Vol. 2: Terre Pericolose (Universal Pictures IT) — English, Italian, Dutch, French and Spanish audio.
2013 — Transformers Prime — Season One: Dangerous Ground (Universal Pictures UK)
2014 — Transformers Prime — Saison 1: L'intégrale (Universal Pictures France) — English, French, Italian, Dutch and Spanish audio.
2015 — Transformers Prime — Season One (Universal Pictures UK)
- Blu-ray
2012 — Transformers Prime — Season One (Shout! Factory)
2012 — Transformers Prime — Season One Collection (Madman Entertainment)
2012 — Transformers Prime — Staffel 1 - Das Bündnis (EDEL:kids) — English and German audio.
