Remorse

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« Transformers: Armada ep 40 »
Megatron takes his nemesis not becoming a Masterpiece toy poorly.
"Remorse" 悔恨 (あせり) (Aseri) "Regret: Impatience"
Production code	TF: A-40
Production company	TV Tokyo, NAS
Airdate	August 20, 2003 (English, Canada) October 3, 2003 (Japanese) October 17, 2003 (English, United States)
Writer	Akira Okeya
Director	Yukio Okazaki
Animation studio	Actas Inc.
Continuity	Unicron Trilogy

The Autobots mourn the loss of Optimus Prime, and Hot Shot is hit particularly hard.

Synopsis

The Decepticons celebrate the destruction of Autobot leader Optimus Prime. While Cyclonus laughs, Megatron and Starscream stay calm, regretting the victory (for different reasons). Acting glad, Megatron orders his crew to return to Cybertron.

In the Autobot base, the kids have trouble coming to terms with Optimus Prime's death, with Fred openly crying. Rad understands that Optimus knew he would die and mourns that nobody on Earth would know that Optimus died to save all humans.

A week later, the Autobots are still depressed, but repressing their sadness to get work done has increased tensions. Hot Shot gets frustrated with how passively the other Autobots have been handling Optimus Prime's death and goes to the launching dock to meet with Jetfire. He recalls accusing Optimus of letting the Decepticons get the upper hand by allowing Starscream to join the Autobots. Jetfire returns from his mission to the Decepticons' now-abandoned moonbase, and Hot Shot promptly demands that Jetfire take him into space to hunt down the Decepticons vengefully.

The other Autobots arrive and try to stress the importance of finishing the spaceship, but Hot Shot tells his friends to shut up. Insulted, Scavenger throws Hot Shot to the ground and commands him to be silent while dragging the younger Autobot away. The two warp out, and Jolt follows. The rest of the kids and Autobots are left wondering Scavenger's intentions.

Alexis determines Scavenger and Hot Shot to be on an abandoned highway. Scavenger brutalizes Hot Shot and demands he fights back; Hot Shot avoids most of Scavenger's punches but doesn't retaliate. The kids and other Autobots watch as Hot Shot gets thrown around. Hot Shot finally fights back when Scavenger mentions Optimus. When the two Transformers press their weight against each other, Scavenger says Hot Shot made him switch sides. Scavenger, between punches, explains that Optimus had integrity, and that's why he let Starscream join the Autobots. Watching the fight with the other Autobots, who refuse to help Hot Shot, Alexis realizes Hot Shot blames himself for Optimus Prime's death.

Hot Shot retreats from Scavenger, still convinced that they need to avenge Optimus. Blurr encounters Hot Shot on the freeway, but Hot Shot escapes again. The kids try to reason with the Autobots that abusing Hot Shot won't help him overcome his anxieties—but Red Alert is adamant that aggressive therapy is necessary.

Side Swipe blocks Hot Shot's path and prepares to open fire against his brother. The Mini-Cons join in forming the barricade, bringing Hot Shot to an advanced stop; even Jolt abandons Hot Shot to join the other Mini-Cons. Hot Shot remembers Optimus Prime's word about trusting the Mini-Cons. Thanks to the Mini-Cons, Hot Shot has a moment of clarity, recalling the meaning of the war with the Decepticons.

Hot Shot apologizes to the assembled Mini-Cons and Autobots, wanting to re-join and help in the fight against the Decepticons as part of the team again. With the Autobots' morale revitalized, Jetfire announces that he's making Hot Shot the new Autobot commander. Scavenger arrives and starts to swing at the new commander, but Hot Shot doesn't flinch. Scavenger cuts his punch before hitting and gives Hot Shot his approval.

Later that evening, Jetfire tries to give Hot Shot the Matrix, but Hot Shot declines. Instead, he announces that he'll only lead the Autobots until the team returns to Cybertron. Working together, the team gets back to work, ready to stop the Decepticons.

Featured characters

(Numbers indicate order of appearance.)

Quotes

"Do you have any idea why I left the Decepticons and came over to the Autobots?"
"Better money?"
"I joined because of you."

—Scavenger and Hot Shot

"That complete lack of fear has served you well, Hot Shot."

—Scavenger hasn't been paying attention.

"Wow, either I'm overheating or I just heard Optimus speak to me directly from the other side."
"Hey, that doesn't surprise me. In fact, I bet Optimus woulda chosen you to become the next commander of the Autobots."

—Hot Shot and Jetfire in a WTF moment

"Yo, Autobots! Saddle up! We're going back to Cybertron!"

—Hot Shot gets down with the kids.

Notes

Differences with Legends of the Microns

• The opening flashback of the previous episode has Rad narrating how he thought it was all over for Earth, but Optimus sacrificed himself to save it in Armada. Rad doesn't narrate until Optimus's close-up art in Legends of the Microns, expressing how he couldn't believe what happened. The Japanese dub contains SFX throughout the flashback, while Armada only features the characters' voices. Rad's narration about what happened after Prime's death is shorter than in Armada and doesn't mention the humans returning to their daily lives; plus, his comment about the Autobots being on edge comes later than in Armada (after Hoist drops some equipment).
• When the Autobots are arguing while building the Axalon, Hoist's insult to Red Alert is more insensitive in Legends of the Microns, directly explaining why he couldn't fix Optimus. Scavenger and Side Swipe's following lines have them tell Hoist that it was uncalled for before Blurr steps in and tells everyone to knock it off.
• Hot Shot tells the other Autobots that they should avenge Optimus instead of building the Axalon in Legends of the Microns, but Armada only has him ask why they are making it since the Decepticons are already gone. Additionally, Hoist entirely agrees with Hot Shot in Armada but stops himself before saying anything in Legends of the Microns.
• During Hot Shot and Scavenger's fight on the bridge, Alexis asks them to stop, and instead of saying this is the last chance for Hot Shot to prove himself to everyone, Jetfire says Hot Shot has been provoking everyone, which is why they can't stop it.
• Hot Shot and Scavenger's argument during their fight on the bridge is heavily different between dubs:
  • Legends of the Microns has Scavenger asks if they're fighting to take revenge for Optimus, which Hot Shot replies with yes; otherwise, he is never satisfied, but everyone is so heartless for not thinking the same thing. Scavenger calls Hot Shot a fool when throwing him into the wall and then says he brought this upon himself. Armada warps this into having Scavenger asking what Optimus would do in this situation, with Hot Shot saying he would fight and not get pushed around. Hot Shot then says he'd show what he's got before Scavenger gives him a head's up for his upcoming attack.
  • Before the commercial break, Scavenger asks Hot Shot if he wants to start pointless fights, and the latter points out that's what Scavenger's doing. Scavenger then asks if Hot Shot's ideals are eye to eye before saying to charge at him. Except for Hot Shot's scream, the rest of the scene is silent. Armada changes this to have Hot Shot pointlessly ask what he's done, and Scavenger tells him to think about it. This scene's last few seconds also have Scavenger say that if Hot Shot doesn't know his place in the Autobots, he can't help him.
  • After the commercial break, Scavenger tells Hot Shot he joined the Autobots for his sake, and the latter responds with not understanding. Scavenger then mentions when Hot Shot believed in Sideways and recklessly attacked the Lunar Base. Despite Hot Shot claiming he was an idiot back then, Scavenger says Hot Shot's spirit made him change sides. Scavenger also mentions similarities to when Optimus trusted Starscream, and because of this, he saw the future in Hot Shot. Hot Shot responds that he doesn't understand but knows that Optimus died while he is still alive himself and says it's frustrating. Scavenger then mentions that everyone is still here because of it and tells Hot Shot that the war isn't for revenge but to press towards the future. Armada makes the whole conversation more focused on Hot Shot calling out Optimus for trusting Starscream, with Scavenger calling Hot Shot "way out of line" as Optimus stuck to his decision, which made him an integral leader.
  • When Hot Shot is shaking, he says he doesn't get the feelings inside him in Armada but says he doesn't know any other way to do this in Legends of the Microns.
  • Before leaving, Hot Shot says he can't forgive himself, so the only choice he has is revenge in Legends of the Microns. Then Scavenger responds that if that's all he can think about, he should remove himself from the Autobots. Armada changes Hot Shot's line to him saying he wants to get even with the Decepticons and makes Scavenger less hostile.
• When the kids figure out why Hot Shot has been feeling terribly lately, Legends of the Microns clarifies that he blames himself for Optimus's death more than the Armada version. Alexis also asks Jetfire why he can't understand that instead of asking him to stop. Jetfire is silent in his shot, whereas Armada has him say Scavenger knows what he's doing.
• Instead of wishing Scavenger went easier on Hot Shot, Side Swipe says that's not the person he knows in Legends of the Microns.
• Before Blurr jumps in, Hot Shot asks Optimus what he should do in the Japanese dub, whereas Armada has him wish Prime was here and mentions that he doesn't even know where he's going.
• When Blurr rams into Hot Shot, he sarcastically asks if he's the one that started this fight in Legends of the Microns, but says he's going to end it in Armada. Additionally, when Hot Shot gets away from Blurr, the latter doesn't ask the former to return.
• When the Autobots prepare to space bridge to where Hot Shot is, Red Alert tells Alexis this is how warriors do things in Legends of the Microns, and when Alexis repeats what he said, he tells her to sit back and watch. Meanwhile, in Armada, Red Alert says it has to be done this way and instructs the kids to trust them.
• When Hot Shot encounters Side Swipe, Armada makes the latter say that as usual, he went off on his own without considering how everyone else feels. Legends of the Microns has Side Swipe less aggressive, saying that everyone is thinking about taking revenge for Optimus, but they can't figure out why Hot Shot is acting so strange lately. Hot Shot responds that he's not like anyone else, then abruptly ends his sentence before charging at Side Swipe. Armada changes this to have Hot Shot say he doesn't need permission from Side Swipe to do anything. Once more, Hot Shot yells "out of my way" in Armada but gives a considerable shut up in Legends of the Microns.
• When the Autobot's Mini-Cons appear, Hot Shot's reaction is more shock in Legends of the Microns, whereas Armada makes him tell the Mini-Cons to stay away from him.
• When the Optimus illusion appears, Hot Shot only says Optimus's name in the Japanese dub, but the English dub has him say he has to help him. Optimus then tells Hot Shot not to forget about his friends in Armada but says that's enough in Legends of the Microns.
• When Hot Shot apologizes to everyone for his behavior, he mentions how he even made the Mini-Cons his enemies and thanks everyone for saving him in Legends of the Microns. Armada changes this slightly to him saying that he needs everyone's help and can't do it alone.

Second English dub

Two separate English dubs of this episode are known to exist. When the series initially aired, eight episodes passed after Smokescreen's reformatting (in "Regeneration") before the show started addressing him by the new name under which his upgraded toy was sold, "Hoist" (in "Miracle"). However, this episode's dub was updated at some point to alter dialogue from Fred and Red Alert to introduce Smokescreen's new name a bit sooner.

• Where Fred originally merely asked, "Is there any way we can fix Optimus?" in the modified dub, he adds, "the way we fixed up Smokescreen? I mean, Hoist?"
• Red Alert's response goes from: "I'm sorry. It can't be done. Optimus's body released its spark when it blocked the Hydra Cannon's blast, and without it, there's no way we can bring him back. I wish there was some way we could, but we're just going to have to pull ourselves together and carry on without him." to "No. I'm sorry, we can't. Optimus's body released its spark when it blocked the Hydra Cannon. We saved Smokescreen's spark and were able to reformat him into Hoist. I wish there was some way that we could, but we're just going to have to carry on without him."
• In the next scene, where Red originally addressed Smokescreen by his original name, he now calls him Hoist.

Additionally, this version added "The Unicron Battles" opening to the episode, replacing the original; that opening wasn't added to the series's original broadcast until the next episode. Presumably, this redub would have been carried out sometime during 2003–2005, when Voicebox Productions was working on the Unicron Trilogy; yet, it was absent from Rhino Entertainment's 2006 DVD release of the series and isn't known to have been broadcast or released in any form until Shout! Factory's 2014 DVD release. However, nobody actually noticed the change until 2020, when TFWiki user Bag of Magic Food spotted it while watching the series on Tubi!

Animation and technical glitches

• During his first line in the episode, Hot Shot has enormous hips.
• When Scavenger tells Hot Shot they're not friends, he's wearing a (red) Decepticon symbol.
• There's some awkward silence after Hot Shot tells Side Swipe they are on the same side. Legends of the Microns fixes the mistake by adding a line before the shot cuts to a new one.
• When Hot Shot asks Optimus for help in his vision, you can see the corner of a Decepticon symbol instead of an Autobot one.
• When the other Autobots come to see Hot Shot after the latter realizes what happened, Blurr is taller than the other Autobots.
• After Hot Shot has his vision, Smokescreen's eyes are too close together and too big.

Continuity notes

• Optimus and Megatron had been fighting for roughly ten million years, the time given by Starscream as the war's current length from the episode "Rebellion." With Optimus suddenly gone, it seems Megatron misses his foe.
• Legends of the Microns Year Book 2003 explains that Red Alert saying that Optimus's extinguished spark and being unable to be revived in the same way as Smokescreen reveals the Transformers' lives.
• Some flashback footage in this episode is taken from "Vow," specifically the scene where Optimus is walking towards Megatron and the Mini-Cons.

Continuity errors

• The flashback of Hot Shot blaming Optimus for accepting Starscream isn't exactly what he said in "Crisis." Legends of the Microns doesn't have this error.
  • Interestingly, it seems more of a direct translation of what Hot Shot said in the Japanese version of "Crisis."
• Contrary to what Scavenger says in this episode, he was only an Autobot spy, not a real Decepticon; however, Legends of the Microns suggests that he genuinely worked for the Decepticons before joining the Autobots.
  • He was a Decepticon a very long time ago, but that was long before he met Hot Shot.^[1]
• Scavenger also says that there was no way Hot Shot could've known that "Sideways was working with the Decepticons." The moment he talks about is from the episode "Credulous," but Sideways wasn't working with the Decepticons until the end of that episode. Legends of the Microns has Scavenger tell Hot Shot he believed in a comrade who didn't deserve it instead, so it's not an error.

Trivia

• This episode's Japanese dub debuts the commercial bumper of Jet Optimus and Overload Powerlinxing.
  • Additionally, it now uses the first Japanese opening song's opening riff instead of the exclusive Autobot and Decepticon themes.
• In Germany, this episode followed "Carnival." RTL II—the channel that aired the show—stated that Hasbro Germany insisted on having the whole series aired in just two months to promote the toyline better.

Foreign localization

German

• Title: "Reue" ("Remorse")
• Original airdate: 10 December 2003

Hungarian

• Title: "Gyász" ("Mourning")

Italian

• Title: "Il rimorso" ("The Remorse")

• When Hot Shot can't stand repairing the spaceship anymore, "Come on!" is weirdly translated as "Let's move!".

Portuguese

• Title: "Remorso" ("Remorse")

Home video releases

DVD

2004 — Transformers: Legends of the Microns — Volume 10 (Columbia Music Entertainment) — Japanese audio only.
2004 — Transformers: Armada — Best Of The Decepticons (Rhino Entertainment)
2006 — Transformers: Armada — Season One: Part Two (Rhino Entertainment)
2009 — Transformers: Armada — Volume Two (New KSM) — English and German audio.
2014 — Transformers: Armada — The Complete Series (Shout! Factory)

References