From kendrick@io.com Mon Mar 20 18:37:12 1995
Article: 7463 of alt.toys.transformers
Path: illuminati.io.com!nobody
From: kendrick@pentagon.io.com (Kendrick Kerwin Chua)
Newsgroups: alt.toys.transformers
Subject: TF Weekday: Wednesday 12 October
Date: 12 Oct 1994 08:38:18 -0500
Organization: Illuminati Online
Lines: 55
Message-ID: <37gosa$2m2@pentagon.io.com>
NNTP-Posting-Host: pentagon.io.com

Enter the Nightbird, featuring a ninja robot and Bombshell.

The Autobots install new security devices in AHQ (finally!!!!) and go off 
to California to protect a Dr. Fujiyama's latest invention. It turns out 
to be Nightbird, an exhibition-grade robot made to demonstrate the 
utility of anthropomorphic robots. The Decepticons show up and steal the 
prototype, and run off to a base in Oregon to have Bombshell, the 
techno-neurologist, reprogram her into a _real_ ninja asassin.
The Autobots vow to return Nightbird unharmed, and in the middle of 
recovery Nightbird infiltrates AHQ, defeating every new security measure 
and stealing an energy source memory chip. The Autobots hunt her down and 
subdue her. Meanwhile, Megatron imprisons Starscream for being an idiot 
and not taking a joke well, and goes off to rescue Nightbird and her 
stolen chip. Starscream escapes and foils Megatron's plan out of spite, 
and the Autobots return Nightbird to Fujiyama.

Before you all jump on me about that, I'm _assuming_ that Fujiyama is in 
California. Between Silicon Valley, USC and CalTech, any robot made in 
America that doesn't come out of CMU's robotics department has to come 
from California. End of story.

It's unfortunate that this episode kind of drags. The first segment 
before the first commercial break is over eleven minutes long, and the 
other two are really short. Timing sucked, and made an otherwise good 
stock story less enjoyable. Add to that the recycled Star Trek and Star 
Wars sound effects (the door in the temporary Con base goes *swoooosh*, 
and Nightbird carried what amounted to a LightSaber.) Also, there were 
the standard voice screw-ups.

This episode makes a lot of people think that Megatron has some sort of 
sexual interest in Nightbird when he proclaims that "She's everything 
[he's] always wanted." Nightbird is shaped in quite a female manner, and 
some men will tell you that her demeanor is no less gender-specific.

This episode seems to be written by someone who regards the Insecticons 
as independent rogue types, rather than loyal warriors under Megatron's 
banner. This is consistent with their origin story, and makes 
relationships between the Insecticons and other Decepticons very 
interesting. Too bad they didn't milk this for what it was worth.

Toys they should reissue:

Insecticons (in their original colours, maybe all in one package, too)
Soundwave (dammit dammit dammit)
Frenzy, Rumble, etc.

KKC, notes that Sideswipe doesn't have the same voice as Leonardo, 
although both characters seem to be acted by Michael Bell. Is also 
impatiently waiting for his 18 Action Masters to show up in the mail so 
he can post glowing reviews about the old toys...
-- 
Kendrick Kerwin Chua - kendrick@io.com - "Hey man, your bike's on fire."
Necronomicon FAQ keeper, OS/2 guru, Transformer collector and cartomancer.
BeastBox on Transformers MUSH, interrogator and comic relief extraordinaire.
FTP Anonymously to io.com and find the Necronomicon FAQ in /pub/usr/kendrick