Rescue Bots - A New Hero - Review

If you want to read my reviews for previous Transformers shows, click here for the first archives or here for the second archives.


PREVIOUS SEASON THREE REVIEWS

53. Land Before Prime
54. Big Game
55. Too Many Kades
56. Phantom of the Sea
57. Unfinished Business
58. No Place Like Dome
59. Bugs in the System
60. Switcheroo
61. Bot-Tastic Voyage
62. Quarry's Quarry
63. Did You See What I Thaw
64. The Attack of Humungado
65. All Bots Great and Small
66. Time After Time
67. Pirates Ahoy
68. Turning the Tide
69. The Last of Morocco
70. The New Recruits
71. Rescue Bots Academy



As always, SPOILERS!








”I like to give things second chances.”
”Or in Blurr’s case, seventh or eighth.”
“See, you haven’t given up on him either.”

Yeah, I think “Rescue Bots Academy” really did pad things out because “A new Hero” takes a bit of time getting to the final climax. It’s a whole lot of back and forth between the main cast trying to prevent the latest disaster and Blurr slinking aboard the stolen spaceship. The latter goes back and forth on his decision to split, guiltiness eating up on him. It’s a crappy feeling to be sure, but it’s further honed by Optimus’ relentless messages, IRVIS unwittingly bringing up his doubt, and Cody’s past encouragement. Blurr thinks of the kid a lot because he not only kept believing in him, but was very vocal about it. A renegade satellite on a collision course is enough for Blurr's heart to grow three sizes that day and he nearly sacrifices himself to stop it.

It was at this point that “A New Hero” dropped the ball.

It turns out Salvage and Blurr’s visit is only temporarily; Optimus decides to hoist the two to another Earth location. On theory, I can understand the reasoning: spread out your ranks means more benevolent rescues from high powered alien robots as well as slowly opening a door between the two species. Where Optimus plans to send them is questionable; Griffin Rock and its tech-based island is an exception from the normal norms of every other world. I guess the US government can bullshit Salvage and Blurr as imports from Griffin Rock. It’s either that or whisks them off to Japan. The kids and Otaku would love ‘em.

The ending is a resounding disappointment and it sadly reflects the show as a whole. It gave us three episodes that introduced two new characters that were practically begging to be sixth rangers to the main squad. we got new cast members and new conflicts to deal with. The potential to take the story another step was there; a path in their interlocking road of awesome science and adventure has been revealed. adding two new guys added another sandbox for the writers to play with, so what happened? High Tide made sense as a guest star; he showed up in his debate episode and ensured the crew he wouldn't be a part of their posse. This? This was a waste of time and it irritatingly reverts everything back to status quo.

The show isn't brimming with Greg Wisemanian continuity and its episodic nature is beneficial for this kind of show, but it does have it and has embraced continuity and change before, however minor it may be. Heck, even the spaceship surviving despite actually saying the risk of losing it would be a huge factor doesn’t happen. Cody and Salvage also shared a rapport that felt like a future partnership just waiting to be explored. Why do I have this nasty feeling this was a Hasbro executive decision?



But I think Blurr and IRVIS would make a fantastic comedy duo together; the latter is surprisingly JARVIS-levels of stoically-toned snark.

The rescue mission itself is both terrifying and inspiring. It;s a contradicting combination that emphasizes the best and worst of Griffin Rock. You have an entire island of high tech that people rely on every day. Then the sun farts out a solar flare and knocks them all down. None of this prevents the Burns family from doing their job nor does it stop Doc from using his inventive mind to power GLaDOS a calculator with a potato. A Transformers Animated episode (“Nature Calling”) had Prowl calling out the dangers of technology reliance. Sari points out that there must be a harmonious nature between both organics and machinery and I think that alone extends to the nature of human and bot resourcefulness. Solar flares and the possibility of them messing up technology scare the crap out of me, but seeing episodes like this has a comforting optimism to it. That in spite of any downfall, humanity—and robots—will never give up. They will pick themselves up and damn well survive.  

“A New Hero” suffers some ill-pacing, but was an otherwise solid episode. Unfortunately the finale left a bad taste in my mouth. I want to give the benefit of the doubt that the creators have something up their sleeves and if there’s one show that can do that, it’s Rescue Bots. But all that build-up has gone to waste and the last three episodes are lesser for it.
AND A HALF OUT OF FIVE STARS





”BLURR NATHANIEL WEASLEY!”



“HOW DARE YOU STEAL THAT SPACESHIP! I AM ABSOLUTELY DISGUSTED! YOUR LEADER’S NOW FACING AN INQUIRY AT WORK AND IT'S ENTIRELY YOUR FAULT! IF YOU PUT ANOTHER TOE OUT OF LINE WE'LL BRING YOU STRAIGHT HOME! — Oh, and Salvage dear, congratulations on making the Rescue Bot team. Ratchet and I are so proud."

SPEAKING OF OPTIMUS: Okay, I know he’s a Prime and thus the Most Specialist Snowflake ever, but is it really up to him to create Rescue Bot logos for Blurr and Salvage? Shouldn’t this really be more of a Heatwave thing? He’s the Rescue Bot leader. Granted, a leader of one squad and not a whole, but Griffin Rock’s Bots are the whole. If anything, it would have shown Heatwave willing to give Blurr another chance.

BEST LINE: ”Excuse me, Chief, I’ve never done that before…and I’m quite embarrassed.”

It’s okay, Chase, you’re not the only one who can’t get it up.




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