TF: Prime Third Annual Derp Awards (Part 2: WORST)

Time for Part Two of the TFP Derp Awards. Let's go for ze worst. Check out part one here.



Check out Season One's TF Derp Awards here, Season Two's TF Derp BEST Awards Part 1, 2 and WORST Awards Part 1, 2.

As always SPOILERS!








WORST AUTOBOT: WHEELJACK Sadly. Everyone else was fine on virtue of either not being annoying or just being their usual bland selves, but Wheeljack really hit the Jerk Pot for three episodes or so. Look, Jackie, I get Ultra Magnus rubs you the wrong way, but you learned to deal with people thinking differing than you do and found a balance that worked to both your philosophy and others'. So what the HELL happened here?

Neither Wheeljack nor Ultra Magnus compromised and though both eventually learned their lesson, it took destroying a character development to do so. By the time Wheeljack drove away in a huff (which at the time, I thought he'd be leaving the team again), I raised my hand and realized they just undid what he gained in "Loose Cannons." It was probably the lowest point in Season Three.




WORST DECEPTICON: STARSCREAM HA HAHAHA HA HA LOOK AT THE PATHETIC DECEPTICON HE'S TRYING TO SCHEME BUT HE'S PATHETIC BECAUSE HE'S SOOOOO FUNNY. Look at the way he stupidly tries to tame Predaking by antagonizing him with insults and a cattle rod BECAUSE HE'S SUCH A CHEW TOY BECAUSE IT'S SOOOO FUNNY. OH NO WAY HE MENTIONED CLIFFJUMPER'S DEATH AGAIN ISN'T HE A RIOT FOLKS? SCARY BADASSERY FROM SEASON ONE WHAT'S THAT?! He blew up the Autobot base and never presumed to destroy the rest because it's Starscream and he's SOOOOO confident and not at all an idiot. HA HA LOOK AT MEGATRON PHYSICALLY ABUSING HIM AS STARSCREAM WHIMPERS AND LAUGH AT THE ROBOT MONKEY. IT'S NOT UNFORTUNATE IMPLICATIONS AT ALL BECAUSE THEY'RE THE BAD GUYS SILLY STARSCREAM.

WORST NEW CHARACTER: NOTHING HERE, FOLKS, MOVE ALONG No one. Ultra Magnus is fine and I think Predaking is awesome. So…yeah.  

WORST HUMAN: NOBODY I TELLS YA Also no one really. Jack got his development in Season Two and he's never bothered me, even if he's not the most compelling character. I already talked about Raf in the "Best" list. I like Fowler, so he doesn't belong on this list. I'd add Miko except as much as it irks me that she wears the Apex Armor, she hasn't done anything to really incur my wrath. It pains me to say it, but she has gotten better over the show's span. Oh god, I feel dirty.

So, there really isn't one. Um, congratulations, Prime?




WORST EPISODE: "CHAIN OF COMMAND" Wheeljack vs. Ultra Magnus had potential and I was really looking forward to what they could do with their conflict. What I got was a derailment of Wheeljack's character as he pulled one jerkass move after another. To recap, "Loose Cannons" had Wheeljack questioning Optimus' methods and how much it clashes with his Wreckers lifestyle. It took the two of them working together before he realizes Optimus is one cool guy. Wheeljack doesn't have to get rid of his Wreckers philosophy; he can embrace it and still respect how Optimus' team does their thing. There was a balance and the two sides worked together wonderfully because of it. Wheeljack decides to stay on Earth, but doesn't hesitate for a second to help the Autobots, proving he isn't the Lone Wolf he thinks he is. See "Triage" for better details—Wheeljack is much more interested in Ratchet than the medic is.

Cue "Chain of Command." He has a problem with Ultra Magnus' methods and throws a fit over it. They get into arguments and the episode ends with Wheeljack storming off without attempting ANY compromise between the two. And he keeps this shit up in the next episode that Arcee has to teach him about the Power of Teamwork despite the fact that he already learned this shit and KEPT IT during Season Two.

It's insulting and a complete detriment to Wheeljack's character arc, not to mention repetitive and unnecessary.




WORST CHARACTER ARC: For better or worse, Smokescreen's. Because I thought they were going to go somewhere with the "Smokescreen-might-become-Prime" plot and have him journey into a mature figure due to this new burden. Instead it stopped being relevant after four episodes. It did give Smokescreen the development he needed and his constant goofiness and ego trip was considerably downplayed.

He left the show understanding that he's not as special as he thinks he is and if he wants to be like Optimus, he has to damn well work for it. They didn't emphasize that, but at least he knows. Baby steps or whatever.

WORST MOMENT FROM A CHARACTER I LOVE: When Wheeljack stormed off because Ultra Magnus was being a meanie head.

WORST CHOREOGRAPHY: "Rebellion" because Optimus' sky battle is surprisingly dulllll.

WORST DIALOGUE: "This isn't how the story is supposed to end" Cheesy, cheesy, CHEESY.  

DRAMATIC REPEAT: I noticed promos and commercials of upcoming TFP episodes seem to love using a specific sound clip that composes of Arcee's screaming "NOOOOO" an awful lot. I got really tired of that by the end.




THE GOVERNMENT MUST REALLY THINK WE'RE DUMB: Fowler's plot excuse to keep the "robots in disguise" moniker relevant is secured when he states Jasper, Nevada is a No-Man's Land via a meteor shower. Somehow he doesn't seem to register any citizens—which the show confirms they ALL lived—who may have, ohhh, spotted the BIG ASS DECEPTICON TOWER stationed right smack dab in the heart of Jasper. But no, it's all meteors. Aliens? Pfft. Highly suspiciously large tower? Clearly you need to get your eyes checked.

CLIFFJUMPER MENTIONS: Surprisingly only once and Knock Out sardonically calls him out on it. It's like the creators knew this shit was getting old. Actually, why is this in the Worst List?

SMOKESCREEN FOR PRESIDENT: Despite never showing an ounce or hint of maturity, dignity, and leadership skills, Smokescreen is handpicked by Optimus to become the next Prime. Methinks his dying affected whatever brain juice power he had left.

THE BIG CLEAN UP OF '13: Airachnid, Cylas, Corsepdown, the Insecticons, and the Predacon babies…yeah, this was the season where the writers cheaply and clumsily shoved them off the plot, never to appear again.



DOMESTIC ABUSE: Megatron really takes his anger out on Starscream and it's really not funny. The thing about the Starscream and Megatron barter in previous shows is that for the most part, Starscream usually counters back. Megatron may toss Screamie around like tossed fish in the G1 episodes (the ones I remember anyway), but Starscream is an absolute sass machine and constantly tells off Megatron. TFA Starscream may be the universe's plaything, but he doesn't take shit from ANYONE, including Megatron.

The fundamental differences between these two Starscreams and Prime Starscream is that they have the guts to counter back. TFP Starscream hardly ever and to see him whimper and eventually serve his lord and master loyally is disturbing in so many levels. No, you can't see the "They're bad guys, they can do it" card, it's still potentially large unfortunate implications. This isn't a Looney Tunes cartoons where the physical abuse is exaggerated for comedy, this is much more based on reality and if I'm not really sickened by it, then I was tired by it the end of the show. Add that to Starscream's general decay as an effective antagonist and you got a recipe for disaster.

"BEAST HUNTERS" IN NAME ONLY: I can't really fault the writers; Hasbro wanted to do a beastly theme and interviews state Season Three originally had not intended this. Maybe they had a specific lack of time to change plot structures for all I know. A couple of incidents worked better than most—Predaking's character evolution and development is pitch perfect—while the rest sadly could have done a better job incorporating the "Beast Hunter" moniker. But a lot of the gimmick falls apart when Predaking is really the only Predacon active, the rest are Clones-In-A-Pod, all of whom are wiped off the map, and much of the actual "hunting" composes of fossils that roughly take up a meager three episodes.

They did the best they could with the time they had and Season Three as a whole is much better than whatever bullcrap Season Two fostered, but the inclusion of the Predacons was largely more miss than hit.



Welp, awards are done and all I have left is the movie. See you in October for that.


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