Line #116 Anime/TransformersHeadmasters


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5	[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/transformersheadmasters01.jpg]]
6
7	->''Transform! ...Head On!''
8
9	''Transformers: The★Headmasters'' is an {{anime}} series which aired in 1987, continuing the story after the end of the third season of ''WesternAnimation/TheTransformers'' and ignoring the events of "The Rebirth". The evil Decepticons, supposedly defeated at the end of ''G1'', attack the Autobots' home planet of Cybertron, aided by new allies, the Headmasters. Just when things look their bleakest, a group of Autobot Headmasters suddenly appear to turn the tide. So of course also do the Decepticons.
10
11	The show concerned the continuation of the war between Autobot and Decepticon, focusing on the Headmasters and, later, their Targetmaster allies. As time went on, most of the original characters were phased out to allow the new toys to take centre stage.
12
13	The majority of the new characters were members of two subgroups of Transformer, who were fairly evenly split between the two main factions.
14	* Headmasters are a group of small Transformers who left Cybertron in the distant past to avoid the Great War. Settling on the planet Master, they built themselves larger bodies in order to survive. The small Headmaster units transform into larger heads that attach to the robot form of the larger ''Transtector''. The Transtector itself transforms into a vehicle or an animal, which can then be piloted by the Headmaster.
15	* Targetmasters result from the fusion of standard-size Transformers with Headmaster-sized bots. The smaller bots transform into guns which can then be wielded by their partners. The Targetmasters' ability to select targets independently of their wielders allows the wielders to use two guns separately.
16
17	After a three-episode pilot during which Optimus Prime died ''[[http://tfwiki.net/wiki/The_many_deaths_of_Optimus_Prime yet again]]'', the show settled back into the generally episodic format of its predecessor. Continuity was much stronger in ''Headmasters'' than in ''Generation 1'', with the result that even though the majority of episodes are self-contained, they still have to be watched in the correct order. Unfortunately, long stretches of time spent with the characters standing around doing not very much, and the fight scenes seem to be present to pad out the episode and resemble more of an impromptu laser dance party than an actual fight.
18
19	On the other hand, the animation was taken back by Toei, which resulted in a considerable improvement in quality. Animation and [[PlotHole continuity errors]] were rarer, albeit still present on occasion.
20
21	This show was somewhat darker than ''G1''. Several episodes included on-screen deaths (mostly robots, but also some aliens encountered along the way), and the Autobots lost battles as often as they won. This all meant that Scorponok didn't suffer VillainDecay, and Galvatron regained a good deal of the threat he had lost in ''G1''.
22
23	The show received a [[SoBadItsGood hilariously bad]] English dub by Omni Productions in Hong Kong, which gained notoriety after being broadcast on [=StarTV=] in Singapore. While the dub was perfectly comprehensible, it did contain some BlindIdiotTranslation, which spawned a few short-lived {{meme}}s. If you were English, Mindwipe's hypnotism somehow became 'magic', proving that whoever translated the show didn't even read the title before they started. There was also no attempt to replicate the G1 voice actors in English despite the Japanese dub doing so, resulting in situations like [[MotorMouth Blurr]] talking at normal speed or Grimlock not using HulkSpeak. And though the Japanese Galvatron still sounded suave and leaderly in Japanese (whether you understand Japanese or not) in English he sounded like somebody who kicks people in the balls for a living. The series has since received several fandubs that are much more professional-sounding.
24
25	The first episode of the dub was included as a [[DVDBonusContent bonus]] on the DVD edition of the animated ''Transformers'' movie. [=DVDs=] containing both the dub and the original Japanese with subtitles were released in Australia and the U.K. in 2005, and both versions were shown in the UK on Anime Central in 2007. Creator/ShoutFactory released the series in the U.S. on July 5, five days after ''Film/TransformersDarkOfTheMoon'' opens. The dub was not included, due to Hasbro's apparent concerns about content and quality.
26
27	Currently the fan group "Prime Productions" is working to create a proper dub of the series, with completely new voiceovers and a new team of writers. Information on the project can be found on the group's [[https://www.youtube.com/user/PrimeProductionsULTD/featured YouTube page]].
28
29	Followed by ''Anime/TransformersSuperGodMasterforce''
30
31	The Battle Beasts in the series ended up getting a SpiritualSuccessor called ''Anime/BeastSaga'' in 2012/2013
32
33	----
34	!!Tropes:
35
36	* AerithAndBob: Among names like Fortress, Chromedome, Highbrow and Hardhead, there's also robots called Jack and Abel.
37	* ActionHoggingOpening: perhaps the most blatant out of the G1 sequels by far.
38	** Taken to its logical extreme after episode 14 -- where even ''you'' could take part in the action.[[note]]Explanation: this was part of a product tie-in with another Takara toy, the [[http://tfwiki.net/wiki/Video_Challenger Video Challenger]]. An interactive product that was not too different from ''Series/CaptainPowerAndTheSoldiersOfTheFuture''.[[/note]]
39	* AdaptationalWimp:
40	** People who know Arcee from the American cartoon will be pretty astonished at the formidable female warrior suddenly being turned into a passive secretary who acts in horror at the mere thought of fighting.
41	** Similarly, the previously capable Blurr becomes a nervous wreck who always panics at the first sign of a Decepticon attack.
42	** Kup was a capable OldSoldier in the American cartoon, but here he doesn't fight at all, claiming he is too old (we do see him fighting in the recap sequence at the beginning of Episode 1, however).
43	** Cyclonus and Scourge, who are among the best Decepticon warriors in the American cartoon, are turned into Galvatron's bumbling, simple-minded henchmen.
44	* AllForNothing: The first three episodes revolve around the Decepticons trying to gain control of Vector Sigma, eventually resulting in Optimus sacrificing himself... and then seven episodes later Scorponok goes and blows Cybertron up, rendering all of that completely pointless.
45	* AnyoneCanDie: [[spoiler:Optimus Prime (after four episodes of resurrected life), Galvatron and Ultra Magnus]].
46	* AppliedPhlebotinum
47	* {{Atlantis}}, sort of. Part of the last two episodes concern metal found on "Lemuria", which became Atlantis in the English dub. However, this was better than the subtitles, which mangled it into 'Demonia' and 'Libelia'
48	* AscendedExtra: After being DemotedToExtra throughout Season 3, Soundwave returns to prominence upon his resurrection as Soundblaster.
49	* AttackItsWeakPoint: A recurring plot point is Scorponok retreating from battle after taking a single hit. "I Risk My Life For Earth" reveals this isn't out of cowardice - [[spoiler:getting hit in the Decepticon symbol on his chest can easily cripple if not outright kill him]].
50	* BackFromTheDead: A number of characters who should be dead just... appear. Hi, Prowl/Ironhide/Wheeljack! This is due to Japan not getting ''WesternAnimation/TheTransformersTheMovie'' until 1989. The appearances are largely of the blink and you'll miss it cameo variety, so it's not too bad. Later Japanese fiction would establish the the Prowl and Wheeljack seen here are actually from another universe, and they replaced their deceased counterparts.
51	** [[spoiler:Also notably Soundwave and Blaster, who kill each other in battle but are later rebuilt as Soundblaster and Twincast, respectively. They aren't much different from Soundwave and Blaster, aside from the fact that Soundblaster is black instead of blue, and Twincast is blue instead of red, as well as the fact their toys were retooled to now hold two cassettes each instead of one; the double tape door on Soundblaster was later reused on an American reissue of the original Soundwave toy in 2006.]]
52	* BadassCrew: The Targetmasters, on both sides.
53	* BadBoss: Galvatron wants to sacrifice Sixshot despite his loyalty, and later on Scorponok tried to kill Sixshot, and in both instances this causes their plans to fail.
54	* BackstabBackfire: Galvatron planned to banish Scorponok and the Headmasters after he got his hands on the alloy. In response, Scorponok blew up Cybertron to prevent the alloy from falling into the hands of either side. Scorponok tried to get rid of Sixshot, but the latter returned to aid the Autobots in the final battles.
55	* BastardUnderstudy: Scorponok
56	* {{BFS}}: Fortress Maximus' Master-Sword.
57	* BigBad: Galvatron takes the role initially, but after Scorponok becomes a more prominent figure, he takes over the role, even after Galvatron takes back command.
58	* BigDamnHeroes: This is how the Headmasters and Targetmasters are introduced.
59	* BittersweetEnding: The heroes win, of course, but [[spoiler:driving the Decepticons from Earth just means that the Autobots will have to depart for a different battlefront elsewhere in the galaxy. So Daniel has to bid his friends a tearful farewell. Not to mention the fact that Optimus Prime and Ultra Magnus are dead (though later material reveals that Optimus was rebuilt as Star Convoy, Ultra Magnus was also brought back, and Galvatron was freed from his icy prison and upgraded into Super Megatron)]].
60	* BlindIdiotTranslation: The hilarious Hong Kong dub, so beloved amongst ''comedy'' anime enthusiasts it was included in the 2008 DVD release as an audio option.
61	** This little bit from the Hong Kong dub:
62	---> '''Scorponok''': "Huh huh huh huh, what's wrong with the Headmasters? Couldn't they fight without Chromedome? Fortress Maximus has come himself. Okay, then I shall get Fortress Maximus to fight me. Huh huh huh huh."
63	** A simple example in the episode where Optimus Prime and Rodimus Prime team-up to take out the Decepticons: In Japan, Optimus Prime was called "Convoy" while Rodimus Prime was called "Rodimus Convoy". The original narrator describes the team-up as "Two Convoys", which makes sense. Due to the literal translation, the dub's narrator describes the team-up as "Two Optimus Primes".
64	** Another infamous example is when both the Matrix of Leadership AND the Energon Cubes are called "Power Packs" like they are interchangeable. In addition, the characters talk about the Matrix like it's just some fancy piece of equipment, apparently ignoring its spiritual significance. It's likely that the people doing the dub did not understand what the Matrix actually is.
65	** In one episode, Fortress Maximus is called "Spaceship Bruce".
66	** In episode 3, Galvatron says "So, everybody from Cybertron is here -- that's good!", which doesn't really make sense in that context, as there are only around 15 transformers present. The error likely happened because people doing the dub didn't take into account that Autobots are called "Cybertrons" in Japanese. The correct translation would thus be something like "So, all you Autobots are here -- that's good!"
67	** Certain characters were given random names, including those who had pre-established English names. Some of these wacky names include:
68	*** Jazz became Marshall
69	*** Blurr became Wally
70	*** Blaster became Billy
71	*** The name of one episode was hilariously rendered as ''The Ressurected Billy Against the Decepticons''.
72	*** Metroplex became Philip
73	*** Spike Witwicky became Sparkle
74	*** Hot Rod became "Rodimus Prime" (Rodimus being pronounced "Roadimus")
75	*** Raiden (the Trainbots' combined mode) became Grimlock (even though there was ''already a character by that name'')
76	*** Twincast became...Blaster
77	*** Soundblaster became New Soundwave
78	*** Jack became Sappo
79	*** Fortress's battleship ''Maximus'' became ''Spaceship Bruce''
80	*** Grand Galvatron became "Unicorn" (in some misguided attempt to tie the concept to Unicron)
81	** Other oddities include Grimlock speaking normally, Blurr/Wally speaking slowly, and Wheelie not speaking in rhyme, but in the process gaining some kind of Scottish accent.
82	* BullyingADragon: Scorponok think it is a smart decision to try to murder Sixshot, who just happens to be their second in command and someone who is probably the only person capable of taking all 4 Headmasters. This really backfired on him.
83	* ByThePowerOfGrayskull:
84	** The Headmasters yell "Transform! Head on!" when entering robot mode.
85	** The Targetmasters say "Target on!" when they attach their {{Equippable All\|y}}ies to their fists.
86	* CanonDiscontinuity: This series completely ignores the entirety of the short-lived 4th Season of Transformers and instead picks up where Season 3 left off.
87	* ChangingOfTheGuard: Some characters get explicitly written out while others just stop appearing all together, but by the end of the series pretty much all of the non-human cast are new additions.
88	* ChuckCunninghamSyndrome: Whatever happened to Grimlock? Disappears with no explanation.
89	** And the rest of the Dinobots. And Wreck-Gar. And Hound.
90	** Springer appears in a grand total of two episodes... and then never appears again. And his appearances are little more than non-speaking cameos.
91	** Cyclonus and Scourge cease making appearances later in the series.
92	** Despite being at large at the end of Season 3, the Quintessons never appear over the course of the show.
93	* CombiningMecha: For the Decepticons, they're essentially giant Mooks.
94	* CompellingVoice: Mindwipe is a hypnotist, so this comes with the territory.
95	* ContinuitySnarl:
96	** ''One of the biggest issues in the series''. Optimus in the [[WesternAnimation/TheTransformersTheMovie film]] dies from his battle with Megatron. Here... he gets randomly shot by a Decepticon laser fire. Though you can't blame Creator/ToeiAnimation or Takara for that due to the NoExportForYou issues regarding the movie at that time.
97	** Despite being exiled by Galvatron at the end of ''The Five Faces of Darkness'', Blitzwing makes recurring appearances as part of the Decepticons throughout the series.
98	* CharacterizationMarchesOn: Sixshot had always been portrayed as a remorseless and ruthless Decepticon from the start. The late episodes of the series suddenly rewrote him with some traits of a NobleDemon. This apparently stuck with the fans such that subsequent series in Masterforce and Victory reused this formula of "sympathetic villain with honour" with the other Sixchanger Transformers.
99	* DarkerAndEdgier: Sort of. On the one hand, characters die on screen, and the tone is at times somewhat grim or tragic. On the other hand, it also has a fair amount of light-hearted and silly comic relief, Daniel and Wheelie are prominent characters throughout the series, and overall it's evident that the series is still aimed at children. The fact that it can come off as DarkerAndEdgier at times can probably be attributed to cultural differences regarding shows aimed at kids.
100	* DefeatMeansFriendship: [[spoiler:Sixshot defects after a duel with Chromedome.]]
101	* DefectorFromDecadence: [[spoiler:Sixshot in the grand finale.]]
102	* DemotedToExtra:
103	** Several Season 3 characters wind up like this. In particular the Autobot triple changers: in Season 3, Springer was a major character, Sandstorm got two [[ADayInTheLimelight focus episodes]] and Broadside appeared semi-regularly. Here, the former two are given unvoiced cameos and Broadside appears in only a few scenes. Likewise, the Decepticon triple changers have next to no lines and only appear in battle scenes.
104	** Likewise, all of the older combiners are pretty much reduced to battle extras. They also rarely appear except in their combined form, and many of the individual robots that comprise them get no lines at all.
105	* DepartmentOfRedundancyDepartment: The english dub is ''full'' of extremely repetitive dialog.
106	--> '''Scorponok''': Fortress Maximus, prepare for your death today, you're gonna die!
107	--> '''Narrator:''' Galvatron has reused some of Soundwave's parts, along with some other new parts, and has reconstructed another Soundwave, and renamed him NEW Soundwave!
108	* DetachmentCombat: The Duocons are unique from the usual CombiningMecha in that Battletrap and Flywheels are each a single robot that separates into two vehicles controlled by one mind. And they're actually pretty effective against the Autobots, too.
109	* DiegeticSoundtrackUsage: Hard Head sings karaoke to the closing credits [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HVmhMY4ilA4 theme]].
110	* TheDoorSlamsYou: Scourge slammed the door onto Counterpunch in [[spoiler:"The Emperor of Destruction Vanishes on an Iceberg"]] when he was trying to find information on Galvatron.
111	* DragonInChief: Scorponok becomes the main antagonist of the show even after Galvatron takes back command.
112	* DragonWithAnAgenda: Scorponok has this, something Galvatron correctly suspects. Scorponok later accuses Sixshot of this, which winds up leading to his defeat.
113	* TheDragon: Weirdwolf serves as Scorponok's second-in-command of the Headmasters. Sixshot takes this role with both Galvatron and Scorponok.
114	* DroppedABridgeOnHim: How did the Autobots defeat the mighty Galvatron, who survived a ''groundzero explosion'' in Cybertron? The Headmasters [[AllYourPowersCombined combined their powers]] and buries him in an avalanche. The TF Wiki lampshades how ridiculous upon how he went out.
115	* DubNameChange:
116	** Several characters from [[WesternAnimation/TheTransformers the original series]], which was shown in Singapore in its original American broadcast form, have their names inexplicably changed in the Omni dub. Of note is Blaster becoming "Billy", Blurr getting called "Wally", and Spike Witwicky going by "'''Sparkle'''". Then there's Hot Rod/Rodimus Prime, who is called "Rodimus Prime" (with a long O, sounding like ''Road''imus) regardless of which form he's in.
117	** Twincast and Soundblaster, the rebuilt versions of Blaster and Soundwave respectively, have especially odd name changes. The dub calls Twincast "Blaster", thereby getting his new name wrong by finally getting his original name correct. Meanwhile, Soundblaster is literally called "New Soundwave", which is spoken so quickly in dialogue that it sounds as if it's a one-word name ("Newsoundwave")
118	* DroppedABridgeOnHim: Galvatron, who previously survived being at ground-zero of a planet-destroying explosion, is killed when the headmasters... drop an iceberg on him.
119	* {{Dubtitle}}: The subtitles on the "Shout! Factory" [=DVDs=] (the only ones available in the US) replace all of the characters' Japanese names with their English ones, or the nearest equivalent (Convoy becomes Optimus Prime, Fortress becomes Cerebros, etc.). They also occasionally try to work in ''Transformers''-specific terms that hadn't actually been coined yet when the series was created (Soundwave and Blaster's Cassettes are called "Deployers," "[[UnusualEuphemism scrap]]" is used in place of any sort of rough language, Transformers' lifes/hearts/souls are now "sparks"...).
120	* EarthShatteringKaboom: [[spoiler:Cybertron and Mars. Scorponok's goal is to do this to Earth as well]].
121	* EpicFail: At one point Spike says to Daniel, on another planet, surrounded by giant robot aliens who he's known since he was a teenager, that '''there's no such thing as aliens'''.
122	* EvilSoundsDeep: Galvatron, Scorponok, and Sixshot all have very deep voices.
123	* ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin: Several episode titles, notably "The Dormant Volcano Mysteriously Erupts!" and [[spoiler:"Ultra Magnus Dies!!"]]
124	* ExtremeDoormat: In [[WesternAnimation/TheTransformersTheMovie the movie]], Arcee at least makes an ''attempt'' to be useful. Here, she's a secretary who abhors being involved with violence.
125	* FaceFramedInShadow: Zarak's entire body manages this, remaining concealed no matter where he is. Once he even manages it while surrounded by flames. It stops after episode 15.
126	* FinalBattle
127	* {{Foreshadowing}}: Fortress Maximus' head mode appears several episodes before he combines with his transtector.
128	* ForgottenFallenFriend: [[spoiler:Ultra Magnus]] is forgotten about pretty soon after his death. Even when his killer, [[spoiler:Sixshot]], is shown nearing a HeelFaceTurn, the death is never mentioned, with Chromedome instead holding the demise of an old friend from Planet Master against him instead.
129	* GoodIsNotDumb: In the original G1 cartoon, it is often Soundwave and his cassettes that are spying on behalf of the Decepticons and the Autobots never seemed to have any intel of their own, merely reacting to situations started by the Decepticons. In Transformers: Headmasters, the Autobots finally decide to plant a double agent among the ranks of the Decepticons, and Punch/Counterpunch actually does a relatively good job of feeding intel to Fortress Maximus on the Decepticons' key moves without getting caught.
130	* GrandFinale: This series serves as the conclusion to the Japanese continuity of [[WesternAnimation/TheTransformers the Generation 1 Transformers cartoon]], replacing the American airing's fourth season consisting solely of the three-part episode "The Rebirth".
131	* GratuitousEnglish: "Transform! Head on!"
132	* HisNameIs: In ''Find Mega Zarak's Weak Spot!!'', the Autobots discover an ex-slave of Scorponok who knows the weakness to his transtector. Just before he reveals it, he is fatally shot by Weirdwolf.
133	* HumongousMecha: What Headmaster technology basically is. Except here the mecha is piloted by another mecha.
134	* ItsPersonal: Chromedome's friend Abel was killed by a shadowy ninja before the events of the series. In the present, Chromedome learns that the ninja was Sixshot, and vows to exact vengeance on him.
135	* KarmaHoudini: Sixshot kills numerous characters in cruel ways ([[spoiler:including Ultra Magnus]]) and only rejects the Decepticons because Scorponok tried to kill him. He still gets to walk away at the end of the series, suffering no punishment.
136	* KilledOffForReal: Optimus Prime, [[spoiler:Cybertron itself, Galvatron, Ultra Magnus]], and the planet Mars.
137	* KnightOfCerebus: Scorponok turns up the seriousness of the show in that he actually proves to a very effective leader, even if he doesn't fight initially at least.
138	%%* LosingYourHead: Duh.
139	* LuckyCharmsTitle: ''Transformers: The☆Headmasters''
140	* ManEatingPlant: Big enough that it prompts the first appearance of Fortress Maximus in order to defeat it.
141	* MerchandiseDriven: Besides Transformers, the show also plugs other Takara products like ''Battle Beasts'' and ''Video Challenger''
142	* TheMole: Punch/Counterpunch for the Autobots, which is a significant first for the Autobots since in the original G1 episodes they never seemed to have any intel of their Decepticon foes and merely react to situations caused by them. Punch/Counterpunch did a relatively good job (For a kids' show), and unlike Soundwave and his cassettes, he was never actually exposed because the Decepticons are pretty much idiots.
143	* MoreSeniorSubordinate: Early into the series, Autobot supreme commander Convoy ([[DubNameChange Optimus Prime]]) is killed [[HeroicSacrifice preventing the supercomputer at the heart of planet Cybertron from going berserk]]. However, mid-way through the series Cybertron is destroyed anyway, and Rodimus Convoy/ Rodimus Prime resigns as leader of the Autobots and departs to seek a new homeworld for the Transformers. His successor is Fortress Maximus, who only recently left his homeworld of Master alongside his fellow Headmasters to seek out the Autobots. More senior Autobots like Ultra Magnus and Metroplex accept him as their commander for the remainder of the series.
144	* MultipleHeadcase: Doubleheader, the Monsterbot, has two heads in his dragon mode. These heads have their own personalities and tend to bicker with each other during fights.
145	* NonActionBigBad: Subverted. Scorponok dosent engage the Autobots in a physical fight until Episode 15, when his Transtector makes him almost unbeatable.
146	* {{Ninja}}: Sixshot
147	* NinjaPirateZombieRobot: Sixshot, again. He's a robot ninja with superpowers.
148	** The dub took it a step further by having Sixshot introduce himself as "the [[ExpertConsultant ninja consultant]] for the Decepticons"
149	* OnTheNextEpisodeOfCatchphrase: This show has this, and the sequels follow suit.
150	* NobleDemon: Sixshot was inexplicably portrayed this way [[CharacterizationMarchesOn towards the end of the series]].
151	* PrecisionFStrike: Chromedome:[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eOUMQ3P5nws Fucking Destrons (Decepticons). He says it at around the 0:56 mark]].
152	** This is a case of SpiceUpTheSubtitles. Chromedome utters "Desutoron-me", which is a fairly light equivalent of coarse dialogue in the Japanese language. A more accurate translation would yield "damn Decepticons" or "curse you, Decepticons".
153	* PlantAliens: Used in one of Scorponok's schemes.
154	%%* ThePowerOfFriendship
155	* TheProtagonist: Chromedome, the second in command of the Headmasters, is the one who gets the most focus out of all the characters, despite Fortress being the leader.
156	* PutOnABus:
157	** Rodimus Prime, who pretty much quits when [[spoiler:Cybertron is destroyed, leaving to find a new homeworld for the Autobots]]. He takes Blurr and Kup with him. We never hear about the result of his quest in the cartoon, though he does return at the very end of the last manga episode.
158	** Several characters and elements of the American continuity like Sky Lynx and the Quintessons are completely ignored by the anime. In Sky Lynx's case, this was due to his toy being owned by Toybox, a competitor to Takara, at that time.
159	%%* QuirkyMinibossSquad
160	* ReligiousRobot: Brainstorm [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BvLur3noD_0#t=305s crosses himself]], implying some sort of Christianity-based belief.
161	* ScrewThisImOuttaHere: Surprisingly, [[spoiler:Rodimus Prime]], a good guy example of this trope who never returned to "[[BigDamnHeroes save the day]]". After [[spoiler:Cybertron was destroyed, Rodimus Prime pretty much gave up trying to lead the Autobots, casually passed on his leadership to Fortress, and left to find a new homeworld for their people]]. This is largely due to the writer's intention to replace him with the Headmasters as the main protagonists.
162	* SelfFulfillingProphecy: Scorponok accuses Sixshot of treason and tries to kill him. This causes Sixshot to abandon the Decepticons and plays a major role in causing Scorponok's plans to fall apart.
163	* ShoutOut: In one episode, when Fortress is trying to wield the Master Sword, there's the distinctive sound of [[Series/DoctorWho the TARDIS]] in the background.
164	* SpiceUpTheSubtitles: The subbed versions of the episodes before Shout Factory's release would often spice up the swearing when a character swears. The Shout Factory versions went a bit tame with it by simply using the term "scrap".
165	* SpoilerOpening: "The Return of the Immortal Emperor!" gives away the climax in the first ten seconds.
166	* SpoilerTitle:
167	** [[spoiler:Ultra Magnus Dies!!]]
168	** [[spoiler:The Emperor of Destruction Vanishes on an Iceberg]]
169	* StatusQuoIsGod: Averted; unlike the American series, several prominent characters die over the course of the series, including [[spoiler:Optimus Prime, Galvatron, and Ultra Magnus]], Fortress and Scorponok permanently assume leadership of the Autobots and Decepticons, respectively, following [[PutOnABus Rodimus' departure]] and [[spoiler:Galvatron's demise]], and [[spoiler:Cybertron is outright destroyed early in the series and never restored]].
170	* StayInTheKitchen: Arcee, previously displayed as being every bit the warrior as Rodimus or Springer, becomes the Autobot secretary. And when Rodimus decides to bug out, she offers to come with him, and is told to stay and look after Daniel and Wheelie.
171	* ThemeMusicPowerUp
172	* TooDumbToLive: Daniel, Daniel, and Daniel again. But a key moment would be when he tries attacking a plant monster that can give Transformers a hard time with a ''stick''.
173	* TheStrategist: Galvatron shows some serious strategic skill when he embarks on a planet plundering expedition by having Sixshot pose as him using his powers, along with previous episodes where he tries to neutralize the Autobots through science rather than a head-on fight. Scorponok in his first stint as leader forces the Autobots to keep focused on Earth until he decides to destroy Mars and when his weak spot is exposed, avoids fighting, preferring underhanded methods until he can flee. If he hadn't grasped the VillainBall his plot would have worked.
174	* TookALevelInBadass: As part of Galvatron's character rerailment, Galvatron becomes a very powerful opponent both physically and in leadership, easily capable of fighting multiple Autobots off by himself, and in terms of strategy, several schemes are thwarted at the last minute, rather than him wrecking the plan himself.
175	* TookALevelInDumbass: Several, actually. Cyclonus and Scourge are inexplicably changed from genuinely menacing and formidable warriors into mentally-impaired DirtyCoward IneffectualSympatheticVillain comic reliefs who manage little more than cheap childish {{slapstick}} whenever they appear. The English Dub makes it even worse.
176	** Trypticon, previously portrayed as nigh-unstoppable to the average 'bot, gets taken out by frikken Wheelie tricking him into stepping on a suspension bridge.
177	* TransformationIsAFreeAction: Subverted in ''Explosion on Mars!! Maximus Is in Danger''. When Fortress is about to transform into Fortress Maximus, the Decepticons launch a bomb in his face and immediately stop his TransformationSequence.
178	* TransformationSequence: Fortress Maximus and Scorponok have them.
179	* TransformingMecha: It's Transformers, so that means you'll see robots that transform into robotic vehicles and beasts and some of them can detach their heads which become humanoid robots!
180	* TwentyMinutesIntoTheFuture: The year 2011.
181	* UndyingLoyalty: There was actually not much characterization of Sixshot in the first half of the show, so it might create the impression that he's nothing more than just a loyal and competent Decepticon. Ultimately, this trope was averted: When Sixshot was told he would be sacrificed for Galvatron's Grand Galvatron project, he joined Scorponok's cause instead. Later on, he proved that he wasn't blindly loyal and retaliated when Scorponok betrays him too.
182	* UnexplainedRecovery: Outside of the characters mentioned above in BackFromTheDead, [[spoiler:Galvatron somehow survives being at ground zero of a planetary explosion]]. No explanation is given to how he escaped.
183	* VillainBall:
184	** [[spoiler:Galvatron informed Sixshot about the Grand Galvatron project, which among many other things, it specifically requires Sixshot to be sacrificed for parts to use. Up till that point in time, Sixshot was actually one of Galvatron's most loyal and competent Decepticons, and Galvatron's decision to inform him in advance was so insanely stupid that it almost crosses over to funny. Any Decepticon with common sense will not be willingly sacrificed as a "reward" for their prior dedication. Informing them in advance about their impending sacrifice is tantamount to asking them to desert you in your time of need, and that is exactly what Sixshot did]].
185	* VillainDecay:
186	** Trypticon, who was previously able to level the Ark, is here reduced to a common {{Mook}}, capable of being taken out by a rope bridge and gravity.
187	** Previously portrayed as formidable opponents of the Autobots, Cyclonus and Scourge were reduced to bumbling comic reliefs -- trying to use a big rock to take out Rodimus Prime (Who was busy in a physical struggle with Galvatron), only to hit Galvatron in the face instead.
188	* WhamEpisode: ''Cybertron Is in Grave Danger, Part 2''. [[spoiler:Scorponok blows up Cybertron, Galvatron is presumed dead, Rodimus, Kup and Blurr leave to find another planet for the Autobots to call home, and Rodimus makes Fortress the new leader of the Autobots]].
189	* WhyDidItHaveToBeSnakes: Mindwipe, who has a vampire bat alt-mode, [[IronicFear is terrified of bats]].

Context Anime / TransformersHeadmasters