It's time for more... Secrets of the Original Scripts!
Chris McFeely
I've got an advance copy of), the original scripts to all 98 episodes
of G1 (bar the few which Metrodome had to recreate) are in my grubby
mitts, since the S1 set contains all the scripts not included on S2 Pt
1. Now, I know I only did the first few eps of Season Three last time,
but I was finding it a bit of a trudge - Season Three's my favourite
season, but there were just so few differences that it was *boring.*
So, I'm going to bounce around now and do a random selection of
episodes with fun stuff in 'em.
ENTER THE NIGHTBIRD
...was originally titled "Enter the Ninja." Not looking at anymore of
this script now, let's move on.
MICROBOTS
While he may no longer be with us, I pay honour to Skyflight by
debunking his belief in the name of the Decepticon ship. Scavenger
says that the "stardrive" is nearby, not the "Stardrive," or the "Star
Drive."
DINOBOT ISLAND, Pts 1 and 2
Blaster was originally named "Blastbox."
While Part 1's script just identifies the Barbarian language as
"unintelligible grunts and laughter), Part 2's script spells it all
out! Ura manamabirno! Ramballalala uramala!
A scene is cut in which Sunstreaker, in vehicle mode, crosses paths
with another motorist...
Sunstreaker: Hey, watch it! I just had my chassis waxed and buffed!
Driver: (SCARED AND ANGRY) Yeah?!? If that hairy elephant sits on you,
they'll have to get you out with a can opener... hey, wait a second...
who's driving that car?
Sunstreaker: (GETTING PEEVED) I am!
(I presume 'Streaker transforms here...)
Sunstreaker: Now what's on your mind?
Driver: (VOICE TRAILING OFF) I didn't see what I thought I saw... I
didn't... didn't... didn't!
After the Autobot's volcano becomes active again, some exposition from
Chip which further clarifies the connection of Dinobot Island to the
time warps is cut.
Wheeljack: Something is making his volcano active again!
Chip: Not surprising. Something has disrupted the energies on Dinobot
Island... the same energies that kept it unchanged for millions of
years. But now holes have been ripped in the "time flow," and if
something isn't done fast, the instability could destroy the fabric of
time itself! And the Earth - and the entire universe - will
disintegrate into chaos!
The copy of the TF show bible floating around online notes that at the
end of this episode, Trailbreaker seals the island off with a
forcefield. This is never stated or shown in the episode, aside from
the fact that Trailbreaker is the last to fly off the island, alone,
but a line of dialogue from Prime is indeed dropped that verifies
this. "Finally, Trailbreaker's forcefield will insure that the
mysterious energies of Dinobot Island will be secure 'til the end of
time." Of course, if this had actually happened, then Trypticon could
have hung out there pre-"Thief in the Night." ;)
MEGATRON'S MASTER PLAN, PART 2
There's nothing to note in Part 1, but a really fun scene that's cut
from Part 2. Before we see Soundwave at the disco, we get a look at
the *other* Decepticons enjoying their new fame, as Starscream goes on
a talk show and the Coneheads deal with autograph hunters...
TV Host: (SLICK, "JOHNNY CARSON" TYPE) So tell me, Mr. Starscream...
you getting any offers from Hollywood?
Starscream: I've already made a film. (EVASIVELY) That's where I get
the star in Starscream.
TV Host: Yeah, when do we get the scream part? (AFFECTED LAUGHTER)
Starscream: Very soon...
Crowd: (ADLIBBED EXCITEMENT AND IMPATIENCE)
Dirge: Don't push... it will only cause you pain and discomfort.
Trust: (BRAGGING) You made a good choice! I have destroyed my enemies!
Ramjet: If you ask me, "autograph" sounds too much like "Autobot!"
Another thing worth noting about this episode is that the whole
section which features Cosmos drawn back to the sun after the
destruction of the ship, Chip's escape and Thrust's blasting of
Teletraan I were all additional material, added later to bring the
episode up to it's full time length.
A DECEPTICON RAIDER IN KING ARTHUR'S COURT
Verily, there doth be a buttload of stuff dropped from this ep! This
might be THE most stuff cut.
The first line in the script is a dropped one, as Starscream laments
the situation: "That fool Megatron's done it again! No energy to steal
- and the Autobots on our tail!"
After Warpath block the Decepticons in with his blast, Hoist
criticizes: "You idiot... that looks like a historic monument you just
blasted!" To which Warpath replies, "Then let's get down there and
bammm those Decepticons into history!"
Starscream is smart enough to realise something not quite right as
soon as they come out of the Dragon Mound: "There's something strange
about this country side, but I can't quite put a sensor on it..."
The 'Cons introduction to Wigend and Wulf is a good bit longer here.
Starscream: Courageous little pipsqueak, aren't we? I am Starscream of
Cybertron!
Sir Wigend: I have never heard of the court of Cybertron. (BEAT) But
thou art magnificent knights!
Rumble: Ha! You ain't seen nothin' yet! Right, Ramjet?
Ramjet: Right!
(Obviously, Ramjet transforms here.)
Sir Wigend: By Wodin! They're shape-changing magicians, as well!
(Ramjet changes back here.)
Ramjet: Ohh... that took more energy than I've got to spare!
Solomon: (ANGRY HOOTING)
(Clearly, Solomon, the owl, draws everyone's attention here, and then
flies off.)
Wulf: When Beorht gets back to his tower, he won't be happy!
Sir Wigend: Forget that ne'er do well wizard!
And then we return to the episode as finished, with Wigend's talk of
seein the 'cons aligned against the Sir Aetheling.
When Nimue meets the Autobots, and Warpath thinks she's referring to
Starscream when she mentions a dragon, he adds: "And believe me, he'll
be Bam! DRAGGIN' when we get through with him!"
After Warpath tells Nimue to "lead on," this scene is cut:
Nimue: But thou hast no horses.
Warpath: Don't worry, little lady... between Sir Hoist and me here,
we've got more than a thousand of 'em...
(I presume they transform here...)
Hoist: But they're all under our hoods!
Warpath: Ya! (LAUGHS)
Nimue: Magicians as well as knights! My father will be pleased!
Sir Aetheling notes just how absurd Sir Wigend's claims about their
land are, because he's got "a royal deed to prove him wrong."
Hoist is an optimist. After finishing Spike's armour and groaning
through lack of energy, he comments: "I expect we'll be seeing
Starscream tomorrow. I hope I can convince him that none of us belong
here, so we can all return home."
This carries over to a further scene, too. When Starscream is
muttering over how the Autobots have followed him to his "world to
conquer," the following scene is dropped:
Hoist: This world belongs to none of us, Starscream! Please, we're all
dangerously low on energy, let's just go home!
Starscream: So, you're running low on energy too? No fire power,
either? (TO HIS PALS) Rumble! Ramjet! Warpath must be dead on his
treads! Attack and DESTROY!
When Solomon and Beorht meet up, before noting Nimue's capture, Beorht
translates some of what Solomon hoots as "ruined my tower?" I'm not
sure what this is in reference to, as it doesn't seem to make sense if
he's referring to the Dragon Mound.
Nimue's a lot more threatening when she's captured. She notes that
when her father gets here, the 'Cons will: "get cuirasses cracked, thy
breastplates bashed, and thy chain mail kicked from here to Camelot!"
Starscream's instructions for finding potassium nitrate are more
explicit here...
Starscream: You can take this barrel and follow those birds... where
they roost, you will find "potassium nitrate" by the ton.
Rumble: Me and my big mouth!
A whole scene where Hoist finds out that Warpath sent Spike on ahead
is cut.
Hoist: (INCREDULOUSLY) Warpath, you did WHAT?
Warpath: Uh... I JUST told him to rescue Nimue while you had the rest
of us messin' around with these silly preparations.
Aetheling: (SHOCKED) Thou sent a boy against the most fearsome knights
ever seen in Britain?
Warpath: Well, now that you put it like that...
Hoist: C'mon, genius, let's move out!
There's a short scene cut where Aetheling aids the fallen Wigend.
Aetheling: Here! Take my hand!
Wigend: I thank thee, sir, but I fear we're ruined!
Aetheling: We? What about the cows?
Wigend: (LAUGHING) I'll fix that blasted fence tomorrow!
The God the Sky that Beorht calls on in "Tyrwas."
After Hoist and Warpath smash in the castle wall, Wigend comments: "I
never liked that wall anyway."
And finally, it's obvious to anyone who watches the finished episode
that something is missing from this scene - when Hoist says they'll
take the 'Cons back, if there is a way back, but he sounds as though
he's been cut off as Beorht says "Hoist said "time,"", even though
Hoist didn't. Here's how the full scene goes:
Hoist: Take them back with us. That is, if there's a way back to our
own time!
Beorht: (THE LIGHT BULB FINALLY GOING OFF) Hear that, Solomon?
Starscream: (GASP) (STILL PATHETIC) Wait... can't I have just a little
more?
Warpath: Get movin', Starscream, or I'll give you a taste of my Crack!
Zonk! medicine!
Beorht: (CONTINUING HIS THOUGHT) Hoist said time! These valiant
knights... they're time travellers!
PHEW! That was a big one! And I think that'll do for now! I'm out,
y'all. More later!
Chris
Aaron F. Bourque
>A scene is cut in which Sunstreaker, in vehicle mode,
>crosses paths with another motorist...
>
>Sunstreaker: Hey, watch it! I just had my chassis waxed
>and buffed!
>
>Driver: (SCARED AND ANGRY) Yeah?!? If that hairy
>elephant sits on you, they'll have to get you out with a can
>opener... hey, wait a second... who's driving that car?
>
>Sunstreaker: (GETTING PEEVED) I am!
>
>(I presume 'Streaker transforms here...)
>
>Sunstreaker: Now what's on your mind?
>
>Driver: (VOICE TRAILING OFF) I didn't see what I thought I
>saw... I didn't... didn't... didn't!
Heh. There were scenes like this in the comics, but I can't recall any in the
cartoon.
>TV Host: (SLICK, "JOHNNY CARSON" TYPE) So tell me,
>Mr. Starscream... you getting any offers from Hollywood?
>
>Starscream: I've already made a film. (EVASIVELY) That's
>where I get the star in Starscream.
>
>TV Host: Yeah, when do we get the scream part?
>(AFFECTED LAUGHTER)
>
>Starscream: Very soon...
Heh heh heh. Starscream's the Joker.
>The God the Sky that Beorht calls on in "Tyrwas."
Do you mean "is" instead of "in" or is there a word missing
somewhere?
Aaron "The Mad Whitaker" Bourque; clearly, you must do
more.
--
God saves and man sins
But the tragedy comes when
He does both of them
Ground Zero
> >Driver: (VOICE TRAILING OFF) I didn't see what I thought I
> >saw... I didn't... didn't... didn't!
>
> Heh. There were scenes like this in the comics, but I can't recall any in
the
> cartoon.
I always found those kinds of scenes a bit cheezy, but still amuzing. RiD
had quite a few like that too, didn't they?
> >TV Host: (SLICK, "JOHNNY CARSON" TYPE) So tell me,
> >Mr. Starscream... you getting any offers from Hollywood?
> >
> >Starscream: I've already made a film. (EVASIVELY) That's
> >where I get the star in Starscream.
> >
> >TV Host: Yeah, when do we get the scream part?
> >(AFFECTED LAUGHTER)
> >
> >Starscream: Very soon...
>
> Heh heh heh. Starscream's the Joker.
That would have been nice to have seen kept in. And yes, definitly very
Joker-esque.
-GZ
Kil - Michael McCarthy
>Crowd: (ADLIBBED EXCITEMENT AND IMPATIENCE)
>
>Dirge: Don't push... it will only cause you pain and discomfort.
That is awesome Dirgeyness.
-Kil
----
Michael "Kil" McCarthy
The Kil File - http://hometown.aol.com/michaelmcc79/index.html
"An object at rest cannot be stopped!!!!"
-The Evil Midnight Bomber What Bombs At Midnight
Chris McFeely
>
> Do you mean "is" instead of "in" or is there a word missing
> somewhere?
Ah, yes, I did mean "is." I also missed an "of." Let me try that again:
The God of the Sky that Beorht calls on is "Tyrwas."
There we go.
Chris