The Golden Lagoon

Plot Summary:

While Powerglide, Warpath, Seaspray, Perceptor and Beachcomber are exploring a beach, Beachcomber wanders off on his own and finds a paradisical hidden valley containing a pool of a golden liquid. Beachcomber dips one hand in, and when it is coated in the gold liquid, he recognizes it as a substance called 'electrum', which he says no one must find out about. After Beachcomber leaves the pool, it is discovered by Thrust, who jumps in, coating himself with electrum and making himself impervious to attack. He and Astrotrain capture Seaspray and Perceptor, and take them, and the secret of the pool back to Decepticon headquarters. Even Omega Supreme cannot stand against the fortified Decepticons.

Best Dialogue:

Starscream: "Personally, I need proof!"
Megatron: "Personally, I don't care what you need!"

Beachcomber: (dejectedly observing the destroyed paradise) "We won."

Watch For...

No errors of note in this one to look out for. Excellent animation.

Starscream holding his nose as he jumps into the electrum pool. Cute.

We actually get to hear someone's rank when Megatron addresses Seaspray as "...the naval tactician".

Comments:

Beachcomber says to himself "We can't let anyone find out about the electrum", including the Autobots in his statement, letting the audience know even before the secret of the electrum is revealed that it must do something which would give the side posessing it an edge. It also makes me wonder if Beachcomber signed up with the Autobots simply because they presented the (to him anyway) less violent choice.

The animation during the final battle sequence is cut to show the significant environmental destruction. Ironically, it is Beachcomber's shot that takes out four trees or so.

The Golden Lagoon stands as one of the best episodes of the original Transformers series, along with The God Gambit. It carries not only a strong environmental message, but also gives us a look at how the Autobots, although their intent is to protect Earth, its peoples, and energy reserves, have blinders on when it comes to the Decepticons.

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