The Ultimate Combination!! BlackZarak, the New Lifeform

« Transformers: Super-God Masterforce ep 38 »
Somewhere in a magenta vortex...
"The Ultimate Combination!! BlackZarak, the New Lifeform" 究極合体!!新生命体ブラックザラック () (Kyūkyoku Gattai!! Shin Seimeitai BlackZarak)
Production company	Takara, Toei
Airdate	31 January 1989
Writer	Yoshihisa Araki
Director	Yoshikata Nitta
Animation studio	Toei
Continuity	Japanese Generation 1 cartoon continuity

In the midst of an all-out attack on the Decepticon base, Devil Z finally stands revealed, and the Autobots are faced with their deadliest enemy yet!

Synopsis

With the location of Decepticon Base now known to them, the Autobots (using Grand Maximus as their temporary headquarters) relocate to Angkor Wat in Cambodia in preparation for an attack. Former Decepticons Cancer and Clouder are determined to go along, but everyone is concerned for their safety, as there's no telling what the Decepticons will do to the two turncoats. The Godmasters and Headmaster Juniors board Grand Maximus and head for the base, while the Pretenders remain behind to monitor the planet for Decepticon activity.

At the Decepticon headquarters, Devil Z readies his forces for the Autobot attack that he knows will be coming. Giga fears that their base will be damaged, but Devil Z assures him that he has the key to ultimate victory...

Ginrai always bested the other Autobots when it came to Limbo.

Meanwhile, the Autobots are closing in on the Decepticon base, and Cancer instructs them in how to avoid its radar. Unfortunately, the Autobots realize that their approach has been anticipated when the increased number of radar sensors detect their presence, leaving them no option but to charge straight into battle. Seacons quickly surround the Maximus, and the Godmaster and Headmaster Juniors take them on while Ginrai faces Hydra, Buster and Decepticon Pretenders on the roof of the base itself. The Seacons form King Poseidon, but the firepower of the Maximus blasts him to bits, creating an opening that allows the other Autobots to reach Ginrai, who has by this stage come under attack from Mega and Giga. Ginrai merges with Godbomber and battles Overlord while the Autobot Godmasters tackle Buster and Hydra, and Shūta and Cab take on Wilder and Bullhorn (who asks Cab if Cancer is okay while he's in the middle of throttling him!). In the midst of the battle, Devil Z calls a full retreat, ordering the Decepticons to re-enter the base and submerging the docking tower. Ginrai blasts out the docking tower with his Godcannon and the Autobots are sucked down the shaft into the base. There, at last, they find themselves face-to-face with the mysterious Devil Z, who prepares to unleash his trump card. Exploding with incandescent light, Devil Z rises from his pedestal and floats through the air like a mist, weaving and twisting his way inside BlackZarak's chest cavity. With this, the two ultimate forces of evil are united into one, and the Decepticon base begins to crumble beneath everyone's feet, sending the Autobots tumbling into a black void...

A little later, the Autobots come to in a cavern beneath the sea floor and quickly get their bearings. It is a simple matter for God Ginrai to fly out of the trench, so he takes Shūta and Cab to the surface and instructs them to fetch jetpacks from Grand Maximus. Ginrai then flies back into the cavern, but discovers that in his absence, the Godmasters have come under attack from Wilder and Bullhorn, who have both fallen into the trench as well. Shūta and Cab, meanwhile, overhear the Decepticon Pretenders talking, and discover Devil Z's true scheme—he has planted a time bomb that will destroy the entire base, and he doesn't care if it takes Wilder and Bullhorn with it! They radio Grand Maximus instead of fetching the jetpacks themselves, and immediately head back to inform Ginrai and the others of the Decepticon scheme. They return just as Ginrai lifts Ranger and Road King out of the trench, and upon learning of the bomb plot, Ginrai heads back into the trench to fetch Lightfoot head and try to convince Wilder and Bullhorn to leave. Bullhorn and Wilder refuse to believe the Autobots' claims, and the gunfight continues until Clouder arrives with the jetpacks. In his falcon mode, Clouder carries Lightfoot out of the trench and they and the other Autobots flee the base while Ginrai remains behind to try and convince the Decepticon Juniors of the fate that awaits them if they stay. Time eventually runs out and the bomb detonates, but then, Wilder tells Ginrai that they don't need an Autobot to save them. Ginrai's patience is the next thing to run out, as, during the chaos of the explosion, he manages to get the drop on the two punks and knocks them out.

The other Autobots, meanwhile, have escaped to the Maximus, and watch in horror as the surface of the ocean is broken by a massive fountain of fire erupting from the exploding base. They silently watch and wait, fearing the worst, until at last, Ginrai bursts through the foam, carrying the unconscious Wilder and Bullhorn in his arms. Despite this moment of victory, the Autobots must wonder... with the Decepticon base destroyed, but what will the villains' next move be...?

Featured characters

(Numbers indicate order of appearance.)

Notes

Animation and technical errors

• In the long shot of the Autobots assembled around Grand Maximus, Clouder is in his Decepticon armor, but when the angle changes, he's in his correct Autobot armor.
• When the Autobots look out Maximus's windshield as they approach the Decepticon base, Ranger's torso and pelvis armor are coloured green, instead of grey.
• As God Ginrai moves to peek from behind a rock, the edge of the cel can be seen moving on the right-hand side of the screen.
• Scenes of Ginrai's battle with Buster and Hydra from "Secret Orders! Destroy the Autobot Base!!" are recycled for this episode.
• As Ranger points out the lava, his optics are red.

Continuity errors

• Last episode, the Decepticon base was identified as being off the coast of Hawaii. And yet, in this episode, Angkor Wat, in Cambodia, is said to be near it. Dude, what the hell?
• It is never explained why Ginrai needs the Maximus's jetpacks. Logically, one might suppose that it's so the Godmasters can use them to fly out of the trench, but that's quickly proven to be wrong when Ginrai easily flies everyone out on his own until only he and Lightfoot are left (he then has Clouder carry out Lightfoot, so that he can carry out Wilder and Bullhorn). So what the heck did he want the jetpacks for?

Continuity notes

• The Autobots' discovery of the Decepticon base's location and Cancer's defection to the Autobots both occurred in the previous episode.
• The jetpacks from the Maximus were previously seen in "Crisis! The Day of Human Extinction".

Trivia

• As he fuses with BlackZarak, Devil Z announces that the Autobots and Decepticons will see his true form. Don't get excited, though, folks—you're still not going to find out a single damn thing about who or what he is, except that his true form is apparently... an... alien fetus? Eww.

Foreign localization

English

• Title: "The New Scorponok" (Omni Productions dub)
• Original airdate: March 17, 1991

Home video releases

DVD

2003 — Transformers: Super-God Masterforce — DVD Box 02 (Pioneer LDC) — Japanese audio only.
2006 — The Takara Collection Vol 2 — Transformers: Super-God Masterforce (Metrodome)
2007 — Transformers — The Complete Takara Collection (Metrodome)
2008 — The Transformers: Super God Masterforce (Madman Entertainment)
2009 — The Transformers: Japan Generation 1 — Complete Collection (Madman Entertainment)
2012 — Transformers: The Japanese Collection (Shout! Factory)
2012 — Transformers Japanese Collection: Super-God Masterforce (Shout! Factory)