Sub-Commander Longrack
From Transformers Wiki
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| Sub-Commander Longrack (Fuku Shirei Longrack) | ||||||
| Production code | BWN-09 | |||||
| Production company | TV Tokyo, NAS, Ashi Productions | |||||
| Airdate | 31 March 1999 | |||||
| Writer | Kazuhiko Gōdo | |||||
| Director | Tomio Yamauchi | |||||
| Animation studio | Ashi Productions | |||||
| Continuity | Japanese Generation 1 cartoon continuity | |||||
When Big Convoy goes missing, Longrack attempts to lead the Maximals in a planet of spiders and webs.
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Synopsis
This is noticed by Predacons Saberback and Sling, who have already been searching for the planet's capsule. They quickly return to the Dinosaur, on the other side of Sargasso. There, they resolve to go back to the planet and find Big Convoy's remains and investigate the creature capable of such a feat. The other Maximals return to the Gung Ho around the predetermined rendezvous time, but are concerned that Big Convoy hasn't returned or made contact. The cadets argue on whether they should go to rescue Big Convoy or if he's simply testing them. Longrack, as the team's lieutenant, cuts above the argument to give his opinion, but realizes the others have ignored him and agreed among themselves to go rescue Big Convoy.
Meanwhile, Big Convoy easily extricates himself from the web cocoon and gets on with finding the Angolmois capsule. Longrack attempts to lead the cadets back to Sargasso, ordering them to split into two groups, but none of the others are listening to him and go on ahead. Dead End and Guiledart, looking for the spider creature, spot Break and Longrack entering the caverns of Sargasso. While observing, they are attacked by the spider, but manage to escape. They decide to use the formidable creature to take out the Maximals. Big Convoy is still looking for the capsule amongst the spider's cocoons when he hears Break calling out for him, but he doesn't bother to reply.
Stampy, Colada and Heinrad pick up a signal when they are attacked by Guiledart and Dead End, who gloat that the cadets will be scrapped just as Big Convoy was. Stampy sends out a distress call to Longrack and Break, whose rush to help is quickly derailed by the spider capturing them, forcing them to call Stampy back and ask for help themselves.
Just as Break desperately tries to offer up his absent comrades to the spider, they arrive to free them. Guiledart and Dead End follow, with Sling teleporting in too, bragging that they stand no chance against the creature that killed Big Convoy. As the Predacons attack, Longrack tries to dictate the Maximals' defense, but his commands are again ignored by the other cadets. Just as it looks like the Predacons will finish off the Maximals, Big Convoy arrives and asks Longrack what his orders are. He promptly disregards Longrack's suggestions and orders the opposite, having Colada, Stampy and Heinrad cover him while he fends off the advancing spider, killing it. Stampy frees Break and Longrack, who aid Big Convoy in driving off the Predacons. Under sustained fire, the Predacons are denied a teleportation by the mercurial DNAVI and end up fleeing into the remains of the spider's webs.
The battle won, Longrack brags that his strategy saved everyone, but is reprimanded by Big Convoy, who points out that a battlefield is not the same as a military academy. Prompted by Vector Sigma, he mollifies his criticism, pointing out that in a real battle, it is necessary to improvise and not stick with preset strategies. After having a hearty chuckle at the distressed cries of the Predacons being beset by the spider's many offspring, the Maximals collect the capsule and return to the Gung Ho. Detecting another Angolmois signal, they set off to another adventure.
On the Dinosaur, DNAVI has eventually teleported her crew to safety, but brought the spiders along with them, leading a stressed Saberback to complain that the situation is not beautiful!
Quotes
Capsule score
- Maximals: 5
- Predacons: 3
Featured characters
(Numbers indicate order of appearance.)
| Maximals | Predacons | Others |
|---|---|---|
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Notes
Animation and technical errors
Continuity errors
- There's not anything particularly wrong with Longrack's commands to warrant Big Convoy's end of episode rebuke. The other cadets stop listening to him early on because of his condescending manner—which he isn't pulled up for—not because he's giving bad orders.
Transformers references
Real-world references
- Some of the noises the spider creature makes are recycled from Toho's Godzilla franchise.
Trivia
- Given Sargasso's lack of atmosphere, the Maximals don't have to use the Gung Ho's distinctive atmosphere-penetrating shielding to reach the planet and simply float their way there. (You can make up your explanation for what's propelling them through the vacuum.)
Home video releases
- VHS
1999 — Super Lifeform Transformers: Beast Wars Neo — ACT. 3 (Pioneer LDC)