Tranformers Prime – One Shall Stand seamlessly blends the finale of Season One of the animated series with the first three episodes of Season Two to create a movie length viewing experience.
Transformers Prime: One Shall Stand will be available on DVD beginning July 31, 2012. Obviously, if you own Season One, then you’ll have the season finale episodes, but since Season Two hasn’t been released yet, then it’s great for the more impatient fans. Also, the bonus to owning this is to have the episodes edited together for a seamless experience. And I could not tell where one episode ended and the other began, which is impressive, since usually when watching television series on DVD or Netflix, I can identify where every commercial break was placed.
I haven’t really watched any of the Transformers Prime episodes prior to this DVD, but I am amazed at the beautiful animation as well as voice talent with Peter Cullen as Optimus Prime and the endless talent of Frank Welker as Megatron. Even the music does not fail to disappoint, bringing an epic quality to the battle sequences.
Some of what follows may be considered spoilers, but I’ve tried not to include anything not already in the official press release. Still, as always, read at your own risk.
The story follows the awakening of the powerful Unicron, who becomes connected to Megatron through the dark energon that is revealed to be found underneath the earth. Natural disasters of all kinds begin plaguing humans, and the Autobots must destroy the evil Unicron to stop the carnage.
In one of the more visually stunning scenes, Optimus Prime and Megatron fight against the backdrop of an erupting volcano. It’s dark energon erupting from the earth, according to Optimus. Purple bursts of energy shoot from the volcano like fireworks. We shared some images from this episode just before it aired, but those pictures did not do this sequence justice.
However, Megatron realizes that Unicron is more foe than ally, and he and Optimus forge an uneasy alliance to bring the enemy down. Victory is not without its casualties, though and Optimus, who was once known as historical archivist Orion Pax, reverts to a pre-Prime state.
Yes, Optimus Prime was once an archivist. And not always the powerful leader of the Autobots. This was news to me, but I’m only a casual Transformers fan, with my interests primarily centered on that loveable Bumblebee.
But if I, as a casual fan, can love this movie, then I’m sure everyone else will, too. And the DVD includes two extras: a chat with some of the talent behind the episodes (executive director Jeff Kline and writers Duane Capizzi and Steven Melching) and one of the episodes as an animatic, prior to computer rendering.
So, all that’s left to say is . . . Autobots, roll out!