Transformers: EarthSpark

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Transformers: EarthSpark
Genre
Based onTransformers
by Hasbro
Developed by
Voices of
ComposerCrush Effect
Country of origin
  • Canada
  • United States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons1
No. of episodes26
Production
Executive producers
Running time23–45 minutes
Production companies
Original release
NetworkParamount+[1]
ReleaseNovember 11, 2022 (2022-11-11) –
present

Transformers: EarthSpark is an animated television series based on the Transformers toyline by Hasbro. It was developed by Dale Malinowski, Ant Ward and Nicole Dubuc for the streaming service Paramount+, and it has since been licensed to Netflix. The series is produced by Entertainment One in partnership with Nickelodeon Animation Studio, with animation services provided by Icon Creative Studio. The series premiered in November 2022 and has been renewed for a second season.

A video game adaptation called Transformers: EarthSpark – Expedition was released on October 13, 2023.

Premise

Fifteen years after the space bridge to Cybertron is destroyed, ending the civil war between the

Decepticons, the Malto family relocates from Philadelphia to the small town of Witwicky, Pennsylvania. There, young Robby and Mo Malto witness the birth of a new breed of Earth-born Transformers called Terrans, who become emotionally bonded to the two via special cyber-sleeves on their arms. Now adopted into the family and being mentored by Bumblebee, the Terrans work with the Autobots, the former Decepticon leader Megatron, the organization G.H.O.S.T., and the children to protect their new life from the remaining rogue Decepticons and other villains while finding their place in the world.[2]

Characters

Terrans

  • Twitch Malto (voiced by Kathreen Khavari in the TV series, Farah Rishi in Expedition) is an inquisitive and competitive Terran Transformer and Robby's partner. She transforms into a flying Cybertronian drone and her weapons are a pair of laser blades.[3]
  • Thrash Malto (voiced by Zeno Robinson in the TV series, Chris Long in Expedition) is a fun-loving and impulsive Terran Transformer and Mo's partner. He transforms into a motorcycle with a sidecar that also serves as a shield and a throwing disk.[3]
  • Hashtag Malto (voiced by Stephanie Lemelin in the TV series, Lauren Weisman in Expedition) is an excitable media-savvy second-generation Terran Transformer. She transforms into a G.H.O.S.T. surveillance van. While she does not have a weapon, she makes up for it with the ability to hack into electronic systems via wireless networks.
  • Jawbreaker Malto (voiced by Cyrus Arnold in the TV series, Bill Rogers in Expedition) is a sensitive second-generation Terran Transformer. He transforms into a Stygimoloch (now referred to as a younger Pachycephalosaurus) making him the Dinobot of the group. Though he does not have a weapon, he makes up for it with brute strength and durability.
  • Nightshade Malto (voiced by Z Infante in the TV series, Aaron Landon in Expedition) is a creative and scientifically minded second-generation Terran Transformer. Nightshade is the first character in a Transformers cartoon to be identified as non-binary.[4] They transform into a Northern hawk-owl and their weapons are a pair of greaves on their forearms that function as blades and dart launchers while also having clawed fingers.

Autobots

  • Optimus Prime (voiced by Alan Tudyk in the TV series, Bill Rogers in Expedition) is the leader of the Autobots. He transforms into a semi-trailer truck.[3] He is one of the Cybertronians to be successfully brought back to life by Robby and Mo's cyber-sleeves in the episode, "The Last Hope, Part 2".
  • Bumblebee (voiced by Danny Pudi in the TV series, Joe Zieja in Expedition) is a former Autobot scout and currently Autobot veteran in hiding who becomes the Terrans' mentor. He transforms into a yellow sports car with black racing stripes,[3] though it was shown he originally scanned a similarly colored Compact car.
  • Elita-1 (voiced by Cissy Jones) is the Autobots' second-in-command. She transforms into an all-terrain SUV.[3] She is one of the Cybertronians to be brought back to life by Robby and Mo Malto's cyber-sleeves in "The Last Hope, Part 2".
  • Wheeljack (voiced by Michael T. Downey) is an Autobot mechanic engineer inventor and scientist. He transforms into a rally car.[5] Wheeljack was responsible for the drones that were scanned by Twitch who would later nickname him "Dad 2". He is one of the Cybertronians successfully brought back to life by Robby and Mo's cyber-sleeves.
  • Arcee (voiced by Martha Marion) is an Autobot soldier. She transforms into a muscle car.[5] She is among the Cybertronians to be successfully restored to life by Robby and Mo Malto's cyber-sleeves.
  • Grimlock (voiced by Keith David in the TV series, Barron Bass in Expedition) is a Dinobot warrior who transforms into a Tyrannosaurus. In the first part of the episode "Home", Grimlock was mind-controlled by Mandroid in fighting in an illegal Bot Brawl. After the Autobots freed Grimlock and ended the illegal Bot Brawl, they found that Grimlock had already left. In "A Stygi Situation" after recovering from the mind-control, Grimlock becomes Jawbreaker's mentor, especially after the Terran becomes a Dinobot and seeks help in controlling his beast mode.

Decepticons

  • Megatron (voiced by Rory McCann) is the former leader of the Decepticons and member of the Autobots who has renounced his evil ways to ensure the survival of the Cybertronians by sending the Allspark through the Space Bridge to Cybertron and has occasionally collaborated with Dorothy Malto. This move put Megatron at odds with some of the Decepticons. This incarnation speaks in a Scottish-accent and transforms into an armored tiltrotor which pays homage to "Animated".[3]
  • Swindle and Hardtop (both voiced by Nolan North) are a pair of criminal Decepticon brothers. They transform into an SUV and a dune buggy respectively.[5] Swindle was detained and Hardtop's right arm was stolen by Mandroid into a prosthetic replacement for his own. When Mandroid got away after his first fight with the Autobots, Hardtop was among those detained as he claims to Megatron that he was not himself. Swindle would later try to dupe Thrash and Mo into helping find Hardtop by stealing the Energon Scanner only to be repelled by Bumblebee. Hardtop was among those accidentally freed by Hashtag as G.H.O.S.T. worked to contain him and the other escapees. In "Disarmed" and "What Dwells Within", Swindle was detained and placed in G.H.O.S.T. custody where he tried to escape with Starscream, Soundwave, Skywarp, and Nova Storm only to be thwarted by a forcefield barrier. In "The Last Hope", Swindle and Hardtop are among the Decepticons that help the Autobots fight Mandroid.
  • Skullcruncher is a Croctobot who is in the possession of Mandroid and can transform into a crocodile. He was later put into G.H.O.S.T. custody after his defeat by the Maltos and Autobots. Skullcruncher was among those accidentally freed by Hashtag as G.H.O.S.T. worked to contain him and the other escapees. He was defeated by Bumblebee. In "The Last Hope" Pt. 1, Skullcruncher was freed by Nightshade and Twitch and left where he was unwilling to help fight Mandroid.
  • Soundwave (voiced by Sean Kenin) is a Decepticon who works with his cassette-bots minions. He transforms into a stealth Cybertronian aircraft and has a particular grudge against Megatron, believing he has abandoned the Decepticons.[5] Soundwave was among those that were accidentally freed by Hashtag as G.H.O.S.T. worked to contain him and the other escapees. In "What Dwells Within," Soundwave tried to escape with Starscream, Soundwave, Skywarp, and Nova Storm only to be thwarted by a forcefield barrier. In "The Last Hope", Soundwave was among the Decepticons that help the Autobots and the Terrans fight Mandroid.
    • Ravage is one of Soundwave's mini-cassette minions, taking on a black panther-like robot mode.
    • Laserbeak (voiced by Jake Green) is one of Soundwave's mini-cassette minions, taking on a bird-like robot mode.
    • Frenzy (voiced by Tiana Camacho) is one of Soundwave's mini-cassette minions and the only one with a traditionally humanoid robot mode.
  • Starscream (voiced by Steve Blum) is a Decepticon who transforms into a jet, formerly serving as the faction's Air Commander in the great war. After the war ended, Starscream was seen in the custody of G.H.O.S.T. by the time Soundwave was incarcerated. In "What Dwells Within", Starscream escapes from G.H.O.S.T. custody alongside Skywarp and Nova Storm. After Starscream and Hashtag were saved from the Dweller, Starscream teleported away after Megatron offered him, Skywarp, and Nova Storm a safe place. In "The Last Hope" Pt. 2, Starscream was among the Decepticons who helped the Autobots and the Terrans fight Mandroid. He does try to get revenge on Megatron before Mandroid's super-weapon briefly deactivates him. Starscream is one of the Cybertronians to be revived by Robby and Mo Malto's cyber-sleeves. Blum reprises his role from Transformers: Prime and Robots in Disguise.
  • Skywarp and Nova Storm (both voiced by Nicole Dubuc in the TV series, Alex Cazares in Expedition) are a pair of Decepticon Seekers forced to work for Mandroid. They both transform into jets. Skywarp can teleport. Nova Storm wanted to be an Autobot, but Skywarp talked her out of it.[5] In "What Dwells Within," Skywarp and Nova Storm escape from G.H.O.S.T. custody with Starscream. In "The Last Hope" Pt. 2, Skywarp and Nova Storm are among the Decepticons that help the Autobots and the Terrans fight Mandroid.
  • Tarantulas (voiced by Alfie Allen) is a Decepticon scientist who transforms into a tarantula. Residing under a Witwicky cemetery, Tarantulas wants to be left alone and is shown to be caring when it comes to protoforms. He even gives Nightshade some advice regarding alt-modes. Tarantulas' look in this show is based on his Transmetal form from Beast Wars: Transformers.
  • Breakdown (voiced by Roger Craig Smith) is a Stunticon who is one of a few Decepticons to renounce his evil ways and is close friends with Bumblebee. He transforms into a race car and ended up in GHOST custody as of episode 14 "Security Protocols" as he sacrifices himself to save Bumblebee. In "The Last Hope", Breakdown is among the Decepticons that help the Autobots and the Terrans fight Mandroid.
  • Shockwave (voiced by Troy Baker) is the Decepticons' former chief scientist who has a vendetta against Megatron ever since he sided against the Autobots in keeping the Allspark safe and trapping him in stasis. He transforms into a Cybertronian four-legged walking tank and has referred to the Terrans as "Cybrids". In "The Last Hope", Shockwave was briefly drained of his Energon by Mandroid. He was among the Cybertronians that were revived by the cyber-sleeves of Robby and Mo.
  • Brawl is a Decepticon who was forced to fight in an illegal Bot Brawl for Energon to survive. He was later found to have been drained of his Energon alongside the other captive Cybertronians. This was caused by Mandroid who took his left arm.

Insecticons

The Insecticons are Cybertronians that have insect-based beast modes and can create holographic clones.

  • Shrapnel is an Insecticon who is in the possession of Mandroid and can transform into a stag beetle. He was later put into G.H.O.S.T. custody after his defeat by the Maltos and the Autobots. In "The Last Hope" Pt. 1, Shrapnel was freed by Nightshade and Twitch where he was uninterested in helping to fight Mandroid.
  • Bombshell is an Insecticon who is in the possession of Mandroid and can transform into a Japanese rhinoceros beetle. He was later put into G.H.O.S.T. custody after his defeat by the Maltos and the Autobots. In "The Last Hope" Pt. 1, Bombshell was freed by Nightshade and Twitch where he was uninterested in helping to fight Mandroid.

Humans

  • Robby Malto (voiced by Sydney Mikayla in the TV series, Joshua Evans in Expedition) is a 13-year-old boy adjusting to his new life after being forced to move to a small town.[3]
  • Morgan Violet "Mo" Malto (voiced by Zion Broadnax in the TV series, Tunisia Hardison in Expedition) is Robby's optimistic 9-year-old sister.[3]
  • Dorothy "Dot" Malto (voiced by Benni Latham) is Robby and Mo's mother and Alex's wife, who is a park ranger and ex-soldier. In "Age of Evolution" Pt. 1, it is revealed she has lost her right leg in the great Cybertronian war and sports a prosthetic leg.[3] Dot is also a member of G.H.O.S.T.
  • Dr. Alex Malto (portrayed by
    Ph.D. in Cybertronian History.[3]
  • Mandroid / Dr. Meridian (voiced by Diedrich Bader in the TV series, Bill Rogers in Expedition) is a mad scientist and roboticist who seeks to destroy all Cybertronians. His real name is Dr. Meridian and was given the nickname "Mandroid" against his wishes by Thrash.[3] Mandroid had lost his original right arm in the Cybertronian war back when he used to work for G.H.O.S.T. and begins replacing his body parts with those of the Transformers he captures like Hardtop's right arm and Brawl's left arm. Mandroid was later approached by Croft where she allowed him to use one of the G.H.O.S.T. facilities. In "The Last Hope" Pt. 1, Mandroid recruits two Sharkticons to his side and later kills Croft. In "The Last Hope" Pt. 2, Mandroid activated a super-weapon to shut down all Cybertronian lifeforms and died due to the side effect of energon infusion making him vulnerable to the said weapon while believing that he won. His victory was short-lived, as Robby and Mo Malto used their cyber-sleeves to successfully revive all the Autobots, Decepticons and Terrans.
    • The Arachnamechs are the spider-like creations of Mandroid.
  • Mr. Smelt (voiced by Daran Norris) is a teacher at Witwicky Charter School.[5]

G.H.O.S.T.

Short for Global Hazard Ordinance Strike Team, this human organization has the goal of rebuilding the relationship between humans and the Cybertronians. Besides Dot, the known members of G.H.O.S.T. are:

  • Executive Agent Karen Croft (voiced by Kari Wahlgren) is a high-ranking member of G.H.O.S.T.[5] She is shown to be obsessed with keeping the rogue Decepticons from causing havoc where she even went far as to secretly be behind an illegal Bot Brawl and secretly allow Mandroid to access some of the Decepticon prisoners in one of the G.H.O.S.T. facilities as seen in "Home" Pt. 2. Croft's treachery is revealed in "Stowed Away, Stowaways". She is subsequently killed by Mandroid in "The Last Hope" Pt. 1 where he used his super-weapon to disintegrate her due to the device he gave her had spiked her body with Energon.
  • Special Agent Jon "No H" Schloder (voiced by Marc Evan Jackson) is a member of G.H.O.S.T. and the brother of Agent Croft.[5] While he is familiar with some of the Autobots and Megatron, he does get suspicious when it comes to the sighting of the Terran Transformers who are in the Malto family's possession and the fact that Bumblebee faked his death. He eventually figures out about the Terrans and that Bumblebee is still alive and also readily helps them defeat Mandroid.
  • Agent Bala (voiced by Krizia Bajos) is a member of G.H.O.S.T.
  • Agent Bhagheri (voiced by Kathreen Khavari) is a member of G.H.O.S.T.
  • Kwan (voiced by Sherry Cola) is a G.H.O.S.T. cadet. She is named and modeled after series storyboarder Alex Kwan.
  • Conway (voiced by Jason Marsden) is a G.H.O.S.T. cadet. He is named and modeled after series storyboarder J.J. Conway.
  • Rosato (voiced by Kaitlyn Robrock) is a G.H.O.S.T. cadet. She is named and modeled after series storyboarder Jordan Rosato.

Other

  • Quintus Prime (voiced by Clancy Brown) is an ancient Cybertronian and one of the original Thirteen Primes created by Primus who served as the scientist of the group. His artifact the Emberstone is responsible for bringing the Terrans (and other alien races) into existence as he is shown to speak through it.
  • The Sharkticons are a race of shark-like Cybertronian beings from another planet that were oppressed by an unnamed alien race until Mandroid liberated it.
    • Blitzwave (voiced by Nolan North) is a Sharkticon recruited by Mandroid in the two-part season one finale. Despite the fact that Blitzwave was deactivated by Mandroid's super-weapon, he was among those revived by Robby and Mo's cyber-sleeves.
    • Razor-Fin (voiced by Steve Blum) is a Sharkticon recruited by Mandroid recruited by Mandroid in the two-part season one finale. Despite the fact that Razor-Fin was deactivated by Mandroid's super-weapon, he was among those revived by Robby and Mo's cyber-sleeves.

Episodes

No.TitleDirected byWritten byStoryboarded byOriginal release date [6][7]Nickelodeon air date [6][7]U.S. linear viewers
(millions)
1"Secret Legacy"Alex Kwan & Jordan RosatoNicole Dubuc and Dale MalinowskiAaron Brewer, Alex Nyerges, Carl Peterson, Nathan Jones, Marvin Madrid Rodriguez & Sol ChoiNovember 11, 2022 (2022-11-11)November 11, 20220.20[8]
2
The Malto family recently moves into Witwicky, though when Robby attempts to runaway for Philadelphia, the first Transformers born on planet Earth become involved in both family drama and the start of a new conflict when they run into the mysterious Mandroid who has made use of his Arachnamechs and some Decepticons.
3"Moo-ving In"J.J. ConwayIsabel GalupoIndia Swift, Meg Lloyd, Milo Gould & Veronica LiuNovember 11, 2022 (2022-11-11)February 10, 20230.12[9]
As Bumblebee moves in with the Maltos to train the Terrans, he quickly discovers that the task at hand is far more difficult than what he had originally expected. He then gets few lessons by other Autobots, which include trying to scare them so they listen (from Megatron) and do what makes them happy (by Elita-1).
4"House Rules"Jordan RosatoIan BuschCarl Peterson, Marvin Madrid Rodriguez & Sol ChoiNovember 11, 2022 (2022-11-11)February 10, 2023N/A
A number of incidents involving Mo and Thrash results in the pair being tricked by Swindle as he tries to find and rescue Hardtop while targeting an Energon Scanner, but the family's previous relation strains quickly comes under fire.
5"Classified"Alex KwanNathan Ramos-ParkAaron Brewer & Nathan JonesNovember 11, 2022 (2022-11-11)February 17, 20230.18[10]
A series of nightmares from Robby results in the entire family getting involved in a number of situations involving G.H.O.S.T. including keeping the Terrans safe from their triggerhappy agents led by Agent Schloder. Upon finding out, Optimus Prime works to hide Robby, Mo, Twitch, and Thrash while Bumblebee helps Alex to stall Agent Schloder.
6"Traditions"Jordan Rosato & Matthew HumphreysMaasai SingletonCarl Peterson, Marvin Madrid Rodriguez, Sol Choi & Stephanie ResslerNovember 11, 2022 (2022-11-11)February 17, 20230.15[10]
During the day of a family tradition that involve hunting for a vampire bird called the Wakwak, Twitch discovers Wheeljack while looking for Alex as Wheeljack learns that Twitch scanned one of his drones. Though they and Robby quickly get ambushed by the Arachnamechs sent by Mandroid to find more Cybertronians as he finds difficulty operating a laser with Hardtop's arm.
7"Friends and Family"J.J. ConwayBrian HohlfeldDavid Maximo, Kevin Reed, Milo Gould, Stephanie Ressler, Veronica Liu & Zheping XuNovember 11, 2022 (2022-11-11)February 24, 20230.16[11]
It is the first day of school for Robby and Mo and they are nervous about it and so are Thrash and Twitch, whom fear that they might get replaced by new friends. After a falling out, more similarities between Humans and Terrans are revealed.
8"Decoy"Alex KwanIsabel GalupoAaron Brewer, Alex Nyerges, Michael Nanna, Nathan Jones & Rachel BuechelerNovember 11, 2022 (2022-11-11)February 24, 20230.14[11]
While Optimus and Megatron bicker about the current situation regarding the treatment of former Decepticons, Bee pawns off his duties to Arcee so he can get back in the field....a decision he finds to be a very bad idea when Soundwave releases Ravage into a G.H.O.S.T. facility where some Decepticon inmates are imprisoned.
9"Age of Evolution"J.J. ConwayNicole Dubuc and Dale MalinowskiAnissa Espinosa, India Swift, Kevin Molina-Ortiz, Meg Lloyd, Milo Gould & Veronica LiuNovember 11, 2022 (2022-11-11)March 3, 20230.16[12]
10
The Autobots and the Maltos begin to search for the origin of the Terrans, but Mandroid sends Skywarp and Nova Storm to target Optimus Prime's left arm. This causes a hostage situation and a rescue operation is in effect....with reinforcements.
11"Hashtag: Oops"Matthew HumphreysBernard BadionKalvin Lee, Marvin Madrid Rodriguez, Byron Penaranda, Carl Peterson & Sam SyszmanskiMarch 3, 2023 (2023-03-03)June 12, 20230.22[13]
Bumblebee charges Twitch and Thrash to help the new Terrans find their alt modes. After Twitch convinces Hashtag to pick one, she chooses a G.H.O.S.T. van and inadvertently causes mischief in their headquarters where Hashtag accidentally frees Soundwave, Hardtop, Bombshell, Shrapnel, and Skullcruncher from their cells. Meanwhile, Nightshade is preparing a surprise for the family.
12"Outtakes"Alexandria KwanMaasai SingletonAaron Brewer, Nathan Jones & Alex NyergesMarch 3, 2023 (2023-03-03)June 13, 20230.15[14]
Jawbreaker is struggling to find an alt mode for himself. Hashtag tries to help him by interviewing other Transformers like Bumblebee, Megatron, and Elita-1 and making a film out of it. he learns about the T-Cog that enables Cybertronians to transform into their alt-modes. Things go wrong when Alex's camera gets snatched by a reactivated Arachnamech and now they must stop it before the footage is revealed.
13"Missed Connection"Matthew HumphreysMae CattRachel Buecheler, Marvin Madrid Rodriguez, Carl Peterson, Stephanie Ressler & Samuel SyszmanskiMarch 3, 2023 (2023-03-03)June 14, 2023N/A
Nightshade has trouble communicating with the family when Robby and Malto have a day off from school as Nightshade works to make a Smart Trainer. After meeting the lone Decepticon scientist Tarantulas beneath a Witwicky cemetery, they bond over their mutual passion for science and later the fact that both are hiding from G.H.O.S.T. while also getting advice on picking alt modes.
14"Security Protocols"J.J. ConwayLorin WilliamsJulia Braid, Jules Bridgers, Milo Gould, Karen Guo, Veronica Liu, Kevin Molina-Ortiz, Ifesinachi Orjiekwe & Nas PashaMarch 3, 2023 (2023-03-03)June 15, 20230.15[15]
G.H.O.S.T. has been doing some Cybertronian hunting at the Witwicky Raceway as Bumblebee trains for the Witwicky 500 in order to find his old Decepticon friend Breakdown. Agent Schloder is suspicious that Bumblebee didn't get lost during the war when he visits the Maltos as Robby, Mo, and the Terrans get trapped in their hideout's lockdown mode for 10 hours. G.H.O.S.T. discovers Bumblebee who manages to escape thanks to Breakdown, but leaves the Maltos in order to keep them safe.
15"Bear Necessities"Alex KwanIsabel GalupoAaron Brewer, Nathan Jones & Alex NyergesMarch 3, 2023 (2023-03-03)August 19, 20230.16[16]
On Mother's Day, the Malto family throw a party for Dot. Twitch's misunderstanding of getting a gift for Dot causes the Malto family a lot of mishaps involving an American black bear cub when she mistakes it for a teddy bear that Robby listed as one of the suggestions. When Dot, Robby, and Twitch go to return to the American black bear cub, its mother shows up at the Malto farm to look for its cub while the others are working on a special play for Dot. Dot, Robby, and Twitch discover a toxic threat to nature when they find discarded G.H.O.S.T. items that end up mutating the mother American black bear upon eating the infected larva.
16"Warzone"Matthew HumphreysGreg JohnsonMatthew Kim, Marvin Madrid Rodriguez, Carl Peterson & Stephanie ResslerMarch 3, 2023 (2023-03-03)August 19, 20230.13[16]
Megatron takes Robby, Mo, and the Terrans into the Space Bridge Memorial Park where the Transformers war ended and contains the memorial wall for those who perished. He explains that if the Allspark, and by extension Cybertron, is lost in the Space Bridge explosion. In addition, Megatron states the Terrans are their race's hope for the future and must not repeat their mistakes. The Decepticon's mad scientist Shockwave, who was put into stasis by Megatron at the end of the war, reawakens and plans his revenge on Megatron while his special laser called the Immobilizer on the Terrans.
17"Home"J.J. Conway & Alex Kwan & Sebastian MontesTeleplay by : Mae Catt, Nicole Dubuc & Dale Malinowski
Story by : Mae Catt & Nicole Dubuc & Isabel Galupo & Dale Malinowski & Maasai Singleton		Aaron Brewer, Milo Gould, Nathan Jones, Veronica Liu, Kevin Molina-Ortiz, Alex Nyerges & India SwiftMarch 3, 2023 (2023-03-03)August 26, 20230.08[16]
18
Bumblebee participates in the underground Bot Brawl on a mission to find Grimlock, unaware that it is hosted by Mandroid who is looking for more Cybertronian parts and energon for himself. The Malto siblings decide to have nighttime stroll at the city where they realize that the transformers are not welcome on Earth by everyone and later accidentally become involved in Bumblebee's mission and their familial bond is tested when the madman brainwashes Hashtag with his recent project.
19"A Stygi Situation"Matthew HumphreysIsabel GalupoMarvin Madrid Rodriguez, Carl Peterson & Stephanie ResslerJuly 28, 2023 (2023-07-28)April 6, 2024N/A
With Grimlock back on the Autobots' side, Jawbreaker is eager to learn how to fight from the Dinobot, but his questions and comments end up sparking some unpleasant memories from the bot brawls.
20"Disarmed"Matthew HumphreysMaasai SingletonJames Nguyen, Florent LaGrange & Steve GoJuly 28, 2023 (2023-07-28)April 6, 2024N/A
The Autobots and Maltos seek to expand upon the powers of the Cyber-Sleeves after Swindle is detained in his latest attempt to spring Hardtop from his imprisonment. When Mandroid begins eavesdropping, the group discovers that their training sessions have just become a fight for survival.
21"What Dwells Within"Sebastian Montes & Alex KwanMae CattAaron Brewer, Nathan Jones & Alex NyergesJuly 28, 2023 (2023-07-28)April 13, 2024N/A
A series of coincidences leaves Robby, Mo and the Terrans trapped underground with the Seekers, though Starscream is constantly irked by their positive view of Megatron at the time when he, Skywarp, Nova Storm, and Soundwave plan their escape. This leads to an encounter with a spacefaring Energon-eating creature called the Dweller.
22"Prime Time"J.J. ConwayIsabel GalupoMilo Gould & India SwiftJuly 28, 2023 (2023-07-28)April 13, 2024N/A
Robby's worsening condition causes Mo to break down in fear for his health, but Mandroid's possession of the Emberstone end up putting the entire family in jeopardy.
23"Stowed Away, Stowaways"Matthew HumphreysGavin HignightMarvin Madrid Rodriguez, Carl Peterson & Stephanie ResslerJuly 28, 2023 (2023-07-28)April 20, 2024N/A
The Terrans give Bumblebee some secret assistance as he goes to infiltrate G.H.O.S.T. HQ, but everyone discovers that the organization harbors some dark secrets.
24"The Battle of Witwicky"Sebastian Montes & Alex KwanMae CattAaron Brewer, Nathan Jones & Alex NyergesJuly 28, 2023 (2023-07-28)April 20, 2024N/A
Agent Croft's true colors are revealed after Bumblebee's failed mission, and every Cybertronian available is quick to come to the rescue when she attacks the Malto farm.
25"The Last Hope"Matthew Humphreys & J.J. ConwayDale MalinowskiMarvin Madrid Rodriguez, Carl Peterson, Stephanie Ressler, Milo Gould, India Swift, Veronica Liu & Kevin Molina-OrtizJuly 28, 2023 (2023-07-28)April 20, 2024N/A
26
The Maltos and Terrans begin the fight of a lifetime to rescue their family when Mandroid begins his final plan to eliminate all Cybertronians on Earth.

Production

In February 2021, Hasbro announced two animated series based on the Transformers brand. The first was a series based on the BotBots line for Netflix, and the other was a then-untitled series set to air on Nickelodeon in 2022.[17] The animated series' official title, Transformers: EarthSpark, was revealed one year later with a release window set for the fourth quarter of 2022.[18][19] In March 2022, it was announced that the series would debut on the Paramount+ streaming service in November 2022.[1] The voice cast and a preview for the series was later revealed during the 2022 San Diego Comic-Con.[3] Owned and distributed by Hasbro,[20][21] the series is a co-production between Nickelodeon Animation Studio and Entertainment One, for which Mikiel Houser and Kari Rosenberg, respectively, oversaw the production. It is executive-produced by Ant Ward, Nicole Dubuc and co-executive-produced by developer Dale Malinowski. Claudia Spinelli of Nickelodeon developed the series for television.[22][23]

Release

The series consists of twenty-six episodes, the first ten of which debuted on Paramount+ in the U.S. on November 11, 2022.[17][19][24] The second batch of episodes began streaming on March 3, 2023, bringing the total episode count to eighteen.[25] The remaining episodes of season 1 were released on July 28, 2023.[26] In February 2023, the series was renewed for a second season.[27] The series was licensed to Netflix internationally in June 2023.[28] The first ten episodes were released on DVD on May 16, 2023, by Paramount Home Entertainment.[29] The rest of the sixteen episodes was released on DVD on February 13, 2024.[30]

Video game

An

Windows via Steam, Xbox One, Xbox Series X and Series S.[22][31][32] A single-player video game, the player controls Bumblebee and can explore three biomes in a three-dimensional environment with the goal of defeating the villain Mandroid. Bumblebee uses physical attacks and attack combos to defeat enemies and enhance his skills.[31]

Reception

Controversy

In May 2023, the character Nightshade and their designation as non-binary received harsh backlash.[33] The controversy arose on Twitter, where the account Libs of TikTok shared a clip from the episode "Home" which showed Nightshade talking to a human character named Sam (voiced by Alisha Mullally), who uses she/they pronouns. During the conversation, Sam addressed Nightshade as "non-binary", leading to Nightshade's confusion as they didn't know the term. Sam apologized and explained that non-binary people identify as neither male nor female, to which Nightshade expressed gratitude and excitement on learning a word that accurately describes their experience.

Several commentators, such as Megyn Kelly slammed the series for the show's LGBT message.[34] Laura Ingraham likewise panned the show on The Ingraham Angle for teaching children about being non-binary and it feeling incredibly ham-fisted and forced.[35] In Japan, there was controversy surrounding Nightshade being referred to as a female.[36]

Accolades

Year Award Category Recipient Result Ref.
2023 Golden Reel Awards Outstanding Achievement in Sound Editing – Sound Effects, Foley, Music, Dialogue and ADR for Short Form Animation Broadcast Media "Age of Revolution" - Brad Meyer (supervising sound editor); Natalia Saavedra Brychcy (sound effects editor); Christine Gamache (dialogue editor); Carol Ma (foley editor) Nominated [37]
2024 Golden Reel Awards Outstanding Achievement in Sound Editing – Sound Effects, Foley, Music, Dialogue and ADR for Short Form Animation Broadcast Media "Security Protocols" – Brad Meyer (supervising sound editor); Natalia Saavedra Brychcy (sound effects editor); Christine Gamache (dialogue editor); Carol Ma (foley editor) Nominated [38]
GLAAD Media Awards Outstanding Kids and Family Programming Transformers: EarthSpark Nominated [39]

References

  1. ^ a b Lynch, Jason (March 24, 2022). "Nickelodeon Expands Franchises in Upfront In-Person Return". Adweek.
  2. ^ "Paramount+ Expands Kids' Slate with New 'Transformers,' 'Dora,' 'TMNT,' 'SpongeBob' & More from Nickelodeon". Animation Magazine. 15 February 2022.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Petski, Denise (July 22, 2022). "'Transformers: EarthSpark': Paramount+ Series Sets Voice Cast, Teaser Trailer – Comic-Con". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved July 22, 2022.
  4. ^ Mercante, Alyssa (November 14, 2022). "New Transformers Series Introduces Its First Nonbinary Robot [Update]". Kotaku. Archived from the original on November 27, 2022. Retrieved November 14, 2022.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h "'Transformers: EarthSpark' Official Trailer Debuts at NYCC". 9 October 2022.
  6. ^ a b "Transformers: EarthSpark Episode Listings". The Futon Critic.
  7. ^ a b "Transformers: EarthSpark Episode Guide". Zap2it.
  8. Showbuzz Daily
    . Retrieved November 14, 2022.
  9. Showbuzz Daily
    . Retrieved February 13, 2023.
  10. ^
    Showbuzz Daily
    . Retrieved February 21, 2023.
  11. ^
    Showbuzz Daily
    . Retrieved February 27, 2023.
  12. Showbuzz Daily
    . Retrieved March 6, 2023.
  13. Showbuzz Daily
    . Retrieved June 13, 2023.
  14. Showbuzz Daily
    . Retrieved June 14, 2023.
  15. Showbuzz Daily
    . Retrieved June 16, 2023.
  16. ^ a b c "Transformers: EarthSpark". USTVDB. 26 August 2023. Retrieved September 14, 2023.
  17. ^ a b Petski, Denise (February 25, 2021). "Nickelodeon Orders Transformers Animated Comedy Series Based On Hasbro Franchise". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved February 25, 2021.
  18. CBR.com
    . Retrieved June 25, 2023.
  19. ^ a b Petski, Denise (February 15, 2022). "'Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles' Villain Movies, 'Transformers' Series & More Heading To Paramount+ & Nickelodeon". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved February 15, 2022.
  20. ^ "Hasbro, Inc. trademark for Transformers: Earthspark". February 15, 2022.
  21. ^ "eOne Family Brands Distribution Catalogue". WorldScreen. April 2022.
  22. ^ a b Hazra, Adriana (June 23, 2023). "Transformers: Earthspark - Expedition Game Launches for Xbox, PS4, PS5, Switch, PC in Fall 2023". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on June 23, 2023. Retrieved June 25, 2023.
  23. ^ Milligan, Mercedes (July 22, 2022). "Sneak Peek: Nickelodeon, eOne Set 'Transformers: EarthSpark' Cast". Animation Magazine. Retrieved June 25, 2023.
  24. ^ Milligan, Mercedes (September 12, 2022). "Nick, Paramount+ Set 'Transformers: EarthSpark' Premiere and NYCC Plans". Animation Magazine. Retrieved September 12, 2022.
  25. ^ "Transformers: Earthspark New Trailer Debuts Grimlock and Reveals Return Date". denofgeek. February 5, 2023. Retrieved February 5, 2023.
  26. ^ Milligan, Mercedes (2023-07-10). "'Transformers: EarthSpark' Final S1 Episodes Premiere July 28". Animation Magazine. Retrieved 2023-06-19.
  27. ^ "Paramount+ Announces Greenlight for Second Season of Original Animated Series "Transformers: EarthSpark"" (Press release). CBS. February 1, 2023. Retrieved February 1, 2023 – via The Futon Critic.
  28. ^ Moore, Kasey (2023-06-19). "'Transformers: EarthSpark' Licensed to Netflix Internationally; Renewed for Season 2". What's on Netflix. Retrieved 2023-06-19.
  29. ^ "Transformers: EarthSpark: Season 1 – Episodes 1-10". Amazon. 16 May 2023.
  30. ^ "Transformers: EarthSpark - Season One Episodes 11-26 [DVD]". Amazon. 13 February 2024.
  31. ^ a b Lyons, Ben (June 22, 2023). "Transformers: Earthspark - Expedition to offer a Bumblebee adventure this October". Gamereactor. Archived from the original on June 25, 2023. Retrieved June 25, 2023.
  32. ^ Romano, Sal (June 22, 2023). "Transformers: EarthSpark – Expedition announced for PS5, Xbox Series, PS4, Xbox One, Switch, and PC". Gematsu. Archived from the original on June 22, 2023. Retrieved June 25, 2023.
  33. ^ Mayer, Chloe (May 13, 2023). "Transformers' first non-binary character sparks backlash". Newsweek.
  34. ^ Shannon Thaler (5 May 2023). "Megyn Kelly slams Transformers kids' show with non-binary characters as 'disgusting'". NEW YORK POST. Retrieved 13 May 2023.
  35. ^ Bailey, Kayla (May 13, 2023). "Laura Ingraham torches woke 'Transformers': 'Shoving' pronouns down kids' 'throats' with 'corrosive lies'". Fox News.
  36. ComicBook.com
    . Retrieved February 17, 2024.
  37. ^ Tangcay, Jazz (2023-01-09). "'Everything Everywhere All At Once' Leads Motion Picture Sound Editors Golden Reel Awards Nominations". Variety. Retrieved 2024-01-25.
  38. ^ Giardina, Carolyn (2024-01-16). "'Oppenheimer' Leads Feature Noms of MPSE Sound Editors Golden Reel Awards". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2024-01-25.
  39. ^ "AwardsWatch - GLAAD Media Awards Nominations: 'All of Us Strangers,' "Bottoms,' 'Our Flag Means Death' and More". AwardsWatch. 2024-01-17. Retrieved 2024-01-25.

External links

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